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How was Lilybeak’s and Flightdur’s relationship? I can’t tell if their close or not

Complicated!

Flightfur loves her daughter more than life itself, but she hasn’t really ever shown that love to her because she was completely consumed by grief. In the nursery, she spent most of her time staring blankly at the wall, not responding to her kit simply because she wasn’t registering that her child was trying to get attention.

There were moments when her head was more clear. Usually it’s when she catches someone talking shit about Lilybeak, then she becomes mama bear and lets them have it.

Flightfur wasn’t entirely absent. It lasted to her death, and the nursery days was when it was really bad, but as stated, she has her moments. She was aware and cheering at both Lilybeak’s ceremonies. She would check in on Lilybeak and make sure she’s okay. She was the only one in the Clan that respected Lilybeak’s love of her skull and would offer to watch it while Lilybeak had to work.

At the same time, it’s hard for that kind of neglect—even if unintentional—to not affect someone.

Flightfur’s times of clarity occurred most often in the later moons, after Lilybeak was already a adolescent/young adult (in other words, her mother was more absent when she was younger and more impressionable)

Lilybeak was a moon old when she lost her remaining brother, and older when her grandmother (who she was very close to) passed, but Flightfur was too deep in depression to notice that her child needed her (not her fault or course! Just the facts of it)

Most of the time Flightfur defended Lilybeak was when cats were talking without Lilybeak in earshot, so she didn’t know that her mother was defending her, nor that there was anyone to defend her from, other than the whispers she herself heard.

Lilybeak didn’t lie about her mother because she hates or or resents her, she only did it because the skull said so.

They love each other deeply, but Flightfur also carries a lot of guilt for not being there, and a tiny part of her resents Lilybeak for bretraying her (and she hates that part of her, she hates hating her daughter even if just a little bit—like I said, complicated!). Lilybeak loves her mom, but it’s tough to say if she loves her like she would a parent, it’s hard to identify what sort of love she has for her mother and how deep. She just knows it’s there

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To put it short: they love each other, but cannot / will not express that in a way that they want to because they were not kind or loving to each other in the past, and they can’t take that back and don’t know how to move forward.

Or to be it in quotes:

Flightfur would be—

“I love you more than life itself, but I messed up raising you. I want to be able to laugh with you and talk with you and I want you to love me too, but I can’t change what I did or didn’t do and I don’t know how to apologize. But I don’t really know you. I didn’t pay attention to who you were growing up, and now it’s like smiling at a stranger, hoping they’ll smile back.”

Lilybeak would be—

“I think I love you, but I don’t know. Your name brings good memories of warmth and smiles. But it also brings memories of silence and cold. You were always a part of my life, but it wasn’t always positive, and it wasn’t always negative. Sometimes it was blank. I think I should love you like a mother, but were you really a mother to me? You hurt me so much sometimes, I can still feel the sadness in my chest. But I know you didn’t mean it. I’m sorry for hating you for it. I’m sorry I can’t love you the way that I should. I want to be close to you, but is it because I love you, or because I want the mother you haven’t been to me?”

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Who do you think would get along with Lilybeak and/or Flightfur?

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whether you like them both or sympathize with Lilybeak over Flightfur or Flightfur over Lilybeak, we can all agree on one thing:

Tadpoleclaw sucks ass🫶

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Dark Forest Residences: Flightfur & Lilybeak

Flightfur

Aliases / Nicknames: Love

Gender: she-cat

Sexuality: pansexual

Family: unnamed mother, unnamed father, Lilybeak (daughter), Birchkit, Sunkit (sons), Tadpoleclaw (mate, formerly)

Other Relations: unnamed mentor, unnamed apprentice, Softbark (mother-in-law)

Clan: ThunderClan

Rank: warrior

Characteristics: loves racing, good reflexes, tends to get over emotional (positively and negatively)

Murder Motive: protect her daughter

Number of Victims: 1

Number of Murders: 1

Murder Method: clawing

Known Victims: Tadpoleclaw

Victim Profile: her former mate, her daughter’s attacker

Cause of Death: throat ripped out, murdered

Cautionary Tale: ??

Story: 

She was on her own the moment she became expecting.

She was delighted at first, until she shared the news with her mate and saw his face fall.

She had lost one kit the day that they were born, and her remaining son was incredibly sick, requiring attention at all times. Flightfur wasn't able to sleep for days, her worry wouldn't let her.

Her son--Birchkit--didn't live past more than a moon.

Flightfur shrank into her grief, becoming bitter and angry. Bitter at the world for stealing her children, angry at her so-called 'mate' for never comforting her or visiting them before they died.

How dare he?

How dare he bow his head at the vigil? How dare he give a speech about his poor dead children, who he never bothered to see?

All the moons Flightfur spent exhausted, ungroomed, on the verge of a breakdown!

All the times she went to him, begging for help, and he came up with excuses or promised to help 'later,' but never would.

All the worries she expressed, wishing that he would just come see his kits before it was too late, to just be with her again.

How dare he be pretending to feel the pain that was tearing Flightfur up inside?

It ate her up completely--the rage, the sorrow, the grief. It left her a shell of her former self, living day by day staring into space.

While she suffered in her misery, Tadpoleclaw moved on just fine not even a moon after his kits were in the ground.

After....how long? Moons...Years? Her daughter, her last surviving kit, was an adult now. She was walking in the forest alone, when she spotted Tadpoleclaw and Lilybeak writhing on the ground. At first, she thought that they were training, when the spray of blood hit her.

In a flash, she realized that her daughter was in danger. In that same flash, her instinct kicked in and she sprang forward, ripping Tadpoleclaw from her baby and tearing at him with her claws, screaming her hatred as she tore and tore and tore, unleashing all her hatred for him and all that he's put her through.

His face and chest were unrecognizable, marred completely by long red, ragged lines and pools of blood. When her ears stopped ringing, she heard voices behind her and sprung around to face a shocked patrol.

She tried to explain, stammering, but her heart was beating so fast and she still wasn't sure what had happened, it was all a blur...

She looked to her daughter for help. She could tell them what was going on.

Her daughter kicked that bird skull that she's been fascinated by since kithood, before telling everyone that Flightfur attacked Tadpoleclaw unprovoked.

Flightfur didn't have any time to speak a word before Tadpoleclaw's new mate leaped from the crowd and bit into her throat.

Lilybeak

Aliases / Nicknames: Weirdo, Lilyfreak, Skull-lover, Dungpelt, other various insults

Gender: she-cat, agender-leaning (she/they)

Sexuality: asexual, panromantic

Family: Finchfur (mother), Tadpoleclaw (father), Birchkit, Sunkit (brothers), Softbark (grandmother)

Other Relations: unnamed mentor

Clan: ThunderClan

Rank: warrior

Characteristics: essentially “blind” to societal norms, loves the smell of rot, loves birds, loves her skull, obsessive of her skull, always lets her skull decide her fate

Murder Motive: the skull said “negative”

Number of Victims: 6

Number of Murders: 6

Murder Method: neglecting help, lying

Known Victims: Tadpoleclaw, Finchfur, several unnamed Clanmates

Victim Profile: her father, her mother, cats in danger

Cause of Death:  eye puncture, murdered

Cautionary Tale: ??

Story: 

Her father was never really in the picture--it wasn't until she became an apprentice that Lilybeak even knew which warrior was him.

Her mother...Well, she was in the nursery with her, but that's as far as their interactions went, not including formal greetings or patrols. Lilybeak didn't blame her. She had lost one kit the day they were born, and Lilybeak's remaining littermate was incredibly sick, requiring attention at all times.

He didn't live past more than a moon, but instead of turning her attention to her last surviving kit, she shrank into her grief, becoming bitter and angry.

That was okay. Lilykit had her grandmother. Softbark taught Lilykit to wean, to walk, and every other important thing a young cat must know. She also taught her granddaughter special skills, like how to perfectly pluck a bird of its feathers or clean the meat completely off the bones so that nothing is wasted.

Lilykit was so proud of herself when she had finished her first--successful--clean of a crow. Softbark pulled the skull from the rest of the body and passed it to her, encouraging her to always look at it in a time of need or confusion.

She had meant for Lilykit to remember her success, but the kit took it literal.

That skull was everything to her, moreso when her grandmother passed.

Lilykit could never be sure if her mother ever heard her questions, or if she just didn't care enough to provide answers.

But that skull...She could always be sure that it was there. It would always help her, guide her.

It was simple enough. When she was plagued by a question or choice, she would gently kick the skull. If the mouth laid open, it was affirmation of the positive. If it closed, negative.

When the only guiding figure in your life is the skull of a long-dead animal, you're bound to be off when it comes to...societal norms and thought processes.

When a warrior had tried to take her skull away, thinking it junk, she had wailed and bit onto his tail so hard, she hit bone.

Her peers teased her for it, calling it gross and weird and pretending to gag at the smell when she curled up beside it while asleep.

They tried to take it from her one day as a joke...Lilypaw had to spend half a moon's worth cleaning the elders from ticks, but at least she got her point across. No one ever bothered her about her skull again. Weird glances, sure. Whispers, whatever. Lilybeak didn't care.

While others voiced their disdain of her new name, Lilybeak was delighted! Lilybeak, just like her friend!

Then that warrior...her father? Yes, she remembered, her father asked to go on a walk. When the skull confirmed that she should go, she did so, holding it delicately in her jaws.

Tadpoleclaw tried to act understanding and patient at first as he attempted to explain how strange Lilybeak's obsession was, but when Lilybeak refused to listen, he became frustrated. He asked her why she had to be so weird, doesn't she know they whisper about him too, as her father? What cats think of him to have her as a daughter?

He shouted at her to get rid of the skull or he would. Lilybeak told him that she had to ask it first. That enraged Tadpoleclaw and he tore it out of her jaws, throwing it to the ground. Then he placed a paw on it, pressing down..

Lilybeak shrieked and shoved him off, and they fell into a whirlwind of tooth and claw.

Before Lilybeak knew it, Flightfur had killed Tadpoleclaw, and a patrol was demanding what was going on. Flightfur looked at Lilybeak pleadingly, so Lilybeak gently kicked her skull to see what she should do.

It was closed. Negative. She couldn't go forward with telling the truth. So she raised her chin and announced her mother's crime.

It would only be the first time the skull had lead to someone's death.

Three times, a Clanmate was in danger--hanging from a broken branch, trapped on icy water, and faced against a badger. All three times, those Clanmates died because when faced with the choice to help or not, the answer was negative.

Not always. Sometimes it was positive, and she sprang into action and saved the cats in danger.

Whether she saved someone or didn’t had no affect on Lilybeak’s conscience. She was merely following what she was being told—that skull was for her, no one else. It was in her best interest to follow everything it told her.

If she didn’t help someone, it was probably because she would only be putting herself in danger. If she did, it meant she was safe enough to do so.

If she had told the truth about Tadpoleclaw’s death, maybe she would have been blamed as well, instead of treated as the lucky survivor of Flightfur’s rampage.

Then Lilybeak took her skull into battle. It would be hard to fight and worry tugged at her, but she needed it with her always.

Then she saw a Clanmate getting attacked by two opposing warriors. She kicked the beak…negative. She turned away.

But she hadn’t been without audience. That cat’s father had seen her neglect. He was farther and couldn’t help in time, but Lilybeak could have easily stepped in if not so obsessed with that weird beak.

Consumed by rage and grief, he snuck over to her nest that night. She slept a tail-length away from everyone else, the only one unbothered by that smell.

He picked up the skull that she loved so much, and slammed it down.

Additional Information:

—Was initially just gonna be Lilybeak, but I started writing and realized the mom has a strong motive. Flight was chosen because did her similar fur pattern.

—Lilybeak was suggested by @meowstival and @colonies-of-the-shells-and-fish !

—Because she was killed by the beak as well as buried with it (out of respect for her strange love), she has it with her in the Dark Forest.

—Both Tadpole and the dad that killed Lily are in StarClan.

—The dad slammed the skull down blindly, not really sure where he was going because cats aren’t really used to stabbing with items in their mouths. He ended up puncturing Lily’s eye, deep enough to kill her!

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oh I know you guys are going to love Lilybeak. I just know it. Not even a question

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Next residences are a pair: a complicated mother-daughter duo!

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Sad Clangen news: a pregnant queen and her mate died by rogues

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nevermind I don’t care what it’s called because I’m making up my own term: memory revulsion (memrev? Memsion?)

is there a word for like. Nostalgia but annoying. Seeing an image and that irritating song plays in your head after years. Seeing a couch that reminds you of your relative’s place and man you hated every visit. Seeing that old show that you used to watch only because it was the best thing on at the time and tbh you kinda hate it now and you kinda hates it then

is there

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is there a word for like. Nostalgia but annoying. Seeing an image and that irritating song plays in your head after years. Seeing a couch that reminds you of your relative’s place and man you hated every visit. Seeing that old show that you used to watch only because it was the best thing on at the time and tbh you kinda hate it now and you kinda hates it then

is there

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There’s something iffy about people making art of Moonpaw’s sibling saying that she should do evil stuff

Being annoying or confusing or being chatty is fine imo because then they’re acting like any average apprentice-aged cat would act, but there’s something about seeing “voice in head” that makes people go right to “the voice is violent and dangerous and trying to make Moonpaw do bad things” that feels really gross and perpetuates a dangerous mindset, even if it’s meant to be joking or is unintentional, and I think it’s worth considering WHY it’s meant to be funny/where the idea of making the voice evil comes from

I haven’t read the newer books so I don’t know how much of these is canon or fanon, but I don’t think it really matters all that much. Just don’t do it.

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Webchest’s family tree!!

Gonna do Wooddapple’s next, Web’s was just smaller since right now it’s just them, their mate, their kits, and their kits’ mates

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SHOP: A Pop Opera is giving me vibes of one of my characters but I have no idea who (probably Caimanpaw who I haven't sent in)

👀

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I was sick last night from bad heartburn but my cat came over and started kneading me and it helped. Not physically at all but emotionally it cured me

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((Colour coding character names will go by: Orange (one killer), Blue (another killer), Pink (Orange killer's family members), and Green (Blue killer's family members). Purple is anyone who discovers the murders)).

MOON 56

Yewstripe and Stumpyleaf were murdered by (an) unknown killer/s

Biggest suspects:

Wooddapple (SL)

Wooddapple was mates with Yewstripe, and his kits are Mosspaw and Snippaw.

Webchest (YS)

Webchest is mates with Emberstar. Their kits are Lightpath and Stumpyleaf.

NOTE: ONLY RELEVANT INFO / INTERACTIONS BETWEEN FAMILIES WILL BE ADDED

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MOON 57

Webchest is feeling content

Emberstar is talking to himself

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Wooddapple tries to set a good example for younger cats

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MOON 58

Mosspaw wants to get to know Raggedpaw better

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MOON 59

Emberstar is hoping for a sign from StarClan

Mosspaw tries to recite the warrior code from memory. Mosspaw gave a gift to Lightpath, but Lightpath turned his nose up at the offering

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MOON 60

Webchest wants to compliment Wooddapple's fighting techniques. Webchest had a difficult conversation with Mosspaw, and now they understand each other better

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Snipfleck with a disagreement with Lightpath over kits

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MOON 61

Emberstar is eavesdropping on Wooddapple. Emberstar is happy to run into Mossfox

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MOON 62

Webchest is having a wonderful time sharing Clan news with Snipfleck. Webchest feels safe with Lightpath around

Lightpath is rethinking his life choices

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Wooddapple had a nightmare involving a Twoleg trap

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MOON 63

Webchest plans to visit the medicine cat. Webchest helps Mossfox pick burrs from her pelt

Emberstar swaps favourite prey with Wooddapple

Lightpath is talking to himself

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Wooddapple bickered about something trivial with Mossfox. Wooddapple confessed to Fleckknoll that he killed Stumpyleaf.

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Mossfox is playing a prank on Wooddapple. Mossfox became mates with Raggedtangle

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MOON 64

Webchest tries to set a good example for younger cats

Lightpath wonders how Snipfleck is doing

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Snipfleck became mates with Willowmark.

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Fleckknoll realized he was too harsh in his judgement of Wooddapple. Fleckknoll feels ignored by Emberstar. Fleckknoll overheard Webchest spreading a hurtful rumour

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MOON 65

Emberstar is eavesdropping on Fleckknoll

Lightpath surprised Wooddapple with something nice. Died from infected wounds

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Mossfox is giving some advice to Emberstar

Snipfleck wonders how Mossfox is doing

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MOON 66

Snipfleck was seen arguing, borderline fighting, with a loner.

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MOON 68

Webchest confessed something minor to Wooddapple. Spent time with Mossfox

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Mossfox bickered about something trivial with Emberstar

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Fleckknoll asked Snipfleck how he's doing

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MOON 69

Webchest plans to visit the medicine cat. Saved a piece of prey that they knew was Snipfleck's favourite. Webchest confessed to Wooddapple that they killed Wooddapple's mate

Emberstar called an important Clan meeting. He was supposed to be working with Wooddapple, but neither could agree on anything

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Snipfleck is giving some advice to Mossfox. Snipfleck's mate, Willowmark, is expecting kits!

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MOON 70

Wooddapple wants to compliment Webchest's fighting techniques

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MOON 71

Wooddapple wonders if StarClan has given Moosepad any prophecies lately

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Snipfleck sucks up to the leader and deputy by offering to lead every patrol. He had three kits with Willowmark!

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MOON 72

Emberstar surprised Robinkit with something nice

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Wooddapple died of greencough

Snipfleck died of greencough

Strikekit is hiding from other cats

Darkkit wants to snuggle. Appreciates how Webchest always seems to ask how he's doing

Robinkit is growing fond of Strikekit

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Emberstar is making a solemn vow to protect his Clanmates

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Mossfox is playing a prank on Willowmark. Snuck out of camp with Willowmark

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MOON 74

Emberstar feels safe with Robinkit around

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Robinkit wants Willowmark to be happy

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MOON 75

Strikekit follows Lilacpelt around so closely that she steps on his paw

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MOON 76

Webchest bickered about something trivial with Darkkit

Emberstar almost got lost near some Twoleg nests. Emberstar is checking on Darkkit

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MOON 77

Darkpaw is playing a prank on Webchest

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MOON 78

Robinpaw was murdered

Webchest chats with Moosepad about what it's like to be a medine cat. Moosepad was murdered.

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MOON 78

Strikepaw had a very strange dream

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MOON 80

Webchest is feeling down..

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Darkpaw is acting angsty

Strikepaw doesn't want to do anything today

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Fleckknoll hissed at Darkpaw over something small

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MOON 81

Emeline confessed to Willowmark, Snipfleck's old mate, but was rejected. Later, they were confronted by Fleckknoll about Robinpaw's strange death, and confessed to her murder

Strikepaw feels nervous

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MOON 83

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Webchest congratulates Darkpaw for a job well done

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Strikepaw is named Strikedrift. Strikedrift is feeling down

Darkpaw is named Darkfeather

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MOON 88

Mossfox is expecting kits!

TBA

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I’m sure he’s perfectly fine :D not in any harms way :D

don't....don't you dare