#Quiverkit

[clangen-faithclan]

[troutfur]

(Hope i'm doing this right!) I bring Quiverkit, who is a tiny, plain gray kitten, assumed to be the smallest in her litter. She has light yellow eyes and a berry-pink nose.

(That is exactly what I wanted! Thanks so much!)

Featherstorm turns away from Quiverkit after taking a good whiff of her scent and begins dutifully making marks in the sand. As they work, however, a sense of dread begins to settle in the pit of their stomach. Once they begin crossing out the lines they made two by two their eyes widen. Swiftly, they erase all their work and turn around towards you.

"Leave," they say. "The sand has nothing good to say about this kit!"

---

You know, this is lowkey exciting! First time I've gotten a cursed chart!

If Featherstorm had finished his work, his chart would've looked a little bit like this:

[Image ID: Under the header “What will Quiverkit’s life be like? (02/11/2023)” 16 rows of tally marks crossed out two by two until there is only 1 or 2 left uncrossed. To the left, a shield chart at the top with the following geomantic figures: Cauda Draconis as the first mother, Carcer as the second mother, Albus as the third mother, Populus as the fourth mother, Fortuna Minor as the first daughter, Laetitia as the second daughter, Amissio as the third daughter, Rubeus as the fourth daughter, Caput Draconis as the first niece, Albus as the second niece, Rubeus as the third niece, Caput Draconis as the fourth niece, Acquisitio as the right witness, Amissio as the left witness, Via as the judge, and Tristitia as the sentence. Below the shield chart, an astrological house chart with the first twelve geomantic figures above mentioned assigned to houses 1 to 12 in the order mentioned above. /end ID]

According to traditional geomantic lore, a chart that has either Cauda Draconis (like this one) or Rubeus as the first mother must be destroyed immediately, the question must not be asked again for at least 7 days, and if the diviner took any payment for their services any money taken must be fully refunded.

The dude who I'm learning geomancy from advises taking a less superstitious approach, however. Rubeus and Cauda Draconis as the first mother are bad omens if they appear as the first mother, but not because the chart itself is cursed, but rather because of what they indicate about the querant.

Rubeus symbolizes wrath and uncontrolled aggression, meaning that if you continue the reading you risk the client having a violent outburst over getting an answer they don't like. Cauda Draconis symbolizes events that are coming to an end, the logical end point of things, and foregone conclusions, meaning that you're probably wasting your time doing the reading and whatever advice you can give based on the chart will fall on deaf ears.

He recommends rather than a blanket "abort the reading, refund all the money, and bail" approach, to judge whether to read a "cursed" chart case by case. Of course, this is from someone who actually believes in divination, I myself explicitly don't and I'm using it as a story generating device.

So, all that long preamble aside, let's get right into it!

As always, the court first. The judge is Via, meaning Quiverkit's life will be active, full of change and motion. The sentence, Tristitia, further predicts this change will bring about sorrow. So, another life of tragedy in SandClan. Huh. Oh well.

The right witness is Acquisitio while the left witness is Amissio. Gain and loss, two opposite figures which end up in Via. So, Quiverkit will, somehow, face loss with gain, come out of it a changed cat and this change will bring about sorrow.

I'm already getting an inkling of an idea for their story but let's not be too hasty and look at the house chart before saying anything more.

In House 1 we have Cauda Draconis, which as previously said represents foregone conclusions and typically indicates a querant too stubborn to take any advice the chart is willing to give. This is a fantastic character trait to begin with and a reason I don't think it's productive for my purposes to discard "cursed" charts.

In House 2 we have Carcer, which represents duties, obligations, and other things that bind people. This is in the house that represents wealth and material posessions which once again I don't really know how to interpret in the context of WC OCs. I could say perhaps... they feel trapped by the desert environment of SandClan? Perhaps SandClan's metaphorical wealth is in their prosperity in such a harsh environment and they feel trapped by a duty to keep it up, be a good hunter or something? IDK, if I have something better we'll revisit this.

In House 3 we have Albus, which represents wisdom and guidance, particularly from those too old, frail, or apathetic to act on their own. This being in the house representing close familial bonds suggests to me Quiverkit is going to be popular with the elders. Sort of a Cloudkit, I suppose! Let's see if this becomes an interesting thread.

In House 4 we have Populus, representing stillness, maturity, and passivity. This tells me Quiverkit's parents were just alright parental figures. Nothing notable really, whether negative or positive.

In House 5 we have Fortuna Minor, representing dependent and short-lived success. Quiverkit is going to grow up to be a mother most likely and she will likewise succeed in being an alright parent with whoever is the other one. But that's about it.

In House 6 we have Laetitia, representing joy, although usually joy that burns pretty quickly, like a fire with little kindling. This is a good omen for the house representing health, meaning that Quiverkit will enjoy good health and be a pretty active person, something many a parent would be overjoyed to hear.

In House 7 we have Amissio. Damn, once more with the loss of a partner. Welp.

In House 8 we have Rubeus, representing, as I said before, anger and aimless aggression. Once again we have someone responding to death with violence, huh.

In House 9 we have Caput Draconis, representing endless potential. This means Quiverkit will have a great potential for growth coming out of a personal journey, perhaps of facing her own aggression (and desire for vengeance maybe?)

In House 10 we encounter Albus once again. This to me calls back to what House 3 said about the elders. Quiverkit will respect the elders as figures of authority and guidance in her life and will defer to their judgement. Perhaps this respect for the elders is what will lead her to realize her potential for growth through her anger brought about by grief? Or perhaps considering her stubborn nature it is an advisement of where to turn for help in her time of need for guidance which she is, of course, going to be too stubborn to take?

In House 11 we encounter Rubeus again. This to me indicates Quiver's backlash will affect even her closest friends and supporters. This is an indicator of self isolation and pushing others away.

And finally in House 12 we have Cauda Draconis. It's interesting this is the same figure as House 1 as it indicates that Quiver's worst enemy will be... herself.

Putting this all together:

Quiverkit will be a normal SandClan apprentice, with a normal family life and a normal apprenticeship. She will get along really well with the elders, making her the communal spoiled grandkit. She will feel burdened to continue the material prosperity of her Clan and be held to an expectation of being a good hunter, but that's about the extent of her apprenticeship woes.

She will settle down with a mate and be just as unexceptional a parent as her own. She will enjoy good health and in general things will be good!

...Until she loses her partner and begins lashing out. She will drastically change through this, period. Though she has great potential to turn this around still, specially with the elders being so willing to help her through and guide her, she won't listen. With her anger burning bright hot she will begin taking it out on others, perhaps even as revenge if her partner was taken out in battle.

This ruthlessness will end up with her honing her battle skills and becoming a fierce combatant, perhaps even climbing the ranks to be a deputy. She will have gained great glory and status in her response to her loss, but she will never stop grieving. I don't see her living very long from here, someone as battle hungry is sadly destined to go down fighting.

For a name I suggest, Quiverfur, representing her calm early life and making an ironic contrast with her later more aggressive and distinguished self.

[pikaclan]

Moon 399

Season: Greenleaf

Overarching Events

Not enough medicine cats

Misc

Scorchbud finds a warrior from FlightClan named Ravenstreak, who asks to join the Clan

Ceremonies

PikaClan welcomes Peartree as a new warrior, honoring their pragmatism

Newly-made apprentice, Nimblepaw, touches noses with their new mentor, Treestar

Newly-made apprentice, Orchidpaw, touches noses with their new mentor, Ravenlake

Deaths

Shrewdusk died from a broken bone

As the Clan sits vigil, swapping stories of Shrewdusk's life, Av Avalanchebeetle speaks of what they admired, and is grief-stricken Treestar grieves Shrewdusk but is not stricken

Roarweb was murdered. The culprit is unknown

Frogcry appraches the clearing where Roarweb's body lies, cold and lifeless. Defying expectations of sympathy and grief, Frogcry instead curses their fallen Clanmate to the Dark Forest where they belong (Roarweb was sent to StarClan but he did have DF affinity and was too insecure to act on it) Beamdrizzle grieves Roarweb but is not stricken

Riverfish and Stemkit go missing in the night

Fadedflake, Silkmimic grieve Riverfish but are not stricken

So much grief and death has taken its toll on PikaClan, Gingerhorn, Lemon Boy, and Starlingholly are particularly shaken by it

Deino and Bastettiger grieve Mistlewing but are not stricken

Misc 2

Starlingholly is caught breaking the Warrior Code

Flurryjoy received a present, crow feathers, from Gingerhorn and decided to keep it on their pelt

Quiverkit was playing with crow feathers, and decides to wear some

Thistlekit falls into a river, but is saved by Lightningblink

Health

Thundersight announces they're expecting kits but choose to continue duties for now Avalanchebeetle's phantom pain is gone, but their weak leg is bothering them Tremblemask fought a rogue and drove them away, but needed to be rushed to the medicine den, and got heat exhaustion Oddflight's bruises are gone Fogcrawl's shivering and frostbite are gone Silkmimic's weak leg is bothering them Frannie's running nose is gone Starlingholly misstepped and slipped from a rock, spraining their paw Scorchbud's wound is no longer infected and healed, but scarred

Andrew accidentally crossed the border on patrol and got their ear torn Shiveringivy got heat stroke Edelweissthrift got fleas Shadowgoat is no longer shivering/running nose gone Pearpaw's shivers died down Glowpaw is no longer shivering Lilacpaw is no longer shivering

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

Dark Forest Resident: Basiltooth

Aliases / Nicknames: Weirdo, Freak, Dirteyes, Leader of Insects

Gender: tom

Sexuality: homosexual

Family: Fernstripe (mother), Scorchheart (father), Quiverpaw (sister)

Other relations: Sharpecho (mentor)

Clan: Shadowclan

Rank: warrior

Characteristics: kills to protect his bugs, kills to feed his bugs

Number of Victims: 3

Number of Murders: 3

Murder Method: snapping neck (accidental), burying alive

Known Victims: Otterfreckle, Scorchheart, Bouncestep

Cause of Death: buried self alive

Cautionary Tale: N/A

Story:

It wouldn’t be entirely right to say that Quiverpaw was his protector, but in a way she was. She protected him and he protected her, together they felt like an unstoppable force against anyone who tried to make fun of them. Basilpaw for his odd dark eyes, and Quiverpaw for the peculiar way her ears bent at the tips.

When she died, taken by an infection that grew after she got injured during her first battle, he was left alone. 

His mother, Fernstripe, became lost in her grief and didn’t seem to notice him anymore, as if both her kits had died instead of the one. Scorchheart had grown closed-off, too, although he always sort of had been. He would spend almost all of his time hunting, patrolling, or rebuilding the dens. Anything to avoid seeing his son and remembering that his favourite child was gone.

Basilpaw always knew that his sister was the favourite. Even if his parents tried to hide it, they didn’t do it very well. Scorchheart was indifferent to Basilkit whenever he had visited, but smiled when Quiverkit wanted to play, and Quiverkit got first pick to everything from the bite of mouse or spot in the nest. Thankfully, she never held it over him and tried to be fair, but now she was gone.

After a particularly rough session of bullying-- they had taken a pause in their teasing for him to grieve, how thoughtful-- he couldn’t think of anywhere else to go.

He stopped where Quiverpaw was burried. Crouching down, he spread his paws over the mound, trying, somehow, to embrace it without disturbing it too much. He had not been here since the day she was buried, the day had last seen her. Her fur had been groomed more neatly than it had ever been, as if the dirt would refuse to welcome her if she wasn’t. 

His eyes pricked. He pressed his muzzle gently into the mound, then, though he tried to hold it back, let out a choking gasp, and another, and another. Then something tickled his nose and his head snapped up.

A black-brown beetle stood atop the grave. It had faced Basilpaw, round eyes.... sympathetic. Watching it, Basilpaw  had slowly reached out a paw in front of the bug. It sniffed it, then began crawling across him. Basilpaw had giggled as it tickled him.

He slowly saw bugs differently, then. Before, he didn’t really care, but now whenever he saw them he wanted to watch them, gain their trust and become their friend, have them feel safe and free to crawl around him like that beetle did. It had made him so happy when he was so sad, something only Quiverpaw had ever been able to do. Whether or not it was on purpose, he didn’t know. 

But he liked to think that it was. 

He wanted to see it again, so he visited the grave more and more. He felt guilty that he started to visit for the bugs and not for his sister, but he couldn’t help it. He even named them. He wasn’t sure if they would like Clan names, so he kept them simple. There was Pine, Specks, Writhler, and many more that became LOTS more as the days went by.

One day, Otterfreckle, one of his most persistent bullies, caught him talking to the bugs. He didn’t waste any second. He insulted Basiltooth, laughed at him. But the worst part was when he, in spite of Basiltooth’s begging and protests, stomped on Specks, the first one, the beetle that had comforted him as he cried.

Basiltooth launched at the warrior. They fought, and Otterfreckle won, but Basiltooth wasn’t ready to give up. After Otterfreckle had snorted in contempt and turned his back, Basiltooth leaped again, losing himself, and snapped his neck.

Basiltooth was shocked. How could he not be? He went on, staring for a long time. He had to hide it. He had to hide what he had done. After he finished digging a deep enough grave--far away from Quiverpaw, Otterfreckle didn’t deserve to be near her-- he turned around to find bugs littering Otterfreckle’s body.

Their numbers grew as Basiltooth dragged Otterfreckle’s heavy body to the hole. They.. they liked bodies?

He wasn’t going to question it. He let them crawl, let them jump into the grave to eat away at his body. He knew they would be able to crawl back out if they wanted to.

Soon after, he followed Bouncestep out of the camp. He was another of Basiltooth’s bullies, although he had apologized. But he had next to no family, and less friends. No one would care too much if he went missing, not anymore than they did Otterfreckle, who Bouncstep was trying to search for.

He already had the grave ready, and shoved Bouncestep into it, quickly shoving large piles of dirt in before Bouncestep could begin to struggle out. If he was alive when he was buried, Basiltooth figured, the bugs could have a longer time with him.

A longer time had passed before the next feeding. The pair had been Basiltooth’s only bullies. The thought of letting anyone else die, his Clanmates who were nice to him.... or at least the ones who didn’t openly make fun of him, made him something close to sick.

Then Scorchheart took Basiltooth out of camp and announced that he was planning on leaving to Thunderclan. Basiltooth got angry. Why would he want to leave him or Quiverpaw, or Fernstripe, now also buried in the ground following her death in battle, much like her daughter?

The argument grew more and more heated, as Scorchheart growling that they’re dead and where they’re buried doesn’t matter, and Basiltooth pointing out that he would still be leaving a son behind. Scorchheart simply responded that he had no son. Basiltooth was weird. He loved bugs, spoke to them like they were his friends. It was creepy, and nothing Scorchheart wanted anything to do with.

Basiltooth knew what he must do. But he didn’t have a grave prepared, so he started by tackling Scorchheart and breaking his legs. Then he shoved a large rock into his mouth to keep him from screaming too loudly.

He monologued as he dug, describing what he had done to missing warriors Otterfreckle and Bouncestep, how he did it for the bugs that cared about him more than Fernstripe or Scorchheart ever did, and how perhaps if Scorchheart had actually been a good father, it all could have been prevented.

Dragging Scorchheart into the grave, he mock-thanked him, saying that because of his father’s neglect, he found his true family.

The last thing he saw of Scorchheart was his bulging eyes and fur already crawling with insects.

For the next several seasons, years, really, Basiltooth kept to prey. No one else deserved it. It was tough to not get caught burying prey that could feed the Clan, but it was much easier than not getting caught burying cats.

Then he got sick. The medicine cat was hopeful at first, but as time went on Basiltooth only got worse, and he could tell his Clanmates were losing hope. Basiltooth knew that he wasn’t going to make it. He was already having trouble keeping out food.

He remembered hearing as a kit how if you commit evil deeds, your death will follow you. He knew there was no way Starclan would view his actions as anything but evil. He didn’t want to leave his precious friends. Writhler, Pine, Oddball, and so many more. 

So with the remaining energy he had, Basiltooth dug one last grave, taking many breaks for rest. Leaping in, insects following him enthusiastically, he kicked hard at the side, and dirt flowed in obediently.

Hugging him, tickling him, the bugs were all around. Basiltooth had never felt more loved.

Additional Information:

--Partly inspired by this one episode I saw from a show that I think was meant to be Goosebumps for older kids, where an outcast had bugs for friends. The bugs were intelligent and did stuff for him, including attacking a bully. But the kid got over-enthusiastic, saying stuff like “I can do whatever” and stomped on several of the bugs. The leader bug (a praying mantis, I think) didn’t like that, so they killed him. I would love to see that episode again.

--I know there are technical terms like insects and arachnids, but let’s keep it simple.

--Writhler is one of two worms! He is Basiltooth’s favourite, but don’t tell his other bugs that! It is the redder one, with a ‘bandaid.’

--Basiltooth is actually really nice. Especially if you’re willing to hear him talk about his bugs, he would love you for it.

--Reference by Turukan on DA!

[smokewhispers-journey]

scaredy boy

Quivernose is small, weak, and asthmatic. He suffers a number of diseases, as he is one of the few cats that still has genetic issues. His father, Rabbitfleck, was desperately in love with his mother, Haddockstrike. However, he could tell his mate was growing disinterested with him, and considering other mates. When Rabbitfleck learned that she was pregnant, with his kits, he was overjoyed. He hoped that the kits would tie them together, and the kit’s successes would keep them as a family. However, the only one to survive birth was Quiverkit. Rabbitfleck was disgusted by his weakness, and his cruelty towards the kit was the final straw that lead Haddockstrike to end their relationship. Raised with the feeling that he was weak for his whole life, he has extremely low self esteem. Haddockstrike tried to be kind to him, but once she took another mate and had other kits, she lost interest in him as well. He feels extreme loneliness, but takes pride in his healing abilities.

Name: Quiverkit - Quiverpaw - Quivernose

Clan: BeachClan

Rank: Medicine Cat

Gender: Male

Age: 5.5 years

Family:

Father: Rabbitfleck

Mother: Haddockstrike 

Half-Siblings: Piperpaw, Warblerpaw, Whisperwind, Russetstripe

[pikaclan]

Moon 395

Season: Leaf-bare

Overarching Events

Not enough medicine cats

Ceremonies

Treestar gazes down proudly upon Ibispaw. They had spent their whole apprenticeship helping the Clan, and so they are named Ibiscall after their altruism

Births

Oddflight has been impatient for the end of Snapmuzzle's pregnancy, and when they hear Snapmuzzle has gone into labor, they drop what they're doing and sprint for the nursery, where Snapmuzzle is bringing a litter of 3 kits into the world

Quiverkit (female), Thistlekit (male), and Cranekit (male) are born!

Deaths

Biteflow died from a bite-wound

Silkmimic grieves but is not stricken

Misc

Starlingholly always seems to have jay feathers stuck in their fur

Other Clans

Hollynoise travels to FlightClan to resolve some recent personal disputes. However, it seems Hollynoise only made FlightClan more upset

Health

Treestar's soreness is gone Avalanchebeetle's soreness is gone Riverfish got a scratch on their paralyzed half that got infected Scorchbud's broken bone is infected Bastettiger caught a cat from another Clan tresspassing and got a torn ear in the scuffle Charredpad's yellowcough cured Glowkit's running nose stopped