#softtail

April 7, 2022 - Plain Softtail (Thripophaga fusciceps)

Aliases / Nicknames: The false prophet, Liar, Traitor

Gender: she-cat

Family: Wavegrass (mother), Creekwood (father)

Other Relations: Honeyreed (mentor)

Clan: Starclan (formerly), Riverclan

Characteristics: Killed after death, sent made-up prophecies

Number of Victims: 3

Number of Murders: 2

Murder Method: Convinced living warriors into turning against certain cats

Known Victims: Flurrypool, Softtail, Hayrunner

Cause of Death: broken jaw

Cautionary Tale: Starclan cats must never lose focus on what is most important: protecting the Clans. It is easy to focus on oneself and the time spent in the afterlife, but everyone must remember to be wary of anything suspicious happening in the Clan.

The living are unaware of what Shellgrass has done. Starclan has deemed it too dangerous to apprise them, as they may lose confidence in their ancestors.

Story:

She would guess on multiple occasions why her mother had her. Maybe it was by accident, or more likely to pass on her 'legacy.' What the answer definitely wasn't was to have a family.

Wavegrass did every aspect of parenthood to the minimum of her ability. She would groom Shellkit, but neither were ever comforted during this time, both just waiting for it to be over. And sure, she fed Shellkit, at least while she was still nursing, and Shellkit was fairly sure her mother weaned her onto meat early.

Creekwood was nice enough, but he was a stranger. Shellkit doubted Wavegrass loved him either, only getting together long enough to have a kit. He would visit a few times with food, but it seemed to be moreso out of obligation than affection or love.

Shellpaw hated Flurrypaw. The other apprentice tried to be nice, but Shellpaw would not have it. Flurrypaw was her father's apprentice, and received every ounce of his attention as though they were father and daughter.

Shellpaw knew that it wasn't Flurrypaw's fault.. mostly. She wasn't cold enough to be noticeable. But there was no way she was hanging around that starlight-hog.

She had her own mentor anyway, Honeyreed, and the attention that she-cat gave was more than enough for Shellpaw. Most of the time, anyway.

Shellpaw felt empathetic for Softkit. She was close to becoming a warrior when she found out that Wavegrass would have another kit. She didn't know who the father was, if it was the same tom or not. What she did know, and what mattered, was that Wavegrass would be a mother again.

A neglectful mother again.

Shellpaw was prepared to sacrifice everything to ensure that things were different with her sister. But on the night of her birth, when Shellpaw entered the nursery, she saw Wavegrass holding the tiny bundle in her paws, every flicker in her gaze alight with the love she had withheld from Shellpaw.

Clearly, they were well-enough without her.

It was difficult getting over. It didn't help that no one else noticed the unfairness, only cooing over the new addition to the Clan. Only Honeyreed offered an ear.

It was after their warrior ceremony, after their silent vigil, that Shellgrass snapped. Creekwood had padded over to Flurrypool and stated how he wished she had been his daughter.

Shellgrass left the camp and followed Honeyreed's scent, searching for the one cat she could confide in, who cared for her. She wound up finding her on the border, twirling her tail with Windclan warrior, Hayrunner.

She had leaped out of the bushes, yowling confrontation. Honeyreed had been apologetic, but determined as she announced her decision to join Windclan with Hayrunner.

Shellgrass didn't want to hear it. She turned and ran, running blindly, running anywhere but around the cats that didn't love her. She was a few fox-lengths from the border when she fell over a steep fall, landing on her open jaw, causing it to snap.

She was welcomed into Starclan by absolutely no-one she knew. From there, she watched as Wavegrass loved Softtail, as Creekwood loved Flurrypool, as Honeyreed loved Hayrunner.

And as no one loved her.

It was during these watching obsessions did she overhear Softtail laugh, saying how cool it would be to receive a prophecy from Starclan.

Shellgrass thought that it was very smart.

She sat back as her words caused warriors to turn against Softtail and Flurrypool, chasing them away, causing them to drown in the flooded river.

She was close to doing the same with Hayrunner, but Honeyreed, so determined to protect her precious mate, managed to convince her new Clan to let the medicine cats consult with Starclan, and it was then that the warriors of the stars discovered Shellgrass's game.

Shellgrass was banished, something she had admittedly thought impossible. What did it matter anyways? One territory where no one cared about her was no different from the other.

Except for the pain in her jaw.

Additional Information:

--Shellgrass was named after Wavegrass. She hates this.

--Creekwood, Wavegrass, and Honeyreed all grieved for Shellgrass after her body was found. The levels varied. Honeyreed blamed herself.

--Starclan decided to not tell the Clans of Shellgrass's deeds, but did find a way to announce Hayrunner, Flurrypool, and Softtail's innocence.

--Creekwood did not mean that Flurrypool was the daughter he never had, just that he loved her like one.

--If Shellgrass had a theme song it would be this amazing thing by this ultra-amazing artist.

--The idea for this post was giving by this submission:

I was tagged by @bats-in-my-pants for 10 photos that represent me 💀