#harriernose story

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

Cyclamen (short story)

Excitement fizzed throughout Dullahan’s body as he dragged Harriernose from the tunnel and to the pit. Harriernose screeched, lashing out with his claws, but Dullahan positioned himself to dodge the blows.

The pit was ringed with a wonderfully full crowd that lashed their tails and emitted whooping hollars as Dullahan and Harriernose stepped into the open.

“Everyone!” Myrtlewing, Dullahan’s father, announced from the bottom-most crevice, “witness today my son, Dullahan-Hellebore, and the vile Cyclamen that he shall vanquish from our homes!”

Harriernose’s eyes clouded over with confusion. 

Thrilled, Dullahan had enough energy to race around the ring ten times. In an attempt to direct it–or at least hold it somewhere–he dug his claws deep into Harriernose’s shoulders, keeping the ginger tom pressed against the blood-stained earth. 

“I’m sure most of you know what he did,” Alderstar, Dullahan’s other biological father, spoke up from beside his mate, “but for those who need a refresher, this pitiable excuse for a warrior took mates from other Clans–and then forced them to kill their unborn kits so that he wouldn’t get caught for it!”

Hisses and boos erupted from the crowd. A few cats flung rocks from where they sat. Dullahan stepped aside momentarily for them to pummel Harriernose’s skull. 

“And guess what?” Dullahan took over now. “In spite of our little reminders that we gave him here, he’s returned to his old ways once again! A Dark Kit, killed by their own father!”

Harriernose squirmed. “What? That’s not true! What need have I to–”

“Silence!” Dullahan slammed his paw down hard on Harriernose’s head. 

“This…creature cannot be fixed,” Myrtlewing stated with a shake of his head. “He cannot be trusted among us. He is a sickness, one that must be taken care of. Dullahan-Hellebore, can you rid us of this malady?"

Dullahan dipped his head low, forcing back the smile in favour of seeming solemn. “I will.” But he was just too excited, too delighted, too all the words that could describe this heated, blood-scented wave that crashed through his body again and again, increasing with every ripple and making his legs shake with anticipation. 

When he looked back down at Harriernose, he was sure that his pupils stretched over his entire eyes, that his breath came out visibly ragged now, and that his lips were stretching far above his sharp teeth in a large, crazed grin.

Harriernose could do nothing but stare back, eyes so wide that they practically popped out of his head.

“And I’ll make it a show.”

==================

Wait, Harriernose had a Dark Kit?

....Well no, but Dullahan's dads are supportive, so if they have to drag someone already disliked by many to the Death Ring and make a little white lie, where's the harm?

--Rip one member of the Shitbag gang.

--Wrote this in a rush, can you tell?

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

Who are all the members of the shitbag gang / steamlands? The more hated the better - @wills-woodland-warriors

Here's a helpful list Starfalcon made!

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

Might try writing a story where Nightspot and Hailflit watch the death of Harriernose, they're fun as a duo, especially since Hailflit murdered Nightspot.

ooh!!

For reference, Dullahan dragged it out a lot, and the main death blow was by crushing Harriernose's skull.

It's also possible that this was where Dullahan first began the 'tallying on tail" thing--while Harriernose was fighting back, he managed to strike Dullahan's tail. Only one of his claws managed to snag deep enough to leave a permanent mark, but the others tore off Dullahan's fur in that area.

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

Dark Forest Resident: Harriernose

Aliases / Nicknames: Cheater, The Worst Father Ever

Gender: tom

Sexuality: heterosexual

Family: unnamed mother, unnamed father, unnamed littermates, Daisyfang (mate), Snowstream (mate), Slitherfern (mate), unnamed unborn kits, six unnamed kits

Other Relations: unnamed mentor, unnamed apprentice

Clan: Windclan

Rank: warrior

Characteristics: manipulates his mates into stopping their pregnancies so that he doesn’t have to become a father

Number of Victims: 3+

Number of Murders: 1+ (indirectly)

Murder Method: poisoning

Known Victims: Daisyfang, Snowstream, Slitherfern, six unnamed unborn kits

Victim Profile: young, beautiful she-cats

Cause of Death: torn apart by Daisyfang and Snowstream, drowned

Cautionary Tale: N/A

Story:

He had a good life. A loving mother, a devoted father, littermates that were only annoying to an extent.

His father made sure to take the time to teach them life lessons. They ranged from basic knowledge like ‘listen to your leader’ to more personal advice. One that had always stuck with Harrierkit was to ‘follow your own goal above all else, even if that means causing someone else heartache.’

His advice came from his own experience. He wasn’t happy with the mate he had before Harrierkit’s mother, and in spite of the pain it caused her, he broke up with her. And his life was better now, no one in the Clan were more dedicated to each other than Harrierkit’s parents.

When Harriernose grew, he found a mate in Daisyfang. The pair had been ‘mates’ since apprentices, and now that they were officially warriors, they could come together.

But then something horrible happened.

Daisyfang fell pregnant, with Harriernose’s kits.

Harriernose’s first extinct was to break it off with her, but what about the kits? They would be running around in camp. How could Harriernose find a new mate then? So he took it slow. Day by day, he started spewing ideas. Daisyfang had to believe that somehow, she needed to be rid of those kits before they came out of her. 

She ended up taking some plants that the medicine cat had warned her to stay away from. She was sick for some time, but it was worth it. It worked.

It was during this time that Harriernose found another mate in Snowstream, a Riverclan warrior. She was slightly older than Daisyfang, but twice her beauty, and Harriernose fell hard. 

They were together for a couple moons, their courtship continuing long after Daisyfang’s recovery. But then it happened again.

Snowstream announced that she was carrying his kits. 

It was easier this time to convince her. While Daisyfang had been excited, Snowstream was wracked with worry.

She too, ate the plants, but the cluster was so small when she got to them, that it had no affect. Snowstream was becoming more reluctant. In getting rid of..them, she would be putting herself in harm’s way. But Harriernose pushed, reminding her that temporary pain was better than a lifetime burdened by kits. And what of her Clan? No one had the same ginger pelt as he did. How would they react to knowing she mothered kits from a tom outside her Clan?

She went with eating mouthfuls of crowfood. It ended up working a little too well, because it wasn’t long before Snowstream succumbed to the poison.

Harriernose felt bad, of course he did! But that didn’t stop him from falling for yet another she-cat, this time from Shadowclan. Slitherfern. 

Beautiful.

Young.

Perfect.

Round..

Pregnant!

Harriernose took time with her. From the beginning, he began to manipulate her. He learned that it was easier to control her if she depended on him and him only. He poisoned her mind toward her family and friends. 

He thought he would be able to be as convincing when she fell pregnant, but she was thrilled. She made it clear to him that she wanted the kits. She felt so disconnected from everyone, after all, that having a few little critters just to herself would be a blessing.

It got heated, and Slitherfern broke it off. 

Harriernose had bristled in frustration. He would have to do it himself, then. 

He wasn’t sure how to do it, so he decided on winging it. It wasn’t like he had a lot of time to think, anyway. He decided on meeting with Slitherfern at the next gathering and telling her to meet him again so that he can apologize without so many others around them to hear.

They met by some water. Harriernose apologized, they cuddled, and when Slitherfern turned her back to lap at the pond, he leaped--

and was tackled to the ground by Daisyfang. 

Slitherfern wasted no time in turning around to help her claw at his pelt. It turned out that Daisyfang knew everything. She had begun to wonder why Harriernose had put her at such risk, and she followed him. When she realized what he planned to do to Slitherfern, she was quick to warn the expecting she-cat. Together, they made a plan.

Now, Harriernose struggled as they tore at his skin. Slitherfern was painful, but Daisynose ripped at him with a deep-rooted resentment. 

Harriernose’s mouth spilt blood as he tried to breath, but he couldn’t so much as move. Unable to fight back, he couldn’t stop them as they, done with marking his pelt in red, rolled him into the pond.

Additional Information:

--It wasn’t that he wanted to be rid of kits before they were born, it’s that he manipulated his mates, put them at risk, and was prepared to kill one of them. 

--Slitherfern would later have six kits, the same number that Snowstream and Daisynose would’ve collectively had.

--I like to imagine that Snowstream looks after both hers and Daisynose’s kits.

--Adding ‘victim profile’ which basically describes the type of victim they targeted. 

--Don’t bring your personal opinions on the real-life situation into this, please!