A Clan with secrets to hide.
A Clan with a sinister streak.
And a gang who are not what they seem.
With war looming on the horizon, loyalties are tested and families are torn apart. In this world of light and shadow, everyone has something to hide.
Here Only one thing is certain, only one clan will survive.
Sorrelstar. The name still sounded wrong to her. And clearly she wasn’t alone, many cats still fumbled and she’d been called Sorrelheart on several occaisions. She didn’t mind, though, in fact with some she’d even laugh it off, whilst other’s she’d just offer a patient smile and assure them she really didn’t mind. After all, she still saw herself as Sorrelheart. Its not like being leader was far too different. Waspstar had bee preparing her since she was announced as the next leader. However, his death had still come more suddenly than anyone had expected. In fact, part of had wanted him to stay leader forever, be immortal by Starclan’s power. Or to change his mind last minute. So long as the choice had the good of the clan in heart and mind, she wouldn’t have minded one bit. It would have been a relief. She wasn’t so certain if she could handle the built up emotions that would come with leadership. How much could she bottle up without snapping.
’Snap out of it.’ Shaking her head to clear it, Sorrelstar straightened and forced herself to walk with more purpose in her step. This was her first time patrolling as an official leader, and she might as well look the part. Her pelt was sleek and well-groomed, though that was no different from usual. What was however, was the regality with which she held herself. It felt kind of wrong, or at least unnatural, however every leader she ever saw held themselves with such confidence. It was proper, and it ensured a stronger view. SHe did not want to appear soft. After all, the next border she was to visit was the Reapers. Of course, she did not expect much trouble, not really. She didn’t really expect to run into any cat. After all, they preferred their twolegplace border, likely thieving wandering kittypets and snatching kits from their nests. Her muzzle screwed up slightly at the thought and the short fur along her spine raised just slightly. She forced it to flatten and calmed her expression.
Soon enough, the dreaded border was in sight. A chill threatened to run down her spine, but she quelled it. She did not fear them. She simply despised them. Well, perhaps that was an overstatement. However, she certainly had no reason to like them. After all, they were a ruthless bunch of cats who up and betrayed her clan after a strong alliance, and who steal kits and kill for sport. Not to mention they were a constant threat at their borders. ’Focus, Sorrelstar. How’s not the time.’ Again, she brushed her thoughts away. This time more forcefully. She had a job to do, and a reputation to form.
And that was when she saw him. Not far away, perhaps not having noticed her just yet, she saw the one she had hoped least to see. Behind her, the calico’s long slender tail flickered in unsealed, before she took a measured breath and calmed herself, straightening to a confident stance before striding forward. Soon enough she stood not far from him, but on her side of the border, it had already been marked, so she did not get as close as a border patrol would, simply close enough. And she cleared her throat, and set her gaze evenly on the tom, wondering why he was here. Unless Starclan or one of her warriors told him, there was no way he could possibly know she was leader. Right? Surely he didn’t have spies in her clan...besides, he would certainly not come to the border to congratulate a fellow leader. No Reaper would have it in their cold pit of a heart.
”Raze” Sorrelstar greets evenly, dipping her head in a slight show of respect. Feigned, sure, but it was the proper thing to do. Expected. Necessary. Insulting. At least for her. She went on calmly, surprised at the evenness and neutrality of her own tone. ”What brings you to the border?” No threat, no accusation. Just a simple question. Part of her was proud of herself. ’Perhaps I can handle this, after all.’
Thorn (Well, she’s at least trying. Tossed this in the Reaper board cause I’ve already posted in the Breezeclan one, gotta mix it up XD)
Two iridescent yellow orbs set fixated on the clan border unblinkingly. Everything about this pair of eyes screamed of something very, very wrong. They were too cold, too empty, too dead, and yet, these same eyes held a certain ominous allure. They were a snare ready to snap shut on anyone who dared come too near. But if these golden orbs were to be considered imposing, than they were nothing compared to the tom himself. Dark tabby stripes criss-crossed his shoulders and along the length of his muscular torso, blending him with the ever shifting light and shadow. Another striking feature resided in the hideous scar that split the thick fur of his chest, carving a dark path across his throat.
Raze stalked the border restless and alone, his long banner striking back and forth in a manner of contemplation. Some had thought his little ‘walks’ to be dangerous or odd but Raze had come to think of them as refreshing. Cats, even those of his clan, tended to get on his nerves with their pathetic problems and insistent whining. The huge tom pulled his thoughts away from his reasons for patrolling the border alone at the sound of paw steps. Dead eyes swiveled around as the brute located the source of both scent and sound. Breezeclan, his thoughts whispered, chattering in the back of his mind in a constant swirl of darkness. The feline that emerged was fair in appearance but still carried a regal air. There was a sort of quiet confidence that radiated from her figure in waves that sent ripples of disgust through the tabby maine coon.
In one fluidly elegant motion, Raze turned to face the molly as she addressed him, a darkened smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Hello, I could ask you the same question miss..." While she spoke with the air of authority, Raze couldn't recall what place she held in her clan. Surely she didn't have any real power, did she? The brute took a few calculated steps towards the border, coming to a halt only about a pace away from where the molly stood. Raze didn't have any intentions of crossing the border to start trouble, but he was curious. How far would she let him go before defending her clan? A sharp glint entered his dead eyes as he eyed her up and down. Whatever may come of this interaction, it was already proving to be a fun distraction from the everyday turmoil of life.
In the back of his head, the whispers laughed gleefully and chattered on.
“Hello, I could ask you the same question miss...”
The tom turned in one fluid motion, surprisingly smooth for the deadly looking tom before her. His eyes held that same dead look of calculation she always expected to see from him, however she never knew how to react to. Before, she never had any position. She was beneath him, even being of a different clan. And it was disgusting. This time, however, she did not let herself react. Instead, she kept herself held strong and confident, and met his gaze evenly. There was a smile touching his lips, yet it held more malice than she would have thought capable of a snarl. Cold trickled down her spine like crawling ants, and she suppressed a shudder.
Instead, the molly focused upon his words, brushing his tone and look aside. He trailed off at the end, clearly uncertain of her name. Or uncaring. ’So he doesn’t know Waspstar passed...’ Slender tailtip twitching briefly, Sorrelstar considered the Reaper for a moment before resonding evenly, her tone cool and calm. ”Sorrelstar” she provides, gaze sweeping over him with more confidence than she’d ever managed in a Reaper’s presence. Let alone his. However, her new name empowered her now. She was his equal, and if he wouldn’t accept that then she would make him.
Raze’s paws carried him closer, and he brought himself to a halt not far from the border. Inwardly, Sorrelstar froze. He was challenging her, that much was very clear. However, surely he wouldn’t attack her. So, this was not a physical challenge. It was a challenege of willpower. Guts. Whether or not she would back down. He was testing her. The nerve of him. ’Don’t let him push you down.’ Her thoughts whispered sternly in reminder, but the voice in her head wasn’t hers. It belonged to Waspstar, and it was echoed by the other eight cats who came to her the night before. ’I won’t’ she assured.
Emerald eyes narrowing slightly, but not enough to appear effected by his bullish move, Sorrelstar returned the favour. With a regal elegance, she took enough steps forward to bring herself just as close to the border as he was, and halt. Her snowy paws planted neatly on the ground, and she held his gaze unblinkingly. ”I’m patrolling my borders. How about you?” Her voice was smooth, almost laced with honey but tainted with a hardened edge that proved she intended on standing her ground. The caliby’s tail flickered calmly behind her, but she made no further move. It was his turn.
Thorn (Legit picturing this, lol. This is gonna be tense XD)
Raze couldn't help the cold laugh that fell from his maw at the molly's name. Was she serious? The leader of Breezeclan was this pathetic creature before him? "And I thought your clan could stoop no lower," he mused as if to himself, purposefully making himself just loud enough for her to hear. It was insulting for the proud tom to be compared to something like her as leaders of clans. His deadened stare held something of a taunting, if not irked, glint as he swept his gaze over the calico. 'They must be running out of real warriors over there,' he thought with disgust, his long tail swiping the ground behind him in disgust. This was clearly a waste of time.
”I’m patrolling my borders. How about you?”
The hulking tabby sat carefully, his tail curling neatly around his paws. Perhaps this exchange of conversation wouldn't be a complete waste of time, if he played his cards right. "The same, I suppose. But I'm surprised you seem to be out here alone. What happened to your patrol?" The jab wasn't outright insulting in tone, but it was clear where Raze stood in terms of relationship building with the new leader. Breezeclan was the breeding grounds of nothing but foolish cats, in his opinion, and Sorrelstar was proving to be no different than they.
And yet.. There was still something about her that demanded respect and held a certain air of regality. It boiled hatred in the tom's chest as well as a certain black envy. Here she was, newly named leader of Breezeclan, and yet she already acted like she was in control. It had taken him moons to get everyone in line and become confident in his own leadership skills. The ever persistent voices chattered gleefully in the back of his mind, their laughter whispering through his ears. 'We fixed that though, hmm? Power is what we were always meant for...' And, in that moment, as Raze stared down at the molly masquerading as something more, he didn't doubt the whispers.
A cold laugh befell the tom’s maw, his words abusing his ears despite their lack of valume. “And I thought your clan could stoop no lower.”
’This wretched dog is not better than the stories’ her mind sneers, anger broiling beneath her skin. And yet, she doesn’t let it show, instead she just narrows her eyes coldly at the spiteful tabby before her. In that moment, she clearly dismissed him as an equal as well, there was no sense of even mock-respect about her at all. She did not look openly upon him as an enemy, but her eyes did hold a warning that his tongue wouldn’t bring him far from him. ”Why, because I’m not some blood-lusting lowlife?” she shoots back, toe cold an even but without the malice his own held. Like it was a simple question, not a masked stab. To be honest, he’d probably take it a compliment, anyway. ’Disgusting.’
The tom appeared openly disgusted, maybe even insulted, but not by her words. No, but her position. Inside, part of her found amusement in this. In fact, as his tail flickered in disgust and he swept his gaze over her, Sorrelstar’s own emerald gaze sparked a minor amusement It hardly lasted long enough to be noticed, however, before returning to its previous cold, impassive state. She watches as Raze seats himself somewhat cautiously, and follows suit with the utmost grace and confidence. Her tail even curls neatly over her snow-touched paws as she watches the tom. They both knew they had to play their cars right, but neither knew what the other’s hand held. What was he aiming for?
“The same, I suppose. But I'm surprised you seem to be out here alone. What happened to your patrol?”
Refraining from sneering at the Reaper’s nosiness, a masked jab combined with a rather open challenge. Instead, she kept herself straight and confident, and eyed him with only slight wariness. She did not trust him, yet she also did not fear him. Not yet, at least. Perhaps there was a time she would have, however for the moment she felt like she had all of Starclan at her side, and that gave her the confidence she needed to face this rival of hers without cowering in his face. ”As I thought you’d be observant enough to notice, my warriors have marked this border recently” she points out, perhaps a jab in return. The scent of the freshly marked border was clear enough to her, and she was used to the scent ofher own clan. She considered smirking, but did not allow for such an expression. ”Perhaps I simply felt the call to stretch my legs and clear my head a moment”
Sorrelstar flicks an ear briefly toward a sound deeper in her territory, noting it briefly before losing interest. It was no worry to her, there was nothing for her to fear here. So long as she did not coax him into attacking her, she had no reason to fear him. Besides, she had nine fresh lives, what was the bet she’d survive longer than he if they got into a fight? Besides, she knew well there were warriors of her own nearby, likely a hunting patrol. They would sprint to her aid without hesitation, for even as a new leader they were endlessly loyal to her. After all, they’d known she would be next, it was only a mater of when. Sorrelstar knew well enough the hatred between herself and Raze was perfectly neutral...but was there something else the tom was hiding in his darkened gaze? Part of her was curious to know, but she did not want to stick around long enough to find out.
