Belladonna's Residence(Open)

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A rocky hill, about as tall as two twoleg nests, with a twisting path to the top. Near the summit, a large boulder is cleft in two, with the path leading into the interior of the hill. Inside the tunnel branches off in two directions. One leads deeper into the cave, and the other leads to the side, on the same level as the entrance. The walls are dirt, the boulder is a front, not the entrance to a cave, and the higher tunnel forks off into three sleeping chambers, a room with lots of strange things in it, and storage for a few herbs. Cobwebs, marigolds, and some sticks, as well as random dried plants of no known use. The deeper tunnel leads into an actual cave, with a small pool of water, but no one goes down there except the owner of the hill.

If you continue past the den you can reach the true summit of the hill, where a small graveyard occupies most of the space. At the center sits a large rock, and surrounding it are numerous spaces, kept free of plants and with stones at one end. At night the whole area is quite eery, but during the day it's pleasant enough. At the base of the hill a small brook runs into the woods, where prey is fairly plentiful. This is because the occupant marks her territory heavily and is not generally fond of intruders, keeping a sizable portion of land for her use only.

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Stretching quickly, Belladonna made her way out of her sleeping chamber and into the Memory Room. Settling down on the floor as she did every morning, she spoke to the ancestors as she did often, touching the various artifacts before her as she called upon those cats in turn. She placed her paw upon a small bell, still shiny because of her constant care, and began.

Star, your family survives. We remain committed to the values that you instilled in us and continue to bring honor to the family name. Next, a long, wicked claw, curved and stained with what might have been blood. Scorpion, we continue to train to our peak, to reach for the heights of the art of combat. We wish you safe hunting. And finally, the most sentimental object in the room, central and raised. The tooth of a fox, yellowed and old, but still sharp enough to cut. Hemlock. Sumac. You had dignity and grace I have never managed. I hope you run well in the afterlife. Azalea. You were beautiful and wise beyond your years. I hope to attain your level of learning. Yew. Lupine. You didn't deserve this, cut down before you could even begin your training. I never saw your body, but you were too young to have survived, just a moon old. I'm sorry, all of you. You were brave and noble and died honorable deaths. I miss you.

Shaking her head swiftly as she finished, Belladonna turned to leave her den, exiting into the world with a shake of her fur. She always started the day a bit morose, she was aware, speaking to her dead family members like that, but if she didn't it was an insult to their memory, at least in her eyes. Heading down the long path and into the woods to hunt she was swiftly rewarded, spotting a robin pecking at the hardening ground. Her crouch was smooth with practice as she bit down on its neck, blood welling in her mouth as she carried it to the stream to eat. Once the meal was consumed she reentered the thick woods, picking flowers and weeds carefully, if lacking knowledge of their uses. Laying them out to dry she took a moment to gaze over her domain from the top of the hill, watching as the sun slid down towards the horizon. Her life was a lonely one, a quiet one, but she liked it well enough this way. No sense running about getting into trouble like the young ones did. (OPEN)

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As the moon rose, a solitary figure made her way to the top of the rocky hill, sprigs of flowers clutched in her jaws. The full moon kept her path bright, and she reached the summit with little difficulty. In fact, she had a short wait before the moon had fully cleared the horizon, the stars wheeling overhead in a beautiful display. It had been more beautiful once, seasons ago, before the twolegplace spread its thunderpaths like grasping limbs, taking as it pleased. Now the flying fires burned harsh through the night, obscuring the shine of the weaker lights in the sky. It had been even more beautiful back before she was born, the occupant of the hill before her had said as much, but it was still a wonderful night.

Her deliberation had allowed the moon to clear the horizon, already well on its way towards the zenith of the sky. Now that it was up the whole clearing shone brightly, silver and white, as Belladonna stood on the tallest central rock. She yowled up to the moon, a wild, keening song that floated into the air around her, hanging lightly for a second before flying to the stars, winding away into silence again. Dropping onto the ground, her purple flowers now a darker shade approaching black, Belladonna approached the first grave.

Dipping her head in respect to its occupant, she placed the first of the sprigs on the earth. Onwards she went, stopping at grave after grave, laying flower after flower, until the moon was almost at the peak of the sky. With a nod and whisper of thanks to the final plot, Azalea’s grave, Belladonna began her way down the hill again. Dipping into her den, flitting through the shadows like a moth, she made her way to her sleeping place. She would sleep late the next morning, when she did finally get to sleep, for though her body was fatigued her mind was whirring. Something had felt ….off at Lupine’s grave, and she didn’t know quite what was wrong.
(OPEN)