[Ziera]

// @/undertaker

Sparkpaw lingered to the sides of the gathered cats, ears perked and expression focused, a habit she fell into as of late. Soaking up every word. It was much easier to pay attention in these meetings since Wildfire disappeared...the puppy-dog of a cat who was more absent than minded, making her short-lived mentorship of Spark child's play. But anyway.

Details, details.

So! Deputy gone, Marshwolf promoted to bossy patrol assigner, and RiverClan getting testy with Dawnstar meant they were being eyed. Sparkpaw saw the strategy of this in some ways. Particularly if they waited for the ThunderClan - RiverClan conflict to climax...perhaps Shadowclan would be ready to swoop in and pick up their broken pieces like a vulture. Of course in order for this to work they couldn't be in pieces themselves after dealing with their bunny infestation. Sparkpaw didn't think there would be...too much of an issue there, remembering back to their skirmish on the moor. Spark still tasted the phantom scent of Ryecloud's blood.

(Speaking of the moors! Sparkpaw noticed Redshrike hacking once again. She severely doubted that dust was the culprit, simply because the she-cat remembered seeing him the day they carved out a ripe piece of WindClan's territory for themselves. Sickly then and sickly now. Interesting...something Spark would keep note of for later.)

There was a moment of rising intrigue in this clan meeting that enthralled Sparkpaw. I am and always have been ShadowClan's power, Dawnstar said. When the other clans look at us, they speak of me, do they not? They fear me, they challenge me, they threaten me. Icy shivers traveled up the Bengal's spine. It was intoxicating, the way she described it, reminded Sparkpaw of the WindClan warrior blinded by Grimhound. He dominated her. Overwhelmed her and all she could do was stare back at him, terrified and...admiring.

Beyond following in Talonstone's large pawprints? Sparkpaw vowed to use every ounce of her wits to achieve what Dawnstar and Grimhound possessed: sheer power. The mere notion seduced her mind more than any charismatic tongue ever could.

And then? The main culminating event that shook Sparkpaw to her core. While waiting for reassignments the bengal expected another idiot warrior, someone she could manipulate, someone boring - but no. As if lurking darkness heard the song of her ambition, when Sparkpaw looked at Dawnstar, she found herself staring into the eyes of her new mentor.

The shock of it melted quickly enough - fizziness of nervous anticipation there for a second then gone. A smirk drew itself over Sparkpaw's lips. Are you proud of me, mentor mine? Talonstone was her true mentor, would always be, but he was also very much gone. Dawnstar would supply the challenge Spark had been missing in her life; time to start flirting with disaster. Spark's nightmare-giver, her most pure form of inspiration.