Dusk Syndicate Clearing

[~Masked~]

Originally Posted by Lonestar23

@MoonHeart & Friends

Arrow padded into the DS Clearing. The tom's hues swept it, trying to puzzle out which cats might be friendly enough to venture towards- and which were too hostile for him to dream of doing so. Arrow licked his maw, shifting his weight as his hues darted towards a fairly deserted part of the Clearing. Perfect. He thought in satisfaction, padding towards it and settling down. The medium sized tom wrapped his tail around himself, almost like a blanket, as though trying to cover himself with it in the hope that maybe, just maybe, if he were to stay completely still...no one would notice him. Funnily enough, since Arrow wasn't a weak cat, he tried to stay out of sight as much as possible. He wasn't the friendliest of cats either. He tended to be...a little on the more dangerous side, but only when he was provoked.

Arrow had learned the hard way that he should never start a fight. It seemed to him that when he tried to go on the offensive, instead of the defensive, all his senses just seemed to...well...fail him. They wouldn't work. They totally collapsed, leaving him completely defenseless with a large, angry cat coming after him. A warning prickle went down Arrow's spine at the memory and he shuddered again, shifting his weight uncomfortably. He glanced around- a friendly face might be a nice thing to see, in this hostile place. And yet the tom had learned to survive without one. When he had first come here, he had been the friendly face...and now, just like everyone else, he seemed to have faded into routine.

The routine of being ordinary. Normal. Avoiding standing out, that was the goal of life, wasn't it? Or was the goal to stand out? Arrow wasn't quite sure. The only thing that he really knew was that he didn't want to stand out. He wanted to attract as little attention as possible, and look as unfriendly as possible so that other cats wouldn't think he was inviting them to come near him. Arrow's anxiety seemed to be racing within him as he glanced around again, hues sweeping the clearing as he watched and waited, senses sending warning rushes of adrenaline through his body as he did so.

Echo sat in clearing, she had been sitting there for most of the afternoon, The molly scanned the clearing her blue hues sparkled as the sun shone at her,Time seemed to slow today but that was normal The Dusk Syndicate did not allow 'Nice' cats well as they knew anyway maybe there would be a cat who was nice?

Her Silver fur rippled as wind went past it she shivered slightly, Looking up she could see that the clouds had covered the sun, Echo's heart raced thinking of having to go back to to the hunter's den there were so many cats in there she hated it for some reason the molly couldn't bear a crowd, But that was okay it would mean cats would not bother her, If she just acted like she was a none then they wouldn't bother her.

Anxiety made her mind race as she spotted a cat across the clearing, Her blue Hues narrowed slightly then she shook her head Stop it Echo maybe there just looking for a friend of theres? No Cats here don't have friends..

[Brunch]

@Clover

Pacing. It felt like that was the only thing Talon knew how to do. Nothing felt real, everything felt detached and far away. Her emotions, though felt sureal, caused her to casually walk in place at the edge if the clearing. The she-cat felt confind, as though she were in the grasps of twolegs, caging her inside their den like they did with kittypets.
Freedom was a dream in the Dusk Syndicate; the rules prohibited it. It confind her in that cage. It made Talon want to leave. On the verge of sobbing, Talon plopped down on her behind, her emerald eyes searching the clearing, while her speckled white pelt prickled with the thought of freedom.
Talon's heart urged her to run as far as she could, to flee for her life, but one thing constrained her. Family. The single word made guilt flood Talon. Her family was the only thing controlling her emotions.

[Clover]

Originally Posted by Cloudy

@Clover

Pacing. It felt like that was the only thing Talon knew how to do. Nothing felt real, everything felt detached and far away. Her emotions, though felt sureal, caused her to casually walk in place at the edge if the clearing. The she-cat felt confind, as though she were in the grasps of twolegs, caging her inside their den like they did with kittypets.
Freedom was a dream in the Dusk Syndicate; the rules prohibited it. It confind her in that cage. It made Talon want to leave. On the verge of sobbing, Talon plopped down on her behind, her emerald eyes searching the clearing, while her speckled white pelt prickled with the thought of freedom.
Talon's heart urged her to run as far as she could, to flee for her life, but one thing constrained her. Family. The single word made guilt flood Talon. Her family was the only thing controlling her emotions.

Skipper awoke to noise above her, where cats were beginning to stir. She could hear them out of the safety of her burrow in the snow, and she held no desire to leave. But obligation drove her far enough, and so she began to move, shaking off layers of fatigue, crawling around in a circle until she was near the entrance. Slowly, she crawled out, her shoulders brushing the top, the fur being wetted by the bits of snow that clung and melted. Finally, she emerged, eyes pursed to a slit to filter out the blindingly bright light. Slowly, they adjusted, and she could see the whole of the clearing, quiet and peaceful in the early morning, a rarity for the turbulent existence of the syndicate. She let out a slight sigh of relief, the scarce amount of cats a weak comfort. She gave her fur a quick shake, icy crystals falling to the ground. She gave the glade a quick scan, and spotted a molly pacing back and forth, restlessly. A bit of curiosity igniting witching her, Skipper trotted towards the she-cat, red ears held erect. "Are you alright?" she asked, tail twitching slightly as she awaited an answer.

[JaxenAmethyst]

Originally Posted by tawny~

For the young rowdy kit, the sunny day was a excellent day for roughhousing, or perhaps bullying weak kits who would, probably be stupid hunters. Hunters were weak, every Dusk Syndicate Cat knew that, even young Zyphyr knew that. Her family was a bit weak, being hunters themselves, sure, she loved them, but someone had to be the fighter, the fierce one, and respected by all Dusk Syndicate Members, and that would be for certain, Zyphyr. After spooking off a rather small, two moon old kit, gnawing their ears so they would remember her by, but a little too roughly, making their ears bleed, and they would, perhaps, have to go to some stupid healer. She snickered to herself, yelling to them, to stay out of her way, satisfaction rippling through her dirty, gruffy pelt, as the afternoon sun shone on her pelt, warming her from head to tail, perfect, she need the energy for more bullying, and roughhousing.
Bullying is satisfying, a great enjoyment for me, an excellent activity. Weak kits are very easy, one scratch, and they go running. She thought, a smirk on her face as she strutted across the clearing, claws digging into the dirt, confidence beaming through her. A perfect day for picking on weak kits, the kit thought pleasantly, stomping as she walked, in a marching fashion, a confident stride for sure, as she trotted around. A very perfect day indeed.
But, perhaps, a perfect day can be ruined. For the three moon old, that was a quite easy feat to get, and preform. As the kit thought confidently, and satisfyingly thinking about who they should they pick on next. A single bump slipped her from her thoughts, and wiped on the satisfied smirk off her face, replaced with an irritated, and furious glare. Ugh! Who bumped into me? Zyphyr thought with an annoyed growl, looking up at the cat who she bumped into, they were tall, that was certain. Optics narrowed slightly, fury building up inside of her.

"Hey! You stupid tom!"

She snapped angrily, her furious tone coming into a yell, as she dug her claws into the mud and dirt, tail lashing as she looked up at the dark gray mass. "Watch where you're going!" Zyphyr continued her rage induced explosion, before marching away from Hannibal, grumbling to herself all the way as she marched away, stomping furiously, with an irritated huff. "Stupid old tom...can't even watch where their going!" She grumbled,going toward somewhere she usually went to when in a bad mood, just a place to think, or to pick on other kits, if they were near it, and she made it certain, that they wouldn't come near anymore. She made sure every kit in the group, feared her, and respected her, just like other cats in the Dusk Syndicate. They were tiny steps to what she truly desired, and wanted. Power, full power. The tree was a bit away from the camp, but enough where she could go their without scoldings, or anything of that category.

@Duskflight
@tawny~
@MootheBean

A white-furred she-cat with one glowing light green eye, and one piercing light blue eye, padded out of the Dusk Syndicate Nursery beside her mate, a light grey and dark grey striped tomcat with green eyes. The she-cat was Sky, for her cloud-white pelt, meanwhile the tomcat was named Lucky, for his green eyes. They payed more attention to their other 2 kits, Felecia and Aurora, rather than Zyphyr. Sky and Lucky stared at Zyphyr as he acted disrespectful towards a very feared cat, Hannibal, and did no action towards it. They simply sat there while she slashed at kits' ears, and harmed them at as young as 2 moons old. While he was stomping away, Sky approached Hannibal in a very unworthy manner. "You shouldn't have PUSHED our daughter! It's.. all.. your.. FAULT!" She head-butted him in the chest. "STAY AWAY from our daughter!" She threatened him. Lucky padded up to him and pushed him before leaving. He called back, "Now you know how it feels!", before entering the Nursery with Zyphyr, Felecia, and Aurora.

[Mayflower]

Originally Posted by JaxenAmethyst

@Duskflight
@tawny~
@MootheBean

A white-furred she-cat with one glowing light green eye, and one piercing light blue eye, padded out of the Dusk Syndicate Nursery beside her mate, a light grey and dark grey striped tomcat with green eyes. The she-cat was Sky, for her cloud-white pelt, meanwhile the tomcat was named Lucky, for his green eyes. They payed more attention to their other 2 kits, Felecia and Aurora, rather than Zyphyr. Sky and Lucky stared at Zyphyr as he acted disrespectful towards a very feared cat, Hannibal, and did no action towards it. They simply sat there while she slashed at kits' ears, and harmed them at as young as 2 moons old. While he was stomping away, Sky approached Hannibal in a very unworthy manner. "You shouldn't have PUSHED our daughter! It's.. all.. your.. FAULT!" She head-butted him in the chest. "STAY AWAY from our daughter!" She threatened him. Lucky padded up to him and pushed him before leaving. He called back, "Now you know how it feels!", before entering the Nursery with Zyphyr, Felecia, and Aurora.

Aurora whimpered a bit before following her parents into the nursery. "Momma, that cat that you shouted at looked scary..." She looked back to see Hannibal still there and shivered, pressing herself closer to her mother.

(Do we go to the nursery?)

[monfang]

Originally Posted by fenic!

"I lied to him about the kits. He probably left because of me, because I wasn't good enough. You know how strong and ruthless he is- Onyx would never get himself killed like that." Lillith mumbled angrily. "Maybe I'm better off leaving this place, starting over. If I had the option of starting over, I'd take it!" She hissed, her tone filled with tension as she spat out that last sentence. Of course, this molly never had the luxury of getting to forget everything that went wrong in her life. Getting the chance to turn over a new leaf would be a dream come true. That would mean leaving her kits- but if Onyx could abandon them, then she would as well. It wasn't as if she cared too much about them- instinct made her protective of her kin, but it never made her stop wishing they hadn't been born. They only served to make her life harder, it seemed. "It's not fair that he gets to run away and escape us, not when I'm trapped here!"

"No, you aren't trapped here, the fact you know nothing but Herbs keeps you here. You can't go out there alone, and damn it all I wanted to do was help. But I'm going to find him." he said with a growl, but as he turned he saw Lynx standing there, and a saddened expression covered his face. "S-Salem..." he huffed. "It's Onyx. He's.... he's dead...." he said softly, and looked at Lilith. "Grousestar and Auroraflame knocked him unconscious then.... just viciously killed him..." he said, and Salem gasped, and turned to Lilith. Tears in his eyes. "He can't die.... He can't die, huh? See I told you! And he did this for you! For the kits! He was trying to get himself feared so no one would touch them and all you cared about was the fact that he left!" he snarled, and unsheathed his claws. But, after a moment, he dropped his snarl, and sheathed his claws again. "He was trying to help, I'm trying to help, why can't you see past you hateful stubborness to realize that?" he asked, his voice slightly whimpery.

[Fel]

Originally Posted by Moonfang

"No, you aren't trapped here, the fact you know nothing but Herbs keeps you here. You can't go out there alone, and damn it all I wanted to do was help. But I'm going to find him." he said with a growl, but as he turned he saw Lynx standing there, and a saddened expression covered his face. "S-Salem..." he huffed. "It's Onyx. He's.... he's dead...." he said softly, and looked at Lilith. "Grousestar and Auroraflame knocked him unconscious then.... just viciously killed him..." he said, and Salem gasped, and turned to Lilith. Tears in his eyes. "He can't die.... He can't die, huh? See I told you! And he did this for you! For the kits! He was trying to get himself feared so no one would touch them and all you cared about was the fact that he left!" he snarled, and unsheathed his claws. But, after a moment, he dropped his snarl, and sheathed his claws again. "He was trying to help, I'm trying to help, why can't you see past you hateful stubborness to realize that?" he asked, his voice slightly whimpery.

"...Maybe I've got a right to be like this- maybe, just maybe, you don't know what I've been through! Being unable to go out alone, that's the definition of trapped!" Lillith hissed, her eyes narrowing as her claws dug into the ground, agitated. He had no right to vernally attack her like this, not after she'd been through sp much that he would never experience. "I'm not something broken that can just be fixed in a second, you know! In the Dusk Syndicate, I was kind and open and gentle once, and look where it got me! I'm not taking any chances." She huffed. He probably left for the power- for the glory of defeating clan cats. If he cared about me, he'd never put his life on the line like that. "Onyx thought he was so high-and mighty, the cat who'd apparently 'saved' me from Bleddyn. Do you want to know the truth? The only cat who saved me was myself." Lillith ranted, her face almost twisted with anger as she talked. "He wanted everything and more! Onyx wasn't loyal- he was ambitious, and cruel. If you think I'm bad... he was worse. Look at what that ambition did! Now, he's dead."

[monfang]

Originally Posted by fenic!

"...Maybe I've got a right to be like this- maybe, just maybe, you don't know what I've been through! Being unable to go out alone, that's the definition of trapped!" Lillith hissed, her eyes narrowing as her claws dug into the ground, agitated. He had no right to vernally attack her like this, not after she'd been through sp much that he would never experience. "I'm not something broken that can just be fixed in a second, you know! In the Dusk Syndicate, I was kind and open and gentle once, and look where it got me! I'm not taking any chances." She huffed. He probably left for the power- for the glory of defeating clan cats. If he cared about me, he'd never put his life on the line like that. "Onyx thought he was so high-and mighty, the cat who'd apparently 'saved' me from Bleddyn. Do you want to know the truth? The only cat who saved me was myself." Lillith ranted, her face almost twisted with anger as she talked. "He wanted everything and more! Onyx wasn't loyal- he was ambitious, and cruel. If you think I'm bad... he was worse. Look at what that ambition did! Now, he's dead."

Salem stared at her, his blazing orange eyes staring at her. "Have you no remorse for the dead!" he snarled. "He wanted to protect them. Onyx would not leave them even if Hannibal had him pinned choking the life out of him. He may have not been loyal to you, but he was loyal to his kin." he said through gritted teeth. "You aren't more of a mother then ours was, and he knew it. You thought them to be curses, he saw blessings. And yet you blame the fact he wanted them safe for his death, my dear maybe there was nothing good in you. You truly are stubborn and now you will be left alone to die by yourself, for no one will want to be with you, to make you happy. And with that, I hope you understand this- he may have broke your heart, but your hatred to him because of Bleddyn and the kits..." he rose his head. He was leaving the syndicate, finally. He had no ties to make him stay, and there for he was leaving. No one would no longer going to stop him. "You broke his soul." he finished. "And you couldn't save yourself against a mouse. You are weak, stubborn, insignificant and no one needs you but the kits and soon, they won't need you either. You are heartless and that's why everyone leaves you. You have no soul, no remorse, no love. And so, you will live the rest of your life alone, and you will die alone. And when you die your last breath will mean nothing to this world." he said, and then he turned to leave.

[Fel]

Originally Posted by Moonfang

Salem stared at her, his blazing orange eyes staring at her. "Have you no remorse for the dead!" he snarled. "He wanted to protect them. Onyx would not leave them even if Hannibal had him pinned choking the life out of him. He may have not been loyal to you, but he was loyal to his kin." he said through gritted teeth. "You aren't more of a mother then ours was, and he knew it. You thought them to be curses, he saw blessings. And yet you blame the fact he wanted them safe for his death, my dear maybe there was nothing good in you. You truly are stubborn and now you will be left alone to die by yourself, for no one will want to be with you, to make you happy. And with that, I hope you understand this- he may have broke your heart, but your hatred to him because of Bleddyn and the kits..." he rose his head. He was leaving the syndicate, finally. He had no ties to make him stay, and there for he was leaving. No one would no longer going to stop him. "You broke his soul." he finished. "And you couldn't save yourself against a mouse. You are weak, stubborn, insignificant and no one needs you but the kits and soon, they won't need you either. You are heartless and that's why everyone leaves you. You have no soul, no remorse, no love. And so, you will live the rest of your life alone, and you will die alone. And when you die your last breath will mean nothing to this world." he said, and then he turned to leave.

"Maybe I see them as curses because their fathers seemed to only want them- maybe it's because nobody cared about me! Is it too much to ask, for somebody who actually loves me- somebody who really cares?" She choked, shocked that this cat could simply say that her kits' emotions were more important than her own. Maybe it was a selfish thing to think, but she couldn't let somebody toss her to the side like that, as if she didn't matter. "Maybe I don't have to be weak anymore- I can get stronger, and make you all regret throwing me away like I was nothing! Making me think that all I'm here for is so your fool of a brother to have kits and forget about who their mother was, to blame a victim for the crimes which hurt them? My attitude was a result of the fact that my heart's been broken! Maybe if you'd treated me like an actual being, I'd be nicer!" She shrieked, her claws sliding out in rage as she lunged for Salem blindly- you can't just leave me! Missing the tom and landing onto the rocky ground with a harsh thump, however, the only cat in pain was the attacker herself. Sharp pieces of rock and silt had pierced her skin, though nothing seemed to be cut in too deep- what really hurt had been her eye, hit on a larger stone as she landed. Struggling up quietly, she let out a few shaky breaths as her non-injured eye narrowed, tail lashing. Hadn't he said that he'd cared for her? "You're leaving me too, so soon?" She whispered painfully, grimacing.

"You're just like he was."

[monfang]

Originally Posted by fenic!

"Maybe I see them as curses because their fathers seemed to only want them- maybe it's because nobody cared about me! Is it too much to ask, for somebody who actually loves me- somebody who really cares?" She choked, shocked that this cat could simply say that her kits' emotions were more important than her own. Maybe it was a selfish thing to think, but she couldn't let somebody toss her to the side like that, as if she didn't matter. "Maybe I don't have to be weak anymore- I can get stronger, and make you all regret throwing me away like I was nothing! Making me think that all I'm here for is so your fool of a brother to have kits and forget about who their mother was, to blame a victim for the crimes which hurt them? My attitude was a result of the fact that my heart's been broken! Maybe if you'd treated me like an actual being, I'd be nicer!" She shrieked, her claws sliding out in rage as she lunged for Salem blindly- you can't just leave me! Missing the tom and landing onto the rocky ground with a harsh thump, however, the only cat in pain was the attacker herself. Sharp pieces of rock and silt had pierced her skin, though nothing seemed to be cut in too deep- what really hurt had been her eye, hit on a larger stone as she landed. Struggling up quietly, she let out a few shaky breaths as her non-injured eye narrowed, tail lashing. Hadn't he said that he'd cared for her? "You're leaving me too, so soon?" She whispered painfully, grimacing.

"You're just like he was."

Her words meant nothing, and he watched as she tried to attack him but ended up hurting herself more. He then continued until her last five words had froze him in place. His eyes widened with a gasp and his pupils narrowed until they are almost unseen. Her words echoed in his head, and something inside him snapped. He turned to face her, his pupils nearly gone, his orange eyes stared deep into her own. He could feel his legs shaking and then he completely snapped. He lunged at her, and aimed for her shoulder, and knocked her down with the blow, and as she was on her back he placed his paws on her chest and neck, pinning her down. He had a perfect spot to bite, a perfect spot to rip her throat out. But as he stared into her eyes, the snarl that had built in hs chest ceased, and he shoved her, rolling her away from him. "I spared your life. Is that something he would do? For you nonetheless?" he growled, and then once again turned to walk away, but he stopped.

"I don't kill the ones I love..." he said softly, and walked away.