[beam me up scottie] open.

[C|hicago+]

Snow was becoming perhaps the bane of his existance.

An angry snort escaped through his warm nose, causing the black tom to shudder briefly. Why did it have to be snowing? He wasn't going to complain out loud, but in his mind there was a storm of curses and harsh, violent derogatory words. Mostly about mother nature and how it should just go shove a stick up its--whoa. Enough of that, Snaketongue. If only that fiery temper of his could warm him up. He'd gladly be as mean as he could. Mentally, however.

He would never dare talk. Oh, no. That would ruin his reputation of 'Most creepiest midget tom in the clan'.

They were all mousebrains anyways. Now, he wasn't the kind of cat that would rant about how no one understands him and then go off and try to hurt himself. Naw. He was just grumpy. Really grumpy. Mad at the world, even. The world was a jerk. Like the cat that always slept with his rump facing Snaketongue's face. Total jerk. Shaking his numb paws, the tom pulled himself away from his rather uncomfortably dark thoughts, awkwardly stumbling through the snow and towards the fresh kill pile. There was probably nothing there, so why bother? He didn't know.

Maybe walking would make him feel his paws again.

Yeah. That's it.

Stupid snow.

[/font][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Sacrifice]

Oh yes, this snow, it was simply perfect. The weather was bad on a good day for the sensitive skinned albino, but today, oh no, today was worse. And to top it off, there wasn’t even any prey in the fresh kill pile. So, instead of going hunting, Immortalbreath had contented herself to glaring at the world, her blood red gaze narrowed in anger, watching absently as the other members flinched under her gaze. That is right, look at the freak among you all, and brand them with the rumors that they can only embrace and flinch as you meet their gaze. Let them have that power, for fear is nothing more than a weapon; as long as you weren’t the one feeling fear. And ever since the rumors had started about her, the cannibalistic red eyed freak, Immortalbreath had stopped showing fear, if she had even shown any before. Fear made one weak, it made them less valued to the clan. Only fools show their fear; especially around clan mates. They’d pounce on it, destroy you with it, and take whatever status you may have from the rumors. The power it gave her over them, it was the only reason Immortalbreath hadn’t found the cat that started it and ripped their guts out.

That didn’t mean that it wasn’t true though, but there was to be no conversation about that point. Stiff from awkward nest positions, hungry but not wanting to freeze thanks to her sensitive fur, one could say that Immortalbreath was in a bad mood; it seemed as though it was contagious through the clan. But glaring at the cats, watching them flinch, it was slowly improving her mood. Words could be so pointless sometimes, why even bother trying to talk to someone? Besides, she knew what they were going to say, how the responses would be curt and sharp. Nobody wanted to have a conversation when bloods colored eyes were trained on their own eyes. It was a game really, to see who would look away first, to see who would bend to her will, to see who was beneath her. Uncomfortable, one was to look away first, but some fought, which in itself was amusing. They all looked away in the end, probably thinking that they themselves were sane, while the red eyed freak was off the deep end, and that they hadn’t given her any power by looking away.

Off the deep end, it made her want to laugh. Did they even know what ‘normal’ meant? And how that such a thing was something of legends, that there was no sane or insane here, that it was just one big circle filled with darkness and despair, as well as light and hope. Nearly everyone could fit within that circle, and then… there were the outliers, the ones who just didn’t fit in. The ones that were considered ‘creepy’ and ‘fearful,’ the type of cats that kits were warned to stay away from, as though they would be eaten if they got too close. For the most part, it seemed to work, as another generation, fear was branded into them. There was no point in making a fuss; besides, the pure white she cat was happy to be of service, even if she really wasn’t doing anything. The only thing that made it bearable though, was the fact she wasn’t alone. In fact, behind her she knew that Snaketongue, the ‘midget freak’ of the clan was emerging, and judging from what she could sense, he was in the same type of mood as she was; wasn’t that fantastic? If he spoke, then maybe they could compare stories about the rumors. Wouldn’t that be great?

No though, he didn’t speak. Not since apprenticehood, a time that seemed oh so long ago. Even then though, now that she thought about it, things had been the same for her as they were now. She just wasn’t considered a cannibal. But still a freak, yes, she had always been a freak. Oh, she knew the story of the black tom, and why he didn’t talk, but with all honesty, she didn’t care. The past was impossible to get rid of, but one could move on if they chose. Obviously, he hadn’t chosen too. Her own past was nothing she went broadcasting, it was riddled with scars, holes, and pain, but did you see her making a fuss about what happened? Nope, she had learned to live with it, and had done rather well with the result, at least, that was what she thought, some would say she was just as bad off as ‘midget freak’ was. Only she was ‘cannibal freak,’ you must remember titles and all. A name whispered along the apprentices and kits, each wondering, if anyone of them would ever have to be her apprentice, shaking in fear at the thought.

She wouldn’t eat a kit or apprentice; they didn’t taste good. And she had better things to do anyway, and then worry about some apprentice as well; she was glad that she had never been assigned anyone.
”Don’t bother.”
Immortalbreath called as Snaketongue passed her, tone, well, it was impossible to explain. Neither hostile nor friendly, it was as though it was simply a curtsey, but one couldn’t call it that either. If anything though, she addressed the other tom with a touch more warmth then she did the rest of the clan. With the snow as her backdrop, all that was seen was a glowing pair of red eyes; the snow, no matter how much she hated it, provided the perfect camouflage for the albino.
”I suppose it is our ‘duty’ to hunt for more.” Muttered Immortalbreath quietly, annoyance flashing through her tone. Oh well; it wasn’t as though she had a choice in the matter anyway. She had to eat.

[/blockquote]

[C|hicago+]

StarClan, did she just talk to him?

Well, it was sort of ironic. The two clan dropouts stuck in the snow with no food and a lack of popularity. Touching, almost. Maybe they'd share a lovely moment, fall in love, have freak children, and watch as they grew up being ridiculed for their parents and their heritage. The end. No, really. In response to her words, he gave a little rumble, a surprisingly deep noise for such a little cat. Hah, little. He had heard that word so many times. The tom was numb to it, though. Better then being freakishly tall and knocking everyone down. At least he was able to slip through the smallest of holes easily. Fatsos. All they did was eat. Usually, Snaketongue never had time to even grab a snack. All he received was a bump to the ribs and a paw in the mouth. A meal anyone would wish for.

His attention, having been pulled from the empty hole, turned to the white she-cat before him. It was sort of amusing, an albino with red eyes and a black tom with gray eyes near each another. One utterly silent and 'deformed' in a matter of speaking, while the other was a cannibal. This clan was certainly unlucky. Now that he thought about it, he had no idea why he was even still here. They teased him about his disadvantage. Was he really that strong? Or was he just immune to their words?

And why the foxdung was he still whimpering about it?

Angry at himself, the small tom fluffed himself out, fur bunching up before falling smoothly. He must be sticking out like a sore thumb, unlike his 'companion'. Ah, Immortalbreath. How she differed from him, despite the similarities in situations. She accepted her faults, and held no grudges. His reign of silence was a bit of a rebellious thing, but he had been young when it started. Honestly, he found that not talking was lovely. It pushed away those bumbling fools that always try to talk to him. At least, the ones that still try. The rest just gave up.

Snaketongue: 1, Clan: 0.

After musing over various things, he glanced over at her, all bundled up with his tail curled around what it could, while the rest of his body was sunk below the top of the white fluff. Should they go hunting? He fared average in winter, what with his fur and all, but he had no idea if their hunting styles differed or not. Never did the tom hunt with anyone else.

And that was good enough for him.

[/size]

[Sacrifice]

Silence. As expected. Though she could feel the grey gaze of the tom on her, studying her in a way, Immortalbreath kept her own gaze on the settings around her, like a predator preparing for battle. Was that what life was these days, a battle to be fought all the time, without a moment of rest, or any hope for peace, or even a chance to be normal? So it seemed. Holding in a faintly bitter smile, Immortalbreath could only ask herself if she cared, an answer she knew all too well. She remained here only because she didn’t want to be a rogue right now; she had come from the rogues and knew all about them and their tendencies. Oh look, a rogue born clan cat, let’s take her past and throw it at her, make up more reasons to hate her. And when doing so, we can think that we’ll get up to ‘StarClan’ where all the dead cats go. Yeah, right, there was no such thing, only an illusion to make one want to behave, to make one feel safe; it had been a long time since she had felt safe, there was no StarClan; her night had always been without stars to light a path, as it always would be.

But that was enough whining about what she couldn’t change, about what she had accepted so long ago, after her first moon in the clans. There was another cat here; she couldn’t become lost in her own thoughts, no matter how persuasive her thoughts tended to be. Because esc ape, it was never that easy and it was never permanent; shadows of the past were always dancing, waiting to be seen. And look at the lucky clan it had decided to land on; Immortalbreath cast a rather pointy grin up toward the leader’s den, thoughts amusing her for a moment. Yes, this clan had its own little bout of ‘bad’ luck, didn’t it? If only they had treated her well; maybe then they would have learned what a powerful member she was in battle. No, with their actions, she had already chose her side in this war, at least the rogues had always been fair, not starting rumors until there was actually a reason for there to be rumors. Call it a code; one that wasn’t as flimsy as the one that the clan cats followed until their death. It was sickening really, to see that type of devotion.

Not that she expected Stone to succeed; the tom was just like all the crazy rogue leaders, foolish with ambition, and lacking the brains to do anything else. Pitiful; even more so than a majority of the clan cats tended to be honestly. Casting a glance over to Snaketongue, more of a study, it seemed as though not all cats were as annoying as they made themselves out to be; the silence was enjoyable. Not as interesting as those cats that wouldn’t shut their yaps until you had to hurt them, they were fun and Immortalbreath had a bit of a reputation for biting instead of clawing, but interesting none the less. Some would find the silence disturbing, others would find it simply annoying, and others, others wouldn’t care one way or another until someone got annoying. Can you guess where the white she cat fell? That’s right, the last group, something she had always been slightly proud about. What exactly she called annoying though, was another thing all in itself. Catch her in the right mood; and annoying became a death sentence, though it depended upon the charge. Sometimes it was painful, sometimes it was merciful.

It was too cold to stay in one place for too long, and after it became apparent that nothing more was going to happen aside from the rumble, Immortalbreath stood up, white flecks falling from her pelt, creating a small flurry in a way, making someone almost absently wonder how long she had been there. Standing up, but not shaking the snow away, Immortalbreath glanced over her shoulder, and shrugged slightly.
”Come hunting if you want, I don’t care.”
It was a world, this one, where one either lived or died. She was hunger, and that resulted in her going hunting, something that didn’t happen all too often, much less making a somewhat invitation for someone else to go hunting with her. Winter was the best season for the she cat; with her pelt, it was only her eyes that gave her away, and since she relied on speed and stealth rather than brawn, most animals couldn’t escape her claws, and those who did, tended to die not too long after, and was collected later, after she had hunted for the clan. Just because she was hunting for the clan didn’t mean that she wasn’t going to eat herself, after all. ‘They eat first’ was taught to the apprentices; she had never been an apprentice here. How was she to ‘know about it?’

Without looking back to see if she was being followed, Immortalbreath strode out of camp, and looked around, pinpointing the best place to hunt. As she stood; one could see much more than before. There was pride in her, which much was clear from the way she held herself, and an ego, but also something graceful, light, and dangerous, a cat few wanted to be around. And maybe, if one looked deep enough, maybe they would be able to see the arrogance, but never the pain. Pain was an emotion like fear, one to be kept locked away for as long as one was alive; pain was a weakness, it made one do stupid things. Yes, she had learned that. And it seemed as though her thoughts would not behave today; which meant it was time to get moving or find herself overcome by what she could not fix. Without a look; Immortalbreath set out toward the border of the territory, ears flattened as the snow pulled against her. How she hated the white stuff, and with the prey feeling the same way, this was going to probably be a scarce hunt. Enough to feed herself and a few members of the clan, she guessed, if she got lucky. Going hungry was nothing new for her though. Sometimes it was easier just to avoid the whole crowd; no matter the cost.

[/blockquote]

[C|hicago+]

Silently, the tom followed, actually right behind her. It was easier to walk through the snow if you had a path already made for you, especially if you were as small as Snaketongue. He dared not to lift his head though, not wishing to stare at the she-cat's rump and get eaten or something. That would be a sad fate indeed for the black tom. Instead, he kept his eyes elsewhere, picking out the odds and ends of their territory. He had never really understood the complexity of clans. The real way to live was to fend for yourself. At least, that's what his father told him at a young age. One of the few things he even said to him. Snaketongue still did not understand the tom. He was like a puzzle. An angry, antisocial puzzle that left him to suffer, then rot in this forsaken place. Personally, Snaketongue prayed that he had gotten eaten by a bear, or something of that nature.

Noticing that she had stopped to scour the area, he veered left, coming to a pause besides her. His toes wriggled beneath the snow, the tom making sure he still even had the little fleshy extremities. Satisfied with the response of being able to feel them, he moved forwards a bit, ears flicking rapidly. At least she was quiet too. That way he could hear everything he needed, or wanted to hear. Mostly the latter. Silence had always been one of his few, if his only, friend. At least, one that wasn't an actual being. Now his true only friend, Lightningstorm, had been good to him. She never teased him, never yelled at him. Her smile had been forever engraved in his mind, though it secretly pained him to even think about it. The thought would only lead to him thinking about his late mother, and then he'd just be grumpy and depressed. Two things he did not want to be, for fear of becoming an emo midget. Now who would want that?

So many spontaneous thoughts today, muttered the tom in his head. It was true. He had been thinking quite a lot. Maybe he was finding some sort of refuge in his thoughts. Or maybe he was just talking to himself. That was definitely the sign of something bad going on up in his head. Instead, he thought of the whole mental conversation thing as a sign of great intelligence. Yeah.. That made perfect sense. He just didn't want to confuse all the brainless folk around him with his extensive vocabulary and intense ideas and opinions. Of course, there was that white she-cat besides him. Did she ever think to herself as much as he did? Were they actually in an awkward silence and thinking, Oh StarClan we are such weirdos, look at that guy/gal, he/she probably thinks I'm psychotic.


Or maybe he WAS going insane.

[Sacrifice]

While Snaketongue was questioning his own sanity, if there was such a thing, Immortalbreath’s thoughts had surprisingly, turned back to the afterlife; Starclan. She had already decided that there was no such thing, but saying that there was, just hypothetically, didn’t that mean there had to be a place of no stars, a ‘SunClan’ of the sorts, a place in which only the darkest of the cats went; a place with maybe a place reserved for her? No, that couldn’t be possible; in order for one to exist, the other must exist, and therefore, neither was possible. No amount of so called dreams or hallucinations were going to break that though pattern either; ironically enough, Immortalbreath had pretty much given up her chance for immortality with those relatively simple thoughts, her disbelief not something that was going to be broken, ever. How much pain had she seen? How much loss had there been, how much anger? If someone was up there, and provided they cared, this wouldn’t be allowed to happen. However, if there was really someone down below, then the events of life would make sense, to a point anyway. After all, who wouldn’t love to laugh at someone else’s sorrow? As long as it didn’t affect you, that is.

Where were all these thoughts coming from? Normally her mind was blank, but then again, she didn’t usually actually have someone following her when she went out; part of her wanted to blame the tom behind her, though she knew it wasn’t his fault. It had been a while since she had managed to escape and have some fun without all the regulations of clan life. It put her, on edge would be to put it lightly, though nobody knew her well enough to be able to tell. Nobody cared about the freaks, and that was exactly the way it should be. Aside from the kits, cats should have to fend for themselves, not take free handouts from someone else for nothing aside from the fact that they are hungry. Clans were growing weak simply because they relied upon each other too much; try that anywhere else, and you were going to die, pure and simple. There was no shadow figures to save you, there were no dreams to cast away the pain; it was only harsh and cold reality that bit like the nest of stinging bees that Immortalbreath had once run into on pure accident.

Blinking, the snow was falling lightly, Immortalbreath glanced beside her, seeing that the tom had veered beside her finally; having him walking behind her had made her feel slightly awkward, having anyone behind you was a risky venture, though it wasn’t as bad here as it was in other places. Or with other cats, for that matter.
He was probably afraid I was going to eat him.
The thought came literally out of nowhere, and it shocked her slightly; where had it come from? Maybe her earlier train of thought was coming back; but it had been a while since she had had to…resort to those measures. And the one she had…taken on, you could say, had deserved it, a tom that had been literally reeking of, not exactly darkness, but something rather close. He had been so smug, so arrogant, that it had almost been her duty to kill him, and since she was starving, it had seemed as though it would be a shame to waste any possible food; and although he might have been smug, he had also been an excellent fighter; wounded and weak, she had seen no other option that time. Like they said though, things had only gotten worse.

The contemplation, it still irritated her though, picking at wounds that were better left alone. The past was past, just why couldn’t it stay that way? Was it because of this tom, was his silence forcing her to think about herself more than usual? Or was it this snow, this cold, providing her with nothing better to do than think? Actually, she was probably just needing to fill the time, very few cats were ever in camp anymore, and that resulted in nobody to watch flinch away as she met their gaze; quite an humorous hobby, to her anyway. A sudden sound broke her train of thought before it could get any further; ears swiveling up, Immortalbreath’s red gaze flickered across the snow covered landscape, focusing with a sudden narrowing on the small movement; a vole. Without waiting for Snaketongue to react, if he didn’t see it then it was his own fault, the she cat crept forward, silent on her paws. As soon as she got within striking distance, there was no crouch, no sudden stilling of the being. With one fluid motion, betraying her origins as well as everything else did, Immortalbreath went from a stalking movement to a full spring, landing square on and with a sharp nip, collecting the vole. There was another one nearby, but with her senses filled with the scent of blood, her mouth overflowing with the taste of meat, it was impossible to focus enough to find it. Oh well though; might as well let the tom make himself useful. Gathering up her prey, Immortalbreath walked back over to the other tom, stopping beside a small oak which she scraped with her claws to deposit her prey; and then gestured for him to go ahead. What was the point of speaking if she was to be the only one talking?

Besides, words were dangerous, and with her thought pattern, it was easier just to, as the black tom, remain silent. Absently, Immortalbreath noted that she didn’t refer to Snaketongue by his name too often, which didn’t bother her too much. Names had a power over the owner, it was proven. It could be either an insult or term of respect, not using the name. And since he didn’t know what she called him, then it really could be either one, depending upon her mood and all that fun stuff. For, Immortalbreath tended to be a very moody cat.

[Emo midget. xD I don’t know, that just made me laugh. And we need something to happen or else it’ll be ‘hunting without anything happening,’ and that is bleh.]

[/blockquote]

[C|hicago+]

Snaketongue eyed the she-cat as she pounced upon the little creature, indifferent. It felt a bit troubling, hunting with someone else for a change. At least she knew that silence reigned. In fact, the she-cat appeared to have almost the same habits as he did. But he wasn't going to admit that they were similar. It would be irritating to know that there was someone in the clan that had mannerisms mimicking his own ways. This thought circled back to the idea that he was growing both paranoid and insane. But he did not appear to be frightened by the fact. Maybe he'd find some sort of home in the bizarre land of his mind. Or maybe he spiral into a chaotic coma of schizophrenia and the occasional babbling that would come from a heretic predicting the end of the world.

Seemingly growing aware of the fact that he was just standing belly-deep in the snow, the tom instinctively drew forwards, crouching down as much as he possibly could without 'drowning'. His ears leaned towards the sounds of the other vole scuttling amongst a pile of icy foliage, dazed and somewhat confused as to where its companion had disappeared off to. Vaguely, Snaketongue wondered if it knew it was about to die. Did these little creatures, like the cats themselves, have some sort of sixth sense kick in just before their soul vanquished? Or were they always blissfully unaware, only knowing the moment they see death running head on at full speed?

The tom felt his muscles tense, then relax. He would not stall any longer, lest the she-cat decide it was worthless and leave him to hunt by himself. Wait--did he just subtly say that he wanted her to stay with him? Blasted cold, shaking his thoughts and emotions like some sort of toy. Was he truly that alone? Was he satisfied with being 'acquaintances' with a cannibalistic lady cat that gave everyone the evil eye?

Angered by the very thoughts of admitting being lonely, he dove for the vole, surprisingly jumping quite high in order to avoid being caught in the snow. His paws slammed down on the creature's back, unusually sharp fangs embracing the vole's neck in some sort of jaw hug. He felt it break under pressure, the scent of wet vole filling his nostrils and causing his snout to wrinkle in protest. Blood sloshed into his mouth, tasting bitter and metallic. Sitting up, the tom collected his catch, turning to gaze at the she-cat. Silently, he trudged past her, burying it near her own little dump site.

[He IS an emo midget though. Rofl. Uhhm...bnot sure what could happen. We need to BRAIN STORM!]

[/font][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Sacrifice]

Why must this snow be so cold? The white stuff was still falling too; with the sensitive skin that only she possessed, it was freezing out, her toes; long ago she had stopped feeling them. It was like this every time she went hunting though; a lengthy ago she had stopped muttering under her breath about it; besides, talking to one’s self really didn’t help with the sanity bit, now did it? Though, if nobody was around to hear, how could they prove you had really spoken at all? Or said something decent, without a glare or hiss or show of teeth? Gaze tracking the white fluff as it slowly drifted to the ground, it was then that Immortalbreath noted something a bit off. There was no wind anymore, but the snow still fell, and all around them, the trees were shaking with it. In the small bubble they were in though, there was nothing but snow, and a few patches of ice. Not a single bit of prey seemed to notice it though, for the scuffling of the little rodents was crystal clear in the silence of the bubble. In fact, if it was possible, she would say that there was almost too much prey here, for leafbare.

With a mental shake, Immortalbreath felt self annoyance; enough was enough. If she was insane, then at least lets be a happy insane. Too much prey? Was there such a thing? Was it possible during this season, or any other for that matter? Despite her annoyance at herself, Immortalbreath’s gaze was clear, observant. It was strange, seeing her without the smirk, without the glare. Aside from the eyes, if one didn’t know the stories, she could almost be normal. That thought though, didn’t even occur to her though, with every nerve in her body telling to her move, to run as fast as she can away from here. Most of the time she listened, but not now, she couldn’t run for no reason, it just didn’t work well. Maybe she wasn’t alone in her instincts though, but she doubted the black tom felt the same cold rush as she did; many didn’t unless they had a reason to feel cold. Still though, it wouldn’t hurt to ask. As Snaketongue walked forward, Immortalbreath’s ears flicked slightly, and when she spoke, her tone was low, as if not to disturb whatever was out there, as if it might hear her.

”Do you feel that? There is no wind here, but everywhere else, there is wind. Snow still falls, but it is calm here, and the prey, it is almost as it came out of nowhere.” Immortalbreath said softly, red eyes tracking the movement all around them. The air seemed to be thick with something, and on every surface there was either a dark smudge, or a star. Blinking, and deciding insanity wasn’t something she did want after all if this was what she was going to see, Immortalbreath shook off her instincts, and went forward, intent on the fat rodent that was eating a nut from the stash. With much of the same style as before, Immortalbreath leaped onto the back of the squirrel and bit down, but when she started to take it to the kill pile; it dissolved into blackness, the tips of the darkness though was starred, glittering in the pale light. Jolting back, tail lashing, Immortalbreath watched as the prey pretty much faded away, annoyance flashing over her face, as well as confusion. This was not a normal place; the need to leave came back as strong as before, it not even stronger. This was not a good place.

Carefully back stepping to where she was standing shoulder to shoulder with the dark pelted tom; Immortalbreath’s gaze was hard as she looked over the land, maw drawn back into a faint snarl. Whatever was out there was annoying her, and she was hungry; that prey would have helped feed either herself or someone else. There had better been a good reason for that. Head raised, Immortalbreath scanned the area, and then, froze. There was something approaching them, figures on the side of Snaketongue, and figures on the side of herself. The black tom beside her would have to take care of himself; with a whirl, Immortalbreath turned to face the strange figures. Each had a different colored pelt, and each was surrounded by a dark swirl. As they grew closer though, something changed within Immortalbreath. It grew bitter, angry, and hurt. There was an obvious hate though, as she stepped forward slightly, ears flattened, eyes narrowed. There were no such things as StarClan and The place of No Stars, so what were these cats trying to pull? Were they from the past, having finally found her, and decided to give her a cruel reminder of what had happened?

”Well well. Eternal, long time no see. Last time I saw you, it was that bloodbath in the canyons. I’m surprised someone as foolish as you managed to survive.” One of the cats laughed; he had a name, but it had been long forgotten. Surveying her surroundings quickly, Immortalbreath jumped to the boulders, protecting her flanks from them, though if they were who she thought they were, then it wouldn’t stop them.
”Still as jumpy as before, I see. We never finished our games, Eternal. Don’t you want to continue? It was such fun.” Grinned another cat, blood dripping from his neck; his throat must have been torn out. But his expression was one of cruel amusement, as the group moved in; darkness seemed to smother them. The Place of No Stars had found someone to torment; though Snaketongue would have found a different result. Cats of the stars were there that day as well, surrounding him. One cat though, was watching the dark cats, and shook his head sadly, before like the others, went back to ignoring the group. Immortalbreath had yet to say anything, and that seemed to frustrate the leader of the group; a massive tom with deep wounds all over his pelt, dried blood caked around the wounds.

”What is the matter Eternal? Scared? You have nobody to protect you here, you have nothing, and you won’t anywhere you go. Even in death, I do my job, with your memories. You can’t erase the past dear, no matter how hard you try.” The tom laughed, Immortalbreath though, was less then amused. These cats were predators, that much was obvious. Suddenly, the scarred tom lunged forward, claws striking out; and hitting stone. Surprise flashed on his face as he saw that Immortalbreath was no longer there, she had rolled under the claws with a speed that he hadn’t known she had; well, he wouldn’t make that mistake again. Grinning, the pack of cats descended like wolves, claws flashing.
”You won’t get away this time, freak.” A tabby tom called. There was a savage glint in their eyes, as if this was the single moment that they had been waiting for. And if she knew them correctly, and Immortalbreath was pretty sure they had been waiting for this; and they were going to try to kill her. That meant she had to get this just right; gathering up herself, Immortalbreath glared at them, grinning a very pointed smile, and watched as several of the less determined shrank back slightly. It didn’t stop the old predators of the past though.

”You failed last time you fought me, what makes you think you can win this time? More reinforcements? You are as weak as last time.” Immortalbreath said darkly, with a quiet chuckle. It worked; enraged, the tom swung his claws without thinking, and with a flash of claws, Immortalbreath buried hers into the other’s neck, watching as he fell back, her own wound throbbing slightly. Time to play it seemed; turning, she faced the rest of the group.
”Let’s play, shadows of the past. After all; I’m just going insane, right? Because you can’t actually be here.” With an innocent smile, Immortalbreath, aka ‘Eternal’ jumped into the mist of the battle. It was obvious who she was; the only white pelt, and amidst the shady pelted toms, it was as though she was glowing. Who was winning, that was impossible to tell, but the snow around the group was turning as red as the white she cat’s eyes; as ever cat fell, another seemed to come in its place. However, there was no fear in Immortalbreath’s gaze; if she was going down; she was going to go down fighting. Jumping, and landing right beside Snaketongue, she grinned slightly at the tom, before dipping her head, a show of respect.
It was nice hunting with you.
Was pretty much the equivalent as well to the nod, without a glance at the starry figures, she couldn’t see them, Immortalbreath returned to the fray, bringing them away from Snaketongue. No innocents deserved to die here, if she could, she would keep them away from the black tom. She had given up her innocence a long time ago…

But let’s return to the story of Snaketongue, shall we? After all; this must be an interesting experience for him as well, for he had shadows of light and dark. The StarClan who had been watching the she cat shook his head sadly.
”Belief has to go two ways. She thinks there is something below, and there is. However, there is nothing above in her mind, so we cannot help her; oh well. She chose her own fate.” And with that, the StarClan tom faded away; becoming nothing but something like the glittering snow.

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The shudder that passed through Snaketongue brought him from the beginning of a drawn out thought. Vaguely, he registered Immortalbreath, watching as she at first ventured out, then quickly backed up besides him. His ears pressed against his skull, a spasm through his tail sending it thumping against the back of his leg. There was no good here. No evil. Just beings caught between two worlds, two paths to choose from. His eyes closed, darkness covering the light that surrounded them. Then, as he slowly opened the two balls of gray, two cats stood before him. At first, he wasn't sure who they were. Were they merely ghosts that came to haunt him? Did they sense his loneliness?

Realization hit him like a ton of rocks, the tom nearly collapsing on the spot. His mother, nearly as small as himself, smiled at him. Her scent embraced Snaketongue, covering him in love that he once felt, long before the silence. As the she-cat moved to brush against her son, the black cat's eyes shifted ever slowly, catching the golden feline watching him with the adoration that only she had shown him before. A sob threatened to burst from his throat. Tightening his jaw, he felt Lightningwire push against him, as if encouraging the tom. "Why have you gone cold, dear Snaketongue?" She whispered, her voice as light as he remembered. "Why does your voice no longer carry that tune you always sang?" Her tail seemed to intertwine with his. Snaketongue couldn't find the words, keeping his eyes shut in pain. Wasn't this supposed to bring him joy? Why, after all this time, did seeing them once more cause such sorrow to his little heart?

For a moment, he opened his eyes, watching as Immortalbreath twisted and dance in a flurry of dark and light. Then, the image was blocked. A black shadow stood before him, the being’s eyes as light as Snaketongues. The she-cats huddled together, challenging the tom, the three sharing a musical of snarls and enraged spitting. His fur was as black as the sky, his eyes just as gray as the moon. It some sense, he was like a bigger version of Snaketongue himself.

Something in his mind clicked, causing a gawking stare to appear on his face.

It was his father.

Muted, the tom began to step back, only to pause. Immortalbreath had given him a look and a swift, but meaningful nod. The gesture snapped the warrior back into reality. From his chest bubbled up a low growl. It grew louder and louder, his lips lifting in an angry snarl. The fur on his neck bristling and shook, eyes widening in complete rage. Never had he been so angry at the tom. Never had he wanted to kill someone so much. “Snaketongue! Do not fall to his depths!” Lightningwire cried, trying to get his attention. But the tom was far too focused on Ravencry, who stalked closer. Suddenly, Snaketongue went quiet, still poised to pounce.

For a moment, there was a tense silence.

He yowled, leaping at his father. The black shadow responded with a roar of his own, the two becoming a tornado of black. A chorus of sounds followed little Snaketongue, the very thing that had gotten him his name enhanced by the chilling need to get rid of the older tom. The two StarClan cats disappeared as the first tom had done, but Snaketongue did not appear to notice. All he felt were his claws slashing at ragged fur, his fangs tearing holes and spraying blood. The area had become red, a mixture of all the cats, real and not. His father slammed his hind leg into the little tom’s stomach, sending him flying. Scrambling to get up, Snaketongue panted heavily, the blind fury still apparent in his eyes. “I,” he began, “hate you.” The words were sharp and dark. They were the first words he had ever spoken since the death of the two most important she-cats in his life. Funny, how angry he had to be in order to actually talk.

“Good…show me more of that hatred. Show me the darkness that you have!” Ravencry cackled, sounding like the black bird that often sat on fences, staring at the other creatures with its beady black eyes. Snaketongue dove forwards, slamming head first into the tom. The battle was drawn back into twisting black shapes, one being a son, the other a father.

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[Sacrifice]

A bloody battle; not a bad way to start a day really, at least, it was better than doing nothing at all. With one last slash, the last cat fell in a bloody heap, leaving only a somewhat smug Immortalbreath in its place. Wounds covered her pelt, and her white fur had a faint tinge of red to it, but she still stood. Claws bloody, muzzle bloody, there was no clean bit of her anymore. Snow had stopped falling; leaving behind nothing but an area of scarlet and darkness, but that was acceptable, that was the way things had always been. Funny how the past had a way of appearing when you least expected to it, although so far the darkest shadow hadn’t appeared yet, and just thinking about him would probably bring bad luck, but with all the cats she had seen and torn down once more, it was impossible not to think of the darkest demon of all. Once a friend, once a mentor, once one to be trusted, all changed in one blood filled night; why must all her memories be marked with bloodshed? Was that all she was; one to fight and forget, remembering only when her own blood was shed?

She hoped not. The sound of a sudden snarl made her whirl though, graceful even with the gaping wounds that must hurt. Surprise flashed across her face as she watched Snaketongue jump into his own battle; the cat looked like an identical color of the smaller tom; it must be the father that was rumored around, the one that had left so long ago. Ears flattening, this was a battle she knew, that Snaketongue would want to fight alone. But when had she ever listened to anyone aside from herself? Just as she was gathering herself though, an oh so familiar voice spoke out in a rather lazy fashion. And for a moment, Immortalbreath was torn between protecting her own hide, and helping a fellow warrior. In the end though, protecting one’s self won, and quickly Immortalbreath turned to face the other tom; the one who had been watching everything with an amused fashion, the one who she hadn’t thought about until just now. Had all the shadows of her past been drudged up for this? Cold hate flared brightly in her eyes as Immortalbreath bristled, a low growl forming in her throat, a true sign of anger, for during the other fights, she had been silent and deadly.

”Why must you try to kill my army, apprentice of mine? Did you really think it would accomplish anything? There is nothing you can do here; there is no way to escape. Death is the only option here, and since you have already chosen your path, well, we’ll get to see a lot of each other, now won’t we?” The tom, it seemed Immortalbreath had had a lot of trouble with toms in the past, was a lion of a cat, literally. With a tawny brown pelt, deep black brown eyes, and a huge bulk, he made even Immortalbreath feel small, even as he lounged on the rocks where she had first started off.
Show no fear. Fear is a weakness.
The thought was much more than a simple thought; it was something that had been drilled into her mind by this very tom when she was young, back when life still was simple. The other cats she knew now; had been nothing more than a test to see if she was ready to fight this battle once more. This battle had been the reason she had come to the clans, nearly dead. And here she was, going to fight it again. Really showed something about her intelligence, didn’t it?

Breath coming out in frost clouds, it seemed as though Immortalbreath had been robbed of her speech. Staring wide eyed at the tawny tom, Immortalbreath shook her head, before her attention snapped back over to Snaketongue’s battle, listening to Ravencry speak. Hate was their weapon; hate was what fueled this battle…? It made sense, if one was to simply ignore the other, would they go away? It wasn’t as though they could simply ignore these beings though; her wounds were as real as it came, and death was a very real option here. Besides, as Immortalbreath looked back over at the tawny tom, looked at the arrogance, the smugness in his gaze, there was no way she could turn away from this battle. Eyes narrowing once more, ears pulling back, Immortalbreath hissed sharply, tracking every movement that the older tom made.
”Ah, Immortal, you haven’t changed at all. I must admit, I was surprised when you joined a clan, but after what I did, what everyone did, wasn’t it nice to get away? But I’m afraid you can’t run forever, though you’ve done a good job trying. You and your friend will die tonight, for like you, he faces something that grows on hate, something that will only get more powerful as the fight goes on. You could run…but your pride won’t allow that, now will it? Your night has never had stars Immortal; it is time to make sure it never does.” And with that, smooth as the bloody cat below him, the tawny shape jumped, driving his weight onto the smaller she cat, forcing her to the ground.

Pain seared through as her legs collapsed from under her, the weight of the tom too much for her to bear, even on a good day. Not to mention that the other tom had pretty much fallen onto her. Red eyes wide as she met crimson snow, Immortalbreath took the moment to contemplate what had been said to her. They were fed of hate; they grew more and more powerful with each hit. Yet, the claws pricking her, she was to be played with before killed, were very real as well. It was a rock and a hard place, and with no real exit. Well then, it seemed as though the only way out was death, but not in the way that they were expecting it. As the tawny tom stepped back, Immortalbreath rolled to the side; she was behind Ravencry. The tawny tom seemed to know what she was going to do; with a yowl he lunged for her, and with a deft twist, Immortalbreath jumped behind the black tom, watching as the tawny shape collided with the black tom, breath coming out rapidly, and eyes cold. As the toms untangled themselves, she took a moment to fill in Snaketongue, though she didn’t know how much the other was actually going to comprehend.
”They live and grow on hate. Unless you can store away your hate, then you will die as well, and you’ll be joining them if you do.”

Finally detangling themselves, the tawny tom was back, eyes lit with a cold rage, one that Immortalbreath’s gaze matched, with all the same power as before. Manners were learned somewhere; it was obvious where she had learned hers. Without looking back to see if the black tom understood what she said, Immortalbreath lunged, landing on top of the other tom, driving him away from the other battle, for if the two dark shadow cats were to join up, then it really be game over. At least now, they still had a chance. Immortalbreath was finding bottling up her hate though, a lot harder then she had thought it would been. Of course, it didn’t have anything to do with the fact the cat she hated was right below her either.
”Hah! You’ll never win this fight, why bother trying?” The tom laughed, throwing off the lighter she cat with a shake. Landing on her paws without a wince, though it had hurt, Immortalbreath watched the tawny tom as he approached, stepping backwards slowly, but knowing there was nowhere to run anymore. Part of her wondered what life would be like in the afterlife, another was surprised she had gotten to hear Snaketongue talk, if only once. It was more than most heard though, so it was a plus. With a lunge, the huge tawny tom jumped at Immortalbreath, and much like the two black toms; the white she cat and tawny tom became a storm, crushing anything that got in the way underneath it. Most of the snow had been torn away, but the ground was still stained red, and Immortalbreath could bet that it would be a long time before any prey decided to come back here.

[Sorry if it totally kills your muse. Dx]

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Ravencry yowled in surprise, feeling the other tom knock him into the snow. Snaketongue watched, only to look towards Immortalbreath, panting heavily and bleeding from many a wound. “Wha-,” he cut himself off. Something about that sounded much too true. His eyes went back to his father. He would die, angry and dark, as his father had done. Did he truly want that? Was that how he would go? Shaking his head, the tom took in a deep breath, crouching and trying to relax his restless spirit. He wouldn’t have fate do this to him. Not after all of this.

Ravencry lifted himself up, even more enraged, now that he had been briefly interrupted. Blinded by the blackness that had invaded his heart when he was once still alive, the tom bellowed, charging at his son with his claws unsheathed and stained red. The smaller warrior leaped out of the way, sliding a little in the mush that was snow and blood. Fighting would only strengthen his raging hatred for the equally dark tom. This was not the time of falling for Snaketongue, he decided. He had too much to live for, even if it did not seem like it. Glancing at Immortalbreath, he watched her fight for her life. It was surprising, knowing that she had helped him in a way. Thank you, he thought to himself, that cold shell of his softening.

Before he could think anymore, the tom found himself sliding on his side, having been shoved roughly by his father. Hopping on to his paws, Snaketongue dodged yet another swipe, quickly thinking of ways to defeat this monster that he once called a father. Could he even die? He was already technically dead, so that didn’t really make sense. But Snaketongue would try; and if he did not succeed---no. He would live. He had to tell Immortalbreath thank you in person anyways.

Pouncing upon Ravencry, he fought the tom, thinking of him as an apprentice in training, though this apprentice was meant to die. It was difficult, hiding away his fierce emotions. But if he had been able to keep silent for all those moons, well then he should be able to do this. However, as he fought, he found himself wanting to help Immortalbreath, even if it were her fight, and his was his own. Was it because they were in the same situation? How would it affect them? But wait. If he fought that tawny tom, he would not feel hate. Merely treat him as another tom. A tom that threatened to kill his ‘acquaintance’, but a tom no less. And what of Ravencry? Would the she-cat just see him as some sort of little threat?

“Immortalbreath!” He called sharply, voice rugged and scratchy from the lack of use. However, before he could relay his plans, Ravencry slammed his bulk upon his son, causing the tom to gasp, the wind knocked out of him.

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[Sacrifice]

They weren’t getting anywhere; the tom knew her moves and she knew his equally well, after all, she had grown up with this cat, had learned and fought under him. Time didn’t change things like that, just like it couldn’t change the style in which one fought. She had never been able to fight like a clan cat, and it had kept her alive so far, but did that really mean that she would stay alive in this fight? He had been watching her from above, she foolishly unaware of him, he had seen all the ways she fought, be it dirty or clean. And now, they stood at an impasse, having broken apart, they were circling each other, a dance of anger, hate, blood, and pain. The taunting had stopped a long time ago, as breath had been knocked out of one and other, blood covered both of them. Size didn’t matter in a cat, what mattered was how far one was willing to push it during a fight, how close to the breaking point one could reach until they themselves fell. A different pair of hunting cats would have fled by now, going to get reinforcements, but the two who fought, the idea had never even flared to life in them. This was a battle only a few would ever been able to see.

Being slammed into the ground once more made stars dance in front of Immortalbreath’s gaze; she had heard the question in the black tom’s tone, but since he had cut himself off, maybe he had understood it after all. She didn’t have a reason to look though, not when it was crucial to keep to her feet here. Each hit, it seemed only to increase in power, at first a hit like that wouldn’t have even made her stumble. And as he was growing stronger, even with the multiple wounds that tore into him, she seemed to grow weaker. It was almost as if the strength was being leeched from her, something that for some reason, she didn’t doubt all too much. What was the point in doubting what was going to happen, this was beyond even the most vivid imagination, and look, it was really happening. Part wondered why no other warrior had come, but then again, this was a very…deserted part of the territory, nobody cared to come here despite the usual amount of prey that scurried around.

Maybe it was time to start following her own advice; dodging the deadly strikes, Immortalbreath danced all around, trying to stay out of the red ice patches, but with everything so slushy, that was bound to be impossible; and soon enough, the white she cat slipped, eyes widening as she did so. A blow from above slammed into her shoulders, and with a sharp slide, Immortalbreath rolled into Snaketongue; blinking against the stars once more, and quickly jumping back up, glaring at the two toms who were approaching them. Drawing back a bloody maw, Immortalbreath seemed to grin at the other toms; a taunt of the sorts. She would have to distract them so Snaketongue could get back up; it had been his call that had distracted her and caused her to slide. As she quickly glanced down at the other tom though, she blinked in surprise, gaze torn back to the two approaching her, and then back down at Snaketongue. When not talking; she had been one known to read cats through their gaze, and what she saw with Snaketongue…It made sense. If she was to fight Ravencry, and he to fight her opponent whose name she wouldn’t even think, then would they be able to fight with hate?

”Good idea; it may work.” Immortalbreath said softly, under her breath, before tensing up her haunches, looking as though she was going to spring on the tawny form, who expected it from the tenseness of his own muscles. Before the other black tom had a chance to get too close though, Immortalbreath jumped up, and onto the back of the larger black tom, claws scrabbling for purchase, teeth sinking into the back of the neck. If this wasn’t going to work, then at least she could say she got a claw into the both of them. For both of their sakes though, she hoped it worked. The tawny tom, surprised by the whole thing, growled, and darted toward Immortalbreath, hissing in rage as his target chose another to battle, as if he wasn’t powerful enough for her to fight, foolishly turning his back onto the other tom that had been slid into. As though Snaketongue wasn’t enough of a threat to worry about, one that didn’t deserve his attention. With both toms trying to get to her now, Immortalbreath only hoped that she had read Snaketongue correctly; she didn’t have much practice with that tom.

[Feel free to PP the tawny tom, by the way. ]

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Snaketongue nodded, standing up. Something had given him a sudden boost of strength. Perhaps it was the idea of fighting someone new, or that look Immortalbreath had given him. Whatever it was, he was happy it had helped, his paws slamming across the blood splattered ground. He wouldn’t let that tawny tom reach the white she-cat, even if it killed him. Using all the power that he had, the small warrior latched on to the offender like a troublesome kit, using his claws to hang on. Squirming, he bit down hard, trying to veer him away from the battle. Feeling himself sliding off the tawny tom, he dug his claws deeper, as if hanging from a ledge. But he wouldn’t let go, hanging on for the sake of both himself and Immortalbreath. Whatever happened, he was glad to have actually spent a decent amount of time with the she-cat, even if it was just a silent hunt. It meant a lot to him, in some way. Catching Immortalbreath’s eye, he gave her a gentle look, which hardened as he went back to fighting. Slipping from the tawny tom, he pushed himself across the ground, biting him once more. This time, however, it was on the neck, an area that he generally went to in order to kill prey.

At first, Ravencry hadn’t known what hit him. He had expected Snaketongue, and thus his weight. But Immortalbreath, being bigger then his son, had caused him to stumble. Then, enraged by the sudden pain and the feeling of a larger cat clinging to him, the black tom lurched to the side, struggling to get her off. It was hard, as he was unable to figure out her fighting style. And with that, he appeared to grow a little weaker, his speed decreasing a tidbit.

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With a roar as the unexpected weight hit him, the tawny for whirled, hissing as he felt the claws rip into him, not knowing what was happening. He had been fighting his ex-apprentice, where had this cat come from? This cat was supposed to be fighting the other tom here; that was the way that it had been planned. Whatever the plan had once been though was thrown out the window as soon as he felt teeth sink into him, and snarling, the tom slammed at the other on the boulders, trying to get him off, as a horse might do to a rider. Strength was slowly ebbing from him; it was like a battery slowly running out of power. What was happening?! Stumbling, the tawny tom slipped on the bloody ice, paws cut by the sharp shards. Confused wasn’t the right word for this; something stronger was needed. As his head cleared of battle, his ex-apprentice’s words rang in his ears, and with his eyes wide, much too late, the tawny figure realized that indeed Immortalbreath had been correct; looking up, the tawny figure could only watch as the small black tom ran forward, and felt a curious feeling as teeth met his throat, before collapsing in a bloody heap, eyes blank; dead once more. If he had actually been alive during this; one couldn’t tell.

From the corner of her eyes, Immortalbreath watched as the tawny figure collapsed, responding to Snaketongue’s look with a faint grin, before returning back to the battle, although her attention had never really left it. With the stumble that marked her weight, Immortalbreath leaped down from the tom, just out of reach of the claws. With a style that was based more on speed than anything else, the she cat seemed always just out of reach of the bloody claws of Ravencry. It without a doubt infuriated the tom; and as she had already learned, when a cat got mad, they tended not to think. If she could only make him angry enough, then she would be able to kill him, this was an experienced fighter, but his style of fighting clashed too much with hers to make him a true threat. And with that, the tom seemed to slow down, until his movements were becoming expected with the white she cat; and then, her opening. It was an apprentice mistake, one she was surprised to see; but not going to complain about.

Throwing her weight back onto her haunches, Immortalbreath jumped forward, teeth biting into the throat of the black tom, ignoring the claws that racked her sides as she did so, intent on making sure this was indeed the end. As soon as she felt something tear, Immortalbreath backed up, spitting out the dark blood as she did so; though her muzzle was still stained, the problems of having a white pelt. Quickly, the she cat got out of the way before the larger tom could land on her; her teeth had met the mark, as she knew they would. Watching as the large black tom fell, Immortalbreath’s gaze was hard, and until the black tom began to fade away, she didn’t look away from the body, making sure that he was really dead. Once positive, the she cat looked around, ignoring the pain of wounds, and calculated the mess that had been made; quiet an impressive lot. The snow, or what was left of it, was pretty much blood now, even the ice had a red sheen to it. The ground was trampled and appeared to be bleeding, especially where Immortalbreath had started her fight, though it tended to be spread everywhere. A fair amount of bloodshed, that was for sure.

Stepping away, Immortalbreath walked over to stand beside Snaketongue, gaze hard as she watched the tawny form fade away, before flicking her ears, a small grin flickering across her features as she looked at the tom beside her.
”Well, that was interesting.” She said, shaking her head, gaze back on the battleground. Having survived, having had them both survive, it put the albino in a good mood. Maybe clan life wasn’t as boring as she thought it had been; or that battle training hadn’t been as useless as she had thought. There was a method to the madness! The strange air that had filled the area was gone, though the weather was yet to hit them again, something that as long as there were no more attacks, was just fine with Immortalbreath, the weather was no friend of hers.

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