Everything Stays [p]

[Natalia]

@icypool

Natalia wasn't a cat easily surprised. She'd seen quite a few things in her life and there were a great many things she imagined might be in her future. So, no. She didn't think of herself as easily surprised. 

Yet... Here she was.

She was perched in a tree, which was generally par for the course. She found trees rather comfortable, not worrying about falling as she lay on a branch, resting her head on her crossed forepaws. Her hindlegs and tail was left hanging off one side of the branch, her tail gently swinging back and forth as if it were a pendulum. Then she cocked her head, noticing a rather strange character. A cat she hadn't seen before. A cat whose... Scent she couldn't smell that well admittedly from a tree, but despite its faint strength... She could tell it wasn't a cat who'd been around before. So, it had to mean she was a newcomer... Right? There was one problem, though.

This cat was a lot older than most joiners of Deathclan. Though, she supposed Deathclan could show some sort of appeal to cats of any age.... Even if most cats who joined tended to be on the younger side, also orphaned generally. 

"Welcome." She called down below.

[Deleted]

She glided through the murky woods like a forest spirit. It was her garden of shadows and she, spiralling loosely through its gloomy flowers and its umbriferous roses, could use all of it to her advantage. She was a small, predacious creature, with a delicate face and weaponised paws. And most peculiarly of all, her coat had a green tincture. It was naturally white, but that was a liability to her survival, because it stood out against the vegetation. She used the plants to tint it, a trick picked up from a cat she knew long ago. Her fur was a forest, and when she twisted her head around to observe it, she could see the animals it hosted. She could see the ladybirds, and fireflies, lighting up her body softly, as they pioneered her mossy coat. She was a planet. A second Earth.

She lifted her head to the sky as she traveled, searching the boughs, until her ears picked up the sound she was listening for. It came from the very highest branch of a tree. She ascended silently and when she reached the top, she lay down to watch. It was a cuckoo chick, but it was being fed by a different species of bird. Cuckoos do not raise their own young. They lay their eggs in other birds' nests, and let them do the work. And when it hatches, the cuckoo chick will beg, and beg, and beg for food, and the host bird will feed him, because it cannot resist a chick who begs. She watched the robin feed the little cuckoo chick, who had fluffy brown feathers and a fleecy tail. What a sweet creature! Cuckoo, went the little chick. "Cuckoo, to you too!" replied Icy, and devoured him.

Her descent was fluent after many years of practice, and she landed on the ground gently, her paw pads cushioning the impact. She began to notice a peculiar presence in a nearby tree. It was a Deathclan cat. Her tail was swinging from side to side, making her red self even more visible. "Careful, sport" she purred, seating herself elegantly by the trunk of the tree and blanketing her paws with her fluffy white tail. She gazed up at the red cat with her head tilted to the side curiously. "The hawks might mistake you for a squirrel."

[Natalia]

((.... Are there even hawks in Deathclan territory? I don't think so???

Natalia shrugged. "And they may mistake you for a rabbit." She shot back calmly. Seems like this newcomer (?) at the very least had a better sense of humor than most. Or at least, it was closer to her's than most. She cocked her head at the strange cat.

"Now... There's something I'm real curious about. I've never seen you around, never even caught a whiff of your scent. Yet, you know these lands. You're a lot older than most newcomers to Deathclan." She shrugged. "We seem to attract a lot of orphaned kits who are barely old enough to fend for themselves." She elaborated. "But you...."

Her ears flicked.

"The way you walk, I can tell you know these lands well. Meaning, you've been here before. Hm... Was it a brief adventure seasons in the past? No, I don't think so. The way you carry yourself, it gives me the feeling you know you belong here. That this was your home, at one point at least. So, here's my question. If you've been gone so long, why are you back again? I've been here a long time, and I can more or less guarantee the Deathclan of now is a far cry from whatever it was when you lived here."

She was curious to hear this mysterious she-cat with a pelt of snow's response. It was... Intriguing. The most interesting thing that had wandered in here in a long time. Regardless, she wondered. Would this new-old cat accept Pain's rule? It was an interesting point. Or... Would she challenge him? Of course, she'd stand by his side. It was an interesting point, though she'd be more amenable to having an ally than another enemy.

At least this one seemed less of a foxheart than Ash was.

[Deleted]

[ I think VWW is set in South Dakota, in which case there would be red-tailed hawks spanning the temperate forests ]

Icy laughed, keeping her eyes on the strange feline. "It was a warning. But don't worry. If you get carried off, I'll come running after you" she purred silkily. "And when I catch that hawk, I will subject him to a state of suffering you could not even conceive. I won't use my claws, of course.. I'll let him bleed out internally. It's much cleaner that way. Do you know how difficult it is to wash white fur?"

"And when I am finished, he will be so traumatised that he might prey on fish or reptiles or birds, but he will never touch a mammal again. Mammals are the dominant class of the world. You do know that, don't you, Deathclanner?"

Icy sprang up the tree to a branch. She kept her distance to avoid unsettling the red cat. If she wanted truthful answers, she would need to get as close to this cat's trust as she possibly could. She knew from past experiences how quickly things could escalate in Deathclan.. One sudden movement, and the whole scene could blow up. They were wild animals, after all.

She listened to everything the cat had to say. "I came back, because this is my home. I grew up here. What, did you think I would go grovelling to those clan kitties? Their education system is pathetic. They'll teach you how to defend your life, sure. But they won't teach you how to dominate another."

Nobody was born in Deathclan, not even Icy. They were drawn to it. Everybody came from somewhere. "Where do you come from, Deathclanner?"

[Natalia]

((OKAY THEN. .... Hawks. Jeez.... So many predators literally everywhere.

Natalia thought this old newcomer was laying it on pretty thick. She yawned. "Ah, well. I'd make sure it would never happen in the first place, but I appreciate the sentiment." She didn't particularly like the implication she couldn't fight off a hawk. She was an adult, not exactly easily carried off. "By the way, are you so charming to every new cat you meet?" She asked, with sarcasm dripping from her voice like acid. 

She blinked lazily, as the white-cat skillfully ascended the tree, to a branch quite some distance from Natalia's. Interesting. Most cats didn't climb trees, considering it a weird clanner skill. Apparently it was unbecoming of cats to become 'squirrel-like.' Natalia found it to be leaving her options open, in the case of... Well, any situation really. Plus, it was a relatively simply way to build balance and strength outside of battle. She wasn't really the sort to assault cats without substantial reason other than, 'for practice.'

Natalia simply nodded. "I thought so." Then she tilted her head with a beyond exasperated expression on her face. "Mmhm... How was I supposed to know that again? I don't know who you are. I don't even know your name." She pointed out. Then she yawned. "Uh huh... Don't know much about the clans me. My question is how you do." 

Natalia shrugged. "This is my home as well... As for my origins... I was from a family of loners." She suspected kittypet heritage, given her admittedly strange name. 

[Deleted]

"Only if they're pretty", she replied.

She laid down on her belly to create a relaxed atmosphere, even though the stranger didn't really seem tense, but you could never be too cautious with rogues. It was so long since she had spoken with anyone, and although her sanity, unlike most fragile-minded creatures of the Earth, did not depend on sociability, she really was curious.

"I know about the clan cats because we have conquered them. You wouldn't know of our engagements with the cats of Treeclan, would you? We attacked them, long ago. Would you like to know why?"

She listened carefully as the red Deathclan cat told of her history. "That must have been a rough start. I was born into a kittypet family, actually. I spent my kithood with a two-leg until he shot himself." She giggled, wondering if the she-cat would understand her language, but she couldn't really care to explain.

"My name is Icy."

[Natalia]

Natalia didn't react much to the compliment. She wasn't exactly receptive to any form of flirting. She found it to be a waste of time, especially since she wasn't too interested in romance. As for using it as a tool to throw people off-balance, she preferred other methods. Flustered cats weren't something the tabby rogue was interested in dealing with.

She watched as Icy began to make a show of manufacturing a relaxed atmosphere. Perhaps she hoped Natalia would be more forthcoming with information. Well, that would depend. The red-furred Deathclanner was a rather reserved individual, her transparency depending largely on her mood. Which admittedly tended to be set to vaguely hostile, even if she didn't appear so to the untrained eye. Which, was pretty much all newcomers to Deathclan these days, given they were kits barely old enough to think and fend for themselves.

She shrugged. "I joined after that debacle. I find it interesting you know such intimate subject matters of the clans if all you did was fight them." She pointed out. "Unless you lived among them, or interrogated one, I find it hard to believe you could glean such information from conquering them." Then she cocked her head. "Hm... Sure. Why not. I'll bite. Why?"

Natalia shrugged. "Maybe it was rough. I turned out fine, so it's all good." Her tail swung back and forth, in its usual manner. "Hm. And... How does a kittypet end up joining Deathclan? I thought all those lazy kittens thought us cannibals." Aside from Thomas. Who was honestly more likely to maul a Deathclanner for the simple connection to her. Which was... Unsettling admittedly. 

"Mine's Natalia." She said after a beat of silence.

[Deleted]

"Because they're incompetent little pisśants, that's why!"
she returned, giggling darkly.
The clans were civilised.. they had culture, beliefs and traditions. But they never strayed from their oldest systems, they never adapted, they never evolved, and inevitably, they would get left behind in an ever changing world. If only Deathclan knew what they were doing, they could win the war of advancement, she knew that.

"I have lived among them, as a matter of fact. We won the rights to their territory for a while. We might still have it today, if it wasn't for a betrayal", she drawled icily and memories of her crimson coloured mentor flickered through her mind.

"Our belligerency is what allowed us to prosper. Each clan has its own special skill.. ours is battle. The clans criticize us for our lack of community, and yet, when Treeclan was ravaged they received no international aid from their neighbours. We could so easily divide and conquer.. although, not in our current state."

"Who's in charge around here anyway? Oh, do tell them I love what they've done to the place!"
she gurgled sarcastically.

Icy swirled her ear when she heard Natalia's name. That did not sound like a wildcat name.
"I was very young when I got lost. Naturally, I was drawn to the first company I came across. Naive, I know. But Deathclan is exceptional. It takes your most primal instincts, the predatory nature deeply embedded in your soul - everything that makes you a dangerous animal - and it enhances those. It multiplies your cunning and your ferocity in ways the clan kits could not dream of."

"I was never contemptuous towards kittypets. I think they're quite clever, taking up residence with creatures as intelligent as two-legs. The two-legs are intriguing.. they're so dexterous, in everything they do. They're easy to take advantage of as long as you fake ignorance."

[Natalia]

Natalia rolled her eyes. "Or maybe they're worthy opponents." She pointed out. She hated underestimating opponents. Perhaps she was paranoid, she didn't care much for other's opinions of her. Her paranoia has served her well enough up until this moment. 

Though... Right now? The red tabby was rather skilled at picking up on things other's didn't want her to know. She'd guess that Icy was rather... Angry at the current state of affairs in Deathclan. Though, the sarcastic comment was pretty obvious. She wondered if this... Icy would challenge Pain. It seemed more and more likely with every passing moment. Now... Natalia was worried. She would not hesitate to double-team Icy along with Pain if it came down to it. She was less confident of Pain winning in a straight fight with Icy than she had been with Ash. 

The gray tabby had been all talk and had been easily beaten by Pain. She got a massively different feeling from the fluffy, white she-cat. The female had a dangerous edge to her. Natalia could feel it.

She flicked her ears. So... Icy was clearly from a time of glory in Deathclan, when they'd even stolen territory from the clans. Clearly, it had been won back, judging by the 'for a while.' While it was a feat, Natalia didn't ignore the fact that Deathclan had failed to hold their conquest. 

She did wonder what the betrayal was. Apparently a Deathclan cat had... Gone against the group of rogues.

Her ear flicked. She thought of all the kits who came to Deathclan, often angry and hurt. She wasn't sure she wanted to throw kids into the heat of battle... Despite her admittedly sketchy morals, she did feel sympathy for those kids due to her own rather... Damaged past.

She rolled her eyes. "Regardless of the clans' state, Deathclan has very few members that aren't kids who probably scrape by, who don't have much experience fighting cats who very much know what they're doing." She pointed out.

Then she sighed, her annoyance and exasperation shining through. "Well, we've had quite the mess of leadership succession recently. There was a cat named Drought in the beginning I think. There was a coup and he died, which I think is where Deathclan's reputation began to decline. I joined around this time. Apparently no one stepped up, so a cat named Dove took the leadership. Though... She was a bit... Soft, admittedly. However, she got eaten by rats." She grimaced. "Then some arrogant cat who had apparently held high position during Drought's reign, her name was Ash, started proclaiming herself leader. But really, she was all talk. I backed another cat named Pain who beat her. Badly. I didn't even help, really. Anyways, Ash is currently blind and fumbling somewhere outside of Deathclan." She curled her lip. "I made sure of that, personally. Anyways, Pain's leadership is a recent development."

Natalia honestly had no idea why she was named what she was, it wasn't really... A wildcat name, despite her lacking any knowledge of kittypet heritage. Then again... Her parents were kind of useless, so it was kind of... Expected she didn't know. Though, she could sense Icy noticed the discrepancy. 

Then.... Natalia lowered her ears as Icy began sharing some of her history. She... Didn't expect that. She was used to cats being a bit more... Reserved, like she was herself. She narrowed her eyes. ".... I didn't have anything when I came to Deathclan. I joined on a whim. I didn't really have a reason. Don't regret it, though." She decided to share a small bit of... Slightly personal information that she didn't mind sharing too much. 

She cocked a fictional eyebrow. "Most kittypets are born into it. I doubt they really think about it like that. They probably simply view their twolegs as their family or something stupid like that." She was pretty sure Thomas became a kittypet because... He craved the attention he felt Natalia couldn't give him. It hurt. A lot. 

She tried to ignore it. 


((THIS IS THE LONGEST POST I HAVE EVER CREATED?

[Deleted]

[ How do you always have so much muse?!?! ]

"They are all worthless in my eyes. The clan cats are subjugated by honour. It's too late to make them into anything dangerous. But, maybe there is still hope for their kittens. Perhaps you and I should go kitnapping some time.. spend some quality time together. That sounds like fun, does it not?" she purred wickedly.

Introduce a little anarchy..

"Do you know what a black kite is? It's a wretched bird. The black kite picks up burning twigs and drops them on the most flammable areas of the land. They start wildfires. They burn down forests, they burn down the animals that live in those forests, all so that they can flush out one small meal."

"Do you see how much havoc a one kilogram animal can wreak without ever using its claws? I weigh five times as much as that bird, I'm five times as smart. I can do five times the damage."

I can burn down five forests.

"Oh I'm aware that Deathclan is a nursery. But they aren't useless, they just need mentoring. Have you ever mentored a cat, Natalia?"

Icy had never trained another cat, but she was fascinated by the concept. Mentoring was the best way to gain a loyal ally. Someone who would have your back in a world as volatile as Deathclan.

"Eaten by rats, what a glamorous way to go! I wonder if she broods over that up in Cloudclan.. or whatever paradise crooks go to when they die."
She tilted her head in sudden interest when Natalia finally revealed who was in power. Now she at least knew who to look for.

"And this cat, Pain ~ delightful name, by the way ~ you support his leadership?" she asked, watching the red she-cat.
"I suppose he must be well protected.."

[Natalia]

((W-Well I've had a lot of time to know how Natalia's brain works also I kind of really like Icy ok

Natalia maintained a perfectly neutral expression, though she felt like frowning. While she didn't exactly like the clans, the idea of tearing kids from their parents... Didn't sit right with her. Given her own terrible familial experiences... Honestly, she didn't really want to do that to someone else.

Then she tilted her head as Icy began speaking of a certain kind of bird. She flattened her ears and gave Icy a look that showed clear signs of doubt as to Icy's sanity. ".... I really hope you don't plan to burn down any forests. In case you haven't noticed... Deathclan's territory is in a forest, and I'd rather it stayed in tact. Further, I think it's rather counter-productive to set our own territory on fire." Maybe what Icy was saying was metaphorical but... Seriously? She wondered if Icy really was crazy, and if she had the focus a true warrior required to conquer their opponents. Loose cannons helped no one.

She sighed. "... I taught a kid how to hunt. Another kid... Helped him out when he wandered into Deathclan territory." She shrugged. "Haven't seen either of them since... I know one of them is around. I've seen them here and there." She replied. She... Honestly had a bit of a soft spot for kids. Especially... The sorts that ended up coming to Deathclan.

Natalia shrugged. "Eh. Who knows. Besides, I think it's called Blackpool or Darkpool or something... The anti-Cloudclan or whatever. I don't really believe in it. I prefer the idea that you stop existing when you die, personally."

"Yes. I support him. And, he can take care of himself." Then she shrugged. "Though, I won't hesitate to help him if you decide to kick up a fuss."

[Deleted]

Aww, thanks! (:

And the forest-burning thing was mostly metaphorical but, idk, I guess she would be the type to burn down Treeclan given the resources? And she would probably make some idiot joke about it too like
"wait did I leave the stove on?!?!" (even though cats don't what stoves are)
What a trip that would be

Icy purred, listening to the red cat speak. She stayed quiet for the most part. Sometimes she preferred to just listen. Staying quiet is the best way to pick up small details, slight changes in someone's tone or pattern of speech, instead of waiting for your turn to speak.
So, Natalia had taught before.. that gave Icy some insight into who this cat's allies might be. So far she wasn't worried.

How cynical..

"Wouldn't you love to screw with people as a ghost? Maybe destroy a Cloudclan cat or two? I think everyone enjoys a nice murder. I wonder what that's like, denying someone their afterlife. How perfectly wretched.."

"Claiming leadership, of Deathclan ~ the literal clan of Death ~ with no group to protect him? What a brave kitty cat!" Her tail tip twitched with amusement.

Suddenly, something changed within her.
She could get rid of Natalia right here, right now. While they were alone, in a tree, the environment Icy was most experienced in.
There would be no witnesses..
And then, Pain would be isolated.

"Me, kick up a fuss? I wouldn't dream of it."

Or, maybe.. she could take a hostage?

"Why, I'm as tame as a kittypet!"

She could see Scarlet, slinking meticulously among the treetops like a squirrel.
She never slipped, never stumbled.
Up here, she reigned.

With no warning,
Icy barreled herself into (hopefully) Natalia, to knock her off the branch and down to the ground, or at least to a lower branch.
She wanted to either leave a dangerous impact, or knock her out cold.

[Natalia]

((Yes, Natalia is my cynic daughter <3

Natalia noticed as she hid most any emotion, her tone sounding almost sarcastic even when wasn't being so, Icy seemed to convey perpetual amusement. The white-furred she-cat purred at likely not random intervals, as the tabby simply inclined her head or tilted it one way or another. Hm.

The tabby rogue rolled her eyes. "Nah. I'd rather just have some rest at the end of my life. Something to look forward to, almost." She huffed. "I don't have a problem with murder. I don't see the point of killing something that's already dead." She shrugged. "Besides... If you really want to screw with someone, killing them is the shortcut." She cocked her head.

"You know what I believe? Whatever Darkpool is, it can't be any worse than this place." She gestured to all around her. "Life. We fight. We get injured. We can form attachments. We can lose them. We can go insane." She shrugged. "I can't think of a better place to torture cats, really." She reasoned.

She rolled her eyes. "Really. There's not really anyone who is interested in challenging him and is capable of beating him, so it's fine." 'Except for you.' She thought, giving no sign as to her afterthought.

Now, while Icy may be comfortable in trees, so was Natalia. She actually spent most of her time in them. All the better to avoid others with. She used the method for surveillance... A lot. 

Coupled with that, Natalia was perceptive. With a mild case of paranoia, she was always watching. She saw Icy's muscles tense up. She was reasonably sure by what she saw that Icy planned to knock her off the branch, injure her possibly. Possibly as a message... No, that wouldn't change much. Pain wouldn't be threatened, he'd just be pissed. The most likely outcome she saw was that the older rogue wanted to take Natalia as hostage, possibly as leverage to force Pain to step down. 

This train of thought took maybe half a second. Time for Natalia to quickly leap to the side on her branch, towards the trunk and more stable side of the branch.

Icy would find herself possibly tumbling to a lower level of the tree, but the tabby doubted it. She could tell how clever and skillful Icy was. In precaution, Natalia moved to a higher branch.

"Tame as a kittypet? When you've met my brother, that takes on a whole new meaning." She drawled. 

[Deleted]

Icy landed gently where Natalia sat seconds ago, bending her elbows to absorb the shock impulses of the impact.
She exhaled, gazing vexatiously up at the cardinal coloured cat.

Hmph. How bothersome.

In several lightning quick movements, the ghostly white feline ascended to a higher point, knowing that gravity alone could be one's greatest ally. Indeed, it was her maneuverability that had made her a menace among the rogues of the Black Hills. But the branches were thin up here, dangerously so.

And as she maintained a precarious balance on the evergreen branch, her green eyes bore down upon the red she-cat, ignited in raptorial excitement. She could feel the adrenalin circulating in her body, increasing her heart's output, and her predatory arousal reached its peak. Now, her senses were doubled.

"Ooh.. I bet he throws a mean tantrum if his food bowl isn't filled!"

Icy quickly identified Natalia's eyes as the problem. It would be difficult to pull off any surprises against a cat as observant as she.
But, up here, she did not need to tense her muscles to generate force, denying Natalia any warning signs. All she had to do was drop.

She let herself free-fall, again aiming for Natalia, but this time coming straight from above. She dropped from a height low enough to make her attack difficult to dodge - especially with no telltale signals - but high enough so that the impact would knock the air out of her opponent's lungs should she hit her target.

Icy knew that, being as oxygen-dependent as most mammals were, winding her enemy would be the best way to win. Oxygen is what fed both her muscles and her mind. Without air, you were powerless.

[ sorry this is so late, I'm sick ;-; ]

[Natalia]

((I understand your pain friend, it's okaaaay I literally waited years for this thread so XD

Natalia's ears flicked, her white-furred foe having landed gracefully where the tabby had previously been standing. So, Icy was rather comfortable in the trees, even when fighting. She'd have to play this quickly, yet carefully.

This was not how she imagined spending her afternoon.

She narrowed her eyes as Icy ascended after her. She wondered how far her aggressor would go to try and incapacitate or possibly kill her. She hoped she wasn't going to put too much energy into it. She could understand Icy's logic to a point, but she'd really rather not die today. Besides, there was a difference between now and then. She didn't know Icy, not really. Meaning, she was very invested in her own survival.

She wouldn't die here.

She yawned on her branch. She rolled her eyes at the overly excited white ball of fluff in the tree next to her. The other she-cat had an increasingly dangerous edge to her every movement. It was clear she was riding her adrenaline rush. Natalia could relate, despite her dislike of senseless violence... She was admittedly a bit of an adrenaline junkie.

She gave Icy a look. A look that clearly conveyed an opinion that her foe was a moron. "Ah yes. You know, the usual vaguely homicidal tantrum when he feels lonely." She drawled, which was depressingly accurate. Despite how much she loved Thomas, and usually turned a blind eye to his faults in favor of blaming herself... She was hyperaware of his shortcomings as she was of most everything. Well, the things that could be perceived of course. 

Natalia tended to dislike being at a disadvantage. She knew very well that dropping from a branch required very little effort, that it could happen without warning. She leapt to a branch to the side, her eyes widening as Icy dropped down. 'Predictable, but also somewhat surprising.' Clearly, Icy was incredibly clever. Similar to Natalia herself. The red-furred tabby decided to set her sights on higher branches. She began leaping between the branches, ascending. She decided to deter Icy from following or getting above her.

She leapt on branches that quite honestly didn't look much like they should be supporting a full grown cat. The branch she finally settled on was shaking, with the branches above being little more than extremely long twigs.

Natalia yawned again.

"Maybe you should try being less predictable?" She suggested.

((ahahAHA trying not to break Natalia's skeletal structure here. FUN FACT: ALL of Natalia's scars actually come from her brother. Most of them are from a secondary more recent incident.))