the calm before the storm [open]

[` `shadsywadsy.]

Come let the, revolution takes its toll
Rise up and take the power back
It's time the, fat cats had a heart attack
You know that, their time's coming to an end
We have to, unify and watch our flag ascend

The sun's rays were diminishing below the trees, whose branches swayed with the battering wind. A storm was coming, but it would pass right over them. The winds were shifting it toward the city and away from the clans and a little camp half a day's journey away from Windclan's border. It wasn't teeming with rogues yet, but it would be. Oh yes, soon they would be as large as a clan, and then. Then he would have the family he was looking for. Then he would be successful, and finally make something of himself. Maybe, just maybe, he would meet his sister once more. And maybe not on such horrible terms this time.

The tom padded out from his den that was nestled in the center of the old abandoned cottage in the forest. There was an old table that was tall enough to where you could jump up and make announcements from, and underneath was perfect for a cozy den. He covered the table with a tattered blanket he had found in one of the other rooms (and had tore many new holes in trying to drag it out) to give him privacy. And he had place a pillow near a supporting beam in the center of the table for his bed. It was a spacious den, but he was the leader. Given to him by his father, and so he thought he deserved it. His second-in-command rested in a hallowed out couch and his soldiers had nests throughout the many rooms in the twoleg house.

He stretched as he yawned, scraping his claws against the floor. He had just awoken from a nap after one of his many trips to the clans. He had met two very nice ladies this time, Clovergale and Brightpaw. He always found the clan's system of names very interesting. He had also stayed to watch their gathering, where they all came together to discuss things. The Thunderclan leader was making a trip to their precious moonstone, which was covered under rocks. He had been there, and he knew there was no hope in ever digging it out. They might as well just give up. Without their ancestors, they were nothing but a group of rogues like him. He sneered as he got up and slipped out of the slightly cracked front door. He sat down on the porch, his black fur beginning to mingle with the color the night was taking on. The clouds of the storm covered the stars and the moon, so pretty much everything was pitch black. But he didn't need light to see. His steely gaze searched for any sign of his second-in-command, or anyone really. He was in a mood to talk to someone, to have some company. He would let anyone in really.

A Z R A E L

[Deleted]

pixy stix
is there something in your eyes?
 oh wait it's just a sparkle.

Nuzzling into the comfortable warmth of the down comforter she had claimed as her own, pixy sensed the shift in temperature that signaled night fall. murmuring gently into the soft cloud of her tail, the she-cat knew she wouldn't be able to hit the snooze on her energy. stretching out on her belly, she proceeded to untangle her limbs from the fluffy cocoon. it had only been a week since she had found this place, and already it was a home, perhaps not as glamorous as her previous abode, but still a place she belonged. fondly recalling the handsome tom cats that welcomed her openly and had protected her from her ignorance, the female padded out into the slowly darkening living room of the quaint cottage. inhaling deeply, she smelled the earthy wood, in its stage of not-quite-decay. she also scented the other cats living among the hallways, but the strongest odor was that of Azrael, who was slipping out the door.

Passing through the somewhat tipping frame, the swishy femme danced out into the starlight. she purred softly at the little twinkles that made her fur gleam even brighter. the fairy books back at her peoples' house had tiny glowing creatures and when the light hit her pelt, she liked to pretend she sparkled too, or that she had wings, but right now it was definitely about sparkling. unfortunately for her those bright lights were hidden, so she had to be a star all alone. although there was hardly any light this evening, her stark white figure managed to stand out, dimly making its way towards the commanding figure of a black tomcat. at least she hoped it was the black tomcat she was looking for because in this night it was rather difficult to see anything.

"Hello Az," she chirped cheerily, nuzzling him in the same manner as she had nestled into her blankets. completely disregarding any sense of personal space, the she-cat then stepped back and happily waited for a response. however, there never is just a hello in her head, and soon the rest of her words spilled out. "What ever are you doing awake at this hour?" Blinking slowly, her silken tongue made an innocent question sound particularly suggestive. granted, all her words sounded that way, even if she didn't quite intend for it to happen, as with the current situation. since meeting him, she was entranced by Az's secretive manner, but what really made her decision to stick by was his kindness. the strength and power may cause the other ladies to swoon, but Pixy had seen that in many of the egotistical show cats. no no, it was that little hint of sweetness that came out in whispers, that was what made him worth her time. "There aren't any stars to contemplate, are you wondering at the clouds maybe?" she purred a light laugh, thinking of the house she would build from the cotton candy formations looping into a storm right above them.

[` `shadsywadsy.]

Come let the, revolution takes its toll
Rise up and take the power back
It's time the, fat cats had a heart attack
You know that, their time's coming to an end
We have to, unify and watch our flag ascend

The tom glanced over as soon as a white form appeared before his eyes. He recognized her as soon as she stepped out, her blinding coat standing out against the blackness. It was Pixy Stix, or just Pixy as he called her. She was as innocent as her appearance led her to make out, and he envied that of her. Her claws were free of any blood or violence unlike his. Sometimes he wished he had not been taken out of the kittypet life by his father, and had been allowed to stay with his mother, Duchess. She padded over to him with what he thought was a happy spring in her step and nuzzled into his soft fur. He let out a purr as she did so, the tiny she-cat always brought him happiness. How could she not? She was so sweet and innocent and naïve. The poor little thing has no idea the monster she trusts with her life.

Hello Pixy. He returned her greeting after she had stepped back slightly. She was not too much shorter than him, but enough to make it hard to see her if she stood too close to him. A smile lit up his steely face as she asked what he was doing out here like she was his mother. It made a laugh erupt out of his bosom, catching the night's air by surprise. Most toms would find her seductive, but Az found no she-cat seductive especially. Sure, he may like them, he may even find them attractive, but no one would ever know that. He hid his feelings quite expertly while still showing emotions. No one knew of his past fully, no one needed to. No one had ever asked either. Not that it would make a difference if they did or not, he still wouldn't tell them. He was that cat, the mysterious, seductive, powerful Az. He was a wizard over all the lands, corrupting and ensnaring all without having to spill a single thing about himself or how he felt.

I am not pondering anything dear. Just silly leader business. Stuff that would bore a she-cat of your intelligence. His voice was deep and smooth, acting like melted chocolate. It flowed every where with ease, commanding attention. Its smooth rhythm and soft tone was addicting. It made cats of all ages and genders crave more of his words. So the normally suggestive and flirtatious words sounded like small talk in his voice. He let his fangs show in his smile, hoping their white coloring would allow the she-cat to see him a little better, since she seemed to be struggling. He let a deep, rumbling purr/laugh vibrate from his chest. You know, I could ask you the same thing little Pixy. Why are you out here at this hour? You know the dangerous cats that lie in the dark, waiting for an innocent creature such as you to ensnare and trap. His voice got lower and as he lowered his body in a demonstration, creeping toward the she-cat slowly in a more comical than threatening manner. His large muscles rippled beneath his raven colored fur, not that it could be seen in this darkness. He swatted playfully at her ears with sheathed paws, whispering Why don't you distract me Pixy? Again, the words coming from any other tom would have seemed extremely suggestive of sex, but coming from Az they were purely playful.

A Z R A E L

[Deleted]

pixy stix
your lips look so lonely,
would they like to meet mine?

Pixy was pleased to find that the midnight-colored tom returned her greetings with a husky laugh and an authentic smile. as fat as she was concerned, her work here was done. she might not know much about leading a group of cats, but he seemed to brood way too much, regardless of his responsibilities. she yearned to tend to that occasional crease in his brow, the one he thought no one saw. maybe they didn't, she often wondered at the observation skills of her peers. it wasn't that they couldn't watch out for others, it was as if they didn't want to, they just didn't care. this was a confusing concept, the whole apathy thing. bursting her out of her reverie were the honey-rich words, "I am not pondering anything dear. Just silly leader business. Stuff that would bore a she-cat of your intelligence."

Still recovering from her momentary ADD daze, the female just blinked at him, not quite registering the words. she watched his maw move though, a fascinating thing, the flash of deadly teeth. he was entrancing, like a viper, and like any she-cat this was ever so enticing. danger had always been a fairly foreign concept and therefore that much more appetizing. that was when the words finally hit her brain, and the pure young femme puffed out in indignation. she opened her maw for a return barb when more words followed. each sound like candy, in that you shouldn't have too many or they'll make you sick, but you keep eating more because its too good to just stop. "You know, I could ask you the same thing little Pixy. Why are you out here at this hour? You know the dangerous cats that lie in the dark, waiting for an innocent creature
such as you to ensnare and trap" this time she couldn't help but let out a giggle, she had heard many airs from the males in the show ring, and as different as he was, Az still played her as they had. and she decided to let it happen, with a bit more of a challenge for him of course. "Firstly, I don't think you could possibly bore me, but you could try?" turning on her sweet voice it wasn't just an open-ended question, she really did want an answer, for like any young cat curiosity ran rampant through her veins, not to mention he honestly concerned her. she wanted to know what he was thinking so badly it practically burned.

"Secondly, you hardly know me well enough to remark on my intelligence." she purred this softly, inviting him to give her a test drive because this was starting to feel like a very fun game. although she remembered the painfully embarrassing moment the week before, when Azrael had informed her that voles are not just deformed mice and that rabbits aren't friends in the wild, they're for eating.

As the air shifted to match the deepening night, so did the tom's form. she heard him drop low, sweeping across the ground. he was stalking her like his next meal. oh this fairy was not about to stand for that. a gentle box to her dainty ears caused her to match his posture. "Why don't you distract me Pixy?" a practiced purring sang from her throat, tickling the breeze with laughter. she lightly stepped towards him, her bouncy gait completely opposite his smooth, stunning strength. Az was immovable, and she was completely aware, but she didn't have to approach the situation head on. "Actually I think it is your job to distract me or I'll be the one ensnaring you." she giggled once more before twisting around his foreleg, nudging her way through him. her fluffy pelt sank through him strong limbs, hopefully softening him up with her own brand of loveable magic. swaying her hips ever so slightly she glanced back at Az for a split second before flicking him sharply in the face with her puff of a tail before turning around to sit neatly. facing his almost invisible form, her wide green eyes berated his affectionate, yet condescending tone, at least she meant them to. in reality she looked as if she was eagerly awaiting response for her own clever reaction, which in part she totally was.

notes; i love our friendcats #besties #azzypixy #nomnomnom #shewilleatyou #hashtag

[` `shadsywadsy.]

Come let the, revolution takes its toll
Rise up and take the power back
It's time the, fat cats had a heart attack
You know that, their time's coming to an end
We have to, unify and watch our flag ascend

The black soldier looked on as the she-cat counterattacked his banter like it was nothing. She slipped between him, melting his strong facade. He had a soft spot for she-cats, mostly because of his mother, and there was no way he'd ever take advantage of this one. She was too sweet, too innocent for him to corrupt her mind. Tinsel, now that was a mind that was already corrupted for him. The small tan tom, his second-in-command, was a bit more prone to violence than he was, but he was a good tom. A tom that Azrael respected, much like he respected the she-cat that was in front of him now, flicking his face with her tail sharply. He flinched slightly, but mostly for show. It didn't hurt much.

The fact that he respected her was exactly why he laid down at the edge of the porch after hearing her words. She would not ensnare him. And he would not entertain her. Not in the way she made it sound like she wanted it. But he faced her with a toothy grin, inviting her to lay next to him with a swish of his tail. She was his opposite in everything. Persona, appearance, build, life. While she was given everything, he was forced to fight for every meal and affection was more scarcer than rain in summer. Her coat was as pure as her soul, while his was as black as his death would be. She was dainty, petite, and fittingly so. While he was strong, lithe, built for his seeming purpose in life.

He was a monster by fate, not by choice.

Everything in him wished he could take back all the things he did. Everything in him wished he wasn't like he was. But he was, and cats forced him to kill them. It was like the begged for it. It was like they prayed to him, their angel, to kill them. After all, he was named after the angel of death. A very smart cat once told him so. He was only fulfilling what his name had begun, and only finishing what his father acted as a catalyst for. He had to take over the clans. Tinsel was pushing him to do so, as their band grew larger and larger, perhaps they would. The rogues were getting itchy, they needed something to work for, a goal, incentive.

The wind shifted and brought her scent to the tom. He snapped his attention back to her, realizing several moments had gone by that he had appeared completely emotionless. I'm sorry, Pixy. Alot on my mind. He gave an apologetic smile, contrasting the cold stare of his gray eyes. It made the smile look misplaced, like always, almost goofy even. He had a way of looking like that, for his eyes were such a contrast to the actually overly emotional tom. He tried to hide it, but anxiety seethed in the air around him. He was worried about dear Pixy here, so pure. She was getting mixed up with the wrong crowd, and wondered how long it would be before she was corrupted by another tom.

Before she could possibly have time to respond, Az purred, Why did you decide to join me, Pixy? These rogues, they aren't your crowd. This life, it isnt your scene. We are too dark for your light. We are already hell bound, while you still have the chance to keep on the high path. Why degrade yourself for us? Why allow us to corrupt you? His many questions really where just one massive question. Why was she here? It puzzled him and Tinsel, and he was sure the others as well. He wanted - no needed - to know. His mind, craving the knowledge only she could give him, would not stop until he got it, if it meant torturing to get it out of her.

A Z R A E L