Darker then Black

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Batwing slumped toward the meeting place for a third time. This time, he'd be on time... hopefully...

The moon shown it's brilliant light down on the poppy fields, the only source of light at this time of night.

The black tom entered the meeting place and sat in the back. After the incident with Turtlekit, he knew that if Riddlehawk showed up and saw him, the massive tom would claw out his throat for sure.

He'd try to keep a low profile this time, same as the last meeting...

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Riddlehawk would not appear at this meeting, nor anyother. He wanted nothing to do with these cats, too focused on his young daughter and her injuries at the moment.

--

But young Moonkit did show up. Her silver and white pelt gleamed as the moonlight struck her pelt, her grey eyes focusing on the other cats. She was going to be a permanant fixture here, as was her new companion.

--

Ariska slid into the clearing, the silver she-cat sitting down and curling her tail around her paws. She was beautiful, yes, but deadly. She waited for all the other cats to show up, her critical gaze sliding over the other cats.

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[shadowstreak]

A jet black figure slipped into the meeting place. He'd heard of these meetings a while ago, and something had drawn him to this place. He'd heard that cats were coming together to discuss the problems among their clans and were going to take a stand for the sake of the clans.

As a former clan cat, Shadowstreak believed that he was welcomed here. He was banished, but he still had a bit of loyalty to the clans.

"Hello," he meowed to the nearest cat, a silver she-cat, dipping his head in respect.

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The silver she-cat turned her head acknowleding him. "Hello.." She mewed softly and serenly, an unmisakeable purr in her voice. Always such a flirt, Ariska.

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Foxflight appeared from behind a tree limb. He'd had nothing to do for a long time other than mulling over the future. Riddlehawk's daughter had made it uncomfortable in Thunderclan. Tension could literally be seen in the clearing between Batwing and Riddlehawk. Of course they had'nt listened to him to stop the attitude, but he so wished they had. Something had happened that had not been revealed yet.

He noticed had Batwing slipped in. He was finally the first one to show up. Now, he looked at him with interest in his eyes. Batwing had ambition, but enough to get things done and shape words to fit his needs. A more powerful ally than he would have imaginined.

Foxflight turned to see the kit and two other cats, one he knew not. "If you are here to watch newcomer, you must be with us. If you wish not then leave." He took a quick glance toward Ariska to let her know to watch the tom and make sure the threat was upheld. They could afford no leaks whatsoever.

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ScarShadow wasn't too far behind FoxFlight. He was downwind on his way there, though. He didn't wish for anyone to see him coming.

He saw himself as a leading figure, yet he feared it most. He was rolling a few things into a plan and scheme, yet he said nothing of it, because of reasons.

He wishes to rule the forest, yet...he fears it too. He never put much though into it.

When FoxFlight appeared on the treelimb, ScarShadow appeared next to him. He said nothing. And he made no movements.

--

You see... Daisy was curious as to where ShadowStreak was going.. She didn't want to admit her feelings at all. She didn't want to say a darn thing.

She was smart enough to be downwind, and try not to trail her scent all over the place. Therefore, she rolled in some garlic and some mud. The mud was mostly for camoflauge.

Daisy was hiding far far back, hoping that she couldn't be seen or scented, but close enough fo her to hear what was going on.

She noticed how ShadowStreak greeted Ariska, and how she flirted with him. She couldn't help but claw the earth beneath her. What was coming over her...?

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Badgerstep entered the meeting place next, not far behind Scarshadow. His eyes were abnormally dark that day. He'd been seeing less and less of Moonspirit as of late, and worry clawed at his belly over the matter. Something hadn't seemed right with her recently. If something was wrong... No. Of course nothing was wrong. Nothing.

The black and white tom glanced around him at the other present cats. There were yet to be as many cats as there had been the last time, but he did see a new face in the crowd. That could be a good sign in his own way. But the WindClan warrior didn't quite feel like greeting her or anything. He felt like keeping quiet and just getting the meeting over with. So he padded forward, not distracting his attention by looking on around him, but stopped when he came to a nice patch of grass where he could easily look up to see Foxflight and Scarshadow above himself and the others, and waited for the white and orange tom to say something.

~~~~~

Flightwhisker bounded into the clearing without thinking about just who would be there. But it didn't take long to single out Batwing not too far ahead from where she stood. Immediately her claws unsheathed, her lips pulling back to reveal a menacing snarl. "You no-good piece of fox dung," she growled, lashing her tail once. The ThunderClan she-cat wanted to rip his pelt apart right then and there. But things didn't seem to be favoring that course of action. Glancing up to Foxflight, she realized that he did not seem at all bothered by his presence. Maybe a little pleased. He clearly wasn't disturbed by his presence, at any rate. The tabby lashed her tail again in rage. Fine. The fight wouldn't continue here. "Fox dung," she growled again, quieter this time, before making her way to the opposite side of the clearing, going wide around the tom while doing her best not to reveal the lingering limp in her hind leg where his claws had scored flesh.

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Batwing watches as more and more cats slipped into the meeting place. Once again, Moonkit came. What was a kit doing among them, full grown warriors? But there was something about this kit... something not normal...

As the black tom spotted Foxflight, he dipped his head respectfully. The tom seemed somewhat pleased to see him here. But why? Wouldn't he be furious with him? So many questions flooding through his mind.

"Hello to you, too," he growled sarcastically as Flightwhisker passed him. But he knew she wouldn't attack him. Not here anyways. As she walked away, however hard she must have tried to hide it, he noticed her limp a bit.

Served her right.

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Moonkit's icy gaze scanned the cats. She wasn't normal, no that fact was rather apparent. She didn't really belong anywhere, not staying with one clan or even as a loner. She'd drop in on a clan for a week or two at a time, doing her part by hunting to earn her keep then she'd disappear like a ghost in the night. Never really going to finish her apprenticeship. Or become an apprentice for that matter. But it was odd, like she aged funny. She had been born about a year ago, but she still held the appearance of a kit, she was as small as a young apprentice, but it was clear she was fully grown. Not an apprentice, not a kit, not a warrior. Just a strangely etheral being that drifted in and out of the area. Her tail curled around her paws, her gaze pausing on Batwing. Moonshine's spirit had managed to gain itself an earthly body but it was odd, like she shifted in and out of Starclan's hunting territory. Like she was part of neither world. But that was crazy wasnt it? She just watched the tom a moment, turning her gaze from him after a moment.

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Foxflight merely watched at the antoginizing she-cat hissed at Batwing. They knew better than to fight here so it would be for later. Finally feeling like there was control in the area, he sat down in contentment.

"Gatherers, it is time we came up with a plan to implement everything we have talked about," he meowed. After a pause he continued. "First, I suggest we leave signs in our territories. They could be like warnings of a sort. I know cats of done this before to persuade Shadowclan in the past. If it worked then, then maybe it will now," he said.

His eyes glint at the thought of the next bit of the plan he hoped would be added to. "Then we harm those who are close to the leaders. Of course not kill, just harm. These could be cats of kin or friendship. We can of course throw in a few random cats. This is to show Starclan's displeasure with the leadership," he said easily. "Please add in and voice your opinions," he said.

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Flightwhisker shot another hostile glance in Batwing's direction, wrinkling up her nose in dislike, before turning her attentive ears toward Foxflight, who had begun to speak. Her eyes narrowed in thought as she processed his idea. It was interesting, especially the part about hurting the cats close to the leaders. If they saw the cats they held most dead falling all around them, they could suspect StarClan's anger towards them. But that first bit seemed a little too vague for her liking. Once he had finished, the tabby raised her voice. "What do you mean by 'signs'? Do you mean things like etchings in trees or something to warn them?" Her tail-tip twitched behind her. "Maybe things that would seem like they're from StarClan? Is that what we're going by?"

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"I suggest we leave out the deputies." Moonkit said, her voice clear and ringing in this darkness. Her cold gaze swept the cats. "It would be foolish to take on those cats. I'm sure some of you can remember what one did to that Riverclan tom." She singled out Batwing, her gaze boring into his and catching his essence in her eyes. It was like she was staring straight into your soul. She broke her connection to his, looking each cat in the eye. It was strange...scary the way she could see right through you.

[If you guys want a visual of how Moonkit is, she's like Jane from the Twilight Series. Lame, but it's how I kinda imagined her.]

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((So my internet hates me. It deleted the post, so I'm gonna try again. Sorry it's short, but I got frustrated))

Foxflight listened to the concerns. They made sense and he didn't blame the cats who had spoken up. Curiosity always made one more smart in situations like this. He wasn't one of those in position that liked to use fear to envoke his followers passion to help him. It was entirely their choice to be here, so it was best to make them feel welcome.

"Flightwhisker and Moonkit I'm sorry for not being entirely clear. What I meant by signs would be kill strewn in wierd places that would mean something to certain cats. We could do etchings like you suggested and we can even stalk cats to make them feel as if someone is there, but when they look nothing is," he said evenly.

The Thunderclan tom then turned his attention towards Moonkit. "Believe me, I have no intention of hurting the deputy's. We will only do what I proposed towards cats that are close to the leader, not the one's next in charge unless we need to later," he said.

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Flightwhisker nodded, flexing her claws with interest. "Alright, I get it. Make them get up on their toes, right? Make them feel the need to constantly look over their shoulders?" The she-cat's pale hazel eyes gleamed with sparks of creativity and ideas. It sounded like one big game in her mind. There were so many different things that could be done. So many things that would foresee their plan to purge the Clans of their current corruption.

It all sounded good, but just how soon would it be done? "So we have an idea on what to do now. But when are we actually going to put this whole thing into place?" The ThunderClan warrior retracted her claws and forced her outward appearance to relax. "We've been meeting up like this for ages, just talking about what we should do. Now, we should start actually taking steps!" Excitement was creeping back into her mew, despite her attempts to keep it lowered. All this pent up thoughts was not quite the she-cat's style.

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Foxflight nodded with a smile as the group finally understood what he meant. Flightwhisker was understanding everything especially fast.

At her next question a thrill went up his spine, making it tingle. He leaped down and waltzed towards her with powerful steps. When he finally got close to Flightwhisker a sly smile worked its way upon his face, that is if cat's can smile.

"We start tonight. The signs begin immediately in all territories, but first I would like to hear what each of you have planned for each territory," he drawled. It was finally starting! The reign of the current leaders would cease soon and the clans could be free of the tyranny that gripped the forest.