/sinister hearts/

[Dreamreaper]

Where. Was. That. Bastard. Bloodstar appeared to have vanished again, and it had been up to his elected deputy to hold the clan together and fend off any raiding rogues or curious other clan cats. By and by, the deviously dangerous she-cat had found a level far beyond being pissed off at the damn bastard, focusing on her duties and plotting even further in concern of taking over.

Wouldn’t that be something? She’d be Dreamstar then, and wouldn’t that be quite the welcome back for Bloodstar when he returned to find his clan against him. Feh! They could capture him and execute him, over and over again, for his betrayal. For ditching them like that.

They seemed to have lost some members here and there – scum, all of them – but the strong core would always remain. Even so, the angry Dreamreaper left the camp without bothering to summon any other warriors, streaking off on patrol by herself at a steady, ground-eating pace – trying to burn out some of the aggression and sizzling anger that boiled through her blood. “Mother-screwing fool.” She hissed bloodily when she finally stopped by the abandoned monster, muscles rippling as she leaped onto her hind legs to lean against the metal of the monster. There was a sudden spasm of controlled fluid power, all grace and curved feminine beauty, unsheathed claws tearing along the rusted surface with a shriek and leaving long gashes into the rust. Her paws plopped back down to the ground, still not overly calmed, but she took a moment to sit down and take a moment to groom her shoulder and along her side.

What should she do, hm. How many moons should she keep on waiting for a cat that didn’t seem to understand that his power was sought; who had been walking on thin ice after his first disappearance?

Dreamreaper didn’t like waiting as it was and, now, it was about the time to act.

[Talonscar]

<sub>Summer had been merciless with it's heat. When few shady spots lined the territory of dusty Duskclan, and with a long-haired coat, it was positively killing Talonscar.

So what better way to cool off than to doze upon the dusty tire of the old and battered monster, taking shade from the rusty rim of bottom sheltering the wheel in a delightful shade. It was almost a furry brown feather duster had sprouted upon the hard rubber and made itself a nest. He had curled into a ball, his tail dangling over the edge of the tractioned edges, dozing.

Talonscar had been one of the few that had remained in Duskclan. Why hadn't he left? No reason to. Frankly, while the silence and absence of so many members bothered Dreamreaper, it just left more quiet in the camp. Less mouths to feed. He heard a voice, cursing at something or the other, but he only flicked his ear and continued on dozing.

It wasn't until the horrid, metallic noise of claws on rusty metal screeched into the air that Talonscar opened a lazy eye, making a show of yawning and stretching, ears twitching the only show that the noise was bothering him in any way.

Sleep is so much better obtained when you don't make that ugly noise, Miss Deputy He said nonchalantly, jumping onto the rim and thus making an appearance upon the seat of the tractor as Dreamreaper busied herself by cleaning her coat.
Now, what poor stick appears to have found it's unfortunate self up your furry rear? He asked with a pointed yawn.

It was his way of showing courtesy, he supposed. It was almost no fun attacking him back, nothing can get a rise out of the cool-headed tom. What else was Dreamreaper to do? Kick him out of the clan? So few members left in the clan now, and with Talonscar as one of the few loyal and trustworthy cats in the clan, most simply accepted his words with glares and cold words. But Talonscar never seemed to ever mind.</sub>

[Dreamreaper]

“Sleeping during patrol hours, Talonscar?” Was the venomous purr in reply from the beautiful deputy, but she granted her clan mate enough respect to lift her head up from her grooming. Ice blue eyes alit across her lightly for a moment, resting and unreadable but however much unmovable as she stared the tom down. There was neither a glare nor cold words from the sleep temptress, she was not going to alienate one of the more…promising members left in the clan – that was a fool’s gambit. “And if you must know, that not so poor stick happens to be a long absent leader, if you catch my cleverly non-subtle drift.” The words were something mixed between sarcasm, anger, and exasperation towards the missing Bloodstar – this was a she-cat not so thrilled at all.

Oi. Where was everyone else? The deputy twitched her tail in a sinuous manner, slow and subtle, as her icy gaze finally broke from the seated tom to look across the long empty area. There it was, power unlimited, stretched out and presented to her.

As she needed to do was seize it.

Dreamreaper frowned slightly at that consideration, not wanting to more too soon. The pawns were there, one by one presented and ready to be moved, but by what game plan? Which sinister motive could she strike forward with first? Each question the intelligent she-cat went over before asking in the off the hand manner, “Would you, at some particular point, like to be deputy Talonscar?” She had always thought the other cat, quiet and oft lazy he might be, was more in particular loyal to the clan itself then whoever was leading at the time. And, perhaps, she could use her charms, beauty, and wiles to sneak her way into his heart and control him too. It would be just like the city all over again – she might not have been born a Mafia cat, but there had been no greater mind amongst them before their fall.

[Goldenblaze]

<sub>Of course not, Miss Deputy He purred silkily, shrugging his massive furred shoulders. He licked one of his dusty paws and ran it over his fluffy ears, closing his eyes in an expression of content to avoid Dreamreaper's cool gaze.

He did, however, catch her 'not-so-subtle' drift, though he did not voice his opinion on it. Bloodstar could go off galivanting with whatever was beyond these borders, ignoring his duties here as Leader, but it was little of Talonscar's concern. He had found Dreamreaper to be perfectly capable of running Duskclan, though he would have rather eaten his own tail than admit it. Talonscar was a tom of few words, and he had few words to spare when he wasn't being a sarcastic old cod.

He let the silence pass between them like cool water, and he simply stretched out along the tractor, tail arching. While her thoughts were racing and planning, his were moving along at a sluggish pace due to lack of sleep and the heat. But, as she spoke, his thoughts were recalled, and the lazy tom's thoughts were put into hyperdrive.

Like to be deputy? Was she planning on leaving? Talonscar hoped not, it was the only glue holding this clan together anymore. Unless she was lea-

Ah. Hm.

While these thoughts were tracking through his mind at an intelligent rate, his expression remained one of thoughtful indifference. But if that's what Dreamreaper had in mind, even she appeared slightly fooled. While he appeared 'oft lazy', Talonscar was an intelligent and quick-witted cat. He wouldn't be so easily manipulated, but it didn't make him hard to control. Afterall, so long promises were fulfilled to him, he could certainly be a loyal and impressive warrior.

What did you have in mind?</sub>

[Dreamreaper]

Lazy didn’t mean unintelligent – it was more of a comment towards his sluggish behavior, which was a certain fact. Dreamreaper had at least a decent idea of the quiet cat’s intelligence, or else she wouldn’t have opened her mouth and said anything, however sly it might’ve been, to him. A fool cat would be too much of a liability to such a plan, too prone to saying things that should not be said to certain cats.

Dreamreaper lifted a paw to idly inspect it, as if to make sure not a daring speck of dirt still lingered on it – it would be both a charade and truthful, because she did maintain her silky beautiful appearance – and waited for Talonscar to think through her words. She knew better then to expect anything in particular from the tom – but even so those words held so much promise that a low, sinister smile crossed her muzzle when she turned back towards him. “I think that Bloodstar has shown his…endeavors outside of Duskclan had claimed of more importance to him for the last time; don’t you agree?” C’mon, that couldn’t be clearer without her spelling it out for him, and that would just be rude. No, she gave his smarts enough intelligence to work from there.

[Goldenblaze]

<sub>Talonscar lifted his chin a fraction to look at Dreamreaper. He expression was lazy, unconcerned, until a small smirk flitted across his muzzle, and his golden eyes narrowed to give him a roguish appearance rather fitting for the current conversation.

He sat up to sit on his haunches, tail flicking in a curious manner as he pondered at it. Bloodstar he had mild respect for, but like many leaders before, they disappeared. Found something better than here.
But what was better than here in Duskclan? Sure, it looked like nothing, but there was a time they were once feared.

You just had to dust them off to see what it was worth underneath.

Duskclan is weak. What a shame it would be if they just... slipped out of existance He said in a lazy droll, lifting up his other paw to lick at it and run it over his forehead. And I agree perfectly, Miss Dreamreaper. It wouldn't be the worst thing if we simply... Took this clan by storm, as one would put it? He set his paw down to glance at the deputy, his head quirked to the side, gold eyes shining.</sub>

[Dreamreaper]

For a time, they had once been feared. Once upon a time. Once upon a time that had really not been such a once upon a time; truly it had been not so long ago. Dreamreaper still remembered such powers, lost at the paws of absent leaders who had no true loyalty or not even a care towards their clan or the cats within it; instead wandering out to wherever it was that chose to call them away.

Now, this beautiful she-cat was by no means any preacher for loyalty. She was a double-crosser and a fiend back in the city, a seductive temptress that had used her looks and suggestive demeanor to get anything and everything she could have desired until that rein of her life had fallen. No, she wasn’t one to preach loyalty at all, but this was a different matter entirely.

Once, Duskclan had been great.

And they could be great again with the right cat at its head.

A low, dusky laugh escaped the she-cat as she rose to her paws and leaped up onto the tire, then over to the seat to join Talonscar for just a second, coiling around his like a silken serpent before rumblings, “Oh…that absolute worst. But who would stop us? A tattered leader too big for his britches who cannot keep hold of his clan?” It was a sibilant movement as the she-cat sought to coil around him, seeking to flick him light across the face as she leaped away from him and back down to the ground.

“Now.” Her voice was smoother then, not all purred flirting temptress, as her icy gaze lifted over her shoulder to look to the tom. “Are you ready?”

[Onyxdart]

Tall and leggy, it would have been no problem for Elena to keep up with the angry deputy. But she found she really didn't want to. /She/ was still one of the newest cats to the clan, most of the newer ones having wandered off. Plus, who wanted to be around Dreamreaper when she was in a bad mood? Not Elena. Of course, Elena didn't really ever /want/ to be around anyone. It made the quiet Duskclan a perfect place to stay.

So she waited for a bit, non-chalantly cleaning a paw before she followed after the deputy, reckoning that at least she wouldn't be snarled at for not patrolling when Dreamreaper got back.

Taking her time, Elena didn't arrive until just after Talonscar had spoken. She could never quite restrain the slight snarl that crept across her face whenever she saw one of the resident toms. In her experience, toms were never good. And it really rankled her to have to actually /listen/ to one as leader. She was slightly more fond of the Duskclan toms- if by fond you meant she wouldn't go out of her way to make their lives hell. Dreamreaper, on the other hand... oh, she didn't really mind listening to her so much. Insofar as Elena ever liked any cat, Elena liked Dreamreaper. That she-cat had smarts. Clearly.

"Discussing a change in leadership, are we? How delightful," she drawled, her gaze flicking from Talonscar to Dreamreaper as she dipped her muzzle in greeting to them both. She smiled a wolf's smile, the tips of her fangs showing stark white even against her pale cream colored fur.

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[Amberstar]

<sub>The question was an automatic and obvious answer. No, of course not. Bloodstar had obviously found some better living than Duskclan. He wouldn't care if they just packed up his cats and his clan and rose to power once more, would he? Right, nope.

She leapt upon the tire, then upon the seat beside him, then coyly wrapped around him, to which he responded with a dusty purr, golden eyes watching her at all times. Suddenly, he received a tail swat across the muzzle. He hardly blinked, looking at her as she stepped away from him then leapt to the earth, and he responded with a graceful rise to his feet and a silent touchdown, his fur swaying around his thick frame.

After you, Miss Dreamreaper He said cordially, then glanced up to realize they were not alone in their conversation. The loner female, Elena, wasn't it? He gave her a curt, slow tilt of his head in response to her question. She seemed like no fan of the male species, she had made that clear, but if she was among the cats to make Duskclan strong again, he had no qualms with her, personally.</sub>

[Dreamreaper]

Ahh, so they were to have company. And it wasn’t the lingering….err, one kit of Bloodstar that was foolish to linger around the camp area from time to time, when she spotted him, but Dreamreaper was sure that her feminine appeal would certainly swing the young warrior around quickly. Her sour mood certainly greatly improved with an attentive, albeit sarcastic, male, there was no snap or snarl at the quiet lonerish she-cat, ice blue eyes merely flicked in her direction was a smile.

Now, much unlike Elena, Dreamreaper preferred the company of males. Their attentive looks, charming gifts, musky scent never failed to amuse her – but even a temptress needed a break to delve into female company from time to time too. Elena wasn’t half bad at all, although Dreamreaper hadn’t had much the time lately in practically running the clan to keep it going as smoothly as possible to get to know the other she-cat it hadn’t been for lack of want. “Happened to overhear, Elena?” She gave an amused chuckle and flicked her tail to beckon the other cat closer – by no means was she to be attacked for such information. No, not at all, and the pretty deputy smoothly added, “Every good, powerful clan needs their elite warriors, too.”

A promise for power too, even for Elena. She wasn’t to leave any to-be potential supporters with nothing at all, but her body language – the sly glance she made towards Elena, her smile, the steady flick of her tail tip – all asked a simple question. Are you in?

[Onyxdart]

Elite warrior? Elena arched one eyebrow in slight disbelief. She was good, yes, but elite? Well, she certainly didn't think so. Not that Dreamreaper or Talonscar had to know that. Very well, she'd do as she was told, without complaint or question. If it had done anything, her upbringing had made her obedient.

"As you wish," she murmured, though a flicker of a grin that passed over her muzzle may have belied the apparently emotionless acceptance of Dreamreaper's offer. It was as much of an answer as Dreamreaper would get- that single flicker that said Elena was going to enjoy it far more than she'd let on. What was life without a little challenge?

"And the others?" she asked. It was a question which needed asking. Not that she thought the three of them incapable of handling some upstarts who thought they new better, but it would be ever so much easier if everyone cooperated. She didn't really want to /have/ to beat anyone up. But she would. Oh, she would.

She sat still, her ringed tail wrapped primly around her paws, and gave the other two- yes, even Talonscar- a questioning look, her head tilted ever so slightly to the side.

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[Talonscar]

<sub>Talonscar doubted she could sway the headstrong little son of Bloodstar; he was far too arrogant for his own good, and perhaps a little too spoiled by his father. But, if she had managed to get the little weirdo on their side, he might prove to be valuable.

But, it appeared they were already successful in managing to get Miss Elena on their side already. She appeared content with the promise of Elite Warrior. Talonscar smiled approvingly, fluffy tail arching over his long-coated back. Afterall, loyalty must be rewarded.

I assume we will propose the option to the others as well. If they choose to go along with it, I assume they will be rewarded too. It is up to Miss Dreamreaper here what happens to them if they decide to ah... Not cooperate He said with a lazy flick of his ear, his thoughts on the little bastard kit Tormentpaw as he spoke. He almost hoped he spoke out against their act; Talonscar thrilled at the thought of putting the little cheek in check.</sub>

[Dreamreaper]

Feminine wiles. It never did a tom any good to underestimate them; although almost surprisingly enough so many of the male gender did. Dreamreaper merely gave Elena and Talonscar a knowing, devious smile before flicking her tail again, “To propose in a meeting or one by one should probably be a more considered question.” She moved ahead of the other two, as if heading for camp grounds, before turning quickly on them.

“Claws sharp, teeth ready?” She purred, a malicious look on her pretty face as she looked between the other two, “Those who do not agree to this transition will either leave these lands or die. Are you ready?”

Once, Duskclan had been strong.

And it was to be again…