Who's Out There?

[Argot]

Argot slid around the edge of a clump of marsh grass and paused to taste the air. The moon was nearly full, and he could see that he was very close to the waters of the marsh. He could hear the faint noise of the water being disturbed by the wind, and picked up traces of the scent of other feles.

The raven cat allowed himself a soft purr of contentment. He had been wandering this place for many days and he felt as if he knew every scrub tree, every bit of marsh grass, every path left by the Clan that lived in this place. He'd come to think of it as his place, even though it was the territory of all Nomads. Since his joining with the Clan, he had had relative peace, and the shortening days of leaffall still yielded plenty of food.

But Argot knew that somewhere in the tranquil night an attacker was lurking. Call him paranoid, but he could feel it. He made himself concentrate, all his senses alert. He caught the scent of the marsh's stagnant water, the green scent of grass and leaves, and very faintly the scent of other cats. But there was something else. Something he couldn't identify. He raised his muzzle, scenting at the air.

Who's out there?

[§lade]

Nomad Spy[/b][/color]

This place--this land--belonged to the nomads. They had traveled more than the Clan cats, they had gone on longer without food in thier thinning stomachs. They were powerful. Especially with Ari as their leader... The calico tom felt a flood of respect nestle in the pit of his belly when he thought of the well-respected tom. Slade pracitcally worshipped Ari. He did whatever he asked without a an argument or a complaint. He needed the nomad leader to respect him, too. Though he held the other cat in high regards, Slade wanted them to stand on equal ground; if they didn't already.
The tom's green eyes narrowed as he trekked through the fairly new terrain. It was new and alien to him, but he would have to get used to it in order to follow through with Ari's plans. Slade ran the scents of the marsh over the taste receptors in his mouth. Their were four different territories of the land: forest, marsh, plains, and river. He was going to know it from top to bottom--inside and out. If the time came to hide if the Clans were hostile, then it was his duty, also, to find a safe place for the nomads to wait the days away if the others were to search for them to erraticate them. But their forces were strong and quick, legions of battle-trained warriors wouldn't be able to destory Ari's tactics. He was Ari. Nothing was to stand in his way.
As he was scenting the marsh, Slade picked up the scent of another nomad. He didn't know the others by name, nor didn't care for them. All that really mattered to him was Ari... And sometime Clove and Herb. But they stood in the sidelines while Ari took up the spotlight in his life. The scent he picked up, though, reminded him of a nomad warrior named Argot. The spy had only talked to him once or twice, but he knew his scent and remembered his name.
The calico slinked behind a weathered boulder and pressed his body up against it, soaking up the warmth that emanated from it. He arched his back up until it brushed against the top of the rock and lay down, wondering if Argot would sense him and find his hiding spot. He yawned, showing a mouthful of sharp teeth and a flashing, pink tongue. Slade was bored... So he was going to play a little game.

[/size]

[the;; BREEZE]

x.breeze }

The pale tabby she-cat slid through the undergrowth, her skinny body manuvering easily through the vegetation. Her eyes scanned the environment, always wary, always on the watch. She heard a cat ahead, and slid forward, low to the ground, her paws silent. Her lips parted as she took in the scent... Vaguely familiar. But most scents around here were familiar. She appeared from the undergrowth, stopping suddenly and straightening up as she nearly crashed into Slade's backside. A chuckle escaped her as she padded around the spy, smiling vaugely.

"Hello, Slade."

[Argot]

Argot's back was up and he extended his sharp claws into the dirt beneath him. It was not likely to be a hostile watcher, as the Nomads basically ran this place, but one could never be too careful. And in any event, the black tom reflected, he could certainly teach his stalker a lesson, be it Nomad or no. Finding the strange scent again, Argot began to stalk in what he thought was the correct direction.

No sooner had he started his stalk than a laughing 'Hello, Slade' was spoken behind him. The raven cat jumped, turned in the air to face behind him. He headed for the voice and found Slade and Breeze together beside a rock. Annoyed that Slade had been spying on him (even though that was what the calico did best) and also annoyed that he hadn't been able to identify the spy's scent, Argot's mew was anything but friendly.

Is this hide and seek, Slade? Breeze?

[c l o v e *]

{ WHEN YOU FINALLY TRUST ME }
{ THERE'S NO NEED TO FEAR }

pumpkin orbs flashed across the clearing, observing the cats that had gathered. Huge pumpkin orbs watched as the cats talked, watching at they moved closer to one another, watched as they laughed, as they stalked, as they formed relationships. The orbs envied the simplicity of the bonding that cats so easily mastered, the orbs let a sick sorrow flicker through them. If only they could create such bonds; yet the orbs were different from these cats, then all cats. He was considered a moron, a rat-bitten fool, am idiot, he was different. The orbs stared at the cats; tracing over their shapes. Letting the memories of the cats stick to his mind like the sick smell of monsters.

A huge tom walked out of a bramble, into the clearing with the other Nomads. The tom's frame was gigantic; much to big to belong to any cat. Sowed to his frame was a mud-colored pelt. Think, fluffy, and standing on end, you couldn't tell if the tom was mad or not. His pelt, unlike the other nomads, did not shine. It didn't reflect any light. It was dull, it was plain, it was simple. Stuck in the tom's head were two pumpkin eyes. Staring at the cats as if draw to them, like a two-leg was drawn to it's drugs. The tom's pumpkin eyes were the only thing giving the cat any resemblance to life. Without them, he would just look like a towering mud statue two-leg kits had made.

Clove stared at his clan mates longingly. He longed to speak with them, to talk to them like a normal cat would, yet he knew what would happen if he did talk. He already embarrassed himself enough today, running into a total of eight trees, tripping over his own paw three times, and saying the wrong thing at the wrong time six times. He didn't need any more embarrassment. The tom tried to look respectful by bowing, but ended up stumbling forward by his own weight. Clove shook his pelt and looked down at the cats once more; though he said nothing Clove orb's told the world everything. The pumpkin orbs seemed to be blushing, murmuring sorry over and over under their breath's.

[;;Herb;;]

herb;
life's an odd thing, don't make it an odder

A quick sliver through the nasty branches and Herb was staring directly at the group of gathering cats. Her tiny shoulders made her look minuscule compared tot he broad shoulders of the nomads, but this of course did not intimidate her. Between Ari and her, they ruled with their own indiscretion, much to Herb's own poisoning satisfaction. The herbalist looked in their direction again, letting her usual, quick witted, evil smile cover her face. Good- we make this our home.. for now... and then we move on... the stronger bond between us, the better, she thought calmly to herself. It was only a matter of days before Ari announced the continuation of their plan.

Only a matter of time...

The brown she-cat had finally decided to join them, most interested in what they were saying and even more interested in what she could predict they were thinking. She took one last look at her dirty, messy den and then headed forward, without taking another look back. "Hello, there, nomads, what are we all talking about?" she asked in her oddly sweet tone, letting her smile cover her face with pleasure.

Herb was not the friendliest of cats, and everyone knew the powers she had to kill and save life. She was the herbalist, not a "medicine cat." Her job was to collect herbs and find out their uses. If a use was needed for poison, she had... it a use was needed to save one of the nomads, she had that too. Her experience before joining the nomad group had come in handy. It was the only thing that kept her with them... the only reason Ari needed her. Herb had knowledge. Knowledge anyone else had... and as far as she was concerned, no one else would even learn her secrets. They kept her alive.

[Argot]

Argot's eyes flashed with green fire. Great, now they only lacked Ari to have the entire command staff of the Nomads in on this confrontation. Bringing his right forepaw back, he bowed deferentially to the herbalist. The whole body of the nomads knew of her reputation and had a respectful fear of her.

Herb.

Then the glass eyes looked to the other newcomer. Much as the spy was respected, Argot couldn't hide a disdainful turn to his lips. Clove was not the smartest of cats, but somehow he'd managed to gain the rank of spy? Why, Argot himself could have done better than-

The black cat twitched away the thoughts with a flick of his ears. Clove was favored of Ari, and that was reason enough for him to hold the rank of spy. But the bow was in this case truncated to a nod of his head.

Clove.

White claws dug into the earth and white teeth bared in a look that was half-snarl, half-smile at his company, particularly at Slade.

We were discussing spying. Specifically, spying on me.

[Ari]

[-Ari,,

A dark intonation, a shadow hanging over, a reason to hide, to duck under cover. Black claws, bilingual eyes, and a selfish mind. There was a reason Ari rhymed with scary. His massive paws carried him through the territory. Unfamiliar land, unfamiliar scents, all drowned out by his own intrusion. He was invading, and he was taking over. No one could stop him when he put his mind to it. The only thing that mingled within his mind enough in a way it could be potentially detrimental was the toxic thought of Anabel.

He tried not to think much.

Ari didn’t much as fight with the bushes to get through; it was more like they bowed to him, under his monstrous size as he walked along. His nose twitched every now and again, his most honed sense. Well they say that scent is the strongest sense, and that it’s tied to memory. The stench of this place was almost as bad as the memory chained to it. He could just barely catch a little twoleg scent, and it caused his maimed heart to beat in fragment. Anabel Anabel Anabel. Her name rang throughout his mind and for a moment he could almost remember how good it felt for her fur to be pressed up against his as they stared out the window, waiting for a new chance to begin. Self hatred filled him for what he had done to her. They would promise each other they would never leave one another. They would be like two claws on one hand, like the drawings in the sand. They would be just like the Twin Towers, one couldn’t go down without the other.

She had fallen. Alone.

It was his entire fault. But so was everything else. The little candle flames of his siblings all burning out slowly while he thrived. His aching body pushing him on and on and on to become more than what he was. Life had been a test of virtue and humility so far. But give it take, it didn’t matter either way. It was a roll of chance, and roshambo for territory. Destination: anywhere but where he had been. Going on in life he’d had so many chances to do the right thing. He’d failed to choose the right hand every time. Now it was his responsibility for a society of cats, all who depended on him, and he knew he could handle it. But at what cost? Would he do to them what he had done to Anabel? Surely not… In his bones desire to lead his group was more than most. He wanted to lead them to supremacy, and to give them the land they want, with more than enough food, and a safe place for their kits.

Surely he must have changed?

Ari had taken that big step and torn down the walls he had put up. Or was it already too late to be more than what he was? Or had he fixed everything? His cougar coloured fur and massive size was almost a threat to anyone who glanced at him. Anyone could mistake him for a mountain lion cub. The only thing that gave him away was his angular face, not rounded enough at the snout to make him appear as a mountain lion. But without a second glance, it would be too easy to assume the worst. Who wouldn’t run from a cougar? Because where there’s cubs, there’s mothers.

‘Herb…? Slade…? Clove…?’

His favourite cats. His group. His friends. He wanted to talk to them, about anything. Anything to forget the past and just move on. Anything to get rid of her familiar taste in his mouth. The moon was modestly concealing itself behind a curtain of dark clouds as he emerged into the clearing, surprised to see familiar faces. His mouth co.cked sideways into a smirk as he nodded to each of them, glad they were there. He had things to talk about anyway. Plans, blueprints for his clan’s future, the way life was going to change… Change for the better.

“Just what are we all talking about here?” Ari questioned them, looking them all each in the eyes without blinking.

[-Its the emptiness that bleeds you
to death when it cuts you,,

[§lade]

Nomad Spy[/b][/color]

"Hello, Slade."
"Is this hide-and-seek, Slade? Breeze?"
The omnipresent smile on Slade's face grew wider until it looked as if his face was just a wicked, witty smile. Well, well, well... If you would like to call it that, he thought with poison. The cat had a funny way of expressing himself, if you couldn't tell.
"Hello, there, nomads, what are we all talking about?"

[/color]
The calico tom did his best to hold back a chuckle but didn't succeed to no avail. He chuckled quietly in his throat and sat back to survey the nomads that had gathered around. Their scent was thick in the air, like a fog. And it wasn't much of a pleasant fog, either. The smile on Slade's face faltered some at the cloying mingled scent of his fellows. Since they were always on the move, they didn't have much time to care for themselves besides food and water. So they kind of...well, stank. And it didn't help that Clove was there, either. The other spy's prescence got under Slade's skin like a parasite. He always felt that it was his duty to outdo Clove and tear down anyone else that dared interrupt him.
"We were discussing spying. Specifically, spying on me."
Again, the throaty chuckle. Slade wasn't the most interesting cats to hang around with--much less befriend. But his sharp, witty intelligence was one of the reasons he became a spy. He could just about outsmart anyone. And then...
He lifted his head and walked two steps out of the group that had congregated to prove a meeting. Yes! It was Ari... Immediately, Slade bowed as the bushes parted to reveal the one he favored most.
His leader.
“Just what are we all talking about here?”[/color]
The spy knew that his leader's gaze was upon him and everyone else, but he refused to meet Ari's gaze. After all, in the animal world--if not the nomad world--a meeting of the eyes was a challenge. Slade would never challenge Ari. If so, it would only to be to prove how much greater Ari was. No hard feelings nested in the calico's mind.
"Ari," he mewed, almost cooed. Relationships of any kind are hard to decipher. Especially among humans, but the most confusing of all are those of cats. Because we cannot understand them and that their minds are more primitive and animal than ours. "We were, well..."[/color] Just the slightest movement of his eye shifted over to rest upon Argot, the irritable tom; Breeze, the quiet pale tabby; Clove, the mindless idiot; Herb, the powerful she-cat; and then, finally... Back up at Ari's face.
Slade's green-yellow eyes slowly traveled up to meet uncertainly with Ari's. He had never, ever thought of Ari as anything different than a god. But what did his master think of him?[/size][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Sparta<-]

He was in his element.

If the tortoiseshell tom could be summed into one word, that word would be confident. Every bone of his body sang with his irrepressible personality. Bold, fearless, willful. All despite his undersized stature. But who cared about size? Sparta knew beyond a doubt that he could take on any opponent twice his size without much trouble. A stubborn streak helped. He was lean with a lack of meals, but was wound hard from long treks with his Nomad companions. All companions which he considered slightly lesser than himself. Yes, even Ari and the pretty Herb. As far as Sparta was concerned, those two only had authority over him as long as Sparta chose to follow them. The security of a place o sleep and food to eat were the only reasons Sparta even bothered with them.

Familiar scents rushed out on a breeze, passing over and around the small tortoiseshell. What's this, a gathering? Very easily there were five of his Nomad companions just ahead of him. Ari and Herb were unmistakable, but he wasn't sure who the other stinks belonged to. Following their scents, Sparta quickly came to where the other cats were. His ears pricked in surprise.

Fine, there's six of them. Ari, Herb, Slade, Argot, Breeze, and Clove. Sparta's whiskers twitched with amusement. He liked Clove. The giant cat was the biggest fool Sparta had ever known. Clove almost possessed kitten-like innocence. But any cat Ari chose as a spy was far from kitten-like, let alone innocent.

"What's this then?" Sparta mewed, his ringing voice carrying easily. "Ari, Herb, how are you?" he padded past the pair with head and tail held high, completely oblivious to the disrespect he was showing. Or was he? After all, Ari didn't choose cats who were exactly innocent. Purring, Sparta padded up to Clove and sat down beside him, turning to face the others. His bushy red tail wrapped daintily around his forepaws and he flashed his green eyes at them all.

"Are we considering going hunting? Not that we need to, of course. It's just that I noticed Clove was losing weight, and what will Ari do if his body guard isn't physically fit?" Sparta blinked at Ari and gave Clove a friendly nudge with his muzzle.

[/size]

[the;; BREEZE]

Breeze stood silently, her eyes watchful, as always. Her rough pelt lay flat against her skin, she was neither wary nor afraid at the moment. As the various nomads came into the clearing, she nodded. But as Herb came, she very nearly flinched. She bowed her head to the she-cat, her eyes full of respect. She was terrified of Herb... Of the little cat's power over her namesake. The poisons... they are lethal. She looked away from the cat, and spotted Ari. Ah, this cat she respected. "Ari..." she breathed, her voice soft and rough. She lowered her head in respect for her leader.

[ sorry, uber-short, gotta go... ]

[<>SkY, eL nOmAd<>]

(OOC: Sorry I'm late, guys.)

A rustle of leaves softly announced the arrival of yet another nomad cat. The medium-sized tom joined his clan mates quietly, an easy-going expression on his "pretty-boy" face. He was quite unremarkable, for the most part. His pelt was white, and no other colors marked its pure, snow-like tone. His medium build and average-looking muscles were not extraordinary. But one look at his somewhat handsom face put all other features out of mind. His right eye was a hypnotic sapphire blue, while his left was a mezmerizing gold-green.

Sky looked around, narrowing his eyes slightly to draw attention away from his beautiful eyes. He looked around, taking in Ari, Herb, Clove, Breeze, Slade, Argot, and Sparta. He nodded to his fellows, and dipped his white head low to his superiors. "Hello, everyone. Sorry, I fell behind." Sky sat down quietly and wrapped his tail around hs paws.