.:Star stripped dreamin':.

[Burningwing]

ll. It is only the sound of it nearing...

The sound of grass parted by slender legs crackled out into the forest. Leaves littered the floor of the forest, dry and amber coloured with copper tones. In the distance, the call of a distressed jay split the air, and the small blue streak swooped from tree to tree, its sharp tipped wings hardly beating the air, the white lined feathers bending as air rushed up into it. The undergrowth was bare and pitiful, and a mouse scuttled out, in its small tan paws a black seed was clutched. It stopped to sniff the air, pricking its round grey ears, then ducked into a burrow beneath a mulberry bush, the shadows swallowing it up, though the faint sound of squeaks could be heard echoing out.

Scorpion entered the forest, head lowered, but tail held above her back, cautious as ever. Hot tears ran down her cheek, splattering the ground in a series of barely audible pattering sounds. Her breath was ragged, bare, stripped like the bark from a peeling birch tree. Scorpion's beautiful tan fur glimmered down in the moonlight, the dark streaks of beige on each side seemed almost invisible, like long clawing marks. On one side, blood dripped down heavily, staining long stripe of dusky red down her right side, looking as if something had tried to rip her heart out. Actually, she had, hoping, maybe, it would end the pain that she could feel weighing her down.

How could she, the daughter of Skull, be in such a mood? Her dark soul snarled deep inside her, bowling her over in fury. Her normally blood red eyes seemed to glow with new found rage, seeking their victim. The only problem, was that it was herself. How bare; A voice in her head hissed to her; Falling low like that, what were you thinking you useless excuse of a cat? " I-i-i didn't mean to!" She sobbed quietly to herself, but the voice seemed undisturbed. Skull should be ashamed to have you as a daughter....: The voice seemed to dwell out from every corner of the darkening forest, the moonlight cut off as a breeze tore at the dappled, leafless boughs of the trees. Scorpion glanced miserably around, but nothing was in sight. Everything was quiet, silent as the grave.

Her problem seemed to grow with the headaching voice in her mind. Pathetic.....: It hissed from behind the lithe she-cat, but spinning around revealed nothing. " No...no...no...." She whispered, eyes lined with red. Hurling herself forward, she hardly felt the sting of nettle on her skin. You can't run from yourself, Scorpion; the voice echoed all around her; You know that. Scorpion skidded to a stop, compacting her body to fling herself up a large coniferous tree. The sticky sap seemed to try and drag her down, but she clutched tight, powerful muscles rippling as she tore up the smooth bark. Near the middle she stopped, choking for breath, as the voice surrounded her, taunting her. " Get...out....of my.....head..." She groaned, collapsing on the thick branch, letting her tail slowly sling over it.

Get up, get up, get moving, you know what to do; the voice seemed to be enjoying itself. No, I don't! She hissed in her head, gazing at the scattered orange needled littering the ground. Come on....you want to be free don't you? Get rid of me...come on, you know you will give in. Scorpion muttered under her breath, claws sheathing and unsheathing nervously. "Its his fault, for making me love him then going of with that....that...kittypet." She stared gleefully at the ground. " I'll make him pay." Staggering to her paws she turned, barly tottering on the branches edge. " I'll end it for good." She grinned. And then, she prepared to leap.

lll. Coming closer and closer.......

[owly ✿]

A tom padded towards the same tree a small she-cat was perched in-swinging lightly back and forth. It seemed he was just lazily padding around his home territory, but no if you looked close enough you could tell the tabby cat was heading somewhere special. His pace quickened when the she-cat's words echoed out....she was gonna leap. Poison's paws now flew benieth him-a determined look on his face.

The large tom leaped to the tree and his strong muscles combined with strong claws carried him up the tree quickly and his tabby pelt was covered in bark quickly. A speck of the wood landed in his eye and Poison let out a hiss and then continued to climb.

When he reached the same branch as Scorpion he let out a tired and relieved sigh. The tom's brown eyes held wisdom knowing almost what Scorpion was thinking it seemed. "Don't jump." Poison meowed calmly.