Post by Roxie ! on Jul 20, 2009 20:32:12 GMT -5
Thunder crashed above as lighting lit up the dark, clouded night sky. The moon and stars were not visible through the summer storm, and through the pouring rain and murk, the BloodClan camp was a more dreary place than ever. The deputy stood quietly in the entrance of camp, her eyes fixed unseeingly on the ground. She didn't seem to feel the rain that soaked her tabby pelt, dying it a darker, sleeker shade. Juliet faced this same blankness whenever she entered this clearing. The place she was supposed to call home.[/b]" She replied icily. She'd heard what this tom had done, when he'd been alive. She'd heard what lengths he'd gone to to gain power over the forest. And now, it seemed, he intended to use her as some sort of pawn. She shived in disgust.
Knowing that she had to stir before anyone noticed her lurking in the outer shadows, she slid silently into camp. Her sapphire eyes fixed determinedly ahead of her, refusing to acknowledge any others that might be present in the clearing. Her coldness was what kept her alive...there weren't many who were too keen to approach her, for she was known to lash out with her tongue. Though at the moment, Juliet looked far from dangerous. Her head dropped and her tail dragged with a certain air of defeat, though her eyes flashed with their same defensive fire. Wordlessly, she made straight for her sleeping place.
Juliet slept under a pile of crushed rocks and broken cinder blocks left there by two-legs. BloodClan's leader and deputy got first pick of sleeping places in the camp, and this spot provided at least a bit of shelter. She curled up, her tail covering her nose, and lay there with her eyes narrowed. Too many thoughts raced through her head to allow sleep to happen. Today, she'd almost lost control. She'd almost allowed another cat, and one she'd hardly known, to catch a glimpse of her emotions. It could have been disasterous. She couldn't let it happen again.
The she-cat lay there, contemplating darkly. It wasn't as if she'd ever see the WindClan warrior again, right? That had been the end of it. She didn't need to worry any longer. She stared ahead blankly as the rain fell, until slowly, sleep overtook her. Juliet hadn't gotten a proper sleep for several nights now, and her exhaustion had finally caught up with her. Slowly, her eyes flickered closed.
But even her dreams provided no sanctuary.
It was not raining now, wherever she was. It wasn't BloodClan territory. It was a forest, overtaken by shadows that her eyes somehow found a hard time penetrating. A thin mist hung over the land, creeping around her paws. Juliet turned from side to side, every muscle tensed. She didn't recognize this place at all. The sense of foreboding that hung here was instant cause for alarm.
Suddenly, a branch snapped behind her. In a flash, she whipped around, her claws unsheathed, and laid sight on the strangest looking cat she'd ever seen. He was a large black and white tom, but his features were twisted. Altered. Half of his face, as well as his left paw, had an unnatural silver shine that couldn't be fur.
"Staring?" The tom spoke to her, causing her to jump unintentionally. Somehow, she hadn't thought such a creature capable of speech. He seemed to notice her discomfort, and chuckled darkly. "It's what they did to me. The two-legs."
Juliet took a step back. She was beginning to recognize this tom now. Of course, she'd never met him, but she'd heard stories. Dark stories that she'd been certain held no truth. "You...you're the leader of FireClan." She murmured faintly. His metallic features held her in a half-trance.
He flicked an ear coolly. "I was." He agreed, his claws flexing. "I was Clockwerk. Once. But the past is irrelevant." To Juliet's discomfort, he approached her slowly, so that they were standing face to face. The fur along the BloodClan deputy's spine rose as he continued. "What matters now...is the future."
Juliet's jaw clamped tightly. Speaking to Clockwerk would be dangerous--he would only twist her words, and use them against her. She stared straight ahead, refusing to grace him with an answer, as he prowled carefully around her.
"You've felt it, I'm sure," Clockwerk hissed quietly. "A change in the forest? A new age is coming, my dear deputy. And you," His tail flicked against her. "Will help it come."
Juliet's eyes narrowed. She didn't know where this was going, but she didn't like it one bit. "I'm not helping you do anything." She spat stubbornly. "Why are you here? You can't do this...you can't just invade my dreams like this." She shook her head, bristling still. That's all this was, after all. A dream. Perhaps she was going mad.
"Can't I?" Clockwerk sounded coldly amused. "I wouldn't be able to, you know, if we didn't share a...connection. We have more in common than you think."
She still refused to look at him. "I am nothing like you.
"On the contrary. We both hold--or held power over a deadly force of cats. We're both alone. Both of us have betrayed our families." Clockwerk chuckled darkly. He came to face her again, his eyes flashing.
Juliet was staring at him in utter confusion, her mouth parted slightly. She couldn't believe that he knew...and that he was using it against her. After a long, painful moment, she found her voice again. "W-what are you talking about? I would never--"
"What do you think Rosaline would say if she knew where you were now? If she knew you had been alive all this time, serving some of the most horrible cats in the forest?" Clockwerk prompted, grinning madly. He was thoroughly enjoying every moment of the torture he was inflicting upon the she-cat.
"Shut up." Juliet snarled, her voice suddenly fierce. "You don't know anything about what I've had to do--what I've had to go through. I'm trying to keep her alive!"
"Of course you are." Clockwerk's voice was almost a purr. "Which is what I'm trying to help you do." Seeing her puzzled expression, he continued. "A new power will soon be settling over the forest. A great new force that will purify these lands of all...unworthy cats. It's for the best, of course. Even I've been convinced of that. Whatever happens, they must succeed. And when they do...you'll want them in your debt. It's the only way to survive...and to ensure the survival of those you hold dear. Think how horrible it would be if your sister was unfortunate enough to get in their way? Or perhaps, one of your little nieces?"
At this, Juliet closed her eyes and shivered. For once, she was speechless. Out of nowhere, she'd been approached by a cat who knew exactly how to break her. And she couldn't fight back. When she remained silent, Clockwerk spoke again.
"What they need from you is simple, Juliet. There are several cats in the forest, scattered throughout the Clans, who could possibly...compromise the mission of this new power. Their greatest threat is a ThunderClan warrior. Her name is Hazelstripe, and she holds a very rare power. If she fights against us, it could mean disaster." Clockwerk tore at the ground in a momentary display of viciousness. "And so, your task is to...persuade her to join us."
Juliet stared at him, her whiskers twitching dryly. If she'd have been in a better mood, she might have laughed. "If you really think I can talk her into turning against her Clan, you're more insane than I thought you were." She snapped, rolling her eyes. She knew the loyalty that lurked within these Clan cats' hearts--she'd seen it for herself that very day.
Clockwerk let out a laugh that nearly turned her blood to ice. "Talk her into--? My dear, no. No, Hazelstripe can't be approached directly. Her heart is too pure. But, much like you, she has a few cats in her life that she'd do anything for. One of them is her brother...a warrior of WindClan? Perhaps you're familiar with him?" His eyes flashed, and then it clicked. Juliet knew what he was going to say even before the name left his mouth. "Buckthorn."
Juliet averted her gaze immediately. She'd known it. Hadn't she told herself that getting involved with a Clan cat, even briefly, would bring her nothing but trouble? "Look," She started. "If you think we have some kind of bond...we don't. I don't even know him. He's just another cat, I--"
"Then you'll have no problem with what I'm about to ask you to do." Clockwerk interrupted her smoothly. "Buckthorn is a good warrior, by his precious Clan's standards. But he trusts far too easily. You will get close to him, get him to trust you completely...even get him to love you, if he's foolish enough to do so. You will learn everything he can tell you about his sister...and then, you will kill him."
There as a long pause. Clockwerk's expression was completely blank, but Juliet was gaping at him, expecting--almost pleading him to admit he was joking. She felt frozen. "...Kill him...?"
"We will arrange it so it appears as though it's Hazelstripe's fault. His death will weaken her emotionally to the point where she can no longer control her abilities. She'll be forced to leave her Clan, and seek help among those who know more about her powers than she does." Clockwerk sounded as if he'd memorized every detail of this plan long beforehand.
Juliet still couldn't completely wrap her mind around what she was being asked to do. All she could do was ask another question, trying to piece this all together bit by bit. "And what if this cat...Hazelstripe...refuses to join them, even then?" She asked, almost fearing the answer.
Clockwerk's eyes narrowed. "Then you'll be in a close enough position to kill her as well."
Another long silence. Slowly, Juliet lowered her head and stared down at her paws. Only today, she'd been fiercely assuring Buckthorn that she wasn't a murderer. As a member of BloodClan, she'd seen many things that could only be described as downright evil...but never had she heard anything as twisted as this. "That's sick." She choked at last, her eyes flickering up to Clockwerk's again. "You cruel, heartless...what makes you think there'd be any way in hell that I'd agree to do this?"
Clockwerk didn't look phased by her answer. If anything, he looked as if he'd been expecting it. "Simply because the rewards are those you cannot afford to refuse." He responded softly. "Need I remind you, you can guarantee yourself--and anyone you care about, really, a position of safety by doing this. And..." He paused, allowing his words to take effect. "Once these cats are in power, do you really think they'll tolerate BloodClan's continued attempts to rule the forest? No. BloodClan will be nothing of any importance...no real threat to you, or anyone ever again. You'll be able to leave them, Juliet. You'll have your freedom."
All the tabby she-cat could think was that she wanted this to end. She couldn't deal with this right now. How could she possibly commit the acts this tom was asking her to do? But at the same time, how could she possibly refuse his offer? This was everything she had ever wanted. If she agreed, BloodClan would never be able to threaten her again. If she didn't...then all of the time she'd spent with them, trying desperately to protect her little sister...all of it would be for nothing. There was no choice.
"If...if I agreed to this...how would I possibly get close enough to Buckthorn to get him to trust me? He knows I'm in BloodClan." Juliet protested, but she knew she sounded as half-hearted as she felt.
"We will arrange an accident. You will be, for the most part, unharmed...but you'll make sure Buckthorn is there to witness it. It will be in his nature to rescue you, and then, you will pretend as if your injuries have caused you to lose your memory completely. If he thinks you are harmless, he'll easily be persuaded to take you to WindClan." Clockwerk said curtly. As if growing bored with their conversation, he turned and began padding away. The mist was closing in again.
"Wait," Juliet narrowed her eyes. "You want me to join--"
"I'll be in touch." Clockwerk broke in sharply. And then she blinked, and he was gone.[/i]
Juliet startled awake from the dream that could only be described as a nightmare. The moon was high in the sky now, and the rain had stopped. The storm had cleared, but her mind was murkier than ever. She knew as well as she knew anything that what she'd just experienced had been no ordinary dream. What she'd just agreed to do made her feel dizzy. One thing was certain: she was in way over her head. But there was no backing out now.
She rolled over on her back and stared at the sky. Tomorrow. Tomorrow she'd find Buckthorn, and so it would begin. She had no other choice.
Needless to say, another night would pass without the BloodClan deputy getting much sleep at all.[/blockquote][/size]