After the Fact

[Runfast]

Sinface was standing in front of the body of Shadowstar, who he had just killed. Now he was looking at the faces of the cats who had been unaware of the rebellion, but had done nothing to stop them.
Paleclaw, Fire, and Bitter. There were five others who were out on patrol, then there was the religious circle of four that dwelled beneath the surface of Abyssclan.
What would they say? Would nine cats be able to take back Abyssclan? It seemed likely, as Sinface apparently had Servants on his side when they had Warriors on theirs.

Dauntless and Grace both felt awkward as they both just stood by - Grace had a tree's leaf count worth of things to say while Dauntless had absolutely nothing in her head.
But they both stood there and said nothing.

[Longstorm]

Hopeless didn't feel the same way. She was practically cat-dancing when she saw Shadowstar's lifeless body fall to the ground. Now they didn't have a leader. Now the one with the strongest will would lead. The one with the most experience.
That was her.

Paleclaw watched with some sadness as his uncle died. For all of his faults, Shadowstar had been a brilliant leader, perhaps the greatest Abyssclan had ever seen.
"Now what," his voice was like a great branch cracking in the silence.

Colorless, no longer in the prison, only gaped at Shadowstar's body. "See," she hissed softly to no one, "see, now he's dead. Now it's all worthless. Now there's nothing." All of her plans, all of her desires, they seemed rather useless now that her leader, her great leader, was dead.
There was nothing.
Hissing softly even as she went, Colorless slunk out of the camp, most likely to never be seen again.

[Loki]

OOC: Great love of Starclan! We thought you'd abandoned us!?
IC:
Trueskin looked up grimly and his face was screwed up with contorted pain. His broken leg was swung back in a queer position and he knew that he'd never hunt nor fight again. Perhaps his comrades would see him as a minority and so kill him.
He knew few would pity him in these lands but then again he knew with a satisfactory pride that 'this is what made Abyssclan so strong'.
Trueskin felt the blood of their leader under his paws and knew for a fact that there was one more thing Abbysclan needed to face and defeat.
Keeping silent he watched as dark ominous clouds gathered not too far ahead.

[Longstorm]

OOC: Good to be back!

IC: Paleclaw glanced over at Hopeless, seeing her dancing in place. It was shameful, in his mind, that she be so enthusiastic right now. While he wasn't up to a fight, he was considering putting the Servant in her place. He settled for baring his teeth at her.

Hopeless ignored him and spun to Charmless, then looked around. "Where are the Choosings," she asked impatiently. "I need one of them to get the patrol!" She was most certainly in her own little world at the moment, seeing herself as leader already.

[Meany]

Luckless's ears flicked in annoyance, but she was a tad wary of the eldest she-cat of the Clan (next to Cunningheart, naturally).
"Erm, I-I think I saw them leave before we... began..."

Charmless glared at Hopeless and turned to look again at Shadowstar - then promptly looked away. While she was glad to see him dead, it was still a shock to see.

[Guest]

Boneless clawed the ground but she wasn't worried.
"Let what may, come." She looked from the body of Shadowstar to Sinface. "Strange - your brother tells me to spare you then you kill our King. Such confidence from the tom who leaves us without a descendant of Scourge." Indeed, the Clan would fall into chaos without a legit heir.

[Longstorm]

Hopeless hissed in annoyance and again, Paleclaw ignored her. "Yes, Sinface, who will lead us now? Without an heir, Abyssclan will fall to ruin and Cityclan will die."

Meanwhile...
Beneath the surface, Searingeyes sat with his comrades and Switchblade, their newest addition to their Circle.
"Shadowstar is dead," he mewed gravely. "Now the time has come when the Clan will feel fear." The brown tom's eyes were glowing and his voice was almost not his own. "But take heart; all will be mended and we shall see the luster at the end of the utter void."

[Runfast]

Sinface looked at Paleclaw and hissed, "I had my reasons, Paleclaw." He looked at Hopeless and rolled his eyes then looked at all of the dead bodies. "We need to get them ready to be buried." He looked at Paleclaw and hissed, "Or would you rather join Shadowstar?"

Meanwhile...

Soulvoider sighed softly, looking at the sandy ceiling above. "The sun will set and the new King of Abyssclan will rise as the Blood of the Moon wills it."

In a Land Far, Far Away...

Cold, missing Choosing of Abyssclan in Darkclan territory, was watching. He didn't know how or why, but somehow his dream was showing him many places in his home, places he knew and places he'd never seen.
Shadowstar dead? So many Warriors dead? What was his Clan coming to?
Little did the gray ticked Choosing know, the Stone he took from the Chamber of the Moon was connected to the other Stones scattered throughout all of the territories, controlled by the main section in the Chamber. The smallest fragment connected you to the places surrounding it, even the people. But only slightly in other territories aside from Abyssclan and Cityclan. They could only have a sense of the general weather or morale in enemy territories, but it was useful all the same.
That was how Cold, so far away, could see these things, Powerfuls, Warriors, and Scourge himself roaming the camp early in the morning.

[Meany]

Luckless looked at the dead bodies with a flicker of disdain. All of them had agonized expressions, and they smelled. Except Shadowstar, which was just weird - he smelled earthy, and he just looked angry.
Charmless was looking too and shuddered, her half-face an expression of discomfort.
It was one thing to make a plan and execute it, but they didn't think about having to clean up!

"Whatever happened to the Warriors bowing at our feet," Luckless had padded up to Boneless, who seemed more sane than Hopeless (if that was possible) and was hissing in her ear. Her ears flicked in disappointment when she saw her friend dragging out Bloodclaw's body from the Mender's Den.

[Loki]

Switchblade sat quietly,listening to the unknown voices. Dark cats walking past him and purring maliciously into his ears. "It is soon!" They whispered, "In the storm! Beware it cracks, it cracks!"
"Look out! Behind you!"
Switchblade jumped in shock, looking behind him... embarrassed; his ears grew hot and he sat back down.
For a moment he said nothing but wavered the thought of speaking...
"Ooh, he keeps silent,", "Look at him shake!"
Switchblade felt as if he could tear out their throats and finally said, "We should welcome the rains..."

[Runfast]

Grace and Dauntless began to take care of the bodies, as did everyone else - even if they all sidestepped Shadowstar's body out of fear, respect, and superstition.

OOC: I think the arrival of the patrol will be a different topic since this is sunhigh and the patrol will get here at sundown...

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