[Insidious]

&

There was an unusual glint in the pale furred she-cat's gaze upon the outing, just as there was an unusual skip to her step – unusual, but seemingly ordinary considering her choice in company. A thoughtful glance was spared over lithe shoulders, light blue eyes keen to fixate upon the black-and-white tom following close behind. Remembering with fond accuracy how he once appeared as a kit and comparing it to him now; Nightpaw had certainly grown into a well-muscled, and by normal standards, attractive tom. Enjoying the silence that lingered between them, though looking for an ice-breaker all the same, Palepaw settled on a gentle flick of her tail underneath his jaw, a smile cracking the corner of her golden-brown lip before her attention returned frontwards once again.

She hadn't considered where she wanted to take him; seeing him willing to tag along regardless had been enough to put her frantic heart-rate at ease. All she knew is that, by now, they were definitely traveling along LightningClan's border with all things unclaimed. Palepaw hadn't decided whether or not she wanted to cross, so she kept her paws angled in a straight line that both remained in her territories, yet close enough that if her mind was to be altered it could be done so without the movement having to look sloppy.

Pausing, the she-cat pivoted in a graceful, fluid motion, tilting her chin upward to be eye-level with Nightpaw – he'd gained some height over her these past few moons as warriorhood began to near. “So Nightpaw, listen--” Perhaps, she was finally getting the courage to say the words she'd kept on the tip of her tongue for many a moon. Perhaps, the egotistical, courageous version of herself that Nightpaw so easily shattered was about to make a strong comeback? Regardless of whatever she was about to do, it had vanished from her mind in a fleeting instant all with the minor gesture of allowing her eyes to avert just over the tom's head and into the nearby trees.

“Wh—who are you?” Rarely was Palepaw the type to stammer so mindlessly in front of a stranger; never before had she been so cautious. However, with what had occurred the last time her and Nightpaw had come face-to-face with an ominous-looking feline, things had taken a turn for the worse. This one, amidst the tree branches, a crystalline blue stare fixated upon them with what appeared no intention of being noticed – ominous.

The black feline scrambled backward a step upon recognition that the apprentice's voice was directed to her. I wasn't supposed to be noticed! Yes, I was following them – only to familiarize with them though, not to be noticed! She blinked sharply, her facial expression in no way-shape-or-form an indication toward the thoughts bubbling over in her mind. When it became clear that they had no plans of leaving without an explanation, however, the lithely bodied black feline began to with practiced skill maneuver the length down the tree. Upon reaching eye-level with the duo – yet a good foxlength remained between them as of yet – Insidious remained still, eerily quiet.

“I asked you a question.” Palepaw abruptly snapped, the fur along the back of her neck straight as pins.

No response, just a piercing stare.

[BlooRey DVD]

[smear:000000]Nightpaw[/smear:6f6f6f]

~~~~~~~~~

The black and white tom moved at an easy pace, slightly behind the pale furred she-cat. It was obvious to anyone who might be watching that it was the she-cat leading, and not the powerful, yet slim-built tom. Nightpaw didn't mind following Palepaw. She always seemed to lead them into interesting situations. The last outing they'd been on had taken a twist, going from simple moonlit outing into a brawl that had almost ended in a death beneath his claws. Almost. The slightest excitement (though it really shouldn't be called such a name, as it was something much darker than plain old excitement) ripped through his body, requiring him to put in an effort to make sure his coat remained flat. He blinked his now singularly colored eyes (they had finally decided on a color, the blue of his kithood evaporating to give way to a sharp yellowy-gold that now dominated his rather haunting gaze), dismissing the flame that threatened to ignite in his eyes.

His attention was momentarily taken from his thoughts by the pale beauty before him, when her gaze was suddenly upon him, and her tail tapped him on the jaw. His amber gaze met her eyes for a moment and the slightest grin pricked his mouth. There was certainly never a dull moment when you spent time with this she-cat. After his lighter-furred companion turned her attention back to the forward direction, Nightpaw's expression seemed to lose any life it might have gained. His blank, haunting gaze swept the undergrowth before them, wondering where Palepaw was taking them. She had mentioned before departing that she had had no idea where she wanted to go. This had only made it more appealing to the tuxedo tom. Excitement followed mystery, after all.

It was during their trek that Nightpaw's ears pricked, the tuxedo tom thinking he'd heard something. Before he could address it, however, he found himself forced to slow to a stop as Palepaw paused and pivoted to face him. Glancing downwards slightly, so that he would be able to meet her eyes, the black and white tom's questioning gaze remained focused on Palepaw, wondering what in the name of StarClan she had thought was so important that it required her to stop. Must be really important then. He thought to himself, ears swivelling as her voice started.

The she-cat froze, however, her gaze flashing towards something behind him. The muscles in his body tensed as he recalled the sound he'd thought he'd heard. Pivoting in a swift movement, hard amber eyes landed upon the figure as it clambered down the tree. His eyes narrowed as he refused to take his gaze off of this newcomer. What does she want? What is she doing on LightningClan territory? Even when pressed by his companion, this stranger did not make a sound, simply stared at them with a sharp blue gaze.

Stepping forward, not nearly raised to his full height, the LightningClan apprentice's cold voice slipped out, something dangerous clawing its way to the surface of his gaze. "She asked you a question. I recommend you answer it. Who are you, and what are you doing on LightningClan territory." There was no growl in his voice. In fact, there was nothing but a seemingly bleak, chilling tone. And yet... It was easily said that it was precisely this lack of anything that made the tuxedo tom sound all the more threatening.

[Insidious]

&

The black she-cat's icy stare flickered from the female apprentice, to the male as each took their turn to address her. There was a noticeable difference between them, one of which intrigued the curious loner to an apparent no-end. Palepaw was notably wary, being inclined to appear threatened and, therefore, open to the concept of attack. Whereas her companion, Nightpaw, spoke with a tone that lacked any traces of nervousness or skepticism – he was blank, which in turn was curious for Insidious. Immediately, her instincts to turn-tail and flee were overpowered by her desire for knowledge. Why does she seem so taken aback by my presence; has she never seen a loner before? Why is he so utterly calm; is it difficult to frighten him? Tilting her head to the side, the she-cat took a gracious step closer, her eyes keen to receive a better look as opposed to any hidden drive to near the pair of apprentices. “I was not searching for your names, therefore, I see no reason for mine to be the first question of yours, either.” Halting, Insidious settled into a content sit, her stance non-defensive and instead similar to that of an elder looking to stir conversation. “Although, I can answer your second question: I am here simply to observe, not to cause trouble and, originally, not to have been seen. It's quite intriguing to try and understand the curious lives of you clan cats.”

Her gaze, formally fixated upon Nightpaw, drew away from him to find rest within the pale blue depths of Palepaw's eyes. A brief silence lingered between them, before Insidious parted ebony jaws and formulated the first of many questions: “You seem nervous, young one. I'll be the first to say that a surprise attack was not my plans, though regardless I'm curious of what lead you to believe otherwise? If you so happened to believe such at all.” Insidious, once on the hunt for a deeper understanding, could quite honestly not care less how much she appeared to be sticking her nose in business where it didn't belong. If Palepaw hadn't been inclined to make her presence in the trees known, then she could have easily escaped Insidious's ominous stare and questioning tone. She, however, had fallen for the trap – now, Insidious wouldn't be finished until there was nothing left to be known.

Palepaw flinched ever-so-slightly once Insidious turned her attention toward her, shuffling backward a mouselength to ensure Insidious know she wasn't fond of the idea of her nearing anymore than she already had. Pale blue narrowed upon registering her question, baffled by her behavior – she had entered LightningClan territory absent of an escort or any true reason at all, and yet here she stood, as if obligated to question the duo of apprentices. “Oh, I don't know, maybe the fact that you were watching us from the trees had been a little misleading.” The pale furred she-cat's tail tip twitched hastily, her skin crawling with mistrust – this feline was odd, which therefore, had set Palepaw a little on edge. “Now, I suggest that you get off of LightningClan territory – not everyone is so willing to look the either way; you could get yourself in a lot of trouble.”

When Insidious didn't so much as a flinch a muscle – she didn't even process a blink, simply continued to stare at what felt like directly through Palepaw's soul – Palepaw got very unamused. She couldn't stop herself from linking this experience to the one that had occurred at their border with TreeClan, and that was certainly an experience she vowed not to face again. What did this cat want? And why was it important enough to keep her from leaving their territories when directly asked?

“I'm not a clan-cat; I assumed you two would be able to decipher the scent.” Lightly shrugging her shoulders, Insidious dismissed the topic, having only brought it up to further a point of hers. “And since I'm no warrior, that in turn means that your beloved code is not one I take into consideration – you have your rules, I have mine.” None. It was perhaps one of the few benefits of being a loner – you had no rules to follow.

[BlooRey DVD]

[smear:000000]Nightpaw[/smear:6f6f6f]

~~~~~~~~~

Nightpaw's eyes narrowed slightly at the loner. As much as he hated to admit it, she had a point with what she said. The only acknowledgement he gave her to having heard her words at all was a slight dip of his head, a silent, barely visible acceptance. His sharp yellow gaze narrowed fractionally, however, as the black she-cat continued, stating that she had come here simply with the intent to observe. The tom was not particularly uneasy at the moment. He didn't like this she-cat, didn't like her presence in LightningClan territory, but she didn't send him into a nervous state. Why should he be nervous? However, something changed in him the moment her sharp blue eyes drifted away from him, to land on where he knew Palepaw was standing behind him... He shifted, growing straighter, rising to his full height. His lip twitched and his eyes began to burn with an inexplicable fire.

He couldn't explain it, but there was something within him that hated the thought of this black loner looking at Palepaw. It wasn't jealousy, after all the black she-cat was... Well a she-cat. And he was pretty certain Palepaw's interest did not rest in the female portion of the world. The tuxedo tom simply felt incredibly protective of his pale furred companion. It was almost overwhelming, his desire to protect Palepaw at all costs. Then the loner began talking to her, commenting on the fact that she seemed nervous. Oh Palepaw was nervous. Nightpaw could feel it crawling over his skin. Normally, others' nerves didn't make the tom feel so... So uneasy. But just knowing that Palepaw was feeling that uncomfortable, and that this black loner was the reason behind it....

It was like throwing gasoline on a fire.

For a brief moment, Palepaw's voice distracted the tom from the growing desire to destroy the black loner. Perhaps the stupid she-cat would finally get the message and leave. It would all be for the best, he was sure. However, life had a funny way of disregarding what would be easiest, preferring instead to force the little pawns that made up its inhabitants into the worst possible situations, and watching them claw their way out. It became clear that this particular meeting would not be an exception to life's little games.

As he listened to her words about not being a Clan cat, and not following their rules, his anger began to grow. He could feel it ignite somewhere deep within his belly, before spreading over him at an extraordinary speed. It tore through him, like fire running through his veins, and ever so slowly, the signs began to show on his body. His lips peeled back revealing his sharp white teeth. Pin-needle claws slipped into the earth, ripping into it with ease. Oh how he wished it was the loner's skin beneath his claws, and not the ground.

And all the while, Palepaw grew more nervous.

The fire of anger burned so brightly within him now that he couldn't stay still any longer. In one smooth motion, Nightpaw side stepped, interrupting the eye contact between the two she-cats by forcing himself between them, his deadly yellow eyes commanding the loner's blue ones to look at him and not at his pale furred companion. He took a step forward, his body sliding forward with ease, his muscles rippling along his back as his eyes never once left the loner. "I will not" He began, taking another step forward. "Ask you" And another. "Again."

The distance between the two dark furred cats was quickly being closed off. A few foxlengths was nothing for Nightpaw's deadly stalking. It was obvious that he was no longer interested in these stupid word games. Not when Palepaw was involved. His voice, which had remained stable and neutral up until this point, dropped into a deadly snarl, one that ripped through his throat. "Leave LightningClan's territory. Now."

[Insidious]

&

Her blue eyes would have remained upon the paler furred of the two, intrigued by the ever-growing unease that radiated from her features: from the stressful twitching of her tail-tip, to the intense focus of her own lighter blue gaze. She, however, was interrupted from this desirable array of action when the tom stepped between her direct visual of Palepaw, her eyes fleetingly traveling up the length of the black apprentice's body before implementing within his amber stare, fixated upon her with a fierce violence. This drew a notable smirk to her muzzle, juggling the probability of this tom having an emotional attachment to the she-cat just barely out of sight, therefore fueling him to protect her from such an unnerved state of mind. His companion didn't seem to mind, the way her body discernibly took comfort in the shield he mirrored to be, pretty eyes intent upon the back of his black-and-white head, revealing an obvious element of affection. Young love, how beautiful it was – if only she was able to know the half of it, because this was far more than a simple tale of apprentice romance.

The larger of the pair, Nightpaw, was eerily enraged. She took recognition of his tightened jaw, the malevolent hiss that broke free from his throat having admittedly caught the ebon loner off guard, though not enough so that she was forced into retreat as he so angrily demanded of her. Insidious remained firmly in place, even as the apprentice took confident, stretched strides toward her in what she could only assume a portrayal of the cruelty to follow. She was here for insight upon the LightningClan pair, and all this male was doing was providing her with more unanswered questions. The level of irritation that emitted from each purposefully placed paw only created more curiousity, the aggression with which he attempted to dismiss Insidious an unusual response to the actions she had partook in. Was there something here she was missing, perhaps?

Palepaw watched, wide-eyed and visibly frightened, as Nightpaw began to diminish with the distance that lay sprawled between Insidious and himself. Yes, the ebon she-cat had unsettled her to the point she had considered taking her and Nightpaw's stroll elsewhere. But from the looks of it, Nightpaw was planning to deal with it in a manner she hardly believed this loner to be deserving of. Violence was not the answer; this could be handled in a better, more peaceful way. Palepaw could only watch, fear-struck and frozen because of it, as the distance continued to evaporate. A fearful gaze was locked upon the black she-cat, hoping with all of her heart that she'd get the hint and leave here before it was too late. But, so it seemed she didn't plan on doing so – she had to be mouse-brained to not possess even a smidgen of fear toward the probability of her life being ended today.

In a shocking display of heroism, Palepaw scurried to her paws and darted forward, her pale fur mingling with Nightpaw's own black-and-white as she passed him, pivoting directly before the tom so that if he wished to continue pursuing the loner, he'd need to walk around her. Light blue eyes, rounded with terror, settled into Nightpaw's own piercing amber – even seeing him like this didn't stop her heart from skipping a beat when sharing such a close proximity. “Stop!” She had meant for the single word to sound confident, but as of now, she had no idea if she was capable of calming Nightpaw down, this causing her voice to crack and present itself weakly. “Don't do this, please don't.” She stood before him – believe it or not being all that protected the loner, still seated contently to observe the unfolding drama, from Nightpaw's pending havoc – huffing due to having had the courage to place herself in the path of awaiting death. No matter what, she knew that she couldn't let Nightpaw do anything he'd regret – unknowing to the fact that he likely wouldn't have regretted his actions.

[BlooRey DVD]

[smear:000000]Nightpaw[/smear:6f6f6f]

~~~~~~~~~

Everything was slipping away from him. The forest, the sounds, the sky above, his control. He was a predator, stalking his prey, and his prey wasn't trying to flee. It was intoxicating to him, the tuxedo tom fully prepared to end her life with as little effort as was needed. This pathetic black she-cat had no idea who he was, no idea who his mentor was. She didn't know just what he was capable of. His sharp yellow eyes burned with a sickening desire, hollow except for his overwhelming, and very dark desire. It wouldn't be much longer now... She was so close, having not moved as he had approached her.

He found himself visualizing every possible outcome. He could go for the front of her neck, tearing into her throat and letting her bleed out before him. He could take a little more time, aim for the back of the neck, where he could do untold damage to the nerves there, and possibly even to her spinal cord. Or, he could take even more time. This one was perhaps his favourite. If he could get a good enough hold on her, flip her to the ground and pin her, he could tear her chest, or her stomach open, and let her bleed her life away that way. The lower he aimed, the more likely she was to be able to see the damage. She could watch the very fluid keeping her alive trickle away and mix into the grass. Then she would know. She would know what she'd done wrong, and perhaps she would regret having ever entered LightningClan's territory.

What he hadn't been expecting was to be interrupted. He was perhaps three or four tail lengths away, just barely enough room to fit another cat, when he felt fur brush against his own. His ear twitched, the only sign that he'd felt it at all. It was the scent that brought his attention from the loner's blue eyes. His sharp stare landed upon the ever-familiar figure of Palepaw just as the she-cat performed a quick turn around, stopping so that their eyes locked together. Fearful blue clashed with deadly yellow, Nightpaw's step slowing mid-swing.

When she spoke, Nightpaw's ears swivelled forward, his attention glued to her. He could hear the fear etched into her words, he could feel it radiating from her. Normally, fear only succeeded in fuelling the dangerous fire within him. It had been Onyxpaw's fear that had really dipped him into a state where he would have readily taken her life. And yet... Knowing that it was Palepaw's fear, that Palepaw was scared... He wanted to protect her, to eliminate that fear. He wanted her to never need to fear again. It was such a bizarre, twisted sentiment that the tuxedo tom's movements stopped. He stood before Palepaw, his gaze swimming with his nearly overpowering, protective will, and the ever present darkness that threatened to grip him. His lip twitched, a bizarre sound, barely audible, escaping him. It was caught somewhere between a snarl and a whine. He gazed at her, almost as though he expected her to step back, to allow him to finish what he started. When she didn't, a part of him hissed to knock her aside, and to go for the kill on the black loner. And yet he didn't move, didn't even blink.

There was another part of him that spoke louder, pushing through the fog of black desire. And oddly enough, it seemed to take the form of Palepaw's voice. His eyes narrowed, their sharpness apparent as he gazed evenly at her. His chest expanded as he breathed in, pulling the fear stained air into his lungs. And once again, it was Palepaw's fear. His gaze moved away from her, locking onto the loner behind him. Oh he still wanted to rip into her flesh, make her pay for creating Palepaw's unease. It was clear in the way his eyes blazed. But the tom didn't continue his advance. In fact, when he shifted, it was to take a step back. The most peculiar urge swept over the tom, and he figured that, had the she-cat used a slightly more forceful voice, he would have lowered himself to the ground and rolled onto his side. Whatever she wanted, he would obey, such was how he felt. In that moment, he had to stop himself from performing the roll, instead turning his gaze back to Palepaw's beautiful blue gaze.

[Insidious]

&

It was like cold water being poured onto fire, at long last distinguishing the burning flames and bringing peace to what managed to survive the frightful scenario – this was precisely how it felt to see Nightpaw take a step back. Relief settled in her stomach, the frantic butterflies subsiding as her rapid breaths were finally able to calm. Her light blue eyes, having hardened due to the pressure of throwing herself between a deadly carnivore on the hunt, slowly softened as she met the tuxedo tom's own sharp amber. The blaze of hatred was still there, this emotion lingering in the very back of his eyes. But Palepaw didn't care about that, caring only for the fact that despite this immense desire for violence, he had stopped. All she had to do was ask.

All she had to do was ask...

Confusion fleetingly consumed her, but signs of it didn't dare show. Slowly yet surely, a smile found its way onto her golden-white jaw, steadily regarding the tom before her with affectionate eyes. She couldn't help herself – she didn't know if it was safe to approach him just yet; the anger was still visible – from throwing herself into him. Her head pressed into the base of the tom's neck, a soft purr emitting from deep in her throat. She hadn't thought about how long she had wanted to do that until it was done, but now that it had begun, she couldn't find it within herself to pull away. She was thoroughly pleased that he had actually listened to her practically beg for the unnecessary violence to cease – Palepaw didn't think that would have been enough to save the ebon she-cat's life.

Speak of the fearless devil.

Pale blue eyes watched, admittedly taken aback, as her unexpected savior had found a way to bring an abrupt end to the pending cruelty soon to follow. What was truly bizarre about it all was how easily she had managed to do so. The slight twitch of her tail indicated her satisfaction, observing – a little too intensely given the privacy usually expected for an affectionate exchange – as the she-cat' body mingled with the tom's own; it was as if his previous signs of pure malevolence no longer mattered to her. “You two --” she addressed the apprentice pair smoothly, as if the situation had never turned hostile at all. “-- you two are fascinating, indeed.”

Muscles constricted beneath her thin blanket of black fur, her legs unfolding from their content sit to indicate her time to depart. Although she hadn't gained the insight she had been searching for, she believed herself to have been introduced to something far more intriguing. Their romance was not as ordinary as she had originally assumed, having somehow linked the tom's inner monster to the she-cat's plead for an end. Insidious hadn't gotten all of the information she had desired, but it was a start. For now, a start was enough to fuel her longing. “Fascinating.” She repeated, throwing the word over her lithe shoulders as she pivoted a meticulous circle, chuckling softly as she padded into the nearest enclosure of underbrush.