Snake and Kin (open)

[Velvetstar]

Night was apon Dark Poison Hollow and Snake slipped through the thicket of sharp thorns into the deep cavarn like camp. He was looking for kin, the leader of Dark Poison. He had a bone to pick with the absent minded leader. Well, not absent minded. Snake just didn't like following the She-cat. He grew up knowing that She-cat's weren't fit to rule.
"Kin!" He hissed into the she-cat's den. He was in a foul mood. Maybe this was his day that he would be second in command of Dark Poison. Maybe not.

[Kin]

As a kit, Kin had been weak and uncertain. Freshly separated from her brothers, sister and parents, she couldn't even remember her own name. The tiny she-cat, then just barely bigger than a newborn kit, had traveled in the hopes of finding her family. What she found was an ornery alley cat swathed with scars. He called himself Reaper, and said he'd known her father, Samhain. According to Reaper they'd been members of a group called Dark Poison together, and left for unspecified reasons.

Reaper raised Kin, gifting her with a name that she refused to use to refer to her family, the word all cats used. He trained her to fight, to hunt, to survive. The scraggly gray tom's methods were harsh, but nowhere near as harsh as the world outside of his protection. She applied herself to her studies and eventually even mastered her emotions and displays thereof. Kin cloaked herself in layer upon layer of masks, until even she could hardly tell who the real Kin was, and who was the illusion, the mask.

At the tender age of ten moons Kin left Reaper's side to find Dark Poison. It took hardly four days to find them, and they welcomed her in gladly, if roughly and crudely. She was apprenticed to a harsh old cat, old enough to be an elder had he belonged to a Clan, who went by the name of Revenge. He took Reaper's place as her mentor and protector, though Revenge could never become the father figure in her mind that the alley cat was. She trained until fourteen moons of age, when the still-tiny she-cat was determined to have sufficent skill to be inducted as a full follower.

Shortly afterwards, Revenge died in a battle over territory with WindClan. Kin's vague dislike of the Clans tipped over into icy, deep hatred- the sort that could outlive the Sun and Moon themselves. The black she-cat became almost a berserker in battle, and quickly climbed the ranks as a result. Her ruthlessness and cold, empty orange eyes were a badge of the life she'd lived. Dark Poison's second in command died as well, and the ailing leader chose Kin as the replacement.

The tiny black rogue found herself in the position of leader at the tender age of twenty moons. She'd buckled down on Dark Poison, raising standards of hunting and battle skill. Their ranks swelled with skilled fighters and hunters under her leadership. And, as with any group where the successor is not chosen by the majority, some of her followers did not truly believe that Kin belonged in the position of leader. Kin was not an idiot by any means, and held those who doubted or outright did not believe she could leave at tail's length.

Speaking of nonbelievers... Snake's hiss drew Kin out of her reminiscing, and her orange eyes narrowed. When she had begun her contemplation of the past, the Sun had just begun to sink below the horizon. It was now full night, a time of shadows and Dark Poison deeds. She rose inside the large cavity inside the camp's largest thorn bush and bit back a sigh. Snake coveted the position of second in command, but Kin was reluctant to grant it to him while he held the opinion she was not a sufficient leader.

Giving a contemptuous tail-flicker, Kin strode from her den, narrowed, flinty orange eyes boring into Snake's own. "What do you want, Snake? Is it so important that you feel you must keep it secret?" The barb was subtle, but there all the same. If Snake did not want any of the other rogues to know about his aspirations toward the position of second in command, then he would have to remain calm- or at least, quiet. Otherwise, competitors might feel pressured to... eliminate one another. And that was something that Kin would not tolerate.

[Velvetstar]

"Absolutely not, Kin. I think you just need to start providing for your clan. It isn't just my job to do it." Snake hissed, hinting on heavily that he wanted to be second in command. Badely. "Why don't you go out and hunt for a bit. It will do you some good." he said through gritted teeth, getting more irritated than ever.

"There is a gathering coming up, by the way. I do believe that would be the perfect time to attack one or two of the mangy clan's while their best cats are away to the gathering." Snake hinted again. He was iching for a fight. And not just with the other four clans. He bared his teeth at Kin again. "So, what do you say almighty leader?"

[Kin]

Kin's orange eyes narrowed at the insolent tone in Snake's voice. She knew he wanted to be promoted to Second in Command, but there were other candidates to consider, as well as the fact that they put more effort into their work with something to prove. Of course, it had been a while since last she hunted, to her astonishment. Time seemed to fly within the confines of Dark Poison Hollow, from where she ruled the rogue group with iron claws. The petite leader drew in a calming breath as Snake continued, oblivious to her mounting ire.

"I know about the gathering," Kin purred, mew a silken caress to the listener's ears. "Their leaders and main forces may be at the gathering, but they do not leave only incompetent idiots behind. Unless we simply choose one Clan to strike at, we will be unable to rouse sufficent forces to enact a successful raid." She held herself regally, somehow staring down her muzzle at Snake while looking up at him. Truly, she must have been cursed to be plagued with followers such as these.

Although... "I shall consult with the Dark Stars on their opinion. And, who knows, they might even tell me who they wish to be promoted to my second in command." The last quip was a barb designed to keep Snake behaving at least decently, for him. Without waiting for so much as an aknowledgement, Kin turned and strode from her den, toward the exit of the Hollow.

She padded along the familar dark and forboding trails. Being underground never really fazed the former alley cat, and Kin moved through the earthen passages as though born to them. Her tiny body wove around protrudances too large for her frame- which were far more numerous for her than the other rogues. The tunnels gave an air of haunting certainty, and a looming presence.

Those presences were watching the Dark Poison leader, and awaited her arrival into an alcove known only to Dark Poison's leader and Second in Command. Kin arrived without unduly delaying her deceased groupmates, and settled herself respectfully at the head of the spectral congregation. Pelts of all colors blended together, black and cream and white and ginger, all blurring together until they appeared as one enormous calico she-cat.

"Kin," thundered the calico. "You have been summoned to the Alcove of Ancestors by the Dark Stars; we have a warning for you." The black leader's eyes widened minutely, and she kept her attention on the calico, riveted. Naturally, anything that Calypso, founder and first leader of Dark Poison had to say was of utmost importance. Anything to do with Kin's life and leadership was simply doubly so. "Beware the betrayal, for there shall be one who turns their back upon the sinful night to gather the elements together with the night in their paws."

Even Kin, whose somewhat practical mind hobbled her ability to decipher prophecies had no difficulties interpreting this one. Sinful night was obviously Dark Poison. The elements were the Clans (Thunder for Fire, Wind for Air, River for Water, and Shadow for Earth), and the betrayer was most likely a member of Dark Poison. For whatever reason, Kin's mind jumped briefly to Snake. The insolent idiot would try something foolish, her mind sneered. Then, it caught up with itself and almost froze in shock. A threat to all five meant that they might have to work together to eradicate the threat.

Fox dung.

Kin sighed and bowed deeply to the fading figure of Calypso. The ancient she-cat gave an amused nod in reply, secretly touched by the rare show of respect. Both felines sighed and went their separate ways, Calypso to rule the horde of dead rogues that populated Dark Poison, and Kin to hunt for her own group of rogues.

[Velvetstar]

Snake watched the black she-cat pad away and exit Dark Poison Hollow. He hissed in frustration and thought better against following the leader. He had better things to do.

OOC//: Yes, Um... we need to do some major advertising for members so that this site can really get going! But i like the idea of cats from each clan doing that. It would make up for a good plot!