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Post by Tachi on Apr 22, 2013 20:57:49 GMT
It was a grey day on which a Eurasian lynx could be found making her way across the rooftops, slowly and carefully moving through the territory of the Iris pack. Far above the sky was hidden behind a layer of ominous clouds, that pressed upon the city like a blanket. You could feel a storm was coming, and soon. Sky glared at the clouds and wished it would just start already - say one thing about Sky, say she's no good at waiting. But for the moment there was only the wind that clawed at her, constantly threatening to tear her down when she reached a dead end and was forced to make the jump from one rooftop to another. Everytime she landed, one of her hind legs buckled slightly beneath her, threatening to give away while it sent lightningbolts of pain through her body. The injuries she had obtained in the battle with Tempest, had yet to heal completely, and she was still weak. But the former Lexis Protector continued forward.
After a while she reached the old industrial area and the residential areas she'd been moving through turned to warehouses and factories. There were only a couple out here, as the majority of Hexasol's former industry could be found out west. But one of these buildings was the Slaughterhouse, which now served as the prison to the Iris Pride. But this wasn't her destination. Close to the Slaughterhouse was an anonymous warehouse marked with the Roman numeral VI - it was there that she was headed. But as she closed in upon her goal, a shape in the shadows caught her attention. She froze, adrenaline surging through her veins, her mind willing her amber eyes to penetrate the shadows. She knew him. All of Hexasol knew him, like they'd known his mother. She gazed warily over her shoulder, wondering if she could outrun him. Probably not. Her amber eyes turned back to the feline, wondering why he of all people could be found on Iris soil.
"You're Denim, aren't you? Florence's bastard."
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Post by Picasso on Apr 22, 2013 21:50:30 GMT
The rooftops were slippery as Denim precariously jumped between them. It wasn't raining, but the prickle on the back of his neck told him a storm was approaching. The sky was an ugly black as he padded along the loose tiles. It had been a long time since he'd done this - he had been merely a cub - but he fondly remembered memories of him and his siblings chasing and hiding amongst the roofs. Sighing wistfully, he peered down at the alleys below him. He spotted a guard patrolling and Denim held his breath. It wasn't long before the guard continued walking on his daily route, and Denim continued his walk. It was a foolish adventure. Denim was alone and he craved a little excitement. Trespassing on Iris territory gave him an exhilarating rush that left his heart pounding.
He had no particular destination. Denim was careful not to stray too near the slaughterhouse. He had vowed never the enter the tormented building again. He was well aware of the tortured canines, shackled by invisible chains, taunted by cruel felines and starved until they were emaciated. Shuddering, he gazed into the distance, where he could vaguely see the rubble of where the hospital had once stood. Denim had only been a cub when the explosion happened; but he remembered it clear as day. The hospital had once held dozens of canines, locked away in their own room to turn insane. How had he not realised how evil this Pride had been? Granted, he'd been young, but he should've known. Denim often wondered how things would have changed if he'd done something differently.
The lion continued on his journey. The hospital was filled with bittersweet memories. He had spent half of his cubhood there with his three other siblings. Denim missed the times where they'd all got along. And now? Only Alex and Denim remained. Two brothers. Polar opposites. It was almost laughable. Denim had never hated anyone as much as he hated Alex. He had turned into a disgusting monstrosity; the mirror-image of their mother. Shaking his head, Denim leapt onto the next roof, grinning at the thrill. He'd forgotten how fun this had been. Being a feline, Denim really should do more climbing. They were built for such hobbies.
A sight made Denim come to a halt. Two roofs away was a feline. Wary, Denim considered turning back. He didn't wish for a fight with Iris guards. However, as Denim looked closer, he noticed her gait. She was sneaking. With twinkling eyes, Denim jumped again, closing in on her. He vaguely noticed she was wounded, but Denim paid no heed. Half the animals in Hexasol were wounded in some way. There were far too many meaningless battles these days. As Denim slowly sneaked up on her, she examined her markings. She was not recognisable. A newcomer? Perhaps she wished to join? No, she looked far too suspicious to want to join the Iris Pride. With narrowed eyes, Denim jumped again, but this time landing on a lower part of a roof.
The movement had sparked her attention and Denim froze. Staring up at the feline, Denim offered her an awkward smile. He jumped up onto the same roof she was standing on and gazed at her. She knew him. Of course. Everyone knew him. "I was no way a bastard," Denim replied smoothly, watching her like a hawk. She smelled of Lexis. Ah. A survivor. Denim hadn't heard many had escaped the massacre. She had been lucky. Cocking his head, Denim remembered a rumour of Alexander offering the remaining Lexis cats a position in his Pride. Denim had scoffed at the idea. Who in their right mind would do that? Surely not...?
"What's a Lexis girl doing sneaking around the Iris Pride? Taking Alex up on his offer?"
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Post by Tachi on Apr 25, 2013 12:32:54 GMT
When Denim jumped up to the level she was situated on, the lynx withdrew a few paces. Her amber eyes followed his every move, but all he had sone so far was smile at her, and a smile could hardly be called a declaration of war. His words made her huff. "Florence was only capable of spawning bastards... Bastards and bitches and rivers of blood. And then you. The Exile," she replied while she flashed him a toothy grin, her tongue always a tad too quick and much too sharp for her own good. The whole town knew of Denim's part in rescuing the Tempest dog held prisoner by Iris, and his subsequent exile had been the favourite topic weeks later. If there was one thing the citizens of Hexasol loved more than talking about those in power, it was talking about those who had fallen from it.
"What's a Lexis girl doing sneaking around the Iris Pride? Taking Alex up on his offer?"
All good-natured humour slipped from her features as an involuntary growl emerged from her throat. Ears flat against her skull her eyes narrowed to angry slits. "Together with Tempest your beloved brother slaughtered half my tribe, and the other half they herded off Tooth Cliff like a bunch of sheep. The only reason I'd take Alex up on his offer, was if I thought I could get close enough to kill him myself." While she spoke her voice had fallen to a barely audible hiss, her eyes locked on Denim's golden ones. After the last word had left her, her gaze lingered as the silence stretched between them, before she suddenly looked away. On soft paws she walked to the edge of the roof, and stretched her neck as she peered down the road below. Further down, merely three houses away, was Warehouse IV. She looked over her shoulder, back at the lion. "So what's the Exile doing back in forbidden land?"
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Post by Picasso on Apr 25, 2013 15:02:01 GMT
Denim chuckled at the lynx's. He should feel hurt, but the truth was far too difficult to deny. Her nickname for Denim made him study the other feline. It had been a strange year, wherein he had fled the Iris Pride and made a life of his own with Natiri and Take. And then Take had grown up too quickly, Natiri had left him and now he was alone once again. Without even realising, Denim craved company. He had missed the elated feeling he got when speaking to a friend. Whilst Denim knew nothing of his lynx, he felt something rekindle inside. He had remained silent for too long, and he was desperate to keep the conversation going.
The humour quickly vanished, but Denim didn't regret his words. He enjoyed easily riling the smaller cat. The words of the notorious Lexis massacre left a bad taste in Denim's eyes. He had known some Lexis members, who had probably all perished at the paws of Tempest and Iris. The news quickly spread like a wildfire of the Lexis' demise. An Iris lioness - of course it was a lioness - had tricked the Lexis into fighting for peace. Whilst Denim agreed that peace did not get people anywhere, they should not have been so foolish into blindly accepting everything Celia had said. The Tempest Pack were ready and waiting for them. They were crushed like ants under their paws. It was almost insanely laughable how easily the packs were able to demolish the entire Lexis Tribe in one evening.
"That would probably be the only way to kill the infamous Alexander," Denim replied bitterly. Alex was untouchable, or so it seemed. And Celia, this new lioness, just made Denim angry, "Why is it always the lions? They are giving me an awful reputation." Whilst there was humour laced in his words, his eyes held no mirth. No one trusted Denim. As soon as they spotted his large mane, canines and felines alike would flee for their lives. It hurt. Lions were not seen as a compassionate breed. Florence had tainted their name for as long as Hexasol was still standing.
His nickname made Denim return his gaze back to the lynx. There was no decent answer to her question, so the lion shrugged his large shoulders in a reply, "I don't even have your name, Little Lady," "Besides, am I not allowed to take a walk down my distant past?" There was a pause, before he narrowed his eyes, "You never answered my question. You aren't planning to assassinate Alex, are you?"
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Post by Tachi on Apr 25, 2013 15:34:27 GMT
It was clear that if the male lion had wanted her caught by Iris guards, he would've sounded the alarm long ago. Whatever the reason he found himself in Iris territory, and whatever his opinion was of her, Sky could sense no immediate danger emminating from the son of the deceased queen of Iris. She pulled her head back and allowed herself to lower her guard, if just for a moment. Truth be told, she had difficulties keeping upright. With clenched teeth she allowed her body to slowly slump to the ground, until she was lying propped up against the concrete barrier that ran along the edge of the roof. A nearby door showed that the roof had once been accesible to humans. Apparently all humans had been afraid of heights for there were always these tall barriers to prevent them from slipping and falling down. Now it served to shelter Sky's body from unwanted eyes, as she carefully stretched her wounded leg out from underneath her. "Perhaps it's something in your blood. Might be it's a stigma. Punishment for the great sin of being born to the wrong parents," she replied and flashed him yet another smile full of sharp fangs.
Once Denim started to further question her identity and her goal with being there, she turned her eyes from him and absentmindedly studied a crack in the concrete. She trusted him to not attempt to kill her within the next five minutes. Did she dare trust him further than that? There was power in a name. Names were personal. They meant you could hunt people down at a later point. Finally she looked back at the lion. "My name is Sky. And most people prefer to walk where they do not have to fear being hunted and imprisoned - or worse - if caught. And no," his question forced a smile from her, "I do not plan to assassinate Alexander within the next couple of days or so. Those few Lexis members that were not killed or joined Iris, were taken back to the Slaughterhouse as prisoners. Most of them aren't of any use to the pride, and since Florence's death the need for random prisoners to torture has gone down. Today the pride is getting rid of a couple of prisoners, in a warehouse just down the street." She nodded her head in the direction of the mentioned warehouse, then returned her gaze to Denim, a morbid smile twisting her features. "Wouldn't want more Lexis blood than necessary to taint their precious prison, so they take them down here. Efficient, your former family."
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Post by Picasso on Apr 26, 2013 14:33:31 GMT
Denim ignored her comment. She seemed to get satisfaction in insulting others, and Denim wasn't going to rise to the bait. Besides, he didn't even care anymore. He had stopped caring long ago, when there was no use fighting who your parents were. You could never change your blood, and Denim had made it quite clear to his family that he had wanted no part in their life. The only family member Denim had been truly intrigued with was Panja, and he's gone now. Denim's eyes narrowed into slits at Sky's toothy smile. She was enjoying this far too much. Oh what it would be like, to lead a normal life, where no one recognised you? The only way Denim could ever fulfill that life was to leave Hexasol and find another city. The concept scared him, but Denim had tossed the thought over in his mind too many times for it to stop being a meaningless dream. However, Denim knew nothing past the bubble of Hexasol. The furthest Denim was aware of was the endless plains, riddled with hyenas and vultures, waiting for their next meal. He wouldn't risk it.
Sky finally introduced herself, and Denim almost deflated in disappointment when Sky revealed that she wasn't intending to kill Alex. Nevermind, He thought optimistically, That gives me more opportunity to murder him. Shaking the thoughts away, he moved his gaze to down the street, to the large warehouse Denim assumed Sky was referring to. More rescuing? The Iris Pride had a bad reputation with their guarding ability, and Denim had heard from more than one source that they'd become tighter with their security. It had become almost a joke, where countless Tempest dogs had easily entered the Slaughterhouse and Hospital without a second-glance. Denim longed to see the fury on Alex's face when he realised their security had been breached once again. A smile flickered on his face momentarily, before he averted his gaze back to Sky. He hummed in agreement. Denim had never been sure where they had taken the mutilated bodies of their prisoners once they'd perished. When he'd been a cub, Denim assumed there was just a pile in the wilderness of rotting corpses. Denim wasn't going to dismiss that idea.
"I see," Denim chewed over his words,"You are going to assume the position of the heroine and rescue those captured." Denim couldn't help but wonder whether Sky's motive was more than just a good heart. She didn't look like a typical Lexis cat. Had Denim been asked to guess, he would've been more likely to put her in the Iris category, than Lexis. "You're not a very likely candidate for The Lexis Tribe," Denim said, studying her intensely, "I bet you hated Streiter." Denim snorted. It had been too easy for Streiter's name to turn into a joke. Whilst Denim had not been born when Streiter reigned, he had heard the stories. He had heard of Streiter's two-fold seduction and the subsequent cubs. Denim sighed, although his eyes twinkled with amusement. Lions really didn't give him a good name.
Finally, Denim turned away from Sky. Looking over his shoulder, he passed her a toothy smile, "Well, good luck with your heroic rescuing. See you around."
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Post by Tachi on May 4, 2013 19:28:17 GMT
When Sky had finished her tale she fell silent, content with merely observing the male as he worked his way through the information she had handed to him. She could almost see the pieces fitting together in his head, and she realized that he hadn't known. And why would he? Why would the Queen of Iris take her precious children to watch prisoners be executed? You don't expect a prince to take an interest in how the garbage is disposed off. She suddenly had to look at the lion in a new light. How different his life had been from hers. But when he spoke of heroines and rescuing, a bitter laugh left her. "Heroine? Have you seen me? I'm starving and injured. Since the battle I've been running, and when I can't run anymore I hide. I was barely able to get myself here today, and I'll be lucky if I get out of here without being caught." Her voice broke and she cut herself off. She averted her gaze and took a deep breath as she tried to compose herself. She hadn't meant to get emotional, to show him her pain. But truth be told, he was the first friendly soul she'd met since the battle. When she continued talking she forced her voice to be steady again. "Those are my friends dying. I couldn't keep away, even if there's nothing I can do to help them." She looked back at Denim, her gaze calm. "My father was in the Junkyard when Iris came to clean up. I haven't been able to find him... or his body. If there's the slighest chance he's down there..."His comment about her not being Lexis material made her snort. "I joined Lexis because I thought they had the guts to change things. But there's a difference between avocating the course of peace, and actually being willing to do something about it when it matters." She had barely finished talking before he had turned his back on her and walked away. As she saw his toothy smile, a burst of anger flashed through her. "That's it? Is that what you do? Denim son of Florence, the lion who had the guts to stand up to his brother and tell him to go to hell? You just turn your back and walk away?"I'm sorry for the delay! |
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Post by Picasso on May 6, 2013 15:05:42 GMT
Denim's eyes couldn't help but rake over her thin frame. She hadn't had a decent meal in at least a few days, her wounds were deep and could easily become infected, and her eyes were tired and weary. Sadness coiled in his stomach. Sky had lost her entire Tribe; she was clinging to the last thread of hope. Looking back at the warehouse, Denim took a shaky breath. Security must surely be tighter than it had been when he was last here. They - no, she - didn't have a hope in hell of getting in their and rescuing her fellow comrades. If they weren't already dead, they would be soon. The Iris had no use for them, and they were no longer crowding their cells with pointless dogs. He desperately wanted to continue walking back, ignore Sky's words and live in blissful ignorance. But he couldn't. Denim couldn't resist something like this. He wanted to save them all, and he stopped as soon as Sky's words hit his ears. Son of Florence. God, he hated her. Anyone could guess that Denim wanted no ties to his family blood, but here she was, speaking of it as though it was honourable. Glancing over his shoulder, Denim wondered whether she was really so desperate. She was more likely to get killed than to rescue any of the previous Lexis members. The tawny lion almost wished he held such loyalty to a pack.
Finally, Denim turned back to face Sky. Her father was probably dead, but he couldn't let her walk into danger alone. Denim knew these streets better than any Lexis cat. He'd grown up on these streets, and could find the perfect escape route. With sagged shoulders, he made his way towards her, gazing into her bright eyes. "I envy you, in a way," Denim chuckled mirthlessly, "You have a purpose. Here I am, an aimless wanderer. You, on the other hand, are fiercely loyal. I can't see why you would never step up to leadership. You're strong, loyal..." Denim trailed off, "Well actually you're stupid. What did you think you were going to accomplish, storming in there alone?" Shaking his head, Denim peered over the ledge of the roof to watch the guards below. They were foolishly unaware of their presence. Denim did wonder where the Iris Pride hired their stupid guards; they were oblivious and couldn't defend their Pride for toffee. Snorting, Denim leapt onto the nearest roof; one step closer to the Lexis cats.
"So what was your plan? How were you going to get past the guards?" He panted to Sky as he stalked his way across the roof. He spotted a few roof guards nearby, but they were facing the other way. Denim glanced down at the warehouse. There were two guards at the entrance; a tiger and a caracal. Denim didn't recognise them - perhaps they were new and experienced? Denim almost wished he was white like Alex, so he could pass off as his brother. Denim didn't know a single tawny lion that he could fake, and so he was stuck. Killing the guards would just attract more guards. The warehouse was not one Denim was familiar with. Any other main entrance would be highly guarded. He glanced at the windows, where the glass had been shattered. Could they make the jump? Denim stared down at the dizzying height and gulped. If they fell, they would either die or break several bones. He gazed at Sky, waiting to see her thoughts.
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Post by Tachi on May 17, 2013 20:00:56 GMT
She watched her words fly through the air and hit Denim square between the shoulder blades. His muscles tensed, and she would've sworn one could see the anger emanating from his body at the mention of his deceased mother. But when he glanced over his shoulder Sky met his gaze squarely, amber eyes blazing in the middle of an emaciated face. There was so much potential in him, so much power. A lion with a famous name, who knew what he could amount to? He could unite the loners, overthrow Alex. His non-action policy enraged her, and she wasn't going to let him leave without letting him know.
But in the end he turned around and walked back. Sky couldn't hide a little victorious smile, but she made no comment on it. "I would make a poor leader - I make too many enemies and have little patience with the trivialities necessary to make a pack run smoothly. And purpose... purpose is one of the few things we get to choose ourselves. The only way to fail is if we don't choose at all." She gave him a knowing look. Everyone knew that Denim had turned his back on the war to embrace the way of pacifism. Now that was a shitty purpose, if you asked Sky. People rarely did, but that wasn't going to stop her from voicing her opinion anyhow.
The Eurasian lynx forced her body to a stand and willed her legs to carry her. She sighed as she watched Denim's effortless movements, but she made the jump and situated herself besides him on the next roof. "I had no plan. Contrary to what you believe, I'm not stupid. I didn't come here to rescue them, I came to watch them die. No one should die alone, and I'm the only one left to remember them." Sky's voice was calm, an attempt to hide the turmoil inside her. Truth be told, she had been an emotional wreck since the battle. Several times she had been on the verge of bawling like a pup crying for its mother's tit. "Believe it or not, your name still holds power in these lands. If there was one thing Florence succeeded at, it was making the Iris Pride her bitch. These cats are trained to obey and bow to authority. Stroll in there and demand the prisoners be handed to you, in the name of your brother. Most likely they won't do it, but at least it'll confuse them long enough for us to get close." It was a simple plan. A bold plan. And stupid. Sky estimated they had a chance of about 25% to make it out of Pride territory alive. But it was the only plan she got, and she intended to act before Denim had time to change his mind. She pushed herself away from the edge of the roof, and ran for a metal door hanging on one hinge. Doors lead to stairs, and stairs would lead them to the streets. Before she passed through the doorway, she looked over her shoulder and flashed Denim a morbid smile. "Come on, Exile. Let's see if your old family wants to play."
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Post by Picasso on May 17, 2013 20:43:28 GMT
As Denim looked Sky up and down, he couldn't believe the words she said. She would make a bad leader? He scoffed. "Worse than Streiter and Course? I highly doubt that. You could've prevented this from happening." It was a low blow. No one was to know what Celia would do until it was far too late. Sky hadn't wanted to be leader, and he was accusing her of being able to stop the massacre. He sighed and averted his gaze. Although he had never been part of Lexis, it had been the last shred of hope Denim had clung to. The Lexis Tribe stood for what was right, albeit they were very poor at actually achieving anything. Nevertheless, they were the ones canines and felines turned to when they were sick of the war. They merely wanted to achieve peace, and that got them killed. However, the more Denim thought about it, the more he wondered whether it was perhaps for the best. The Lexis Tribe had been purposeless ever since it had been tirelessly created by the old lynx, Abigail. Perhaps the massacre could act as a catalyst for something knew - something better?
When Sky joined his side on the next roof, he perked his ears at her idea. Rolling his eyes, Denim glanced down at the guards. Granted, they were stupid, but not that stupid. He had never been authoritative in his entire life. Suppose it was time to start. It saddened Denim to hear that this was not a rescue mission at all. Eyes softening, he took in a shaky breath. This mission could kill them both, was it really worth all this? If Sky didn't even intend on rescuing any of the canines or felines in there, did Denim really want to put his life at risk? He had no emotional attachment to these animals like Sky did. However, Denim had already made his choice, and he was to help Sky, rescue mission or not. God, what are you doing, Denim? Closing his eyes, he steadied his breathing. Nervousness could kill him.
"You owe me, Lady," Denim uttered under his breath as he sent Sky a glare, before jumping down from the rooftop. Composing himself, Denim tensed his muscles and puffed his chest out. Striding along the street, Denim regarded the guards, who were suspiciously watching him. They hadn't recognised him yet, which was probably a good thing. Narrowing his eyes, he approached them sternly. Staring right into their eyes, he snarled uncannily like his mother used to, making the guards jump in surprise, "Out of my way, you filthy cats," He spat, feeling an odd sense of deja vu, "Under the commands of Alexander, I am to enter this building." The tiger and the caracal exchanged looks between each other, extremely unsure of themselves, "Alexander is not going to enjoy hearing I was kept waiting by a pair of fools." He emphasised.
There was a nod from the caracal, who quickly moved out of the way, however the tiger stood his ground, shocked at the other guard. "You're the exiled brother," The tiger growled, and Denim rolled his eyes. It had taken far too long for the feline to come to that conclusion. "My God, how is it possible that the Iris breeds so many idiots?" He sighed, exasperated, before attacking the tiger in full-force. Denim wasn't a fighter, and he immediately felt the strength and expertise of the tiger. Oh God, I'm screwed, He thought as the tiger sliced his torso with its razor claws. He just hoped Sky would hurry the hell up and help him.
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