The Royal Rogue and the Greedy Huntress

Petalmist quickly shook her head and meowed, embarrased. "Oh no, the prey looks amazing. I just....ummmm...spaced out, I suppose." She headed for a large black bird. Plucking it up, she padded over and settle down near the Queen. "So, Your Grace, what is your goal as Queen. I wa often wondering about asking you this once I met you...If I had ever gotten the chance to. Is it to gain more territory?"

The she-cat ran her claw down the rabbit, splitting it's hide so she wouldn't have to chew through fur. "To unite the Alleys. The cats here are in disarray, they have lost what it means to be wild cat. They grovel at two-leg doors for food, they fight for measly bits of territory. If they unite under us there will be no more fighting, the Alley's will be cleansed and all will become strong, all will become gato montés.(wild cat)" Her eyes burned with her vision of the future.

(Here's where Petalmist's greed shows ) Petalmist tore through her black bird easily. She sunk her fangs into the tender meat and lost herself in her filling meal. Lift her muzzle, she mewed,"Ahh how nice....If I was you, I'd have my heart set on territory. Say you are trying to get the land from those other alley cats, but they know all your tricks. I would send a couple of my warriors, or your Slashers to an area just outside the Alleys. Allow them time to win over the rogue cats there, take control of the land, and have them return here, leaving just a few to protect the land. Just keep doing that with other areas until your army nearly doubles. Those other alley cats would never expect such a thing!" Her eyes glittered with a devious light, a bright grin on her face as she sunk her face back into the bird.

The Rogue-Queen considered her words as she silently ate her rabbit. "We have never thought of that." She meowed licking her paw thoughtfully. "There are some areas that it would be impossible to infiltrate, as the cats there hate us with a passion and are smarter then most. But your idea makes sense. Perhaps we will consider it." She mused. She finished half of the rabbit then motioned for on of her guards to take it away. The same dark tom as before padded forward and dragged it away and up the stairs, careful not to let any blood spill. "Please elaborate on your idea." She meowed.


((I can't wait to show you what they do with the left over food.))

Petalmist just flicked her tail and mewed curtly,"I find that the only way to win a war, is to win it with surprise. Surprise your enemies and they shall be frieghtened stiff, backed into a corner." She had finished her black bird and half jumped when she heard a thick voice filled the air. "So, Malien, must you be so rude. I have brought a gift for Her Grace and wish to present it myself. And besides, you're nothing but a grunt, step aside!" Petalmist heard Malien's growled, but knew she wasn't going to stop the thick accented tom who stood at the entrance. He looked like a shadow, but had a striking white mark down the side of his face.

The Rogue-Queen looked up. "Malien." The Rogue-Queens voice cracked like a whip. "Who disturbs us?" She meowed standing up and stalking up the stairs so she could see the cat who had intruded on her lunch. She stood tall and proud as she stared down to the entrance, her guards slunk into the shadows around the door waiting for the signal to strike.

Malien dipped her head to the queen and meowed,"It is Garth, Your Grace. He says he has brought you a most pleasing gift." The dark ginger she-cat backed into the shadows, leaving the large, battle scarred tom standing off a bit aways. He held something wrapped in a ragged cloth, but Petalmist could see it was bulging.

The she-cat padded over to the alter and jumped up. She settled down again and wrapped her tail over her paws, once again the picture of serene grace. "I thought I told you not to return here, your last gift was.... disappointing." She meowed, her eyes narrowed on the bundle.

"Ahh but this gift wasn't from me. You see, my dear boy, Ghosteyes, you know, the blind one? He was searching like always and came across this." He gently set down the bundle and revealed a shimmering stone of diamond-like crystals. "Being as handicaped as he is,I'm surprised he found this. He told me to bring it to you at once, for he felt that since he couldn't cherish its beauty, he thought you would. Such a sweet kit, Ghosteyes. So blessed. And besides, a gem this fine should have only the highest ranked owner!' he praised the queen. He glanced over to Petalmist and meowe curtly,"Seems what I hear is true, you have a guest. Well then, Madam, I should bid you farewell." He dipped his head once again to both The Queen and Petalmist.

"You shall address us as Your Highness." She meowed and flicked her tail, her guards blocked the entrance. "We wish to meet this 'Ghosteyes.' Bring him here in the next week or your life is forfeit, now leave, and we shall keep the gem." She meowed. "Razor, Malien. Make sure he leaves the territory." She growled. Razor padded up to Garth and shoved him towards the door

Garth chuckled and began to hum a strange tune as the cats forced him out of the church. Petalmist stared after and mumbled,"Strange character, don't you think, Your Grace?" Her long tail ahd curled tightly around her waist, making herself look fluffier than usual.

She closed her eyes. "He is very persistent, he wishes to be in our favor and yet he brings us second rate gifts." She glanced at the gem. "We have no use for rocks, talented cats though, that is a different matter." One of her guards snatched up the gem and padded away with it. "You are a talented cat. We wish to pick your brain some more. Tell us, how would you deal with a captured enemy?" She meowed. She flicked her tail to a small stool in front of the alter, gesturing for Petalmist to sit there.

Petalmist sat down and mewed,"Well, I wasn't normally the brain at home. My brother was and I was the brawn. But I supposed we rubbed off on each other for I have becomed skilled at planning such things as attacks and he became leader of my clan. Now dealing with captured enemies is easy...If you know enough about them. Just use their own fears against them. Death, betrayal, the suffering of their kin, anything works depending on the cat." Her eyes reached the ground.....She was thinking about Sparrowkit again.

The Rogue-Queen watched the young she-cat carefully. "We admit that is a very good way to keep them under wraps." The Queen closed her eyes and thought for a moment, ideas were racing through her head, how could she use this cat to her advantage? "How long to you plan to stay with us?" She asked. She needed to know how long she had to convince the she-cat to work with her, without using more .... desperate measures.

Petalmist's gaze flicked up to the Queen's and she mewed,"As long as it takes for me to realize why I was so drawn to this place. And besides, I doubt my clan would even want me back...." She shuffled and sighed. "For some reason, it just felt like this place called for me." She saw the guards still sitting there and she mumbled,"I forgot to ask you before, but where did they take the rest of Your prey?"

"For the entertainment of course." She meowed meeting the she-cats eyes. "Many come here to find themselves, they say the challenges of this life reveals the true cat within." She was lying of course, but Petalmist didn't need to know that. The Alleys had a power, one which no cat truly understood what it was, but it called to cats, pulled them in to it's darkness and never let them go. If like The Queen you embraced it, you flourished. If you fought it, you died.

Petalmist nodded. "I suppose Your Grace is right...At least they're tsking care of Sparrowkit." The last part was barely more than a whisper. It was as if she was trying to convince herself that he was alright. Besides, he has Jewelpaw and Shinepaw to protect him. She had yet to even think of Stoneclaw, so much dashed through her head, she nearly forgot he was even the father of her kit. (Did I mention Petalmist could be a bit flirty?? XD)

The Queen noticed a signal from one of her guards. "It seems one of our spies has returned." She meowed smiling slightly. "Bring him forward." She meowed. The old tattered grand and white tom padded forward. "Your Grace" he rasped, bowing low. "Lieutenant Trapper and his Slashers were successful in destroying one of The Resistances scouting parties as well as it's captain. There are now only three." He meowed. She allowed herself a smirk of satisfaction. "It appears a forest cat has entered the Alleys. A young brown tabby with green eyes. He met up with a training patrol and was lead away by Mercury after she stopped their attack. They are currently moving towards the remains of the scouting party." The Rogue-Queen narrowed her eyes. "Keep watch faithful servant." She meowed and dismissed him.

Petalmist was shocked for a second, but then realized it couldn't be one her clanmates so she assumed it was a former Flameclan cat. Shrugging it off, she turned back to the Queen and meowed,"Your Grace, is that what generals do? Organize and lead patrols across your territory? It seems our ways of living aren't too different then." Her eyes seemed to dance around the dark room, glittering pools of soft, seafoamy green as they stared swiftly at the surrounding cats.

"We suppose our Lieutenant's are like that, yes... defiantly." She meowed. "They report directly to us, and take their orders only from us. They organise the hunts and the patrols, they make sure the spies check in on time. They also deal with traitors." She meowed. One of her guards padded up to her and whispered in her ear. "Ahh thank you Dante." The tom padded back and took his place in the hall. "It appears today's entertainment is ready. Would you care to join us?" She asked. It seemed innocent enough, an invitation to sit with the Queen.

Petalmist came to her paws, enlightened. "How lovely that sounds. Entertainment.....I would love to join Your Grace for a veiwing." She glanced over to Dante, scanning the tom briefly.

The Queen stood and swept her tail, gathering her guards around her. Dante was on the side Petalmist stood on. His dark gray fur was covered with odd markings, he glanced at the she-cat with orange eyes then turned his head quickly away. The large she-cat lead the way for her queen. It would take them awhile to get to their destination.

Petalmist nodded, understanding that it would be a while before they reached the show. "So, Your Grace, what would be the entertainment tonight?" She found her eyes kept shifting from the queen over to Dante. She was entranced by his unusual markings. He was much more handsome than.......She shook her head. Was I about to think......Stoneclaw?! No, that's is wrong! He's my mate and the father of my kit!! Petalmist, remember your loyalty to him!!! But still.... She lowered her head, staring at the ground.

"It is a.. tournament of sorts. We hold it once a season. The leaf-bare one is our favourite." She meowed a small smile playing across her face. "I think you will enjoy it. It is a test of strength, speed and agility." She flicked her tail and picked up the pace, her guards followed her lead. Dante spared another glance at Petalmist.

Petalmist smiled, not her regular cheerful or even her devious youthful smile...It was a smile that a murder wore when his claws became slathered in blood. "I think...I will enjoy this very much." Her long silky tail swept low to the ground, the tiles under paw had already become comfortable to her. Malien couldn't believe how chummy the queen and forest cat had become. How could Our Grace be so.....kind towards an outsider?! Could she be important to our plans?