Victory and Treason [P4]

The new prisoner was hauled over the fence. Godfrey and the other cats had returned to the Twolegplace, and came with news of victory, but also news of Amalric's treachery.
"Urban, my prophet!" yowled Godfrey. "We have returned! We bear news!"
He put a paw on Amalric's back, who had collapsed once more. Joanna peered out from the crowd in horror. What had happened!? Surely he couldn't have been injured this much just by the battle! She held back a sob, watching from the back of the area.

Anna and Bernard jumped onto the fence, triumph and the frenzy of battle still flaring in their eyes and showing on their face. Conrad leaped up too, it being obviously difficult for him to get on as he tried his best to balanced. He swayed a little bit, before falling forward and onto the hard and unnaturally flat Twoleg ground. A crazed looking pale orange she-cat stalked up, softly giggling to herself. "Don't you worry, Conrad... Antioch will take good care of you..."

The Deomilites didn't look, unblinkingly staring at Amalric's bloody form.

Barbarossa watched silently as they brought the bloodied Amalric forward. Urban raised an eyebrow, curious. "Explain, my child."

"This cat hesitated to kill, my prophet. He did not trust the Gods, and I almost got killed because of it." Godfrey snarled. "He must be punished!"
Amalric struggled under the weight of Godfrey's paw. He glared at Joanna, willing her to run, but she did no such thing. She stared with wide eyes.

Urban's eyes flickered to Amalric. "Is this true, Amalric?" he asked, voice firm. His amber eyes burned into him. He followed the strategist's gaze towards Joanna. "It would seem your loyalties are not in the right place, Amalric. Do you know the penalty of your crimes by the Holy Law of the Deomilites?"

Amalric didn't answer. He glared at Urban, too proud to do any type of pleading. They would probably kill him. So long as Joanna was fine, it would be alright. Though, he knew how these cats worked.

Urban's face turned into a frown, and while his voice was level his amber eyes were alight with a cold fury. "Godfrey. Kill her. Barbarossa, hold him down."

Barbarossa moved swiftly, placing a broad brown paw hard down on Amalric's head, pressing the traitor's head into the dirty and gritty ground. He turned his neck towards Joanna. He wanted Amalric to watch.

"No!" yelled Amalric, wide eyed. "Kill me! Leave her alone! Kill me!" Joanna tried to turn and run, but a wall of cats made her unable to do so. She backed up, desperately trying to escape the advancing cat. Godfrey smiled maniacally, and slashed at her throat with one quick swipe. The blood of Amalric's sister spurted everywhere, some going so far as to stain his face. "No!" he cried out one final time, breaking into a sob. His sister slumped to the ground, life fading from her eyes.

Barbarossa pressed his paw down harder, his face unmoving as the spray of crimson painted the nearby cats and ground, the walls flecked with the scarlet liquid as Joanna's life was so brutally ended.

"Fredrick! Leopold!" Urban called. Two young cats appeared, one a lanky gray cat with a black muzzle and the other a black tom with blazing amber eyes. They dragged the limp cat towards the center, bringing her blood coated pale body dangerously close past Amalric's face before simply dropping her in front of Urban's box. He looked down before his gaze swept the watching Deomilites.

"Behold, the body of the traitor!" Urban proclaimed loudly, and a cheer went up. He focused his sight back on Amalric; bloodied, beaten, and pressed into the strange Twoleg earth. "And now, Amalric, you will face your punishment."

Amalric closed his eyes, tears staining the ground under him. He waited for a cruel death of him own, and did not bother looking at his sister's dead body. He couldn't handle it.
Godfrey grinned. "Should I kill him next, my prophet Urban?" he asked, lashing his tail.

"No, Godfrey." Urban mewed in reply, confused murmurs rippling throughout the improvised base of operations before Urban opened his mouth again. "That would be too much mercy for such a godless cat." Urban stood up to his full height on the box, arching his back and bushing out his fur. He looked truly intimidating, and his amber eyes blazed with anger and fury. "Amalric, go to the forest. While you slowly die from your wounds, repent and perhaps the gods will forgive you." his raspy voice echoed throughout the alleyway, and cats yowled their approval. Barbarossa lifted his heavy paw off of Amalric, relieving him of the weight. Antioch's mad laughter could be heard just above the deafening yowls.

Amalric limped off, running as the maniacal laughter of the Deomilites faded. Maybe he could find help. A trail of blood followed him as his disappeared into the forest. Joanna, oh Joanna. he thought with a heavy heart. I must avenge you...
Though it didn't seem likely he would survive, he kept hope, and never succumbed to darkness.