Let's Get This Started (Semi-open)

Occ: message me before posting if you're not in the Bear's Treachery plot

Bear stalked in the dead grasses near the outside of the abandoned barn. It had been a few sunrises since he had left the harsh streets of twolegplace and his paws weren't used to being back on the softer ground. Despite it being winter and the ground being frozen over, it was preferable to rough pavement of the twoleg roads. While the tom was still intent on heading into the forest, he had been taking his time there. No harm in preparing for what I'll find there, He had repeated over and over again in his head. Ever since his brother had been killed by clan cats, Bear had carried around a mild fear of the forest warriors. But, after training and becoming one of the most dangerous cats in the area, that fear had subsided and turned into hatred. Soon, the forest would be his.

Realistically, the brown tom knew he couldn't take on the mass of cats that settled in the forest by himself. He had next to no knowledge of the area or what he would find there, nor could he take on a whole group of cats at once. No, Bear knew he had to pull together a group before going into the forest. If they wouldn't join willingly, he would force them to follow him. That could wait, though. It had been a while since he had stopped to hunt and his stomach growled in protest. The tempting smell of mice had lead him to the barn. Here he could rest, eat and prepare for the coming fights he knew he would undoubtedly get himself into.

A crack in the wood of the structure caught his attention and he slid in. It took only a split second for his eyes to adjust to the lack of light inside. A mouse scuffled past his feet and in one swift moment he took it out. The hunting was easy and the mice were plump. After a few moments, he had collected a small make-shift freshkill pile for himself. He settled into a patch of the hay that lined the walls. Bear sighed contently. For once, things were staring to go his way. Comfort and food was more than the rogue had most of his life. If it weren't for the plan he had already made and goals he had in the forest, Bear might have simply laid claim to the barn and made it his. That was not in his plans as all though. The tom dozed a bit lazily, eyes half-closed, but ears still alert for any sounds He hoped for some cat to stumble upon him in that moment. It would be a mistake for them, but a welcome gift for him.

Bat was finally back for good, he was thrilled to be home, while he wasn't tired, eating plenty of mice and being with his mate again made sleep inviting. Curled up with Pepper he was lazily swatting at hay with his claws, purring in content. Then he noticed the newest arrival in the barn, a cat he had never seen before. He didn't feel like bothering them and simply have them a careful look. He wasn't as trusting anymore.

Pepper was watching a moth flit around, her eyes flicked quickly from place to place in order to watch it. Her paws kneaded absently at the ground as she relaxed on such a sleepy day. Luna had arrived not to long ago so, her ribs no longer showed, things were getting better and better. Then, spotting Bear, she felt her whiskers twitch and she tucked her paws under her. She pushed herself up and dragged herself to the newcomer with a smile. No wounds, it seemed. That was good. "What brings you here, stranger?"

Bear had smelled the other cats as soon as he stepped in. They didn't make him wait long before appearing. One of them stirred somewhere withing the barn, but did not come over to greet him. However, shortly after, a she-cat padded over. Her demeanor was very calm and her words weren't challenging. Bear hoped that this would be fairly easy. If it wasn't, though, he wouldn't be too worried if they decided not to listen. The rouge could be very... persuasive.

"Greetings," He meowed deeply, fixing the black and white cat with a hard, but not yet threatening look, "My name is Bear. I come from the twolegplace and I'm on my way to the forest. As you know, there are clan cats there. Either one by one, or a few at a time, I plan on taking them out. I'm going to need your help." At the end, he raised his voice, so any other cats within earshot could pick it up. His torn ear flicked as he waited for a response.

"We don't entertain that kind of thing." Bat spoke out in a stern voice as he stood and briskly walked to his mate. "We're trying to make things less violent around here." his tail waved in gesture towards herbs around the barn. Then he narrowed his eyes, showing the younger he meant what he said.

Pepper nodded, a stunned look in her eyes at the sudden change of mood in the warm barn. "Certainly that wouldn't do any good. They think we're bad already... we should pander to that idea." the she-cat's kits were in a clan, even if they forgot her, she would protect them at all costs. "Why would you want to do that anyway?"

"Well.. that will be useful," He said, following Bat's gesture, but dismissed his first statement. You don't have a choice, Bear thought to himself, restraining from saying it aloud quite yet. His claws dug into the ground. It wasn't frustration, just anticipation. This would be exciting. The newcomer's eyes trailed over to look at Pepper again.

"The forest is going to be mine," The statement was simple and strong. Bear was determined and he would take it or die trying, "The cats that live their do not deserve the land. So, it will no longer be theirs. Now, I'm going to need your cooperation, because I can't do this by myself. I'm going to have to ask for your full participation on this quest." He paused briefly, giving them both an emotionless stare, "I'd hate for you to deal with the alternative." His words were cool. There was something eerie about the way in which he talked. There wasn't a full outward aggression, but his intensity and insanity was palpable. As he waited for them to speak, he kept sheathing and unsheathing his claws.

As Luna pushed her way past the door and into the barn, having gone hunting, she immediately scented the new tom. Looking up from the ground she padded a few steps further into the building, looking around to spot Pepper talking to the newcomer, whose back was to her.

Luna hadn't even been staying at the barn for a month yet but things had been going far better since she got there, or at least, that's what she assumed. When she had first arrived the barn cat had been alone and starving, nothing but skin and bones but now she looked healthy, well-fed even which was a miracle during the winter. Pepper's mate Bat had also returned, having been kidnapped by some crazy group of cats.

Even with him back Luna still spent tons of time with Pepper, the two of the fast track to becoming great friends. This being said, as soon as Luna got a good look at Pepper she could tell something was wrong. Setting down the rabbit she had caught she padded closer so she could hear what the tom was saying. "I'm going to have to ask for your full participation on this quest." The tom paused briefly, looking at Bat and then back to Pepper. "I'd hate for you to deal with the alternative."

Frowning Luna cleared her throat, her fur fluffing up a bit in indignation at the threat his tone hinted at. "What exactly are you trying to force them to do?" As she spoke, her own tone sharp, she kept her distance from the tom. Circling around him to get closer to Pepper, without turning her back to the tom, Luna narrowed her eyes and continued. "Because, it seems like they aren't interested."

"It doesn't matter if you aren't interested," Bear narrowed his eyes at the newcomer. Her attitude frustrated him. As much as he loved fighting, he held back for now. The tom didn't want to waste his energy getting the loners to agree. It all needed to be saved for the forest cats. His tail lashed behind him as he looked the trio over.

"Now, I'm sick of waiting. This is a long time planning. I'd rather not waste my breath standing here arguing. I'm going to give you a choice," His words were slow, making sure they followed along. Bear didn't want to come across as hasty. But he also did not want to spend his afternoon chatting in the barn, "Either you can join me in my efforts to take out the clans and we will use this barn as a den. Or, you can resist and your blood will stain the floor when me and my cats use is as our den. The choice is yours." He waited for them to answer, muscles tensed in preparation for the wrong answer, if it were to come.

He was simply taking a nap when a deep voice woke him up.

He was lying in the hay, enjoying the warmth of the barn after the coldness of the river that Bat found him in. It was comfortable, the dry grains smothering his back, supporting his the back of his scarred head. The rustle of mice scampering like a mother's lullaby. The dim sun rays making patterns on his dark gray fur. Life is nice, he thought as he daydreamed, half awake, half asleep in the hay. Of course something bad had to happen right at that moment.

He heard a sound, like a low-voiced cat talking. Turning around awkwardly in the bales of grass, he saw the other cats talking to a scraggly scarred tom he never saw before. Even though he was too far to hear with his folded down ears, he could tell from his posture and his unsheathed claws that he was threatening his friends. Alarm rushed through him. Forcing himself off of the floor with slight difficulty, he walked with urgency toward his denmates.

"Why is this cat threatening my friends?" he said in his cold, stoic voice, now edged with a threat. Even though the young tom was much scrawnier than the intruder and barely older than a young cat, he could act scary if he wanted, his yellow eyes boring into the 
intruder's eyes. "If you hurt them, I will...I'll..." he suddenly realized how deadly the brown tom could be. He looked at those sharp claws and scarred muscles and his defensive position broke. Edging away, he tried to hide himself from the threatening toms gaze.

Perfect, Bear narrowed his eyes. Within seconds he had leapt over and had the kit pinned down. Thorn-sharp claws pricked dangerously at the kit's throat. He wouldn't hesitate if they didn't listen. Taking them all out wouldn't take much. Although, he would prefer they were on his side.

"Any more of this foolish refusal and this kit will no longer be with us. Now, as of this point on, the barn is under my control. And you all work for me. Any trouble and you won't like the outcome," He promised with a deep hiss.

As Bear leapt on top of Pigeonkit Luna's fur puffed up and she let out a vicious hiss. Luna rarely got violent, usually being more the intelligent and observant type, but as she watched a grown tom attack a kit her temper reared up. "Get off him you fox-hearted brute!" Bolting forward the smaller she-cat forcefully shoved the tom off Pigeonkit and stood protectively over him. Though she was smaller she knew how to use that to her advantage with her speed.

"I don't care who you are, but that's pathetic. If you have to resort to threatening cats pick someone your own size." Luna's words were spoken sharply and her eyes were bright with anger. At the same time she knew what she had just done was the equivalent of attacking a beehive. Watching him warily with narrowed eyes Luna spoke to Bear. "I in no way care for your personality, nor do I respect you in any way, but I'm rather against dying so young. I will fight for you but you cannot force me to like doing so. And know this. Any other cats you recruit this way are likely to turn on you the moment they have the chance, just like I would."

A snarl tore from Bear's throat, but before he leaped onto the she-cat and tore her throat out, he stopped himself. She has agreed, That was all he got from her speech. The stubborn rogue only heard what he wanted to. While a lot of him still wanted to sink his claws into her fur, the tom knew that could wait until later. Now, he needed her.

"Fine," He grunted, looking over her with disdain, "Like I said, regardless, this is my barn now. You're all welcome to continue living her under my rule. This will remain your home. And any territory I claim, you will all be free to roam." Bear looked over the rag-tag group of rogues. They seemed unhappy, but he couldn't careless. This was off to a good start. With a tight nod of his head, he turned to disappear into the shadows.

sorry for the wait))

Pepper's jaw clamped tight as Bear pinned Pigeonkit to the ground, very grateful for Luna. This cat was unstable, no doubt but, Pepper was stubborn and still had blind trust left in her. "Bat, we need to keep an eye on him and warn others..." she whispered to him under her breath.

Bat gave her a skeptical look and then nodded, if they were around, they could warn others about his plans while clearing the name of the rest of the loners. "Leave our herbs alone, fortunately for you, none of us own this barn and it's free ground for all who step here. It is the safest place any of us will most likely, ever live in." Silently he added, 'I might slip you something in your fresh-kill if you irk my nerves too far.'

Pepper simply nodded and warily dragged herself to the fresh-kill pile that Bat's speed allowed them to have. She grabbed a hare and glanced at Bear.

Bat followed her movements and slowly sulked as he followed her, intentionally giving Bear a shove on the way, "Watch yourself, kit. Drawing blood may not be ideal, but, it's not beneath me.'' he growled and the continued over to carry the hare for Pepper. Chivalry was still living in some, it seemed.

Occ: it's okay!

"It's mine now," Bear snarled at Bat, growing impatient with the assembled group of cats. His eyes trailed over each of them. If only they would listen, it would be a fine group. For now, it sounded like they wouldn't fight to keep him out, which was good. But the on called "Bat" posed a problem. Bear wanted to rip his throat out them and there. A low hiss broke from his throat as Bat shoved him. He pulled at the hay on the ground with his claws. Not yet, He reminded himself.

"I will be bringing more back soon," The vicious rogue promised as he whipped around to go settle in for the night. That was all he said before going to lay down. Once in the corner, he laid down. Within moments, his pelt rose and fell lightly. He was comfortable, he did not worry. If anyone posed a problem, they would be just another victim of his sharpened claws. And he slept with one eye open.