House of The Rising Sun [open]

Returning back to the sanctuary of the Abandoned Barn had proven to be quite the cumbersome journey.

It had taken Shade a brief period of time to track down whatever members of the Regime that had scattered within his brief absence, and an even lengthier interval to shepherd the gaggle of loosely affiliated Rogues to their agreed upon meeting place. Although the eclipsed sun left Lichenmask unable to tell how much time had passed since they had initially struck out upon their journey, the reawakened ache within his overexerted limbs proved to be a sufficient indicator of their poorly made time. They had wasted so much of their already precious time! Perhaps if they weren't weighted down with several young members or an unnecessary prisoner, they could've traveled at a much less accommodating pace. But alas, such a burden was the one they had to carry. Striding at the front of the densely packed together cluster, the young Exile's navigational skills thankfully did not appear to fail him in this moment- they had just parked one of the carefully chosen landmarks that he had selected as a guide to their destination. Now that they had successfully broken free of the tangled bowels of the city, they only had to cross another ridge or so before they would finally arrive at the Abandoned Barn. "It shouldn't be much farther," He called, twisting around briefly to peer back at the Rogues who trekked within his immediate proximity, "Just a few more moments of walking and we should arrive." And then the real work begins.

The terrain was quite different here in comparison to what Lichenmask had encountered within the city- the earth was rough, broken only by unsightly clusters of stones and ragged swathes of wild heather. It wasn't much of a surprise, considering that they were residing upon the immediate outskirts of WindClan's territory, but it was still quite an adjustment to a cat who had spent his entire life dwelling by the soft, lush lands of the river. Familiar scents wove intricate paths into the foreign lands before him, providing a reassurance that the rest of the Exiles were successfully managing themselves without any needed intervention, or fending for themselves at the very least. It was difficult to quell the urge of speeding up at the prospect of being so close to home, especially when he knew that there was so much to plan for and so much to be done. Ears pinning back slightly against a choppy buffet of cool Leaf-Fall air, Lichenmask's tail gave an impatient flick as he continued to guide the party forward towards the unseen Abandoned Barn.


ooc) closed for now until all Regime Members post, then will be opened to the Exiles as well.

Following behind the more recently exiled RiverClanner, but still leading his other cats of the Regime, Shade took in a deep breath as they neared the new home where they all would be living for the time being. He held his head and tail high with confidence, as he knew he had taken one step closer to fulfilling his promise of a better life for his cats -- and one step closer to fulfilling his revenge against the Clans who had so selfishly abandoned him so long ago. Soon enough, he would become the newest leader of RiverClan, Shadestar, and he would rule the entire forest in one great big ShadeClan. Perhaps he would even appoint Lichenmask his deputy, if things went smoothly enough.

As they neared the abandoned barn, the battle-scarred rogue turned his head to address his followers. "We have nearly arrived. Xuexi, Wolf, remember to keep Canren in check. And Chase, don't under any circumstances let Cinderfall out of your sight. Dante, you stay with Chase, keep Cinderfall under our supervision. An, I'll want you by my side when we arrive."

The Bloody colored she cat followed after her father keeping her own air of confidence about her. her Amber eyes looked to Wolf briefly before she looked to her father. She still didn't like and it's trust Lichenmask just from looking at the tom but she learned to keep her mouth shut when she knew it needed to be. Silently she gave a curt nod at her father's words"that won't be a problem"she mewed flicking her tail.

Canren was simply an angry little ball of brown fluff. He was forced to come with the rest of the Regime, they'd gotten him when he had been visiting camp again. His father was insane, thinking he could defeat the clans. He knew that's what he wanted, that was his dream. His glare was strong as he looked back, seeing Xuexi following closely behind and Wolf next to her. He almost snorted at it. This was so stupid! His father despised the clans, yet was working with freshly exiled cats. He was just driving out the clans that were there so he could make new ones in his image. Canren would bet he wouldn't let in any more rogues after that either.

His strong amber glare then turned on the one who was bringing his father and the rest of the Regime there. The one named Lichenmask. He didn't like him, he had a horrible feeling. Especially because the red glow of the sun was quite eery when looking at the tom. The young tabby tried to stay as far away from the rest of the cats as possible without invoking his father's wrath. He didn't like them... He didn't like any of them! He wanted to leave, to warn the clans! He couldn't though, he was condemned to stay with the Regime, and possibly die here.

Cinderfall hated this move. It smelled similar to the Clans and just taunted him more. But his newer scars were growing nasty. The evil tom had also had small, sharp pieces of clearstone stuck into his paw pads, making every step an excrusiating journey.

Wolf craned her neck, trying to get a better look at Lichenmask. She quickly flicked her gaze back to Canren, but her mind was elsewhere. What was Lichenmask like? How had he convinced Shade to bring all his cats on this journey? What were their plans?

Ooc: oof sorry for this trashpost, I had a really nice one typed out but then my Kindle crashed .-. Kill me now

Dante looked at Shade and then at Chase, as usal when he where around the other members of the Regime, Shade especially, there was in hint of fear in his eyes. He nodded slowly "Got it Shade" he quickly meowed and looked over at Cinderfall, he felt kinda bad for the prisoner but if he ever said that he's sure that no one would trust him... Just like they didn't trust Canren... He glanced over at the tabby tom. He let out a quiet sigh and looked Cinderfall once again.

Quite an interesting turn of events had occurred. Padding along after Shade, such was the impression Chase received. While the Regime leader had yet to explain the situation in detail to his followers, it was quite clear that whatever was going on concerned the brown-and-white tabby currently guiding them. Keeping her impression impassive, she examined Lichenmask yet again. Just like Cinderfall, she recognized the scent that clung to him as RiverClan's. He seemed to have come from one of the clans that Shade hated so much, yet the dark tabby tom had readily agreed to ally with him. Clearly, there was more going on than met the eye. Her mind brimmed with questions, and not just to this unlikely alliance, but she had wisely chosen to keep silent. If she would only wait, answers would come soon enough.

Several days ago, darkness had suddenly fallen across the city. To the countless rogues and loners residing within its depths, the mysterious phenomenon brought panic and fear. Even the humans, who often seemed as if they lived in a completely different dimension, who seemed so unshakable, had more or less been shaken up. The sun and moon were still present, but all but a sliver of their light had been swallowed up. Wherever one went, the sky was still pitch black. Thanks to the humans, the city had remained well-illuminated; the further the loose gaggle of rogues traveled from it, however, the greater the darkness grew. In the months and years that Chase had lived, she had never experienced a period when the sun continuously failed to shine. Treading the rough terrain underpaw, the fluffy ginger rogue tried to conceal the fact that she was on edge. She couldn't help the quiet relief she felt when Lichenmask announced their destination's approach. At Shade's instructions, she dipped her head. "Got it." Her chartreuse gaze, shining faintly in the dimness, swung again to Cinderfall. Every step the prisoner took sent pain jolting up his paws, and it was evident in the blue-gray tom's body language. It would be hard for him to run, but they were so close to clan territory now.

The glance Dante gave Canren did not escape Chase's notice. It seemed that the two of them were actually on friendly terms, much to her displeasure. Canren's conflict with his father was no secret to the members of the Regime. For Shade's son, Canren was astoundingly soft. The ginger and white rogue was already having enough trouble getting Dante to toughen up. She did not need the two of them associating. The slight gray tom was close enough that Chase could hear his sigh. Tapping Dante's side with her feathery tail, she shot him a warning look.

A soft smile lit up the rogue's face that day. An's fluffy form seemed to grace over the moorland, her paws relishing in the feel of grass and dirt beneath her paws. She hadn't felt grass in such a long time, probably not since kithood. Oh, how soft it was! Certainly better than cracked sidewalks and shards of glass. At Shade's instructions she quickened her pace to a trot and got herself a place next to her mate, her long tail affectionately curling around his. This was it, they were so close! Soon those rotten clans would be brought down to their knees for all the suffering they have done, all the sins they've committed. Soon the clans would be like the eclipsed land around them, everything covered in a bloody light. Maybe she'll see Yin again... ah, no. That would be impossible. He was either dead or joined those stupid clans. It would be best to forget him.

An wondered what she will do, after all of this was over. Would they create their own civilization? She hoped so, it would be quite pointless otherwise. Shade had all his fantasies of Shadeclan, but that seemed quite dumb, wasn't it? Destroy a group just to create a carbon-copy of them. What the tortoiseshell envisioned was a pretty different scenario. A group of travelling cats who wander through the former clan territory at their leisure, always exploring new and exciting places. Maybe once they got tired of exploration they could settle somewhere for the rest of their days. Yeah, that would be nice. Shade and her could probably be the leaders of it, Xuexi can be a guard to make sure that they never get hurt. And Canren...

What could Canren do? She loved her son, but he was a bit too... soft? She never seen him do much except be grumpy and yell at his father. Now that she thought about it, he looked extra angry now. What could be bothering him? They were about to reach their goal! "What's wrong, my xiao niao (小鸟 or little bird)? When we finish, you can probably have any piece of land you want. If you're father approves, he can give you control over an entire group of cats! Doesn't that make you happy?"

The Abandoned Barn was a looming smudge on the darkened horizon, emerging from the clusters of shadows that seemed to ravenously devour the landscape that unfolded around the venturing party. The rough earth beneath Lichenmask's paws began to slope precariously, shallow breaks in the rough land going unseen as a result of the foggy darkness that had descended upon the mortal realm. Easily picking his way down the jarring, winding path without missing a single step, the young tom could feel several different gazes burning into the rear side of him, a wide array of emotions seemingly emanating from the various different stares. Curiosity, resentment, confusion- perhaps they would come to understand in time. Allowing the poor manners of the Rogues traveling alongside him to merely be brushed aside with a leisurely flick of his tail, the young Exile only continued to urge his little band ever closer to the Barn, vaguely listening into the snippets of conversations that floated heavily upon the cool air. An's words in particular were a great source of interest on Lichenmask's behalf, but there was no outward display that the words even registered in the young tom's head. How interesting, the tabby mused, tossing a scalding, peculiar glance back in the particularly sulky Canren's direction, The tension couldn't be more obvious. They stand divided and weak, even without truly knowing such. It'd be a pity if he had to intervene and squander their already wasted time. Sweeping forward several more paces, the crooked entrance of the Abandoned Barn yawned open before them- hanging open awkwardly like the immobile jaws of a long dead creature. Unsightly beams of wood jutted down from the crumbling opening, resembling strange teeth that protruded menacingly within the foggy darkness.

The shadows were interwoven much more tightly within the Barn, the heady darkness of the structure only being broken up by the occasional rivulet of red light that bled from the ragged gaps in the roof. Countless phosphorescent eyes gleamed from the thick swathes of darkness, wary curiosity sparkling within their oddly colored depths. Silence hung heavily within the tense air, with only the occasional whisper to disrupt the strange atmosphere that had befallen the Abandoned Barn. Despite the blatant ignorance that seemed to seep forth from the Exiles, it became apparent that they were awaiting some sort of explanation before speaking outright. Steps gradually dwindling to a halt atop the rough wooden floor, Lichenmask allowed the Regime to slowly file in after him before eventually raising his voice against the hushed murmurs that crawled across the empty structure. "This is the Regime," He eventually drawled, flicking his tail in a wide arc that encompassed the loosely fanned party behind him, "They've agreed to ally themselves to our cause and fight alongside us in this oncoming war. They are now our guests, so treat them accordingly."

Darkpaw's cold blue gaze swept across their new allies. He was secretly tense but the strong tom wasn't about to let it show. He slowly rose to his paws, showing his huge frame. "So, Lichenmask, how did you exactly meet the...Regime?" One could only imagine how their leader crossed paths with such an...interesting group of cats. He specifically eyed the smaller cats, one of which seemed ready to blow up in anger.

Soft green eyes glinted from a sliver of darkness between two large, rotting, round bales of hay. The former ShadowClan apprentice had grown to his full size, living up to his name. Stonepaw's fluffy grey fur was rather unkept and somewhat matted along his back and near his paws. There was still some marsh mud stuck to his legs, despite the days that had passed since he'd last set foot in his homeland. He didn't want to clean it off. Something told him that, if he did, he'd never get it back. He watched as Lichenmask reappeared in the Barn, with a bunch of flea-bitten rogues in tow. They had to work with those cats? With a complicated look on his face, he retreated further into his den-hole. Why couldn't the war start now? He was unbearably homesick. 'I've almost forgotten what a frog tastes like.'

Amber eyes, bore into the rogues and Lichenmask as they arrived. Pumapaw curled her tail in anger. Nothing Lichenmask did, made sense, and despite her fear of the tom, she wasn't just going to sit there and let some rogues saunter into her new home. Pumapaw jumped down from her perch, landing nimbly in front of the newcomers and Lichenmask. "I thought, we were trying to drive out the impure and cleanse the clans, yet you drag these filthy rogues and kittypets in here?! she hissed eyes narrowed. Her fear was evident in the way she stood and held herself, but she also wanted an explanation.

Aspenpaw, in the middle of grooming his ruffled stone-gray tabby pelt, looked up mid-lick to see Lichenmask enter the barn, a group of unfamiliar cats following him closely.  For a moment he wondered if he had captured some clan cats, but in a rush of realization, the scent of Twolegplace swept over him.  The one-eyed tom's lip curled distastefully as he rose to his paws, the expression making his maimed face look even more gruesome than usual.  His sleek tail tip twitching agitatedly, he listened closely as Lichenmask explained who these cats were, and why they were there.

Allies?  With these filthy, impure excuses for cats?  Has he gone mad?!  The scarred tom's eye narrowed as he opened his mouth to voice his views, but another cat got out the words before he could.  Hearing a gentle thump as she leaped down from her perch, Apsenpaw turned to look at Pumapaw, his words falling from her mouth.  With a wry smile, he stalked forward to stand beside her, bumping the she-cat's shoulder a bit too roughly in an attempt at a supportive gesture.  "I agree, we don't need to sink to levels like this, StarClan will lead us to our victory!  What could these rats do to help us anyway?  Kill the clan cats with their horrible scent alone?"  The former ShadowClan tom let out a cold laugh, meeting their Lichenmask's gaze.  He didn't mean to be disrespectful by any means, but this situation was just ludicrous.

Thornleap flicked his feathery tail, stepping forward to regard the group of rouges that Lichenmask had recruited.
"Excellent." He mewed calmly, trying to keep his face as smooth and unreadable as possible. Just below the tom's relaxed exterior, red-hot anger boiled. This wasn't right. These cats were disgusting, dirty rouges- the thought of spending more time than necessary with them was repulsive.
Flicking his ears, the large tom took a moment to scan the Regime member's faces. His eyes scanned face after face, blinking as he took in their wide range of appearances. Finally, he took a step forward and nodded to one of the members of the rogue group, one that he hadn't noticed at first- a lithe, pretty young she-cat that was standing close to a heavily-built brown tom. "Welcome to the Barn," He purred, his pale eyes roving around the group, but coming to rest on her face once more. "I'd be glad to show you around, if you'd like." Maybe rubbing shoulders with the scum of the earth wouldn't be too bad.