Sinking, Like Quicksand [Shadowclan Sitewide Topic]

The pallad orange and yellow hues of sunrise painted Shadowclan territory, marking the end of another night. Patrols had finally made their way to nests. All was eerily silent, peaceful in the most unnerving manner. Cats, young and old, seemed to have been blessed with snatches of restful sleep in the moments they had. This particular night time had been exhausting, quickly draining the warriors of their strength. Prey had been increasingly more sparse and it was high time for other clans to begin staking claim on bordering territories. More exhausting than the physical labor was the nagging of Leaf Bare to come. So, while it was there, the afforded expense of restful dreams would be taken.

Guards were half-lidded, content in the current state of affairs. The other clans would just be waking up, starting their days, and the clan of the marshlands sunk into the depths of their dens. It had always been an advantage, the way they lived and stalked in the shadows. This sense of security had kept their warrior neighbors away from attacks on camp and kept squabbles at bay. But there was no hint of clan scent as the two warriors hunched at the entrance were pulled away, and stifled before any sounds of a warning alert could be made. Following, was the silent steps of skilled paws. Hardly a whisper was heard as an overwhelming number of figures filtered into the camp. They headed for the warrior’s den, apprentice’s den, leader’s den, all in practice tandem.

Paws pressed to the throats of able-bodied fighters before the cats of Shadowclan were roused. At the entrance of the nursery stood a looming figure with narrowed eyes. A similar creature stalked near the medicine cats den. Beyond the reaches of camp, lurking around the fringes, were more imposing foes. Escape would be impossible; threats of battle were as foolish as they were unfeasible. Any attempts at squirming underneath the paws of their oppressors would be swiftly cut short. There was no doubt in the calico tom’s mind as he settled into the center of camp, all four paws pressing assuredly into the sodden earth, Shadowclan was overrun and overwhelmed. Victory had come before the battle, as it had so many times before.

Iniko sucked in a breath, briefly allowing his gaze to flit towards the warrior’s den. Only one throat had been spared from the pressing claws, one warrior allowed to walk free for now. Admittedly, he would be watching from the fringes of his perception for the familiar coat, one that had made him so eager for this moment. There was a breath before he called out to the clan, a mild yet commanding tone that came with the usual ease by which he spoke, “Cats of Shadowclan, I am here to welcome you to the ranks of Asylum. Fighting is needless, and pointless, we are here to bring you into a brighter and stronger future.”

He paused, tasting the air and craning his head towards the leader’s den where three of his cats stood dutifully, “Flintstar, I implore you to have your cats stand down. I hope for this to be an easy transition and don’t want to see any cat hurt in the process. Join me, so we may better discuss the terms of your clan’s surrender.”

ooc; Shadowclan has fallen... for more details click here

When a paw had been slammed into her throat, Redwolf had been woken from a deep sleep, unable to even snarl in her usual brand of defiance at her attacker. She struggled for a moment as the events of the past few moments caught up with her, and she gasped for breath as she looked up at the cat currently pinning her to the ground. She bared her teeth at the cat wearing another animal's pelt, and unsheathed her too-many claws, intent on freeing herself. however, she never got the chance to struggle her way to her paws, as the pressure on her throat was released, and before she could launch an attack, was shoved out of the den and into the clearing, where a long-furred tom was speaking.

It was only then that the red she-cat saw just how many attackers there were, and that only renewed her resolve to attack. She lashed her plumed tail once and crouched to leap at Iniko, and was then wrestled to the ground for the second time in a matter of minutes, powerless to free herself, no matter how she tried. She thought mutinously to herself, her voice cut off by a paw pressing on her throat.
Mangy camp-stealers! Let me guess, you stole our kits too, you lowlifes?

Being a somewhat light sleeper, the murmurs outside the warrior's den woke Daisyflame with a jolt. Perking his ears, it was clear that the cats in the clearing weren't ShadowClanners and by the tones of their voices, they didn't seem to have any good intentions.

Having been sleeping near his daughter, Tulipfang, he jumped up and prodded her side. "Get up!" he hissed, but before he was able to leave the den, cats began to flood into the dimly lit space and before he was able to prepare himself, he was pushed to the ground with heavy paws holding him down.

"Get off me you mongrel!" Daisyflame yowled, his tail lashing back and forth and his fluffy coat puffed out in rage.

~~~~~~~~~~

Not having waken up enough to comprehend what was going on or that her father tried to get her up, some-cat held Tulipfang down with a great force. What in Silverpelt's name was going on? Looking around, her heart began to race and Daisyflame's angered yowls send a shiver up her spine.

"Dad!" Tulipfang mewled as she watched her father and then cats around her get overtaken by mysterious figures. Where in StarClan's name had they come from and why were they here?

Awoken by the yowl of his clanmates, Mistyfalcon hardly had time to even lift his head in alarm as a paw was quickly slammed over his throat. A quiet growl escaped the warrior, dark gaze glaring up at the paw's owner furiously.

Mistyfalcon struggled briefly beneath the strange cat's grip, though it very quickly became apparent that struggling was fruitless. He was still pinned, shredded ears pinned against his skull and fur fluffed in anger. Dark eyes sought out the forms of Brighteye and Tulipfang, checking to see if they were safe. The unknown cats had poured into the den, pinning down his clanmates, and it was clear that Mistyfalcon did not like this one bit.

Snowmud grumpily rose her head at the sound of her clanmates in distress. She quickly that a bunch of rouges in the camp, paws on the able-bodied cat's throats. And if she was younger she might of helped but instead she said, "Agh I'm too old for this right now!" Before grumpily turning her head away.

Crowpaw was rather upset about being awoken so suddenly from his sleep. He had been having a very pleasant dream, and he didn't appreciate it being cut off.

He appreciated having a paw being held against his throat even less. His yellow-green eyes flashed upward at whoever was pinning him down, and he scowled up at them. The dark-pelted apprentice didn't struggle; that seemed useless, and he instantly felt like giving whoever this cat was a show like that would be beneath him. He didn't know exactly why this was happening, but he figured there was no need to be kind to a cat who was currently pinning him to the ground and aiding in what appeared to be a hostile takeover of his home. His preferred method of retaliation wasn't with claws, anyway. Perhaps a few sharp words could at the very least irk his enemy, if nothing else.

"Excuse me," he said warmly, addressing his captor, his scowl twisting upward into a smile. "I hate to bother you, but could you move your paw just a little further away from my nose? It's just, your fur reeks, and the less I can smell it, the better..."

Brighteye, always having been a light sleeper, didn't take long to wake at the shouts and yells of her clanmates. One thought crossed her mind before a large figure slammed down on top of her. Keep Mistyfalcon safe. It was a thought that so often whirled in her mind that it almost appeared without her noticing, but this time there was little she could do. He seemed to be fighting back a lot more than she was, since her slim frame only held so much power in it. She was glad that he gave up his struggle, since it would probably only hurt him more. Now that she couldn't help her friend, endless other questions twisted and turned through her head. Who were these cats? Why did some of them look like predators? For Mistyfalcon's sake, she hoped that none of them wore dog pelts. And maybe for her own sake a little as well.

Flintstar had, for once, actually been having a rather content night of sleep. Paws curled beneath him, chest falling and rising in peace...That was, until voices caught his ears. He blinked awake, raising his head to find three cats standing at the entrance of his den - all unfamiliar. Strangers. Intruders. For a split second, his teeth pulled back in a growl until he heard his name being called, requesting that he order his cats to stand down...To not see anybody hurt. He felt his heart skip in his chest, realizing that he didn't know where Freckleface was - she was still in the nursery with Silverkit. He pushed himself to his paws in an distance, eyes glancing at the three strange cats. "L-Let me through," he demanded, although there was no hostilities in his voice. "I need to...I need to speak to him." He meowed, although he had no idea who this 'him' was. He didn't know what was happening, who these cats were...But...He had to keep ShadowClan, his family, safe. That was all he had ever wanted. 

Finally, he pushed past them and into the clearing proper to see even more cats - hearing the voices of his Clanmates raising in objection for what was transpiring. The leader's eyes remained fixed on the calico tom that stood front and centered, coming to a stop. "...You wish to speak terms?" he questioned, before a sigh escaped him. "...Then let us speak. ShadowClan, stand down!" he raised his voice as he spared a glance toward every den - seeing only more and more unfamiliar cats. They were...They were vastly outnumbered. He had to keep ShadowClan safe, but he couldn't dare fight against these odds, even with his numerous lives. "Do not raise a claw against these strangers. I want no bloodshed...Not from either side." Then, he swung his gaze back to the stranger. "So. What are these terms?"

Murkypaw had been dreaming of a fight, desperately clawing in an attempt to survive, to get away, to be victorious, but suddenly she was yanked from the dream into a horribly chilling reality. A paw nearly as large as her head was pressing down on her, and the apprentice immediately went still, eyes darting around to try to figure out what was happening. She could see Crowpaw nearby, and she smirked at his remark to the one pinning him down. Now that he mentioned it, these cats did reek! Who were they, and where were they from? What was going on? Any attempt to turn her head to see more than the looming shadow and whatever was directly next to her was met with increased pressure, and as she gasped for air the pressure would be relieved slightly. Hopefully answers to all her questions would be coming soon.

So the younger cat he held was a bit mouthy. Fen typically didn’t enjoy violence, but there were exceptions. He merely smiled at Crowpaw and placed a precise paw on top of the young tom’s muzzle as well. “Keep your mouth shut or I might start to enjoy this.” The scout’s raccoon pelt was rank, certainly, but he wasn’t going to let a sarcastic little tom get under his fur. He would obey Iniko’s signal to stop, but during the course of their takeover he’d keep a watchful eye on troublesome cats like he suspected Crowpaw to be.

Frogpaw never slept quite well, and this was no exception. He woke up at the first sound of movement, eyes widened as he saw the intruders swarm into camp. He gasped, as he was pinned down by an unfamiliar cat. He heard his brother, and his father. At least they were ok. Eyes narrowing, he didn’t say anything, or move. He didn’t like the idea of surrendering, but if he could learn more about these cats, it would be fine. He didn’t strike out, just stayed quietly. After a moment, when his father started to speak, he tried to creep away, but simply just got held down tighter.

Foxdung.

Crowpaw's smile widened.

This cat had no reason to talk back at him instead of just keep holding him down. Any response, in his mind, meant he was getting under this intruder's unfortunately scented fur. He didn't even care that there was now a paw pressed firmly against his muzzle. The response had given him a sense of control, and that was all he needed, really, to be content.

A small chuckle rose in his throat as he continued to stare defiantly up at the cat holding him down.

Tanglerose awoke to the beastly sound of yowls, rising up and up like bubbles from their dens, as cats were being hauled all around her out into the dim light, and she could only sit in shock, as if she had been slapped in the face. She leaped up, a snarl beginning on her lips, but quickly petering out. All of her denmates were pinned, claw to throat, by creatures wearing pelts. She had heard of these beastly cats. They smelled differently than she had imagined, much cleaner and more foreign, like a sweeter version of monster-gas. At least, she thought it smelled nice. Their eyes glowed in the dark, staring at her. One took maybe a step in her direction before turning away. Why was she not being attacked? She hissed at one as she passed by, pushing out of the warrior den.

The clearing was filled with anguish and terror. The whole of ShadowClan was brought to its knees in a mere evening. What life was this, what leader did they have, that they could be taken down by one ambush? Tanglerose felt that all her suspicions had been made suddenly crystal clear. They were too weak, too ravaged from every side by the other four clans, to survive attack. There was no promise of safety or freedom in this life. It disgusted her, how they all fell haplessly to the ground. She wrinkled her nose and plowed forward. ”I want an explanation!” she barked at the nearest pelt-wearer. ”Scared of me, are you? Is that why none of you raggedy mutts will come for my hide? Hm? Speak! Why are you doing this?”

She heard his voice cut through the crowd like a ringing bell. It was low, jagged at the corners, with an eloquence uncommon for clan cats. She was reminded of dragging her pawpads against thorns when she heard it. It had all the danger of venom; it had all of the rush as well. Sultry. Dark. Their eyes met in an instant. The familiarity of their scent clicked in Tanglerose’s nose. She saw the cat she met in secret, and by the glint in his eye, she figured that all of these pelt wearers knew her, too. Her appearance, as most cats were aware, was unmistakable. They had never planned to harm her. This was the family he had spoken about in cryptic musings, during those nights in the woods. Had he planned for this all along, or was she just another pawn in his plan to take her clan for his empire?

Asylum was what he called it. Tanglerose peered around at the cats whom she had known all her life. Their lives hung between the claws of this group, which, if she was reading the clearing correctly, answered to Iniko.

An understanding passed between the two cats that transcended verbal agreement. Tanglerose moved forward, matching Flintstar pawstep for pawstep, over their defeated fellows.

When they both reached the captain, Tanglerose purred a simple greeting. She moved in front of Flintstar, with only a ”’Scuse me” to explain the disrespect. She felt untouchable, and when she pressed her nose to Iniko’s, she couldn't hide her excitement… but the anger in her had not yet worn itself out. She furrowed her brow. ”You have some explaining to do, Iniko. What is this? Where have you been? Why are you attacking these cats?”

The clan began to stir in an instant. No doubt the various cats would be thrashing underneath the paws of their invaders. Iniko had his eyes trained on the leader's den with snatches of a flickering gaze to the warrior's den. He wasn't disappointed by the quick appearance of Flintstar. The dark tom lived up to his reputation and stood high as they met in the center of the clearing. Dipping his head respectfully, Iniko regarded the leader, "Thank you for your cooperation, Flintstar. I'm not a cat of unnecessary violence. Our cats will not fight unless provoked. We just want to make sure this is an easy discussion. I hope that you understand."

He had prepared to speak up again, share with Shadowclan the exact desires that Asylum had for them. But something broke his concentration, the very thing that had captivated his mind and ensnared his senses for so long. She flitted in between himself and the leader, standing in time with the delicate balance of the camp. There was a purr and their noses pressed together. While he was always so mindful of the present and ever devoted to his cause and position... the Captain closed his eyes and drank in her scent. It was exactly like he had remembered it from dreams and fleeting moments of indulgent thoughts. But quickly her words brought him back to the moment.

Iniko pulled back gently regarding her and a contented smile crossed his maw, "Not attacking, my dear. I promise no harm will come to the cats you hold closely." His tail flickered to the nearest Asylum cat, commanding them to disperse the message to stand by. They wouldn't be leaving the camp and drawing back, no, but there was a whisker thin sense of peace that had formed between the leading toms of respective groups. All of them knew the battle had been won before it could even be started. Flintstar deserved an honest answer for his willingness to not turn this into an outright brawl. Finally, he drew in a quick breath before speaking again, "Asylum hails from lands far away. We control most of them. The forest is the next to become part of our ranks."

He flickered his tail, brushing Tanglerose's shoulder. Longing to pass through this process overwhelmed him and he had to shake it away with a twitch of his whiskers, "You are all a part of Asylum now, entitled to the many places we hold and protection we have to offer. Your way of life may continue for now until the clans are ready to settle into ours. That being said, there will be no more gatherings of the clans. Each will be under the rule of Asylum, all apart of one group. Meeting as separate clans is no longer necessary. Moonstone visits will no longer be allowed. Patrols and those leaving camp will be accompanied by a couple of my cats. We will work as one to keep us all fed through the cold season. I hope you will find us to be allies rather than enemies."

Iniko turned his gaze to the gray warrior. A warm gleam. The security she sought, he could proved. And for that knowledge alone, he smiled.

The grey tom had just awoken from a great sleep to yowls. Vinetail sleepily got up and padded out, "What in starclan's name is going on out here?" He mewed sleepily.