Louder than Sirens, Louder than Bells, Sweeter than Heaven, and Hotter than Hell

"It's him, right?" Adrenaline whispered to Waterfall, as they continued on spying on the Tom form the bushes, unseen still at this moment. "Yup. Still a wonder how he's not noticing us, Ai. You're quite the klutz when it comes to these kind of things." With that comment he made, he received a hit to the head, almost making him yowl out. "It's a wonderful thing called Adrenaline!" She mewed happily before moving forward through the bushes.

"Quite the pun you have there." Waterfall muttered as he followed her, continuing on. Up till now, they were still trying to find the easiest spot to eliminate him. That was their mission through all of this. Personally, Adrenaline would've preferred the front lines, fighting to the death. She was best suited for that kind of action, not this!

Past is past. No use complaining about rotten milk.

Adrenaline was starting to have doubts about actually killing this Tom. "Why were we sent to kill this poor sod of a Tom? He doesn't look like much of a threat to me." She mewed to Waterfall, but he only brushed that comment away, a bit annoyed at how she's actually beginning to forget their purpose. "Are you willing to betray your whole clan for one cat, Ai? Ai, get a hold of yourself. He may seem like some character from some tragedy but do not be deceived!" Afterwards, they continued to follow him.

To Adrenaline, it didn't seem like he was faking his tears. If anything, he seemed like a sincere type of Tom. How she knew this out of nowhere? Adrenaline knew inside already that she had an unprecedented ability to judge others and immediately know what type of cat they are simply by mere gestures such as the look in their eyes, their movements, etc. Unlike Waterfall, she wasn't judgmental and too narrow-minded. Actually, she was the opposite.

I'm still not convinced to kill him.

"My conscience is dying here, Wendy! When are we going to attack?" All Waterfall did was glare at her and mouth to her: "Shut up, mouse-brain! Patience is a virtue." This comment completely provoked her, which once again ended up with a newly-formed bump on Waterfall's head.

Adrenaline knew though, that she wasn't the most patient she-cat. She was resourceful, agile, quick-witted, and all those things, but patient was a no-no. Sick and tired of waiting, she purposely wounded herself by grabbing her partner's sharp claws and slashing herself in the chest, and began running for the hills.

As she ran, the wind blaring in her ears, a plan was being devised. Just a reminder, she wasn't a patient person, but she could be considered as the sharpest blade in the shed. To her, it seemed a better tactic into tricking the Tom and gaining his trust, and maybe when the time finally came that she had warmed up to him, she would strike, mortally and emotionally wounding him. Two birds with one stone.

Rushing ahead, yet trying to stay as still as possible, she laid down in a clearing where she thought he would most likely pass through. With that done, she slowed her heartbeat and tried to look hurt and injured that it would seem like she was about to die, if she wasn't treated sooner or later.

Slowly, her eyes fluttered, squinting in the light, her eyes haven't adjusted properly yet and to her, everything was a blur, even if this was simple acting. She looked around, trying to find the source of the voice that spoke out. Even without the Tom speaking, she could already feel his presence and she had already predicted such an outcome.

With a frail voice, she mumbled, as if she were half-asleep. "Is that you, Quell?" Ever so timidly, she stretched out her paw, trying to touch the tom's face, and possibly bring it closer. Her eyes were still squinting from the light that shone above. It was kind of her fault to begin with, but she needed to make it look more dramatic really, so she chose the spot where light shines the brightest, like a spotlight on a star standing onstage.

"I knew you would come for me." Adrenaline continued to mumble, caressing his face still. "In the first place, I thought you were going to abandon me for good..." With that line done, she gave a sigh of relief, glad to see that she was chosen over everything and everyone else. To add more effect, she looked at him gently, and smiled just like a person about to lose the love of their life on the deathbed.

Without wasting more time, she pulled his face close, not using much force, and softly whispered into his ear: "I love you." Even with her smile and act on, her face still contorted with pain a bit at the slash she forced in herself. Luckily, she didn't force Waterfall's claws in too deep, or she might have really died, but with a little time she could heal anyway.

Even if she would heal, she just hoped this Tom wasn't heartless and was willing to help her still. If not, this wound would be in vain.

It worked! My acting skills must still be good.

This was actually easier than how she initially thought but now, it seemed possible. With her heart and mind set on it, there was already no turning back. All she has to do now is try to act as pitiable as ever, gain his friendship, and maybe learn some secrets he might know, then they're all set. Right now, she still had trouble believing that this Tom was a spy but she can't question the master's orders.

She groaned in pain, even though it didn't really hurt, and constantly winced form the pain. As she was looking around, checking the surroundings to make sure no one would attack an destroy her chance, she spotted Waterfall by the corner of her eye.

I had already forgotten about him!

This was what happens when she gets too caught up in her acting, since she starts to change, personality, behavior and movement-wise. If he was smart, Waterfall would understand, but the Tom crouched in a hunting position as if he was ready to pounce. This kind of situation was one she wanted to avoid, since the Tom was in an angle that looked like the target had wounded her instead of treating her.

Unnoticeably, she moved her paw, making subtle gestures to indicate not to ruin her pan and to not attack the Tom, while she still had time. Luckily, Waterfall was at least smart enough to know that, since he wasn't much of a strategist, even though he was a natural at spying, unlike her, she was more resourceful.

Adrenaline feigned pain from his words as if she was just stabbed and looked at him with a hurt expression. In a timid voice, she slowly got up, once again, wincing from the pain, and sat down in an awkward position. "You don't remember me?"

As she said this, she let one tear drop slide from her silver fur. After she realized that she was crying, she desperately wiped it away and smiled her pained smile once more, as if to display that she was fine. "Sorry to inconvenience you with my petty tears. I d-dint mean to c-cry like that."

Meanwhile, Waterfall seemed to be judging her from the sidelines, giving her a paws up, since cats don't have thumbs. Or do they?

From where she was standing, she could already feel the birth of suspicion, disguising itself amongst his emotions and thoughts. Sometimes he would make faces as if something didn't sit right with him. Perhaps it was her scent?

For now, she needn't worry about that. Her disguise seemed to work at the moment but how long will it take until his suspicion has matured to its full state. Now wasn't the time for that however. She needed to make up some sort of name that maybe he would remember.

Seeing as she had no clues to the mysterious target of theirs, she'd need to feign ignorance. "M-my name? It's been too long since anybody has ever asked me that kind of question." Se rambled on for awhile before realizing what she had done and abruptly stopped her nonsense. "My name is... My name is..." As she looked up at the sky, she struggled to think of a name. If she were to make a mistake, doom and chaos ensue. This was the best way to handle a situation such as this.

"I don't remember."

He's smarter than he actually looked.

For a moment, even Ahlo would've registered him in her mind as harmless, but it looks to her that she was drawing suspicion by feigning ignorance. Even so, she wasn't about to give up her identity. Since she established to knowing him in the past or just knowing someone who greatly resembled him, she' dust have to go continue her act. Right now, she still couldn't think of a name plausible enough, so she needed to divert the topic off of her identity until she can come up with an alias, filled up with hobbies, likes, dislikes, behavior, personal information, background, etc.

"Wait... You a-aren't Licht?" Ahlo mewed in a disoriented and confused tone.

Knowing that his name is Whisperingthunder, she began to let a few tears flow and faked sadness and depression. "I w-was s-so sure that Licht had come to save this wretched self of mine..." Never once anymore did she look up through the duration of the conversation.

With the mention of rogues, she suddenly got a fierce look and she scowled at the name as if it were taboo. "Those rogues! They took away my precious sister, they destroyed my home and—" Out of the blue, she started crying again, keeping in mind, that she had to look like the victim. Making herself cry once again was kind of hard but all she had to do was think of her own real memories, her own past really. The past she's making out was actually a close reflection of her own, which mad it all the more easier to act out. If she hadn't been picked up, this was how she saw herself doing. Crying. Alone. Looking for comfort. Depressed.

So many emotions and things she found herself doing if she hadn't been found by Waterfall when he was an apprentice.

Once she finished crying and wiped her tears away, she looked down and seemed to be thinking real hard, pretending to think of a name. The more she did, the more her face contorted in pain until she gave herself a headache. After doing so, she pretended to look as if she lost something really important and had given up hope for. "I-I'm sorry... Can't remember no m-matter how hard I t-try."

Information was pouring out of him, and she actually felt the need to sincerely pity him, especially seeing that they had alike experiences considering the clan and family. Somehow, she felt that he was about to cry, it was just a feeling, but might as well trust it. It's rare for her gut feeling to fail her, which is why a male should never question a female's inquisition. She just knows.

In a timid way, she reached out, slowly, and patted his head gently, ruffling his fur a bit under her paw, but not in a rough brotherly-like way. More of an encouraging and yet sympathizing way. "There, there..." Adrenaline mewed in a soft voice, without her stuttering.

Honestly, she didn't feel like killing him anymore, but she can't betray her new family. Not when she has already gained much from them. Once again, she forced her guard back up, rebuilding them slowly, and burying the past where it should stay. In a slightly stiff tone, she replied to his previous question.

"I d-do. Just—follow me please..." With a little reluctance due to her self-inflicted wound, she stood up and let her face contort in pain, not bothering to hold it in anymore, as she wheezed a bit from the effort itself. Adrenaline was glad she didn't need to bother with holding her pain as usual. Just as she finally found her balance in standing up, she felt her strength collapse due to the fatal and deep wound on her chest.

How could this hurt me so much? Did I really scar myself deep?