The Journey Within ~Advanced RP~

"I'm not sure what you are planning to do, but I know what I'm going to do." Zamora knew that what she was about to say would make her seem crazy. But she had this feeling, this urge, that there was something more to her life. That she wasn't supposed to live here for the rest of her life alone and hostile to all cats that entered her territory. She thought about what she was going to say, and analyzed it from all directions. Then, she took a breath, and spoke. "I'm going to humor you. I'm going to trust you, just this once. I'm going to go with you." Zamora knew this territory, and many others, like the back of her own paw. She had traveled through them on more than one occasion. The hard part: finding where to start. The scent of adventure was near, she could practically taste it. And if there was one thing she loved, it was adventure. Zamora walked up to Frostbite, a dangerous glint in her violet eyes and a slightly scary smile on her face. "You. You are the one that found me. You are the one that had the dream. And you are the one that will lead the journey." The tabby stepped back, and extended her tail in a sweeping motion towards the forest. "Lead the way, Frostbite."

Zamora padded along, slightly behind the other she-cat. The tabby agreed with Frostbite's decision to travel with the wind. "Do you have any idea where your going?" She asked, not really concerned. Zamora just wanted to know the general direction so she could warn Frostbite of any natural barriers. The forest was bright and sunny, there were practically no shadows. Leaves crunched underfoot and the low buzz of insects provided a harmony to the songbirds.

Zamora stopped beside Frostbite, her eyes narrowed and focused in the direction that the rustle came from. Lowering her voice slightly she answered "There are many other cats in this area. However they gain, lose, and change territory all of the time, not to mention the other cats are just as cautious as I am. The only time you'll ever see one is when they have you pinned to the ground for trespassing". A realization suddenly came upon the she-cat. Her territory would be gone once the others realized she wasn't coming back. I'll make sure to get it back, or have an even better territory once this 'journey' is done. "As far as I am aware, we are currently not on anyone's territory. And I am not aware of any cat that has a white tail tip in these parts."

OOC: OK, thanks. But if I go off in a direction that you don't want to go, make sure to tell me. I'll change it.

Zamora whirled around and looked at the faces of the cats. . . And she smiled. Chuckling she shook her head in disbelief and continued to scan the faces of the cats. Her violet gaze stopped on a brown and white tabby tom. The tom was large in size, with his pelt covered in many scars. The ghost of a smile played around his lips, but his vivid blue eyes were cold and hard. He stepped forward, towering over his band of rouges. "Ah Zamora, my dear, how very nice to see you again. I was worried that you had forgotten who we were, so I stopped by to remind you." Zamora gave a false smile, and growled "Who could ever forget you, Cobra? However, I am surprised to see you this far south. What brings you down this way?". Cobra ignored Zamora's question, and instead turned to Frostbite. "And who would you be?"

The smile drained off of Cobra's face, his eyes sharpening into a glare. "Oh, but you see, it does matter. It matters very much. Zamora knows. Don't you, dear?". It was at that moment that Zamora experienced a feeling that she had not felt since the last time she saw Cobra: fear. Her mind flashed back to that fateful day, the day she met Cobra for the very first time.

The wind howled loud in her ears, sending stinging pieces of snow and ice against her fur. The blizzard had started hours ago, with no sign of stopping anytime soon. She needed shelter, and soon, or she would literally freeze to death. A dark shape loomed ahead, and she lifted her ice covered paws and bounded toward it. Running full tilt into the cave, she practically slammed into the elderly ginger tom standing guard. The tom took her in with one sympathetic look (because of how she looked, or because of what lay ahead, she did not know), and waved her in with his tail. She was escorted deeper into the cave, and halted in front of a brown and white tabby tom, his pelt covered in scars. "Oh, and what do we have here?" he asked. "We found her outside. She's practically just a kit, sir." One of her escorts explained. The scarred tabby tom flicked his tail, and the escorts disappeared into the cave. "What is your name, cat?" he asked, his blue eyes cold. And because she was young, and ignorant, she complied and told him her name. To her surprise, the brown and white tabby smiled, his eyes warm. "Nice to meet you Zamora. I am known as Cobra." It was then, gazing up into his liquid blue eyes, that she fully understood what she had gotten herself into. But in a way, she had not understood. Because what she went through, was far worse than what she had ever imagined....

Zamora snapped out of her flashback, it had taken just a second for all of it to come back to her. "Cobra, I know you won't hurt me. Just pull me aside, remind me of our 'arrangement' and go torture the many other cats on your list." Zamora mewed, exasperated. Cobra nodded his agreement. "Your right Zamora, I could never dare hurt you. Dead cats cannot repay debts. However..." His icy gaze shifted back to Frostbite, "I could easily hurt this one..."

Cobra stopped talking, appearing to think it over. "I'll leave, on one condition. You must give me something in return. To repay for my generosity". It took just a moment for Zamora to think of something. Even though she recoiled at the thought of giving Cobra something, she knew he would not give in until he was satisfied. "My territory. You can have it all". The tom nodded, it was acceptable payment. He pulled his gaze from Zamora, and directed his attention to Frostbite. "I have a feeling that you will refuse my generous offer, so let me read out your options. You either give me something to pay me with, or you can join me and my band of rouges, forever." Cobra was elated, he hoped that Frostbite would choose the latter option. He would thoroughly enjoy having her under his command. "The choice is yours, my dear".

"That was a very impressive speech there. However, if you are trying to intimidate me, you have gone about it the wrong way. What use are words when you don't back them up with physical strength?" Cobra reasoned, amused. "And there is a reason, you see. It is your life, for something you have. I think it's a pretty good deal, don't you?" He asked the band of rouges. They gave nods in various levels of enthusiasm. While Cobra was talking, Zamora slowly started to back up, slowly enough that none of the rouges noticed. She shot Frostbite a brief look that said: Keep him occupied, then run for your life. Cobra babbled on about how grateful they should be, and how he was the most generous cat on the planet for giving them options.

Zamora followed, her paws pounding on the forest floor. During the first part of their escape the rouge cats followed in pursuit. However, they soon fell behind and gave up the chase completely. This is not the last time I will see Cobra. He always has a way of finding me. They ran until the sun set, and the moon's faint glow shone above. Then, sides heaving, Zamora collapsed onto the grass in a heap. She lay still as she caught her breath, ignoring the looks she was sure Frostbite was giving her. "I think.... We've run... Far enough." she panted, still winded.

"I agree with that. And as for your question, he knows exactly who he is. An awful rouge that enjoys torturing other cats." Zamora flicked her tail, preferring not to dwell on the topic any longer. The twilight air was cool and crisp on Zamora's fur and she felt new strength surging into her. Collecting herself, she sat up in the long grass. "Do you want to rest some more, or keep walking?" The dark tabby she-cat asked. "Either way, I need some fresh-kill and a long drink before we do anything."

The sound of a river was indeed close, much to Zamora's despair. She would have preferred a nice quiet pond or lake, not that large body of rushing water. Preferring to deal with that obstacle when it arrived, she waved her tail at Frostbite, telling that she would be back later. She padded into the cool forest, the sounds and scents rushed in around her. Discarding the usual scents, Zamora focused on the scent of a mouse scuttling around the base of a tree. The dark tabby crouched down, and stalked the prey while it rustled around her. Once the mouse had its back to her, Zamora sprang up on it and landed squarely on top of the poor creature. She quickly put the mouse out of it misery, and buried her mouse to collect later. Scraping the rough earth over her hole, she trotted onward, searching for more prey.