Posts by ?vixen ?

[justify]-- Emerald green eyes glinted from the morning sun's rays as Russetwind leisurely strode out to the border of the Insignia to wait for and meet a patrol. The decision to join this particular clan hadn't been arbitrary - she had extensively thought through this choice, and she had made it. Now for that joining bit.

Unaware that there was an auto-acceptance policy, she sat down and wrapped her striped tail around herself, wondering what she would have to do to get in.[/justify]

[justify]-- Acknowledging the Insignia member with a dip of her head, the cat answered, "Russetwind. Otherwise known as Russet, Russ, and the girl who's too smart for her own good." Her dry humor was often misinterpreted. "I would like to join the Insignia."[/justify]

[justify]-- "But of course I have this bright idea to take a shortcut through the graveyard, where everyone knows is not a place full of rainbows and butterflies!" Russetwind mumbles as she picks up her pace upon hearing the bone-chilling howl.
(1/60)[/justify]

[justify]-- The being in the distance howled again, and it was like a red-hot knife in the suspense-heavy air. It sounded closer, and Russetwind began to jog, glancing behind her every four seconds.

(2/60)[/justify]

[justify]-- Furtively glancing around, Russetwing bumped directly into someone else and reflexively whirled around with an arched back, flattened ears, and unsheathed claws. "Alright, I'll shut you up for good!" she cried, mistaking the being as the source of the howls she had been hearing.[/justify]

[justify]-- A rock.

Her face burning, Russetwind forced herself to take deep breaths and stared at the rock she had backed into and attempted to attack. This cemetery was making her paranoid.

(4/60)[/justify]

[justify]-- Gently chiding herself for being so jumpy, Russetwind turned to see a wolf.

It was fairly normal, with long gray fur and a stocky build. What wasn't normal was the fact that it had no head. A gaping, bleeding neck, cut to the bone, was where it should have been.

The cat, small in comparison, was morbidly fixated on the lurid scene before common sense took over. She turned tail and ran, feeling as if she was about to retch. What was going on? Why was this happening to her?

(5/60)[/justify]

[justify]-- Wolves were big - bigger than a cat, at least - and had long legs. The headless wolf soon caught up with her with several strides, and Russetwind skidded to a stop before she bumped into it. She arched her back and hissed, a courageous veneer that hid her disgust and fear well.

Her only option left was to fight.

(6/60)[/justify]

[justify]-- The she-cat blinked. "Oh? And here I was, steeling myself to drink the blood of a sacred cow from a golden goblet while signing a soul-binding oath. It's nice to meet you." Well. That was easy.[/justify]

[justify]-- Russetwind launched herself into the air, twisting her body so that her soft underbelly wasn't exposed, and landed on its back. With a cry of triumph, she raked her front claws down its sides, clinging on as if for dear life with the claws on her back paws. The headless wolf gave a strangled yell that emanated from its sliced windpipe, and the cat shuddered.

(7/60)[/justify]

[justify]-- The headless wolf bucked wildly like a rodeo bull gone rabid, and it didn't take long for Russetwind to be flung off. Landing not-so-gracefully on her feet, she stood for a split second, dazed. Exploiting this, the creatures body slammed into the cat, sending her flying again.

If this keeps up, I'll grow wings, she sourly thought, landing hard. She was tired of being airborne so much.

(8/60)[/justify]

[justify]-- The battle dragged on, and Russetwind knew she was on the losing side. Her calm and collected attitude was slowly returning to her, though, and she began to formulate a plan as she zigzagged agilely around flurries of blows from the headless wolf.

(9/60)[/justify]

[justify]-- Russetwing leaped into the air again, this time aiming for the gruesome, headless neck of the wolf that she had so tried to avoid. She sank her claws into the exposed flesh and closed her eyes, as she would rather strike blindly then view the gory damage she was inflicting.

(10/60)[/justify]

[justify]-- Russetwind will need a guide![/justify]

[justify]-- Ohgodohgodohgodohgod.

Well, there goes my innocence, she thought, trotting away from the gory carcass. Oh wait. I lost it long ago. Lost was an understatement. It was pounded out of her body, scattered into approximately sixteen million pieces, and burnt into smoldering ashes. Which were then burned again.

(11/60)[/justify]

[justify]-- After a while of aimless wandering and intense pondering (hey, that rhymed! Cemeteries are so inspiring), Russetwind sighted two cats in the distance and cautiously approached them.

"Is it safe to assume that you two are not incorporeal yet harmful, malevolent spirits?" she asked without a hint of a smile. A coat of dust covered her wounds and gashes, which had fortunately stopped bleeding,

(12/60)[/justify]

[justify]-- Russetwind waited for an answer.

(13/60)[/justify]

[justify]-- Russetwind nodded, faintly and foolishly relieved. "Good to hear. My name's Russetwind, otherwise known as Russet, Russ, or that girl who has a mouth smarter than herself." Her dry sense of humor was often misinterpreted, which landed her in some sticky situations. "Any idea on how this dilemma we're facing came to be?"

(14/60)[/justify]

[justify]-- While waiting for a response from either of the two cats, she twisted around and began to lap at her wounds. The tangy taste of blood was received by her taste buds, and she flinched a little, recalling the creature she had so luridly defeated earlier.

(15/60)[/justify]

[justify]-- Alder. Like the tree, she supposed. "Your guess is as good as mine. I was trying to get home after a hunt took me out further than I usually go, and I tried to take a shortcut through this graveyard. It scares me how stupid I was."

(16/60)[/justify]