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Post by EbonyPatriot on Mar 8, 2006 21:39:20 GMT -5
Posted by: [glow=red,2,300]EbonyPatriot[/glow]
"Equuleus-please!" wheezes Merakstar. "You-you-didn't-scent-it...You-have-no-proof!"
"TWAS MAGIC THAT KILLED THE TERN!" barks Equuleus, fire beneath his pelt. "AND WHO ELSE KNOWS MAGIC! MURDER! MURDER!!!"
"Equuleus!" gasps a Storm-stalker. "What?"
"You three," snarled Equuleus. "And five more of you- go and fetch the bodies. Do not touch the Tern with your muzzle. GO!" The beast leads up the meeting place, a mumbling Merakstar in his wake.
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Post by EbonyPatriot on Mar 8, 2006 21:40:42 GMT -5
Posted by: [glow=blue,2,300]Night Bear[/glow]
Pierro and BlackStar-
As they raced along the hard ground, Pierro smiled and chuckled. "Uh...you do know that the wind will never cover our tracks?"
BlackStar stopped, and groaned. "Oh you are right. We should confuse them." She looked around, and tried to think of something fast. She came up with the only solution. "The only way is to lead them in several directions, then head off towards Midnight's cave. I don't know if it'll work, but it's our only chance."
"I'm for it." Pierro said, and he and BlackStar took off in seperate directions.
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Post by EbonyPatriot on Mar 8, 2006 21:41:35 GMT -5
Posted by: [glow=red,2,300]EbonyPatriot[/glow]
Equuleus stands on the rise, chest rapidly diltaing with breath. "BlackStar is not here," he rasps. "Pity, if not suprising."
The hunters return soon. Eyes dart hunrily at the fresh meat; but no- they must wait. Shaking their heads, the Storm-stalker glances up at their leaders. Equuleus takes a deep breath, waiting for the hunters to join the others.
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Post by EbonyPatriot on Mar 8, 2006 21:43:11 GMT -5
Posted by: [glow=blue,2,300]Night Bear[/glow]
The two storm-stalkers had arrived in Midnight's cave. They were tired, and felt their strength evaporating from their muscles. They had spent a good time creating several tracks, leading all over the place, a couple of them leading towards a couple traps they had set up. The traps were simply just sharpened rocks they had found, stuck under the snow so that only the tip was present. The tip was covered with venom that BlackStar had gotten from a kemon she killed before. She then put a light sheet of snow, covering all the traps, so that the storm-stalkers wouldn't notice the stones there until they stepped on them.
Midnight woke up, and looked down. He smiled as he saw his new company. "Ah, BlackStar, Pierro, nice to see you here." He then narrowed his eyes. "The plan failed, didn't it?"
BlackStar was taken aback. "How was I supposed to know Equuleus would have known the fish was poisoned?" She felt the blood rushing to her face as anger set in. "I should've just stuffed the darn thing down his throat!"
Midnight jumped from his post. "Now now, let us not get that hasty. I want revenge, but I too must wait."
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Post by EbonyPatriot on Mar 8, 2006 21:44:13 GMT -5
Posted by: [glow=red,2,300]EbonyPatriot[/glow]
As the hunters assume their places, dead silence shatters the air. Even Menkib and the other kits gaze up up Equuleus, eyes swollen with wonder.
Equuleus points his muzzle to the heavens. "My friends, my Tribe, grant me the permission to recall a little history.
"Eons ago, when the grizzlies still roamed in large numbers, brave Matoaka founded our great kind, with aid from Tekkeitsertok himself. Tekkeitsertok warned her, however, that should she turn from a peaceful life, the blackness in her heart would sweep through her body, to permanetly saturate her pelt in darkness. Matoaka vowed never to turn to the ways of Xotol, the Warmonger- to the darkness.
"Since that fateful day, we have thrived. The last Grizzlies have vanished; we have formed an alliance with the Arctic Wolves. Aye, 'tis the time now to reap the blessings of Matoaka.
"Alas, this is no time for peace. For even we hear them...whispers...whispers of revolt....of death. Have you not ears? Can you not hear it?"
The Storm-stalkers gasp, for in the wind that whistles and shrieks, they can indeed hear "Death Death."
"For this a time of war, a time when we must kill, lest we desire death for ourselves. Our teeth must bare- their blood must soak the ice. For now is the time to FIGHT!"
"FIGHT!" echoes the Tribe. "FIGHT!"
"Wait," snaps Merakstar, ears swept back. "How do you know?"
Equuleus's aquamarine eyes blazed. "You doubt, my sister? Very well then- another journey to the past.
"Past two sunrises, two of our Tribe members' hearts darkened so greatly that their pelts were stained black. Indeed, the first one not longer has a patch of white.
"You know well who I am speaking of. They are Midnight and Pierro."
Snarls thunder in the majority of the Storm-stalkers' chests; their eyes drip hatred.
"Is there anyone so foolish, so blind, that they would deny that the threat is exterminated from our midst? Nay! For among us there still stalks a rebel, one who seeks to destroy us all!
"She lurks at our side, polluting the innocene of our young kits' minds. You know her well, for not only is she kin to Pierro; but already have her paws and chest-mark blazed ebon. She is Blackstar."
"Blackstar," mutters the majority of the tribe, shifting their weight.
"She has tried to posion me! For she left a Char in my path, a Char stuffed with black magic. A Tern, spotting the fish, swallowed it- and collapsed, his throat vibrating with the death rattle. Furthermore, I have many, many a witness, proving previous attempts on my sister and my lives."
This is a lie; but to the others' minds come half-forgotten and vastly altered memories, too numerous to count, to describe- but all featuring a malicious BlackStar.
"A case such as this is difficult to judge. For the aggressor shall not tell the truth; thus, tis the victims statements only that can provide evidence.
"My Tribe, ask yourself: Is BlackStar a rebel?
"Why does she TURN on us?"
"Why?" comes the chant.
"How do we know she is not a rebel?"
"How?" comes the chant.
"We KNOW that she is a rebel!"
"We know," comes the chant.
"How LONG has she been a rebel?"
"How?" comes the chant.
"BlackStar can not deny it! Why won't she confess?"
"Confess!" comes the chant.
"How long has she followed the darkness of Xotol?"
"Xotol!" comes the chant.
"Why does she LAUGH? 'Tis death folly?"
"DEATH!" comes the chant.
"Why won't she confess? Has she allied herself with the followers of Xotol?"
"CONFESS!" comes the chant.
"She will not join the Spirits without confession!"
"CONFESS!" comes the chant.
"CONFESS!"
"CONFESS!" comes the chant. They're ready now- ready to kill!
"TRACK DOWN THIS MURDER! SHE MUST BE FOUND!"
"FIND! KILL!" bellows the Tribe.
"Well said, my friends! Know this now- do not follow her pawprints, for doubtless she has soaked them with black magic! Magic to sweep through your pads and kill."
"KILL!" snarls the Tribe.
"Thus, my friends, we wait. We must wait for Tekkeitsertok!"
"WAIT!" snarls the Tribe, tossing their heads with impatience.
"Tekkeitsertok aid you!"
"TEKKEITSERTOK!" roars the Tribe.
Equuleus settles back on his haunces, his mask flawlessly concealing the sasitfied smirk of his spirit. BlackStar will indeed pay.
OOC: Much of Equuleus's speech has been inspired from the real-life statements of Senator Joseph McCarthy; found at CNN. The questions have been adapted from National Geographic's Salem Witch Hunt.
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Post by EbonyPatriot on Mar 8, 2006 21:45:07 GMT -5
Posted by: [glow=blue,2,300]Night Bear[/glow]
"There's no way I can return now." BlackStar muttered angrily, kicking the snow beneath her feet. "No doubt that stupid Equuleus has got the whole Tribe in a riot, looking for me!" She felt her whole body trembling with anger. She knew she won't go hungry, thanks to Midnight's method he came up with that saved the other Xotol-tainted storm-stalkers: ice fishing.
"Don't worry, sis," Pierro said assuringly, placing his paw on BlackStar's shoulder. "They will pay indeed. They will pay for what they did to us!" His eyes flashed with anger as he recalled the memory of when he and Midnight were driven away.
A low growl rumbled in Midnight's chest as he too recalled the memory. He long wished he forgotten, but his wish for revenge kept the memory etched in his memory. "They may be starting a search party soon. An army search party. When they find us they will kill us." Midnight went into the back part of the small cave and searched for a map he had found. He figured it must've blew away from the hand of the human who held it. "We can't stay here much longer. We will need to go further, where the other rebels are hiding."
Pierro and BlackStar looked at each other, and then shrugged. Curiously, BlackStar asked, "What are you looking for?"
"A map, silly! What else would I be looking for? Aha!" Midnight picked up a rolled piece of paper, and spread it out for the other two to see. "We are here." He pointed at one spot of the island. It was detailed enough that they could make out a few landmarks that proved that he was right. Then Midnight dragged his white claw towards another spot, this one had one distinct landmark. A hill of snow that rose above the ground, and it opened up in the middle, and the lining was jagged. It gave the appearance of a T-Rex's mouth. No one knows how it was formed, but some guess it was humans who must've carved it. No force on nature could have produced such a thing...or could they?
"This," Midnight said as he pointed a few millimeters behind the landmark, "is where we need to go. This is where the rebels are hiding." He was gifted with the fact that he could read. Not many storm-stalkers, or many animals for that matter, could read. He read the key indicating distance and he calculated in his mind. "It should only take us about an hour's worth of walking to reach it." He folded up the map and put it away. "The rebels are hiding in a huge cave behind the landmark."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Pierro said, rising to his feet. "Let's go there now!"
"Not so fast." Midnight spoke, a bit of anger in his voice. "It is not that simple. The cave, you see, is underground." Pierro and BlackStar stared at him in astonishment. Neither of them have ever been to the new hideout-the last one was destroyed. "There is a secret entrance, hidden in the snow. Luckily I have been there and I know where it is." Then another memory crossed his mind. "That's not all."
"What now?" BlackStar moaned impatiently.
"There's traps in the tunnel that leads to the cave. One wrong step and you will find yourself with thousands of kemon stingers in your skin. And you know how deadly their venom is." The two storm-stalkers shuddered. "I think we should start heading out now."
"Finally..." BlackStar whispered to Pierro, who chuckled. Midnight took no notice. Soon the trio left the cave and headed towards where the landmark should be, and where the rebels were hiding.
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Post by Night Bear on Mar 26, 2006 1:01:01 GMT -5
WhiteStar-
Deep within the realm of the rebel pack walked a young snowstalker kit. She had not gained her sabreteeth. In fact she's the only kit in the pack who hadn't started growing her teeth yet. It shouldn't surprise her. She is in fact the youngest, daughter of Midnight and BlackStar. Midnight and BlackStar....her body shudders as she thinks of them. She wasn't very happy when she heard they were coming.
Now it wasn't because she hated them. She just loathed what the darkness had done to them. She never met them when the darkness hadn't taken effect, but she heard a story from a fellow rebel about how Midnight and BlackStar were once like before the darkness overtook them and Pierro, BlackStar's big brother.
WhiteStar sat down away from the other kits and looked up. She stared up at the rocky ceiling that shielded them from the outside world. She looked around her. Most of the rebels only had a little white remaining on them. A few, like BlackStar, had started to darken. Some others, like Midnight, were all black. And there were still some that were almost half white and half black, like Pierro.
WhiteStar shook her head and returned to the other kits. She wasn't an outcast, but she felt like one. No one had said anything, but some of WhiteStar's fur started to change back to white. The spread had stopped, but the change back to white had occurred. She began to think, 'What am I going to do?'
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Post by Night Bear on Apr 10, 2006 18:42:34 GMT -5
BlackStar, Pierro, and Midnight-
The three stormstalkers raced across the hard-packed snow ground towards where the landmark was. "We must hurry and get in there before Equueleus sends out a search party!" Pierro breathed heavily.
"Oh let him come I say!" BlackStar wheezed. "I'd like to tear him apart!"
Midnight growled. "We don't want them discovering the rebels' hide out, BlackStar." He glared at his mate as they raced across the ground, drawing ever closer to the rebel's hideout.
"I know I know." BlackStar panted. She knew her mate was right. They weren't ready for battle. She was about to say something to Pierro when Midnight cut her off.
"So is Marekstar still gullible?" He had to laugh at that.
"Marekstar? Oh yes..." The black-footed stormstalker rolled her eyes. "Even when her stupid brother keeps warning her about me, she still thinks I'm a loyal tribe member. Tsk, yeah right."
"So you going to take that to your advantage?" Pierro inquired.
BlackStar thought for a moment, and smiled darkly. "Yes...If she still thinks I'm one of the good guys, I could get her when she's alone, and when she least expects it...RAWR!"
Midnight's eyes widened with horror. "Shhh shhh!!" He warned her. "You want the others to hear that?!"
BlackStar covered her mouth. "Sorry!"
"There it is..." Pierro said, oblivious to what happened. The stormstalkers had stopped running, and were staring in almost awe at the rocky formation. Indeed it was in the form of a T-Rex.
Midnight looked at the two, and gestured his head. "Let's go."
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Post by EbonyPatriot on Apr 10, 2006 19:32:48 GMT -5
By forcing them to wait, the fire Equuleus has kindled in the Storm-stalkers' hearts has become an inferno. Claws are being sharpened; fur is bristling. Smiling, Equuleus turns to Merakstar- and finds empty space. "MERAKSTAR!" he screeches. "Has anyone seen my sister?"
Golden light, so pure, so strong, glows at his side. Equuleus bows to the Spirit stag. "Quick, Equuleus!" cries Tekkeitsertok, rearing rampant. "Your sister has goneto Xotol's Lair!"
Equuleus trembled with rage. "How can I get there?"
"Not on mine back," said Tekkeitsertok. "I can carry in my antlers; but you have to be careful."
Without another word, the Storm-stlaker springs onto the stag's lowered head. Carefully spreading himself to prevent the prongs from impaling him, Equuleus commands, "Stay here, my Tribe! Now then, let's go, Tekkeitsertok!"
--- Tekkeitsertok was right: the rock in the shape of T-Rex, though not many knew it, was the lair Xotol had lived- the lair his Spirit still occupied from time to time.
Xotol's head snaps up; his eyes evaporate into slits as Merakstar scrambles into view. How she escaped BlackStar's trap is an amazing even to the Spirit Of Death. She throws herself onto her haunches and pants hard. "I-I-must-I-must-warn-her..."
"That is an action I must warn against," echoes Xotol.
Merakstar's ears perk up; she is too tired to respond, however.
Soon, both whirl around as the three rebels enter. "BlackStar!" gasps Merakstar, staggering forwards. "BlackStar, you must leave here!"
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Post by Night Bear on Apr 10, 2006 19:47:48 GMT -5
BlackStar- BlackStar had heard Marekstar coming before she came into view. She quickly told her mate and brother to go into the rebel's cave to go round up a couple rebels to bring back out when she gave the signal. She knew Marekstar was too tired to bother to notice them going inside, especially since they were near next to the T-Rex formation, so the two darker stormstalkers could blend in with the shadows.
Turning towards Marekstar, BlackStar faked a warm smile. She walked towards the tribe leader, ears perked up. "I need to get out of here? What reason for?"
She stopped in her tracks. "Is it your nervous brother again?"
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Post by EbonyPatriot on Apr 10, 2006 20:06:55 GMT -5
"Yes-the-whole-tribe-against-you," gasps Merakstar, painfully walking toward the mouth of the cave. "He's called upon Tekkeitsertok to lead him.
"Merakstar," snarls Xotol from the shadows. "Silence, you know not what harm you do. BlackStar is no friend of mine; nor of Tekkeitsertok."
---
The Kemon spines melt upon contact with Tekkeitsertok's hooves; their poison converts to harmless dew. The Golden Star is a beauty to watch, for he gallops like a horse; his pelt snapping in the air. "Faster!" chokes Equuleus, his limbs aching from his awkward position (he dare not move, less those antlers plunge through his flesh).
A bugle slices the air- mournful as wolf's howl, eery as the loon's laugh, with all the wapiti's pain. It is Tekkeitsertok, heralding his advance. Such a sound, unheard of on the island (for there are no wapitis), chills all who hear it to the marrow of their bones.
Yet the Stag knew he would be too late."
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Post by Night Bear on Apr 10, 2006 20:20:50 GMT -5
BlackStar-
BlackStar closed her eyes and shook her head. "A darn shame. Rallying up a whole tribe like that." Her voice was lightly laced with sarcasm. It didn't surprise her at all. She knew this day would come.
As Marekstar drew closer to where the hidden entrance lie, BlackStar raised her paw up in the air, almost as if greeting something. She started to walk around Marekstar.
"Marekstar, what are you doing way out here, and so...alone?" The warm smile turned into a malicious one as her mate and brother emerge with a couple mostly black rebels, all snarling. The stormstalkers positioned themself in a circle formation, trapping the tribe leader in it with BlackStar.
BlackStar chuckled. "You should have heeded your brother's warnings. He was right..." As she said those words, she lunged forward and tackled the leader.
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Post by EbonyPatriot on Apr 16, 2006 19:37:35 GMT -5
Merakstar's heart-rending shriek shatters the icy air as the males (one on either side) drive their fangs in her forelegs. With a sicking crunch, the bones snap as BlackStar's lunge slams against the stone. Blood squirts from her now-ragged throat, soaking her pelt as well as the rogue's grinding jaws.
Still, she did not become Tribe Leader for nothing. Without any warning whatsoever, Merakstar impales BlackStar's nose.
---
"Oh Tekkeitsertok," sobs Equuleus suddenly as the Golden Stag gallops through the camp. "Let her flesh not be torn!
"Let her blood leave no stain.
"Though she's beaten, let her feel no pain.
"Let her bones never break and no matter they try to destroy her.
" Never let her die! Never let her die!!"
OOC: Equueleus's statements are (c) to Stephen Schwartz. It is from Wicked's "No Good Deed."
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Post by Night Bear on Apr 16, 2006 21:49:10 GMT -5
BlackStar-
BlackStar let out a howl of pain, but she did not back down. She lifted her paw and struck down, knocking Marekstar's head onto the ground. She panted a few seconds, and spoke, "You were a fool to overlook one thing, Marekstar."
She chuckled, and sneered, "If you remember the old stories about our creation, you would have realized that my black paws meant I have darkness in my heart..." She shook her head. "But you realized that too late..."
She opened up her mouth and crunched downward, the large sabreteeth ripping into Marekstar's throat. Blood oozed from the wound.
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Post by EbonyPatriot on Apr 16, 2006 21:54:22 GMT -5
Shrieking, Merakstar rolls to her paws, blood flowering from her throat. By some miracle, those sabreteeth have missed the jugular and wind pipe. "Xotol will curse you for this!" she snarls, dragging her broken body by hind limps to the mouth of the cave. "As he promsied Tekkeitsertok, long long ago!"
"Indeed I shall" mutters Xotol, eyes burning.
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