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indenta coalition of the thirteen clans: a simple yet cunning plan to bend the clans to her will. queen nia had forged a bond with trikru and together they combined clans to create a stronger, safer way to ensure the future of both azgeda and trikru. the other clans feared them, as they should, and ontari felt more powerful than even her mother. she could outwit and outfight onya, so she was the obvious nightblood to offer up in the conclave. 12 warriors with nightblood from each clan would battle to the death, until one lone victor remained. this victor would ascend and take leadership as coalition commander, controlling all 12 clans. ontari was interested in only one thing: power. she would bathe the lands in blood if it meant having control and respect; and as a natblida, she was genetically flawless: born for this. pramheda was a nightblood, and she descended from pramheda’s family to become the next commander.
indentontari glanced up, emerald eyes flashing like tiny moons in a cat’s skull, silver disks against a white pelt. the leaves rustled against the ground before slowly gaining height with the soft breeze, only strong enough to cause her whiskers to tremble and lift the lightest, dead leaves. she felt a twisted expression work its way across her face, for unknown reasons except for what was to come. irritation rushed through her like ice as a charcoal blanketed molly came into view. her black fur shone against the sun, offering little protection against the searing heat. the feline was panting by the time she reached the peak of the hill where ontari stood, her lean muscles conditioned yet not used to steep inclinations. she was not from azgeda, or boudalankru: but her sleek fur and whiskers dripping with water suggested her origin of birth. floukru warriors were strange and different: living isolated on an island they could only cross once every year, when the water lowered and revealed a land bridge to reach the other side.
indent“are you ontari?” the strange molly inquired, delicately wrapping her long tail around her paws.
indent“princess ontari, floukru.” she spat in response, eyes narrowed and incisors glinting underneath the sun as she lifted her maw in a snarl.
“but you warriors have never had respect for tradition. yu ste kwelen, yu ge smak daun en yu sitta.”indent“listen, princess, i need to speak with your queen regarding the coalition. floukru wants nothing to do with azgeda, but i think cova is wrong. if queen nia can convince our leader to concede to the coalition…” she trailed off, waiting for ontari to interrupt. when the ginger and white molly did nothing, she continued briskly.
indent“a coalition failed before. but with azgeda instigating for peace, it is possible it could last this time.” after moments of silence, ontari recognized the dark she-cat; her startling ice blue eyes that seemed to drive holes into your skull. the cat who against shadows, could disappear entirely.
indent“you’re luna.” ontari stated, jaw tightening at the realization.
“you ran from your conclave. azgeda attacked floukru, believing they were responsible for the never ending war between the thirteen, believing you were responsible.” ontari’s countenance turned downward, into anger.
“and now what? you’ve had a premonition and want to make up for your mistakes?” she shook her head in disbelief, then her eyes turned resolute.
“unless you want to assassinate your leader, and take his place. one death to end many wars to come.” indent“he deserves more than a quiet assassination. that is not a warrior’s death.” luna declined, her torn right ear twitching as if ontari was a pestering gnat.
indent“then fight him honorably, if you feel you can beat him.” she challenged, a glint of wickedness in her gaze.
indent“make no mistake, ontari. i did not run from my conclave because i was afraid i would lose. i ran because i knew i would win.” luna stepped closer to the princess, eyes blazing with wild anger.
“i wanted to live in peace. and even now, i do not believe that one death is worth a lifetime of peace. i will not challenge him to a fight he would lose.” she paused, her nose inches from ontari’s.
“but you will bring your queen to floukru lands. the land bridge is open tonight, but i’m sure you know that.” she paused, their chest fur brushing together as they breathed.
“you’ve spent abundant time on our island. i’m curious though.” she paused, her eyes flashing.
“where did you tell your family you went?” indent“i’m not a prisoner, i can go where i like.” ontari insisted, lifting her muzzle away from luna’s. as the black molly stepped closer, she forced ontari to back up against the sheer edge of the cliff, and her paw to slip against the rocks.
“i-i never saw you there, so how did you know i came?” ontari stuttered, pressuring her to change the subject.
indent“as if i’d trust an azgeda spy to hold the secret of my ignoring my banishment. get the ice nation mark princess, it’d suit you.” luna sneered, her icy eyes seeming to stare into ontari’s soul.
indent“a spy and a coward. what a pair we make,” she retorted, averting her own emerald gaze from luna’s.
“you’ll have to trust that spy now, luna.”indent“as long as you keep mine, your secret is forever safe with me, princess.” luna retreated a few steps, allowing the ginger molly to regain her composure and safety at the cliff-top.
“i’ll be leaving.” indent“not so fast, first you’re coming to queen nia with me, and telling her everything you told me. leaving out the bit of my random appearances at floukru island, yeah?” ontari used her tail to gently sweep luna in the direction of the cliff face, before heading down gracefully, her muscles flexing underneath her sleek pelt. the ebony molly followed reluctantly, figuring that if anything, ontari would protect luna if it meant protecting her secrets.
-
indentafter the sun had slipped down past the mountains, ontari’s mother, queen nia had finally agreed to meet with floukru’s leader. cova was weak, and far too forgiving, but the importance of the coalition would not be overseen. the other 11 clans had submitted to the alliance, especially now that azgeda was the largest of the 12 clans, due to trikru’s sudden merge. wanheda, whose mate was pregnant, had decided to step down as commander and present the opportunity for a real commander who was not distracted by mettle things such as love; and that commander would be her. if they could not convince floukru to join the alliance, then they could scare them into it. their cats were roughly trained and weak in skill, an ultimate consequence for living peacefully and isolated on an island. the kits found it hardest to move- but the monarch took it slowly, in order to secure future warriors for azgeda. none died on the journey up the mountain, except poor posy; who was small enough to have been picked up by an eagle. her short legs and short tail would not have been useful, but as princess to azgeda, ontari had to pretend to mourn for her loss of life, if it could even be amounted to that. the only issue with the merge was skai; a pretty she-cat with much to say and sharp battle skills. the daughter of two clans, and the member of four seperate clans, her blood was tainted and imperfect. but she learned quickly and fought better than everyone in the clan, even the experienced warriors with kits. her ambition was far-reaching and far-fetched, and though she was not a nightblood, ontari worried that somehow, someway… skai would make it into the conclave and challenge ontari of her spot as commander.
-
indentdarkness swelled over skai like a tidal wave, suffocating her throat and taking her breath. she struggled to hear over the gurgled noises of gona’s struggles as she drowned him, or posy’s screams as she plummeted to her death, and could not see over the fierce golden eyes of naikou. she wailed out loud, waking herself up with a start. niylah glanced up, her eyes flashing wildly, before calming down as she realized it was just her mate. skai shook her head and stood up, staggering out of the healer’s den, ignoring niylah’s protests behind her. she traveled away from the camp, an unusual chill penetrating her fur. in her old territory, heat was to be expected in greenleaf, but here, nothing but cold and snow greeted them except in very few moons. it was high above the rest of the clans, secured behind an old twoleg den that expanded down the mountain as well as on top of it. the stone, though there were holes where the cats had patched in with compact snow, dirt, and sticks, kept them warm. there were three levels, the bottom for the most capable ranks; warriors and seconds. the second for mothers, their progeny, and healers. then the top was reserved for royalty- though skai suspected ontari to take the balcony that overlooked their lands, above the third level. there were extra rooms they used to store things, such as the fire room where metal hooks lay, waiting to be heated to scald the azgeda symbol across all warriors faces. except those that were meant to be spies- lithe cats like ontari, onya, violet, and skai herself. cats with pretty faces to fool unsuspecting warriors, to infiltrate and destroy everything in their path. spies often brought back war victims, or prisoners, to hold in the keep where they awaited their death, their torture, or something far worse.
there was a gathering room, where all clan came together to share prey stored in there and share tongues, perhaps the most welcoming room in the fortress. skai’s eyes flashed as she recalled a conversation she had with queen nia.
indent“my daughter cannot do it, the other cats look to her. but you… you have no family, no friends, and your mate is busy applying dock to sore paw-pads. no one will notice if you and posy slip away, and she falls to her death.” queen nia purred seductively, blinking warmly at the younger skai.
“i’m practically handing her to you in a platter. and if you do this successfully, you will become like ontari; a spy, and you will not have to bear the mark i do.” she gestured from her forehead to her muzzle as extra incentive.
“you don’t want to be branded, do you frikdriena?”indent“how did you know that?” skai spat, her teeth bared, pacing around the queen.
indent“i know everything, skairipa. follow my orders, and do not make me expose you to my azgeda warriors. life can start anew for you, or you can suffer your same fate. your choice.” indentposy’s screams sounded in her head again, whisking her back to the present. she shook her pelt and glanced out at the barren landscape, her eyes downcast.
oh niylah, what have i done? summary azgeda and trikru form one clan, taking the name of azgeda. they move to the mountains where azgeda's territory and camp, an abandoned twoleg castle, is, but posy dies in the process, due to queen nia forcing skai to assassinate her quietly. ontari and luna, a warrior of one of the 12 clans, make a deal with each other to convince their leaders to make peace in order for ontari to offer herself up as a champion for her clan and fight to the death in a conclave with 11 other warriors from 11 other clans. If she wins, she will have total control over all 12 clans and become the coalition commander. if she loses, she will die. most of the cats, except spies, are marked with the azgeda symbol.
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