[it's better than revenge] - The Family

[Dawn]

Adanna pushed out of her den, strong shoulders shoving the brambles away with ease. It was morning and the sun shone down brightly, yet the earth was covered in snow.

Adanna's lip curled as she stepped into the moist white mess. She hated the snow. It was perfectly pointless. "Wonderful, what a way to start the morning." She growled quietly to herself.

Sniffing irritably at the cold air, the large she-cat looked around the 'camp' through narrowed blue eyes. Ever sense she had returned things had been different. She was the last remaining cat who had started this 'camp', what with Snowberry and Ahomose and Iris gone.

She was also the last of her sisters at this point. Iris had been killed by Gravity and Snapdragon had been killed by her own daughter. The memory brought a slight smirk to her maw. Stupid Snapdragon, believeing that Dewlyn would not attack her because she was her mother.

"Stupid she-cat, I'm surprised she even lasted that long."

[/color] She spat dismissively. That just proved that Dewlyn was strong while Snapdragon was weak. And who had time for weak cats?

---

Irkalla padded out of the den she shared with her siblings and looked around the snow covered area. A slight smile twitched at the corners of her mouth. She loved the snow, loved how she could move so easily through it due to her long limbs and loved the way it made the forest appear so magical.

Of course, her mother hated it. She hated most things... though snow was right up there. Along with Clan cats. "Wonder if she can feel that it snowed."[/color] She meowed to herself.

Irkalla looked towards her mother's den and was surpried to see Adanna pushing irritably out of the entrance. She usually didn't like to come out this early, perhaps she had been disturbed.

It was never fun to be around Adanna if she was irritable, so Irkalla looked back towards her den. Adanna might look over and expect Irkalla to come greet her right away if she thought that she had seen her. Perhaps if Osiris came out Adanna would become slightly calmer, he always did seem to put her in a good mood. "Her perfect son."[/color] Irkalla snorted to herself, eyes flashing slightly.

---

"Why thank you Irkalla, I like to think that I am her perfect son too. It's nice to know that I'm not the only cat who sees it."[/color] Osiris meowed jokingly, padding out the den and nudging his now scowling sister lightly with his shoulder.

"I see it snowed, she won't like this."[/color] He continued, looking around the white clearing and then towards their mother.

"You're not wrong."[/color] Irkalla snapped, glaring at her brother. He was always sarcastic and the like. She expected nothing less of the cat who had been personally trained by and was greatly favored by Adanna, but why him?

The she-cat shook her head slightly to clear it. There was no point in being jealous of Osiris, nothing was going to change that he was the favored child of their mother and it wasn't his fault. However annoying he became.

"Good morning mother."[/color] Osiris meowed, padding across the clearing towards Adanna. He had no personal feelings towards the snow. He didn't appreciate it making his pelt wet but he didn't hate it.

Adanna swung her head around to face her only son and her eyes became a little less cold. "Good morning Osiris, sleep well?"[/color] She asked.

Osiris shrugged slightly. "As well as usual."[/color] He replied. He did not ask Adanna how she had slept. He knew that it would have irked her to be colder than usual and was not stupid enough to awake her anger this early in the morning.

This was why he was so favored by Adanna as compared to his sister. He knew how not to push her buttons which is the easiest way to deal with the dangerous she-cat.
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[.:Lexxa:.]

<sup>Yawning, Nephthys pusshed her way out of the den, only to be met by belly-high snow.

"Son of a-" She growled, stopping herself when she realized she was in the presence of her mother. "Oh, good morning mother, Irkalla, Osiris. Wonderful day isn't it?" She said, laying her ears flat.

She shook the powdery white material that clung to her long pelt, and sat down as carefully as she could. She slumped over in a mopey fashion and muttered "Stupid snow. Whoever came up with the idea of this crap is a dumb, crow food-brained idiot."</sup>

[Dawn]

"Son of a-"

Irkalla turned her head to see her sister emerging from their den.

"Oh, good morning mother, Irkalla, Osiris. Wonderful day isn't it?"

Irkalla flicked her tail in greeting to her sister while Adanna raised an eye brow. "Oh yes, it's a truly marvelous day. If you enjoy walking through a wet, smooshy forest."

[/color] Adanna snapped, her words oozing sarchasm.

"Stupid snow. Whoever came up with the idea of this crap is a dumb, crow food-brained idiot."

"You don't say?" Growled Adanna though it was clear she agreed. She didn't even bother to try and sit. Who wanted a wet back side anyway?

"Interesting how we are the only cats out now, isn't it? Everyone else is being rather lazy, wouldn't you say?" Osiris meowed, trying to move the conversation from something that would irritate Adanna to no end.

Adanna snorted. "Probably don't want to tred in the snow. I would say in my nest today but I've gotten rather bored shut up in there lately."[/color] She growled, and it was apparent what she meant.

Whenever Adanna said that she was bored, it was usually followed by a lengthy disappearance or else a murder. Based on the assumption that she wouldn't want to travel much anywhere in this weather, Osiris knew that she meant she wanted to go out, find a cat, play with it a bit, then kill it.
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[Rebecca]

"AHH! LOOK AT DAT! IT SNOWED, IT SNOWED!"
A gleeful yowl sounded a little ways away from Adanna and her offspring.

The source of the joyful noise was standing outside of the den that he stared with his siblings, eyes wide and bright with childlike delight. The brawny ginger tom cat didn't waste any time. Fox literally leapt into the snow, landing on the powder on his belly with a shiver and a silly grin. He stood and shook his pelt as a dog would and started to hop around in the snow, laughing as his paws created small crevices in the blanket.

Yes, Fox was probably the only member of The Family who felt this way. He enjoyed the snow. He wasn't sure why, but it was a source of happines for him. The snow was beautiful and seemed to muffle the noise of everyday life. Yes, it was cold, but Fox didn't care. The snow was just... magical.

He turned around to see his petite sister, Nightingale, glaring at him in agitation. But that was no surprise; Nightingale always seemed to be irritated with someone about something. He laughed loudly when she took a few steps into the snow, hissing as her small body started to sink beneath it. The snow was barely up to Fox's belly, but on Nightingale it was halfway to her chin. Fox almost felt sorry for her.
Almost.

"Do ya need some 'elp down dere, Night'ngale?"
He laughed, trotting over to his struggling sibling.

The black and white she-cat glowered at him in response.
"No."
She meowed coldly, slowly pushing her way to Adanna, Irkella, Osiris, and Nephthys. Fox followed beside her, a smirk plastered on his face.

"I do not like this. I do not like this at all. I hate this."
Nightingale spat when she finally reached Adanna and her kits. Nightingale's pelt was clumped with snow, and already the she-cat had begun to shiver.

"The snow is purty deep for ya, huh Night'ngale?"
Fox laughed.

Ignoring her brother, Nightingale turned her attention to the rest of her family.
"Good morning Aunt, Osiris, Irkella, Nephthys."
She meowed with a sigh as fresh snow began to fall on them.

"Mornin',"
Fox meowed with a dip of his head to Adanna.

[Dawn]

"AHH! LOOK AT DAT! IT SNOWED, IT SNOWED!"

Adanna turned her head towards the source of the gleeful yowl and her lip curled back in a snarl. Fox leapt out of the den he shared with his siblings and into the snow. An irritated growl began to eminate from Adanna's throat before she saw Nightingale glaring at her brother from the entrance of their den. At least she had some sense.

"Do ya need some 'elp down dere, Night'ngale?"

"No."

Nightingale pushed her way through the white flakes to where Adanna and her kits stood. Fox followed behind her with a smirk on his maw.

"I do not like this. I do not like this at all. I hate this."

"You're not alone Nightingale." Adanna growled, her voice flecked with some approval of Nightingale's attitude. Adanna had always been pretty narrow minded. If you didn't think like she did, then you were wrong. End of story.

"The snow is purty deep for ya, huh Night'ngale?"

Adanna flicked her ears slightly. "Why don't you help your sister warm up as opposed to tease, Fox?"

[/color] Adanna suggested coldly, her eyes narrowed slightly as she gazed upon the strong russet colored tom cat.

"Good morning Aunt, Osiris, Irkella, Nephthys."

"Mornin',"

"Morning Nightingale, Fox."[/color] Irkalla meowed, shaking her head as a clump of snow fell on her from the branch of an overhanging tree.

"Morning."[/color] Osiris greeted his cousins. He then began to help Irkalla push some of the snow off of her head, amusment glittering in his green eyes. "You know, I think it might be wise to go out into the forest to warm up a bit. We are all going to freeze if we stay here and stand around."[/color] He suggested mildly, looking around at the other members of his family.
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[Rebecca]

'You're not alone Nightingale.'

"Thank Heavens."
Nightingale sighed with a sideways glare at Fox. That idiot. Who in his right mind actually enjoyed prancing around in a bunch of snow? If Fox weren't so strong and didn't have the ability to kill her, Nightingale would have...
Well no, she proboably wouldn't have done anything. She liked her brother for the most part. He was just extremely annoying most of the time.

'Why don't you help your sister warm up as opposed to tease, Fox?'

Fox's grin didn't fade at Adanna's words.
"Yes ma'am."
The tabby meowed, taking his tail and flicking clumps of snow off of his sister's pelt. Nightingale sighed as she shifted positions, the snow practically to her chin.

'Morning Nightingale, Fox.'

'Morning.'

Nightingale blinked in acknowledgement. Fox grinned at his cousins.
"Ay, where's everyone else? Dewlyn, 'Thena, Lacebark..."
Fox asked, glancing around the camp. Were they really the only ones awake at this hour?

"I'm not sure, Fox."
Nightingale replied.

'You know, I think it might be wise to go out into the forest to warm up a bit. We are all going to freeze if we stay here and stand around.'

The small black and white she-cat nodded earnestly in agreement.
"Yes, let's. Perhaps w-we'll get lucky and find a stupid Clan cat."
Nightingale meowed quickly, her teeth starting to chatter. Fox quietly snickered to himself.

[Dawn]

"Thank Heavens."

"Yes ma'am."

Adanna watched as Fox, still with his childish grin on his face, helped Nightingale clear some of the snow from her pelt.

"Ay, where's everyone else? Dewlyn, 'Thena, Lacebark..."

"I'm not sure, Fox."

"We were just talking about that. Everyone must still be sleeping."

[/color] Irkalla replied to her cousins as Osiris pushed the last bit of snow off of her shoulder. She gave him a look of thanks before he suggested that they go out into the forest.

"Yes, let's. Perhaps w-we'll get lucky and find a stupid Clan cat."

Adanna smirked slightly. "You know Nightingale, I do appreciate the way your mind works."[/color] Adanna meowed, approval speckling her voice. She looked around at her own kits. "What do you think, ready to go out and have some fun with a Clan cat?"[/color] She asked mildly, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"Always up for that."[/color] Irkalla smirked slightly, her tail curling around and her eyes sparkling with dark amusement. "There is bound to be at least a few out, searching for food to feed the masses."[/color]

Osiris held a blank expression as he listened to his family discuss finding a Clan cat. He would usually have gone along with this plan happily, but today he didn't particularly feel like it. "I'll pass, I need to hunt. Feel like I haven't eaten in days."[/color] He meowed after a moment.

Adanna swung her head around to face her son, her eyes narrowed in mixed agitation and curiosity. Osiris had never missed a chance to go on a little Clan cat killing mission. But then again, he did look thinner than usual. Some food would do him well. Anyway, it wouldn't hurt to assess the other's abilities. She knew that Osiris, the cat she had personally trained, could fight nearly as well as she could.

"Very well. Osiris, you go along the MarshClan border and around there to see if you can find anything to eat. Bring back any extra too."[/color] She told him briskly and he nodded. "The rest of you, we shall go to the PineClan area to see if we can stir up some trouble."[/color] She went on, looking around at the other young cats surrounding her.
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[Rebecca]

'We were just talking about that. Everyone must still be sleeping.'

Fox clucked his tongue. Sleeping? Those lazy bums! It was almost sunhigh and they were still sleeping?

"I never knew there were such sloths in our family."
Nightingale commented, vocalizing his thoughts.

"Ay, but it would be nice ta still be in ma nest. Don't cha agree?"
Fox returned.

"In-indeed."
She shivered.

'You know Nightingale, I do appreciate the way your mind works.'
Nightingale turned her attention back to her powerful aunt, silently thankful that Adanna approved of her. Like Osiris, Nightingale was also aware of how not to get on Adanna's bad side and tried to stay on her good side as often as much. It was idiotic not to try.

"Well then, I am glad that we think alike. That shall make this trip all the m-more interesting."
Nightingale meowed in her usual monotone, yellow-green eyes flashing for a moment.

'I'll pass, I need to hunt. Feel like I haven't eaten in days.'

Fox raised an eyebrow. Osiris? Not up for messing with the Clan cats? He never thought that he would have seen the day. And Adanna agreeing with him? Why, everyone knew that Osiris was Adanna's pride and joy; he was her prodigy, her successor. His eyes narrowed in suspicion, and he side-glanced at Nightingale to see if she thought the same. However, his sister merely bore the same, bored and irritant expression that adorned her face every day.

"Dat's surprisin', comin' from you, Osiris."
Fox meowed evenly, making sure that his expression and his tone did not portray the emotions that he felt.

"Yes, indeed it is. But frankly, I would rather he-he not go and have all the fun like u-usual. Osiris always hoards the act-action."
The small she-cat meowed curtly, glancing from Osiris and then to Adanna.

[Dawn]

"I never knew there were such sloths in our family."

Irkalla snorted slightly but said nothing.

"Ay, but it would be nice ta still be in ma nest. Don't cha agree?"

"In-indeed."

Adanna flicked her ears. "If you were still in your nest right now, you wouldn't have the opportunity to impress by demonstrating how your fighting skill have come along."

[/color] Adanna meowed curtly.

"Well then, I am glad that we think alike. That shall make this trip all the m-more interesting."

Adanna smirked, her eyes gleaming with that usual manic glint. "Indeed it will Nightingale, indeed it will."[/color] She meowed softly.

"Dat's surprisin', comin' from you, Osiris."

Osiris shrugged slightly. "I would have thought you'd be happy Fox, now you can show off your abilities."[/color] He meowed mildly.

"Yes, indeed it is. But frankly, I would rather he-he not go and have all the fun like u-usual. Osiris always hoards the act-action."

Osiris smiled slightly. "I would appoligize, but apparently it's not kind to lie."[/color] He replied. "And anyway, I might find a Clan cat of my own while hunting in MarshClan territory."[/color] He added and Adanna flicked his shoulder approvingly with her tail.

"Good attitude."[/color] She meowed, her voice curt yet somewhat approving. "Now, you lot,"[/color] She meowed, turning her attention back to Irkalla, Nephthys, Fox and Nightingale. "We should get going. It's getting slowly warmer and the hunting patrols will begin to come out. If we find an individual or a pair, we can use them to assess how far you have all come with your fighting abilities."[/color] She meowed, her eyes fixating on each in turn as she spoke.

Osiris paused a moment longer. "I'll be going then. Good luck finding a good... play toy."[/color] He meowed with a slight smirk, turning and padding towards the entrance of the camp.
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[.:Lexxa:.]

<sup>Nephthys had been moping in the snow, listening to her mother snap at everything that moved. Her interest perked when plans to go find a plaything had been set in motion.

"We should get going. It's getting slowly warmer and the hunting patrols will begin to come out. If we find an individual or a pair, we can use them to assess how far you have all come with your fighting abilities." She locked eyes with Adanna, her frigid ears already quivering with excitement.

"I've noticed that PineClan has had quite a few new apprentices lately, but they're no fun. I'd like to sink my claws into a real warrior." She growled. She began sinking her claws into the frozen grown, imagening it was fresh peice of prey, or better yet a full grown warrior she had brought down. She made a mental promise that this was the day that she would prove herself to her mother.

She was slightly dissapointed when Osiris announced that he wouldn't be with them, but shook that feeling away. She rose to her paws and walked over to her brother. "We'll put in a good word for you with the clan cats." She purred, flicking him playfully on the shoulder with her bushy tail.

She turned back to the little "hunting party" and said"Well, what are we standing around for? Lets go!!"</sup>

[Dawn]

"I've noticed that PineClan has had quite a few new apprentices lately, but they're no fun. I'd like to sink my claws into a real warrior."

Adanna turned her head so that her bright blue eyes bore into her daughter's face. "Where there are apprentices, there are mentors."

[/color] She meowed cooly. "Though it is all up to you. Discuss it amongst yourselves and we will see if you can choose the best place to go hunting for a toy."[/color] She meowed, sitting down and staring at Irkalla, Fox, Nephthys, and Nightingale.

"We'll put in a good word for you with the Clan cats."

Osiris looked around as his sister flicked his shoulder and gave her a slight smile. "Thanks, though I doubt I will need it."[/color] He replied good humordly and exited the camp.

"Well, what are we standing around for? Lets go!!"

Irkalla rolled her eyes slightly. "Nephthys, we can't go if we don't know where we are going."[/color] She reminded her sister. "Now, what do you all think? PineClan certainly has been popping out the apprentices and Adanna is right when she says that where there is an apprentice, there is uaually a mentor. If we are going to attack any Clan, I suggest we attack the least battered from that battle they just had. It makes it more fun."[/color] She meowed, flexing her claws.
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[frosty]

"AHH! LOOK AT DAT! IT SNOWED, IT SNOWED!"

A pair of dark-and-white flecked ears shot up. Two pale yellow eyes opened, waning slowly from slits to circles. An angry fire burned in the depths of those eerie optics as her mouth curved into a scowl. Four extremities extended in an aggravated stretching motion, pushing until each of her legs shook. A slight moan escaped her lips as Dewlyn pushed herself to her paws. She irritably shook out the moss and debris clinging to her thick mottled dark silver pelt as she blinked while letting out a soft growl.

Dewlyn pushed herself out of the hollowed out log she had made her den in.

"Shut the hell up! Would it kill you all to stay quiet atleast until sunhigh?" she snarled, eyeing Fox in particular.

The she-cat scanned over the crowd assembled: Irkalla, Osiris, Fox, Nightingale, Nepthys, and none other than her aunt, Adanna. Upon seeing the dappled golden she-cat, Dewlyn instinctively dipped her head to her mother's sister. Her outburst was not directed to Adanna; she would never speak to her aunt in such a furious tone. She had always been raised to respect her elders, though Adanna was not technically a legitimate elder, merely her senior by kinship.

"No need to be so cranky, Dewlyn," Lacebark mewed, appearing like a ghost from behind a snow-soaked currant bush. She dropped the vole she was carrying, looking at her family with wide dark amber eyes. The golden-pelted she-cat had clearly been rolling around in the snow, as her fur was crusted with frost and ice. As with the snow, Lacey had decided it would be easier to conceal her vibrant pelt with the snow. She was well known for her many disguises, but leaf-bare had killed the plants she normally used to dye her pelt. The pale golden she-cat lightly flicked a piece of moss off her cousin's ear with the tip of her tail, trying to ease the stormy she-cat. "Anybody want some breakfast? I've been hunting since pre-dawn, but there's little prey," she offered, nodding down at the vole.

[Dawn]

"Shut the hell up! Would it kill you all to stay quiet atleast until sunhigh?"

Irkalla looked around as her cousin Dewlyn snapped at Fox. Apparently Fox's outcry had woken her. Hurray, who didn't like a moody Dewlyn on top of everything else? Stupid Fox, he just had to yell, hadn't he?

When Dewlyn saw Adanna, she inclined her head to the large she-cat. Adanna blinked at her niece, considering her through blank blue eyes. Dewlyn had proved herself when she had attacked and killed her own mother. She was a strong young cat, a valuble asstet to their family. But how did she work with the rest? It might be interesting to see.

"No need to be so cranky, Dewlyn, anybody want some breakfast? I've been hunting since pre-dawn, but there's little prey,"

Lacebark had appeared, her light colored pelt frosted with snow. How on earth she was able to stand the cold wetness of it was beyond Adanna. "Welcome to the party Dewlyn, Lacebark."

[/color] Adanna meowed to them in her cold, emotionless voice. "You are just in time; Irkalla, Fox, Nightingale and Nephthys were just discussing where best to launch an attack to test your abilities."[/color] She told them, eyeing the other young cats standing around her.

"I think, thus far, PineClan tops the list of Clans to attack, is that right?"[/color] She asked, looking at Irkalla who nodded silently. "Any suggestions?"[/color] Adanna asked, turing to her two newly arrived neices. She wanted to assess their skills as well. What with her absence until recently, she had not been around for much of their training.
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