Deeds Done in Darkness [closed]

The unpleasantly humid air was dusted with the faintest droplets of rain, remnants of the torrential downpour that had lessened hours ago, and yet still weighted down with a sour stench- something so distinctly foreign yet unfortunately familiar all the same. This deep within the seemingly inescapable maze of the massive city, Thunderpaths snaked across the dead earth like a knotty system of veins- the foul scent of acrid metal and foreign materials seemingly permeating every last object, inanimate and living alike, that called home to this nightmarish concrete jungle. The harsh rumble of city life provided an unbearably noise-riddled backdrop, the regular hum and pulse of unnatural sounds rising together in an unpleasant symphony that mimicked the steady throb of a heartbeat; entirely too consistent, never ceasing or faltering in the slightest.

The shade of the alley was made all the more prominent by the dark smear of clouds that curled across the obscured horizon, the only bit of light able to seep into the foul-smelling region completely artificial and lacking any semblance of warmth. The soft squeaking and squalling of rats and other carrion-feasting creatures was evident in the suffocating dimness of the secluded alley, the faint sounds of rummaging and foraging evident likely taking place in the garbage haphazardly strewn across the hard earth. However, all sounds of living creatures quickly dwindled to the halt at a relatively unfamiliar sound echoing between the looming structures that encased the filthy alley.

The sound of several different sets of paws.

Swift, quiet paws hardly made a sound as the grey tabby frame slinked through the alleyway. She was easily one of the least-lethal looking cats within the alley, with a skinny frame and small size. At first glance, it could be argued she was an apprentice - but she was no such apprentice. She was definitely a lethal killer in her own right, ruthless as ever. Taking a perch upon a nearby rubbish bin, the vibrant pumpkin eyes tilted with her head as she looked at the rest of her troupe. "Of all the places, is here the best we could do? Hardly any food that doesn't scurry at a paw-tap." Her voice was smooth and sultry - but the phrases pointed like daggers.

Chevy's fluffy grey frame emerged from behind a trash can, olive green eyes eyeing the gathering rag-tag assembly of cats. "I heard there was a party," she meowed, voice sultry. The she-cat was dwarfed only by Hulk, just slightly looking down on Bruiser and appearing much larger because of her thick, coarse pelt. She eyed Parsley curiously-- the tiny cat could pass for a kit if not for the bizarrely mature voice that came from her.

---

Massive paws with thick claws tapped softly on the lid of the dumpster that they rested on, patiently waiting for the arriving cats to settle. Bruiser's powerful jaw rested upon his other paw as his gaze stayed locked upon the group of rogues below him.

After a moment, the massive brutish tom stood, stretching his powerful legs and wrapping his tail around his paws as he sat up. "If I have my way, food will never be a problem again," he meowed, piercing gaze fixed upon Parsley's slight frame.

Bruiser took in the whole group-- made up of the deadliest cats around that weren't yet allied with any other group. "I believe we're still waiting on a few other familiar faces.. once they've arrived, I will explain why I've gathered you here," he said, tone chillingly relaxed despite the glint of sadistic mischief in his eyes.

There was a faint pulse to the wavering column of pallid, unnatural light that bled freely from the strange sign that was perched against the wall- flickering and waning every few seconds or so, matched only by the obnoxious hum of electricity resonating through the foul air. The weak light puddled pitifully against the partially rusted-out base of the dumpster Bruiser reclined atop, illuminating the deep shadows that crept beneath the unnatural structure, along with the dissatisfied squeak of rats whom huddled within the shrinking shade. Dropping a heavy cheek against the rough stone floor of the alley, Hulk let out an unsightly flood of curses as he attempted to fit a broad forepaw beneath the dumpster, idly attempting to flush out the terrified rats hiding beneath the structure.

Hardly paying any mind to the arrivals of Parsley and Chevy respectively, the tail-less tom's irritable snarl resonated through the sticky air- it was the most frustrating thing, to have something so desirable escape your claws at the last possible second. Ignoring the frantic nips of the rats who scattered aimlessly beneath the dumpster as Hulk blindly swatted around, the tom snuffed out a snort at Bruiser's statement.

"Food never being an issue?" Hulk scoffed, halting in his admittedly fruitless pursuit of a potential meal, baleful yellow eyes fixating on his old companion, "Are you gonna kill us, or somethin'? There's no place left 'round here that has any scraps, and all of the rats seem to carry that frothing sickness these days. Ain't a mouthful left, unless you count those traps twolegs leave out." It was no secret among the streets that Hulk practically adored, or came as close to affection as their decrepit lifestyle allowed, Bruiser- it was just difficult to even understand the tom's word choices at time, let alone unravel his thought process.

---

Feathery steps akin to a ghosts' were nearly swallowed up by the harsh rumble of Hulk's voice, mottled fur glowing softly in the wan light of the man-made structures that illuminated the narrow confines of the alley. "Party, eh?" Blitz's soft, trilling voice was sugary and soft - a youthful and silly sound that blatantly contrasted the low and slow drawls of her companions - "Should I feel special that I received an invitation?" Giving Parsley an amused and alarmingly sweet pout that revealed a mouthful of sharp little teeth, the tortoiseshell brushed up softly against Chevy's hulking frame and curled her tail across the grey she-cat's spine.

To deny her initial surprise whenever Bruiser had approached her, especially after a season of making herself purposely scare following the loss of her first litter, would be an outright lie. Surprise was hardly the word; mind-numbing shock was much more adequate. Blitz, like every other cat who roamed the city, was fully aware of the older rogue's influence and power- no matter how much she wished to abstain and stay lost in her own little world of grief, she was unfortunately well aware of what would've happened if she didn't come to follow his directions.

Eyeing Bruiser curiously, the tortoiseshell couldn't help but tilt her head and didn't feign enough poise to disguise her roaring interest, "Although I assume that if you're throwing such a little festival, it's something not worth missing?"

Slithering into the alley from the shadows alongside Hyde, Jekyll and his brother joined the suspicious crowd of rogues that had congregated together. It wasn't often that the brothers talked or really ever interacted with the others, but upon being invited to such an interested event, they wouldn't dare turn down such an opportunity to see what was going on.

Moving out from the darkness, it looked as though the shadows themselves had taken physical form as the two almost completely identical cats stayed close to one another, keeping a weary distance from the rest but close enough to weasel their way into conversations if need be.

"So... who's dying this time?" Jekyll purred playfully, his words slurred and resembling a snake, if snakes could talk of course.

---

Limping his way towards the other, Gus, one of the eldest of the bunch slowed to a stop. "This had better be good," the old tom muttered to himself, his voice raspy and matching his rugged appearance.

Bruiser's expression grew amused at Hulk's disbelief. "No, none of you are in any more danger than is to be expected of living around these parts."

He paused for a moment, eyeing the assortment of cats that had gathered below him. All of the cats he had spoken to were accounted for. "I'm glad that you all chose to accept my invitation," he purred wickedly, tail-tip gently twitching with delight. "Hulk has already described my primary reason for my plans; the availability of food in this wretched place is slim to none. We have learned to share what we have, though, and there is a particularly plentiful area that isn't being shared."

The brutish tom turned his head to fix his yellow-green gaze upon the forest, the canopy distantly visible far down the alleyway. "The forest, our home, was taken from us by those filthy Clan cats, and it's nigh time that we fix that. There are enough cats around here that we could overpower the Clan cats if we work together long enough to drive them out of our land."

Bruiser looked back to the group of rogues that stood before him, cats of all shapes and sizes, of completely different types and backgrounds. "We deserve the forest just as much as they do, and yet they refuse to share. If you want to be a part of this, you will need to carry your weight, and bring others. The forest cats breed like rabbits and we'll need numbers to drive them out. When we succeed, you'll get your own territory if you so wish." The tabby tom chuckled sadistically. "Oh, how I can't wait to taste the blood of the filthy colonizers," he meowed, more to himself than anything.

"So, who's with me?"