The treaty [Zen+Kezz]

[Hunter]

Winter had come to Hexasol and it proved to be far harsher than Vanessa had suspected. Winter in these areas certainly was dangerous, but there were solutions to that. Vanessa surely wasn’t one to just give up as soon as the cold sat in, it just wasn’t her nature. But with the responsibility for her sisters, she also needed to find a way to make life easier for them during these hard times. Food was scarce and with all the clients they had to attend to, it was hard to hunt enough food to fill up their stores. Their clients right now made sure they got enough to eat, but even though they’d raised their price, there still wasn’t enough to put aside to the food stores. And if both clients and prey should get scarcer someday, the group of small felines needed a backup plan.

The idea was to make a deal with the Iris Pride, the canines’ enemies in this big city. And who were better to make cooperation with than the enemy to the Tempest Pack? Vanessa wanted to fight the dogs, and she knew it also was the wish of most of her sisters. By training the pride’s future spies, the Amazons could surely do a great start. The Blue Russian however still didn’t know whether they would be more active than that. If there should come an open battle between the Iris Pride and the Tempest Pack, would the Amazons then join in? Vanessa had chosen that matters like that needed to be discussed further with Halcyon and probably also the other members. It all depended how well the loyalty between the two feline prides functioned.

The snow on the ground covered her small paws, but her thick fur kept her fairly warm in the chilly wind. It was midday and the sky was fairly clear, no blizzards would rage just yet, so they had at least an hour or two to make an agreement with the Iris Pride’s leader and get home before it would get stormy. Halcyon went by her side, and walking through the alleys, Vanessa kept her senses sharp. They would go to the border and not one step further – insulting the Iris Pride’s territory as first impression would get them nowhere with the pride’s leader, the white lion Alexander. She’d spotted him once while he was walking outside his realm. Hiding inside a building, Vanessa had wondered why the pride had chosen such young a leader. But that wasn’t her business. She just hoped the male knew how to use the brain which hopefully was between his ears.

And it seemed like they soon would find out.

Vanessa had spotted an ocelot on top of one of the buildings, most likely a guard. The scent of the pride was also very strong now, so she came to a halt as the ocelot leapt down to her and Halcyon. ”What’s your business here?” the male Ocelot asked. His tone was solemn and thereby respectful enough, but his eyes narrowed, proving that he was slightly suspicious. ”We are from the Amazon gang,” Vanessa stated calmly, not wanting to question the male’s suspiciousness though she already knew she didn’t like him. ”I am its leader, Vanessa, and this is my deputy, Halcyon,” she introduced, feeling satisfied by the fact that their names put an uneasy flicker to the Ocelot’s eyes. Good. Our reputation is ahead of us, she thought before continuing. ”We are here to speak with Alexander. More than that you don’t have to know,” she said, perhaps with a little too sharp edge to her voice. The male looked dissatisfied, but he complied. ”Fine,”

[/i] he mumbled. ”Wait here, I’ll see if he’s available.” With that, the male took off. ”Well, that went better than expected,” she said to Halcyon though she still looked after the male guard. ”Do you think he was well mannered or may haps too afraid of doing otherwise?” she mused with a crooked smile, visibly joking as she now looked upon her friend.
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[Zen]

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[atrb=background,http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa446/jadedog08/Alextable2.png] While making his rounds through the streets surrounding the slaughterhouse, keeping a keen eye out for any escaped prisoners or lazy guards, Alex found his attention drawn to a small spotted feline racing toward him, apparently with some kind of message to deliver. His ears pricked with interest and he waited for the ocelot to catch his breath, leaning his head down so he could make out the guard’s words against his ragged, panting voice. Two cats on the border with important business to discuss? Alex distractedly thanked the messenger before breaking into a trot, quickly making his way to where he had been told they were awaiting him. He gradually slowed down and padded up to the strangers, his gaze switching between the two of them as he took in their appearances. The height difference always made speaking to small cats a bit awkward, but he had learned over time not to underestimate the felines with shorter stature. What they lacked in size and muscle they could make up for in other things, like speed and stealth; things that didn’t come easily to big cats. They could be just as important to the Pride as anyone and weren’t to be taken lightly. “So what brings you here?” he asked, blinking down at them. His tone was light, curious – no hint of suspicion or annoyance at finding strangers on his doorstep. He’d been warned to be wary of any trespassing cats, especially ones claiming to want a place in the Iris Pride, since they could easily be spies for another pack. But he just couldn’t find it in himself to play the big bad leader role by trying to intimidate them. There was an air of confidence about those two girls that he immediately liked, and he wanted to treat them as guests, not potential enemies.

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[`K E Z Z I ♥♥]

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[atrb=background,http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae113/gimble2355/halmiddle.jpg] She had been looking forward to this day, the moment when they met the great Alexander. Their gang had been told of his power, and his pride, and even his parents. They were the strongest pride of felines in the city, and therefore warranted the Amazon's attention. Halcyon knew they could help Iris out, and vice versa, to bring that wretched gathering of mutts down. Dogs were arrogant, ignorant and just downright bloody stupid! They most definitely deserved to be eradicated from Hexasol at least. Though the silver tabby despised the clan of cats she had been born into, they had taught her one useful thing in life; canines couldn't be trusted as far as you could throw them. They maybe be dumb but that didn't stop them from being dangerous, especially to smaller felines like herself. So she strode forward beside her leader with a slight eagerness in her step, ready for whatever lay ahead. Remaining acutely aware of her surroundings, as she padded down the darkened alleyways, that held a thin layer of snow underfoot. She knew that they were stopping at the border, as her old lioness friend would say 'if you wish for respect, ensure that you hand it out duly.' It would not do to anger their potential allies in such a tense meeting. Halcyon wondered briefly as to what Alexander was like. Yes she knew he was a young white lion, but she wondered more about his personality and how that would transfer to them. Was he ruthless and evil or cold but determined? They would find out in little to no time at all it seemed, as they both halted when an Ocelot dropped down before them. She knew he recognised them from the widening of his eyes, and the low tones. The tall Ocicat murmured after Vanessa introduced her by name, "Salutations, guard." and then he disappeared off, no doubt to fetch his superior. Her great green eyes flickered towards her companion, a indeterminable smile creeping across her muzzle though disappeared almost as soon as it came. Halcyon replied curtly, most normal for her manner and Vanessa would recognize her bluntness. "If he knows anything of us, he would be correct in his respectful nature. Rudeness, though sometimes necessary, is not an attractive characteristic." Her tail twitched slightly, before curling around her paws as she settled upon her haunches to wait. Alexander appeared quickly, showing that he was indeed interested in their presence. He was taller than she had expected, with a fast-developing mane, and large rippling muscles. The ivory cat carried himself with an air of nobility yet there was something that laid within that Halcyon couldn't quite put her paw on. She dipped her muzzle briefly, flicking her triangular eyes too. "My name is Halcyon, the deputy of the Amazons Gang, Alexander. We have come here to speak of a possible alliance, an affiliation. If you are interested that is?" Her piercing gaze raked up and down his body, before turning to Vanessa to continue. She was the leader, she would elaborate. [[ ooc ; so so so bad, i'm sorry you two DX words ; 513 ]]

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[Hunter]

It would be a shame to say that any of the two female cats were good of joking. None of them were good at it at all. ”I couldn’t agree more,” she purred to her comrade as they waited for Alexander to approach. Halcyon was blunt and had always been it. Some found it insulting, but to Vanessa Halcyon’s bluntness was just a sign that she was at her wits and doing well. Perhaps their past still lingered too much inside them to make them joke around. Vanessa still had vivid nightmares haunting her in the nights which just proved that her horrid past still clung to her all too closely. It’d only been six months since she’d fled the pride, since she’d gotten her freedom. Sometimes, when she woke up in the mornings, the fact just seemed too good to be true. She was free, her daughter was safe, and she had a gang. And then there was Halcyon, her best friend, by her side. Though Halcyon could be harsh at times, Vanessa knew that she couldn’t want a better second in command. She would want anyone but her, and the respect they shared toward each other gave them minimum conflicts.

There was only one thing more she could want in her life right now, and that was a treaty with the Iris Pride, so they properly could fight the dogs who also roamed in this city’s streets. Halcyon sat down on her haunches, but the Blue Russian was too cautious to make such a move just yet. Her green eyes sometimes rested on the rooftops while she tested the wind with her nose. She wanted to be sure that the Iris Pride could be trusted – that no one sought to ambush them. Maybe I’m just paranoid, but better safe than sorry, she thought dimly. It didn’t take long though before a white creature emerged in the alley. The young male lion looked strong, a preferable leader for the Iris Pride who wanted a strong outer face. Strength? Check. Ability to get his ass moving when something is at hand? Check. Oh well, perhaps he’s not as bad as I thought, she thought as Alexander approached, almost eager to see if his wits matched his muscle. Almost. She wasn’t a little, brainless decoration anymore and had developed a professional manner – especially in situations like these. The two smaller felines might be faster than him, but if Alexander should prove to be hostile toward his guests, he could break their necks as were they snacks if they weren’t careful. But as the male came nearer, Vanessa became surer of the fact that this lion actually wanted to talk, not just fight them off. He probably also had others to do that kind of things for him.

When he spoke up, things seemed to settle on place. He was curious, had open ears to suggestions which was in their favour. Whether he knew whom they were didn’t matter much to her right now – neither his little lack of manners – all that mattered to Vanessa right now was that she could get an alliance with the Iris Pride, or at least the start of one, so she could secure her daughter and sisters in the war and winter. Halcyon spoke up first, introducing herself to the snow coloured lion. When the silver tabby turned to Vanessa, she started to inform Alexander on the matter, her tone slightly solemn as she spoke. She wanted to be taken seriously and let the lion know that Halcyon and she weren’t anyone. ”I am Vanessa, the leader of the Amazon Gang. Halcyon and I arrived to Hexasol about a week ago with the rest of our sisters, and we have come to know that you and your pride fight the canines in the city.” She held a short break, letting the words sink in underneath the male feline’s skin. ”We want to fight the canines as well and thought that an alliance between us would come in everyone’s favour. What we can offer your pride is training – but not just any training,” she added with a little smile, casting a sidelong glance at Halcyon for a second before she focused on the lion again, her voice continually serious. ”The Amazon Gang consists of assassins. We know you have spies in your pride and we offer training for those who in the future wants to be spies in your pride. You can send the young felines to our residence where they can live and train until they are fully educated. The training we will offer will be intense, so your young members won’t be able to visit friends and family anytime they wish. Therefore we won’t accept too young felines, since this education isn’t for cry babies. But I promise you, Alexander, the result will be marvellous, and you will get a stronger and more dangerous army at your paws once we have fulfilled our part of the pact. I don’t doubt that your spies already are good, but with our training they will be much deadlier toward our enemies.” Our enemies, the words rung well in her ears, it sounded good. They could stand together in this fight. Hadn’t she been in control of herself, she could purr of satisfaction of the thought of them standing together in the fight against the canines. The thought about taking the dogs down together, step by step, was very pleasing to her and she hoped Alexander wouldn’t be stupid enough to wipe off their offer without second thought.

((OOC: 500 posts, yay! ^^))

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[Zen]

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[atrb=background,http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa446/jadedog08/Alextable2.png] The Amazon gang, huh? Now that really got Alex curious. Lately he had begun hearing pieces of gossip about a certain all-female band of feline warriors that had just taken up residence somewhere in the city, but he had never expected for them to show their faces here at the Iris Pride. Nor did he expect them to want such a big part in the war by helping him in his cause to destroy the canine species. At the word 'alliance', he sat down and gave them both his full, undivided attention, not moving or interrupting until Vanessa had finished her speech. He considered all he had just been told, tapping his claws softly against the pavement while he thought it over. It started to dawn on him that there was no way he could let a golden opportunity like this slip by, not when Iris was currently lacking in strong soldiers and spies. He needed this. And if the Amazons could amass him a well built army within the next year or so, he could begin planning something he'd been wanting for a very long time: a crippling ambush on the Tempest Pack. "Well, any gang who wants to remove those vermin from the city is a comrade to Iris," he told them both, giving each cat an approving smile and a wink. "What's that saying? My enemy's enemy is my friend? You girls and the rest of your assassins will be more than welcome around here, let me tell you that much. And please, don't listen to all those stories about how my pride is full of nothing but evil, bloodthirsty tyrants. The canines are a disease that we'll stop at nothing to wipe out, that's definitely true, but we know how to treat our friends and the ones who are loyal to us. What you give to us, we'll give in return. And then some." There was one thing holding him back from committing to this deal right away. If the Amazons knew how to play the game of survival right, which he had a feeling they did, they wouldn't just offer their services for free. "Which brings me to my one question: what do you want as payment? Food, shelter, protection? All of the above? I don't really expect this to be a one-sided deal. Everything comes with a price, especially in this war." Alex leaned back on his haunches and eyed Vanessa and her deputy knowingly, a little smirk playing at the corner of his mouth.

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[Hunter]

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[atrb=background,http://i46.tinypic.com/2lwb1xk.jpg] "Speech." She watched silently as Alexander thoughtfully tapped his claws against the hard pavement. He clearly considered their offer, which pleased her sincerely. It seemed like he was quite determined on getting rid of the canines and not just a sexist bastard who would wipe off any opportunity with an all-female gang. Sexist bastards were the only kind of males she knew, so it was no wonder that the grey she cat had grown to fear them. Hate them. As Alexander spoke up, she chuckled approvingly at his words. His enemy’s enemy. Maybe he wasn’t entirely confident in his words, but what he’d said was truer than anything. It was a big thing for Vanessa to make a treaty with a pride which was lead by a male, but at this point, it was their shared ideas which counted. Both prides despised the canines, both prides wanted them wiped off the city’s streets. And that was the important thing here. Her hatred toward males came in second row. It had to. About bloodthirsty tyrants, Vanessa had to confess that she had heard some quite different stories about the Iris Pride, but most of the sources had been unreliable. This had caused her to try and wipe her mind clean, trying not to be too prejudicing of the members of the pride. Besides, she hadn’t really gotten a choice. Refusing an alliance with the Iris Pride just because of gossip would be foolish of her and her sisters. Meeting up with the pride themselves and getting their own impression was much better. And it seemed like Alexander was fine making deals with. Wise move, she thought with a sly smile when he mentioned their payment. ”You are wise despite your youth,” she said, the words the closest thing she could come to a compliment toward the Iris Pride leader. ”It is not every day a leader at your age knows much about politics,” she mused. The Russian Blue wasn’t known for complimenting males since she still was far too hateful toward them. But she couldn’t afford being nasty toward Alexander. Vanessa knew, that if she wanted to fight the Tempest Pack, Alexander was far too important for insulting. ”What we want as payment is food. Winter will soon be upon us, and we’ll need to fill our stores. All of us are perfectly capable of hunting, and we know that you, in the harsh times which soon will come upon us, won’t be able to fill our stores all the time – seeing you’ll also have to fill your own. But the more food we have in our stores, the more we can concentrate on training the apprentices from your pride,” she concluded, flickering softly with her tail while she side-glanced at Halcyon. It was the two of them who mainly would be the trainers for now, but her daughter would surely also be able to help them a great deal. Black Widow and Kaylee were still new in the gang, and though Black Widow was a good assassin, Vanessa wasn’t sure she yet trusted her enough to make her train new assassins. ((OOC: Kezz said I could just post, which is why I'm already posting now.))

[Zen]

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[atrb=background,http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa446/jadedog08/Alextable2.png] Alex blinked, taken aback by Vanessa's compliment. It was the first time anyone had ever given him a positive remark on his leadership skills. Nobody ever had the balls to say it to his face, but he knew a lot of Iris cats doubted his abilities, either because he was still so young or because they feared he would end up as pathetic a leader as Panja, which he had to admit was understandable. "Thanks, that means a lot to hear, but I wouldn't really call myself wise, especially not with things concerning politics. I mean, wisdom is gained through experience, right? I've only been leading for a few months now. I prefer to think of myself as...not a naive moron." He might not have the experience, but he didn't lack in common sense, which was how he managed to guess that the Amazons would want payment for their service. Alex laughed a little, but his easygoing smile faded into something a bit sadder as he shrugged and added, "And I guess all the times I've been betrayed and hurt in the past has taught me to be cautious about others' motives, as well." Especially when all of those betrayals came from my own family, he thought darkly. "No problem," he said right away at the request for food. Smaller cats were easy to feed. He could take some of the deer meat that the big cats brought down and it would be enough to satisfy the Amazons for days at a time. "We'll give you as much food as we can spare. And, come springtime, if I see you're doing an exceptional job training my warriors and spies, I'll pay you an extra amount for your efforts." He'd do this extra hunting for the Amazons himself if need be. Destroying Tempest was all he ever wanted and it was worth any price. Well, that was that. The deal was made. Alex supposed now they would leave, and he would be allowed to get back to his other duties. But still a few thoughts were nagging him as he continued looking at the two cats. Tilting his neck slightly to the side, he said, "I just...I'm curious about some things, if you don't mind me asking. Why do you let only girls join your gang? And why do you hate Tempest so much? Is it all canines, or just them?" He had asked it as carefully as he could, not wanting to offend them and possibly ruin this new partnership. Some cats kept their pasts guarded, and if Tempest was involved, that usually meant something tragic had happened to the poor felines. All dogs did was ruin lives, after all.

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[Hunter]

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[atrb=background,http://i46.tinypic.com/2lwb1xk.jpg] "Speech." She flashed her fangs in a toothy grin at Alexander’s remark. Not a naive moron, you say? Seems like your little boy here has problems with his self-esteem, she thought but kept her mind to herself. He might be wise for his age at certain points, but definitely no professional. He was still but a boy with much power and muscle. It seemed like he still needed to know how to use it. ”Experience usually comes with age, yes,” she said at his words, hiding the thoughts in her mind. ”But some of the biggest morons are still the older creatures,” she said slyly with a glint in her eyes. Some old canines and felines were so puffed up with themselves and their power that they thought they could get everything they wanted – that no one could turn them down. It was these kinds of creatures that were the most fun to kill for a client, because they never expected to be attacked. They just thought everyone loved them, and that alongside with their greed made their demise. Alexander’s easygoing smile slowly faded and as he spoke, Vanessa lifted a brow but didn’t make a comment. Who was he to be speaking about getting hurt? If he’d felt just half of what she’d been through, he would know what it was like to be hurt and betrayed. The male who should have been her mate, her protector, had been the very one to turn on her. Break her. She’d hated it, never tried to accept what he and his friends had done to her, but it’d taken a lot of time before she’d been able to escape her pride and even now she was still trying to flee from her past. She nodded respectfully at Alexander’s words about the deal. ”We’re grateful for you offer,” she said with a professional smile. At this moment, the blue Russian had no interest in getting on personal terms with the white lion, but his next question made it hard to just leave without being rude. ”Canines are a pestilence,” she said coldly, her eyes resting on his tilted head. Then she swept away the cold tone, leaving a professional manner in its wake to not sound rude. ”Why we only let girls into our gang are our business, we have our reasons. But even though we’re a gang only consisting of females, we will of course train male apprentices as well.” Even though she hated males, Vanessa was determined on training the young males on the same terms as the female apprentices. She wouldn’t make a difference on them, though she doubted she would take any personal liking in males running around their territory. But she could accept it. It was all on a professional basis.

[Zen]

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[atrb=background,http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa446/jadedog08/Alextable2.png] Grunting in agreement, Alex immediately thought of his stupid father when she had mentioned how foolish the older generation could be. Wisdom came with age, but then again so did the tendency to become a raving, senile lunatic like Panja. “They are a disease, glad you agree,” he said simply, brushing off her icy tone. She certainly wasn’t easy to converse with, but that didn’t matter so much to Alex. It wasn’t like the two of them had to be best friends in order for this treaty to work out. No, as long as they both gave each other what they wanted in the end, a personal relationship wasn’t necessary. It was all about the business. Yet Alex couldn’t help narrowing his eyes just slightly when she refused to give him a satisfying response to his question. He wanted to protest. He didn’t like being denied answers. But obviously he wasn’t going to get any from Vanessa, so he just shrugged and stood up to take his leave. Besides, if it was such a big secret, he’d find out from someone else why the Amazons seemed to hold a prejudice against the opposite gender. Secrets never lasted long in this city. He changed the subject, “I’ll begin sending my young cats over to your territory within the next week or so to start training.” There weren’t too many cats in need of the training right now, but that was probably a good thing given how unpredictable the winter was. In spring it would be much easier for the Amazons to work, and hopefully by then he would have some new kittens and cubs for them to teach as well. “Pleasure doing business with you both,” he said formally, giving them one last look, trying to match the way Vanessa spoke, all serious and official. He really couldn’t, though. Alex just barely held back a smirk at how stupid he sounded; he hated speaking like that. It wasn’t hard for him to be polite to other cats, but pretending to be so cold and businesslike...that just wasn’t who he was. Having nothing more to say, he turned and headed back the way he had come to resume his patrol around the territory. OOC: ugh sorry this kind of sucks, I just wanted to get the thread finished up :3

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