florence // AND THE MACHINE [PRIDE MEETING]

[♥Picasso]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,450,true]

[atrb=background,http://i51.tinypic.com/2f04vi8.jpg] "" This could be, perhaps, the best and worst time to call a meeting. Whilst the howling wind spat against her cheeks, Florence stood on the highest roof she could reach. Her legs parted as she stared out at the territory she owned. In the distance, the rest of the city, expanding out for miles upon miles, until the tips of Strangler's Mountains could be seen. The mist that hung low over the city obscured much of Florence's view, making it near impossible to view everything clearly. Florence was not interested in sightseeing, however - her priorities were far higher than that. Instead, she had chosen to call a meeting. It had only been two weeks since the birth of her five cubs, and she had spoken to few since she had managed to drag her and four alive bodies back into her territory. Instead, she had locked herself away into the hospital, to nurse her newborn cubs and let her wounds knit themselves back into health. The cubs could be left alone for now, however. She was not bringing them out into another blizzard; they had probably had enough blizzards to last them a lifetime. Instead, she left them alone, huddled together in a hospital room for warmth. She needed to get this meeting started, and not waste time worrying about her cubs. Parting her lips, Florence breathed in the bitter air, and it almost iced her body up. It was the wrong weather to ask her whole Pride to join her upon the rooftops, but she had no choice. This was the perfect time to do so, and she would regret it if she missed this chance. Shaking off snow that had began to gather at her paws, Florence took in another intake of breath. She roared. The vibrations in the air made her body tremble in excitement. The noise had caused snow to crumble away at the edge of the roof to the ground, and birds fluttered from nearby trees. Florence glowered at them, before looking around. The roar had luckily not been taken by the wind, and would be heard by any cat that was within the Iris territory. What of the cats that were busy prowling outside of the territory? There was a chance they had not heard, and this meeting was of an utmost urgency. Baring her fangs, she let in another breath, and managed to roar again - louder this time. Her claws pierced at the ice beneath her paws as she waited for her followers to come running. A few nearby, smaller cats had begun to approach, keeping quiet and humble, as they always did. Those cats were no use to her. She needed everyone. They would make a difference. Flicking her tail, Florence ignored the shiver that tingled along her spine. Lions were not used to such cold climates, unlike cats such as snow leopards, however she must do this for the Pride's sake. Standing on the edge of the roof and looking down on the approaching felines, she waited. This was Florence with her Pride. Florence and the Pride. Florence and the Machine. ooc; -cough- good use of my favourite band's name there. Anyway, ALL pride members (apart from scum) please join this thread! It is a matter of urgency <3

[/size][/blockquote][/blockquote][/color][/td][/tr][tr][td][/td][/tr][/table][/center]

[trau]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i52.tinypic.com/wbopbt.jpg] A roar erupted in some far-off direction. From where Jinxer sat in his favorite alley, it sounded like the mighty call had been sent forth from the mountains as a warning of a mighty explosion, like a volcano as it ruptured through its crest and then began to spew ash and deadly fumes. But no, the young leopard, after a moment of thought, knew that no one in Hexasol would be suffering from pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcaniosis anytime soon. He recognized the call, now, as the call of his leader, Florence. The call of the lioness, leader of the Iris Pride. For a moment he debated whether or not he should show. Florence wasn't one to call meetings for pleasant topics. She was all about war. All about blood and fighting. It was after recognizing that knowledge that he decided to lift himself off the cold pavement and glide cautiously through the drafty alleyways of the city, springing lazily over patches of cold, wet snow and black ice. He'd settled down in the alleys in his favorite place, right beside a burnt forest green dumpster with a charred bone on which he chewed incessantly, thoughtfully. It was the perfect place; the wind rushed by the entrance of the alleyway and continued to hiss on by, leaving only a trace of the chilly air where he lay. He was protected by all snow and wind, and it was perfect! He regretted leaving it after only moment of travel. The wind tugged him this way and that, and the way that the flakes hit his eyes made them water, but he sniffed hard and strengthened himself against the wind, sliding through it in a near perfect camouflage. He wished not to go to the meeting. Again he thought of how Florence would like need her Pride to do some dirty-work, and he didn't want to be a part of it. Or that's what he told himself. Pongo wouldn't approve if he had to go gallivanting off after Florence and go slaughter some innocent bitc-- canines. He wouldn't do it. But what if Florence called for him to do a job personally? There was no way that he could say no to her, but there was no way in hell that he'd say yes. A low growl of frustration escaped him. "God damn it all!" he spat irritably into the breeze; it was carried away as soon as the words left his lips. I can't come to this fucking meeting! I don't want to risk getting called out. He lashed out at a snowdrift with one paw as he made his way into another alley, blocked from the wind. A twinge of pain in his right shoulder made him grimmace. It had been a long time since his leg had done that to him; in popping it back into place after fighting with Jacy and September, he was fairly certain that a nerve had been pinched in the socket. Occasionally, if he stepped on his leg in just the right way, the nerve reminded him of what had happened. As he stepped back out into the cold, he heard another roar, but he kept his leisurely pace and thought about September and her pups. I wonder how they're getting on in the storm... Maybe I ought to leave them something, if I can find anything after the meeting. September had made it clear that she didn't want him hanging around her pups, but surely she wouldn't turn down his offerings of peace in a time so scarce of prey? He'd find her something, and then she'd see what a good guy he was. But he knew it wasn't true. Pongo had asked that he apologize to September, and he'd done that, but having her not forgive him, well, that made him want to try harder. She had a thousand reasons to forgive him... Jinxer realized, suddenly, that he was at a dead end. But he could hear softm murmurings up ahead, so he was certain that Florence was close. He'd arrived at the meeting. He crouched down low, bunching up his muscles and locking them; he looked for the best way up. There was a trash can, and then a low storage garage, and then if he got a running start he could make it onto the rooftops. So he did just that, springing easily onto the dumpster, turning lightly on his paws, and leaping in a graceful jump onto the top of the storage room. He looked up at the roof several feet above his head, a little unsteadyness in the pit of his belly. He wasn't certain if his shoulder had healed enough to do such a high jump, but he'd find out. He backed up a ways on the storage shed and took off with one bound, two bounds, and then - he threw himself at the roof, claws hooking onto the edges. His breath caught in his throat as a massive jolt of pain went up through his leg, but still he pulled himself up to the edge, body trembling slightly. He took in several deep breaths to calm himself; the pain ebbed. Perhaps the cold air makes it more sensitive, he thought before slowly striding off. He could see Florence nearby, so he sat a fair distance away, close enough to be seen and to hear but far enough to be too much of a bother to notice. He waited.

[dreamy]

Orchid

That day had been unbearably cold. Perhaps, it was not much more than any other day of winter, but the bitter winds refused to cease even after the temperature had dropped dangerously. The sun had come up already, and each creature relished in it's fine warmth, for even though it offered little in these months it was all they had besides their own pelts.

And the sun had warmed the air slightly, so that it was no longer unbearable. However, the winds still howled, carrying each sound across the Iris Pride's territory and bringing the snow up and blowing it across the faces of each creature.

A little ways under the rooftops, resting on top of a dumpster, was a chocolate tabby she-cat. She was well aged, for her limbs were held stiffly. Her eyes were closed, and her breath was steady, producing clouds of mist. She was sleeping.

Roaring. Roaring was all the old she-cat heard when she woke from her slumber. There was little that came clearly to her: her ears were old and their accuracy failing. Yet, this was different. It was loud enough to break her barrier and loud enough to ring in her ears in an everlasting echo.

Orchid hissed in frustration. "Can't an old cat get any damn sleep here?" She muttered, her words seething with anger. The cold had done little to brighten her mood, but rather seemed to worsen it, for the old she-cat did not like to ask for aid or for comfort. The cold sometimes almost forced her to. And with that, the frigid air had seeped into her bones, making them stiff and making them scream in protest as she staggered to her footing.

It was mid-day. Orchid thought to herself about how awful a time Florence had chosen to wake her, for blizzards had been striking all over Hexasol nowadays. The she-cat shook herself, freeing the snow that had created a soft blanket against her silky brown fur. Having snow melt into drops of ice-cold water and seep into her skin was not the most pleasant feeling.

Orchid could see the large shape of the Pride's leader atop the rooftops. "And of course I have to jump up to that. You'd think they'd have more respect and start thinking about those who can't jump quite as easy." She muttered, her amber eyes narrowed. She cursed quietly to herself for a few moments, until the cold began to set in and seep through her thick winter coat.

The she-cat shifted her weight to her haunches, and was still. She was poised to leap, and yet she waited. She waited. Her eyes were strained, as if she was fighting something, and finally her legs propelled her.

The cold had taken it's number, and she staggered, her claws catching the edge of the rooftops. She scrambled quite ungraciously up, seeing that only Florence and Jinxer had come yet.

The she-cat flicked her tail. Her honey eyes were narrowed, and she was making it quite obvious of her displeasure and irritation. She did not speak. Not that they'd even listen to her at all. Her claws flexed at the thought.

Orchid's gaze traveled between the two cats idly, waiting for someone to utter a word at least. It was agonizing, the silence.

The brown tabby drew her rough tongue over her paw, her eyes searching upward at the other two felines.

Why don't they just SAY something?

[xarkla]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i51.tinypic.com/2rraosh.jpg] Icefang had been in the alleyways, doing her best to avoid the cold. She may of been hidden in it but, her short fur wasn't built for this weather. Growling, she heard the roar of Florence. The lioness decided to take her time. What was the rush? She wasn't one of those cats that came running whenever meetings were held. She wouldn't be one of the first for sure, maybe the last? It was possible. Though, as she approached the rooftops, she was glad for her youth. A second roar rang through her ears, as she narrowed her eyes. A little impatient, are we, Florence? She gave a low chuckle as she bunched up her muscles. The ivory female found her paws hit the roof as Florence, a snow leopard, and elderly female were before her. Icefang shook her head as the wind slapped her face up here. Flicking her tail, she resisted the urge to leave. What was possibly so important? The bitch remained silent, as she found a seat. It was a good distance from each cat. Close enough, to hear any comments but far enough she wouldn't be the center of attention. The lioness just preferred that winter made her harder to spot, plus less creatures would bother her. Her eyes took in the other two cats. The snow leopard still seemed young and it was possible he was younger than her. The feline tabby seemed way older, by a good couple of years. Icefang then thought about Deadly Mix. Her cobra. She had left him in the hospital. It would do him no good to be in such terrible weather.

[çryptic]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,350,true][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=background,http://i25.tinypic.com/2wm3nnn.jpg,true] Bitter cold. It was the simplest way to describe the frigid weather, and he wasn't sure it did it enough justice. The sky was a flat expanse of gray, not allowing the slightest beam of sunlight to pass through and touch the city, to bring warmth. Fat white flakes continued to drift down from the sky, as it had been doing for quite awhile now. The whole city was already buried under a thick layer of snow, but the powerful gusts that swept across the rooftops and through the alleys stirred up many of the particles and made the blizzard seem heavier than it really was. Had it not been for the howling wind, the area would have seemed quite muffled underneath its white carpet. A small shape could be seen curled up in a gap at the bottom of an empty corrugated dumpster. It was a narrow opening, but it was enough. It had been a stroke of luck that he had managed to find this shelter, for it provided an effective defense against the elements. All but the temperature, anyway. A loud, rumbling roar echoed across the building tops. Curium cracked open a silver blue eye. He recognized it, as any Iris Pride member would. It was, of course, the leader herself. Florence was calling a meeting. Today, of all days? The Siamese wondered with a touch of irritation. The lioness rarely gave summons for the entire pride to gather. Odd how when she finally did, it had to be during the worst possible weather. For a few seconds, he debated ignoring the meeting. Just then, however, another roar surrounded, louder, even more persistent. Whatever the reason, it had to be urgent. He was certain even she would have been loathe to go out in these conditions. And so, with a shiver, Curium rose to his paws. He hesitated for about a fraction of a second before releasing a resigned sigh and leaping lightly out of the dumpster. Almost immediately he felt the wind pierce his pelt. Fighting back the urge to immediately dart back into his hide-out, he plowed on through the drift. It was a struggle for the feline to push through all the snow that had built up. After all, his species was not at all suited for these conditions. Before long, his pelt was plastered down, clinging to his frame. He kept his eyes squinted against the wind, and forced himself to keep moving. There would be less snow accumulated on the roof tops, he knew. On the other hand, there would be next to nothing to block the gusts, so he had decided not to climb to the top until he was there. The sooner I'm there, the sooner it'll be over. That thought in mind, the seal-point continued his journey. It was awhile before he finally saw the lean figure of Florence perched atop the building. Through the swirl of white particles, he could make out only her silhouette. How am I supposed to get up there? Weighed down by cold, and buried almost to his shoulder, it would be impossible to leap up with sufficient force to get up there. Curium shook his head in disbelief. He bounded over to the side of the lowest building there. With the highest jump he could manage, he unsheathed his claws into the the countless cracks and grooves between the bricks. It was much like climbing a tree, only much steeper. He hauled himself to the top, scrabbling for purchase at the sudden onslaught of wind. It threatened to tear him from the roof, to send him toppling over the edge. Screwing up his eyes, he wended his way slowly toward where he could see Florence, along with two other shapes. A perilous leap to the building where she was later, the tom padded wearily forward. Of the three members already present, he recognized only the elderly she-cat. "Orchid," he mewed, nodding once in greeting, before turning his attention to Florence. post status;; done wordcount;; 667

[{Mactíre}]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,450,true]

[atrb=background,http://i54.tinypic.com/212hgtk.jpg] Buddy sat far above the ground, watching, ever watching, the border between the Iris Pride, the small amount of open country in between, and the border of the Tempest Pack. Green eyes slitted against the relentless barrage of snow, the tom sat there, his tail twitching as the snow fell. He was almost certain that no creature from another pack in their right mind would be out it this, or any other creature, for that matter. Unless, of course, they were launching an attack, but he highly doubted that. With food getting scarcer every day, a sensible beast would be resting and only using up energy when necessary. Otherwise, they risked losing their lives to starvation or cold. The Scottish Wildcat had to stand up and shake himself every couple of minutes, because the snow gathered on his body quickly and in great amounts, threatening to melt and soak through his skin to chill him to the bone. He was about to settle down again when a roar that was unmistakably Florence's reached his battle-scarred ears. Shaking himself once more, the tom bounded towards his leader, leaping over rooftops, and being careful not to slip and fall. One mistake could cost him his life, a fact that the hulking tabby tom knew only too well. In a short matter of minutes, Buddy spotted the gathering group of felines, and Florence herself. There was a snow leopard, half invisible against the background of rapidly descending snow. An old, long-furred she-cat, Orchid, whom he knew vaguely. A white lioness, who he had set eyes on once or twice but could not name; and the seal-pointed Siamese, Curium. Leaping onto the rooftop on which the meeting was taking place, the tom bounded over to sit next to Curium, dipping his head respectfully to Orchid, and courteously to the Siamese. He glanced at Florence, his curiosity instantly aroused. Why had she called a meeting in the middle of a blizzard? What was so important that it could not wait a little longer? He had heard rumours about what she was planning to do with her cubs, so could this be something to do with that? Or was it a different matter entirely?

[rabidmaggot93]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i56.tinypic.com/293gh14.jpg] The roar shook the Cougar from his trance, making him spring into a crouch by sheer reflex. After a few moments he settled down and grunted scathingly at himself. He glanced out into the snow from his current roost in what would have once been a family home, the attic to be precise. He really couldn't be bothered to go out in the snow (not that it was a bother or anything, but he didn't exactly want to risk a tumble). Getting to his feet, Emile tensed his body for the briefest of moments before leaping from the lip of the attic to the opposite roof, almost skidding upon landing, the freezing sleet and snow buffeting him. Getting to his paws again he quickened his pace slightly, leaping between rooftops with ease - minus the odd snow aided stumble - before he came to a rooftop just short of the level Florence was on. Tensing his legs the mountain cat leapt up the wall, kicking his back legs enough to propel him up, hooking his claws into the rooftop and hauling himself onto the icy surface, staying a respectful distance from the Iris leader. "Florence." The Mountain Lion bowed his head in respect, before sitting on his - rather cold - haunches. He recognized the Snow Leopard, Jinxerbee, but not any of the smaller cats. Then again, this was rather typical of him - it wasn't so much he DISLIKED smaller cats, more he simply didn't have much interaction with them. He glanced across the snowy rooftops and smiled slightly. He'd grown up in snow for sure, but the rocks he was used to climbing offered a little more claw holds - and while normally he'd have no trouble darting across any of these buildings, but the snow made him a little more cautious. No more unsure of his skills in climbing and jumping, just that little bit extra caution. No sense in falling and fracturing a bone, was there?

[SMIFFAGRIFF]

Baar && Silence``

THERE'S A NATURAL MYSTIC
^{flowing through the air.}``

How was it that no matter how much she stalked Florence with her unhealthy obsession that she was never the first to arrive? Baar hissed in frustration as she saw a Snow Leopard, Jinxer was his name, leap up to the roofs with a hurt shoulder. How'd an idiot like him outrun her. She was more important, more loyal she was sure. Actually, in Baar's mind, she was the most loyal Iris member to the day; constantly on the watch for enemies, her obsessive compulsive tendencies alerted her to foreign presences faster than most. It was probably why Florence chose her as a guard, right?

She leapt up a moment after the Snow Leopard, and huffed angrily at him and any other cat who'd made it before her. There weren't too many yet, thankfully, but more arrived soon after her, so Baar quickly claimed a spot near Florence, her brilliant master. She dipped her head, eyes glowing with excitement and pride, "A meeting, Master Florence? Are we going to strike?"

Baar was itching to get into action, and take revenge on the stupid dogs that had ruined her leader's plans. How dare they disgrace Florence with the rescue of Gravity! She flexed her paws at that, letting the sharp talon-like claws unsheath at the mere thought. Oh, she was ready to spill blood. She was so ready.

But another voice piped in, one that was rarely heard, "Oh shut up Baar. You act so high and mighty. How about we wait for the judgment of our Queen, who clearly knows what she is doing?" Baar whipped around, lip curled up into a snarl for the small cat that had talked back to her. Ironically, it was Silence, a tom not known for his words, but rather, his lack of them.

"Shut up," Baar grumbled. "Speaking doesn't fit your personality."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Silence replied, his voice dull and bored. He rolled his eyes, something quite revolting coming from an elegant cat, but the message was clear, "How about you stop clinging to Florence like a baby and let her tend to her real cubs. Hm? For the record Baar, I'm sure she doesn't want to waste time with you."

The leopard was silent after that, and looked at her Leader with a look of embarrassment, realizing that Silence was right. She probably wanted to speak to all of them quickly and get back to where she was truly needed.

[♥Picasso]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,450,true]

[atrb=background,http://i51.tinypic.com/2f04vi8.jpg] Her eyes scoured the land in which she owned as more and more felines began to approach the rooftops. Many looked disgruntled and annoyed that they had been called out into a blizzard, yet Florence felt not an ounce of sympathy for them. It looked as though the blizzard wouldn't let up any time soon, and she didn't want to wait months before she could address her whole Pride as a group. The snow was, thankfully, lessening as she waited for everyone to arrive. As she looked down over at the faces, she recognised many of them. Some she had never personally welcomed into the Pride, but still, she recognised their scent. Jinxer was among the first to arrive, as well as Orchid. Her eyes narrowed when she caught sight of the white lioness that Panja had spoken to her about. Glaring, Florence then averted her attention. She may be a big cat, but that didn't mean Florence necessarily had to like her. Her eyes scanned the rest of the growing crowd. It was hard to differentiate between them all now. Curium, Buddy, Emile. All of them had come. She hadn't seem Curium in a while, but it was nice to see him again. As her eyes caught sight of Buddy, she gave him a sly smile. She had recently been torturing Xarkla with him, and that day was still fresh in her mind. Emile was the cougar that she had had the pleasure to meet only once, but was nice to see him again. All these faces... some members she even forgot she had. Baar and Silence were last, and she narrowed her eyes as she saw them speak with each other. She was not impressed with their lack of courtesy. Florence was aware that there were still some members that had not arrived yet - there was Panja, of course, and she remembered that tiger... Amoraq. Still, Florence decided they would turn up sometime soon. She was sure. Finally, Florence decided that it was her time to speak. "Iris Pride," She addressed, voice loud against the howling wind, "I am aware that the blizzard was not the best choice to hold a meeting, however I must speak with you." She tensed her muscles as she took another breath, "As many of you are aware, I am now a mother to four cubs. There are rumours through the Pride of who the father is, and now I shall confirm it," Silence spread through the Pride and she grinned, sly and cold, "It is Streiter, leader of the Lexis Tribe. I tricked him, and now those cubs will become his downfall." She chuckled, loud and shrill, as she stepped closer to the edge of the roof, looking down on the whole Pride. Old and new members, all joined together as one. Her plans would be easy if they all took part in it. Now, it was time to talk about the Tempest. "And let me continue with Gravity, the missing Warden!" She laughed. If only she could tell them that she had the warden locked up in the hospital. Yet she did not, and she just hoped they would find him one day, cold and dead, buried beneath the snow. "The Pack is at its weakest. The blizzard is making them weak, their new leader is weak," Florence shivered at just the thought of Brooke, whom had killed one of her cubs - just must pay! "I propose for us to attack, a week from now, whilst they are still fragile from the loss of their precious leader. I want to kill Brooke, and I want to destroy as much as the pack as possible - is that clear?" Florence shivered, not from coldness, but with excitement. Her plans were beginning to take shape in front of her eyes. "Spies," She addressed, "I want you to find the weakest spots in the Tempest Packlands. Report back to me where you think the best place to attack would be. Find out the guard's cycles." She took another breath, "Warriors, now is your time to shine. I want you to train as much as possible this week. You will be given access to the food stores to build up your strength. Train any cat that wants to be trained for war." Her eyes scanned the rest of the crowd, "Hunters, you must travel out of the city, to find as much food as possible. This will be the food we will live on for the rest of winter." There were very few ranks left to speak to, "Guards, you will be in charge of recruiting new members. You will make sure no dog hears of this attack. You will keep all scum in the hospital locked away." She finally addressed the last rank, "Any elders that wish to fight may do so. If not, they can stay, look after the cubs, and await our return. For any rank I have not called out, you will be asked to do something. Either help the hunters, train yourself to fight, spy at the Tempest Pack, or guard the Pridelands. I will not allow any of you to laze about like a cub." Florence was finally finished, however she still needed her members' opinions. "Does anyone have a sufficient plan? I want your ideas, cats. If we work together, we will be able to kill every dog in that Pack." Florence waited for a reply from her Pride, intrigued in what they think of her plan.

[/size][/blockquote][/blockquote][/color][/td][/tr][tr][td][/td][/tr][/table][/center]

[fate]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,450,true]

[atrb=background,http://i56.tinypic.com/66xkea.jpg] "Here be speech!" A shiver went up his spine as he bounded across the rooftops. It hadn't been long ago that his leader -- Florence, had called out to the Pride. Zodac had been training to himself when he heard the loud, impatient roar from Florence. It would always be Florence that would call a pride meeting in weather like this but he didn't mind. Crazy things made life interesting. The wind made him loose his balance every now and then as he finally came to see the figures of the pride who had already arrived. Zodac shook his body quietly to get all the snow off of him and then he moved closer, bowing his head respectably to Florence before positioning himself a bit aways from the lioness who he believed was called Icefang. He gave a small snort, it was around this time last year that he was a loner, and did things he wanted to do. Never once back then would he have bowed his head to Florence -- no matter how psychotic the female was. He wasn't broken but something had defiantly changed in his personality. He just wasn't sure if he liked it though. He listened as Florence spoke of all the advantages and weaknesses that were through Hexasol. How she herself had had the Lexis Tribe's cubs by tricking him, how Gravity was missing, how they were at an advantage between the Tempest pack. All of it was amusing to Zodac. To imagine Florence trick Streiter, how that must have been a sight indeed and how they would be planning to attack the Tempest Pack. Then Florence asked for ideas and it hit him. He'd been roaming the loner lands not too long ago when he overheard a few rumors, about Brooke the General of the Tempest Pack. Yes, the rumor was indeed a rumor but it sounded possible and it sounded... tempting. To lay his jaws on the damned pups of the General. "Florence, rumors have been going around of something I myself find rather ... glorious. Brooke the General of the Tempest Pack has taken a mate for herself and the stupid female has gotten herself pregnant. This would mean that the pack would be doing double the work. They'll be tired and things will be on edge. True this is a rumor but I did some uncovering and I do believe that this is all 100% true. Wouldn't it be glorious to set jaws on those damned tempest pack pups?" OOC: yayyy, and hope this okay. I LOVE BANE AND BROOKE PUPPIES but zodac hates them, so yeah lolol

[Zen]

Panja approached the scene from out of the shadows, deciding now was the best time to make his presence known. The snow crunched under his paws as he made his way to where Florence stood, breaking the tense silence that had formed following their leader’s speech. He could feel several pairs of eyes locked on him, so Panja gave the gathered felines a respectful nod of his head before turning somewhat guiltily away. They probably questioned why he had chosen to walk in late to such an important meeting. He had, on the contrary, heard every word the lioness had to say and was more than eager to share his own ideas, too.

The lion lifted his white muzzle to meet Florence’s gaze. They hadn’t spoken once in the two weeks since that dreadful blizzard that had nearly taken both of their lives. He wondered how she was fairing, if the injuries had healed up and if she had regained some of her old strength. Such questions weren’t really fit for a pride gathering, though, so he kept silent and hoped she would tell him with her eyes.

One of the cats, a strong looking tiger whom Panja couldn’t put a name to, gave his opinions first. There were some grunts of surprise, some snickering here and there, when the news of the General’s pregnancy came up. An absolutely perfect opportunity to have revenge on that dog, Panja thought. For the pride, this would be a chance to strike a mighty blow on the whole of the Tempest Pack. But for him, and likely Florence too, this was personal.

When some of the commotion had died down, he cleared his throat and finally addressed the crowd himself. “I would like to add that this Brooke has done far worse than simply being a dog and the leader of Tempest -- she has committed a crime against our leader. I was there to witness the murder of Florence’s cub at the jaws of that rat and her accomplice.” Panja kept his expression stoic as ever, but rage burned in the depths of his eyes. The memory of that day was all too fresh in his mind.

“The tiger is right. With this storm and the added weight of a pregnant bitch, the pack will be focused on one thing and one thing only: Food. That is why I propose we station several guards in the countryside who will be ready to kill any Tempest hunters before they can return to their pack with prey. When we strike, they will be half-dead of starvation and our warriors will dispose of them with no effort at all.” He glanced around excitedly, moving from cat to cat before finally resting back on Florence, curious as to what she thought of this idea.

[rabidmaggot93]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i56.tinypic.com/293gh14.jpg] The very idea of a fight had the Cougar's muscles tensing with the thought of tearing into a mutt's flesh. He knew this was echoed by many of those around him, and as Florence spoke he listened. So, the father was Streiter... not that it mattered, but the thought of the old fool being well, fooled, was nice. And suddenly, the snow didn't matter anymore. He would train, and train hard. He would eat well and gain his strength, he would KILL when the time came, and he would fight well. Finally, Emile chose the time to speak up. "I agree with both the Tiger and Panja, Florence." The cougar spoke, his voice strong but not commanding, just so others could hear."I also suggest the hunters concentrate their efforts in the countryside so not only can we, as Panja said, kill them before they mutts get food into their lands but it bolsters our own supplies." The Catamount cleared his throat before he spoke again "I have been to Tempest lands, but they did not know i was there. There is very little high ground until you reach the human structure. We can easily use our dexterity and claws to attack from the second or even third level - something they will not expect. I assume that if the Warden was not in battle, she would be secure up top - for this i would send our largest cats, myself included, to batter our way through and allow our leader, Florence, the honor of killing her and her pups." With that, Emile fell silent again.

[SMIFFAGRIFF]

Baar && Silence``

CROWNED HOPLESS
^{the article read living wasteland this time.}``

Baar's eyes lighted up at the call to arms, and at once, her tail lashed behind her in impatience to go in and slaughter them now. This would be the hardest seven days of her young life. She was going to offer herself to be part of the fighting, but was interrupted by Silence again. She sent him a sharp glare, and with a hiss, resettled herself next to someone else. She didn't want to be responsible for killing a fellow Pridemember, especially in front of Florence, and this cat was pushing it.

"Other rumor has it," Silence announced. "That Gravity has a slave. A fellow cat. I do not know if she could be persuaded to join us in the fighting, but perhaps a spy could be sent forth to trick her into getting information about the layout of the land. Surely, by instinct, she would trust a handsome young male. I'd offer myself for the job, but my skills would be better put to hunting in these times."

Baar resisted the urge to go back and yell at him for taking away her moment, but sat still, instead flexing her claws to relieve stress. When things had quieted down, she figured she could ask her question, "Florence, if you are going to be fighting Brooke, you will need able protection until you reach the top of the territory where she is sure to be. I've unfortunately had the pleasure of fighting with this bitch, and she's crafty. You'll want to be in top shape when you go to meet her. Allow me to escort you?"

She couldn't help it... the excitement was so clear in her voice. Baar couldn't wait for the opportunity to shed some blood.

[xarkla]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i51.tinypic.com/2rraosh.jpg] Icefang noted to herself as Florence seemed to glare at her. Was it possible she heard of the scar she gave Panja? The thought made her chuckle to herself, as she noticed a tiger about her age sit a distance off from her. Though her attention went back to Florence as she spoke up. A shiver of excitement ran down her spine at the thought of sinking her claws into the Tempest Pack's flesh. Flicking her tail she agreed with the comments of the other pride members. As she thought of some ideas herself, a smirk appeared on her lips as the white lion, Panja stood next to Florence. The ivory lioness decided to make a comment. "I suggest after we kill all hunters, we go after the guards. If we kill them before they report to their leader, Brooke, it's less likely anyone will hear about Iris Pride attacking, and we will have the upper-hand of a surprise attack on our side." The female flicked a ear as the snow continued to fall. "Then, all the weakened warriors and other mutts will be easy pickings. Of course Brooke shall be left for Florence." The female finished speaking her ideas as she went back into silence. Turning her head she observed each one of the members. The feline had an idea that Iris Pride had most likely out-numbered Tempest Pack. Though she prayed this plan would work. What if it didn't and Iris Pride lost members? "We should also make a back-up plan, in case anybody makes a mistake," she growls lowly as she flicks her tail.

[{Mactíre}]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,450,true]

[atrb=background,http://i54.tinypic.com/212hgtk.jpg] Buddy watched as other felines, other members of the Pride, approached. As Florence began to speak, however, he turned his attention back to her. When she spoke of an attack on the Tempest Pack, he narrowed his eyes and smirked in satisfaction. Finally those mogrels would get was had been coming to them ever since they had broken in to Iris Pride territory and rescued Gravity from the Hospital, leaving distruction, a raging fire, and humiliated felines in their wake. Oh, yes. Now they would be taught that there would always be consequences for their actions. He couldn't wait to sink his teeth and claws into the flesh of a Tempest canine, to feel the blood spring up and stain them scarlet. He unsheathed his claws and sank them into the snow, wishing that he had a helpless dog to torture and maim under them, instead of the cold, hard white stuff that brought death, amoung other things. The Scottish Wildcat sat up straighter as the lioness began to tell each of the ranks their roles in the time before the battle. He listened carefully for the instructions to the guards, and then thought them over. He had never recruited any new cats into the ranks, but he decided to give it a go anyway. Keeping the plan of the attack from all the canines in the city would not be a problem; he was not one to gossip, especially to total strangers. But it was the last thing that the Iris Pride leader mentioned that pleased him the most: it would be the guards responsibility to keep the scum under control, and that meant that the tom would have an excuse to visit Xarkla. The she-cat was pregnant with his kits, and he worried more about her each day. The top floor, or the scum floor, as it was sometimes known, of the Huntington Hospital was not a pleasant place to be when one had kits growing in their belly. He flicked his ears, a slight smile on his face. The hulking tabby tomcat began to go over possible ideas in his head as Florence requested suggestions from her followers. A white lion, a tiger, a mountain lion, a leopard, and a white lioness all contributed what they thought, and roumors they had heard that might prove useful. He shook his head slightly as one of them talked of killing all the Tempest Packs hunters. That would prove very difficult- they would not be able to kill all of them at once, far from it, and surely, their packmates would notice? Flicking his tail, he stood up t voice some opinions of his own. "What if we were to create a diversion?" He called out confidently. "A few days before the attack, some warriors could attempt to infiltrate the territory, over one section of the border, several times, so that the Tempest fighters' attention would be on that area, making it easier for us to get into their territory, undetected, on the day of the attack."