Nothingness

[Cinder]

Azreal stalked cautiously along the sand, his tail-tip twitching with... to tell the truth, he didn't know what he was feeling right now. Just- emptiness, he guessed. Absence of emotion. Void. Zero. Nothing. Naught.
The large Maotu adjusted his course to aim a fraction of an inch more inland, so that the rising tide couldn't quite reach his paws. His cloudy right eye gazed sightlessly out across the roiling while his good eye was sweeping the shore, ready to spot approaching danger.
The sky was clear and blue, and warm summer sunshine shone down upon his pelt. It was a beautiful day, one of the best he had seen in a long time, but he couldn't summon the proper emotions to enjoy it.
Why? he wondered, half-bored, half-intrigued. Why can't I seem to feel anything? Did Cinderflame totally burn all the emotions from my mind when he drove me out? What am I now, just a hollow shell?
The vast sea held no answer for him.
Angry now, the grey-and-white Maotu whirled around, digging his paws into the sand like it was his brother's pelt. "Why?" he screamed to the sky above, where the heartless sun beamed down, uncaring about the sufferings of any one being. "It could have been any of the Kavari that Cinderflame picked out to hate! Why did it have to be me?! Why do I have to suffer?"
Razor-sharp claws slashed through the air, scattering wet sand that felt with soft thumps. Azreal stood panting, his scarred face twisted into a mask of hatred. Then slowly the blazing rage in his heart died down, and his feelings were once again under control. His head drooped, and he resumed his long walk down the shore.

[~:Aqua:~]

A slight breeze kicked up from the shore and blew the trees along the Senya borders. A flash of gold moved through the trees, stopping every so often to check that nothing followed it. Then the sound of someone speaking made the Maotu stop and peer around cautiously. Her auds perked on her head listening to part of what the being said.
"Why do I have to suffer?"
The voice sounded somewhat familiar but the female couldn't quite point it out at first. She continued to stay hidden among the trees and bushes as she padded further along. It was then she spotted someone walking along the shore. She peered out between two trees. 'It....couldn't be.....could it?' Morningsong cautiously stepped out from the shelter of the trees, forgetting her goal to find a Senya wolf to sink her claws into.
As the sun hit her eyes, she slightly flinched waiting until her eyes adjusted. She blinked away the glare now noticing he had gotten ahead of her. 'Perhaps I should leave him alone.......' She kept close to the tree line but still remained in sight trying to keep up with his pace. Then a name came to her. "Azrael?" It was then she realized she had said it aloud. '.......great.'

[Cinder]

Azreal froze, fur bristling in a narrow ridge along his spine. Turning his head so that his good eye gazed into the forest, he unsheathed his claws and dug them into the sand. The voice had been a Maotu, he was sure of it.
Come to finish me off, worm? I'll tear you to shreds!
"Who's there?" Azreal called, raising his head to display his fangs threateningly. "Show yourself!"

[~:Aqua:~]

Morningsong froze her fur slightly bristling as well. She could see his good eye darting about looking for her. 'He can't see me?' She thought a little confused. She wasn't hiding among the trees, she wasn't hiding at all. Surely he could see her but just in case she stepped forward a few more steps. Her fur had flattened again and each movement she made was slow and cautious. "Morningsong."

[Cinder]

Movement rustled among the trees and Azreal picked up on it immediately, twisting his head to see a golden Kavari standing there. The name she had just pronounced struck a chord is his memory- a whisper from a different time, a time before he had been cast out.
A time he could never go back to.
The large Maotu growled furiously, digging his claws into the sand as ferociously as if it had been a Kavari's pelt. "Come to finish me off? I dare you to try it." His voice dripped with menace. "All the Kavari are my enemies now, all of them!"

[~:Aqua:~]

The she-cat blinked, somewhat surprised by the ferocity in his voice. Of course she couldn't blame him for being hostile, his own brother had cast him out of the Kavari. Though she had never judged nor persecuted him she still made sure to keep her distance since he obviously considered all Kavari his enemy.
"Why would I want to finish you off? It's the wolves I came for and I happened upon you." Her voice had no hint of hostility or fear. "All of the Kavari huh? Even those who never gave you a reason to hate them?"

[Cinder]

Azreal snorted, his tail flicking back and forth like a whip. "Never gave me a reason? They just stood there and let Cinderflame drive me out; isn't that reason enough?! They let my own brother blind me and treat me like a common criminal! How can I not hate them for that?
"You, too," he growled, moving closer. "I didn't see you begging Cinderflame to have mercy. And yet you want me to treat you like an old friend?!"
He looked away, disgusted. The grey-and-white fur along his spine was bristling angrily, and he dug his claws into the sand, fighting to resist the urge to rake them down this pathetic cat's muzzle.

[~:Aqua:~]

Morningsong stood her ground as he stepped closer. "You didn't see me begging? Probably because I wasn't even in the camp, therefore you didn't see me at all." She replied cooly. On the day he was driven out, she had been hunting among the sand dunes. Even if she had wanted to, she wouldn't have been able to stop Cinderflame. Her orbs began to slightly glimmer with anger. What could she have done for him if she wasn't even close to camp? "The others have no excuse, I will agree with you on that but I wasn't even there. How was I to know what Cinderflame was planning? I can't read minds." It was then she realized that it was almost as though she were pleading. She wasn't frightened of him so she wasn't sure where all this was coming from.

[Cinder]

Long, curved claws left deep grooves through the sand as Azreal scraped his paw across the beach angrily. His one good eye was narrowed to a slit, staring angrily at Morningsong. "I don't want to hear your stupid excuses," he spat angrily. "No amount of sorrow can change what Cinderflame did." He loomed over Morningsong like a huge shadow, his face distorted with fury. "I'll never forgive the Kavari. Never!"

[~:Aqua:~]

Morningsong did not cower nor move away as he stood before her. Her orbs glaring at him with even more anger. "Sorrow? Who in the world would feel sorrow for an arrogant and hot-headed Maotu like you?" She demanded. "I was only trying to.......you know what, nevermind. I have no reason to explain myself to you." Her ears now lay on her head twitching every so often from irritation. Her tail lashed about viciously in the air. "If you want to stay miserable and alone for the rest of your life, then go ahead. There are other things you could be doing; such as plotting to overthrow Cinderflame or just kill him. I could careless since I have no quarrels with him. But instead your going to skulk around feeling sorry for yourself." She glared at him one last time before turning and padding towards the forest.

((Hehe....she's ranting.....majorly. ^.^))[/size][/center]

[Cinder]

Well, aren't we a prissy little kitty cat? Azreal thought sourly, glaring at Morningsong furiously. He opened his mouth, about to snap back angrily, and then the Kavari lashed out in a tirade.

"If you want to stay miserable and alone for the rest of your life, then go ahead. There are other things you could be doing; such as plotting to overthrow Cinderflame or just kill him. I could careless since I have no quarrels with him. But instead your going to skulk around feeling sorry for yourself."

Then Morningsong hurried away. Azreal stared after her with his good eye, conflicting emotions battling within his skull. Half of him wanted to leap after her and rend her with his claws, make her pay for her crimes...
What crimes?
The thought arrested him- he stopped with one huge paw still hovering in midair. No, not her, he thought grimly, watching the Kavari's tail disappear through the trees. It's Cinderflame I need to settle with.
Even thinking the name was enough to make dark rage swell up within him. He closed his eyes and dug his claws into the sand, waiting for it to pass. He shot one more glance back towards where Morningsong had vanished, and then strode along the beach rapidly, deep in thought.
Something's happening in the forest. Even a half-blind exile can see that. The Kavari are on the move- He growled with outrage, fur bristling fiercely. Whatever you're plotting, brother, I'll find out. I'll destroy you!