Just an idea that popped into my head.

This is all going to be purely headcanon, so take it however you wish. I know there's quite a few stories out there that try to explain Clockwerk's backstory, but I thought I'd take a stab at it. Once again, based heavily on a song I was listening to at the time. The summary is a section of the chorus from the song, that actually inspired this entire idea from me. I need to stop listening to songs like these.

Disclaimer: I do not own Sly Cooper and friends. They are owned by SuckerPunch.

The Room We Hide In

Darkness shrouded the city nestled amongst the sand covered plains. The streets had long since been emptied of people, with most of the citizens now fast asleep in their homes. Wind picked up suddenly, causing many of the palm trees outside to sway lightly in the crisp wind.

A shadow darted from behind one of the low built houses, and hid itself behind a large pot. The bushy ringed tail of the figure swayed behind him in contentment, and a smirk rose on his lips. It was a raccoon, bare from the chest up with a lightweight material tied around his waist. He was on the slimmer side, although the muscles rippling across his arms and chest could describe his body as one of a gymnasts'. It was obvious he was very fit, but not on the strong side.

His bright amber eyes were focused on a distant palace standing black and imposing against the navy blue skies. Idly twirling a pair of hooked canes in his paws, the figure looked back and whispered harshly, "Ameni, hurry up!"

Something stepped up from behind, and another figure quickly followed the ringtailed thief into the shadows. An owl, with dark brown feathers and bright golden eyes kneeled next to the coon. Dressed in much simpler clothing than the raccoon, Ameni was rather larger than his friend, with his wings spanning widely whenever he opened them up. The claws on his feet were also quite imposing, and Ameni knew that he was infinitely stronger than Slytunkhamen, but was not as sneaky.

"You promised not to leave me behind like that." His tone was almost accusatory, earning a small laugh from the raccoon.

"Ameni, you know I would never leave you behind. We are friends, and there is no danger now. Not until we get there." He pointed one of his tools at the palace still a ways from their position, and smirked.

The owl fixed his friend with a hard look. "Slytunkhamen, you understand that this will be risky."

"Of course," the raccoon replied. "There would be no fun if there was not."

Ameni rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Okay, let us continue."

The two crouched low to the ground, and began the long trek to the palace. They avoided any sort of guards they encountered, having promised themselves that they wouldn't draw attention tonight. No, this was purely a get in, get out plan as their current target was simply an urn owned by a corrupt Pharaoh. Said Pharaoh had been terrorizing most of the citizens living in the large city, and had grown greedy over his possessions. Slytunkhamen and Ameni were here to show the greedy man that not everybody would stand for it. Surely, once the Pharaoh saw that one of his prized goods were gone, he would realize that his riches could not be held forever. Ameni paused when he noticed that his companion had hooked one of his tools to a low hanging branch to swing himself up without a word. Sighing, the owl launched himself into the air without a second thought, his large wings making nary a sound in the silent night. He landed next to Slytunkhamen crouched on a branch, and the two watched as a tall canine walked by with a bladed weapon in paw. Once the guard passed, the two thieves leapt from their position and began running towards a hidden entrance that they'd found during the day.

As much as the Pharaoh was greedy, he also enjoyed showing off his possessions, and the palace was open for regular people to walk through. This had worked perfectly to the duo's advantage, as they could mill about the palace without raising any suspicions.

Slytunkhamen was the first to sneak forward, and he used his canes to pry open the wooden door. They'd found a weakness in the boards, and it only took just a bit of strength to get it pried open.

Once that was done, the raccoon waved Ameni over, and the owl quickly followed the ringed tail as Slytunkhamen dashed into the darkness. They crawled quietly, but quickly through the darkness. It was cold in the tunnel, but eventually they were both coming towards the end, where another door blocked their only way in. The raccoon pressed an ear to the door and looked back at his partner. Ameni's mouth thinned into a line and he cocked a brow at Slytunkhamen, wondering why they were stopped.

Eventually a wide grin crossed Slytunkhamen's face, and he whispered, "wait here Ameni. I will show you something new."

Confused, the owl didn't protest. He knew that doing so was foolish, as the raccoon had much more experienced in stealing than himself. The two had been friends for a long time, but it was only a few years ago that Ameni had finally agreed to helping his friend to take from the corrupt and evil. Blending into the shadows as though he was being dipped in dark paint, the tall owl watched as the raccoon opened the door silently and snuck outwards into the hallway.

Despite wanting to remain hidden, Ameni crept forward and watched to see Slytunkhamen sneaking up behind a guard. He was crouched low to the ground, his sandals making no noise on the ground below.

Another breeze floated in through the opened door, and much to Ameni's astonishment, the raccoon disappeared right before his eyes. He blinked, not even sure if what he saw had been real, but soon enough the muffled grunt and thud of a body hitting the floor had Ameni shaking his head, knowing it was real. It seemed as though Slytunkhamen had many more tricks up his sleeves than he'd first imagined.

Returning with a canine guard dragging limply behind him, Slytunkhamen dumped the guard in the tunnel with a smirk.

"What do you think?" he boasted while pointing one of his canes at the unconscious guard.

Not one to let his true emotions be shown, Amenia shrugged indifferently. "It was certainly interesting to see."

Slytunkhamen rolled his eyes and hefted one of the canes on his shoulder." Perhaps you're envious of my skills. Regardless, let us keep going There are no other guards outside, and the urn seems to not be as protected as we first thought."

Nodding without a word, the large owl followed his thieving friend into the darkened hallway. A few torches were lit against columns, throwing crazy shadows every which way. For a moment, Ameni was sure he saw a shadow dart behind a large column, but when he stared, he saw nothing else stir. Surely he was just being overly paranoid tonight. Ameni had not uttered a word to his friend, but the owl felt something in the pit of his stomach that assured him something could go wrong.

It was too quiet in the hallway, and yet Slytunkhamen seemed indifferent to it.

If anything, he seemed bored and annoyed.

"I expected much more than this," the raccoon called back to his owl companion. When he saw that Ameni had fallen behind, he frowned. "Ameni, this is no time to lag. As much fun as it would be to have guards on our tails, we agreed to be in and out quickly."

Ameni shook himself and quickly followed behind Slytunkhamen. However, the feeling of being watched never left him. After another shudder ran up his spine, the owl whispered back, "I feel eyes upon us."

The frown atop Slytunkhamen's face deepened and he glanced behind Ameni. A few curtains that had been draped across the extravagant hallway fluttered lightly in the wind, and his sharp eyes caught a small mouse scurry across. Chuckling, he reached up and patted Ameni's back.

"Perhaps your old age is catching up to you, old friend."

"I am not that much older than you."

"7 years is quite a difference, Ameni. Now quiet, we are nearing the urn, and there may be guards there for all we know." Even as he said this, Ameni caught the smirk and glee that lit up the raccoon's eye, and he heaved a sigh. Surely this meant that even if they didn't encounter any guards, Slytunkhamen was going to do what he could to get the attention of them. The owl was more than prepared to run, but even then, shivers still ran up his spine. He shook them off, and continued to follow the raccoon down the hallway.

Soon enough, they were stepping into a large room in the back of the palace where countless artefacts adorned the walls and several pedestals. Ignoring some of the less extravagant ones, Slytunkhamen slunk his way towards the urn in question. It was only about the size of large egg, with painted hieroglyphics across its surface. Bright jewels sparkled in the light from the torches, and some of the golden accents across the lid and handles brought all attention to it. This was one of the most esteemed possessions the Pharaoh owned, and the two were here to take it from right under his nose.

The raccoon approached and smirked lightly. "It is beautiful, is it not?"

Ameni just barely caught the words, his nerves working in overdrive. He continued to throw his gaze around, to try and catch any forms of guard or deception.

"Of course," he mumbled back in a distracted manner. Slytunkhamen rolled his eyes in exasperation but decided to just get the urn and get out. He carefully strapped his canes at his hips, and reached a paw forward. He went slowly as to make sure no traps had been attached to it. Once his paw closed upon one of the handles, he paused and let his ears perk up to hear anything else in the still room.

The owl looked back to see that Slytunkhamen had his paw on the urn. Letting out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding, he stopped his lookout on the room and watched as the raccoon carefully set it off its pedestal.

A low laugh escaped the thief, and he grinned back at his friend. "I told you this would be an easy task, my friend. Now let us-"

His words died in his throat when a loud whistling noise cut through the air.

Ameni's eyes widened and he moved from his place, just in time to see an arrow fly past where he'd been standing. From the height of it, the arrow had been aimed straight at his heart. Even Slytunkhamen looked surprised, and soon enough there was a loud crash when the raccoon flipped from where he'd been standing when a blade flew towards where he'd been. The urn he'd been holding in paw fell to the floor, breaking into thousands of shards, but his mind was focused on other matters.

Turning to hook a guard under his chin, Ameni's wings were a flurry of movement and feathers. He was like a deadly whirlwind, as his wings managed to clip and send many guards flying away to crash into various displays. Shouts and the loud thudding of feet against the marbled ground had Ameni gritting his teeth.

It seemed like his instincts had been correct.

This had all been a trap.

His eyes caught Slytunkhamen running at a guard and swinging one of his canes towards the skunk's head. When the guard crumpled to the ground, the raccoon crouched as an arrow flew right above his head. Eyes wide, Slytunkhamen's eyes locked with Ameni's, and he shouted over the cries and shouts, "Ameni! Run!"

Once again, before the owl's eyes, Slytunkhamen's figure melted out of sight. Ameni cursed and threw himself forward with his wings held before his head. The guards who'd been trying to tackle him to the ground, fell before the owl in scattered heaps. Desperately, Ameni ran towards the entrance of the room, hearing a few grunts and thuds from behind. He wasn't sure what they were from, but his focus was solely on the small window opportunity before him.

More whistles from behind had him changing his course and barely avoiding more arrows. As soon as his clawed foot stepped outside into the hallway, he knew he was close to freedom. The wings he'd been holding in front of him, now opened wide and just as he tensed his feet to push off, something akin to a blade pierced his wings.

Someone yelled in pain, and he vaguely realized it was himself.

His body thudding to the ground, Ameni tried to pull himself forward to escape. The pain in his wings and his shoulder were unbearable, and he could vaguely hear the guards who'd just attacked him grow closer. The owl felt his strength beginning to trickle out of his body, like water from a broken vase. His eyes grew heavy, and he shouted again when a blade nailed one of his wings to the ground. The burning pain in his body began to take over, and just as he lifted his head, something heavy crashed into the side of it.

It was like he'd been suddenly dunked underwater, with the way all of the voices before him became garbled and morphed into incoherent rumbles. His vision began to blacken at the edges, and he heard something akin to his name being shouted, before welcoming the cooling darkness before him.

Ameni swallowed what little moisture he had in his mouth.

It had to have been days now that he'd been put in this cell. His wings had been clipped and he was chained to the wall without so much as a chance to escape. An ache in the wounds he'd sustained from attempt at escape kept him from getting any sort of peace in the dark and arid cell. He was tired, and the effects of not being given food or water was beginning to run its course. Groaning, he squeezed his eyes shut trying to escape into his mind. His thoughts were wild, each one being much more gruesome than the last. As much as he tried to think of something positive, Ameni was beginning to lose hope. There had been no whisper or sighting of his raccoon friend coming to help, and the owl thought that perhaps Slytunkhamen never would.

A bitterness was beginning to grow in his chest, and the owl reopened his eyes in the dank cell.

Slytunkhamen… How could you leave me like that.

The memories from that night replayed in his mind over and over again, and Ameni started to see everything in a new light. That raccoon never thought of anyone but himself, and although the owl had known that deep inside, this incident was throwing the fact into light more and more. The time he'd spent in the cell had brought Ameni to a realization he wouldn't have come to without the time to dwell in his mind.

Slytunkhamen was a traitor.

That thought was enough to poison what little hope he had left. His friend - the one who had always promised they would stick together - had abandoned him for the guards, and now Ameni was the one suffering for crimes he hadn't committed.

Of course, he knew he was partly at fault for letting his own thoughts delude him into thinking that Slytunkhamen would bring the owl glory that he hadn't thought he'd ever had. Ameni had been weak and trying to find an escape into something more glorious than he'd ever imagined. The idea that he could be rich, and perhaps even have a family had been too grand for Ameni to ignore, and he thought bitterly to himself, this was what he wanted all along.

When he closed his eyes once more, he found himself falling into a familiar memory.

Neb-anu smiled kindly up at Ameni, and placed a feathered wing on his cheek. A shiver ran down his spine, and the owl smiled with the same warmth she had shown him. Her silver eyes were bright almost like two polished stones, and her feathers were plush, colored a beautiful dark sienna. The gorgeous hawk had sharp features, and yet her kindness softened any harshness in her looks. Ameni was able to look past it all, and see Neb-anu for the goddess she really was. Said idea would have sent many reeling - if Ameni had dared speak it - but the owl didn't care.

Neb-anu was beautiful, and she was his, and his alone.

"Ameni…" she cooed softly. While she lay her head against his chest, he drew his beautiful wife closer, relishing in her warmth. Even on the coldest of nights, she was able to chase any chill away, and Ameni knew that if she were to disappear one day, he would not be able to live. He would surely go crazy from grief and would eventually take his own life in order to be with her.

"I have missed this," she whispered. Her warm breath against his bare chest brought shudders throughout his body. "This moment where we are together…"

"It is a nice moment," he muttered in agreement. A slight smile tugged at his lips, and he said, "I love you."

Neb-anu straightened, her arms resting against his shoulders. For a moment, he drank in every feature, from the dark hair cascading down her shoulders, to the snow white cloth clinging to her every curve. Despite the tender moment they were sharing, Ameni had to admit that something much more primal began to rise in him.

A giggle escaped from her and she leaned upwards slowly. "I love you too."

The distance closed between the two…

"Wake up, traitor!"

Ice cold water splashed suddenly atop Ameni's head and he spluttered in shock. Shaking the water from his drenched head, he blinked up at the canine guard who had first thrown him into the cell now standing before him. An empty dish was clenched in the guard's paw, and a sneer crossed his thin features. "Welcome to the waking world, friend."

Ameni said not a word, biting down on his tongue. He was afraid if he said anything, that they would use it as an excuse to punish him much worse than just a simple execution. The owl knew he was going to die today, but he sorely wished that he had been able to see his wife once more…

"No words?" the guard demanded, looking rather unsatisfied. When silence met his question, the canine lunged forward and gripped Ameni's throat. Choking, the owl's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets as he was forced to stare straight into the canine's narrowed green eyes. "Well, that is fine with me. We have a surprise for you."

Once he was let go, Ameni coughed and squinted up. "W-what?" he finally croaked out, his curiosity getting the best of him.

The guard spun around. Another cruel grin crossed his features. "You heard me, no? I am sure you will appreciate it."

With that said, the guard strode towards the door he'd just entered, called out for someone and then stalked back. Just as the canine stood himself off to the side, two other guards, one a skunk, the other a fox, walked in, with struggling figure held between them.

Ameni's eyes widened at the sight, and he struggled against the chains holding him back, screaming. "No! Not her! Please!"

Neb-anu, the love of his life, now kneeled between the two guards, her eyes wide and terrified. She looked as though she'd fought tooth and claw against the guards, with her hair disheveled and her dressed ripped and dirtied in several places. What really set Ameni's blood boiling in fury, was to see that the guards had bruised and bloodied her face and body. Crimson spots spilled across her white dress, and her feathers were matted in several places.

"Ameni," she sobbed. Tears filled her eyes. "W-what is happening?"

The owl could feel his own emotions choke his throat, and he managed to gasp out, "it will be okay, Neb-anu! Do not worry, I will get you out of this!"

A relieved smile spread across her face until the skunk slapped a paw against Neb-anu's face, making her cry out in pain. Blood trickled down past her beak and she sobbed loudly, absolutely petrified. The fox guard chuckled, and crouched down in front of Neb-anu, and clutched her face in his paws. She gasped and struggled to lift herself away from his grip, but the fox's paw was firm. Ameni continued to struggle against his chains, yelling for them to stop whatever it was they were going to do.

The owl could barely see past the red in his vision, as his anger and fear for the woman he loved, began to cloud his judgment. He knew that if he got out of his bonds, that he would rip these guards to shreds for daring to lay a paw upon Neb-anu. A punch to his gut had Ameni gasping and sagging against the chains on his wings and legs.

"Be silent," the canine growled from his position. He turned a sharp glare towards the other guards and said, "do what you came here to do."

They two nodded, and the skunk pulled a knife from his side, causing Neb-anu's breathing to hitch in fear. Her silver eyes widened and she struggled to escape from the men but they were able to easily overpower her. Ameni watched in horror, tears now spilling from his eyes, as the skunk grabbed the female's hair and ripped her head back so that her quivering neck was exposed. The blade the man held eased silently towards her jugular, in a way that both of the birds knew would easily end her life with one movement. For some reason, Neb-anu seemed to accept her fate and although she was crying, she locked her eyes with her husband. What could only be described as affection and love glowed from deep within her eyes.

He watched, helpless, as she swallowed loudly, and sobbed out to him one last time, "A-Ameni… I-I love yo-"

Her words died on her tongue, as the blade began its swift track across her throat. She gargled, choking on her own blood, before the light began to fade from her eyes and the two guards let her limp body slump to the floor.

Blood began to pump sluggishly from the wound, as she tried weakly to stop the flow. But soon her wings began to fall limp, and she locked eyes with him again, tears still leaking from her eyes. She mouthed something to him, but Ameni was so distraught with grief, he was unable to discern what she said.

Soon enough, the light left her eyes, and he knew she was gone.

Tears spilled from Ameni's eyes as he simply watched her body, ignoring the jeering from the guards in the room. Their mocking voices fell on deaf ears, his eyes drawn only to his wife. Even in death, she looked immensely beautiful to him…

"Neb-anu?" his voice came out hoarsely in the dim cell.

She didn't answer.

More tears blurred his vision, as Ameni tried to reach forward to hold her body to him. The chains he was bound back by prevented him from doing so, and he let out a howl of grief for everyone to hear. He sobbed pitifully. "Neb-anu… Neb-anu…"

He continued to repeat her name as though he believed it would bring her back. Everything had now gone wrong. Slykunkhamen had betrayed him. Neb-anu was now gone from the world. He was surely to be next. Although, Ameni started to laugh when he realized that this was perfect. If the guards went through with it, he could be with his wife again. And he was perfectly fine with that. Still laughing, he urged the guards to do the deed now and end his life. There was nothing he could possibly stay here for any longer.

Lost in his grief and thoughts, Ameni was unable to hear when the guards all shouted out in a panic, and then the loud thuds of their bodies hitting the ground.

"Ameni?"

The voice that sounded from in front of him froze the owl in place.

He couldn't believe it.

Why would he be here of all places?

A growl resounded from his throat, and Ameni lifted his head, glaring. "You…"

Slytunkhamen looked sickened at the scene before him, and he stepped forward cautiously. His sandals shifted apart the packed dirt under his foot as the raccoon reached a paw forward in comfort. "Ameni… I am so sorry. I tried to come as soon as-"

"Why are you here?" Ameni demanded. His grief was being erased by fury, and it was beginning to build. That feeling from before was now starting to rise again in his heart. His sight began to cloud over from it. He couldn't quite yet put his finger on it, but the more he hurled a heated glare at the raccoon before him, the more it was starting to become clearer to him.

"You are the reason this happened!"

The raccoon's face looked stricken at the accusing tone. "Ameni, I did not mean for this to happen! I am sorry you were captured, and I am sorry that your wife was caught in the middle of it, but I swear upon Atum that I did what I could to save Neb-anu!"

"DO NOT SAY HER NAME!" Ameni bellowed. His voice reached octaves not previously known, and the raccoon recoiled, covering his sensitive ears from the screech. "YOU DO NOT KNOW THE PAIN I AM SUFFERING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF YOUR FOOLISHNESS!"

"Ame-"

"BE SILENT!" Ameni's mind was reeling, and he was finally able to discern exactly what it was that was clouding his judgment so.

Hate.

Slytunkhamen stepped back further, and glanced down at Neb-anu's still body. Her blood had drenched the dirt under his sandals and he felt like he was going to be sick. Combined with the icy stare from his once friend, the raccoon could honestly feel like his life was in danger. There was something burning deep within Ameni's eyes and it made the fur on Slytunkhamen's neck stand up and his tail twitch in a panic behind him. Although Slytunkhamen was prepared to unchain the owl, he was afraid to do so.

Something inside told him, that if Ameni was allowed free, the owl would not hesitate in killing the thief.

Ameni continued to rant, now shouting whatever came to mind. His logical side was now lost to his emotions, and his eyes held a wild light to them that had the raccoon backing off even further with wide eyes.

"ALL OF THIS IS YOUR FAULT! DO NOT COME NEAR ME! DO NOT UTTER MY NAME! DO NOT THINK I WILL EVER FORGIVE YOU, SLYTUNKHAMEN. FROM NOW UNTIL I DIE, YOU WILL BE THE ONE I HATE!"

Unable to think of anything else to say, Slytunkhamen managed to push out past numb lips, "I am sorry…"

"I WILL NOT HEAR YOUR HOLLOW APOLOGIES! GET OUT OF MY SIGHT BEFORE I BREAK THESE BONDS AND KILL YOU!"

The raccoon's eyes closed in pain, as he knew he couldn't understand what Ameni was going through. After all, Slytunkhamen still had his own wife at home, and even now he was thinking of her. The chains holding back the owl were now beginning to groan, as the strength in Ameni's body proved to be much more than they could manage. The shouted curses and venom now fell on deaf ears, and Slytunkhamen knew that this was over. The friendship he'd shared with Ameni had been a long and gruelling one, as the two had met when they were both very young. The raccoon could remember the very first time the two had met. After they had both lost their parents to disease, the two had become close and were nigh inseparable. The duo had been through thick and thin, and even with those moments of disagreements between them, their brotherly bond had been strong enough to withhold against most twists life threw at them.

Now though...

Sighing softly, Slytunkhamen looked down at the key in his paw, and knew that this was not how he'd wanted everything to go for the poor owl.

When he tossed the key at Ameni's feet, he stepped away from the foaming mouth, wild eyes, and fluffed up feathers all across the owl's form. Even now, the golden eyes Slytunkhamen knew had always held compassion, care, and at a few odd instances, anger, were now alit with flames of hatred.

Slytunkhamen knew that these fires would never burn out, and that he would never be forgiven for what had happened. And even now, the raccoon could say he blamed himself. Turning away, Slytunkhamen said one last thing before leaving.

"Ameni, I hope that one day you will find it in your heart to forgive me for what has happened."

The hissed word had Slytunkhamen's chest tightening, and his stomach twisting painfully.

"Never."

Even as he walked out, taking one last look back at the prone owl, Slytunkhamen felt regret, pity, and even a sense of his own anger at Ameni. He knew it was unwarranted, but the raccoon really had tried what he could to save both Ameni and Neb-anu. Finally, turning his back firmly on his friend, Slytunkhamen left, knowing full well that this would not be the last time he ever saw Ameni again.

But the next time they met, they would be enemies.

Left alone, Ameni sagged against the bonds holding him back, and focused his gaze back on the prone body of his wife. The grief he'd felt in his body had now faded away, and all he could feel was a burning hatred. And that was more than enough to fuel him to move again, and reach a clawed foot out for the key Slytunkhamen had left.

He rambled to himself as he brought his foot forward and began the arduous task of trying to unlock himself. Soon enough, his ranting delved into barking laughs.

"That foolish man," Ameni chuckled softly. The chains finally fell from his wrists, and he stood from his position. As he knelt and took a hold of his wife's body, he held her close. Neb-anu's head lolled against his chest her eyes still opened. He reached a feathered hand forward and closed them, so that she would only look like she were only sleep. While carrying her in his arms, Ameni limped outside, squinting slightly in the bright sunlight, but kept going. It was unsure just where he was going, but Ameni continued his way forward, towards the outskirts of town into the desert.

"You run from the inevitable, Slytunkhamen… For I will be the one who will crush you under my claws…"

Certainly not my best work, but I just wanted to get this out here. It's been sitting in my hard drive for a few months now. Again, like I said before, this is all purely head canon, so I highly doubt this is exactly what happened, but Clockwerk certainly does leave a lot to the imagination in terms of what started his vendetta against the Cooper line. This is just my own interpretation of it.

And just for fun, Ameni means: "the self-existing one."

Certainly appropriate, I hope.

Let me know what you all think!