A sound. Again, it wouldn't stop. He was wide awake and aware before he even opened his eyes. His ears were spiked; he tried to pinpoint the sound, but it was elusive. That's when he sat up, and opened his eyes, because he knew that a sound that was elusive for him was meant to be silent. His eyes scanned the darkness, which was as daylight to him. He could see every nook and cranny, easily and simply. Not a single thing stood out.

Yet the padding persisted. Now that he had his eyes open, he had a better handle on direction, and knew that whatever the sound was was not inside his room.

It was on the stairs.

He stealthily slid out of his covers and to his feet. He tiptoed his way to his door, and put his ear up to the wood.

As the footsteps got closer, he could feel his senses sharpen even further, his hearing starting to alert him of everything, his vision expanding to show him more and more. A heartbeat, one ever so gentle, was beating purposefully on the other side of this door. He could feel the tremors of the person's light footsteps as they shuddered through the flooring up his legs.

"Darkclaw," the voice, though quiet, was like a cannon shot, it was so unexpected. He jumped, and spun towards his own bed, where the voice came from, and through the moment of ashamed surprise, he felt the jolt of pain as his claws tore through the flesh of his fists, pushing out between his knuckles, glistening in the slickness of the moonlight and his own blood.

The intruder's hands were up, in a sign of obvious non-violence, which put him off guard, until he realized who it was.

"Dare," he felt like the growl that rumbled from his throat was as loud as a jet plane's engines. He was sure that if not of the same decibel, it surely held the same force, the same declaration of power. He took a step forward, his heart easing, but his caution still blaring. He withdrew his claws.

The door opened. He didn't turn; he already knew who it was. The aroma on the easy breeze the door's movements caused simply reassured him.

"We need your help," Catsai answered. He sat down at the chair by the fireplace, to indicate that he was listening. "Big Question has decided to try to get us out of the picture, to have full control over New Gotham."

"That's not new. Why do you need my help?"

"He's pulling out the big guns. He's freed Hyena from Arkham Tower, reassembled his 'pack', and gave him full partnership of the proceeds. The deal is, as Big Question can be the public face, Hyena will have more coverage on the underground."

The mention of Hyena got Darkclaw's attention, but he still didn't see anything that would make them care so much to get his help. They knew it too.

"They have hostages. They've been collecting them for some time. They are all strategically chosen though. Your opponents. They have ways of making it look like you killed them. You have left bodies behind before." Dare simply looked at him. They never got along as well as they might have, but he assuredly respected her, and she him.

This was why they told him. Because he was the new duo's first target and public defamation. As long as the people of New Gotham wanted him caught, there wouldn't be much that would stop the police from coming after him. For instance, Big Question had the police in his grasp, and as long as he had public approval, he had every right to come after Darkclaw.

This would be interesting.