The Alliance
~~~ Twolegplace, Next morning
"Onestar!"
Cloudypaw spotted his leader, bleeding in the middle of the alleyway. He looked barely conscious, blood covering his whole body. What had happened?
~~~ Twolegplace, Last afternoon
"It's time to kill you."
"What, why?" Onestar growled. He tried to attack Zael, but he was thrown against the wall with a single paw swipe. He felt his back crack as his spine connected with brick.
"What have we here?"
A silver she-cat, the one who had attacked him in the first place, strutted up to the scene. Zael and Bronze bowed their heads to the she-cat, and they backed away.
"We have brought Onestar, Winter," Bronze muttered.
Winter glanced over at Onestar, hunched over by the wall.
"I see."
Onestar saw out of the corner of his eye, Winter raising her paw. He was about to retaliate, when he realized the cloth that bound his hind legs had been severed. He leapt up, and winced when his back legs stung. He swaggered as he stood up and glared at the cats before him. Already more were closing in.
"What do you want?" Onestar's voice cracked as the sinister leers he received paid no mind to his voice.
Winter stalked up to Onestar and meowed, "My orders were to kill you, but that would be too boring."
"Who wanted you to kill me? Tell me!"
Had Onestar any enemies that went this far?
Who?
"I cannot tell you that, especially since you were so rude," Winter clicked her tongue and continued, "Anyways, we have to have some fun with you before we end your life."
Onestar widened his eyes in fear of what will come. Starclan help him…
"Zael."
Zael stepped up, after sealing a deal with Bronze.
"Panther."
A silvery blue tomcat with dazzling blue eyes and dark black stripes stepped up. He had four white paws and a rather maniacal smile on his face. He leered at Onestar, who shivered.
"Winter…" Panther meowed, his gaze never leaving Onestar, "This one can't die right?"
Winter confirmed his words with a curt nod, "He is apparently a leader of some sort, and has many lives."
"How many?"
"Why don't you find out?" Winter replied.
Panther grinned and snarled happily, "My pleasure."
Winter then said, "That will be all. The rest of you, step back!"
The rest of The Alliance stepped back, some disappointed for not being chosen. They formed a circle around the "lucky" two and sat back to watch the show.
Zael and Panther circled the leader, slowly, enjoying the fear and anxiety rising off of Onestar in torrents. Onestar tried to keep an eye on both at the same time, and found himself backed up against the wall.
Panther struck first, sinking his claws into Onestar's shoulders, flipping him backwards slamming him against the wall. The wounded cat grunted and tried to fight back, failing miserably. Zael reared up dragged his claws down Onestar's stomach, and biting his leg. Blood trickled down his sides, making his fur damp and wet. Panther clawed Onestar's face, clawing his eyes, nose and ears. Soon, he was a bloody mess, with scars to last as a painful and ugly reminder.
Onestar, the whole time, was screeching and trying to ignore the pain that spread like a wildfire all over him. Panther smashed his head into the cement, while Zael clung to his body like a burr.
"Hey, toss me that!" Onestar heard Panther call to the crowd. He was too tired and in pain to open his eyes.
Suddenly, a noose was tossed around his head and tightened in a split second. Panther had his teeth around the other side, and was tying it onto a nail in the wall. Zael nodded to his partner and flung himself onto Onestar's leg, pulling and pulling, the owner of the leg screaming louder and louder until…
Pop!
A dislocated leg.
Onestar gasped in agony as Zael sat back in triumph. His hind leg was stiff, twitching and hurt like a fire. He screeched, "Put it back! Put it back!"
Zael and Panther snickered, and proceeded with doing the same with the other legs. Onestar was now crippled and was unable to retaliate as the two clawed, bit and rammed his body. He tried to ignore the building fire within him, the pain scorching every inch of his fur. He could barely see with blood flowing into his eyes, and the dim shapes he could see were all laughing at him.
At him.
At him.
They were laughing at him.
Stop…
He let out another screech of pain as a huge wound spurted a huge amount of blood. It spewed out onto the cement, and the cats around him yowled with joy. He saw it running down, into the gutters, following the same path as many others before him, he suspected.
Slowly, he let his consciousness fade, a relief, and everything grew dark.
Is this death?
Darkness.
But no pain.
Onestar groaned and stood up surprisingly easily, considering the torture he took only a few moments before.
"Onestar."
He looked around, to see a ring of glowing cats. He recognized Tallstar.
"I'm dead." Onestar said, slightly dazed.
Tallstar nodded solemly, "Yes."
A slim tabby she-cat appeared behind Tallstar and meowed, "Greetings."
"Who are you?" Onestar asked.
"I am Dewwhisker," the tabby said, "And I know of the cats that killed you."
Onestar felt his fur automatically raise, and a snarl building up in his throat.
"Peace," Dewwhisker raised her paw, "I am not with them. Instead, I was also targeted and assassinated by them." Her eyes narrowed.
Onestar opened his eyes wide and said, "Who are they?"
"They are an alliance of nine cats, the most skilled killers in the twolegplace and forest. They assassinate other cats in exchange for a slave," She explained.
"Why was I tortured though?" The thought made him shiver.
"Because they felt like it," Dewwhisker hissed, "They are ruthless and heartless, and love to see others in pain."
Onestar felt silent. Were there really cats like this? So evil, so emotionless?
Tallstar spoke up, "We must revive you again—"
"No!" Onestar found himself pleading, "Please don't!"
"I understand your pain, but you will make it out of this alive."
"Really?"
"You have only a few lives left Onestar. Use them wisely."
Strength flooded back into Onestar's limbs, and he felt ready to spring from tree to tree. The pain from before disappeared, and he felt rejuvenated once more. He blinked; he opened his eyes, and felt his lip curl at the scent of blood. His blood. Onestar stood up shakily and slumped back down. Apparently not all his injuries were healed.
"Oi! Oi!"
Onestar looked up to see Zael looking down amusedly at him.
"He's really alive!"
"Really! I don't believe it!"
"Let me see!"
He felt himself prodded, scratched, bitten, tugged and even slapped on the muzzle to see if he were real. He was too tired to fend off the curious paws.
"How…?" Zael muttered to himself, intrigued, "Do you do it?"
"None of your business," Onestar sneered. He saw Zael's eyes glint with danger, but he didn't care. Not anymore.
He was going to get out of this alive.
For a moment, a flicker of doubt crossed his mind. What if he didn't? He was treading the borderline of death just a moment ago. No, he shook it out of his mind. He will live.
Onestar staggered up but Panther pushed him back down, his head banging the floor. He sneered at the fallen leader, "Whatever you did, I don't care like the rest of these nerds around me," Zael scoffed indignantly at this.
Panther snarled and continued, "But what I know, and what I like is that I can kill you as many times as I want."
Onestar shot back, "Actually, I have a limit."
"So?" the blue tom grinned, "I live for the moment. Who cares you're going to run out?"
The leader spat, and Panther's eyes narrowed. He covered the gap between them in no time and knocked Onestar unconscious.
Winter glared at Panther and said reprimanding, "I gave no order to knock out the prisoner."
"He was getting on my nerves," was all Panther said.
A/N: I was reading another story earlier today, and at the end of each chapter, the author promised a separate oneshot to whoever reviewed. I've been feeling that lately I haven't been getting enough inspiration (that's why this chapter is a bit off). Reviews give me inspiration! So… review and I'll… try and update faster! I'll write about Zael's past if I get over 5 reviews.