Padding along the river's edge, Talon slowly several times, ears swivelling to survey the surroundings. Ashfur seems to have been alone, but he's taking enough of a risk just coming here as it is. Satisfied that no-one seems to be following, the dark grey tom speeds up, approaching the borders. He has learned a number of things today, and better yet, he was able to string Ashfur along with information he can do very little with. But the Thunderclan warrior's request more than anything pleases Talon after he'd given it some consideration. He'll need to train more again himself soon anyway, come newleaf the other factions will likely become a lot more active. He has to be ready for it. And by taking the blue eyed tom under his wing, he might be able to gain his trust sufficiently to draw any answers he desires from him. Given enough time, Ashfur might even become his eyes within the forest. Talon had been uncertain about this meeting, but as he passes the first buildings nearing his own territory's borders, a pleased smile forms on him. This had been a greater success than he hoped for. As long as he remains cautious to not reveal anything that could deeply impact his faction's security and avoids getting ambushed, this is an absolute win for the long term. The knowledge alone that the clans send large delegations out of their camps each full moon is of unspeakable worth, both if they need herbs again or choose to attack for real.
Returning to the alley, Talon looks for the sentry posted tonight. In the gloom of the nighttime alley, Quail's bright pelt is nigh impossible to miss. One of Kestrel's cats…come morning he will know that Talon was out. The dark grey warrior sways his tail in greeting to the she-cat, whom responds in kind and a respectful nod. Kestrel will find out sooner or later anyway since he's now second-in-command. Talon could try to keep the tom from finding out a while longer, but perhaps it'd be wiser to tell him first, if he can spin the story well enough. Talon thinks about this as he enters his den, flopping with an exhausted huff into his nest. If he tells, it'd be wisest to have some veteran warriors present for it. Both so they are in on it as well and to make sure they hear his version of it first, not some spun off variant made up by Kestrel. He should be able to make them see the value of inside information from the forest… perhaps even that he could turn one of theirs against them, create a Bloodclan spy among the enemy. He'll need to choose his words well, but the veteran warriors should accept it hopefully. Sighing quietly, Talon feels as though his eyelids were made of steel, weighing down, the effort to keep them open increasingly futile. Fatigue washes over the tom more and more with each passing heartbeat. Either way he will be useless to Bloodclan and his cats if he doesn't get some rest at least. Abandoning the last of his resistance, the dark grey warrior falls prey to slumber nigh instantly, his tail curled around him for warmth.
As Talon opens his eyes, a familiar sight lies before him. The noise of battle and panic, the scent of blood and fear and fury. Rising to his paws just in time to be roughly shoved aside by a cat all but thrown against him, the Bloodclan warrior snarls, claws unsheathing. He's back again… the dream, this awful abyss. The cats fighting all around him again. Talon, a toothy snarl remaining on him as his neckfur and hackles raise, looks around, trying to find the only anchor point he knows here. After a short while, he spots the small black tom up ahead, sitting calmly amidst the chaos. This time however, he not only seems closer, but no longer is his back turned. Icy blue eyes observe Talon, the constant movement of cats between the two toms. Knowing what he must do, the dark grey tom hisses, advancing through the ongoing battle, ears swivelling, eyes darting to find if any of the battling cats targets him. Before long, alerted by it's howl, the first of them lunges for Talon. Determination burns brightly in Talon, the attacker's pounce easily dodged. The cat's furious expression turns to fear for just a moment, before Talon's claws descend through it's face, tearing deep wounds. The cat reels back, hurt and stunned. Talon tries to use this to his advantage, advancing further, hoping that the injury and the general chaos around will deter his attacker. He finds himself quickly proven wrong as the cat lands square upon his back, knocking the air out of the large tom for a moment. Growling in pain and rapidly rising anger as claws tear at his back, Talon forcefully rolls over, flinging the attacker off of him. The cat impacts the imperceivable floor, dazed for a moment again. This time, no chances are taken. Coming to just in time to screech in terror, the cat finds the red eyed warrior upon it, forcefully holding it down before biting down hard on the smaller cat's chest. As his fangs pierce past his attacker's ribs, deep into the cat, blood shoots forth into his maw. The irony tang of it's taste spreads over Talon's tongue as he viciously shakes his head, the crimson soon dripping in a steady stream down his chin. The cat struggles, it tries to swipe and kick, finding few good marks in it's position. Slowly, the struggle begins to ease, the Bloodclan warrior's grip not relenting in the slightest, the motions begin to slow, weaken, until finally the body under Talon goes fully limp. Finally releasing the cat, Talon huffs for air, blood still dripping off his features as he beholds the former attacker. To Talon's surprise, he fails to feel pity or regret. He was attacked, he even gave the cat a chance to go, choose a different target, anything at all. No, this cat chose to attack again. Shaking his head, with nothing to keep him there further, Talon continues on his way. He only gets a few pawprints of distance from the last fight, when a large, towering cat actively blocks his way. Scoffing, Talon takes position to fight again. If this is how it must be, then so be it. It is only now though, beholding this new foe, that Talon notices with a measure of confusion, that he cannot make out any defining features of this cat. Despite the lack of any clear light source, he can see perfectly clearly, he could count the hairs on his paw if he had to, but he fails to register any details of this cat. No fur colour or patterns, no eye colour nor specific shape. Taking a quick second to look around, Talon finds that many of the cats fighting here are so. Some he can recognize what appears almost like glimpses of details. Faint fur patterns, eyes that still hold a shine of a colour, some more than others, but it all seems to be… fading. He is ripped from his thoughts as his newest opponent grows apparently tired of waiting and charges at Talon. This cat is easily bigger than even him and tries to bring it's crushing weight down upon him. Sidestepping at the last moment, Talon rakes his claws across the colossus shoulder, destabilising the sizeable cat. With a growl, Talon charges straight into the cat, claws hooking into it as he uses his full bodyweight to cause it to crash down on it's side. The large foe is rapid to start swiping at Talon though, trying to force him back so it may get on it's paws again. Hissing as large powerful paws pull their claws through his shoulder and chest, Talon refuses to back away. If he backs away now, this cat could gain the advantage with it's fierce strength. His wounds fuelling his wrath, Talon rushes forth with a fearsome howl, tearing his claws through the exposed abdomen of the cat. The batting stops as the large enemy yowls in agony, it's belly in the truest sense open and exposed. It thrashes and screeches, as Talon takes a step back. This on will be no threat any longer. But it suffers, it suffers greatly. Scoffing at himself, Talon moves back in, raising his paw, shiny and slick with blood, before letting it descend with speed and force on the cat's neck. The struggle ends mere moments after, Talon groaning from the pain of his own injuries as he turns to resume his advance. He manages to push past the last few cats along his way. Blood wetting his chin and paws, gushing from his own back, shoulder and chest, breathing heavily, Talon finds himself standing in front of the small black tom with whom it all began. Still trying to catch his breath, Talon bows his head in deep respect to the tom, whom's cold blue stare hasn't left him for even a moment.
„So you're back again…"
Talon's ears perk up and his eyes open wide in astonishment, though he keeps his head lowered. It had been long since he heard the calm yet slightly shrill voice of his leader.
„Raise your head, Talon. You did not come this far just to cower"
Talon does as he is ordered, looking upon the black leader, whom calmly grooms himself with his single white paw, unimpressed by the chaos still sounding behind Talon. After doing so at his own calm pace, Scourge rises to his paws, turning and walking away
„Follow. We have things to discuss"
Talon pads after the smaller tom, trying to disregard his wounds to the best of his ability. The sound of battle grows distant as they travel, seemingly through an endless landscape of perfect nothingness.
„I can feel the questions burning in your mind… we have still a way to go, so ask"
Talon flicks his ear at his leader's order. He has many questions indeed. Barely a thing here makes sense to him.
„Where are we here?"
He hears a quiet sigh escaping Scourge
„You buried me, Talon. You know where we are. This is where it ends. Unless some other place wants you at least… No orientation, nowhere to go, no food, goals, hopes… The final dumping ground for cats with nowhere else to be after they die, so most cats."
Talon looks around, ears flattening against his head. A dreadful idea that it would end in such a place. As far as the eye can see, nothing, the only cats encountered so far, in a permanent frenzy…
„What was with those cats? Fighting on and on… I can barely recall anything about them either"
„Because there is nothing left to remember. Once you are here, unless you can really keep it together, remember who you are, you quickly begin to forget. The less you remember, the less you are. You fade, first anything that defines you, then just entirely. Most cats end like those earlier there. Once you forget everything, all that's left is the fact that you are here… at that stage they aren't even really cats anymore, just anger, fear, despair in the husk of what once was a cat."
An unwell feeling rises in Talon's stomach. An abominable fate. The thought that most cats are forced to end in this way is depressing and terrifying in equal amounts. Scourge's revelations cause even Talon's curiosity to waver. How many more such answers will the black tom provide? Better yet, how many more can Talon deal with?
„Then… where are we headed?"
„This place is enormous, maybe even endless. But there are destinations in it. The fewest cats could hope to find them, between forgetting and being without any orientation. Before I died however, I saw Firestar rise from the dead, I saw Tigerstar dying again and again, I saw the belief of those forest cats"
Scourge's ear flicks, the small leader taking a moment before continuing
„It was not enough to end where their dead do… but I wasn't completely bare of orientation. I saw the spark of their afterlife. Having nowhere else to go, I followed it. It took me moons to find, but I did. That is where we are headed."
Talon's ears rise at this. So, there is some hope after at least. Surely anything is preferable to this abyss.
„Anything else? I will not keep you here long after we arrive. I have things to do still"
The red eyed warrior tilts his head
„Like what? What is there to do after death?"
„You'll see when we get there."
Talon hums, the ache of his wounds having mostly become a steady numbing sting. There is one last truly big question on his mind, one he can't quite seem to figure the answer out for.
„Why… me? If you can bring me here, I presume you could have brought any cat here"
Scourge stops in his motion, causing Talon to stand still as well. The black leader turns his head, looking at Talon, his icy gaze seeming to pierce the tom. Nervousness rises in the dark grey warrior. Was that too presumptuous to ask?
„You have a long way still to go, Talon… you are not nearly ready yet. You wish to succeed me and a mere look can drive you into doubt. It is pitiful"
Scourge's eyes narrow, his disapproval at Talon's reluctance apparent
„You care for the clan, for my creation and legacy, the cats of Bloodclan, their wellbeing… but you are no leader. Not yet, not by a long shot. You can lead at times, but that does not suffice. You are here, Talon, because I choose you. But you must make yourself worthy of my choice. That, in part, is why you are here. Why you will return here regularly. Bloodclan faces difficult times and I will not watch my life's work crumble. You will fix things, Talon. I will accept nothing less"