Emerald

E MERALD



S OVEREIGN OF THE

S HROUDED

C LAWS

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The world is my chessboard. Its inhabitants are my pawns. I play the game until checkmate, when a victory is drawn.

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Emerald leapt to the left, narrowly evading the feline as it flew by, a temporary blur through the space she had occupied a mere second ago. It was coal-black like the night surrounding them, but its eyes shone through the darkness like sapphires cut by an extremely skilled lapidary. Emerald whipped around to face her opponent, scarlet claws at the ready. In one fluid movement, she rocketed towards her foe, lodging her canines into its trachea. Satisfied with her victory, she tossed the limp figure aside, but had little time to rejoice as she now faced two more threats: a sienna tabby and a stark-white figure, who's pelage seemed to gleam in the pale light of the moon, illuminating the autumnal, leaf-blanketed forest floor.

Standing at nearly twelve inches, the lively warrior's pelage was a bright shade of grey, with the darker markings of a tabby. A long, ragged scar ran from her right flank, and up towards her brilliant green eyes, which now watched her adversaries with caution.

The cats began to circle her, one on either side. Emerald had little time to panic as they lunged forward, eyes shining with the intent of a merciless killer. Emerald ducked and sidestepped, avoiding the sienna blur. The second feline, however, tackled her to the ground, her head slamming into a nearby rock. Tinted yellow fangs snapped at Emerald's narrow face, foul warm breath invading her senses as she clawed desperately at the hostile cat. As soon as the white shecat found an opening in her defenses, she took her chances, going for the kill. Emerald's heart seemed to slam against her ribcage, screaming at her to get out of battle as the yellowed teeth flashed ever closer to her exposed neck, when a new pair of jaws locked around the opposing feline's nape.

These jaws belonged to Raven. A particularly proud sovereign, she possesed a muscular thirteen-inch-tall frame, covered head to toe in a long, grey pelt, but not without scars and other marks from previous battles. Her fierce obsidian-blue eyes produced a distinct aura, a clear sign that she was a force to be reckoned with.

Raven wrenched her crimson-stained jaws from the icy feline's neck, letting it roll limply off of her friend. Getting back to her paws, Emerald shook her silver pelt off, snarling, "Damn, that was too close." She glanced behind her at a couple other cats littering the ground. She snickered, "Hmm, you've been busy, Raven."

Speaking in her usual contemptuos tone, Raven claimed that these cats were far less than adept when it came to combat. At this, Emerald gave nothing more than a skeptical nod, deciding to move on to the next opponents.

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