three shadows stayed seated on the rise of the moor, ringed by a phalanx of plants.

plants of all kinds flourished under the moonlight, but under diamond's keen eye, one seemed to be brighter then the rest: a patch of yellow tansy, the bloom of hostility and war, growing all on its own in the curve of plant life that edged the cliff.

oh, little flower, can you tell what i want to do? diamond's gaze sharpened, and she snagged one yellow puff with a claw. her eyes gleamed with almost a silver-gray sheen, reflecting the moonlight despite her head bring lowered so.

"are you alright?" a tom plopped down next to the albino she-cat with genuine concern in his voice.

"never better, benitoite." diamond purred softly to herself. "i can't believe i've trapped so many into playing my game."

"your game..." benitoite flashed diamond a sharp glance. "and you're sure you can start now?"

"always be certain, benitoite; there's no room in this filthy world for doubts and fickleness." diamond stretched, her purrs growing louder by the second. "isn't that right, velvetpreen? i know you're there."

a shadow rustled against a crop of herbal plants, and a solid blue cat slipped out- though the moonlight made her look somewhere between slate-gray and morning sky instead.

"poor, poor velvetpreen. close enough for those warriors to know your name, but apparently not enough even to say a word to you. i don't see why you're reluctant to see them die when they neglect you so."

"but diamond!" velvetpreen chirped. "i still don't understand why they have to die. well, i know you well enough to know that this is for selfish reasons..." velvetpreen blinked, her peals diminishing to pathetic whines. "why did i say that?"

"ooh, velvetpreen finally has guts," diamond cackled. "but still not gutsy enough to finally turn their back on me."

"diamond-"

"oh, i didn't say you were wrong, velvet! i just said you'd finally found your tongue." diamond let out a laugh at she swung her head around, staring intensely past the dip of the hill, at the line of trees where the clueless warriors slept. "i'm just tryna have some fun~! sure, they lose this life, but here they'll find new life in the plants. come to think of it," diamond mused, "losing sentience isn't quite the same as losing a life. it's a win-win!"

diamond reared back onto her hind legs and swung at the air in a mock battle. "they'll know soon enough that they can't beat me. it's bowing to my rule or facing certain death... this'll be so much fun!"

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