Riders on the storm [KAYLA]

[Fleet]

Who am I? (It's totally Kayla)

His ginger tabby pelt prickled, he hated being back here at their back most base that they had set up as a safe haven to raise kits. But on this occasion he'd had no choice, they'd needed to bring Spey back as she was really getting too large to be out there hunting Spawn cats and as much as he hated leaving Maioku without much backup he'd made the choice to return too home ground, sending the white Prelude to back up Maioku while getting some of their outbound band mates en-route. Which left him with Ally and his kits, along with a rather pregnant Spey at the back base which hadn't been so bad really, the kits were usually out running errands around the camp while Ally watched over them. Viper stretched, rising from where he'd been sat at the entrance too a tunnel network which plunged beneath an oak tree and padded out into the afternoon sunlight, letting it warm his pelt a moment before he noticed a pair of deep violet eyes watching him. Tilting his head slightly he spoke"Syrio, you're not meant to be out here right now..."

The pale grey tabby with black stripes tilted her head in return, the young she-cat seemed hesitant, like she was confused to find him there. Then she was turning her head, glancing behind her before starting"But Vipe-" But the ginger tabby was cutting her off"No buts Syrio, get back inside until your father returns from patrol!" She scowled at the the order, but Viper was distracted then at the sound of amused laughter above him and slowly he raised his gaze, finding it settling on a familiar calico pelt as a voice came"Oh but Viper, it's cruel to keep young ones locked up so..." At that Viper's hackles immediately raised and he spat"Taka!" even as he put himself across the entire entrance to the den, his actions caused the calico's amused laughter to change to an almost maddened cackle. Viper's grey gaze narrowed but then something was hitting him from behind and as prepared as he had been for Taka's attack he was not expecting the attack to come from someone else entirely. So he staggered forwards, almost sprawling on his face but managed to catch himself and tried to spin around, confusion lit up on his ginger face only for someone else to hit him. He saw a flash of calico fur before he was tasting blood and dirt, as this time he went sprawling.

There was no weight holding him down, so slowly he shifted, raising his ginger head, his grey eyes found the grey tabby pelt of Syrio first, the she-cat was standing over him looking rather proud of herself and looking beyond her he thought he saw another of the youngsters emerging from the den. A flash of orange tabby fur, with a patch of white and Viper was forcing himself to his paws saying"Syrio? Tenjiro? What-" His words were cut off as Syrio spoke"You can try to stall us as long as you like Viper... But help won't come, our great uncle made sure of that..." Viper could feel his heart rate rocketing at the she-cat's words and he glanced wildly around, looking for the calico pelt spitting"Taka! What did you do to Ally?" But he got no response, the calico had all but disappeared and in that moment he felt panic wash over him, he had to get back to the den, he had to get the youngsters inside as they clearly weren't thinking straight, he had to protect Spey.

So his grey gaze found the youngsters as he spoke again, attempting to reason with them, trying to hold back his slow rising anger as he did so"Tenjiro, Syrio... Listen to me, that calico... He's not your friend.. He's one of the cats we've been try to catch for-" But Syrio was cutting in saying"For years yes? Over half your life... And for what? Because he killed a few cats? So has half the loner lands... Or perhaps because you felt you owed his father something? For the old tom was clearly an obsessive, abuser abandoning his kits, trying to kill them... Why did you so blindly follow such a tom?" Viper stared at the she-cat horrified by her words, clearly much more had been going on than any of them had realised and somehow Taka had managed to get inside these young cats head. His gaze went to the she-cat's brother as he tried again"It's more than a few cats... He's a mass murderer, he abused your mother... Your mother was keeping you back here to protect you... Use your heads, Taka is using you both... Please... Listen to me, go back inside the den, help me defend against the Spawn..." Syrio's claws were sliding out again, her expression cold and so Viper focused most of his grey gaze on her brother as he finished"Please... Don't do this..."

Viper