sensitive topics dernière danse — death

[HADESRUMBLE]

I. THE BEGINNING

something's made your eyes grow cold .
︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

The elder carried on, marred flesh crinkling, relishing as the sunlight kissed dark sepia fur, brimming with warmth, warming his weary bones and aching joints, drawing a sigh from a darkened maw. He missed being out. No longer was he trapped inside the camp, but feeling the gentle breeze bringing pine fading to the potent smell of twolegs as they walked along their border, Duskpool wobbling close to his flank. “Hurry, would you? I’m walkin’ faster than you, Duskpool. Whatcha gonna say about that, huh? A young warrior like yourself getting beat by a damn elder.” Hadesrumble snickered, chest rumbling. “Eh? Cat got your tongue? Shame. You are one of the few damn warriors I can tolerate.” He muttered, tail swishing lazily above his shoulders.

Duskpool grumbled, shaking his helm while he stuck close to the elder, gait unsteady, head pivoting to take in their surroundings, frustration rippling through the muscle at the lack of vision on his left side. “I’m the only cat you tolerate, Hades.” He huffed, gaze lingering along the border, muscles coiling beneath marred, supple flesh. Hades snorted. “Nothin’ gets past you, eh, smart one? About damn time. It's been borin’ watching these band of fools.”

The obsidian-furred male shook his helm, expression deadpan. “You think everyone is a fool, don’t ya? You care about them, yet ya keep them at a length. Don’t think that persona will fool me.” Duskpool rumbled, gaze narrowed, Hades scoffed, turning away from the one-eyed warrior, muzzle crinkling in a sneer. “You forget we’ve fought together.” Duskpool rumbled, peering at Hade's smaller stature, watching as the hackle rose along his spine, muscles coiling beneath marred flesh, refusing to look into molten copper, sneer ever so present upon a darkened maw. Humming, Duskpool paused, maw parted, tasting the air, brows furrowed. “Fox.” He rumbled, turning to stare at Hades who huffed. “Too far away. Nothin’ to worry about. Shouldn’t bother us.” He muttered, tail whisking. “Your nose is getting old.” Dusk grunted. Too close for comfort. “Tturn back. Neither one of us are at our full strength.” He hissed, nudging Hades who hissed, grumbling as they walked the way they came.

Hadesrumble snorted, peering up at the sky. “Never thought I’d be back here. Wonder if those damn upwalkers came back.” He muttered, tone uncaring. Duskpool came to stand beside the elder, molten copper staring at the towering buildings, nose wrinkling in distaste. “Maybe.” He mused, helm pivoting to peer at the seal sepia tom who stared out, expression wistful. He sighed. “Forget about them.” He rumbled. “They made their choice.” A wrong choice, but a choice, nonetheless. “Right.”

“Hades.”

“What?”

“...Nevermind.” Duskpool shook his helm, blinking languidly. Hadesrumble huffed, hips stalling as he moved, tittering until the smokey-brute came, letting the elder lean against him without speaking, merely peering ahead. They will regret abandoning you, my friend. Someone who didn’t deserve it, but fate had said otherwise, deeming them both useless as they’re tossed to the side, forgotten. “Getting cryptic, are we?” Hades snorted, bumping a boney shoulder against a well-muscled one still wrapped in cobwebs, marred flesh barely poking through. “Wouldn’t dream of it.” Duskpool grumbled, letting the seal sepia take the first step.

The obsidian-hued male paused, ears swerving to catch the rustle of leaves, paw gliding out, halting Hades who huffed, brow raised, glaring daggers. “The fuck—” “Quiet.” Molten copper narrowed, fur bristling like barbed wire, Hadesrumble falling silent, sneer present. “Tellin’ me to shut up—” Hades rumbled, falling silent with an inaudible curse resting lightly on his tongue, as Dusk veered, standing in front, head low, ears drawn back, pressed against his helm. “I said quiet.” He hissed, his heart squeezing tight within its prison, breath coming out in languid intakes—

@DUSKPOOL @KAVAN ​

​

thought speech​

 

[HADESRUMBLE]

II. THE CLIMAX

something's made your eyes grow cold .
︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

—until a pair of familiar yellow optics made themselves visible, followed by familiar marred flesh and brown tabby fur. "Damnit—" Duskpool cursed, relaxing into unstable paws with a choked sigh, chest heaving, pupils constricting. Hades merely huffed, stepping around the other to stare hotly at the incoming loner. "And who are you?" The elder grumbled.

The brown tabby paused, head cocked, laughing softly, he padded towards the two, grin settled heavily on darkened lips. "Name's Kavan!" He called, coming to a halt. "What are you doing out here?" Duskpool butted in before Hades could speak, scowl present upon a scarred muzzle.

Kavan sighed, his helm swerving to stare out into the woods. "Wonderin' if you saw Mason, by any chance." He smiled wistfully, yellow optics dimming. "I couldn't find him since last night." Reaching a paw to rub his nape, Kavan shifted, pressing a paw against his mouth, sighing. "Mason's gone?" Duskpool padded forward, muscles coiling beneath scarred flesh, ears flat against his helm. "What the hell happened—"

"Whoah! Youkai—Calm down. I'll find him, alright? Promise you that. He couldn't have gone far. You know him." Kavan waved a paw. "Don't worry, alright? I'll find him. You know I will." The brown tabby smiled, genuine.

Duskpool grunted, rigid claws digging into the earth, grounding himself, nostrils flaring with a heavy intake of air, sighing. "I know." His tone was deadpan, molten copper pooling with worry for the black-furred brute. Damnit, Mason. Hadesrumble watched the two, gaze narrowing. Who the hell is Mason? Duskpool's worry was odd, but—His tail flickered, understanding dancing within yellow optics, watching the two converse with a quirk of his lips, scowling. He looks like—Hades straightened, ears perking. What the hell is his name again? Hades maw parted, pausing, staring critically at the brown tabby. "Oi! Brownie! The hell is his name again?

...Don't you even start, Duskpool."

"Wasn't gonna say shit."

"Oh, like you weren't, you damn porcupine."

"...."

"En. Kind of fitting, don'tcha think?"

"Hilarious." Hadesrumble snickered, prickly yellow optics glaring cryptically at the brown tabby once more, licking his lips. "Oi! Pipsqueak. Ever heard of a cat named Nesryn?" He inquired, staring eerily at the other, brow raised, wobbling around the other with a twitch of his whiskers.

Kavan tensed, head pivoting to keep the other within view. "Nesryn?" He echoed, sharp yellow optics narrowing. "I have. Why?" He inquired, helm cocked. "Oh, quit it. Askin' a question, not your life story." Hades huffed. Kavan blinked, optics owlish as he stared at Duskpool, the obsidian-hued male offering a shrug in response. Kavan merely laughed, lips curled in a charismatic grin, shoulders relaxing, if only for a bit, as he stared at the elder. "Curious, is all." The brown tabby hummed, tail flickering.

Hades grunted, plopping down on his haunches with a painted grunt. "That so, eh?" He mused, hues dulling, Duskpool gravitated towards the elder, glancing over at Kavan who shuffled, brows furrowed. "What do ya mean by that?" Duskpool finally said, helm pivoting to stare at the sitting elder, blinking languidly as Hades huffed, raising a paw in a 'wait' motion.

"You look a lot like her." He mumbled.

"Small world," Kavan remarked, smiling. "Then it's safe to assume you knew my mother?" He inquired, optics narrowing. Duskpool rumbled, rigid claws digging into the earth, ears swerving, listening quietly.

Hades grinned. "Don't give me that look, hotshot. I raised her." He huffed, tail flickering. "Never expected to meet one of her kits." He peered at Kavan, who remained relaxed, leaning heavily into his side despite the tension bleeding from rippling muscles.

Molten copper blinked languidly, brow raised. "One family reunion." He muttered, deadpan. Kavan laughed. "Should I call you Gramps then?" Tone sarcastic. "You do and I'll kill you," Hadesrumble snapped, nose wrinkling in disgust. "Don't need a damn reminder I'm old." He grumbled, drawing a loud snort from Duskpool. "Alright. Alright." Kavan laughed, waving a paw. "Well, then ~ Since I can't call you Gramps, mind tellin' me your name?" He asked.

Head cocked, Hades mulled over the question, claw-tapping his chin. "Call me Hades, squirt." He had so many questions, but it never had been in his will to ask them, watching Kavan with a hidden fondness behind scarred features. Would you look at that? He snorted, settling further into his aching bones, crooning while Kavan spoke.

Ears snapped, helm pivoting to peer into the undergrowth, molten copper narrowing to crescent moons, catching sight of red splotches vibrant against the monochrome scheme. He tensed, rising slowly to his paws, tail hanging low, Kavan's voice quieting, rising to his own paws.

It was quick, giving no time for Duskpool to warm the two as it came bursting forth from the bushes, jaws snapping. "Watch out!" He snarled, spinning around to face it, his hackle rising. The fox yipped, aiming toward Kavan, paws scrambling until Hades—The seal sepia tensed, watching it unfeather, breath trapped in his throat. He did what he always wanted when he retired, trapped in the confinements of camp, watching with a bleeding heart as cats came and went, watching as his body grew old and died, unable to do anything but sit in a pool of shame and disgust—propelled himself, knocking into Kavan's frame, a snarl ringing out as its jaws clamped down with a squelch, crushing Hade's windpipe.

Duskpool skidded, molten copper widening as Kavan cried out. He watched with a heavy breath as Hade's body crumbled, eyes unseeing, maw locked in a protective sneer, forever to haunt the two toms for the rest of eternity. He choked back a snarl, reeling back from the fowl stench of copper, instead focusing molten copper on the fox, baring its teeth at the two. No. NO. The obsidian-hued shook his helm, biting back a cry as he surged forward, claws racking down the fox's side, pushing him with all his weight, muscles quivering until they tumbled, knocking into Kavan, who whined. "Kavan!" Duskpool snarled, teeth clamping down into the fox's supple flesh, tasting rot, and pulled, drawing a sharp yip. "Get the hell out of here! Go find Mason!" He snarled, urging the other to run as he grappled. He ignored the burning pain of wounds still not quite healed, thrumming hot, muscles spasming until another body slammed into them, snarls shattering the peaceful scenery until the fox slipped away, scampering off, leaving the two standing.

Duskpool stumbled, letting out a shaky breath, blood trickling down his muzzle, staining the white, a pinkish mist. "Kavan—" He mumbled, swerving his helm to stare at the deadpan male. "Kavan." He repeated, padding forward, shaking him out of his stupor, blinking haggardly. "Right—Yeah. I—Mason. I need to … Need to go," Kavan mumbled, pausing, chest quivering until the first signs of tears prickled the edge of his vision. He laughed, raising a paw to rub them away. "I'm sorry." He muttered, shaking his helm, backing away when Dusk grew near. "I'm sorry." He whispered, grinning bitterly as he turned, padding away.

The obsidian male watched the other leave, heart heavy until his eye landed on Hade's prone frame, flank unmoving, no longer drawing life into his sightless eyes that stared up at the sky. He laughed, stumbling forward, ignoring the thrum of pain, dropping to his haunches to press his helm against the male's shoulder, breathing in the smell of copper and pine. Right. He huffed. "Guess this was what you always wanted, huh?" Speaking quietly, voice muffled, molten copper staring at the pooling ichor. "Stupid fool." ​

​

thought speech​