Eye of the Storm (CLOVER!)

[Ärï]

(srry it took so long)

Storm blinked, fiery amber eyes coming to life once more though his heart no longer beat. Groaning softly the dark two-toned brute flexed his stiffened muscles and looked around at the leafy forest whispering with a soft wind around him. Trees stood like silent guardians all around, branches swaying in the soft breeze and sighing softly. Everything looked quiet and peaceful. Dark Storm looked down at his chest and the rest of his fur. It was no longer blood-soaked and stiff. He had died but...where had he come to?

Pushing himself off the ground where he'd lain for Twilight knew how long, Dark Storm looked around, breathing in. Hopefully someone was nearby that could explain what had happened or at least where he was. To his horror however, a familiar smell came to his nose instead. Storm looked around. She couldn't be here. Not here. No. She wasn't supposed to be here. No!

Dark Storm's flame-toned orbs flicked through the darkness as he searched. She wasn't here. It was impossible. She'd been safe when he'd died, very much alive. Zenya wouldn't have let her....

[Sheera]

A small form of a wolf lie half in the shadows. The small being was laying, curled in a loose rounded position. No sign of life could be seen from this wolf. It lie lifeless and limp. It did not stir, it lie looking as though it was water in the midst of a still lake.

It shifted ever so slightly then it returned to its stillful state.

[Ärï]

Dark Storm shook his head, forcing the idea from his mind. No. She wasn't here. Twilight knew she would have made plenty of noise by now. Forcing himself to relax, Storm looked around again but this time was surprised to find himself not alone. A black she-wolf was padding toward him. A white heart could be seen printed on her chest, ebony fur ruffled softly by the breeze.

"Welcome to the Realm of Eternal Twilight" Merci barked, nodding to him politely. "I'm Merci."

Dark Storm padded closer to her, topaz eyes caught in her crystal blue gaze. "So....I'm finally dead?" he murmured.

"Yes."

[Sheera]

The femora stirred and dark azul eyes could be seen, crisp through the atmosphere. They were clouded with confusion, but were soon cleared with understanding. She was dead. Her eyes caught sight of Storm. Dark Storm, the one she had died for. Literally.

She quickly, but silently pushed her light form up. Her legs trembled with the effort. Finally she stood in a standing position and she lightly padded towards him, her tail trembling and twitching.

[Ärï]

Merci's azul eyes flicked to Ophelia but returned to Dark Storm's gaze. Dark Storm sighed softly and looked up at the moonlight filthering through the canopy of trees overhead. "Finally" he murmured.

Merci turned and padded away into the undergrowth. She had a feeling the brute was about to find out who had followed him to the Twilight Realm and she had a feeling she didn't want to be there. Best to return to her mate's side. She'd spent too many moons away from him to venture away for long.

Dark Storm didn't even notice Ophelia. He was thrilled, literally. He felt more alive here then he had ever felt fighting in the battles or roaming around the loner lands. Here he was free. Something he hadn't been since the day he'd been born. Storm's muscles bunched and without thinking he lurched forward, bounding into the moon-dappled forest, a smile on his maw and his topaz eyes alight with excitement and happiness. He was finally free. He was dead. There was nothing more the world could throw at him that could hurt him. Nothing. He was free. He was free and he was alone.....or so he thought.....

[Sheera]

Ophelia lithely chased after him, as she had done when she was alive. She stayed a few paces behind them, then with a great leap she was ontop of Storm. She held on like she had down in reality though she did not bite into his ear. She just held on, so tight, so she could not fall off.

[Ärï]

A sudden weight brought Dark Storm tumbling down. His paws slid from under him and he hit his muzzle hard on the ground, tumbling into a bush and sending whoever had tried to tackle him rolling away. Storm leapt up, years of instinct rushing back as a low growl rumbled in his chest and his lips curled back to show his formitable fangs. Even here he wasn't at peace. Sheesh. What was it with wolves and tackling him? Ophelia had always done that but she wasn't here. No way. She was still alive. Still young. There was no way she could be here. She wasn't supposed to be. If his heart could beat it would have been pounding in panic. No. She was alive. Not dead. She was with Zenya. Probably mourning but still alive. Topaz eyes glared toward the wolf he had thrown off his back.

[Sheera]

Ophelia's eyes hardened and she flicked her tail in annoyance. "Don't growl at me, mister." she scolded in a stern voice. She wasn't afraid. How could she be? She had spent the rest of her life with him. She knew him... in a way. She loved him. There she stood, facing him head-on directly after awakening in a death hole.

[Ärï]

Dark Storm's growl was cut off by an astounded silence, a horrified silence. No. She wasn't here. She couldn't be. No. No. Nonononono. It wasn't true. Storm stared. He couldn't beleive it, just couldn't beleive it. His mind was frozen, unable to think and his voice choked off. Choking slightly Storm managed to force his voice to work. "No. You're not...you...you're not supposed to be here" Dark Storm growled, voice fading from astonished to disgusted to hostile.

[Sheera]

"Oh keep your hostility to yourself." she snapped at him. "I wouldn't have lived much longer anyways. If you didn't notice, I was starving. I was dieing already." she said thoughtfully. "Plus the outside world wasn't safe, and Zenya couldn't have taken care of me for long." she said lightly.

[Ärï]

Dark Storm was thunderstruck. Why in Hellfire's name could he not get away from her? Why had she followed him anyway? He...he...his time was done! He'd lived his life, as horrid as it might have been. He'd made his friends, felt his share of sorrow and cried his tears til they ran dry. Not her. She'd been too young. Far too young to throw her life away from something like him. No. "No! You're not supposed to be here!" Storm barked, looking thoroughly confused, amber eyes swirling with horror, disgust and confusion. "You're not supposed to be dead! My time was up! Not yours!"

[Sheera]

"Yet, ironically my time was up as well." she said in a bemused tone. "Whats done is done Storm." she said lightly. She paused her eyes glistening. "Its not like you can throw me back into the living." she sighed. "I lived a rather long life. It was actually longer than I could have hoped."

[Ärï]

Dark Storm felt trapped all over again. Even when he died he killed somebody! This was rediculous. And she was right. He couldn't find some way to revive her. It was impossible. Even in his stunned mind Storm understood that. Numbly the brute took a step back. His paradise had just come crashing down. He'd gone from free to imprisoned in what would have been a heartbeat if he had one. He should have known. "Get away from me" Dark Storm growled, his voice suddenly hate-filled and eyes darkening rapidly. "I can't get rid of you when I'm alive and now I can't get rid of you when I'm dead. Hellfire what do you want from me? My sanity? Twilight knows that's been gone a long time."

[Sheera]

She chuckled her dark chuckled. "Oh dear child, I've never known sanity." she smiled horrifically. "Not once in my life." she flicked her tail. "But if you do wish to be free in this dead cold world, then be that as it may..." she said in a cheerful tone that suddenly went dark and morbid. "Leave." She flicked her tail. She didn't care if he knew she'd still be trailing behind him in Twilight's shadows for eternity.

[Ärï]

Dark Storm was trembling with rage. He knew she would follow. She always would. He'd been hoping for a few years. A few years head start this time. Now...he was stuck. Even if he lost his mind and turned into a raving rabid dog he'd still have her haunting his shadow. Even if he clawed himself until he was nothing but blood and guts she'd still be there because there was no death. Hellfire. He'd lost. He was trapped. Literally loosing his mind. Raving and howling in rage and insanity would do him no good here. He'd never be alone. Never have peace. Never. Never....

He didn't realize when he hit the ground, his limbs giving out under him. He just stared. Storm stared at nothing in particular, too lost in his own terrifying thoughts. It was terrible. Horrible. She'd never leave him alone. She claimed love. He claimed she was nuts but maybe it was just him. Maybe killing Thistle had driven him nuts. Maybe....it wasn't real. He wasn't dead. He was just....trapped in his own raving mind.

Not knowing what else to do, Dark Storm just laid there and cried. For the first time since Thistle had been killed. He cried. Silently of course but still, he did. Dispair. Insanity. Loss. Utter and total confusion. So much for a peaceful afterlife. Hellfire an afterlife of pain would have been better then this.....

(poor storm, he's loosin his little mind)