Kaelan
Leader of The Immortal Ones
The moon, a ghostly pale orb, hung low and full as Kaelan lounged against his makeshift throne, the dim light deepening the hollows of his angular features. "Listen well, my darlings," he purred, his voice a velvet caress that concealed the unpredictable madness lurking beneath. "I have divined the path to our salvation. Beyond these borders reside five clans—ShadowClan, ThunderClan, RiverClan, WindClan, and SkyClan,” he carefully explained, gesturing towards the vast expanse of territory beyond their camp, where the clans held sway. "Go forth as mere strays, humble and desperate. They will take you in, these foolish creatures with their misguided notions of compassion. Infiltrate their camps, learn their ways, and most importantly, gain their trust and report back to me,” his cyan eyes, once vibrant and piercing, held a sickly sheen as he regarded each of his children, his tone sickeningly sweet and persuasive.
His gaze swept over them, Lirael, Maeve, and Dorian, his sunken eyes settling on Lirael, his favorite of the three. "My darling girl," he cooed softly, his voice dripping with false affection as he reached out, beckoning her closer, his lips curling into a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. With a tenderness that seemed at odds with his empty gaze, he caressed her cheek, his touch lingering just a moment too long. "My sweet Lirael," he purred, his voice silky as it dropped to a whisper only she could hear. "You know how much your dear father relies on you. You have always been my favorite, haven't you? So clever, so obedient, so pretty,” his paw trailed down her jawline, his claws lightly grazing her skin, hooking under her chin and tilting it up to look deep into his eyes.
“Even if your siblings do not return with anything meaningful, I know that you most certainly will,” he pulled back, his cyan eyes locking onto hers once more in a soulful stare, a flicker of something dark and dangerous lurking in their frigid depths. With a final caress, he released her, watching as she returned to her siblings, three puppets dancing on strings only he could see. "This is a great honor. To be trusted with such a vital mission, to be my eyes and my ears. You will make me proud, won't you?" it was not a question, but a command, wrapped pleasantly in the guise of affection. “Once you have dug deep into their hearts, you will return to me. Your loyalty is to The Immortal Ones, and to me alone,” he reminded them, his breath suddenly coming in short, labored gasps.
With that, he dismissed them with a wave of his paw, collapsing back into his throne, his body wracked with a violent cough that shook his entire frame. Blood flecked his lips as he struggled to catch his breath, the evidence of his declining health. Watching them go, his eyes bore into theirs as they left, a silent warning of the consequences should they fail, one that not even the bonds of blood and loyalty would spare them from.
