Ribcage

The small creature bounded through the familiar forest, making her way to the border of her previous pack, the one that had killed her before. A small shiver ran through her as she thought about it, but determination pushed her forward. She wanted to see @Err again and this was the only way to do it. 

Stopping at the border, she would sniff around, wondering if she would be able to find the rat or any of his rat friends without finding @Vengeance. The last thing she wanted was to see the man that killed her in the previous life.

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 They had seen her, the new rat running through the forest. Some whispered, some ran to fetch Err, some followed quietly until they grew bored and left her alone to head back into Nightwalker lands. Err would sort out this new helper, get her introduced the boss. They could always do with more fellows for the little rat pack. The boss' coat always needed grooming and they always needed others to help tend the many wounds of the Nightwalker's. 

 Err himself was tending to the garden, studiously keeping his gaze away from Mystery's old den as he pulled weeds and planted new seeds. He tried not to think about her. He hadn't dared to make a grave lest that be seen as treachery. Instead, there was a small piece of fur. Hers that he'd managed to weave into two bracelets. The smell had long faded and now it was just a dark band around his forepaws that looked like jewelry he'd fashioned from some prey. He was an accessory-maker, after all, so who cared about his new jewelry? 

 But he knew what it represented. 

 A rat found him, whispered about some interesting rat at the borders. He asked where and then told them to finish up in the garden as he went to investigate. It wasn't a quick run but he eventually made it to see a black female rat. Pretty, very pretty. Not that he particularly cared, his heart ached too much for such things right now. This rat made his heart ache for she smelled so similar to her. He didn't know whether to be happy or to hiss at her for the audacity. 

 He chose neither and put on his best customer service smile. "Well well, a rat who respects pack borders. That's something you don't see every day." His eyes held no warmth, his happiness had been gone for weeks now, and he did his duties and spoke kindly as before... but he didn't feel it. He worked because he had to, not because he found joy anymore. "Have you heard of the legendary Nightwalkers, and wish to join us, hmm?" He could always use the extra paws.

 
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She knew they were there, watching her and likely reporting to Err, or at least she hoped. Though, she didn't speak to them or call out to them, instead she just sat and waited. Thankfully, her initial thought was correct and it wasn't too long before she saw the rat that she didn't know she had missed as much as she did. Instantly her heart swelled and she had to stop herself from rushing to him and hugging him. Other than her scent remaining the same, she knew she looked entirely different. His words made her chuckle slightly, though she had no interest in answering his question, instead she would sigh before speaking. 

"There's no way to go about this easily, Err and I don't even understand this either but its me, Mystery." She kept her voice soft in case any other Nightwalkers were around. "I remember everything, I remember us first meeting, you would help me gather herbs while I would carry them. We shared a den and made a garden together. I remember the basket you gave me..." She had to stop herself from crying as she continued to speak, scared of how he would react to this. "I don't know if you'll believe me or not... but I missed you."

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 What on earth? How did this rat know his name? His eyes narrowed suspiciously but he wasn't afraid. They outnumbered her and if push came to shove, he could always call Vengeance. With his loyalty he would always be protected. "Mystery?" His eyes opened wide as he looked over this dark rat. She smelled exactly like he remembered... but this was a rat. 

 Was this some sort of cruel joke? 

 Or was this legit? 

 He hardly believed it. Mostly because he'd seen her entrails displayed for all to see. Seen her very slow death. 

 This had to be some elaborate prank... and he didn't think it was funny.

 Not when the wounds were so raw. 

 "L i e s s s s s..." He hissed at her, fur raising dangerously along his nape. "You've been watching in the shadows. You're trying to trick me. You're trying to make me suffer." Because of how he'd allowed her to die. He dropped to all fours, stepping closer to her in a sideways motion with his tail flicking back and forth. He stared at her intently, aggressively. He edged closer, intent to make this impersonator pay for her lies. His fellows watched from the shadows, hissing excitedly at the thought of bloodshed. "Mystery was killed with her insides displayed for all to see... and now you show up? Why should I believe you?" Anyone could have seen how they cooperated, knew he crafted items... "You want me to believe you? Tell me something only Mystery would know. Or I swear I'll gut you, since you want to be her so badly..." He had to play nice with larger predators but with someone smaller than him? He didn't have to. Especially not when this rat was spitting all over her memory. What had she done to smell like her? Wallowed in Mystery's grave? Her corpse? Her items?! It made him all the more angry... she better talk and fast.

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She had a feeling that he wouldn't believe her, so as he responded with hostility, she hardly batted an eye. After all, the last time she experienced aggression towards her was much, much worse. As he moved towards her in anger, she simply kept herself sitting down, allowing him to get closer, seeming to not care much about her own life. As he asked her something that only she would know, she would sigh slightly. "One of the last things I said to you before I died was that I loved you. I called you 'the man I fell in love with' but we never had a chance to talk that over. It wasn't that day that I learned that. I knew that I was falling for you the day you patched me up from the bear attack and I told you my whole story. I told you about my past, about the fights that I endured as a child, I opened my heart up to you and you stole it that day." 

She would sigh slightly and lay herself down onto her side, laying her head against the ground. Her stomach and throat was bare to him, her eyes closing as she spoke. "If you still don't believe me then you can kill me. I already died once so a second death won't be too bad. After all, at least I can finally let you know that I do love you and I'm not mad at you for ousting me. You did the right thing." With that, she fell silent, keeping her eyes closed as she tensed herself slightly, readying to be attacked by him and all of his rat friends.

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 He came towards her, aggressively, hostile... but she didn't respond. At least, not with hostility or submissiveness. She just sat and let him edge closer, close enough that he could make good on his promise. Except, the words she spoke next froze him to the spot and had the rats around them whispering. There was no one else that could know the things they spoke to each other that day. Part of him was skeptical, part of him was still in disbelief. 

 They needed to speak... but they could not do so here and he could not afford to have the rat pack whispering things against him to the boss. 

 And then, she made it worse. She spoke the things he was desperate to hear. That hurt, that caused him twisting guilt and agony. 

 And yet, he could not speak of anything with everyone around him. He had to save face as their beady eyes turned to him to see his reaction. 

 He hopped forward, placing his paws on top of her and hissing into her face. His eyes were narrowed, vicious, as if he were truly about to kill her. The rats his with enjoyment, ready for violence. "You're not worth the effort to kill! You're insane and you'll poison us all with your babbling! You are a waste of my time with your foul words!" He yelled at her and would begin trying to push at her with his paws. Shoving quite roughly in an attempt to get her to move. It was all a part of the show. 

 He even reached forward to snap his teeth at her ears... except... he used the closeness to whisper quickly, "Get out of here. I'll meet you outside of Nightwalker territory. Find somewhere hidden." It was barely a whisper, barely words, and he hoped that she would understand him and the excitement wouldn't cause his words to be lost. 

 He snapped his teeth at her again, crying out, "LEAVE NOW!" He played the part of enraged patriarch rat quite convincingly.

---

*Let me know if I"m PPing too much and I'll change some stuff.

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She wasn't sure what she was expecting, but it wasn't this. Though, she figured it was due to the other rats. At first, she backed away as he pushed her, staying silent as he did so. He wasn't straight out attacking her, so that was something, right? Nonetheless, as he told her to leave, telling her to meet him elsewhere, she would only turn to leave, scurrying off. She made it look like she was running scared when, in reality, she was simply running off to where they had the bear encounter, knowing he would know where to find her.

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