The Western Whispers

The Ash Cat

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒏 𝑾𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔
𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙰𝚜𝚑 𝙲𝚊𝚝

Victoria Blackwater was her name, a ruthless beast created through unfortunate events and an unbreakable spirit.

Her tale begins in Blackwater, a beautiful ravenette from a wealthy family, their name was revered, feared. But she was a kind soul, caring and giving she would go out of her way to help those in need. But upon reaching the age of 16 she was married off without her consent, forced into an abusive life. His name was Clayton Colt, his family was also that of old money, being in the business of horses, his father owned the Stable of Blackwater and it was an asset that was to be handed down to him once he married.

The two lived out on a ranch north of Strawberry, a beautiful home with a large stable and pasture, fields of flowers before them, a mask to hide the pain and suffering beneath.

Victoria was treated worse than the horses Clayton worked with, as if she were nothing more than an old nag, whipped and beaten even at the slightest incorrect movement. But just like the horses he caught on the plains, some would go unbroken.

A stormy night came rolling, two years of abuse had added upon itself, the 18 year old woman covered in scars that were all hidden by her long clothing, strategically placed so he could claim innocence. After far too many drinks Clayton got grabby, abusive, and mean once more, getting to a point where a knife was held to Victoria's throat, and in a flash of lighting she smashed a bottle against his head.

A fire burned in her eyes, that same unbreaking spirit that the most dangerous of beasts held, she stood over the man who had abused her for too long, that broken bottle in her hand. It was then that blood splattered that wooden floor, a mixture of Victoria'a and Clayton's, the man getting in one last slash across her left eye before she ended his life, shoving the bottle into his neck.

She stood above his body in an instant, breathing heavily as blood streamed down her tear streaked face, her left eye barely saved from being blinded by his blade. She hesitated no longer, she knew their tussle would've been heard by the stable workers that stayed in their home.

She stuffed a bag full of food and supplies before bolting outside, the rain pouring as the thunder roared and the lighting flashed. Her eyes scanned the area as she saw some of the workers scrambling to finish their work before they grew too soaked in the cold water.

"Stop that woman!"

Her head whipped behind her, they had found the scene, there was no time to hesitate, she took off towards the solitary pen, there was a mare there, a black chestnut thoroughbred, unbroken, angry, and near wild. They had been unable to break the mare, leaving her in a small stall like structure to try and wear her down and weaken her by leaving her no food or water. But it had failed, each attempt leaving a stable hand broken or near dead.

It took but a few moments for Victoria to bond with the trapped soul, their eyes meeting, locking, understanding and a promise. She unlatched the gate and hopped onto the back of the steed, clinging onto the mare's mane as she took off running. Victoria looking back as she felt a bullet whiz past her head, the mare taking it as nothing more than an excuse to run faster.

Lightning had struck a tree in the woods nearby, the fire would deter chase and hide their tracks. So it was then she and the mare ran into fire. Disappearing into the burning wood, believed to be dead.

She became that of a ghost for three years, only brief sightings of a woman on a horse of the apocalypse, death riding in the Black Bone Forest. Coming and going with the fog that seemed to hover in the area like death's breath.

She went by a new name, Lillian Felidae to hide her identity and continue her life, slowly earning the name of The Ash Cat, all of her weapons being engraved with that of a roaring panthress, crafted out of dark wood, metal, and gold. Her mare was named Morrigan, the large equine adorned with gold and dark leather, treated like royalty by Lillian their bond was unmatched.

Through time Lillian found herself being more and more aggressive towards men, countless encounters of being catcalled or even held at gunpoint by them drove her over. Even the slightest wrong look would cause their heads to roll, Lillian was ruthless towards the corrupted men of the world but kind to the soft hearted.

The Ash Cat has been seen wearing the skull of a cat, painted with blood and ash, wearing an outfit of a black coat, pants, boots, and a scarlet red shirt. Riding on the back of a Black Chestnut mare, her saddle made of dark leathers, hinted in red and adorned in gold. Her bounty is worth more than her weight in gold, but she is not only a rare sight, but dangerous once provoked. Be weary traveler...