Information

Donahuea has a minion!

Darkfeather the Darkwing

Donahuea
Legacy Name: Donahuea

The

Darkmatter Kumos
Owner:

Lion_Crab

Age: 14 years, 5 months, 2 weeks

Born: October 31st, 2009

Adopted: 14 years, 5 months, 2 weeks ago (Legacy)

Adopted: October 31st, 2009 (Legacy)

Statistics

Level: 87
Strength: 217
Defense: 201
Speed: 127
Health: 128
HP: 128/128
Intelligence: 144
Books Read: 136
Food Eaten: 207
Job: Head of Adoptions

Nickname: Dona

Age: 26 (20 in profile story)

Gender: Female

Occupation: Police Officer/Private Detective

Older Brother: Horatiou

Significant other: "Avoiding" Kittfox

Theme Song: Space Lion

Story

She hates the early morning shift but not for the usual reasons. The morning air is much more pleasant than the stink of exhaust fumes that blankets Centropolis by noon and the coffee is bound to be fresh. She clutches a mug with the Subeta Police Department's logo printed on its white face. A gradual sip sends warmth seeping down to her core. This time of day would almost be enjoyable if it weren't for the quiet.

Too much quiet leaves one time to think. Dona needs the constant action and sharp wits of an officer to keep her from brooding. Idle moments allow the knives in her heart to start twisting as memories of her missing brother surface. At the moment she's almost wishing she had a real knife in hand. The pain of a few shallow cuts would be much more bearable than this. Not even the soft jazz playing in the background is enough to distract her from thoughts of another winter day. She growls softly and gives her head a shake, glad for the burst of brass notes that compliments her turbid emotions.

Snow is falling steadily outside. She pulls the cord on the blinds, shutting out her view of the white flakes. She is too slow to prevent the triggering of the forbidden memory.

*****

Horatiou was the heroic one. He had known he wanted to join SPD since he was given his first pin-on badge at the age of three. He'd patrolled the house, calling out his parents for such devious crimes as failing to water the household plants and forgetting to put out food for the kitteh.

He'd been top of his class at the Academy and had earned more honor badges in his first year than any rookie that came before him. He was the kind of officer who could make the children smile and put a nervous witness at ease after just a few minutes.

She'd been trying to decide what to do with her life on the night he'd disappeared. She'd actually been reading a stupid career manual while he was lying in the street bleeding. Nobody knew where he was taken but there was no denying that the pool of blood on the snow outside the abandoned warehouse was his.

*****

She could almost kiss the rookie who stumbles in to ask how to fill out form K-3945. Yes, it's a trivial task that even the secretary up front could answer but it provides a much-needed distraction. Dona is patient with the youth, holding her scowl in check when he knocks over his ink pot and has to start over on a new form. By the time they're finished, the station is beginning to come alive with the arrival of the main morning shift.

She is not so eager to greet Detective Orantis. The illumis has a habit of buzzing around where he's not wanted. Dona has lost count of the times he's submitted medical bills for broken noses gained in the line of duty. He's kind of a dirtbag but nobody in the precinct can deny he's good at getting information.

Darkfeather uncurls from his usual spot on the spare chair, giving Oran a nasty look as the detective plops down. The shadowy minion was a gift from her brother, an invaluable companion on those raids that require surveillance in dark places.

"Got a hot tip for you, Lieutenant. There's a thug being pursued over on Oracle Avenue. I hear rumors he might even be a Blackmoon Blackheart."

That gets her attention. The Blackheart symbol was burned into a crate beside the warehouse. Dona has tried for months to get just one member of the illusive gang into custody but they are a slippery lot. Charges never seem to stick where a Blackheart is involved.

*****

She's there when the thug is cuffed to the table in the interrogation room. He's a fester who clearly has an allergy to soap. Little puffs of dirt actually rise from his feathers every time he shifts position.

He leers at her as she walks in. She's not in the mood for crap and slams a paw down on the table. "Where were you last night at nine?"

He clicks his beak a few times as if giving it some thought. "Let's see. First I took the prize poodle out for a walk on the putting green and then I made it a point to sip a glass of champagne before the butler gave me a foot rub."

"We have video of you exchanging a bundle with a known Maleria supporter and I've got that package in the lab right now being analyzed so unless you really want to spend your life breaking rocks, I suggest you try again."

His smile fades. "You're bluffing."

She holds up the dirty string cut from the bundle's face. "I don't bluff. Tell me the name of your contact in the Blackhearts."

"Not until I talk to a lawyer, Pretty Paws. Maybe you can see if Karlos Kumosian is available. You know, the one with the catchy jingle? The kumos who takes law in the power of his paw.

She turns to walk away, fully expecting him to drop the stupid act. She is not disappointed.

"Look, if I give up his name I'll be dead before you pour your morning bowl of cornflakes. What kind of assurances do I get?"

"You'll be allowed an armed escort and twenty-four hour watch until the day of trial."

"Yeah, cuz that worked out so well for Muggsy. They say his widow got what was left of him in a shoebox. No deal, Copper. You want dirt, you can go dig it up in Shadowglen."

*****

She sits in her office as the darkness of night grows, reading a mystery novel from her small collection. The song in the background is Blue Melody #3877, said to be inspired by the great whale pods of Subeta's ocean that have the ability to grow legs and take to the land. She places a bookmark at the chapter break, pleased to see that the snow has turned to rain.

She will stay in her office until even the custodians have left. The crook's hint was a subtle one and she takes great risk in following it. The Department in Shadowglen follows a very different set of rules in a land where the undead are celebrated and fake blood is a fashion accessory. It will not do for her to demand the cooperation of Graveyard pets with good reason to mistrust authority. It also does not help that her Captain just got out of a messy relationship with a citizen of the Underground.

She's got to try. She will sacrifice youth and even the badge she wears with pride if it will bring her brother safely home.

Story by Pureflower

(Turned Darkmatter on 11/20/09)