introduction.

                Mysterious. Selective. Clever. Independent.

                These were all traits of a feline. Cats are remarkable creatures. Their slender bodies allowed for entry into the smallest of spaces. They are intelligent-thinking before action, and waiting as long as necessary for their kill.  Black cats in particular were the focus of fear and folklore in history. They were rarely revered as good creatures, often associated with witchcraft, nighttime prowling, and general bad luck.

                It was perfect, really.

                Selina Kyle stood before a full-length mirror in an apartment that she rented for the first time ever. She was a fresh twenty-one years old and up until then had lived on the streets to fend for herself. Her parents' demise was an unfortunate one, and Selina wanted to be reunited with her sister one day. She'd become quite the pickpocket and thief-so much so that she began to graduate into a heavier line of work: cat burglary.

                Selina loved cats. When she had no human to lean on, there was nothing more comforting than the company of a stray cat. They provided strength and she saw something in them that she noticed in herself. They were tough and they survived. She had the uncanny ability to communicate with them. She wouldn't call herself a cat whisperer-but they seemed to gravitate to her, and she could tame even the wildest of feral cats. She didn't care to know how she could do it. Selina only cared that she had them, and she would do anything for them.

                As if on cue one of her pets curled around her ankle, staring up at her as she studied her reflection. "It's gotta be done," she said gently, feeling hesitant about changing her look. Though she found herself successful at her late-night break-in gigs, she needed a way to blend into the night. She needed a persona...an identity that set her apart from the typical. A skull cap was so stereotypical and boring. Selina studied thee jailbirds of Gotham City. She needed an alter-ego, something that would make her stand apart from the other criminals who called this metropolis home.

                Her brown hair had to go. It was plain, anyway-no one ever fawned over brown hair. Selina didn't want to rid of it because she wanted a date. She needed to blend into the darkness as much as possible. It needed to be black, like the rest of her clothing.

                In the bathroom she got to work, chopping her wavy auburn locks short, and dying them jet black. Selina continued to play with altering her look-she practiced applying makeup. She played with fabrics to see what would be most durable, most flexible during a run. She needed weapons that could bring someone into pure submission. Selina didn't care for playing with guns or knives. She had no intention to kill anyone-if she was lucky, she wouldn't have to encounter anyone at all during her nightshift.

                Once all done, Selina gazed at the finished product put together in the mirror. She looked...

                "Older!" she exclaimed with a faint giggle. "Amazing."

                She turned in all directions, noting that her sewing job was a bit shoddy but that she'd get better with time and practice. The cat suit she created covered her body like sticky liquid. Her gloves contained sharpened claws at the end of each digit, intending to scratch anyone who came too close. The cat ears were probably a bit much, but she found them cute and necessary. The bullwhip was an interesting weapon of choice. Selina practiced with it daily while she trained physically to keep at her peak. Selina never spotted anyone with a whip, and it was a difficult weapon to master. A skilled wielder could use it to knock down an enemy, to tie them up, or produce some harm.

                It was all kind of excessive. But it was perfect to her. This was it. This was who she was meant to be. "The Cat..." she muttered, pretending to scratch at the mirror while she tried out her new secret identity. "Cat...woman." This time she purred, her covered hands rolling over her curves. In the background a cat meowed, and Selina took it as a seal of approval.

                "There's no better night to try this out than tonight," she reasoned. Selina already had a hit in mind, and it would be the right opportunity to get a feel for her new likeness.