The Tribe of Rotting Skulls (BOOK 1)

Chapter 10

Forgot to mention this: In this story Firestar didn't die and Brambleclaw is still Brambleclaw. . . Sorry for the confusion.  

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~Venom's P.O.V.~

Looking up at the sky and breathing in a large puff of air and I let my claws slid off the ledge. I felt my heart jolt in horror as the ground came closer. My senses alarmed me to twist around, but before I did I looked at Tigerheart. He was climbing down to the ground. I spun around and shot my paws straight out, ready for the impact. My eyes focused on the rocks below. My heart was pounding, wind whipping at my pelt and I started to panic when the ground was no more then five eagle's wing lengths away. Before I could even breathe out again, the ground smashed into my legs. Gravity pulled my body down into the rocks, the sharp, jagged edges cutting my face.
I gasped in pain as my face stung. My legs sprung my body up again and I crashed into a boulder. I grunted and lifted myself up, my head swirling in dizziness. "Oh. . . I shouldn't of done that. . ." I muttered to myself, closing my eyes and put a paw on my head in pain. My stomach was twisted like someone had thrown a huge boulder at it, my chest hurt because I couldn't get the air in it and my whole body was aching already from the impact.
I opened my eyes and saw all five cats staring down at me. Hissing at them I shrunk away, my fur standing up till I was almost twice my size. They narrowed their eyes and I darted my eyes from one cat to the other. 'What do I do now? I can't run anywhere!' "Are we going to kill him?" Tigerheart spat. "He deserves to suffer," the orange tom meowed, "But we have no time." The white tom with black paws hissed in frustration, "No time? What do you mean, 'no time'? Firestar, you have to be kidding me." Then the gray she-cat meowed, "Blackstar's right, Firestar, we have plenty of time to kill him. After all, he killed one of your cats." "He won't do it, he's to afraid to fight. On his last life and all." Blackstar teased.
Firestar simply dipped his head, "Very well, kill him. I see what your getting at." Blackstar scoffed, "Who put you in charge! You are not the only leader here." Firestar rolled his eyes. Then Lionblaze spoke, "What are we waiting for? Kill him before he runs away!" I gasped and scrambled through the four. I took a glance back and saw they were gaining on me. I couldn't run, my paws were sore. Very sore.
I picked up speed until I could barely bare with the pain. I then turned away in behind a boulder. I heard them halt, "Tigerheart, go up onto the boulders and search, we will look behind them." The she-cat murmured. I looked around for a way out, but the trail was the only way out and just my luck, it was too far away to get to without getting caught. I pricked my ears and heard cats coming back. "There he is!" I heard Tigerheart yowl. 'No!' Stumbling away, I started to "run" in the direction of the trail. But before I could get even half the way there, they surrounded me. 5 to 1, I have no chance at all to beating them.  
I looked at all 5 cats and my ears planted down flat on my head. Unsheathing my claws and prepared for the hit. In the corner of my eye I saw cats appearing from behind the boulders. 'Please be my Tribe, please be my Tribe. . .' I pleaded silently. Looking at the shapes I realized it was them. And the were heading straight for me. I watched Tigerheart dart away to where we had come from and the leaders ran off.  What a coincidence.
I saw Skull in the crowd and he halted in front of me. "Go up to Leaf. Bring any really injured cats to her before you," he ordered, out of breath. I dipped my head and limped to the trail and up to the entrance of our camp. It was completely destroyed. This is going to be a hard leaf-bare.  

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~Venom's P.O.V.~

Its been two moons since the battle with the Clans. Blood, Ivy, Leopard, and Snake died from the battle. Leopard was attacked and killed by a warrior, Snake died from injures, and Blood and Ivy must've died from blood-loss, from the looks. Fawn, Beetle and Dodger became warriors, Beetle was now Midnight. Dodger and Fawn decided to keep their names the same way. Now, we were leaving to go to the Gathering. But, we might be a tiny bit late, we haven't got the group ready.  
I trotted over to Skull's den and saw he was just staring at the cave wall. "Skull?" I called in. No answer. He must be day dreaming. "Skull," I hissed, padding in. Only his eyes looked at me as I sat down in front of him. "Skull, I am going to gather the cats now, lets go." I meowed. 'Is Skull to old or is he sick?' I wondered. He hasn't been like this before.
"Venom, I am getting to old to be leader anymore." He meowed. 'I knew it!' I cheered to myself. "And I am going to announce that I am going to sacrifise myself. I have lived for seasons upon seasons and my kin no longer lives." I gasped, my heart beating faster by the second. "What?" I gasped, astonished, my eyes feeling like they were going to pop out, they were so wide. "I can't kill you!" I whispered. He shook his head, "Tribe rules are Tribe rules. You must." He insisted. I growled and stomped out of the cave with my ears flat against my head. 'I can't kill my leader!'  
"Yes you can," A voice whispered behind me. I spun around and saw no one. Pricking my ears and turning them to hear where the voice was coming from, I turned around, body first, then slowly turned my head to the same direction I had before. I jumped in surprise as I saw a faded figure standing over me. "If you are going to be leader, kill him. He's just another cat on your list." He hissed to me. "Killer?" I whispered. He nodded. "Kill him Venom. Make it to me, to the top of the killing list," he growled, unsheathing his claws and put it under my jaw bone. He faded away without another word. "Venom!" Sunny yelled to me. I shook my head, putting the back of my paw onto my jaw bone. No trace he was here. Sunny whacked the side of my face. "Venom! The Gathering is about to start and we don't have the group ready!" She yowled. I dipped my head to her and hurried out.
"Cats old enough to kill gather to hear who will be going to the Gathering!" I growled. Once they came to hear, no one spoke. Skull padded out and climbed up to me. "I want, Whip, Slash, Fawn, Dodger and Midnight. Also, Berry, Sunny and Scar." I announced. "The rest of you have to guard the camp in case those Clan cats come back with more." I dipped my head for Skull to announce his announcement.  
"Cats of the Tribe of Rotting Skulls, I am dying every day. I am too old and weak now to be a suitable leader. I am not able to do this anymore, and with that, I leave Venom to be your new leader." Gasps of shock surrounded the camp, before he even finished. "You seemed fine in the battle!" Kink called. Skull shook his head, "It has been 2 moons since then. And now, Venom is your leader." He bowed to me, in signal to kill him.
Slowly grabbing his head and lifting it, I looked him in the eye, "Good bye, Skull." I whispered and snapped his head as quickly as possible. His black body laid limp in front of my paws and I looked up. Turning to look at the Tribe below I announced, "The remaining cats, bury his body." Bella and Claw dragged his limp body away, "Scar. You are a very loyal and courageous cat, and I trust that you can handle the duties of being a deputy." He dipped his head, "Scar! Scar! Scar!" The Tribe cheered.
"Now, lets go." I called, leading the way.