The Tribe of Rotting Skulls (BOOK 1)

Chapter 31

Thorn's P.O.V.

After Venom announced the new cats and who was to come to the Gathering, I sent out one more patrol to check WindClan's border and to see if any prey is near there. I like that rule: You are not aloud to go over the border to WindClan, unless you are going for battle or chasing prey. After all, it was our prey to begin with.
It seemed fair to the Tribe cats. I may not have known how the Clan cats have taken over their territory, but my mother, Karma, was Killer's daughter, so she had told me. Karma's mother - Crystal - never joined the Tribe like Killer did, and had Karma and Mouse - my mother's brother - outside of the Tribe and near Twolegplace. She said she was born just after Killer went to join and then rule the Tribe.
Anyway, Venom and I led the patrol of cats he and I choose to the Gathering. We climbed up and went into the cave holding the Gathering Pool. Adder came up to Venom and whispered, "I told you the Gathering Pool was more over flowed then the river."
It was unbelievable how much the water had risen in the Gathering Pool. It was leaking over the edge and was seeping closer to the walls of the cave. How terrible.
*******

Venom's P.O.V.

The water in the Gathering Pool had risen so much my jaw was hanging open. It used to be half full and now it was almost to the cave walls which was quite a distance from the edge of the water.
At least I didn't have to get my paws wet any more then they are. A boulder sat at the back of the cave, north of the Gathering Pool. I padded up to it and sat on it, glad to get out of the water for once.
Soon after - just when I thought they weren't coming - Lurker drug his Tribe in, soaking like the rest of us. They eyed the Gathering Pool and Lurker ignored it, as if he knew it was there already.
"Its been a while, Venom." Lurker meowed, dipping his head and sitting down beside me. "So it has." I nodded, turning to the cats.
"We'll give them some time to catch up with their friends," Lurker instructed, facing forward. I nodded once and watched Fox stalk to some cats. He seemed to be reasoning with a group of cats.
I looked to see Leaf and Feather talking. Leaf was actually smiling, being happy. Feather always was nice to her, they have been friends for quite some time.
"Some river we have, eh?" Lurker meowed. I turned to him to see him laying down, facing me. I nodded, replying, "Yes, it has been leaking into camp. Building a stone wall was the only way to keep it back. It won't be there forever, but it will last long enough." Lurker nodded as I spoke. "Hopefully." I muttered to myself.
"We thought we should do that, too. The river is coming into our camp as well. Not a lot, but some." I nodded, shrugging. "Yeah. Oh well, it'll go away eventually."
We didn't speak for a while, so I decided to call to them. "Tribe of Rotting Skulls, Tribe of Jagged Rocks, the Gathering is beginning."
I turned to Lurker and he nodded, so I begun.
"We've been having quite the weather, but nothing out of our paws. We may have lost our deputy, Midnight, but Thorn is just as great." I began. "Prey isn't easy to find with the rain, but we are doing well. My Tribe is thriving, always have always will. I have noticed, also, that a few cats in my Tribe are expecting. Which means watch out WindClan, we're coming for revenge." 
Lurker dipped his head, stepped forward and I walked back. "We don't have any queens expecting, but I'm sure there will be kits when greenleaf comes." He began, his voice echoing along the damp walls of the cave. 
"Prey is also not too easy to find and catch with all the rain, but we still have enough to give everyone a fair share. Currently, RiverClan and us are in a... fight kind of thing. Constantly in battle. We won more territory, which is great, but RiverClan vowed to destroy us. I'm not too scared, they don't seem like the smartest of the cat-bunch," Lurker sat down and I purred. "All the Clans are mouse-brains." I snickered, "They don't know their own tail from an enemy." 
Lurker smirked and nodded. 
The cats below broke into conversations and Lurker stepped down. "Jagged Rocks. Lets go." His Tribe said their fair-wells and left. I shook my fur out into a fluff, water spraying everywhere. I lifted my tail and everyone followed when I led the way out of the cave. 
"I honestly don't see the point in Gatherings," Thorn muttered, stepping in beside me. "Its pointless and revealing." I nodded, keeping my eyes ahead. I didn't answer until I got into camp. 
"Ever since Killer took over the Tribe - which is supposed to be a secret - he changed the ways or how the Tribe worked, the rules I mean." I explained, sitting him down in my den, He nodded, seeming to be eager. 
"When he murdered the first leader, deputy and medicine cat, we made the Tribe rules like the Clan codes. My mother told me it was for the best, so we were more 'excepted'." Thorn narrowed his eyes in thought. "Do you know what it was like back then?" He asked, scooting forward. 
"I heard that in leafbare, they called it 'Time of Frozen Water' and newleaf was 'Time of Freed Water'. Stuff like that. They didn't meet with Jagged Rocks and all that, they had close to no rules." Thorn nodded, not speaking for a while. 
"Why don't you just change the rules, to you know, no Gatherings or different word choice?" He murmured after a while of silence. I shrugged, thinking before I spoke. 
"That would take too much time right now. Lurker would have to decide as well and the word choice... We've been using greenleaf, newleaf and everything the Clans say for seasons upon seasons. We have too much to deal with right now to change unimportant things." I answered, standing again. 
"Please send out some patrols to kill kittypets and dogs after the fight with Dagger, Snow and Storm. Also one or two for hunting and patrols included, bring the heads of dogs or any animal bigger then us back." Thorn nodded, a little confused, and backed out of the den. I followed him and instantly I regretted coming out of my cozy den, that needed new moss and feathers badly.
The rain was cold and wet, two things I had been experiencing a lot lately and I wasn't fond of either of them. 
I jumped onto my slippery den and summoned the Tribe. "Okay, new plan to keep most of us safe. Thorn is going to set out patrols for you to kill most of the population of the dogs and other animals there in Twolegplace, cats too but they won't be as important." I explained and they all looked confused. 
"We will be taking the heads and using the skulls as protection for our heads in battle." "What?" Adder exclaimed quietly and Brindle gasped as he said it. Murmurs erupted around the campground and I let it. 
"This is so cool!" Whip meowed to his brother. "I know, we'll look so cool! I wonder what WindClan will think, maybe they'll even give our territory back!" 
I raised my tail for silence and immediately they stopped. "Thorn, take over with patrols after these fights." He dipped his head and the apprentices hopped around, excitement through out the camp. "Who will be fighting?" "This is the greatest day ever!" "If only the rain would go away, maybe we could enjoy this."
The only one who wasn't as fond with this idea was Fawn. Grief was still getting her down, but Dagger's presence was cheering her up just a little. "Dagger and Fox, you'll start. Snow and Bella, you're after them and Storm and Shadow." Dagger's ears pricked and Fawn's mouth started moving quick. She's probably warning him about how bloodthirsty Fox is.
"Back up everyone, Dagger and Fox, begin." I announced, standing up. I towered over the cats who huddled below me, out of the way of the fight.
Fox stepped forward and Dagger did, too. We haven't had a fight in so long. It feels good to watch them fight to... not the death but to... in between. I guess, anyway.
Dagger and Fox circled each other, claws unsheathed, teeth bared. The Tribe began to chant. "Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!" Getting louder as they kept going. I watched with eyes in slits and pelt itching for the fight to begin. 'Come on, come on!' 
Finally, Fox took the first swipe, cutting Dagger's nose. Dagger snarled and leaped at Fox. Fox dove under him just as Dagger landed. Dagger charged at him, water splashing after him. He grabbed Foxs' tail and drug him back as he tried to run around him. Fox slid back in front of Dagger and he went wild with blows. Fox kicked him in the chest until he let go. 
Fox turned to him and they both stood on they're hind legs, tucking they're tails in between they're legs. Fox hissed at Dagger and he growled, clawing at his face. Fox gave a dull blow to the neck and went to his all-fours just as Dagger threw a massive blow at him.
Dagger backed up quickly as Fox  tried to claw at him, he was as quick as a snake with the attack but Dagger backed up in time to miss them. 
Dagger leaped at Fox and pinned him, slashing at his chest. He avoided the neck, which was very loyal of him. Fox would've torn his throat out by now.
"That's enough. Snow, Bella, fight." Snow stalked into the center and Bella did, too. Snow was way overweight compared to us bony cats. "Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!" The Tribe cheered, hitting their paws on the rock, water splashing everywhere. 
Bella instantly jumped at her. She obviously knew she wasn't going to be very good at this. I'll give her a chance to learn to hunt, even if she fails this battle. 'Maybe Lily was better? No, we need her kits. I mean, they haven't told me but unless Lily is just stuffing her face with fresh-kill, then she's expecting.'
While I was thinking, Snow had gotten a few good blows by Bella, her chest and below her eye was stained with blood. "Get her! Come on, attack her! Show her how we role!" Slash yelled and Wolf cheered him on, "Yeah!" 
Within heartbeats, Bella was slashing at Snow, pinning her down. Snow kicked at her stomach but it was weak. "Enough." I called and Bella jumped off of her. Snow stood up and shook out her fur, blood mixing with the water. 'That lasted long.' I sighed.
"Shadow, Storm, fight." I called and just as Storm got out into the center, she was attacked by Shadow, running at her and pushing her down. She yelped in surprise and Shadow went full blown wild on her.
Storm threw him off of her and Shadow stumbled back. Storm stood, ready, and Shadow attacked her again. He slashed at her and she matched the blows. Storm blocked his hits with the opposite paw and then clawed at him. 
Shadow ran around her and grabbed her fluffy tail with his jaws, dragging her back. He clawed at her chest rapidly and she growled, hitting him in the eye with her front paw. Shadow groaned loadly and backed up, covering his eye. 
"Get her Shadow! Show her who's boss!" Bella called, fur sticking up. 
Shadow stumbled back, still covering his eye. She must've got him good. "Shadow, go!" Slash called, and Shadow took his paw down just in time to focus on Storm as she charged at him. He slipped to the side and Storm skidded to a stop. 
I leaned over the edge and watched through narrowed eyes as they clawed at each other. Shadow hissed at her and she hissed back, shoving him back. Shadow jumped over her and as he landed, he shot at her quicker then any rabbit could ever run. 
He shoved Storm with his shoulder and pinned her, raising his paw for the final blow to the neck but stopped. Storm was cringing, waiting for him to hit her. Shadow set his paw down and I announced, "Enough."
Shadow stepped off of Storm and Storm immediately jumped up, fluffing out her fur. "You three fought well, even if you are over weight." I looked at Snow and she crouched in behind Dagger who had his eyes narrowed at me. Fawn whispered something into Snow's ear and I spoke again. 
"I have decided Storm and Dagger, you'll be staying. Snow..." Storm and Dagger growled and hid Snow behind them more. "She'll be staying as well. I'm giving you a chance to get fit, Snow. If you blow it, you'll be dead within heartbeats. Another skull to our pile." 
Snow dipped her head and Thorn took my place. "I'll lead a patrol to the Twolegplace with Slash, Adder and Dagger. Lets see if you can kill your own kind." I nodded in agreement and jumped down, splashing several cats. 
"Shadow, lead a patrol the opposite way we go in Twolegplace. Take Fawn, Storm, Fox, and Whip. Kink, Shell, the apprentices need more training. You might end up spending all day out there but its worth it... for their sake, anyway." Thorn meowed and Shell and Kink gathered the apprentices that weren't leaving. 
"Make sure you train a lot for hunting." Kink dipped her head and led the way out, the apprentices coming behind her. I padded away and up into the nursery. 'The kits can't come out with all the rain, they might get a cold. Which is bad, in my opinion.'
Mini was already awake, the kits bouncing around each other. Mini was looking off in the distance, not paying attention to her kits, nor mine. It made me furious, but I understood she was still grieving. "Mini." I meowed, padding up to her. "Mini." I growled and she jumped out of her thoughts. "Oh, Venom. Hello." 
I dipped my head. "I'd relieve you of your troubles of six kits but I'm afraid they'll get colds or whitecough in the rain." I told her and she shook her head. "No, no, not if they're kept out there for a short time." 
I hesitated but she pushed along her three kits and then mine. "It's the least you can do for me. I'm exhausted, they keep waking me up." 
I sighed and took them out, dipping my head in farewell. The kits went wild as soon as they were out in the rain and in a little bit brighter and open place. 
"Woah!" Sunshine gasped, running around in circles, looking at the camp. "There's water everywhere!" Crow growled and stalked toward Raven, pouncing on her. She squealed and I pulled him off of her. "Crow, you don't fight Tribemate unless told to." I scolded and he growled, stalking away. 
He didn't seem to care that I had said to stop, because he was jumping in puddles and racing with Sunshine and Froya. Sorrel was under my den, trying not to get wet. I purred and grabbed her. "Have some fun, Sorrel, you won't be able to be out here for long." Strike came over and I was relieved. "Strike, watch the six kits while I go give Mini some fresh-kill. She hasn't eaten for a few days." Strike looked behind him and pointed to him self. 
"Yeah, you." I trotted away and grabbed a rabbit, knowing she'll eat it all. I trotted by the kits who were attacking Strike - other than Sorrel and Ash - and padded into the nursery. It was damp in the nursery and I trailed in water to make it even more damp and humid. 
"Mini, here's a rabbit. You haven't eaten in some time." I dropped the cold, wet rabbit in front of her and she instantly woke up. "Thanks," Mini mumbled as she tore off the fur to get to the meat.
I dipped my head. "Lily and Fawn will be coming in to join you soon, don't tell anyone though. I don't think I'm supposed to know." She purred and nodded while chewing. "If it weren't for the kits, I think I'd be crazy,being a lone and all." I nodded, "I think I'd be crazy with six kits." 
Mini nodded and purred, eating the rabbit like she hasn't had fresh-kill in moons. 
"Well, Mini, if you're feeling awake enough, come outside. It'll do you good," She dipped her head and I backed out. 
I rushed over to tear the four kits off of Strike - who was struggling - and scolded again, "Hey, hey! What did I tell you, Crow? No attacking Tribemates." Crow and Sunshine sat there with their heads down, close together. I heard whispers but I couldn't hear them over the rain.
"You can go now Strike." I meowed and he fluffed out his fur, spraying me with droplets. 
I sighed and watched the kits tumble around. 'Oh, come on!'