The breeze was warm as it blew through the hanging ivy that shrouded the mouth Vipertongue's den. It would have been a perfect Greenleaf day, if it wasn't for Marshhowl's yelling cutting through the silence.
"Vipertongue!" He growled, voice echoing throughout the entire camp. As the sound of his pawsteps approached, they stopped abruptly. "Get out of my way, Wisteriabloom."
"The Diviner is meditating. It's best to wait-"
The sound of Wisteriabloom's grunt followed and Vipertongue's eyes snapped open at the sun's rays flickering in through the tendrils of parted ivy. The dark tom was huffing, fur bristling and tail lashing.
Vipertongue blinked slowly, apathetically. "Is there a reason you're interrupting my mediation with your crude noises?"
"You said I would be dead by the end of the moon," he replied through gritted teeth. "But as you can clearly see, I'm still here..."
The mostly-white molly rose to her feet, unfurling her graceful legs in a light stretch. With a flick of her plumy tail, she let out a breath that sounded with amusement.
"What I said is true as long as you breathe," Vipertongue said.
Marshhowl's rusted markings were more noticeable as the fur of his scruff bristled further, giving the illusion of standing in front of roaring fire. His claws flexed into the soft earth.
He breathed lowly, "Are you threatening me?"
Vipertongue's eyes flitted just beyond him before catching his amber eyes again. She took a daring step forward, head held high.
"Us mortals cannot change what has already been determined," she drawled, nearly coming nose to nose with him. Her maw curled into a sickening sweet smile. "But we can change how and when it occurs..."
Marshhowl lowered his jaw to speak, but no sound came out. A smooth feeling had started to glide up his leg, circling around until it settled loosely around his neck. His eyes widened and he looked down to see a black snake just outside of his vision. His breath, once ragged, was now bated and brief.
Vipertongue gave a short hum, staring at him through her lashes. "Did you lose your voice...Marshhowl?"
The dark tom's eyes flitted up to meet hers, silent. It was such a sweet thing to see that pathetic tom experience fear.
"Hm."
Vipertongue made a short sound through her teeth and the snake suddenly lurched. Marshhowl seemed to regain his voice for a moment, letting out a groan as he staggered on his feet. He never broke eye contact as his eyes fluttered open and close, up until foam started to form at his jaws. The bubbling sound of the venom reaching his veins wasn't unfamiliar- if he thought back hard enough, which in this moment wasn't very much so, the last moments of his mother flashed before him.
Had she suffocated on her own saliva too?
His legs gave out before he could ponder further, landing heavily at Vipertongue's paws. She didn't move an inch, still staring out where his face had been. When the twitch of his body stilled, the snake unlatched from Marshhowl's neck and found its way to her, curling up almost affectionately around her.
"Vipertongue!"
Wisteriabloom burst through the ivy, tail raised in alarm. Though when she noticed that Vipertongue was completely unharmed, it lowered and she let out a breath of relief as her muscles relaxed.
Regarding Marshhowl with a small frown, she asked, "Would you like to hold a vigil for him, Diviner?"
Vipertongue's answer was immediate and unfeeling as she looked away from her and settled back into her soft nest. "No."
Wisterabloom watched her for a prolonged moment before she nodded her head and took Marshhowl's scruff between her jaws and dragged him out without another word.
