The Rise of Venomstar

Chapter 3: And Then There were Two

Venom had woken up from unconsciousness in the middle of who-knows-where. A piece of prey was thrust before him, and the fact that they were awake now had prompted the two adult cats to have them walk instead of carrying them. So now Venom and Snake trekked after Winter and Anion, their paws dragging tiredly behind. The wounds on their heads have dried, so who knows how long it's been. Sometimes the two brothers would exchange looks at one another, filled with fear and sympathy. The two had tried talking, but had received strikes to their ears.

So that was out of the question.

Venom learned that the two adult cats hadn't found Ebony yet. But they hadn't found Cashew yet, either. Venom feared the worst. And at the moment, the fields he once played in happily were now a burden to his paws. He could no longer look at the territory the same way again. The birds that used to sing now chirped anxiously, and the butterflies that used to float in the air lazily were missing. Fortunately, the inclement storm clouds have retreated and in their stead, cumulus clouds have gathered and did not threaten rain.

Venom noticed that him and his brother still had their mother's blood on their fur. Even their paw pads were cracked and bleeding. Anion did not allow them to wash-- he said their leader would like them better dirty. Anion also told them that they'd always be haggard from there on out.

Venom even still smelled like his mother, like her everything: her fur, her blood. He looked to Snake again. Snake looked back. Amber eyes met with blue, and they were both miserable.

Sometimes while traveling, either Snake or Venom would slip on the slick ground and fall into the mud, but the two older cats would only shout and refuse to aid them, while the other littermate tried their best to. Sometimes Venom mustered up the courage, the audacity even (as Anion or Winter might call it) to ask where they were going. They'd answer him by either boxing his ears or remaining silent. He would know soon enough, he eventually decided.

The field went on and on until rocks began to dot the landscape. The grass here was less lengthy, and the dirt beneath them less muddy. Anion and Winter led them towards the towering canyons beyond, which were blue on the horizon. Snake and Venom exchanged another glance, this time their eyes asking many silent questions.

Anion suddenly stopped and turned around, dark face scanning the two. He suddenly chuckled, "Oh, look at the blood on your faces. And mud." He curled a lip, "Our leader will like this very much, he will."

"What's your leader's name?" Venom suddenly blurted.

"That is none of your business." Anion snapped, aiming to claw Venom again, but the young tom ducked.  Anion snarled and ground his molars in vex. Instead, he struck Snake across his jaw.

Winter lashed her tail. Even she was muddy, "Oh, we have a defiant one here." She eyed Venom who looked back at her with a firm mouth. He silently promised he'd never speak out again, in safety of Snake who had to unfairly face the punishment meant for Venom. Winter kept staring at Venom, as if expecting a retort. When the young tom glanced aside bashfully, she laughed and they all continued their trek.

The grass turned to dark, wet rock. Snake began to limp and slow down, blood dripping from his face and onto the ground. He stumbled a little, regained himself. But the next step he took, he slammed to the ground. Venom bit back a gasp and rushed over to him.

"Oh, how are we meant to tell our leader that they're good enough to be in our group!?" Winter marched over, grabbing Snake by his scruff, and shaking him as if to rattle the stupid from his head. Venom didn't like that one bit, and he slammed into Winter to show it. As Winter fell and Venom gloated in all his triumph, Anion's claws came slicing down the young tom's side. Venom hissed in pain and turned, but was distracted in seeing his littermate run. Snake was a flash of black and white.