ωαяяισя ¢αтѕ // Mintpool's Venom

Chapter 23

Mintpool's tail-tip twitched with hesitation as she watched Cobrastrike's ancestor disappear into the misty woods. He didn't once glance back, as if he were sure she'd follow. Should I follow him? This is the Dark Forest, after all. Voices whispered in her mind, urging her to do reckless and dangerous things. Normally, she would've shook her head wildly, trying to clear her head of such, but she welcomed the voices gladly. They were driving her crazy, but how far left did she have to go until she reached that state, anyways?

"Follow him," one voice hissed. "He could have secrets to how to destroy AirClan!"

"Kill Thistlestar!" another one shrilled. "Kill every cat!"

"Blood!"

Mintpool flicked her tail, deciding to take the first voice's advice, and trotted after the tom. Her pads pricked each step she took. This is Fireclaw. The cat I'd heard stories about. The cat I'd been warned away from. The cat that had destroyed Cobrastrike's life. A low growl emitted in her throat at that thought.

Suddenly, the gray tabby felt as if land had slipped away from beneath her paws. Am I walking on air? A split second later, she felt her body lurch forward, her front paws dangling over a cliff and her hind legs just barely clinging on to solid land. Pushing hard with her front claws, she managed to heave herself back up, chest rising and falling quickly, frightened and startled from her near death experience.

"I wouldn't go down there if I were you," Fireclaw's voice meowed, chuckling darkly.

It was only then that Mintpool realized Fireclaw was sitting besides her; the tom had his tail wrapped neatly around his paws, gazing into the dark void of nothingness, his yellow eyes glimmering with cruelty and delight, as if he enjoyed watching Mintpool almost fall and would be happy to watch her do so.

The gray tabby glared at him. "What is that?"

"The Void of Shadows," Fireclaw responded smoothly, holding out his paw and giving it a lick. "If you fall in, there's no getting out. It's too dark in there to see anything, you know. No bottom, too. You'd just be falling and falling forever, with only dark thoughts to wrap around your mind. If you fall in right now, you'd die in real life."

Mintpool took a deep breath. Great Darkness! I almost fell in there! "You seem to have a lot of experience with the void," she retorted.

Fireclaw shrugged. "I may have lied about the no getting out part." He swiped the paw over his ear. "You see, Mintpool, I was tossed in that void when I died. Apparently I wasn't even allowed to walk inside the Dark Forest, a place created especially for me. I'd been falling for too long to count. Since ancient times, I suppose.

But, the void isn't real. In fact, none of this is. We're spirits. Nothing can physically trap us forever. The Void of Shadows? It's made thoroughly out of evil thoughts. So, I felt a tug when Mamba started her group against the rogues." Fireclaw's features curved into a smirk. "And with that tug, I was brought back up to here." He patted the ground with his paws. "This place was created for evil cats that are against the Clans, no? So when something as strong as that was created, a whole group of cats against the Clans, I get "summoned", I suppose."

Mintpool wrinkled her nose. "That's weird. If the void is filled with evil thoughts, wouldn't you get sucked even deeper in instead?"

Fireclaw shrugged idly. "It's weird, but that's how it works." He held out a paw, giving it a quick lick before drawing it over his ear. "Now, let's talk about the deal."

"Deal? What deal?"

"Then deal I'm about to make with you." Fireclaw flicked his tail. "I want to take down StarClan and all the Clans, really. Care to help on that goal, seeing as you are a living cat?"

Mintpool ruffled her pelt. "Why would you ask me for help?" she meowed. "There are plenty of other living cats with more power, such as Cobrastrike! Or what about Mamba? She was the cat who started this entire thing!"

Fireclaw hummed, thinking. "Mamba would be a better choice than you," he agreed. "She has much more anger and a darker past."

"A darker past?" Mintpool's ears flicked with curiosity.

"Mamba was the one who started the rogue group, no? She's been leader before Cobrastrike joined. Yet my descendant took over the role of the boss quite quickly, no?" The tom smirked. "I imagine she has quite some jealousy built up from that."

Mintpool's mind whirled. Mamba? Jealous of Cobrastrike? She hadn't thought about it before; she'd assumed they were both happy with their roles and there was no hard feelings between the two.

"And then there was that Ivy." The gray tabby's ears twitched at the sound of the Council Leader's name. "Cobrastrike almost chose her as the deputy instead, you know. Oh, she'd be a better choice instead of you, too! She's much fiercer and more bloodthirsty. Ivy wanted to be leader as well, I think there's quite some ambition there."

Fireclaw sighed. "Unfortunately, neither believes in spirit cats. So, when they die, their souls won't be joining us. And I have no way to access them. So I'm stuck with you."

Mintpool's ears flattened at his words. "What about Cobrastrike, then?"

"Oh, you think he'd want to see me and cooperate?" Fireclaw snickered. "I thought you were smarter than that!"

"Fine, then," Mintpool growled. "What's your deal?"

The tom hummed, clearly pleased with her agreement. "So, as I was saying, you pledge your allegiance to me. Even when you die, you'll be helping me try and take down the Clans. Or, perhaps you'll be able to do it in your lifetime, who knows. In return, I'll give you information."

"Information?"

"Yes! Just like your precious StarClan, I can see the future!" Fireclaw looked particularly proud at himself of that. "I can give you warnings, advice, things like that. You wouldn't be wandering in the dark without a guide anymore, guessing what the future may be."

Mintpool tilted her head, considering it. It would be nice to have a cat who can see the future on my side...

"So," Fireclaw meowed, tilting his head, "do we have a deal?"

The gray tabby sighed, nodding her head. "Deal. I pledge my allegiance to you."

"Great!" A crazy glint danced in the tom's yellow eyes, and he let out some sort of wild crackle. "I'll pop into your dreams and head once in a while, or you can seek me out by yourself."

Mintpool nodded, taking note of the information.

"Mintpool!" Spotpaw's voice, faintly, rang in the tabby's head. 

I'm waking up!

The entire scene started to fizz, Fireclaw's image blurring. The last thing Mintpool saw was the tom's crazy smile before she jerked awake.

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Word Count // 1136

Not Edited

Hi! When's the last time I posted? Around 10 days ago, maybe! That was certainly a long time, sorry about that break! And the ironic thing is, I actually didn't come up with any ideas in those 10 days. I just decided to get on and write, and eventually ended up with this chapter! Any thoughts on Fireclaw? Predictions on the future? The Void of Shadows is up top! Thanks for being patient and sticking around! Bye!