ωαяяισя ¢αтѕ // Mintpool's Venom

Chapter 26

Letting out a yowl of alarm, Mintpool tumbled to the ground, gasping. Black fur flashed in her vision as she felt blood drip onto her pelt. Twisting wildly, she tried scrambling out of her attacker's hold, kicking as hard as she could, but nothing worked.

However, for whatever reason, Mintpool felt the blows of the attack become lighter and less frequent; taking this to her advantage, she lashed out a paw, striking her attacker down and jumped to her paws, tail lashing and hissing.

The cat that her gaze landed on sent a lurch of surprise through her.

"Mamba?"

The black she-cat up, seemingly not too fazed by Mintpool's attack. She raised a paw, and the gray tabby stiffened, preparing herself for another blow, but Mamba simply lifted the paw to her muzzle and gave it a lick where Mintpool had hit her.

Fury soon flooded away the shock. "Why did you attack me?"

Mamba lifted her gaze, her eyes sweeping over Mintpool in a judging way. "Oh? You haven't heard?"

"Heard what?" Mintpool felt her pelt begin to rise with impatience. "What is going on?" Something's going on with the rogue group. First Holly doesn't come, then this...

The black she-cat flicked her tail dismissively, pushing the gray tabby's problems aside. "I should bring you back to camp. You're certainly a suspect."

"A suspect? For what?" Frustration roared through the tabby, but her question still remained unanswered, for Mamba simply stalked away.

Hissing in anger, Mintpool whipped around and hurried after the black she-cat. After all, there wasn't another way to get the answer. But, of course, she was still going to pry as much as she could.

Her prying came to no success. Mamba remained resilient, seeming to enjoy watching Mintpool be extremely frustrated. When they approached the entrance of the camp, the two guards that were on duty, Thorn and Snap, two Paws, both lifted their heads, gazes flaring with suspicion as the two she-cats padded towards them.

"Halt," Thorn ordered. Surprise flared through Mintpool. She was a Fang, and Mamba was the deputy. Paws normally wouldn't dare to speak to any cat above their ranks this way. What happened?

"I must-"

"I know, Thorn," Mamba interrupted, tail-tip twitching. "I know the rules. But I've already been checked and cleared. I'm escorting her-" With this, she whacked Mintpool's head with her tail in indication "-into the camp, okay? Now move aside."

Hesitantly, the yellow tom scooted out of the way. Snap didn't dare to say a thing as Mamba stalked inside, Mintpool trailing after her, although the ginger tom's eyes gazed after them.

"Mintpool!" As soon as the gray tabby stepped paw into the camp, a flash of golden fur came into her vision.

Relief surged through Mintpool as she watched her friend bound towards her. Holly was safe. Nothing had happened to her. But, certainly, something had happened. The guards' behaviors were incredibly weird, not to mention Mamba's, and Holly's green gaze was speckled with worry.

"Oh, you're okay! Thank Spirits!" Holly mewed, giving her a sniff-over. "I was so worried! I'm so sorry I didn't come to meet you last night, C-"

"Holly," Mamba interrupted briskly. "I'm escorting Mintpool to Cobrastrike. I'm sure you have duties to do. You two can catch up later. Go on, now."

Mintpool lashed her tail. "Wait," she meowed; Holly paused in her steps and turned around. "Why are you escorting me to Cobrastrike? Will some cat please tell me what in Spirits is going on-"