shadow || warrior cats

chapter 5 || p & f

the fake tale

~~~

Sunhigh had settled by the time Venom had finished visiting all of her Clanmates. Needless to say, they were a lot more agitated with one another by the time the black she-cat retreated to her den.

Manipulation?

No, Venom didn't do that. She didn't manipulate any of her Clanmates. She wouldn't. That's mean. Sure, what she was spreading was lies, but truly, she was helping. She was doing them a favor.

Firstly, who knows what other cats truly were thinking? What she was saying could very well be the truth. Secondly - and most importantly - Venom was giving her Clanmates a cat they could rely on during all times: her. By doing such, she'd assured them that they could always come to her for anything they needed, and put their utmost trust in their leader. How nice was that?

This was one of the steps the black she-cat was taking to make PeaceClan a lovely place to live.

Venom wished she had some cat to rely on as such. To put all her trust in. But no, that was simply impossible. Not after all that's happened...

The black she-cat winced, shaking her head. No, no, forget the past. The present and future are much more important.

Speaking of the present and future...

Venom's gaze landed on the gray she-kit. Storm. PeaceClan's newest member.

Storm was awake now, green eyes wide and full of confusion, attention darting from one side of the den to the other. She'd been unconscious ever since Venom found her. The she-cat's best guess as to why was because Storm's parents had shoved her under the moss, perhaps a little too hard, and with all that was going on, it being too overwhelming for the gray she-kit's tiny mind, Storm passed out.

"Good afternoon." Venom shifted her paws. How long ago was it that she'd last spoken to a kit? "How are you feeling?"

"I..." Storm frowned, as if trying to form words was a difficult task for her. Perhaps, at her age, it was. "Head hurts."

Venom stalked closer. "I see. I'll see if I can find anything to help with that. Hungry?"

Storm nodded, then hesitated, opening her jaws to try and say something else. "Mother? Father?"

Ah. She was asking about her parents.

Venom neared, making sure to keep her paw steps light and soft so not to startle the gray kit. A kind expression was painted onto her face as she settled herself down in the nest, curling her body around Storm's. "Your parents..." The black she-cat hesitated, watching as the gray kit's eyes widened hopefully. "I'm sorry. They're gone."

"Gone?" A look of dismay and horror painted Storm's face. "Dead?"

"No." Venom flicked her tail. "They're still very much alive." The lie slipped out of her, as easy as breathing. As the story spun in her head, the black she-cat matched her tone to sympathy, a skill she'd mastered over the last couple of years.

Confusion flickered across Storm's features. Sighing, the black she-cat gave the gray kit's head a lick before telling the story. "Your parents abandoned you. They left you at PeaceClan's borders to die."

"I... don't remember."

"Of course not! You were passed out for a day. Must've been starved and cold."

Storm still looked confused, but nodded, agreeing with Venom's words. A flicker of satisfaction flew through the black she-cat. Good. She's agreeing with me.

"I found you at the border," Venom continued. "I took you in. I saved you. You're a PeaceClan cat now."

"But why...?" Storm blinked. "Why parents leave?"

Venom shrugged. "I'm not sure, love. They're bad, bad cats, I suppose, leaving such a lovely kit to die." The black she-cat sighed, placing another lick atop Storm's head.

Was this a lie? Yes. But Venom was simply doing Storm a favor. The kit was too young to understand that her parents had died. She'd experienced enough already, and having just woken up, it wasn't good to spring on the news of her parents' death. It was much better to go with the story Venom had just told her.

Storm shivered. She looked upset, devastated, and confused. 'Why would my parents leave me?' she seemed to be thinking. 'Why? I haven't done anything wrong, have I?'

Venom could read the kit's emotions as clear as day. And she loved that.

"Love, don't worry about them," the PeaceClan leader purred. "I'll raise you, how's that? I'll teach you how to fight and hunt... Doesn't that sound like fun? Don't worry, everything will be okay."

~~~

DON'T WORRY, EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY.

These were the words that Venom repeated to herself again and again as she raced in the woods after her father. Rattlesnake, being much larger, went much swifter, and Venom often found herself tripping over her paws to try and keep up, but she couldn't bother to care. Her heart was pounding, mind was racing.

Soon, Venom heard voices. Voices of devastation. Voices of grief, of fury. Among those, she heard Scorpion's, his tone full of utter horror. She forced herself to go faster, repeating the same six words in her mind over and over. Over and over.

"Rattlesnake!" Scorpion's voice was the thing that told Venom they'd reached their destination. She'd been so focused in her thoughts that she'd barely paid attention to where she was going, just following Rattlesnake. "You're here! Good."

Scorpion looked better than Venom had thought. She expected him to be in an utter meltdown, crouched besides Leaf's body, but he kept himself well-composed. His face was stone-like, eyes showing no emotion whatsoever. The only thing that betrayed a hint of feeling was his voice. His tone...

Scorpion spotted Venom, his fur sticking up in surprise. "Why's she here?" His voice cracked, and although the black she-kit heard anger, there was more than just that. "What if the danger's still around here?" At this, his sharp green gaze turned on Rattlesnake.

The WarClan leader flicked his tail lazily. "She's going to grow up and take more responsibility. She needs more experience."

"What about Hemlock, then?" Scorpion challenged. "He's the one that's going to be the leader!"

Rattlesnake scoffed. "There's no need to scare him with this kind of stuff. A leader can just send a cat to check for him, anyways. Now, stop arguing with me. Where's Leaf's body?"

Scorpion glared at Rattlesnake, but his anger fell away, his stone-face returning once more. Giving Venom a quick lick and whispering a firm, "Stay here," he and Rattlesnake disappeared into the bushes.

Venom gazed after him. His tone sounded like he was devastated and furious all at once. But she heard something more than that. Hidden under all the layers of attempt to not let any emotion through, the black she-kit heard one feeling that made her heart shatter for her brother.

Heartbreak.

~~~

hi all! the story's getting going! i'm so, so incredibly excited!! : )

any thoughts on storm? scorpion? leaf's murderer? a lot of you guys have put some wonderful guesses already!! also, i'd really like to hear what you think of venom! i'm trying to make her seem sort of... crazy, if that makes sense? like she's saying that she's being all nice, but in reality she's being quite cruel? and i'm hoping that the flashback bits are going to explain why she turns out the way she is! let me know how good of a job i'm doing at that so far!

thanks for reading!! <3

~ lily