The Virals

Chapter 9

Black Talon's POV

After Sharp Claw and Fuzzy finished their meal, they and the other two herbivores (thankfully) left me in peace for a few hours while they searched for plants for Midnight and Leafie. At first, I welcomed the silence, glad that it would finally be quiet for a bit. But soon after, the loneliness crept in, and I was reminded of my soul-shattering isolation. In my pack, I remember how I enjoyed being alone in small doses after spending time with Razor Feather, Thorn Tooth, and Fleet Claw. I enjoyed it because I knew that I wasn't really alone, because I could find them at any moment when I needed them or when they needed me. It was only after I lost all of them when I was reminded of the horrors of true loneliness. It made me regret all the times I withdrew from them when I was tired or drained. I should have stayed. I took them all for granted. And now, I pay the price.

I began to regret everything.

I was lucky Sharp Claw and the rest returned. They found me on the floor, in a trance-like state, trembling furiously. At that moment, I was completely unaware of anything and everything around me. I was remembering...

'Hey Black Talon!' Thorn Tooth called out to me. Behind him, Razor Feather and Fleet Claw were running to me, all three of them smiling.

Five months in, and everything was perfect. Things could not get any better. In the pack, I was a delta (in between the beta and the omega), though I certainly did plan to take over as alpha once I understood a bit more about the rules.

They all sat around me, in a circle, giggling and laughing about something. When I was with them, things were always like this. Happy, light-hearted, wonderful.

I remember considering, in that moment, to tell them about before. But I decided against it. They seemed so joyful, and I didn't dare break such a rare, beautiful moment. Instead, they told me what was making them chuckle, and we all laughed together. I held off on telling them about before, until it was too late.

I should have been more open. I should have told them. I should have told them. I should have told them. But I didn't because I was a coward. I was a coward. I. Was. A. Coward. I. WAS. A. COWARD.

My cowardice lead to their deaths. If I had stayed there on the night The Virals came, I might have saved them. All of them. But I didn't. I. WAS. A. COWARD. I. LET. THEM. DIE.

It all dissolved away. I blinked. Sharp Claw was in front of me, clawed hands on my shoulder, with a very worried look on his face. His three companions stood behind him, anxiously.

Shocked, I raised my hand to my head, feeling a discomfort within my skull.

'You were just shaking and staring into space! Are you okay!?' He exclaimed, gripping me tightly.

I groaned softly- the last thing I needed was all those ridiculous memories to cloud me.

'I'm okay,' I quickly got up, and walked away, deeper into the cave. I had to get out of there. I had to get out. He had seen me in that state. He knew I was weak. He knew I was vulnerable.

'Are you sure?'

'I said I'm okay!' I snapped, growling. Sharp Claw flinched at my sudden reaction. I shook my head as I felt a strange tingling in my limbs. Yes, indeed- he knew I was weak for sure. I could smell it.

I exhaled as I fully processed my response, and felt a small tinge of guilt at shocking the youngster. 'Give me a moment. I will tell you later about this, but for now, I need to go.'

As the darkness swallowed me up, I felt the tears stream down my face. It wasn't too long ago when they were all alive, laughing, joking, playing together, with myself being among them.

And now, they are all but gone. I'll never have them again.