Chapter Ten ~Manipulation~

Hopefully, if all goes well, Necro (TheNecromancer_ ) will start writing this with me, since we're sharing this account now XD So you'll get to hear Darkpaw's side of things next chapter! Hopefully, anyway XD

Oh! And the media is just something nightfallcall showed me and I quite liked it so yeah XD

~Kenny

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Lionpaw stayed in the medicine cat den after his return from their trip to the Moonspring. Swiftpaw had returned the the apprentice's den after reluctantly leaving Lionpaw, and as soon as she was out of sight he began to think of how he would kill Venomstar.

He wanted to use his claws, to feel the leader's sticky blood on his paws, but he knew that was unwise and he'd be exiled if caught. So he must be sneakier, much sneakier.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather for a clan meeting!" Venomstar yowled, standing on the ledge above the leader's den.

Lionpaw huffed quietly in annoyance and stalked to where all the cats were beginning to gather. Camofur padded beside him, eyeing Venomstar curiously.

"Swiftpaw, please step forward." Venomstar said, a mischievous glint in his eyes as Swiftpaw shakily padded forward.

"Yes?" she said bravely, looking up at him.

"I, Venomstar, leader of UnderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn. Swiftpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect and defend this clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Shocked sounds ran rampant among the crowd. Swiftpaw, after all, was only seven moons old. Lionpaw himself was furious. How can he do this to her?!, he thought.

"I-I do." Swiftpaw's eyes went wide in shock but she stood firm.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Swiftpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Swiftflame. We welcome you as a full warrior of this clan." Venomstar said, his tail twitching as if he were anxious to move on.

"Swiftflame!" Lionpaw cheered, half sarcastically, just to spite Venomstar. The clan started to reluctantly join him in the chant, and Venomstar glared impatiently at the crowd.

When they settled, Venomstar called forth several kits, and apprenticed them quickly. This seemed normal, until he called Darkkit and Skykit. They were six moons old already, but hadn't received their ceremony when Lionpaw had.

"From this day forward, until they have earned their warrior names, these apprentices will be called Darkpaw, and Skypaw. Swiftflame, you will be Skypaw's mentor. I will be Darkpaw's mentor. May we pass down all we know to these apprentices." Venomstar declared quite loudly as each mento and apprentice touched noses.

Lionpaw had to clench his jaw shut to hold in a low hiss that threatened to escape his lips.

"As you know, it is also time to pick a new deputy." Venomstar started off slowly, gazing around the anxious crowd. It was obvious they had all been gossiping about his choice, and they'd all been expecting a certain cat to be chosen. "The time has come to appoint a new deputy. I say these words before StarClan, that the spirits of our ancestors may hear and approve of my choice. Swiftflame will be the new deputy." Sounds of shock and horror ran through the crowd, Swiftflame herself standing frozen and shaky in the midst of them. She hadn't thought he'd actually pick her, she's thought he'd said that to intimidate her.

Lionpaw let his claws slide out and he hissed. "She hasn't mentored an apprentice yet!" he pointed out, stepping forward.

"That's why I gave her an apprentice ." Venomstar gave him a cutting, threatening look, and Lionpaw took a step back, glaring right back at him but he held his silence. His revenge would come soon enough.

"Meeting dismissed." Venomstar jumped down and stalked to his den, while Swiftflame shakily ran to Lionpaw.

"C-can you believe this...? H-he's going to kill me if I don't d-do what he says.... H-he has complete control..." She buried her face in his shoulder, and he sighed softly in reply. "I-I'm his puppet...." she mumbled miserably.

"Don't worry, this'll all work out if we're careful and we think carefully about everything we say and do... You won't be killed by him and you're not under his control..." he murmured reassuringly, his mind going back to his plan as he wrapped his tail comfortingly around the distraught she cat.

He'd have to kill Venomstar as soon as possible, and as painfully as possible.

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