the master plan

~~~

Venom's paws touched the ground lightly as she padded towards the Healer's den. It had been a couple days after the exile of Lion, and her mind had been whirling, calculating her next move. And today was the day she decided to put the plan in motion.

"Storm?" The black she-cat poked her head into the den, glancing around for any signs of the young gray cat.

"Yeah, I'm back here."

Venom followed Storm's voice, finding her at the back of the den. Her wounds had been covered in poultice, and she looked much better than she did a couple of days ago. Yet, the black she-cat found it strange that the Healers would've put Storm all the way in the back, hidden from view. Before she could ask why, the gray she-cat answered for her.

"Flicker visits every day," Storm explained. "Therapy, I suppose. The Healers and her talk for hours."

"Oh? About Lion's exile?"

"Yeah. They ask her how she feels about it, all that."

Venom's ears flicked with interest. "And how does she feel about it?"

Storm winced, avoiding eye contact. "Well... She doesn't feel good. She's always quite angry during these conversations."

"Angry?" Venom's pelt twitched. "Anger directed to whom? Me, for exiling Lion?"

"Oh, no!" Storm meowed. "No, that's ridiculous, of course not. She thinks you did the right thing. She's angry at Lion, for acting so rashly. And..." Another wince. "She's mad at me, for the same reasons Lion was. In a way, she's proud that he got his revenge. She just wished it wasn't in this way."

"Is that so?" Venom mused. "Now, that's not very nice, is it?" The black she-cat's mind began to turn, thinking about Flicker's position. A heartbroken Lowclaw, who has little to no power. Hmm, no, Flicker would be no threat. If anything, Flicker was going to help with Venom's plan.

"No, I suppose not. But that's why the Healers stuck me behind here. They didn't want Flicker to feel more agitated."

A flare of satisfaction bloomed through Venom. Good. Everything was following her plan ever so perfectly.

"Wait." Storm's eyes widened with panic. "You're not going to tell Flicker what I told you, are you? She'll be even angrier at me if she thinks I tattled! I'm fine with it, honest-"

"Don't worry," Venom interrupted gently. "I won't do anything to Flicker. We'll just have to hope she comes to her senses soon. But I do understand: loosing a kit must be hard, especially knowing that they attacked a Clanmate. She's torn between loyalty to her Clan and to her kit." The black she-cat flicked her tail. "But enough about that. How are you? Do you feel comfortable enough to take a walk over to my den?"

With a nod from Storm, the two set off. It wasn't long before they'd reached the comfort and shelter of Venom's boulder; the black she-cat hurried Storm inside and towards the back, where her nest lay, with the thick rock wall to block them from view of the opening.

Now, the two were settled comfortably in Venom's nest, soft moss piled around them. It was only then, when the black she-cat watched as Storm nestled herself softly into her nest, that she spoke.

"I think it's time I tell you about my old Clan."

Curiosity flared in Storm's eyes as her gaze focused on Venom. "Old Clan?" She paused. "I'd always thought that you used to be a rogue."

The black she-cat sighed. "If only. But no, I had an old Clan. WarClan, it was called."

"WarClan?" Storm shivered. "Sounds dreadful."

"It was. My father was the ruler. Everything he said was the law, something that the other cats must follow. He could kill one of our own Clanmates and easily get away with it. In fact, he has." The last part Venom spoke bitterly as painful memories rushed to the surface.

Storm looked at her with a wide, amazed gaze. "Really? But how could one - no, why would one want to kill their own Clanmate?"

"Power." The answer came to Venom easily, without doubt. "Everything every cat does is for power, whether that be the power to take care of themselves, the power to lead a Clan, or, in my father's case, the power to control a Clan."

"What about you?"

Venom sighed, giving Storm's head a soft lick like she always did when the gray she-cat was a kit. "Now, I can't lie to you, love. Everything I do is for power, too. The power to make PeaceClan better. The power to give all cats under my rule a happy life. Now, that's why I left WarClan. I didn't want to be part of something so bloody and selfish. I wanted to be a better leader than my father was, to improve from his mistakes."

"From what I've seen, you've done a lovely job," Storm meowed. "All the cats here seem to love you."

Venom chuckled lightly. "Thank you, love. I try to be better than my father." She paused for a moment, as if deep in thought, before speaking. "You know, something that WarClan did was that their leader couldn't be changed until they died, whether that be through battle or naturally. I don't want that, you know. As I've said, I want to make PeaceClan more, well, peaceful, than WarClan. I don't want the change of leader to be through death."

"So what are you going to do?"

Venom smiled. "I'm glad you asked. I'm thinking of retiring soon."

"What?" Storm's jaws dropped. "No, you can't retire! You have to continue being the leader!"

"Now, now, love, I'm sure there's a cat who will be able to lead PeaceClan very nicely," Venom meowed. "In fact, I believe I'm looking at her right now."

Storm's eyes, if possible, widened even more. "Me?"

"Mhm!" Venom hummed. "I've raised you as if you were my own kit. There's no cat I'd trust more to lead the beloved Clan I've created."

"But I don't know how to lead a Clan!"

Venom laughed gently. "Don't fret, love. I won't be gone. I'll still be here, helping you and guiding you. You can always come to me for questions."

A look of determination crossed Storm's face. "Alright, then. I'll lead PeaceClan to the best of my abilities."

The black she-cat smiled. A young cat, determined to prove herself, especially after a huge fiasco in which she was involved in, leading to the exile of her Clanmate. A Clan that Venom had begun and structured, each cat adoring their leader. If the leader were to back out, and hand the position to another cat, especially one as young as Storm was... Well, everything would turn to chaos.

And Venom loved chaos.

It had been too long of her playing the perfect leader. Years after years of careful work and planning and built up to this very moment. And now, she could have some fun. Watch everything blow up from a safe distance.

And everything would be pinned onto Storm.

But of course, none of these thoughts passed through the black she-cat's mind. They were all hidden deep, Venom's true intentions, but never ones that she allowed herself to think. Surface-wise, she was doing a kind thing, backing away and letting another cat have the turn to shine. But she knew her real plan, even if she'd never admit to them.

Venom gave Storm's ear another lick. "Lovely."

Life was going great.

~~~

hi!! so sorry that i haven't updated in a long time, everyone! i've been pretty busy over winter break, haha. speaking of which, how was everybody's holiday? did you do anything fun? see family?

anyway, i think this is one of the longest chapters i've written in this fanfic! it was pretty fun! i know venom's not a very likable character, but i just find ones like her so interesting. you know, ones who seem all lovely on the outside but are actually pretty insane on the inside! it was great to share her "master plan".

let me know what you thought of this chapter! feedback is appreciated! <3

~ lily