storm

~~~

"Taking her in?" Feather spoke, her voice laced with confusion. 

Venom knew why; she only ever recruited cats that knew how to hunt and fight, leaving the kits to die. The black she-cat never saw any use in kits. They were just mewling creatures that didn't provide any help. But now, as she gazed at the small gray she-kit, Venom felt a new feeling spark inside her. No, it wasn't love - not even close - rather a feeling of interest towards the kit. And not one of good desire. 

"But... why? We don't have any nursing queens," Feather meowed. "No she-cat will have the milk to take care of this kit." Almost all the cats in PeaceClan didn't have interest in settling down and having kits.

Venom flicked her tail dismissively. "She'll grow on mushed prey, then."

Feather still looked bewildered. "I just don't see why you want to take this kit home with us. It can't provide us with any sort of help, only trouble."

The black she-cat drew to her full height, towering over the silver hunter, lashing her tail. "And you don't need to know my reasoning. I don't need to explain myself to you, and you have no right to challenge me. Bring the kit." 

The order was final. Venom whipped around and stalked out of the den, where the rest of the patrol was waiting. Feather appeared a few moments later, carrying the gray she-kit in her jaws. At the sight of this, most of the cats widened their eyes with utter surprise.

Venom didn't bother explaining. She didn't need to. No cat challenged her. With a twitch of her ears, she led the way back to PeaceClan's camp. All her cats filed in a line after her obediently, and a satisfied smirk twitched its way onto her face.

No, she wasn't nice to her cats. She didn't need to be. That was so much effort. Why be kind to them and earn their loyalty the hard way when she could just install fear into their minds? Her cats weren't loyal to her - they were fearful of her. And fear was a much stronger emotion than loyalty.

The trip back was silent. Every cat's mind seemed to be pondering over the gray kit that was carried by Feather, but none of them dared to speak out. Turning sharply around a bush, Venom led her patrol into PeaceClan's camp.

Gazing around at the camp, the black she-cat felt a flicker of pride fly through her. The camp was located in a small valley inside the forest - a dip in the ground. It was surrounded by bushes, hard to spot; one might accidently trip inside and find themselves surrounded by fierce warriors. And, if one was unlucky, they might fall into the Highclaw den.

The Highclaws, Venom's most skilled warriors, lived in a thicket; branches of fallen trees and bushes weaved together to make a strong, sturdy den. The Middleclaw den was behind a large fallen tree. Branches and twigs were weaved around at the top to create a roof. As for the Lowclaws, they were situated in a wide hollow in a tree. The hollow had been dug out a little at the ground to make some more room, with a bush in front of it to block out the winds. The apprentices' den was a bush, tucked away at the corner of the valley. The Healers den was a tree hollow, similar to the Lowclaw den, but a little smaller. As for the elders' den and nursery...

Venom flicked her tail. She hadn't seen a need for either of those dens. Her opinions on kits hadn't changed since they found the gray she-kit in the den, despite her decision. As for elders, PeaceClan cats didn't need to "retire", as one would in WarClan. Painful memories flashed through Venom's mind as she thought of her former Clan, but she pushed it all away firmly. Cats in WarClan needed to retire because of how harsh the Clan was. They needed a break from it when they grew old. But not in PeaceClan. PeaceClan cats didn't need a break from the life they had now. It was already peaceful and perfect. That, Venom was sure of.

"Venom?" Feather approached the black she-cat hesitantly. "Where should I put this kit?"

That's right. No nursery meant no place to keep the kit.

"In my den." Venom spoke after a long while of hesitation. "She can live there until she's ready to become an apprentice. Put her in my nest. I'll have another one made for her later."

Surprise flared in Feather's eyes. No cat other than Venom was allowed in there, unless given permission like she just had been, of course. The black she-cat twitched her pelt impatiently, and the silver hunter snapped out of her shock and raced down the hill towards the boulder that made Venom's den.

Venom's den was a tall boulder with a crack inside. Once one slipped through, they would find themselves in a decently sized cave. The cave had walls, separating the den into different rooms. Venom's nest was tucked at the end of the den, hidden by a rocky wall. She liked the den because it let little light through, setting a dark mood.

"You're all dismissed for prey." Venom addressed the patrol before making her way down the hill to the boulder. In a couple of leaps, she'd reached the top, sitting down regally and letting out a yowl. "Every cat of PeaceClan, please join me at the Boulder for a meeting!"

Cats swarmed from everywhere, out of their dens and away from prey-piles (each rank had their own pile of prey), bounding towards the boulder. Feather had now exited from Venom's den, joining her Clanmates at the foot of the large rock.

"Today, we have killed Hawk and Dove! We have brought upon them the punishment that they deserve!"

Cheers rang from the cats below her, but Venom noticed fear in their tones. She didn't mind that. She didn't mind that at all. If anything, it pleased her.

"They have died, but they've left behind a kit." Venom watched as several cats leaned forward eagerly to hear her explanation; watching Feather carry a kit into the leader's den had stirred up a lot of confusion. "I am not cruel. The kit hasn't wronged us. The kit shall live. I've decided to take her in myself, and raise her as if she were my own daughter."

This sent even a greater wave of confusion through the PeaceClan cats. Venom has never shown any interest in kits. Why was this one different?

Venom wasn't sure, either. All she knew is that when she saw the gray she-kit, a new plan had formed in her mind. Not a nice one, no, but certainly a fun one. Perhaps, though, not for the kit.

"Are there any questions regarding this?" Venom always finished her meetings with this. In PeaceClan, she wanted to give every cat a chance to voice their own opinions! Much different from WarClan, where my father- The black she-cat's thoughts halted to a stop. No, no, don't think about WarClan.

Frost, a white she-cat belonging to the Highclaw rank, spoke. "What will this kit's name be?"

Venom pondered this for a moment. "Storm," she decided. "The kit will be called Storm."

~~~

whoo! three chapters down!

what do you guys think so far? this chapter was all just in the present, so i do hope it's less confusing! also, you guys don't have to agree with venom's actions! 

she's a villain, and her mind's a little... off. for example, her thinking that everyone's life in peaceclan is peaceful when she brings her cats out to kill others & inflicts fear in them, and her giving "every cat a chance to voice their own opinions" when shutting feather down about the kit. quite conflicting, no?

thank you all for almost 100 views! that's crazy, haha!

~ lily