exile & battle

~~~

Silence filled the space between the trio as they made their way through the woods. Lion's head was bowed as he stared at his paws, refusing to glance upwards, whereas Storm had herself pressed against Venom, trembling slightly as they trotted towards the gathered crowd and out of the trees.

As soon as the three cats stepped out of the forest, commotion arose instantly.

"They're back!"

"They're okay!"

"Venom! You're not hurt!"

"Lion's okay!"

"Thank the Spirits!"

"What happened?"

The PeaceClan leader angled her ears as she observed such comments. Other than generalization, no cat had bothered to mention Storm. Another confirmation that she could launch her plan instantly.

A small shadow of a smile flickered on Venom's face before it vanished. Had she really been so stupid? Had she never observed this? It had been right under her nose.

Turning her gaze towards Lion, the black she-cat watched as Flicker rushed to her son's side, fussing over him. I ought to thank that foolish tom. Without him I'd never have realized this. But alas, thanking him was the farthest thing from the leader's mind.

"Are you going to be alright on your own for a moment?" Venom leaned down, whispering softly into Storm's ear.

The gray she-cat nodded, gaze darting nervously towards Lion as if she expected the ginger tom to leap at her again. Padding away, the black she-cat leaped on top of a boulder, lashing her tail to catch her Clan's attention and address them.

"I'm sure you're all wondering what had happened in there," Venom began. "I can assure you that it wasn't what you had in mind. It was not a rogue cat, nor a beastly creature such as a fox or dog. Instead, the chaos was caused by a cat in our own midst. Lion."

Satisfaction flickered within the black she-cat as she watched the Clan's reaction. Gasps of horror, murmurs of confusion, Lion's panicked eyes, pleading, Flicker's wide-eyed gaze at her son, and best of all: Storm's trusting look. From one glance it was clear to any cat that the gray she-cat would trust Venom with her life. And this action only both confirmed and reinforced it.

Her plan was going perfectly.

Venom called for silence again. "Inside the forest, rather than hunting prey like he was instructed, Lion was attacking Storm."

"No! I-" Lion's cry interrupted the black she-cat's speech. "I didn't- I wasn't- wait, I- oh, please believe me-"

"What my son might be trying to say," Flicker meowed steadily, as steady as one can be when their kit has just been accused of a horrible thing, "is that perhaps that wasn't actually what happened?"

Silence fell over the clearing. Dangerous silence. The air was so still, as if no cat dared to breathe, sending only sympathetic looks in Flicker's direction.

"I saw the scene with my own eyes," Venom meowed quietly. "Are you suggesting that I'm lying?"

"No! Of course not! I-" Flicker cut herself off, eyes widened apologetically. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"Good." The black she-cat spoke, voice curt. "Think carefully before you speak. Now, order of business. Since Lion was attacking Storm, I have no choice but to banish him."

"What?" The ginger tom's ears pinned as he looked at Venom with horrific eyes. "You don't mean that!"

Venom gazed at him coldly. "Sure I do. Goodbye, Lion."

Flicker looked at Venom then her son, her eyes full of panic. But she didn't speak.

"No, please!" Lion begged. "I'm sorry! I can make it up!"

"You attacked one of our Clanmates," the black she-cat meowed icily. "In PeaceClan, we work together. We attack as one. We do not attack our own. Since you've broken our law, I have no choice but to exile you. I'm afraid you're no longer welcome in PeaceClan, Lion. Cobra, please escort him off our territory."

Lion took a step backwards, his eyes narrowing. It seems that he's come to term with the banishment. He won't be accepted back. If it were any other cat, they would've walked quietly and quickly, mumbling their apologies. But, it seems, Lion's different. A fiery spirit, he possesses. And so, when Cobra stepped forward, Lion's gaze hardened with hatred. A want for revenge.

Then, turning around, he jumped at Storm.

~~~

STEPPING FORWARD, Scorpion jumped at Ivy.

Venom held her breath, not daring to move. Her ears had pinned themselves to her head in nervousness when Scorpion and Ivy nodded in confirmation. Her pelt had trembled with worry when the two apprentices stepped into the hollow. Her heart had practically thumped out of her chest when Rattlesnake gave the signal for them to begin. Now, everything was still.

Ivy dodged Scorpion's attack, lashing out a paw at the brown tom's pelt. Scorpion just barely managed to duck aside, sending a blow back, as Rattlesnake observed them fight.

As the two went back and forth, Venom noticed something: Scorpion didn't see to me fighting his hardest. He'd let Ivy attack then dodge, rarely retaliating with his own hits, and using light and weak blows if anything at all. Why her brother was acting like this, she couldn't figure out. Didn't he want to fight his hardest to get put in a good rank? To get back on their father's good side? Perhaps it was trauma from Leaf's death, making his want to draw blood weaken.

But that wasn't the main problem. Glancing at her father, Venom knew that he, too, noticed Scorpion's odd behavior. Anxiety for her brother bubbled in her stomach as her father stepped forward. This wasn't going to turn out well.

"Stop!" Rattlesnake roared. 

Instantly, the two apprentices broke apart, Scorpion carrying much more wounds than Ivy. 

"I'm sure you've all noticed, but it seems that my son isn't fighting as hard as he should be. Now, I'm certain he could do better than this, and I want to put him in a rank that he deserves to be in. Fighting Ivy hasn't been pushing him to show his true abilities." The leader gazed lazily at the black-furred apprentice. "You fought okay. Technique and aim could use work. You shall join the rank Assassin and be a defender."

Ivy dipped her head before scurrying away, relief beaming in her amber eyes that her part of the ritual was completed.

"As for my son..." Rattlesnake turned his cold gaze to Scorpion. "In order to have him show his true abilities, I've decided that he shall be fighting me."

~~~

hihi! this chapter was pretty fun to write, haha. action's about to happen in both the flashback & present!

does anyone have any predictions about what's going to happen? if you do, please let me know, i'd really enjoy reading them!! plus any thoughts/comments you have, feel free to tell me!

feedback is welcome!

~ lily