Venom's P.O.V.

I looked at her, half scared half shocked. "What is it?"

She took deep breaths and sat down. "A WindClan cat was spying on us as we fought. I think they're trying to learn our ways," She panted and I looked at her through narrowed eyes. 

"Alright. Looks like revenge in on its way," I answered evenly, padding into Leaf's den. 

"Oh, good. It's you," She sighed, "Tell Strike to find catmint, tansy, wild garlic, comfrey, borage leaves and burdock root. They need to be by the roots so we can grow them here, near the camp." I nodded. 'Just what I needed,' I purred lightly and grabbed Strike. 

"Leaf needs you to get a whole bunch of herbs. Tansy, catmint, wild garlic, comfrey, borage leaves and burdock root. Get them by the roots." He nodded and started to walk away. "Go to WindClan territory. I'll send Fang and Moon with you." He dipped his head and I called to them, "Fang! Moon!" 

The two padded over and looked at me with confusion. "WindClan warriors have spied on us, I need you two to go with Strike to go into WindClan territory and gather herbs. You'll be protecting him," The two nodded and Strike led the way out. 

I padded away and headed toward the nursery. The rock my pads hit was irritating now with all the rain water drenching it. I heaved a euphoric sigh of relief and fluffed out my fur. The nursery was damp yet warm and it smelt of milk. "Venom, can you ask Leaf to come here? And your kits want to go out and play, would you take them?" 

I nodded twice and headed back out. I had barely gotten two steps in before she had asked me something. Groaning inwardly, I poked my head into Leaf's den. She was checking Storm's wounds. 

"Leaf, when you're not busy, Mini would like to see you." I informed her. At my voice she had turned aorund, eyes drooping from tiredness. She nodded and turned back to Storm. 

I hurried to the fresh-kill pile and grabbed a thrush, the one Fang brought in, and trotted back to the medicine den. "Here, Leaf. Mini didn't seem to be in any hurry, have some fresh-kill before Strike gets back." 

Leaf dipped her head in thanks and immediately started eating it. I backed out of the den and went to the nursery. "Leaf will be in soon, she's just eating now," I told Mini. She nodded and Sunshine and Crow rushed over. "Venom, Venom!" Crow chirped, hopping up and down. Raven padded over more slowly. 

"Look what I can do!" Crow mewed and he dropped to a crouch, his tail up high and ears pricked up. His chest brushed the surface of the ground lightly and he leaped onto a moss-ball.

"Now, now. Do the crouch again," I ordered and he did, tail up and ears toward me to listen. I pushed his tail down so it was almost touching the ground. "Keep your tail down so the prey doesn't see you. Ears down, too. Don't let anything touch the ground other then your feet." I instructed and he did as I said.

I watched as Sunshine joined in and the both of them did a great job as they leaped at the same time, grabbing the moss-ball. Sunshine growled in Crow's face and they tumbled around, fighting for it. 

"Raven, why don't you try?" I suggested and she just shrugged. I breathed out - a little too loud - and watched as Crow and Sunshine rolled around, claws scratching each other. 

'Why bother with trying to separate them when all they'll do is fight again?'

Leaf padded in and I watched her trot to Mini. Mini whispered something to Leaf and they mumbled responses for a bit. Crow and Sunshine were too loud and I couldn't quite catch what they were saying.

Leaf headed back out and I growled. "Okay, enough!" The two stopped play-fighting and Crow rolled off of Sunshine. Sunshine fluffed out her golden fur and licked a paw, drawing it over her ears. "Humph," She mewed, frustration edging her tone.

I rolled my eyes. "Come on, lets leave Mini alone." I mewed to my kits and they hopped away. I dipped my head to Mini who was just about to sleep. "Would you like for me to watch your kits for a bit?" I asked and she opened her eyes briefly. 

"If you don't mind, sure yeah," She mumbled and I nodded, "Sorrel, Froya, Ash, come with me, we're going to go out and play." I explained and all but Sorrel came over. Ash took his time.

"No thanks, I'd rather sleep and stay dry," Sorrel muttered through her mothers' fur. I nodded a few times and stepped out, rushing in behind the five kits. Ash went and laid down - away from everyone - and watched his littermates play-fight. 

'I wonder what's up with him...?'

Ash's P.O.V.

I looked around the nursery, gazing at the cave walls. I let out a small sigh and got up from the nest. It was way too crowded for my liking. Too hot and I was squashed. I half slipped half rolled out of the over-sized nest then sat down, away from the crowded, hot nest.

I could never understand why Mystery never came to see us anymore, and why Venom always came in to get Sunshine, Crow and Raven. Weren't they Mini's and Mystery's kits?

Sunshine, Crow and Raven were my littermates, right? I couldn't understand why Venom always asked for Froya and Sorrel and me after he asked for Crow, Sunshine and Raven. 

Were we not as good as them? 

I took a deep breath and sighed again, looking around the dark room. I could hear cats outside of the nursery murmuring and after a while, it quieted down as if everyone was going to sleep again. Is that why it went quite after a while? Did they sleep almost all day? How were we fed? Maybe there's a certain cat that goes and does the hunting?

I had so many questions to ask, but I didn't want to be called stupid for not knowing. I felt like I had to know everything, like my littermates already knew about it.

"Ash, why are you up?" Mini's hiss made me whip around. I shrugged, looking to my paws. I didn't like to talk, Mini always seemed annoyed by my voice so I usually kept quite. 

She grunted and I heard stirring and before I knew it, her breathing went even and she seemed to be sound asleep. The nursery was dimly lighted and the entrance to it seemed to be so bright, brighter then anything in the world.

All I ever saw now was rain and the clouds above. I knew the sun was there, but it barely showed itself lately. 

I woke up again on the cave floor; I must've fallen asleep again. Venom was already in here and was watching Sunshine and Crow tumble around. Raven was beside Venom, quietly watching them as well. 

Raven wasn't one to talk either, but she wasn't afraid to do stuff like I was. She was sweet but strong - that was for sure. 

I wondered if she felt like a disappointment to Mini and Venom. Of course, I wasn't going to ask. I'd be called rude and probably get attacked.

Before I knew it, the kits started leaving. I padded toward them and Sorrel stayed behind. 'Great. Does this mean Froya is going to attack me?' 

I hurried along as Sorrel spoke and slowly made my way down the trail, plopping myself onto the ground beside the big boulder that I think Venom sleeps in. I sat up and groomed myself carefully. And when I looked up, Venom was watching me. 

I backed away so I was covered by the shadow the boulder gave. 'Stop looking at me, I hate it when cats do that,' I swallowed a whimper and sat so still I didn't even breathe. 

Eventually, Venom looked away and I gasped for air. Sunshine and Crow tumbled around, growling. That's all they did. Mini was always exhausted by it, but she purred about it, too. She always glared at me when I hid away. 

I flinched when a cat with silver tabby fur, lots of muscle and a cob-web filled jaw-line came out. 'Who's she?' I wondered, staring at her jaw. Blood was seeping through it. A fluffy cat with spots of all different colors came limping out, her hind leg propped up. 'Did she brake her foot? Did a dog get it? Did she fall?' 

It took all of what I had to not go over and ask. What if everyone already knew?

I watched a few cats leave the camp. I tipped my head to the side. 'Didn't they go to sleep?' I wondered, padding out of the shadows just a bit. Paws came in my vision, silver paws. I looked up to see Venom and I tried to scramble back but he grabbed my scruff. 

My heart began to pound and I tried to wriggle out of his tight grib. "Let go!" I wailed and he let me drop. I tried to back away from my littermates as they snickered, whispering. Backing away, I backed into Venoms' paws and I hopped back toward the trail. 

"Try to have some fun," Venom muttered, eyes narrowed. A ball of emotion crowded my throat and I backed into the shadow of the trail and Venom grabbed me again. I went limp and tried not to look my littermates in the eye. 

They snickered and muttered things to each other. Raven looked sorry for me and watched through encouraging eyes. 

Venom dropped me again and I just sat there. I wanted nothing to do with them. All they did was tease me and when I tried to fight they would taunt me and always win.

Crow, Sunshine and Froya went back to tumbling around, growls echoing through the almost-empty camp. Raven came in beside me and nudged me with a shoulder. 

"What's up, bud?" She whispered. She was a bit smaller then me. 'How come I was bigger then her and Crow and Sunshine? Were they only Venom's kits?'

Her pelt was fluffier then mine, too. She must be a bit younger, too. Raven and Sunshine and Crow must be Venom's kits and not Mini's. "Well?" Raven mewed softly, her eyes were beautiful. A crisp, glowing purple. She reminded me of an eclipse. I'd heard from Froya and Sorrel that there was an eclipse before, covering the sky with black and the world seemed to be in darkness for a short time.

How they knew it, I wasn't sure. I think Mini tells the stuff when I'm not around, just because she doesn't like me.

"You should've been named Eclipse," I mewed to Raven. My remark seemed to of shocked her. I shrunk down. "Sorry," I whispered, looking away.

"No, no, it's fine. You're just random," She purred and I looked over at her. I only blinked in reply. "Why do you think that my name should be Eclipse?" Raven asked and I shrugged, "Your eyes are a nice purple, like the sky in the tales I hear from Froya and Sorrel." I whispered. 

Raven nodded, her eyes brightening up. "How come you don't talk much?" She whispered, getting closer. She smelt like the cave. After-all, she didn't like to be in the nest. Perhaps it was for the same reason as me.

I took a while to answer. 'Should I tell her?' I wondered.

Deciding what to do, I just shrugged. 

"You can tell me," She mewed and I shook my head. "I just... don't like to." I answered and with that, I seemed to scare her away. I looked up and she was beginning to pad away.

"Oh, okay, well I'm going to go and play, would you like to come?" Raven mewed, her tail up high.

I shook my head, looking to my paws and shuffling them. Without another word, she was gone. Her scent faded along with her presence and all over again, I felt alone.