The Rise of Venomstar

Chapter 9: Feeling Lost

The fog was thick that afternoon because of a morning's rain. It clouded everything, so that Venom failed to properly navigate the brambles and, as punishment, got thorns stuck in his pelt every now and again. And every now and again, he'd have to stop his travels just to detach them with precision.

Venom felt lonely and depressed, despite Snake being right behind him; not that he would know, considering the fog had swallowed up his littermate who was only two tail-lengths behind. And behind Snake was Cliff unfortunately, and Venom lamented having him come along.

Oak had went his own way, which was also unfortunate. The swift and smart tom could navigate the brambles like an expert, and with him leading, perhaps the three would not be pricked so often.
"Hungry," Cliff whined, his voice muffled by the fog, "We should hunt."
"We need to find a home first. Then Venom and I can hunt." Snake snapped.
"Venom and you? Why can't I come? What if you two get lost and never come back?"

Snake rolled his eyes, "We won't ever come back, because it's as foggy down here as the sky is with clouds. Just kidding-- we'll come back. And you can't hunt with us, because you need to stay behind and defend the base. Defend it, that's right. Don't move a muscle when we tell you to stay, okay?"
Venom was about to speak when Cliff suddenly interrupted him:

"Oh! If you're ever out hunting and meet my parents, tell them to join us! Please? Tell them their little old kit misses 'em." and Cliff grinned, uttering, "Please? Please? Please?" too many times for Venom to keep calm.

So Venom pushed through a tendril of thorns, letting the tendril fly back and, as Snake dodged, strike Cliff right in his chest. The young tom stopped for a moment to glare at his chest with large, sapphire eyes, full of contempt. He stopped to pluck each thorn from his pelt individually and, in seeing the two toms had not waited for him, rushed up to them yowling, "Ouch! Wait up, friends!"

Venom finally had it with the youngest tom's loudness and snapped, "Cliff, shut up for once. Especially about your parents-- they're dead. They're dirt now, and we're all orphans!" 
Venom pressed on through the brambles, uncaring of his own cruelty towards the young tom, and uncaring of what his whiny answer'll be.
Venom broke through into a small clearing with soft grass, and a log at one end.

"Haha, what do you mean they're dead? They're alive, and they're coming back." Cliff panted and laughed nervously, coming up beside Venom and Snake, and not caring enough to notice the new area they've just discovered.

Venom ignored Cliff and mewed optimistically, "This looks like a good home! Smells like blood though, but anything that proves there was a murder here has been washed by the rain," and he completely ignored Cliff's anxious huffing and puffing.

"They're not dead! Oh Snake, say it ain't so!"

"Venom, what's wrong with you? Why'd you have to say that?" Snake pushed his nose into his brother's flank, but Venom ignored them by holding his breath and his tongue, despite how much he wanted to yowl. Stupid Cliff. Doesn't he know he's no different?

"Yeah?" Cliff looked to Snake, "Say it's a lie! Please, please!" Snake stood silent, refusing to lie to his companion, and Cliff stomped his paw to demand an answer.

"It's no lie!" Venom blurted, "And who cares about me telling him!? He should know better! Anyone who is anyone would know that The Strong tears apart every last family they can! What's dead is dead, no one's safe, and there's no going back, okay!?" and he ignored them and continued padding on, disappearing from their view in the mist and forcing them to run to catch up with him.

Cliff hissed, "Then-- well--" and his voice was suddenly muffled, and nothing more came from his huge mouth.

Venom took to exploring the clearing in spite, and in silence. He was tired, he was hungry, and he was sick of being with Cliff and away from Rubble, and all he wanted was Violet and Ebony back.