Rose watched as SunShadow brought his bloodied claws up to his face and slowly dragged his tongue across them, licking Pike's blood off. She shivered.
After his claws were clean, he clambered atop a rock. "My first order as chief is that you take this bloody excuse of a cat and throw him out of the village. I would like two volunteers!"
There were gasps from the villagers. No one volunteered.
"If no one shall volunteer, then more animals will die! Starting with you!" He snarled, pointing his claw at Bramble.
Rose's heart seemed to stop. "You can't kill my father!" She yelled.
SunShadow narrowed his eyes at her. "What makes you think I can't!? I could have very well killed your excuse of a leader, but I spared his miserable life!" He growled.
Bramble looked at her hopelessly. She shut her eyes tight and quivered for a moment before opening them once more. "I shall.... dispose.... of Pike....." she mumbled regretfully.
The crowd was silent as they all widened their eyes at her. SunShadow grinned evilly. "Good girl. It seems that you really love your daddy after all," He chuckled. "but we still need one more volunteer."
Blizzard stepped up. "I will volunteer," he grumbled.
"Very good. Then go take him away," SunShadow ordered cooly.
Rose and Blizzard regretfully walked up to Pike's almost motionless body. They both nodded at each other before grabbing his limbs and lifting him up. They both began to walk toward the village entrance.
"For my next order, all of you shall dispose of your weapons. We only fight with what we were gifted with." Rose heard SunShadow say.
They both walked out of the village and awkwardly sat him down a little bit away from the entrance. Rose was about to return to the village before she felt Blizzard's talon on her shoulder. She turned around in shock of how cold it was.
"Alright Rose. We have to get that tyrant out," he growled softly. "any ideas?"
She shook her head no. He frowned.
There were pawsteps heard at the entrance and Blizzard and Rose both whipped around in anticipation of SunShadow. It turned out to be Forest. She carried a satchel.
"Why do you two look like you're ready to go slay a dragon? It's just me. I brought medical supplies for Pike," she said, pointing to her satchel.
"Good," Blizzard grumbled. "he could use it."
The two knelt down beside Pike and Rose joined them.
"Rose," Forest mewed. "could you prop his head up? It would really help me out."
She nodded and held his head up slightly. Forest opened the satchel and pulled out some gauze. She wiped the blood from his lip and chest and spat on a piece of gauze to clean the dirt from his body. She then wrapped his scratched chest in gauze. "We could really use some ice to cool his bruises, but I think we could do without."
Blizzard looked at her and rolled his eyes. He then stuck his talon on Pike's chest. "My scales are ice-cold; remember?" He grumbled, like it was obvious.
She smiled at him. "Could you put your other talon on the back of his head? I guarantee there's a bruise there too."
He rolled his eyes again. "How about my tail?"
"As long as you don't scratch him with your spikes," she warned.
He muttered something and stuck his tail on the back of Pike's head. Rose shivered as it touched her leg a bit.
"Now we just have to wait for him to wake," Forest meowed.
A few minutes later, Pike's blue eyes fluttered open and he looked confused. "Rose? Blizzard? Forest? What happened?"
"You fought with SunShadow and lost. He's chief of the village now," Forest explained softly.
How eyes hardened with anger and he sat up fast. "Why that mangy—"
Forest gently pushed him back down. "Calm yourself. You're in no condition to fight."
Pike growled in frustration. "But my village...."
"Saving the village can wait. Right now we need a plan," Blizzard growled.
"We could put him to sleep," Forest suggested.
"How will that get them to leave!?" Blizzard growled. "That'll just make him temporarily sleep. He'll wake up eventually. The only thing that will work and leave his gang vulnerable is if we poison him."
Forest's eyes widened in shock. "Blizzard! Sure he may be evil, but I don't think—"
"Oh shut up!" He interrupted. "You want him gone right?" She nodded. "Well, this is the only surefire way to make sure he's gone and stays gone!"
"Hey Forest. I think Blizzard is right. He is older and wiser than us," Rose chimed in.
Blizzard frowned. "I'm not THAT old..." he grumbled. "I didn't witness the creation of the world and the start of time...."
"But you were around when Terrath was young. That was a LOOOOOONG time ago," Rose chuckled.
His gaze hardened. He was silent for a moment. "Well... I.... you....... hmph.... that doesn't mean anything....."
"Anyways. Where are we going to get this poison in the first place? We don't have a poison shop anymore," Forest said.
Blizzard shook his head. "That's where you're wrong. Madame Twilight is still alive. My shop is her old shop. I don't know where she went, but I know she's still alive. Nothing can kill that old hag."
"How will we find her then?" Forest asked.
"I'm not sure," Blizzard replied. "but I'm sure we'll find a way. How about we ask your grandmother Waterfall? She's as old as I am I think. Maybe older." He looked at Rose.
"I think we'll find her when she's putting her weapon on the pile, but we better be quick about it before SunShadow suspects anything."