The character focus in this story is a lilac-purple wolf named Venom. He is a sweet, caring wolf... or he used to be. He is carefree and playful, but can let his emotions get away with it too easily. If he gets really excited, he holds onto it for as long as he can. If he's happy, he cherishes the feeling. But when he's upset, depressed, angry, negative... It can take him down a dangerous turn.

"This feeling...

It's so strange.

I dunno why it came, but... it's there.

I think I remember it being called...

It's called...

Guilt.

Yes, guilt is the weird feeling.

Guilt is when you feel bad after doing something bad.

I feel bad about something...

But what?

What is there to be guilty about?

Ever since I joined Ultraviolet and his pack, I thought,

Things can finally be better than before...

What's past is past, right?

So why?

Why am I guilty?

I just want to turn over a new leaf.

To change.

To fix myself up and move on from my grief.

I thought joining a different pack would be great.

But there's that one memory still lingering in my brain.

The day I set the forest on fire...

The day...

I almost killed Firecracker.

He was like a brother to me.

And he did nothing to help with the long episode of disease that killed my family.

And look at me now.

Right now, my heart is torn into shreds that linger at the bottom of my soul.

I have no heart.

At least, no heart for kindness.

What would I need kindness for, anyway?

What good is kindness when all it does is let you become soft.

It makes you weak.

It makes you predictable.

Gullible...

You decide.

Would you rather make someone live a hard life and get you nothing out of it?

Or show kindness to a relentless killer...

And the next thing you'll find...

Will be your deathbed."

The sky was dark and gray, clouds obscuring the evening sun's light like smoke from a volcano. Perfect, a dull, lilac colored wolf thought, I'll show them all. I'll show them what happens when they neglect my family!

He raced through the oak forest floor in the humid air. It was definitely going to rain tonight. The wolf detected pack scent, and slowed down to a trot. He couldn't help but let the memories engulf his mind for a moment. Firecracker was like a brother to me. We always looked out for each other, and now he's pack leader, and he has the cutest daughter I've ever seen... He tried to hold back his stuttering breath as he felt the excruciating pain of grief. A voice growled in his head. Don't. Remember your mission! What's past is past. The wolf hesitated before growling along with the thought. Right. Firecracker deserves this. They all do. Firecracker wouldn't want to raise any foxes to have his oblivious thoughts running with them, would he?

He came to a small hollow and sat beside the edge. He waited, wondering when Firecracker would be out on his night hunt.

A few heartbeats later, the wolf heard scuffling noises from below. A small, russet colored fox with black muzzle cantered his way up the slope. His bright green eyes glinted in the near-darkness. The wolf caught his eye, startling him at first, but then greeting him with a nod. The fox replied the nod and padded over to sit down beside the purple wolf. "Good evening, Venom." The fox greeted.

"Hello, Firecracker," Venom replied stiffly. His oldest friend was sitting next to him, a friendly gaze followed its way into his own. He looked away, squashing down the grief slowly rising in his throat.

"You're hurting," Firecracker murmured, "I'm sorry to hear about your family."

"It's alright..." Venom muttered. He gazed at his giant paws. His blunt claws involuntarily dug into the grass until he had clawed at dirt. He growled as he felt his grief haze into anger. He let the haze play with his mind a little bit.

He felt fur brush against his shoulder. "Take it easy," Firecracker said gently, "I know what it is to love some people so much and then lose them."

Venom shook his head. "But that's just one animal you loved who died! I lost my entire family!" He whimpered. He shook himself out roughly. I have to remember my mission! "You don't know what it is, to be the only one left!"

"Listen to me, Venom. Why don't you stay with my pack for the night? You look tired." Firecracker said gently.

Venom finally focused. He stood up. "No, I'm fine. Let's go on a walk."

"Alright..."

Thunder rumbled from the sky way above. Dim light flashed through the dark hazy gray of night. Venom stopped walking as soon as he reached a patch of grass. He grinned as he saw the confused look of his best friend. "Why did you bring me all the way over here?" Firecracker asked.

Venom was silent for a few heartbeats before murmuring, "remember when we were only pups? We used to play around here every day."

Firecracker nodded, eyes clouded with nostalgia. Too bad it all has to end here, Venom thought, sarcastic. He stretched out a paw, raising it slowly, until he gripped Firecracker's back and flung him into a tree. Firecracker let out a startled shriek and grunt as he landed back on the grass. "What was that?" He growled.

Venom smirked, then let out a cliche evil laugh. "You were never there for me..." He snarled.

Firecracker's eyes widened. "W-wha?! I don't understand!"

Venom licked his fangs, readying an attack as he drew closer to the ginger fox. "Don't you get it? The kindness inside of you has made you grow older. Soft, weak, gullible, and lazy. You decided to do nothing and let my family die instead of joining together to fight off the sickness!" He roared.

Firecracker's ears flattened. Good boy... "Venom... don't let your emotions control you. You need to be who you were meant to be, not what your emotions make you. You have to be strong." He whimpered in concern. What emotions? WHAT IS THERE TO CONTROL ME!? Venom leaped for Firecracker, digging his claws into his shoulders and tackling him down. He threw him off again, slamming him head first into a tree. Firecracker barked in pain, but then retaliated, spinning around on one paw to leap back and bite at his ear, then leap back, then pin him down.

"Venom... why?" Firecracker asked. Venom could feel his paws tremble. He grinned. "Trust me, this is for your own good. You'll owe me thanks once you find your way to the Ancestry," He growled.

Firecracker planted a paw on Venom's neck, making it hard for him to breathe. Though struggling for air, Venom smirked as he saw the pained look in Firecrackers' eyes. Perfect! PERFECT! With a choking bark, he kicked at Firecracker's chest, sending him stumbling back. Venom drew air back into his lungs, and let the dizzying adrenaline consume him.

He lashed out at Firecracker, tackling him down and biting his scruff while clawing at his ears. He jumped out of the way as Firecracker replied with an outstretched paw. Venom attacked again, seething anger and thrilling excitement not even containable anymore. He blocked a flying kick from Firecracker, but wasn't quick enough to react to the flurry of light scratches that bore down his neck. Oh, wow! He actually tried to kill me! Well, I won't tolerate that! Venom glared at his old friend.

"You idiot! What was that for!? You wouldn't kill your best friend, would ya?" He pretended to whimper. Firecracker was out of breath. "Y-you need to learn a lesson. You can't let your emotions slow you down and take you down the wrong path. You need to clear your head."

Like that's gonna WORK! IT'S YOUR FAULT MY PARENTS AND LITTERMATES ARE ALL DEAD! Venom let the boiling rage in his stomach grow into a blaze. He felt a light shock shoot up his face, and his right eye glowed a purple aura. His cliche evil laughing grew into insane caterwauls. "I'VE LEARNED MY LESSON ALREADY! YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT I'VE LEARNED! KINDNESS WILL GET YOU NOWHERE!! YOU ACTUALLY THINK IT'S SO AWESOME TO MAKE FRIENDS AND BACK OUT OF THE FIGHT WITH THOSE WHO WANT TO HURT YOUR FAMILY! WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT?! MY PARENTS HAVE DONE NOTHING TO HARM YOU, AND HERE YOU ARE, OBLIVIOUS THAT I MIGHT JUST BECOME THE GRIEF-STRICKEN LUNATIC I WAS MEANT TO BE!!! AND YOU KNOW HOW I GOT LIKE THIS!? KINDNESS."

Clouds rolled overhead, turning into a crow-black as they blended with the dark twilight sky. Flashes of electric light shone from the giant puffs of water vapor. It was definitely going to rain.

"Fire... It's a great element! Definitely if you want to roast your friend and eat him for your dinner! Well, guess what? I can control weather! Rain to quench flames, Wind to blow them out, and Sun and Lightning, five times hotter than the flames that you control!" Venom rumbled. Firecracker pinned his ears back. "Venom, if you are going to cooperate like a pup, then I suggest you come with me. It's been a rough night of unnecessary fighting," he said, a slight growl edged his tone.

Venom shook his head. "No. I won't, because you can't tell me what to do! I'm all alone now; no family to boss me around, no siblings to play with; I can do whatever I want!"

Thunder crackled around the two canines, dangerously close to the grass. Venom snarled once more. A thunderstorm came raining down from above. Firecracker barked in fright as he was cornered against a tree by the 'shocking' attack. Venom stiffly stalked closer to the fox, his hatred throbbed through him like he were being tased repeatedly by his incredible powers. Through the blinding and deafening streaks of lightning, he could see Firecracker close his eyes. He looked surprisingly calm. Is he giving up? Please tell me he is!

Nope.

Fire exploded around Firecracker, pushing away the lightning bolts and making Venom's heart jump in surprise. The small ginger fox was now a fiery red with paws, ears, and tail tinted with a light green. His eyes were a glowing lime color.

Venom tried to strike at Firecracker, but with Firecracker's sudden boost of agility, it was right next to impossible to do so. He tried striking again with lightning. Firecracker leaped out of the way.

Zap!

Wait, what? Oh... oh, OH!

The smell of smoke rose from the grass. The ground began to feel warm. The tiny green blades began to glow a light orange.

Oh, crap! I gotta get out of here soon!

Just one more thing...

Firecracker's bright colors faded, and he looked around, eyes widening as the fire grew larger. He began to turn tail and gallop away, but Venom was quick to keep him from getting away. He leaped for the fox and pinned him down by the head.

"Hey, buddy," Venom sneered, "ever wondered why my name is Venom? Before I was born, I heard rumors of snakes with a terrible poison. My mother was bitten by one. She wasn't badly harmed, but that venom made its way into me. And guess what?"

"No..." Firecracker mumbled through gritted teeth.

"I've always wondered what happens when I use that Venom...?"

Wait! Venom's thoughts cried out, is this really what I want to do? Get revenge on something that goes away in a matter of days? Venom hesitated. Firecracker's been my best friend my entire life! He fought to keep his eyes from tearing up. He was so kind to me before he became pack leader... He struggled to control his sobs. I have to do this! This is what the Alpha sent me to do, and I'll do it!

Venom bit into Firecracker's scruff, then let the venom in his fangs seep into his fur. I hope to never see you for as long as I live! He thought. Then, the fox went limp. He was still alive, though he would probably be dead in moments.

Quickly, Venom left Firecracker where he was, and rushed out to the outskirts of the woods.

Making out quickly, he stopped and sat down, coughing to get the taste of smoke out of his lungs. He looked back, watching as the forest that he once called home was engulfed in flames. With each heartbeat, he felt his heart shatter. No family, no home, no friends...

Letting the grief fry his brain one more time, he half-howled, half-caterwauled into the night.

8 Feral Years later...

Venom felt the searing pain of fire and tooth strike him straight in the neck. He felt a light pop in his veins, and he froze. "No!" He whimpered. "It can't be true..." Flare, the red fox, the cute little daughter of Firecracker, had been turned into an elite fighter and the Beta of the Pack of Icy Mountains. Ultraviolet sent me out to kill the Alpha and Beta! This isn't what he had planned to happen! She should be dead by now!

Venom collapsed as his legs went numb and buckled beneath him. But he kept his gaze steady as he stared at Flare. Flare stood tall in front of him, her bright green gaze just like that of Firecracker's. She raised a paw, but then stopped as Venom choked out, "wait..."

Flare hesitated before unsheathing her outstretched paw even further. "Why would I wait for you?" She cried, "you killed my father and my entire pack! And why? To stroke that big evil ego of yours!"

She's smart, Venom could barely think to himself, But she's got it all wrong...

"No..." Venom began, struggling to raise his head, "that wasn't why!" He found the strength to look at the teenage cub. She resembled so much of Firecracker. Grief tore at Venom's already shredded heart, but he forced himself to face her. Flare looked surprised by his grief.

"I killed off your pack because..." Venom choked as blood bubbled at his lips, "because I wanted things to be fair for everyone."

Flare snarled in fury, but she didn't let go of her surprise. "By killing off my entire family with one paw behind your back? You call that 'fair?'"

Venom shook his head. "Y-you don't understand..." He gurgled.

"I lost my entire family before you did... and to kill off your pack, I thought it would make things fair for Firecracker..." He let out a cough. He let his head droop. He was too weak to move. He struggled to breathe. "...to tell the truth... killing everyone was hard enough, but..." he gasped, "to watch the woods burn, and to know that you lived to witness the pain... that was the worst I've ever felt... I was so grief-stricken, I didn't know what I would do next, then blame it on your father..." He smirked weakly, "he was really kind to me. He helped me out through many struggles... I can see the same kindness in you, Flare..." He closed his eyes for a few seconds, then opened them again, seeing sparks flick around him.

Flare nodded solemnly. "Firecracker's dead, Venom. You killed him, right?

Venom gritted his bloodstained teeth. "No..." he whimpered, "I... I didn't. I tried to, but... no..." The world began to blur around him.

"Hey..." He mumbled, his words barely a whisper through the blood loss and weakness, "before I die..."

Flare stiffened at his words.

"...I just wanted to tell you... Firecracker's still out there somewhere... he's still alive... he may not remember you, but..." He hacked out a choking cough, "tell him I sent you..." Darkness pressed around him. Everything was silent. But he heard these tiny, whispery voices calling to him... Let go... It is time to end your suffering... once and for all...

Venom decided to give up the fight. But before he let his life slip away from his body, he murmured...

"...g-go get 'im, Tiger..."

Flare was gone.