The warm blood still dripped down my harsh prickly white fur. The bleak metallic taste permeates my taste buds. It tasted good. Really good.
Something deep inside my primitive brain exploded. I understood the ravenous nature of the male rats. This hunger for blood appeared a sustaining issue within our population. Even I felt almost overcome by the hunger.
However, I had more important issues to attend to. As the blood began to dry and sink into my fur which had turned a crimson colour I watched the male rats finish their final killings before slinking back the way they came.
They moved in an elegant almost regal manner as if relishing in the dominance and fear they had caused within us younglings.
On careful inspection, I realised I was not the only young rat to have been given a baptism in blood. Several other rats had either followed in my footsteps or they themselves found the bravery to stand up against the larger males.
Surveying the brood I noticed around a fifth of the rats had been culled. With around 40 of the rats including myself receiving the bloody shower. These rats two appeared to be looking out across the younglings. They too must have felt the intoxicating hunger for both blood and for their newfound power amongst the younger rats.
out of the 40 only 4 caught my eye.
The first was a hulking black rat nearly twice the size of his similarly black siblings he now appeared to be boasting to and showing off his bloody fur. His naturally arrogant nature made him appear to be stupid or dense in comparison to the other blood stained who were still surveying the competition that had emerged.
However, a small gleam in his eye showed a different side. He had instead of looking for competition which he had all day to do he had instead began consolidating his power.
Similarly, the other three rats who first took my eye were doing the same thing.
One a small brown rat had begun bickering amongst his siblings and the rats around him.
Another large but not quite as large as the first rat had begun pushing around and snarling at his siblings who in turn appeared to become almost subservient to him.
Finally, a tiny white rat who if not for her bravery almost definitely would have died in the culling appeared to be rallying the other smaller rats to herself.
After my quick observations, I followed these 4 in turn and looked around at the rats who had gathered around me. Almost 30 small rats now seemed to look towards me.
Almost indiscernible from a normal rat apart from our increased size we still all walked upon our four legs, unlike the adults who had performed the culling. Out of the 30 rats, around 13 or so were my siblings and shared my white fur colour.
Observing the other stained of which many had followed suit and began to assert dominance over their followers. All bar the first 4 used fear tactics to quell any rebellion among the rats that had surrounded them.
However, if there is one thing the culling taught me is that fear does not breed loyalty. Fear breeds rebellion. Each and every stained is an example of rebellion against a being who used fear.
Instead, I took a more nuanced role.
standing on my four legs I slowly yet gently rose. Mirroring the adults who had culled us just moments ago I rose splitting my hind legs in order to increase my stability. After 10 seconds I had risen all the way onto my hind legs. Now standing almost a foot taller than the rats around me.
This way of moving felt instantly more comfortable and natural in comparison to the rudimentary four-legged crawl I was doing before. Looking down on the rats I went through each rat and named them.
Starting with the two strongest in my troop a fat-looking brown rat and a rather tall black rat both of which had joined from other families.
Pointing to the fat brown rat I murmured "I names yous Splinter"
Before quickly pointing to the tall black rat "And yous are sniffer"
I followed around all the rats giving each equally as uninspired names.
the last one was a small brown rat of which I gave the fitting and somewhat boring name of 'rat'.
One of these stains around me gave me an odd look as if to question my motives behind naming the subservient rats.
I admit it may seem odd but names are an important matter. I wanted these rats to trust me as their leader not fear me as a tyrant. For a tyrant get his bowls ripped out by his subordinate's teeth.
Standing tall within the circle of the now-named rats I knew that this gesture of a naming ceremony would not be enough to ensure complete loyalty. I must prove myself as the leader.
Looking around I met the gaze of an adjacent stained who had a smaller horde of around 16 rats around him. I held his gaze before letting a loud snarl rip through my teeth. We rats respect few things. Honour and love are not among them. Death and power are.
The other rat looked hesitant. Although he appeared larger than me I still stood a foot taller than him due to walking on my hind legs. Furthermore, my front legs now turned arms posed a much greater threat.
However, a challenge was not something he could turn down. For the once loyal rats around him began to waver after seeing his hesitation. He finally met my gaze and responded to the challenge with a snarl of his own.
I began walking towards him brandishing my two front teeth and the claws which stuck out on my two arms.
The rats from the hordes formed a circle around us as we both eyed our opponent down releasing the occasional snarl.
This was an important fight for both of us as well as our first fight.
Whoever one established dominance over their hordes and also gained the hordes of the other.
It took a long drawn-out minute before either of us moved. Finally, my opponent lunged forward trying to bite my leg and bring me down. sliding backwards I adopted an attacking stance as I too lunged forward aiming to mount the rat on its back. It did not succeed as the other stained had already moved back defensively however in the attempt to grab it one of my claws opened a gash across its back.
We both slinked back reluctant to make the next move. However, I could no longer waste time with silly rat politics. I lunged forward and bent my legs before propelling myself upwards before slamming down onto the back of the rat.
Now mounted on top of him he was defenceless. He attempted to mirror my style and push me off by also rising to his hind legs however this was an attempt which had come far to late. Maybe if he had made this move prior to our fight he may have stood a greater chance.
I bore down on him with both tooth and claw.
My teeth dug into his skull reaching his mushy brain matter.
My claws dug into the sides of his head fingering his eyes causing them to smush into a paste.
A flurry of scratches disfigured his face as the last gurgled squeaks emptied from his jaws.
However, I did not stop. Instead, I continued ripping through his neck with my teeth.
Finally, I stopped and rose to my feet still standing atop the dead corpse. I raised one of my arms to reveal the horrifically maimed head of the other rat.
Holding it out for my horde which had now raised to a number of around 45. They stared up in admiration mixed with at tinge of fear.
Perfect.
This was the reaction I had wanted. Both fear and admiration along with the almost parental approach i had taken with the naming ceremony bred a sense of loyalty amongst my horde.
Furthermore, the other stained seemed to gaze in my direction. They recognized my prowess. This should prevent fights with some of the stronger stained. I watched as many of the other larger stained began to follow in my stead. Eyeing down each other as death circles sprung up around the room.
The large black rat I had seen before gazed at a similarly large brown rat and charged at it pushing up to his hind legs halfway through the charge. Now sprinting on his two legs he barreled down onto the brown rat. Clobbering it with his fists. blood and brain matter splattered out of its head as it lay twitching.
However, some had taken different approaches the small white rat i had seen earlier had rallied her larger horde which consisted of many of the smaller dregs which had been abandoned by the other hordes.
She charged another small horde overwhelming them with numbers. The stained put up a fight against them but eventually was overwhelmed and devoured.
The small brown rat and the other large black rat followed suit with me and challenged another stained ultimately succeeding.
The once 40 stained had dropped to almost 20 in just a few minutes. However, we all looked reluctant to initiate new fights.
Now all that stood were the larger and more ferocious of the stained. It was too large a risk to lose both your horde and your life.
A stalemate had ensued.