The tribunal

My eyes finally met in the middle staring at the huge throne which now stood in front of me. 

A titanic creature sat upon the great golden throne. Its teeth stood like swords jutting out from its top and bottom jaws. Each tooth was no smaller than the swords which I had seen some of the older rats carry about as we made out way here. 

Its two front teeth stained a distinct yellow colour and they dropped out of its top jaw each one standing at a similar height to myself. 

Its eyes were not beady and darting but rather dominant and regal carefully and gently bouncing between each of us with an intelligence I had only seen in the wise-looking rat which inhabited the silver throne. 

However, these were not his defining characteristics. For his fur which shone a stunning hue not dissimilar to the rubies which hung upon his own golden throne. 

His bulky body stood nearly 3 metres tall and looked to be carved out of the stone itself. Its claws like razors lined each hand. 

Oddly enough unlike the other 4 he wore very little in the sense of clothing and armour wearing a mere loincloth to cover its genitals. A luxury I had yet to have been afforded however am quickly recognizing might need to become a priority. 

The great lord took his time gazing at each of us individually. During this time there was deathly silence going all the way up the chasm. Rats from all throughout the hole had gathered on the paths and bridges above to watch. Even the four others seemed to have one eye constantly trained on the lord. 

I watched as his gaze landed on each stained individually. Each time the young rat would seemingly cower and glare into the floor as if it was to blame for all that had troubled it. No rat would meet his cold gaze. 

Eventually, his gaze finally landed on me. A crushing pressure. I was the prey and he was the predator. It felt like two beacons had shined down on me exposing my weaknesses and fear. 

I wanted to run, to hide and never come back. Every natural part of my body screamed that this was not a predator I could tussle with.

However, I did not falter. I could not falter. To falter would be to fail. I do not fail.

I held it. 

With all my mind I held his gaze not daring to even blink. A stare from one rat to another. For a time the room felt completely empty. My mind was engrossed in the mental battle that had emerged. 

After an excruciating few seconds, he raised his gaze and continued going along the list. 

My breathing which had quickened stabilised. My heart rate which was beating through my chest calmed and the world reverted to its original sense. 

Then elation. I had won. I had held the bastard's gaze for as long as I could and I had won. 

My happiness however was quickly interrupted when the lord let out a bellowing heart-wrenching cackle that spiraled up the chasm. 

"Some interesting young ones this hexatide" he bellows between the chuckling. 

Slowly pushing down on the throne he got to his feet standing at his full height on his hind legs towering over the other rats. He opened his great maw and yelled

"Let the great Tribunal begin" 

A strange sound followed. From thousands of small voices above us. A moment I don't think I will ever quite be able to forget. Each rat had begun to chant. The word tribunal bounced around the canyon being repeated by thousands of voices above us. 

The great lord sat back down on the throne and reverted to observing each of us. As the yelling died down several rats began marching into the room through the passageway we came from originally. 

The rats donned heavy armour with long spears or halberds in their hands. They formed long lines leading from each side of the passageway up to the five thrones. A tiny rat sprinted in before stopping before the silver throne. 

Passing a small slip of paper to the elderly-looking rat before skittering back off the way it came. 

Slowly rising to its feet the elderly rat slowly hobbled in front of the great lord before taking a knee. He held this pose for a few seconds before turning around and unfolding the small piece of paper. Wasting no time at all he began reading in a booming voice.

"By the decree of the Rat King, under the ancient shadows of the Great Burrower, I call upon the most vile among you. Step forth, ye who are destined to wield the claws of our ancestors, to don the armour of our mighty forebears, and to uphold the honour of our clan. From this day forth, you shall become chosen..."

As he spoke four rats walked in holding a great rock basin above their heads. They struggled with the weight however eventually came to the centre of the five thrones and gently placed it on the floor before promptly retracing their steps. 

"Slice thy flesh and shed thy blood into the Basin. Proclaim thy loyalties and pick your master"

Once he had finished he gently rolled the paper back up and began to ponder back to his seat. Once he had retaken his seat one of the adults ushered the stained closest to the basin to go forth. 

The stained seemed reluctant however eventually relented under the pressure. It was one of the stained that had not yet piqued my interest. A female with matte black fur. 

With a distinct lack of confidence, she approached the basin. A long claw-like dagger lay within the basin. She picked up the dagger and admired it. The first weapon that she had ever picked up. 

After a short second, she turned the dagger on herself and made a gash in her arm. Blood gushed out and dribbled into the basin. 

"I proclaim my loyalties to the great lords of the Silver Fang clans" She said seemingly fighting back the pain from the obviously too-large cut she had made on herself. 

The chasm went silent for a second before the rat sitting on the black throne raised on of his weapons. 

No other tribunal member moved. After a few seconds, the rat on the black throne announced.

"Its has been decided thens you are to join the shadows" 

Loud screeches could be heard from above and after closer inspection, they all came from rats dressed in pitch-black rags. 

The female rat was ushered over by the rat on the black throne and stood to his side. 

A second stained was then prodded to move towards the basin. 

The tribunal was a claiming ground. It was to split the best of the new generation among the 4 major parts of the clan. 

The other stained looked excited at the prospect. This was where our bravery and fighting had gotten us. A direct pass into the direct service of one of the four great clan members.