Warriors: Bloodshed

Chapter 3

Many many days passed since Small was knocked unconscious from Duke and Princess's attack. She felt more hollow than usual, her mother Nutmeg didn't believe her anymore when she was hurt, being blamed by Duke and Princess that she hurt them, and Rusty had went to live with the wildcats of the forest. She wished she had gone with him instead of living here with the family that doesn't even care for her now. "Nutmeg?" Small called as the tortoiseshell queen passed, she pricked her ears by the sound of her name and turned to her daughter. "Can I go-" Small spoke but Nutmeg let out a hiss. "Shh! Quiet! Duke and Princess are sleeping!" She hissed with a lash of her tail, turned her back, and padded over to them. What am I doing wrong?... Small said in her head as emotion swirled through her soul. Nutmeg cuddled in with her two kits, she slept with them in the bed and wrapped her tail around them. Small let out a hiss of fury. "Fine!" She dashed past Nutmeg, Duke, and Princess, they lifted their heads but she didn't look back, she went straight for the door to the garden. "Small!" Nutmeg's yowl sounded but Small didn't hear it as she burst into the garden, she went to the fence and scrambled up it before pelting over to the other side and into the woods. She pelted through the forest, only her paws knew where they were taking her, she felt twigs slap her face, brambles tug at her pelt, and rocks barely touching her fur as she sped by. Small didn't know where she was going, she just knew to run. Tears streamed from her face as she raced through the undergrowth then she tripped over a fallen trees branch. She squealed at the pain, she started to tumble down a hill and she felt small rocks pierce her back and she fought the urge to screech in agony. She finally slid to a stop as she stumbled into a sandy clearing, trees folded around the hollow and bushes surrounded the edges of the clearing. Small rose to her paws and shook her head, the bell on her red collar rung as she struggled to get her vision straight. But before it did, she saw a blurry dark brown shape leaped for her, she didn't know if Duke found her so she squealed, the tabby cat instantly knocked her to the ground and pinned her down. Small felt pain in her shoulders as she regained her sight and winced as she saw a massive dark brown tabby pinning her down to the sandy earth, her forest green eyes were full of fear as she stared at him and flattened her ears. "Hey! Tigerclaw!" A voice hissed, the tom didn't turn away from her, she wriggled beneath him. "So, you chose to go and live back with your Twolegs, hmm, Firepaw?" The tom sneered as he bared his teeth and lashed his tail. "What? Who's Firepaw?" Small didn't understand this cat, she was confused by what he said. Then she got it. Is this a wildcat?! Fear rose from her stomach as she stared into his furious amber eyes, his dark brown tabby fur was bristled and his ears were pinned against his broad head. "Tigerclaw, enough!" The voice hissed again, more furious. "What?" The massive tom growled as he turned his head back to the other cat. "She is of no threat, let her get to her paws." Another voice sounded, more calm and wise. Small looked down and saw a large golden tom with a mane around his neck, a pale gray she-cat, and a small dusky brown she-cat. "Get off of her." The dusky brown she-cat growled, her fur rising. "Shut up Mousefur." The tom hissed threateningly as he lashed his tail. I have to get away from this cat! Small told herself as she unsheathed her claws and slashed the tom pinning her, he sprang back by the sudden attack with a hiss of fury. She sprang to her paws and let out a hiss as the dark brown tabby tom snarled at her then leaped with long claws glinting black in the light. Small didn't have to me to react and was hit, pain surged through her as she heard distant yowling as she hit the ground and felt herself go limp for a moment. "Tigerclaw!" She saw the pale gray she-cat hit the massive tom away, he skidded to a halt but didn't lash out, he just snorted and hissed with anger. "Kit, are you okay?" The golden tom said as he approached but the dusky brown she-cat grabbed her scruff and dashed away. Small saw the forest move around her as she looked back to see the golden tom and the pale gray she-cat following. Tigerclaw was no where to be seen. "Willowpelt, go and get Spottedleaf." The dusky brown she-cat meowed through Small's fur as the pale gray she-cat nodded and sped past them as the golden tom spoke. "Are you sure Tigerclaw won't be mad about you saving the kit that attacked him?" He wondered, although the question sounded dumb, he had a hint of worriedness and wisdom. "If Tigerclaw lays one whisker me or this kit, then I'll make sure he'll regret it." Mousefur hissed through her scruff as she felt dizzy and weak, the same feeling of blood went through her as she felt her stomach was sliced, not to make it so it was open but she felt weaker than ever. No wonder Nutmeg tells us to stay away from the forest... Small said in her mind as she was dangling from the cat's jaws as they came to a halt. She heard gasps of sourness and worriedness. "Another kittypet!" She heard one of them yowl with a hiss. "Throw it out and let it die! We don't need its Twolegs to come and discover our camp!" Another cat spat as she swung from Mousefur's jaws, before she knew it, she was lying in a soft nest, she didn't know what it was. Small lay there, her green eyes dull, her flame-colored fur scarred and bloody, and red collar ripped; she winced at the pain as she felt a sting in her stomach. "Stay still, you'll be fine." A soft voice sounded as the cat applied some bitter-smelling stuff on her wounds, she squealed but the tortoiseshell she-cat soothed her with her soft tail. "Can I go out?" Small mewed after a nap from her recovery, she still didn't know where she was and yet, she felt as if it was home. "Fine, but don't bounce around." Spottedleaf meowed. She had asked the she-cat what her name was and she responded as Spottedleaf, she seemed nice and polite. Small padded out of the den, she pushed past the ferns that hung from the top of the den and entered the clearing. Small felt pride and excitement swell in her as her eyes sparkled as she saw the large clearing, the cats in it lifted their heads as she trotted over to the center of the clearing. "What's the kittypet still doing here?" A cat hissed as she lowered her head and her ears, she felt her scars along her right eye burn as she gazed at the cats looking at her with cold eyes, some looked at her like that but some didn't. "Small!" A familiar voice sounded and a scent hit her nose, she spun around and what she saw was astonishing. "Rusty!" The flame-colored tom ran over to her with fear and happiness filling his forest green eyes, she squealed as she nuzzled him and he did the same. "This is the one I was telling you about Firepaw." A white tom with wise yellow eyes meowed as he approached them, his shoulders were broad and thick with muscles, Small noticed it and wondered if this cat would attack her like what Tigerclaw did. "This is my sister, Small." Firepaw mewed to the white cat, his ears pricked with excitement at the sight of his little sister. So that's who Tigerclaw was talking about, I guess Rusty got a new name when he joined the Clans... Small guessed as she looked at the larger tom and his behind his older brother. "Don't worry little one, my name's Whitestorm. Nice to meet you." The cat meowed in a soft and polite voice as he sat beside Firepaw. "Hi." Small mewed to Whitestorm and a warm feeling rose from the depths of her stomach. He's nicer than Tigerclaw. She turned to her brother. "Is this where you went Rusty?-I mean Firepaw." Small squeaked as she licked his nose and giggled a bit. "Yes, this is ThunderClan's camp. I live here now." Firepaw nodded as he turned his head around to point to the camp clearing, a gray tom with big yellow eyes came up to the group, along with a small black cat with a white chest, tail tip, and amber eyes, two others with a dark brown tabby pelt and a pale ginger cat followed. "These are my friends." Firepaw pointed to each one in turn as she smiled at them and pricked her ears. "Graypaw, Ravenpaw, Dustpaw, and Sandpaw." Her brother meowed but Dustpaw frightened her, she stepped back and flattened her ears, letting out a hiss of defense. "You look like Tigerclaw." Small growled as she gazed at the tom, he seemed similar to the massive tom except Tigerclaw had a scar over his muzzle, broader shoulders, a broader head, and a missing part of one of his ears which is in a "V" shape. "Tigerclaw? How do you know him?" Graypaw interrupted as he shoved his face into her's, she backed away as he had a smile on his face, he backed off and giggled a bit. "I already told you, Tigerclaw attacked this kit for no good reason." A familiar voice said with a hiss of irritation. Small recognized Mousefur, the cat that had saved her from Tigerclaw's attack earlier. "Mousefur, you know as well as I do that Tigerclaw is a loyal warrior. He will never attack a harmless kit." A new voice behind her made Small jump as she turned in midair and saw a blue-gray she-cat with piercing blue eyes, silver hair tinged on her muzzle, and an ugly scar across her shoulders. "That's Bluestar, she's leader of ThunderClan." Firepaw told her as she turned to him in surprise, they seemed to be like twins as they were close together. Bluestar examined them, sniffing her. "This is your sister, Firepaw?" She meowed calmly as she drew back and lifted her head. He nodded. "You look exactly like Firepaw, Small." Bluestar turned her piercing gaze to her as she held it and didn't flinch for an odd reason. "Brave too." A new voice snarled as Small turned to see the cat she feared the most, Tigerclaw was stomping over with a dark look in his eyes and his claws digging into the earth of the camp. "Stay away from this kit." Mousefur growled as she stepped closer, Firepaw moved in front of his sister and flattened his ears. "Move aside kittypet, this is between me and this other kittypet of yours." Tigerclaw hissed to Firepaw as he shoved the apprentice away, Small sprung to her brother's defense, she sprang in front of Firepaw and stood nose to nose with Tigerclaw. "Enough Tigerclaw." Bluestar warned with a flick of her tail, her whiskers twitched. "Let me deal with this kittypet." The dark brown tabby tom growled as he lashed his tail. "I said-" Bluestar continued but Small interrupted her. "No, I can handle myself." She meowed firmly without one glance at the Clan leader, her eyes locked with Tigerclaw's as she unsheathed her claws and felt power surge through her. "Fine." Bluestar growled softly as she drew back, Whitestorm followed as Graypaw and the other apprentice stepped back, Firepaw sat closer by beside Mousefur, the rest of the Clan watched. I see she has the same fire as Firepaw when he fought Longtail, but I don't see enough fire, I see, more darkness... Bluestar thought to herself as she watched closely. Small backed up while Tigerclaw leaped instantly, she predicted his movement and dashed straight under and while he was still in the air, she leaped onto him, locking her claws into his long fur. Small clung to his spine as he spun around to snap at her, he then rolled and she was left lying in the earth, she felt her wounds start to burn but she weakly rose to her paws and faced Tigerclaw with blazing green eyes. "This was your biggest mistake you'll ever make, weak kittypet." He dared to say as she felt darkness and rage surge through her blood and enter her muscles and claws. "This is the biggest mistake you'll ever make!" Small lunged for him and felt her claws score across his flank and she bit his hind leg and dug her claws into his flesh. He hissed in pain before whipping back around and smacked his claws across her and sent her flying, she landed and pounced once more, fury rising deep in her mind and heart. Tigerclaw dashed away and Small missed her target but she quickly flipped back around to face him and the moment she landed, she used her muscles and lunged back forward with twice the force of her first miss as she hit her mark. "Ack!" Tigerclaw hissed as he lashed out at her, his long claws whiskers away from her fur. Small  was focused on his movement of his tail to see his claws, Tigerclaw landed a strong hit on her, she was his with his claws on her left throat and went sliding across the camp clearing. "Small!" Firepaw gasped as he stepped closer to the fight, he growled, fur bristling. "Leave her alone!" He snarled as he stepped even closer, Graypaw and Mousefur stood beside him, the flame-colored apprentice glanced a look at his leader, his green eyes pleading and fierce. Bluestar saw his glance and she nodded before yowling. "Stop, Tigerclaw." Bluestar ordered but the warrior didn't stop his launch of attacks, he raked through Small's fur and had a small smirk on his face, Small yowled in agony as Bluestar darted forward and Spottedleaf burst from the medicine cat's den, her amber eyes wide and her tortoiseshell fur spiked. "I said enough Tigerclaw!" Bluestar snarled as she shoved him away from the bleeding kit, Spottedleaf instantly darted over and started applying herbs. "Go and cool off. Now." The Clan leader hissed, her eyes pierced through him and they locked gazes for a second before the massive dark brown tabby tom snorted in disgust then padded out of camp, Longtail and Darkstripe followed him. Bluestar sighed and let her fur lie flat as she turned around to Small's writhed body with Spottedleaf and Firepaw. The young apprentice was licking his sister's head frantically. "Don't worry Small. Spottedleaf will fix you right up." He tried to reassure his sister as she opened her eyes, they were bright with fear. "This is exactly like what happened many moons ago." Bluestar interrupted as she let out an angry sigh, her whiskers twitched. "What do you mean?" Ravenpaw replied nervously as if he had just heard about a scary story. "Many moons ago, when I was still deputy of ThunderClan, Tigerclaw had attacked a harmless kittypet in our territory. His mentor Thistleclaw had told him that Tigerclaw would attack the kit, as practice." Bluestar meowed as she turned to Small and Firepaw, Firepaw didn't lift his head from his sister's gaze. "He almost killed the poor thing, and Tigerclaw made sure that the kittypet had never forgotten him ever again. I was so furious, as well as Sunstar." She nodded to Whitestorm and Lionheart as she turned to Firepaw and tilted her head. "Young Firepaw, I want you to bring your sister back to your home. She has suffered enough already. I do not want to have this kit suffer another wound." Bluestar mewed softly as he stepped away from his sister and looked at the ground. "No! I'm never going back there!" Small yowled before springing to her paws and pelting out of the camp like a frightened mouse, Firepaw yowled after her. "Small!" Small pelted through the forest and away from ThunderClan's camp, she ran the opposite way of the camp entrance and from the Twolegplaces. Blood still stained her pelt as she dashed between trees, leaped over rocks, and dodged bramble bushes, she tore through the forest as she then approached a Twoleg road, or Thunderpath to the Clans. She blindly crossed it and managed to nearly escape a monster that roared straight at her, she darted to the other side and pelted through the marsh of ShadowClan's territory. She saw more cats, they tensed and they started to hiss as she kept running near them, one of them, a huge white tom with jet-black paws sprang at her with claws and teeth bared. "Kittypet!" The large white cat snarled as she sidestepped and kept running without looking back, her forest green eyes bright with fear and pain as she pelted away from the wildcats. "After her!" She heard a rush of pawsteps behind her which told her that the ShadowClan cats were chasing her as she felt the blood pound in her ears. Small sniffed the air and smelled the wretched scent of ShadowClan cats and once she heard a loud noise, she felt the scent of the forest cats fade, she must've passed their scent line. Small kept going, she didn't know where but she didn't want to stop running, she knew that the cats out here are more cruel than the wildcats of the forest and that someone like her would never survive here. She slowed to a pace then noticed it started raining, her red collar was torn and the part that held her bell was missing. I'll make sure he'll regret ever causing me pain... Small promised in her head as she spit something out of her mouth, it was a black claw, one of Tigerclaw's claws. She knew that if she had a collar, she would be regarded as a weak kittypet that ran away, she grabbed Tigerclaw's claw and tried to slice the collar. Small held the claw in her mouth and she pushed the sharp claw in the collar but it didn't do her any good. She  let go of the claw and noticed it had gotten stuck into her collar, she hissed with frustration but she went to a puddle of water and gazed down into it, she looked better with the claw in the collar, she smirked evilly as she turned away from the puddle and saw a brick wall. She had heard about the brick walls that some Twolegs would build around their nests, she went to it and thought for a moment before rising on her hind legs and placed her paws to the wall, she unsheathed her claws and started dragging them down the brick wall, sharpening them with every stroke. "Hey!" A voice sounded from the darkness of the alley, she turned her sharp green eyes at the cat, she could just barely see him, a small black cat with icy blue eyes that were fiercer than Bluestar's, he stepped into the dim light as the sun went down. "What do you want?" Small growled as she kept sharpening them. "You seem nice.. He said coolly as he approached her, she cast a warning glare at him, he stopped but didn't flinch. "What do you mean 'nice'?" She hissed as she lashed her tail and dug her claws deeper into the brick wall, soon there were deep claw marks. "What I mean is that you seem like a good cat for my Clan." He smirked as his ear flicked, his tail swished behind him. "I don't wanna be part of ShadowClan, WindClan, or RiverClan." Small snarled as she turned and faced him, she was a bit smaller than him but she could fight like a fox, she stood nose to nose with him, they're dark eyes reflected each other's as the cat meowed. "I'm not talking about any of those Clans, I'm talking about my Clan, BloodClan." He meowed which made Small prick her ears at the sound of the name, she liked the name but she didn't look away from his icy blue eyes. "Fine. Do you have a deputy?" Small hissed as the black cat glanced away then pointed behind him with his tail. "Bone is my deputy." As he spoke, a huge black-and-white tom that stood almost five times Small's height, she didn't flinch as she glared at him. "What's your name?" Small asked the black tom as he licked a paw with reinforced dog claws. "Scourge. I used to be a kittypet like you until those filthy wildcats attacked me, I used to be Tiny." The BloodClan leader meowed with a snort, Bone just glowered down at her, she let out a hiss to warn him to stay away from her, he jerked back and a smirk appeared on his face. "She would be a good addition to BloodClan." Bone meowed in a deep voice as he swept his tail over his paws, Scourge spoke. "What's your's?" Scourge asked Small as she gazed back at him, her eyes were darker but he denied the thought of it. "Small, I was just attacked by ThunderClan cats as you can see." Small flicked her tail to her chest and belly which were covered in fresh blood. "You can call me Savage though." Small growled as Scourge noticed the large scars on her face. "These are from my brother and sister." She meowed, not loosening her gaze at Scourge as he stared at the wound. "I see. Well, we should tell the rest about your joining. Follow me, Savage." The black tom led the way into the darkness of the alleyway, dusk had passed and nightfall was upon them, she followed but Bone stood behind her as if she was a prisoner. Small snapped at him and he flinched back but almost hidden as he padded forward to walk beside his leader. Small felt strong, she felt as if she could kill Tigerclaw now, she had felt this kind of power before, when Nutmeg, Duke, and Princess had rejected her. I'm Savage now. No one can stop me now... A evil smirk was encarved on her face as her forest green eyes reflected nothing but blood-thirsty and the coldest darkness.