The Rule Of BloodClan- Book 1

Chapter 14

Scourge was dozing in main camp. Mudclaw was going through the trials and he had been waiting for him to come here with Venom so Scourge could notch his ear. Eventually the bushes rustled and the two came over. Scourge leaped down and a circle of his vicious cats started to close around them. Mudclaw looked confused, almost worried. Scourge was going to give him the mark, then he would be a true BloodClan cat. His fur was wet and unclean from all the trials. Scourge lifted his one white paw and unsheathed his long dog reinforced claws and quick as lightning, he slashed them over Mudclaw's ear, feeling his ear skin tearing. Mudclaw yowled in pain and unsheathed his claws too, then lunged at him. He must think this trial is a battle. 

"Stop. The trial is over", Scourge growled. Mudclaw looked even more confused. His ear was bleeding and scarlet red trickled down his cheek until dripping rhythmically onto the ground. 

"You now have the mark of a BloodClan warrior. You are almost one of us", he announced. Venom and a few others barged around Mudclaw and led him away. Scourge licked the blood off his paws it's sour tang washing over his tongue.  Scourge relished this taste. He padded away casually and jumped onto a large boulder and stared over the marshes. Suddenly he saw something. Cats! About ten cats were streaming towards his camp! Rouges! Scourge raced back to camp. 

"Attack coming from the west swamps!" Scourge yowled. Every cat, except for guards all got up and burst out of camp toward the swamp. It was about thirty to ten. They would win. He saw the rouges more clearly now. Scourge was in the lead and signalled his clan to a halt. The two groups both stood there and glared at each other. The leader of the rouge group was a well muscled grey tom with razor sharp claws. He narrowed his eyes. His claws were reinforced! 

"Who are you?" Scourge hissed. 

"You might have known me as Dagger. The one you sent on that patrol? The patrol to never return unless they have that Goldenflower? Well guess what Scourge? We don't care! Four of these patrols you have sent out including many passing rouges have joined together. We are KillClan and we will have your cats! We will rule this territory!" he snarled. Scourge smiled widely. He started to laugh. He laughed for a while. It echoed across the marsh. 

"I'm glad of this clan. You have proven to me how stupid you cats really are thinking you can defeat me! I'm happy to be able to clear out the fools", he sneered. Dagger hissed. 

"BloodClan shall fall!" he yowled. Suddenly he remembered his dream. The one where Firestar had attacked him. He had said those exact words. Surely that didn't mean anything though? Just a strange dream.. He noticed Dagger whispering to a slim white and grey tom. 

"We will spare you this time Scourge, but we will return, and we will defeat you!" he spat before running away through the reeds. 

"Spare us? I should be saying that, but that would be inaccurate because", Scourge started to race after him ," I'm not sparing you!" he growled maliciously. He leaped onto Daggers back but was surprised by his strength as he shoved him off. 

"Back away Scourge, you don't know what your in for!" yet even as he said this he resumed his running. Scourge sighed. He wouldn't waste his energy.  Turning away he headed back. He wouldn't let them think they had the upper hand though. He came up to a few of his best cats. 

"Go. Kill Dagger. If you fail, you can come back with a punishment", Scourge hissed. They all nodded and raced after the group obediently. Scourge sighed and padded back to camp. He wished he'd shredded that Dagger to pieces now! Hissing, he leaped onto a flat rock and rested his head grouchily on his paws. He spotted Brick approaching.

"Scourge?" she looked excited. 

"Yes?" Scourge tried to look happy. 

"I have something to tell you.." she looked nervous and joyful at the same time. Scourge sighed and sat up. 

"What is it?" Scourge asked again. 

"I'm.. I'm pregnant", she told him, her meow more of a squeak. Scourge froze. 

"R...really?" he stammered. Brick nodded. Scourge was lost for words. 

"How long have you known this?" Scourge asked. 

"I've known it for about three sunrises", she told him. 

"When do you think they'll come?" 

"It usually takes around two moons"  

"How many do you think you'll have?" 

"No idea" 

"Will you be ok?" Scourge was bombarding her with questions. She swished her tail over his mouth and touched her nose to his. 

"I'll be fine", she reassured, her warm scent washing over his tongue.  Scourge licked her muzzle. 

"I'm so excited.  Have you came up with any names?" Scourge asked her. 

"No. We can name them together when they're born", Brick told him, smiling. This was the first time in a long time Scourge had actually felt a positive emotion. Not the lust for killing, not anger, not frustration. It wasn't even happiness. It was something else. A warm feeling. He was feeling.. love? He almost felt his evil fade slightly when he looked at Brick. No. That was ridiculous. Scourge shook his head. 

"Well that's really good", he blinked ," Err.. but I have some things to do.." he told her. Brick sighed. 

"Ok Scourge", she smiled ," I'll see you soon" Scourge smiled. He smiled. Not a malicious smile. Not a victorious smile. A happy smile! What was happening to him? He had an idea. He needed to get out of this state. If he stayed like this he might become soft like Firestar was or the clan prisoners. He went out the territory. He had picked up cat scent here and decided to follow it. Eventually he spotted a grey tom, sniffing a bush. A loner. Scourge could see his nest in a bush. He was going to kill this loner. It would get him back into his right mood. Fast as lightning, Scourge suddenly pounced on the cat. It gasped and then screeched as Scourge's claws ripped through its fur. He used his favourite move. He tore right through the tom, starting at the belly, up to the throat. He tore him wide open. The tom made a gasping, choking noise then the colour in its eyes faded. Scourge had no idea who this cat even was. He had killed it for no purpose and he had killed it painfully. Yep! He was back to normal. Grinning he kicked the dead body into the open and went over to its paw. He pulled a claw from it and blood pooled where he pulled it out. He stuck the cat claw into his collar then he left, back to camp. He thought about what had happened with KillClan. They posed no threat at the moment but Scourge would clear them out eventually. For now all he wanted to do was lick the blood from his paws and have a good sleep...