The sound of pawsteps against the wet hard ground roused Tani from her sleep, the she-cat's pale blue irises slitting open just enough to see the large shadow just a few tail-lengths away.

"Wake up. He wants you in the Twoleg den. Now." The cat's rain soaked black and white pelt rippling, adding a snarl in his mew. Tani flicked her tail-tip, putting on a bold face. "If I'm needed, he can haul himself here on his own."

The tom wrinkled his snout, trying to contain his claws from reaching her throat. "It isn't my decision. I highly suggest you might want to keep that pretty pelt of yours. Go." Tani stretched her paws, being careful of the three furry bodies lying underneath her belly. She moved them to the small Twoleg den they'd been lying beside.

One of the kits groggily pressed their paw into her thick tail. "Momma…" Tani quickly turned around and licked the top of his head. "Rest now.. I will be back soon, I.. Promise."

The large tom led them through the dark corridors of Twolegplace, the starvation and bloody paths full of ragged and dehydrated cats. Tani felt her eyes land on a rogue tending to a cat leaking pools of crimson from their face.

"Stop." The tom raised his tail, halting Tani in her steps. The huge den was eerily quiet, with all of the cats sitting outside with their heads bowed. The tom brought his harsh green eyes to Tani and back at the den. "The peasant has arrived, leader Scourge."

A few moments after, a dark pelt slid out of the dim nest. The cat's small frame stiff, his shockingly frosty eyes focused on the she-cat. Tani pushed down a lump of fear in her throat, and smoothed her fur.

"Where are your kits?" Scourge's voice broke the tense silence. "They are your kits too." Tani grunted. Scourge let out a loud snort, lashing his tail back and forth. "No weaknesses shall be brought upon me. Now tell me, why waste our territory for lumps of fur?"

Tani wanted to wipe the smugness off her former mate's face, and dared to step forward. "There's more than just one corner of Twolegplace. You have plenty to go around."

"We don't reward lazy cats with free territory as they please, the strength numbers, the weak falls." Scourge hissed. Cats were gathering now, willing to see the quarrel.

"May I remind you your pledge? You broke that pledge, you and those brats!" His snarling increased. Tani flashed back to their meet, being impressed with the small tom's bravery and confidence. The image became blood-stained, claws meeting throat, teeth meeting tails.

"You said you cared. You said you believed in me. You said you'd be there for me." Tani's patience being wept away like a leaf in a flooding river. She flexed her claws, a growl building in her chest.

Scourge became muzzle to muzzle with her. "You deceived me. I hoped another coward would never dare step into BloodClan. My feelings for you are fake, you dare toy with my kindness?! You are the lowest, I am your dominant, that will never change." His harsh words hit her harder than any wound she had endured. He whipped his head to the black and white tom.

"Bone, do you know what happens to BloodClan traitors?" A sick smile appeared on his face, looking over to his deputy. "Indeed, leader Scourge." Bone nodded.

"All traitors get punishments. And I fairly believe this one is no exception." Scourge curled his tail over his paws. With a simple and straight mew, Scourge sent a ice cold shiver down Tani's spine.

"Bone, Brick, get rid of this filth before me." A ginger tom pushed through the crowd of cats, standing beside Bone. "No, Scourge please, I'm sorry!" Tani yowled as the two cats surrounded her. Unbeknownst to her, a small kit peered curiously peered around the corner.

"Sorry brings no food to these cats. You wasted your life, now… Goodbye."

The screams echoed throughout the alley, before ending in a pained gargle. The kit's eyes widened, the world slowing down as the thunder drowned the blood-curdling cry.

Hoo boy, I'm back from my very prolonged hiatus. The past year has been super hectic for me, and all writing motivation just burned out of me, so if anyone is still following me and my stories, I deeply apologize most of 2018 has been completely silent on my end. Anyway, this is a prologue to a new Warriors story I've thought up of. This is just to set up things, so I'll have something next that will initiate the present story. Anyway, I hopefully see you whenever I upload, have a nice weekend y'all.