When I was young, I faintly remembered my mother telling me so many stories beside the crackling fire in our Twoleg's nest, my brothers somewhere, probably playing, but I liked to listen to her stories of before she became a kittypet, when she lived in the Twolegplace, when she was just like myself in present time. She told me stories, because she knew that just like her, I was a wandering spirit. That I refused to remain as a kittypet for long, for I was already itching to get out and make a name for myself at just three moons old.

But I remember her telling me of the feral cats in the Twolegplace, and giving me as much advice as she could before I made the daring escape to flee my choking collar and the posh life as a kittypet. She would force me to sit there and listen to her beside the fire, looking me straight in the eye and telling me as much information as to how I would get around, how I would find food, and how I would expect other cats to act.

"The world out there isn't all sunshine and rainbows." My mother would tell me sternly. "It is a very mean nasty place and it will beat you down to the floor and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it's not how hard you hit; it's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward." She leaned her pretty silver tortoiseshell face into mine, her emerald green eyes serious.

"These cats out there, they will try to knock you down, and keep you down. You cannot let them. Move forward, be the better cat, be the smarter and stronger cat. That is what is most important in life in the Twolegplace." She finished, earning wide-eyed stares and rapid nods from me as I listened as carefully and attentively as I could, determined to succeed in my to-be life as a feral cat.

A smile and purr broke out on her face as she wrapped her tail around me, nuzzling my black and orange head before calling out to my brothers. They all suddenly came running, all four of them squealing in excitement as they knocked their kin over in the rush to reach our mother first, causing her to laugh at them as they finally all landed in a heap in front of us.

All four silver and grey tom-kits blinked up at her, fixing their gazes on our mother, who pulled them towards her until all five of us were nestled into the curve of her stomach, with me laying my behind on one brother's back and my paws on another, since there wasn't very much space with all of us crowded together.

"Listen here, all of you." Our mother said, her voice suddenly turning mysterious, since she was about to tell us one of her nightly stories of her life in the wild, one of the best memories I would ever have.

But sadly, I had to clear that memory from my focus as I had reached my targets' territory.

Getting into there was easy. But the rest of my plan… that was to be determined. Though I had a feeling getting noticed would be easy enough once I released my identity, if they didn't know it already, which I highly doubted. My only problem was whether the attention would be to or for my cause. Would I pose as too big a threat? Would he think I was not worth the effort to bring into his ragtag gang of strays? I immediately pushed the latter thought away, I could not afford to think like that now.

But now I padded through the alleyways, watching as small groups of cats fought over scraps of Twoleg trash like their lives depended on it. Come to think of it, they probably did. In Bloodclan, there was no room for weakness. If you couldn't eat, no one would help you. You were always on your own from the moment you left your mother. That was how they ran things here, and that was how I was to act.

But staring at these cats, watching them scarf down food before anyone could steal from them, fight to protect themselves, scent the iron tang of blood from wounds that would probably heal badly since there was no way to treat them, I felt sorrow for these cats, though I didn't know why. I wasn't going to help them, no, not ever. I couldn't help them. No one in the Twolegplace could be saved, no matter how much Rat hoped. No matter how his gaze gave me the slightest glimmer that I could help these cats.

Because, the truth was, I was just as bad as them, no matter how hard I tried to deny it; the fact always came into light. And I loathed the fact that it did. I told others and myself that I was different. I claimed to have honor, but I really didn't. I upheld my agreements and deals, yes. But a good, honorable cat would have actually tried to help others, give them the food I had earned for myself, or even denied some deals if the cat I was to punish was actually innocent or in the right.

Too bad I'm way too selfish for that. I thought, my eyes narrowing as I tore my gaze from the cats around and sped down the alley, heading towards the dumpster under which Scourge liked to rest. Cats watched me as I went along, and I fought to keep my neck fur flat under their gazes. I really hated being stared down by so many cats, since I met with my business partners in private in small groups, letting them bring no more than two other cats. But I guess I would have to get used to it if I was to live in Bloodclan.

"Stop right there!" A voice called out, and I paused in my steps, turning to look at the tuxedo pelt of Bone himself as the larger tom stalked over to me, followed a bit more slowly by another ginger-furred tom who I didn't recognize, which meant he wasn't as big around here as Scourge and his "deputy" were. But that didn't mean his amber gaze was any less challenging, or that his claws didn't slide out to threaten me.

I turned my gaze from the ginger tom contemptuously, instead looking at the bigger threat, my turquoise eyes narrowing slightly before I sat down, hoping to calm them a bit. There was no need to get them riled and see me as more of a threat than needed, especially if it stumped me from getting close to Scourge.

I flicked my ears to show my slight annoyance, but kept my gaze and stance as calm as ever when they approached, waiting for one of them to address me. But inwardly, I fought off the excitement of a possible battle, fighting the urge to slide out my claws and bristle my fur to appear larger. But just stating my name got a twinge of fear from the average cat, and that was what I needed to work with, not appearances.

"What are you doing here? Don't fools like you know-" the ginger tom began, but he suddenly fell quiet as Bone stepped up to me, looking down at me and studying my every feature, a growl rumbling in his throat as recognition dawned in his eyes.

"Shard… What brings a cowardly cat like you here?" Bone said, bristling his tuxedo pelt as he glared down at me, earning only a smirk as I looked up at him in satisfaction. So he did know me, and he recognized me. Getting a name in this dump would be far easier than I thought it would be.

I blinked up at him innocently, not remembering how he would know me or if we ever met. "Well, Bone." I said, my voice ringing out calmly as I stood and began to twirl about him, but he remained unmoving. "I don't know how you do, but it is an honor to know that the cat who goes right beneath Scourge himself knows me."

With my good looks, seeing as I tried to keep myself in good condition, any tom normally fell for me, as I could be very manipulative. But Bone remained there, standing stiffly and his face indifferent. Somehow, this tom and I had too much of a past if my charm wasn't working on him. And by "past" I meant "problems."

Bone snarled, his fur bristling as he thrust his muzzle right into mine, causing me to unconsciously take a step back before regaining my composure and lifting my muzzle to glare right back up at him. "I expected a coward like you to not remember." He snarled at me. "But you don't deserve to be here after what you did. You left us to starve when that dog took over the food stash. Back when you first started your rancid business, we came to you, asking you for help!

"But you denied us, no matter how much we offered you." He went on, his voice growing angrier and his green gaze filled with fire. "If it wasn't for Scourge, we never would have been able to get that food back. You were too much of a coward back then, and I can tell you still are now."

The memory suddenly fell into place, the pieces all coming together as I looked at the ginger tom behind him, who was also remembering the story, his gaze growing angrier with his words. Brick. That was his name. They both had approached me one day a long time ago, before Bloodclan was made, before Scourge ruled over the Twolegplace. They offered me food in exchange for fighting off that dog. I had gotten one good look at it from the roof, turned, and fled, snarling at those two to get someone who didn't care for their lives.

Unfortunately, I had been young and full of life, full of that live life to its fullest and not die stupidly, but had been foolish in the sense that I had been what started the small black tom's reign over all the cats. If I had taken down that dog, if Scourge never was able to prove his bragging rights that he was a dog killer, maybe the cats of this place would be slightly better.

Inwardly, I clawed myself for thinking that way, then turned to look at the two toms. "Ah, now I remember. But can you really blame me for being a small kit that still wanted to live her life to the fullest and not die in the jaws of a filthy mutt? Besides, it's the same with you two. Relying on two small kits to take out a dog. Especially since you're so large compared to him." I said, smirking at the rising fury on his face as I insulted Bone, ignoring Brick since he was no threat or on my list of cats to kill. "Well, whatever. You still got it pretty good, so to speak, seeing as you now do all the dirty work your leader would rather not do."

"Oh that's it, girl, let's go!" Bone suddenly snarled at me, the insults fully getting to him as he lunged at me, his large size supposed to squash me down so he could injure me any way he could. But, he landed on concrete as I slid out of the way, raking my back claws across the side of his pelt just as he landed. Spinning, I barely dodged an attack from Brick on my back, before I was met with the two facing me. Their claws unsheathed and muzzles bared in a snarl, they stepped forward menacingly in hopes to scare me.

I would have laughed at their attempt to fight me, had I not been in a predicament I really didn't want to happen. Or, at least not happen quite yet. I needed to gain their trust, join their straggly gang of followers, and kill Scourge and Bone anonymously. Then, I planned on earning my reward and enjoying a full moon of not having to search for my meals.

Too bad they were already advancing on me, or else I wouldn't have to fight them and possibly kill Bone a little earlier than scheduled. But I doubted that they would listen to me if I talked them out of trying to kill me in their brutish anger. So, maybe I could get another bonus for killing Brick too? That'd make my job more interesting. I'd definitely have to speak to Rat about that when I felt the time was right to sneak out at night and meet with him without being tailed.

Before they could attack, I stopped thinking and lunged at them, slamming into Bone and taking out the burly tom first. I had always learned to get rid of the bigger threat, and seeing how the tuxedo tom was the biggest danger of the two, Brick would be fairly easy to deal with.

Without hesitation, I swung at the ginger tom, digging my teeth into one of his legs and shoving him into Bone, who was about to stand, straining to push his heavier weight, my teeth scoring into his paw as he slipped from my grasp and landed in an ungraceful heap on top of his friend. Blood spilled down from their wounds, yet I remained unharmed. Those two relied too much on the fact that they were larger and more powerful than I, instead of thinking critically on how they could use me against myself, like I had done to them, using their own sources of power against them.

"You two can't beat me, never could, never will. Just admit it and allow me through. All I wish to do is join your group." I said, using the time I had while they untangled themselves to reason with them, even if it was in futile as they just snarled at me in answer, their eyes glowing with pain and anger, even a bit of shame at being beaten so easily by me.

"She's right." A voice suddenly rang out, its iciness freezing my bones, and I could see it was the same for the two cloudbrains that tried to fight me. Slowly turning my head, I was met by the cold blue gaze of Scourge himself as he looked over me in a mix of cruel curiosity, probably thinking of how he could either kill me or use my skills in battle for his own uses.

Honestly, I opted for the former option.

Going back to my earlier memory of my mother giving me advice, I had never understood it well, even when I had thought I did, I was wrong. But now, staring at these three toms, two of which wanted very badly to kill me, or knock me down into my place, and the one who most likely did too, I finally understood what she had meant when she told me what she did.

But, I had heeded the little I did understand about holding myself up and standing tall, making my way through it. And in her name, I would do it again over and over until my goals were completed.

So, I turned and gazed Scourge straight in the eye, mustering up all the calm I had in my body, easing my stance into one that meant I was ready to fight, with my claws unsheathed and shoulders slightly rigid, but I sat down and gave an earsplitting yawn to try to show him I wasn't scared.

Then, I was suddenly slammed into by a tuxedo pelt, blinking up to see Bone staring down at me, his claws digging into my shoulders and his immense weight pinning me to the grainy pebbles and sharp rocks that dug into my back, which, unlike my paws, was not calloused and prepared for the piercing it gave, feeling them cut into my skin painfully.

I fell limp, knowing an old trick an acquaintance taught me. A malicious grin fell on Bone's face, and he leaned down to sink his teeth into my throat in hopes of killing me. But as he did, he eased his weight and gave me room to gather my legs underneath him and slam them into his stomach with as much force as I could, sending him flying off of me before I quickly stood, arching my back and hissing at him.

The tom quickly stood from where he had slid a few good tail-lengths, turning to face me, blooding coming off of the both of us and sliding down our pelts. I expected him to lunge at me, but I got the good kick in my throat of surprise as Scourge himself stepped between us, blocking us from attacking each other. But, instead of facing me, the bigger threat, he turned his back on me and spoke to the larger tom.

"That is enough, Bone." He said icily to him, unsheathing his reinforced claws. "You have tried, and failed, to kill her multiple times over. Let that be enough, and get back to your duties." He threw a look over his shoulder at me, his light blue orbs reflecting brightly in the sunlight. "Besides, Bloodclan could use a cat like her. Someone who could fight and reinforce my laws- an asset."

I had to fight from scoffing, curling my muzzle in the slightest as soon as his gaze was back to his "deputy," of sorts. He had sweetened his words. He wanted another Bone. Another cat to do his dirty work for him, someone who would rather dirty their paws for his own sadistic pleasures.

Too bad for me, I probably had to actually do that for him if I needed to gain his trust.

Bone hesitated for a moment, turning his head wildly between Scourge and I, with me giving him a condescending look. "Go listen to your little leader, he wants me alive. Deal with it." I wanted to say that so badly, to shove it in his face that the cat he was trying to protect from me was basically protecting me from him.

But after a moment, he gave me a glare of rage before flicking his tail irritably and stalking away and out of sight, with Scourge and I watching the receding forms of him and Brick, who followed after him, until they turned the corner and went out of eyesight, leaving the two of us alone, for any cats who had been nearby fled at the sight of us fighting, too scared to get involved.

"So, you wish to join?" Scourge finally asked, pulling my gaze back to his small black form, which had turned to face me, and now he was sitting, cleaning his face calmly, not in the least threatened by me.

"I would, if you'll have me." I said, trying to sound slightly excited, no matter how much I knew I would regret this choice later on in it. Hopefully, the ends would justify the means. "My name is Shard, you may or may not have heard of me."

If he was thinking, or had actually heard of me, the black tom never let it show, only flicking his ear once when his paw grazed it while licking his paw and cleaning one spot that was hard to reach, waiting a few minutes to speak. But he sounded bored with the conversation. "I've heard rumors of you, a hired fighter, right? You kill or hurt others in exchange for a length of prey, is this correct?"

I only gave a nod, seeing as I had to match some level of calm if I needed to get a decent impression on him. But my claws itched nervously, seeing that this tom knew quite a bit about me. Would he suspect I had come to kill him? Or maybe kill one of his lackeys? I guess if he did, I would kill him here and now.

"So what is a cat like you trying to join Bloodclan?" He asked. "Here, you have to get your own food, and not rely on others. You will have to hurt others with no reward of free food, unless cats want to give you gifts, which I sincerely doubt would happen."

"Because I realized there is more than being a killer for hire, that I have more potential than that. I can survive without the aid of others; I'm better than the cat I was when I was hired to kill. If I need to kill, I'd rather it be on my own terms, like if they stole my food stash."

Great, I sounded like one of them already. Already, I became more disgusted with myself than when I had started, because we all have that tiny little bit of self-loathing, whether it is irrational or not. Sadly, is pretty rational, as it is with plenty of cats in the Twolegplace.

"Well, Shard." Scourge said, turning away from me and beginning to stalk to the end of the alley, where the Twoleg trash was, also where he rested. "A cat like you is of use to me, and if you can abide by my laws, you will do fine in Bloodclan."

With that, he walked away without another word, whatever little fascination of me he held was gone, and I was left alone in the alley in my new clan's territory. I sat down, looking up at the light blue sky above the Twoleg nest rooftops.

"I can't believe I got myself in a mess like this." I muttered to myself before pulling myself to my paws and looking at the drying blood on my back, knowing I would probably have to deal with the cuts and get the blood off.

Really, the confrontation had gone slightly as expected, except that I didn't think Bone would attack me. Then again, I had caused a rivalry between us when I denied his offer to drive off the dog all those moons ago. I also didn't expect Scourge to stop the fight and defend me like that.

Well, I thought; I've slowly begun my plan and am holding my end of the deal. Now, what matters is earning their trust and rising up in the ranks. Which means I have to become a lackey to him. He's probably looking for a killer like him, which I guess I am. So, I need to get the two to notice me and know I am driven to the same cause as them- whatever it is.

But for now, I needed to eat and rest. After that fight, and since I hadn't eaten the night before, I needed to get something in my stomach. Then, I would stay away from them for a little bit, to not look too eager, before trying to get their attention and begin maneuvering my way up to the top.

First chapter in! Yay! We meet Brick, Bone, and Scourge! And apparently Brick, Bone, and Shard have a history, huh? That'll for sure cause problems in the future... maybe? Who knows? Except me, of course! And yay! We also learn a bit of Shard's past with story time, which I might actually do more in later chapters if the need occurs.

Did anyone notice the Rocky Balboa quote towards the very beginning, adapted a little to my favor? Comment/review if you noticed!

Also, I would like to point out early in the story something very important: This is not a happy story. I am not sad, and later you might think that my dog just died or something, causing me to write sad books like this. But I am perfectly happy in life right now! Everything is absolutely fantastic! As you may have noted in the prologue, this story is heavily influenced by Jessica Jones. And her story is not something you would call happy. So I just want to warn you that this is the complete opposite of sunshine and rainbows. This story is literally about life itself for those who've got it rough and things just don't look up for them.

'Sides, if you are looking for a happier story, go to my Genesis Project book, which I am working on alongside Shard of Hope.