"Just keep moving forward and don't listen to or care for what anyone else thinks." My mother had once said on the day I had been about to make my escape when my twoleg owner accidentally left an opening in the window big enough for me to squeeze my way out at my young age of three moons. "But do whatever you have to do, for you." She finished, licking me between the ears.
At first, I'd been devastated that I was to leave my mother, and could see what was left of the dwindling numbers of my brothers, as one day, twolegs came and took multiple of them, leaving two to stare after me in sadness, since I too, was going to leave. But I could see in their faces the pain was even sharper than when the others left unwillingly. But I wanted to leave. And that really made matters worse for those I would be leaving behind.
But I let out a sigh, giving my remaining family a small smile before turning and pulling myself through the hole, wincing in pain as it scratched the top of my back and the textured ground hurting my paws. But I finally scrabbled through, only to glance back and see my mother staring at me, her expression full of sorrow and pride.
"Thank you so much." I had whispered, knowing fully well she couldn't hear me. With that, I turned away and leapt down into the tiny, running and gathering momentum until I reached the brick fence that separated me from the outside world known as the Twolegplace. I gathered my strength, aiming for a slightly smaller portion of the wall where it had broken and bricks had tumbled down.
Using them as steps, I leapt up, my paws barely grabbing at the top before I clawed myself to the top of the wall; my whole belly scratched and paws aching from dragging my body onto the rough surface. Yet, as I gazed at the Twolegplace for the first time, my jaw dropping in wonder as Monsters passed through streets, sounds that I had barely been able to hear in the enclosed nest rang in my ears, and the sunlight shone down below. All together, that whole new world had seemed so welcoming to me.
Yet, now as I stared around the Twolegplace, the territory that Scourge ruled over, I yearned for my younger days of sleeping in my mother's comforting presence, playing with my brothers, and even letting the twoleg owner of mine pet and play with me.
On second thought, I shivered at the notion of being a kittypet. I would be living a posh and fattening life, being pampered by a twoleg and given disgusting pellets that dried my throat, and gross water that tasted only slightly better than the water I drank now. It was only slightly more desirable than being a feral cat in this place.
I shook off my thoughts, eyes narrowing as I leapt up onto the roof of a twoleg den and watched the sun rise, a sigh exhaling from my mouth as I lay down, laying on my paws and enjoying the serene moment.
Days had passed since I joined Bloodclan, and at first, I strayed away from making too much attention. Brick and Bone followed me at times, making sure I didn't do anything that would give them a right to kill me without being severely punished, at times I drove other cats from my food pile when they tried to fight me for it, quickly earning a dangerous profile and causing them to stay away from me.
Other high profile cats seemed to like me, at least. Two of Scourge's lackeys, Ice and Snake, two toms who seemed to be fighting to gain his favor both seemed to enjoy my presence, at times coming and bringing their food to eat with me, and looked on with approval when I didn't go easy on a cat when they tried to steal my food from me.
"You certainly learn fast." Snake had complimented me, with Ice nodding in agreement. And I knew I had won over their trust. I also once tailed the latter brother, who also had an underbite, and trailed him to Scourge, where he was reporting all of my deeds to the small black tom, who had looked slightly impressed.
A smile touched my muzzle as I now gazed at the sun, but it was not one of happiness, or maliciousness, but one of satisfaction. I had cats vouching for me, gained some of my target's interest, and would, without a doubt, rank up soon. Which meant that today was the day I would finally act and do something to gain his full attention and interest, to really show him what I am capable of.
Once I had waited long enough to when the time came for most cats to begin foraging for food, I leapt from the roof and began wandering the territory in search of a powerful cat to challenge and take their food from. No cat except the one being stolen from would try to stop me, and in this place it was everyone for his or her self. Which meant I could do whatever I wanted.
I entered into the alley where Scourge normally liked to rest and watch over his cats, also where others tended to eat and find food, since twolegs liked to dump their trash in that area. Already, I saw cats scattered around, eating scraps of food and one or two even had a rat.
There! I thought, seeing a giant, muscled grey she-cat with black spots along her body trying to eat as much of a box of chicken as she could, glancing around with slight fear, but more of caution so she could be ready if anyone like myself challenged her and tried to steal her food. Best part was, she was right in Scourge's line of view. Her muscles rippled as she moved, wolfing down her food, and no cat dared approach her.
Well, no cat except me, of course. I wandered towards her, stepping silently and calmly, my petite body especially tiny compared to hers. This cat could be described as a monster by cats around Scourge's and my size.
Easily, I kicked the box away from her reach with a paw before she could spot me. The suddenness of it all sent her reeling back, but she quickly regained her stance, turning her violet eyes on me, which narrowed in anger, before contempt when she got a good look at me.
"Stupid brat." She snarled, stepping forward threateningly. Heads turned to face the commotion, and I glanced up to see Scourge's icy gaze fixed on the two of us, before turning my gaze back to my opponent. "You think you're so great?" She asked; "I've seen you strutting around here like you own the place. Well, you don't. And it's about time someone put you in your place."
At the challenge, a contemptuous smirk came on my face before I could stop it, only fueling her anger even more. " What a coincidence!" I said. "I was going to say the same exact thing. Strange, isn't it?" Her face twisted into rage and she lunged at me, hoping to use her burly strength against me.
Too bad for her, almost when she was upon me, I stepped out of the way and kicked her legs out of place. She fell chest and face first into the concrete, uttering a loud "oof!" of surprise on impact. I calmly stepped back, allowing room for her to stand. She was already heaving for breath, while I hadn't even broken into a sweat yet.
But the brutish she-cat wasn't done yet as she snarled, baring her fangs and running at me, catching me off guard when I had expected her to try to pounce, instead slamming into my body and throwing me into a brick wall that outlined the alley.
Pain shot up my whole body, and my shoulder ached terribly, but I had to win this. I couldn't take many more hits or grow any weaker. I would not let her get another hit on me. With a snarl of anger, I ran at her, my long tortoiseshell paws slapping on the ground before I slid down below her paws, making it to the other side safely and slamming into her back paws before she could round on me, breaking her balance and causing her to fall on her side.
I rested a paw on her back and leaned forward to her head. "Get out of here. I won. You cannot beat me. And shouldn't try anymore, if you want this place to get any chance of being slightly better." I whispered in her ear, which flicked once as my breath hit it. After a moment to let that sink in, I stepped off of her, watching as she slowly pulled herself to her paws and turned to give me a glare so full of hatred and embarrassment that I had beat her, that if looks could kill, I would have died ten times over.
Then, she turned tail and ran, her paws skimming over the ground before she disappeared around and corner and into the street, leaving cats gazing after her with wide eyes and jaws open in surprise. Except for cat…
I turned my head to see Scourge watching me, his eyes narrowed into blue slits, and I could see interest and slight fascination hidden in those depths. I raised my chin almost defiantly, my stare catching his. We stood like this for a long time, holding the others gaze before he finally turned his head away, as if admitting defeat to our silent battle. The second one I had won in a day, and the third I won in this whole mission I had so far.
A smirk fell on my muzzle before I turned and walked up to the half eaten box of chicken, settling easily in front of it and stretching out my head, slowly eating the twoleg scraps right in front of everyone, making sure I took my time. I doubted anyone else would try to fight me, or steal from me, for that matter. I had done nothing but prove my worth to the rest of them before I had begun working on the more important cats.
I felt their stares on my back, but ignored it and just enjoyed my stolen meal, resting for the first time since I had joined this rag-tag gang of feral cats. They knew their place underneath me, and I knew that some of them were actually loyal to Rat's cause, and they most likely knew of my place in Scourge's to-be downfall. Now they knew that I could most likely handle this job.
Which meant I had more than just Scourge's interest, a free meal, and an aching body from when the grey she-cat hit me into the wall; I now had supporters on the same side as me.
I glanced back, seeing their stares of admiration, respect, and hint of fear in their gazes as they all stared after me. Then they noticed I was watching and quickly went on their ways, either looking away, leaving my field of vision, or trying to hide their stares a little better. Too bad for them that they weren't very good at hiding at all.
Soft pawsteps faintly sounded behind me, and I turned my gaze back to my food, knowing fully well who it was, and fighting the urge to tense up and get ready to fight, instead relaxing my muscles to look more at ease than I actually felt.
"You're different than others, aren't you?" His voice asked, and I actually stopped eating and lifted my head to gaze up at Scourge, who had sat beside me, wrapping his tail around his small body and giving me a curious look. Not one of darkness, or as icy and bitter as some described his eyes. The black-furred leader of Bloodclan actually looked fascinated with me.
"You go from living an easier life than the one you had as a hired killer, to one where cats have to fight to survive and live in fear that someone will steal any mouthful of food you can get, even if you don't live like that, there was always the possibility you would." He went on. "You go from secretly helping the older cats-" I winced slightly at that. I had done it only once or twice, and that was because I just couldn't stand to see the sorry tom's ribs sticking out of his snow-white pelt. "-to fighting against odds for only a half-eaten box of chicken, when you may have been able to find a better meal by searching twoleg trash.
"You also want to join my clan, and follow any law I have set, yet I see you looking up at me with little to no fear at all, instead you are defiant. Yet you are doing the same thing I do, you're simply surviving and using others for you to live in a place like this. I can tell you don't fear me, or respect me at all. You are nothing like anyone else I have ever seen or met before."
Honestly, that caught me off guard, and my eyes widened as I swung my head to face him before I could get my features under control. But I was able to clench my teeth before my jaw dropped before quickly hiding my surprise, yet it still pricked my pelt and sent bolts of lightning through my whole body.
"How do you know all this?" I asked him; glad to know my voice wasn't as hoarse and dry as it felt. "Have you been watching me?" Yes, I was surprised that he was interested in me. But I had better and more informational questions to ask.
"I have eyes and ears everywhere." Scourge responded calmly. "I know everything, I know of every kit that is born, where cats go for the best twoleg trash, who fears me, who is in awe of me," he paused, looking pointedly at me, "and who feels none of the above towards me and my cats."
"I was raised to respect others if they deserve it." I said slowly and carefully. "I have heard rumors of you, many of them awe-inspiring, or able to put fear into the hearts of others. But, I only believe what I see. And so far, I haven't seen anything worthwhile to give you my respect."
Suddenly, he rested his black tail on my back and moved his head towards mine, blue eyes meeting turquoise. "Well then, we have much to discuss Shard."
I hesitated for a moment, before nodding my head and giving him a smile, realizing that this was my chance to get close to him and rise in ranks. Then, maybe the small black tom would trust me, and I could do my job and get away from this disgusting place once and for all. Although, I could tell by gazing into his eyes that this wasn't going to be as simple as I hoped. "Then let's get to it, shall we?" I finally answered him.
So I've decided that in most or all chapters, I would put in either a quote or a piece of Shard's past to reveal more about her.
This chapter's quote was actually a revised version of one by Johnny Depp, for those who wanted to know.
Hope you enjoy, please favorite and review it would mean the world to me!