Intent to Harm
Sorry for the wait. Life and original works took up my time. Enjoy and vote on the new poll in my profile. Also, review.
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During his stay with his Twoleg captors, Blackheart realized he had the strange ability to make an enemy out of almost anyone. He never acted tougher or assumed he was better than any other animal; he was always silent and out of the way. He never complained about the situation he was in. It wasn't until a time had passed in captivity that he realized that his passivity was the problem.
If it didn't look like you were suffering, then you were doing better than everybody else. That was unacceptable. Misery loved company and despised happiness or adaptation. Thus, Blackheart was a prime target for bullying. Though, he noted with little humor, others didn't seem to get that you could gain no satisfaction from bullying an emotionally dead cat. StoneClan was no different.
The misery had caused him to lose consciousness. From the sounds he could gather from the ear that wasn't buried in the pillow he'd fallen on, it was morning. The next thing he registered was a jabbing of paws against his side, and a voice.
"Get up!" Another jab.
"I said up!" Angrier now, another hard jab. A hiss of fury.
Blackheart cracked his eye open enough to see a tan tom with coal black eyes rear back on his hind paws to drag them down against his side. The mystery tom was kicked savagely to the side before he could pitch forward. In his place stood Sinew, snarling. "I ordered him unharmed! Get out before I claw you to the bone!"
The tom made a move to speak, but shut his mouth before he could say anything that would make Sinew bring her threat to fruition. On his way out, he passed Blackheart a hate filled glare.
Sinew turned to him. "I know that you're awake. Get up and eat, you have things to do." Blackheart flicked his unburied ear, stood, and stretched; he was privy to the audience that roamed over his body with its eyes.
Despite his situation, he found some of his old wit. "You shouldn't stare. Your warriors might start to get the wrong idea about my position here." He went to the food pile and picked up a plump pigeon. He turned with it and plopped down between the pillows. There was no way he was turning his back on this dangerous cat.
Sinew's eyes flashed. "As I said, Scourge is the enemy, not you. I see no reason for you to be mistreated while among us."
He tore a piece from the meat, chewing thoughtfully. She hates Scourge, but doesn't mistreat those who serve him. Mercy, fairness… Admirable qualities for a leader. More meat entered his mouth. As he chewed, he studied her stance and actions. She was watching him dutifully. He swallowed.
"Shouldn't you have given guard duty to some other cat? After all, the leader is above such things, is she not?" Hopefully she would react in such a way that he could see what character traits she had that he could manipulate.
Sinew laughed. "Oh no, Blackheart. You have the honor of being a cat so dangerous that the leader herself must watch over you."
The dark tom sucked on a naked bone. "Concerned for my safety? I'm touched." The sarcasm dripped like juice from his eaten pigeon.
A snort from Sinew had him flicking his ear again. "You could say that. You could also say that I'm the only thing standing between you and being torn apart by my whole Clan. I don't doubt their loyalty to me, but the odds are favorable that if I left you alone, even with Snake and Ice, one of them would find a way to murder you before my plan has come to pass."
Blackheart glared with all he had. "I won't allow that. You cannot force me to kill Scourge."
His captor shrugged. "Maybe not, but I can force you to get out and make yourself useful."
"Useful?"
Sinew padded to the entrance, throwing her voice over her shoulder as she went. "You didn't think you were just going to sit here in my den all day, did you? Now come on. Time to put you to work."
Blackheart spat out the bone and followed suit.
The second he passed the drape, he could feel every eye on him. From the oldest to the youngest kit, he was given the evil eye. Not one, however, could match the glare that he was receiving from the tom that had tried to assault him earlier. He sidled up to Sinew, pressing flanks. The tom's glare only became more piercing.
Blackheart nodded toward his supposed enemy. "That tom over there. What's his name?"
If Sinew minded the close contact she didn't show it. Her eyes flickered over the Clan, and like magic, they automatically turned away to hide their disapproving stares. Her gaze rested on the tan tom, the only one who had the courage to openly show his hostility. When his eyes locked with Sinew's, they softened, but took notice of Blackheart once more and turned hateful. He stalked away into the crowd.
Still peering at the spot where the mystery cat had been, she answered. "That was Sprint. Besides Snake and Ice, he is one of my greatest warriors and member of my personal guard. You would be wise to mind him."
"I'll keep that in mind," Blackheart replied dryly. "Now, what is this business that you would have me do? I'm a prisoner."
Padding forward, Sinew lead him to a corner of the large camp and sat before an aged cat and what Blackheart could surmise was a small army of kits. The old she cat, a creature of faded, blonde fur bowed to Sinew. "They are ready." Her voice was scratchy and raw, hoarse from a life of shouting orders. The kits behind bowed as well.
Sinew bowed and turned to Blackheart. "In order to make yourself useful to the Clan, you will be training the next generation of our warriors. With Dusk's assistance of course."
When his ear flicked a third time, Blackheart wondered if he wasn't losing some part of his mind. His eyes roamed over the young cats, taking in their sizes, their colors. He also took in the way they reacted to him.
Some looked angry and bared fangs. Others were indifferent to his presence. Most were obviously afraid. They tried not to show it; they didn't want to be shamed in front of their own leader, but it was there. He could taste the fear.
He turned to the she cats. "You would let an enemy train your warriors? You seem quite presumptuous of my cooperation."
Dusk gave a purr of approval. "You obviously ain't afraid of voicing your opinion, are you?"
"You'll find he's very witty and willful, Dusk." To Blackheart, "What choice do you have? I won't have you sit in my den and do nothing. Plus, from what I saw from your raid, they have much they could learn from you." She padded a little ways off to the side and sat, signaling the end of the discussion. "Begin the training!"
Defeated, Blackheart turned to his new students. But as he gazed at them again, inspiration began to dawn on him. A whole generation of warriors… Under his training, his command…
Scourge's command…
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"Hunting crouches!" Dusk sounded off the order. Instantly, the kits dropped into crouches, muscles taut, ready to spring.
Blackheart sounded next. "Backwards evade!" The kits pushed off and back a ways then reset themselves. Time for the next move. "Spring and claw!"
Instantly, the kits sprang forward and batted down with their paws. The same moment, the sound of a scream was heard and the smell of blood was in the air.
One of the kits had unsheathed her claws and punctured the kit in front of her. Black as Blackheart himself, with cold silver eyes that danced with glee, she raked her claws down her prey, drawing forth more blood and screams. Dusk rushed forward to unhook her from the other kit while the others backed away. Sinew sat, her gaze hard. Blackheart assessed.
That she cat had been willful from the start; willful and skilled. Her pounces were greater, her crouches more natural and predatory. Her swipes had darted through the air as if she were a hummingbird. Apparently she liked to shed blood as well…
"Dusk!" Blackheart shouted. "Let me deal with her." Dusk's eyes swiveled from hi to Sinew. The leader nodded and the elderly cat backed away.
Blackheart darted forward and unhinged the kit from her capture, with a solid strike. The freed kit squealed in pain as the claws tore free from him, but he'd live.
The black kit stumbled back into a hunting crouch, tail in the air, claws unsheathed, hissing. Blackheart slid into a crouch of his own. The little kit bounded forward.
Blackheart gave a hop, the kit flying under him. He landed squarely on his feet, turned, and lashed out with his paw. The hit landed on the kit's head, snapping it to the side, but the creature turned with the blow and spun, ending up facing Blackheart once more.
Blackheart made the move this time. Quickly, he pounced and landed right on top of the kit. She squealed and squirmed, hissing and frothing, lost in battle lust. The cold feel of Blackheart's fangs stopped her.
"Good," said the dark tom. "Now, I'm going to let you up. When I do, I want you to sit quietly."
"Why should I listen to you?!" she snapped.
"Would you rather have Sinew and Dusk punish you for what you did to that other kit?"
The she cat gave a huff.
"That's what I thought. Alright, I'm getting up now." He rolled off her. She stood and shook out her fur, but otherwise did nothing hostile. "What's your name?"
The kit looked up at him questioningly. "Malice. What of it?"
Blackheart gave a snort. "Appropriate. You have a good deal of potential."
Malice licked her lips. "I keep hearing cats say that, but they always yell at me during training. They say I'm too rough."
"They're right. Attacking your own Clanmates won't win you a popularity contest anytime soon." He leaned in closely. "But let me teach you. I can give you more power and skill than you'll know what to do with. What do you say little kit?"
She flexed her claws. "Will I be able to fight?"
"More battle and bloodshed than you've ever seen."
Her eyes flickered in mad glee. "Then teach me."
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Back in the den, Sinew watched once more as Blackheart tore into a plump rat. She herself had a smaller specimen.
I'm impressed with your work today, Blackheart. Malice was unruly and unpredictable. You seem to have reined her in."
Blackheart swallowed. "I just showed her that lashing out without thought will only get you so far. Control of yourself is the key."
Sinew tore the meat of her meal with her claws. "Is that the same thing you told Scourge?"
"…Yes" His stare pierced through to her. "I will not destroy Scourge. Nor will I let you do it."
Sinew sampled her rat. "Do you love him that much? You would let him kill you?"
He stared into her eyes, relentlessly probing. "Wouldn't you do the same for the one that he took from you?"
Pain flashed in the leader's eyes. "…Over and over again…" Her eyes hardened. "I can understand love. But Scourge will not escape my harmful intent.
Nor will you escape mine, Sinew.
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I hope you enjoyed that. Remember, there is a poll in my profile. Also, please review if you like the story, because I'm not even touching this again until I see five for this chapter.