Scourge groaned as he felt the ringing in his skull begin to grow. Baring his teeth in annoyance, he shook his head slowly as he waited his senses to return to some degree of normality. Stretching out his paws, he was surprised when they came into contact with something soft. Gently testing further the area around him tentatively with his other front paw, the tom discovered that it appeared that the entire area around him was covered in this soft covering.
Opening his eyes slowly, Scourge found himself inside a large chamber of kinds. Rather than the earthen browns and greens however, almost the entirety of the area was coloured a strange creamy hue similar in colour to a queen's milk. It was somewhat comforting and yet unsettling at the same time. It was immediately obvious to Scourge that he must be inside a Twoleg nest. Getting unsteadily to his feet, Scourge looked around him. In the corner of the chamber, there appeared to be a ledge the Twolegs had constructed out of wood, upon which sat a peculiar block like object. Merely nearing its surface caused the tom's fur to stand on end slightly, but what purpose it served alluded the tom.
A gentle mew from behind him caused Scourge to turn his head back behind him rapidly. Lying atop a strange looking rock covered in the same material as the ground, a she cat casually watched him. Instinctively, Scourge began to raise his hackles. The she cat rolled her eyes dismissively.
"No need to be so hostile," She mewed gently, "If we wanted to cause you harm, we would have left you and your friend in the river."
Scourge's eyes flashed suddenly as he leapt over towards her, stopping at the base of the strange rock. "Where is Cinderpelt? Where is she?"
The she cat yawned before regarding him with two eyes deep with age. Scourge could hear the creaking of her ancient joints as she stretched her legs. Her once rich, grey coat was now coarse and ashen. "Do not worry yourself," she assured him gently, slowly climbing down to be eye level with him, "She is safe upstairs. She is safe I assure you."
"Take me to her." Scourge demanded, trying to mask the concern in his voice but ultimately failing. The she cat looked towards an opening in the side of the chamber before looking back at Scourge. Her eyes washed over him for a moment before she dipped slightly in a polite manner.
"This way Dear," She purred softly before leading the way out of the hole and into the next chamber. Sighing slightly, Scourge padded after her. He found the old she cat waiting at the foot of a strange slope consisting of many smaller ledges that were built upwards. Looking at him, the she cat began to clamber up the ledges. Stretching himself a little, Scourge began to follow her, muttering to himself obstinately. Why did Twolegs feel the need to build their nests with another ledge higher up? Surely they could all sleep in the lower level of their nests. The ground was soft enough to sleep on and he knew for a fact that they caught enough prey to through away enough to have fed most of BloodClan. Did they feel safer sleeping up high? It was the only explanation he could come up with.
"She's in here," The old cat whispered to him at the top of the slope. She gestured with her paw to another chamber. Inside a small grey shape lay huddled in a nest woven from what appeared to woven from straw and lined with pelts to keep it warm. "Be quiet though, she's resting."
Silently nodding, Scourge padded up towards the curious nest. Inside, Cinderpelt lay peacefully. The gentle rising and falling of her flank told Scourge that she was alive. Smiling, he gently nuzzled against the side of her head. Groaning softly, Cinderpelt subconsciously curled up closer towards him. Her eyelids slowly opened, revealing the sapphire pools behind. Groggily, she glanced around her, surveying her new surroundings.
"Where...where am I?"
"Sssh," Scourge whispered to her gently, "Its okay, you're safe."
"Scourge," Cinderpelt's eyes widened as the memories came flashing back suddenly from the night before, "The river!" She made to get up quickly only to yelp in sudden pain as the wound in her leg flared at the suddenness of her movement. Alarmed, Scourge and the elder cat raced over to steady her back into the nest.
"Take care Darling," The She cat cooed softly as she began to run her tongue through Cinderpelt's fur as a mother would comfort her kit, "You've hurt your leg badly. You know your mate was very worried about you, "She continued, flicking her head towards Scourge,"He wanted to see you right away."
Cinderpelt hid her face slightly, her muzzle slightly red. But before she or Scourge could attempt to correct her, they heard a large bang coming from the chambers below. The recognisable scent of Twolegs filled the air. Below two Twoleg voices began to converse in the series of low grunts that Scourge supposed passed for their crude languge. His ears flickered tentatively as he turned towards the heavy creaking as the Twolegs ascended the series of ledges. Instinctively, he placed his body between Cinderpelt and the opening as two of the large creatures loped into the chamber.
The first of the Twolegs seemed relatively unremarkable from Scourge's experience with the bipeds. Judging from the longer fur that sprouted from atop its head, Scourge guessed that it was a female. The second Twoleg was far more curious and drew the attention of the black tom. This Twoleg wore a strange pelt of pure white and his scent carried a peculiar tang to it. The Twoleg in the white pelt muttered something to the other before making towards the nest, his paws outstretched towards Cinderpelt.
Hissing Scourge swiped at the Twoleg with unsheathed claws. Yelling in pain, the Twoleg swiftly withdrew its paw, shaking its slightly. Hackles raised, Scourge stood over Cinderpelt, the medicine cat backing away to the back of the nest nervously as she watched the Twolegs. Scourge hissed at them loudly and prepared to pounce on the Twoleg when he felt a soft paw placed against his flank.
"Calm down," The She cat said softly, "They're trying to help her."
For some reason unknown even to him, Scourge found himself compelled to trust her. Taking one last quick glance at Cinderpelt, Scourge hesitantly stepped aside, warily eyeing the white pelted Twoleg. Likewise the Twoleg looked at Scourge before cautiously reaching out once more towards Cinderpelt. Cinderpelt mewed worriedly as he scooped her up, seeming to take care to avoid touching her wounded leg. He carried her across the chamber before placing her on a raised platform made out of wood, similar to the one that had carried the strange box below.
Cinderpelt whimpered softly as the Twoleg began to run his hand through her pelt gingerly. Baring his fangs slightly, Scourge padded over before leaping up atop the platform. The Twoleg seemed startled for a moment but when Scourge made no further attempt to attack him, he continued on his work. Scourge lay beside Cinderpelt as she trembled, never have been this close to one of the creatures.
"Scourge, what's happening?" She whispered as the Twoleg pulled out a strange, shiny object from within his pelt. The tom wrinkled his nose at the strange scent from within the object, which resembled a long, thin thorn (albeit extremely shiny) and appeared to be filled with a strange liquid.
"I don't know," Scourge admitted, eyes narrowed as he watched the Twoleg. He gently began to groom her fur aside before pointing the shiny thorn at Cinderpelt before jabbing her with it. Scourge hissed at the Twoleg. The Twoleg ignored him and gently withdrew the shiny thorn. Turning his head towards Cinderpelt, Scourge was alarmed to see her eyelids dropping.
"No no no," Scourge mewed, nudging her rapidly, "Stay with me."
"S-Scourge," Cinderpelt replied distantly as though in a dream, "I'm..so..so tired. I think I'll just rest...for a little while." Slowly her eyes closed and remained shut. Mewing in worry, Scourge pawed gently at her face only to then be forcibly removed from the platform by the scruff and placing him outside the chamber. Before Scourge could run back inside, the other Twoleg pushed a large block of wood over the opening preventing him from entering. Clawing feebly against the wood, Scourge yowled his protest but it felon deaf ears.
"Don't worry," Came the elderly she cat's voice beside him, "The vet is doing his best to heal your friend's leg. He won't let anything happen to her."
Scourge turned and resisted the urge to snap at her although his response was still somewhat icy. "So you say. How do you know that for certain?"
The she cat gave him a warm expression and padded over to him. Gently she pressed her flank against his. "I promise you she will be alright," She then looked down, saddened, "I know what it's like to lose someone you care about."
Scourge looked at her, exhaling gently and letting her remain by his side. "I'm sorry. Who?"
The she cat looked at him softly, trying to hold back some long repressed emotion. "My kit. He disappeared at the edge of the forest many moons ago."
"I'm so sorry," Scourge tried to soothe her. The she cat sighed and shook her head.
"I just wish...I just wish I could've said goodbye." She mewed sadly, "I only have one thing to remember him by. I keep it in my basket. Maybe one time, I'll show you." She paused then looked at Scourge for a moment causing the tom to shift uncomfortably. The she cat narrowed her eyes for a second at him before shrugging and padding away, leaving Scourge to sit alone out side the barred chamber.