Scourge was gasping for air by the time he made it to the Twoleg trash area. Storm had surely beaten him – again. But his was sure that he was even faster than last time he had raced his brother. Slowing down, the cat studied the shadows for a sleek gray shape. "I know you're here, Storm. You can't hide forever, like a trembling mouse."
There was a yowl and a furry body slammed into his side. "Hey!" Storm pushed himself off of his brother and landed easily on the ground a few tail lengths away. Scourge leapt up narrowed his eyes, flicking his tail from side to side.
Storm raised a paw, his claws sheathed, and swatted at the black warrior. Scourge ducked to the right as another paw came crashing down. Storm sprang at the cat, but Scourge jumped nimbly to one side and his brother came crashing onto the ground. The black warrior pinned Storm onto the dusty pathway before the cat could stand again.
Scourge released his brother, and Storm stood up after a few heartbeats. "That was good!" he admitted. "Never saw that coming."
"I've been practicing with Cinder," Scourge meowed happily. "I'll beat any cat in a fight."
"How about a dog?" asked Storm. "You need to get dog's teeth on your collar." He looked thoughtful, as if seeing himself getting his first tooth on his collar.
"I don't want to get near a dog, much less attack one. I almost lost my tail last time I saw one."
"But you need dog's teeth on there," complained Storm. "If you want to be a warrior."
"I thought I already was a warrior," meowed Scourge.
"Yeah, but not a skilled warrior. Skilled warriors have teeth on their collars."
Scourge sighed. "Fine, but I'm not going to get some right now. I probably couldn't beat Leech."
"No," smirked Storm.
Scourge hissed at his brother. "You said so yourself!" protested Storm. "You just said you couldn't beat Leech."
The black cat looked into his brother's eyes. "I will beat Leech someday," he spat. "I will! He will be sorry he ever taunted me! I-." He broke off as he saw his brother back away nervously, his gray face changed by fear. "What, Storm? What is it?"
Storm hissed. "Can you hear yourself, Scourge? Do you know what you're saying?"
Scourge froze. "I didn't mean it!"
"Then why did you say it?"
Scourge blinked, startled. "I-I'm just mad at Leech! Come on, Storm."
The gray warrior growled. "Go away!"
"What?"
"Go away!" Storm raised a paw and swiped at Scourge.
"I really didn't-!" Scourge wailed, ducking under the gray paw. He was too late, and the paw whacked him on one side of his head, cutting off his protest. A sharp pain blinded Scourge momentarily and he felt hot liquid dripping from his ear; Storm's claws were unsheathed.
"Leave!" the cat screeched feverishly. "You'll kill Leech and you'll kill us! Stay away!"
Scourge turned as sharp teeth snapped together a whisker away from his tail. "Storm!" He started running before the frenzied cat could rake claws down his side or do something crazy like that. Storm's scent faded as the warrior raced down the dark alley. The ground was cold, cooled by the night air as the sun disappeared below the horizon. What can Storm be thinking? Scourge hissed in his mind as he left the Twoleg trash area behind him.
The cat kept running as the moon rose. StarClan, he thought, looking up at the bright points of light beginning to show in the sky. If you are real, please help me now! But the stars were as cold and silent as they had ever been. "StarClan, right!" Scourge growled. "Sure! Kit's tales!" And he kept on running.