Eh, couldn't help myself. I know I got no reviews on the prologue, but I do believe this needs to get a bit more interesting. I know Varjak Paw has many fans (perhaps not as many as Warriors does, but it's still a great series).

Anyway, enjoy this first chapter.

Chapter 1

Scourge prowled through the grass, his flanks heaving. His icy-blue eyes lit with determination, though he looked terribly weary. He had passed up the Twolegplace.

Same old cats, every where! He had thought crossly. What about another Twolegplace? I've heard tales of many others besides this one anyway.

He just didn't know where they were. He had never been to another. All he knew was that it'd take everything he had to get there. He was going to defeat Firestar though, he was going to take over the forest, he -

Scourge jumped back in alarm, letting out a startled screech that seemed to cut through his thoughts. He'd almost walked straight into a Thunderpath.

Rubbish twolegs. He growled silently as he waited for a lesser amount of monsters to make their way onto the hard, rough, black surface. Once he was positive, he flashed across like a dart. Much faster than he had expected of himself. When he reached the other side, Scourge glanced around unsurely at a new line of twoleg nests. Grumbling under his breath, he trotted onward across a neatly cut stretch of grass. He had to dive behind trees and monsters who had obviously fallen asleep to the side of the Thunderpath. As he padded, he couldn't help but ponder on what had become of the battle between BloodClan and the forests Clans. Surely BloodClan had won. There was nothing more right in the world. Though Scourge knew many of his comrades to be complete cowards. Bone was a loyal cat, but when outnumbered, Scourge always had to sneer at the way fear radiated from his pelt. BloodClan are fearless. They show no mercy, as well as no fear. How many times had he stressed that? Scourge didn't know.

Twolegs walked down hard, rough, though lighter-colored pathways. They seemed to be made from the same stuff that the Thunderpath was made out of, by the way it felt under Scourge's paws. It was a bit rougher though, not as smooth. Scourge had to duck out of sight every time he saw a twoleg make his or her way down it, and he noticed the way his heart skipped a beat whenever one of them had a dog with them. Though they were restrained on some sort of vine-like thing that the twoleg held. A strange curiosity pricking at himself surprised Scourge. He hadn't felt that in...well, it felt like forever. It wasn't though. It was only when he had lived with his brother Socks and his sister Ruby that he had ever felt so curious. He went by the name of Tiny, which he now sneered with contempt at the thought of. He remembered how he had went into the forest and explored for the first time, having absolutely no clue that he'd fight one of the biggest battles of his life there in the future.

"Hey!"
Scourge's shoulder smacked against another's, and he flipped around in hostility. "What?" He snarled. He found himself face to face with a middle-aged marmalade tomcat.

"Watch where you're goin', sonny."

Scourge's jet black fur bristled up, and he stood up to his full height to glare down at the smaller cat. "I say the same to you." He whispered, not caring to hide the growl to his voice.

"You are a vicious-lookin' one, aren't yeh?"
Scourge wrinkled his nose in distaste to this cat's odd accent, though he really had no reply to that. He couldn't help what he had driven himself to look like.

"Well, you gonna tell me your name?"

"Why should I?" Scourge growled.

"It's always been importan' teh get a cat's name aroun' 'ere." Replied the marmalade. "I'm Ellis."
Scourge snorted with contempt. "My name is Scourge." He shouldered past the tom. "Don't keep up."

"Wait just a momen' there!" Ellis called, jumping with a surprisingly swift movement to stand in front of the jet black tom again. "You can't jus' go bargin' in teh Ginger's territory. 'E'll claw yeh."
Scourge was just about to ask who Ginger was, but decided not to when he simply mewed, "I've been through worse." He backed out from beside Ellis to continue on his way towards the alleys. They looked quite inviting. Just like BloodClan territory once had been.

Ellis slowly followed, to Scourge's annoyance of course. "Ginger's the leader of a gang in this city." He explained lowly. "'E's feirce, though no one's feircer than 'er."
"Her?" Scourge echoed, partly wondering whether or not that was the way Ellis had meant to pernounce it.

"Yes, 'er." Ellis blinked at him. Stealing a quick glance from left to right, he whispered urgently, "Sally Bones."
"Sally Bones," Scourge sniffed, a tad too loudly, though he didn't seem to notice the seriousness of this. "What a name."
"Quiet down!" Ellis hissed. "She'll 'ear yeh."
"Is she near by?" Scourge looked around uneasily for once.

"Probably not."
"How can she hear us then?"
"She 'ears all."
Scourge narrowed his icy-blue eyes, them seeming to add onto the coldness of his glare. "...Right." He picked up the pace a bit, flinching at the sight of another Thunderpath.

"Darn road." Ellis grumbled, coming over to stand beside Scourge.

"Road?"
"That's what them are." The marmalade tom motioned with his head to the Thunderpath. "I 'ate 'em."
Scourge fought hard to resist letting out a purr of amusement. He hadn't purred in such a long time, but he wasn't going to start just because of some annoying young tomcat. He casted Ellis another glare before crossing, growing quicker to avoid a monster that was coming. He prayed (prayed to what, really?) Ellis hadn't followed him. Though Scourge didn't turn to check. If he had lost the marmalade, that was just fine with him.

Soon though, he was convinced. Ellis and the sound of his quick pace didn't let out from behind. He obviously didn't follow.

Breathing out, Scourge ran into the alleyway. It felt like home. The jet black tom trotted in urgently. He took a small glance to his right where he could have sworn the lid of a garbage can had opened slightly, and amber eyes had poked out to stare at him coldly.

Scourge shivered a bit, slowing his pace so he could listen better. He pricked his ears. There was a rustling sound within one of the cans. Growling to himself, Scourge crept low. He approached it silently, his eyes locked on the target, his ears pinned against his skull.

Then -

"Aha!"

Scourge collided with another figure that could be nothing else but a cat. He clawed this cat brutally, only to hear the familiar voice, "Not so 'ard!"
"ELLIS!" Scourge snarled, slapping the marmalade tom to the ground and pinning him there. "How'd you sneak around?" He demanded angrily.

"I know these 'ere streets better than you do." Ellis replied defensively.

"Why did you follow me?"

"You don't know what you're gettin' yourself into, 'ere, Scourge-"

"Stay right where you are!" Snarled a new voice.

"No." Ellis gasped.

"What?" Scourge sneered.

Then, a ginger tom had bowled Scourge over, placing a massive paw to the jet black tom's shoulder. "What do you think you're doing here, 'tiny'?"
Scourge flinched a bit at this, though his confidence still remained. "How dare you..." He growled lowly.

"Ahaha!" The ginger tom cackled. "Excuse me?"

Scourge's long, blood-tipped claws slid out once more.

"E's new!" Ellis exclaimed.

"Really?" The ginger smirked. "I should teach him a lesson first then, shouldn't I?" He bared his teeth down at Scourge. "Newcomers think they can simply waltz right in and take what they want."

Scourge thought for a moment. This cat was right. He had waltzed right in, but that was only because he had felt so at home. Maybe he belonged in Ginger's gang...?

As if reading Scourge's thoughts, Ellis yanked him to his paws. "Sorry, Ginger." He mumbled. "It won' 'appen again."
"I should think so." Ginger snorted. "I usually ain't out scouting, and most certainly not all by myself. But the members of my gang are growing wary."
"W-why?" Stammered Ellis.

"The Vanishings." Ginger replied steadily. "They can scare my gang. They must mean business." His claws worked into the pavement.

"I still say it's Sally Bones's doin'." Ellis said firmly.

"I disagree." Ginger eyed him with slight contempt before flicking his tail. "But who is to say, really?" He sighed. "Now, get off our turf. Both of you."
"Yes, Ginger." Ellis gulped and pulled Scourge away, who was still seething. They headed towards the end of the alley and out onto the street again.

"Don' walk straight into trouble, Scourge." Ellis muttered.

Scourge turned his hostile glare on the marmalade tom, unable to believe his ears. "Are you kidding?" He hissed. "I can easily walk away without you following me. I could hurt you if I wanted to."
"Why 'aven't you yet?" Ellis asked, tilting his head in confusion.

Scourge opened his jaws to speak, but no words came out. He didn't have an answer for once. Out of all those fake answers and lies he had provided as leader of BloodClan, and yet he couldn't find himself lying to this young tom.

"Don't turn this on me." Scourge finally growled. "I'm going off on my own now. I don't need you." He padded past Ellis, shoving him aside as he went. Ellis didn't follow for once, or sneak. He simply watched after the black tom wistfully, his whiskers giving an irritable twitch every now and again. Scourge padded through the street, noticing the sky growing darker. Stars became visible soon after, and Scourge couldn't help but supress a snort of contempt. If those Clans were absolutely sure of themselves, that'd be their ancestors watching them. Or...all of them now that BloodClan has killed them. Scourge let out a tiny purr, but quickly drowned out the end with a forced cough. Bone would never manage as leader. He'd be scared by the very thought. What if Firestar really won?

Then I'd come back and take his eight more lives from him! Scourge nodded at this. That's what he'd do.

The headlights of a monster caught Scourge's attention. It was driving down a street that crossed in front of the one he was currently walking on. Not many monsters were out at night, making Scourge assume that they were just sleeping now.

Best get away from them before they wake up.

Scourge hurriedly raced for another alley, far away from Ginger's territory. Ellis's amber eyes didn't peek out from any garbage can, much to Scourge's pleasure. It would be great to finally think without being disturbed.

Settling down next to a damp box, Scourge curled up into a tight ball. He didn't get to sleep quickly though, as tired as he was. Who was this Sally Bones cat?

"She 'ears all." Ellis's words echoed in Scourge's mind.

No matter where she is? Scourge asked silently, somewhat wishing the marmalade tom was now there to answer him.

Scolding himself, Scourge shut his eyes with a growl and soon fell asleep.

Hey, if you were wondering, yes. I got Ellis's name from Left 4 Dead 2. I'm sure we're all familiar with Ellis's character. And, this cat character Ellis has a Southern accent (or what I attempted for it to look like). He's supposed to be related to Mrs. Moggs, though...Scourge doesn't know that, nor does he believe it to be important! Oh, how oblivious he is going to realize he's being...