Chapter 74: The Sacrifices of Evil
It had been roughly a moon since Lavendar took a position as a lookout. Thorn was doing well in his hunter role while Violet helped the current nursing queens. Hoot and Jumper thrived in Scourge's guard, but since Scourge's revelation, Bloodclan began to take a new direction.
Scourge's desire was to eliminate the history of the city before his rise, and possibly sprinkle in a false narrative. Systematically, older members of the clan were sworn into concealing what the streets were like before Scourge's rise. Despite their gratitude towards Scourge, they saw the merit of his vision. With a little bit of work and some coaxing by some of Scourge's staunchest supporters, Scourge's tale changed from that of a savior to a blood thirsty conqueror. The lie slowly spread, painting the past of the streets as a utopia instead of the desperate anarchy it once was. Only Scourge's guard were let in on the secret, the great lie. The younger generation was easily fooled, discontent in what they thought was a dictatorship. They desired the utopia that elders whispered about behind the guards' notice. They'd never know that history was endorsed by Scourge. Nor would they know that that history was a grand fabrication.
The clan was faintly fractured in the way Scourge desired. Scourge's plan was like a certain rare type of stone. Sometimes it looked normal or even a bit ugly, but, with some luck, the stone could be cracked open to reveal the glittering crystals inside. Indeed, Scourge's plan was for Bloodclan to someday be ground to dust, but it would be a glittering sparkling dust far more beautiful than anything that came before.
Bone stood by Scourge's side all the while. While discontent was sowed, Bone stood vigilante. Bone and all Scourge's guard knew their true duty. Scourge was not allowed to die before things were truly set up. The young cats were foolish and ambitious. They thought themselves heroes. At Bone's command, many were beaten down and scarred severely to show Scourge's supposed brutality. In truth, Scourge didn't want to hurt these cats who were just trying to make things better, but to become the ultimate icon of evil and hate, he needed to still do some deplorable things. It faintly hurt the far too young leader to do, but he hardened his heart to continue his work. The only relief he received from the burden of his duty was the fact that these upstart heroes never even knew the true horrors of what the streets were before. They didn't know the desperation that was killing over the smallest scraps. They didn't know the vigilance of sleeping with one eye open to keep from getting killed in their sleep. They didn't know the madness that was the once rampant cannibalism.
Scourge and Bone were watching over their clan with practiced apathy. Their true feelings were hidden within their thoughts. It was a mostly quiet morning before a yowl was heard from a distance. It was an alarm! Just like that, the camp broke into motion. Fighters and portions of Scourge's guard made ready for battle. Forming a wall in the direction of the alarm, Scourge's cats bristled in preparation. Then came the attack. Dozens of rogues swarmed in. They met the wall of cats with furious caterwauls. Scourge's cats returned the fury ten times over. This was their home. They may not have been content with Scourge's leadership, but they had something worth defending. They say the alley ran red with blood. The once grey concrete was forever marred red with all the blood that was spilled. This invasion force was larger than Scourge had ever faced before, composed of the leftover resistances of the city. Many cats fell in that battle. The oldest of Scourge's cats repaid their old debt to Scourge with their lives. Where one Bloodclan cat fell, two rogues fell as well. Overall, Bloodclan's population dropped by a fourth.
Scourge's guards managed to capture two of the resistance leaders with the others falling in the battle. These two looked at Scourge in fear, knowing their ambitions had brought them to ruin. They knew not Scourge's love for his cats, nor his grief at their death. Scourge maintained his cold aloofness despite his desire to curl up in a ball and cry away all his grief. His eyes remained icy as he called the two aggressors forward. Bloodclan all watched as Scourge made his judgement. Bone knew what Scourge had to do. These two cats had hurt Bloodclan and Scourge severely. He just didn't know how Scourge would come out of this afterwards.
With a cold and calculating look, Scourge began to address all the cats present. "Bloodclan! Hear me now! These two cats thought themselves above Bloodclan and above me. They were wrong! Their foolish invasion left us all with bloody claws. Look around you and see all who do not stand with us now. Know that these cats will not return. Their deaths were caused by the foolishness of these two and their fellow rebels. As Bloodclan was made, blood must be met with blood. A price must be paid for harming my clan. The question is not if we should kill them, it is how should we kill them. The pain they caused will be paid in full. They will be granted death only when I have determined it so. For now, my guard will use these two as test subjects for a new weapon. We've been shown how to attach dog teeth to our claws, so these two will serve as demonstrations to their efficacy."
Slowly, two cats emerged, equipped with Scourge's new claws. It was Hoot and Jumper. The two youngest guards would cut their teeth on captive targets. Hoot and Jumper held no hatred towards Scourge for forcing them to perform the execution. In truth, they were among Scourge's most jealous. Their connection to Bone only reinforced their belief. They knew their jobs. They were to appear as monsters. Maintaining their façade, the pair slowly toyed with the two captives, making long and torturous cuts in nonvital regions. They Slowly broke the pair, making wound after wound. In the end, the two rebels begged for death. With a nod, Scourge signaled the two new guards. The two nodded and left the rebels with one last long wound. The two would bleed out, but it would not be instant. This was Scourge's plan. He needed to cut down all lesser attempts at rebellion with brutality. Finally, Scourge and his guards left, leaving the dying cats behind. Scourge knew that once he left, the young and discontent cats who did not know the truth would mercifully end the pair's suffering. Scourge hated the atrocities he needed to commit, but he knew it was the necessary thing to do.
Bone was the last to leave, listening to a report on the attack. Finally, he asked the most important question. "Who was the lookout in the direction of the attack? If they had done their job, we wouldn't have lost so many."
"It was Lavendar sir." Reported the cat.
With a look of pure hatred, Bone gave his response. "Then my claws must see one more cat's blood today. Let every cat know that Lavendar was a traitor."