Chapter 20: Blooding
The streets were that all too familiar dreary grey. Not even the smallest sliver of color pierced my eyes. The desire festered within me, but tonight would be a good night. Tonight, we were hosting a Blooding. I'd been feeding my desire exactly for this night. It would be a relief to see all that red after fasting myself of the sight for so long. It would be the ultimate ecstasy to see the wave of red as the ceremony reached its climax. A smile was not present on my face, but those who knew me knew well how excited I was for this.
Bone flanked my side, here to stop me if I were to succumb to my temptations too early. His face was resolute, but I knew he looked forward to this night, admittedly for different reasons. Tonight, we'd be permitting three cats into our elite. Bone knew well that admitting more cats into the fold meant Bloodclan was growing in power. Each elite meant one more cat deathly loyal to us, one more cat to allow myself to trust. Even in the deepest depths of my desire filled rampages, my elite always escaped my wrath. How could I hurt them? They were the only thing that would forever remain colored in my monochrome world.
A large crowd had gathered for the ceremony. The alley was packed with spectators. How could they not? Tonight was the most revered ceremony in all of Bloodclan. This was about power, trust, and punishment. Three would ascend by destroying three worthless excuses for cats whose only purpose was to feed my powerful craving for blood. It was perfect.
I leapt upon the dumpster with Bone at my side. My cold gaze washed over the monochrome crowd willing them into silence. They all knew the consequences of interrupting something I considered holy. Bone said some words, but my mind was preoccupied with anticipation towards sating my desire. As Bone finished his speech, three cats stepped forward. Bone had briefed me on the three. Two of which were siblings. Their looks mirrored one another. One with a missing left ear, and the other missing the right. From what I'd heard, the brother lost his while fighting a runaway. His grief at being injured drove the sister to tear off her own ear to match him. Such loyalty would be cultivated. One willing to not only die for another but mutilate themselves for their kin would serve well here. I wanted them to belong to me, love me, and show that same unyielding loyalty to me. I knew they would. They always did after I let slip the faintest part of me during the ceremony, a moment reserved only for my elite. Mortar and Conny. Their names would be engraved into my mind
The third cat came as a recommendation from Brick. The cat recommended was a cat named Fang who'd lost his eye in the line of duty while protecting Brick from an ambush. While I'd usually just commend a cat for that kind of loyalty, Brick desired more of the cat. Fang had a cunning mind and had anticipated the ambush, helping lead a counter strike that left the ambushers in a rout. We'd lost no cats that day due to the quick thinking of Fang and his steadfast loyalty to Brick. He would serve well in our elite.
"Mortar, Conny, Fang. Step forward." I commanded, my voice commanding but not threatening like I usually commanded.
The three met my eyes, seeing something seldom ever seen from me. I was allowing them an out, a chance to leave or refute the promotion. No one ever did, but by providing the chance, I hardened their resolve. They knelt to me acknowledging their allegiance. I softly nodded at them before turning.
"Bring out the sacrifices!" I commanded to six cats in waiting who kept the sacrifices in check.
The three prisoners emerged, each escorted by two cats. The first was a traitor by the name of Pick. He'd been leaking information to one of our rivals. The second was the ex leader of that rival faction by the name of Gut, who'd sold out Pick in hopes of saving his skin. His reward was to participate in this sacrifice. The final cat was a personal selection of mine. They'd driven me away from my first meal on the streets when I was just a kit starting out. They didn't even have a name, hoping somehow that without one they'd be able to survive out here unnoticed. They messed with the wrong kit all that time ago, and it took me a long time to find them, but now I'd get my revenge.
The prisoners were forcibly lined up in front of the crowd, one for each of my coming elite. The three chosen stepped forward, knowing what they had to do. I licked my lips in anticipation. I could hear my heart pound as I waited. The three prisoners struggled desperately but futilely. There would be no escape. It was almost time. The three chosen stood ready and waiting for my signal. I savored the anticipation but a moment longer before I swished my tail, signaling them to act. All at once, the three struck, splitting the throats of the sacrifices and splashing themselves in that all too beautiful red.
I leapt down from my perch, treading with a measured pace through the growing puddle of scarlet. I felt the sticky crimson fluid soak between my toes, and it felt magnificent. Regardless, there was one last part to this ceremony. I first approached Mortar. With my soaked paw, I traced a path from his missing ear to his chin with a leftward curve. After marking him, I met his eyes and gave him the faintest smile, something that was impossible to see from a distance. I saw his eyes light up with elation that I deemed him worthy of showing him a fragment of emotion. Then, I moved on to Conny. Like her sibling, I gave her a mark from her missing ear down to her chin but with a rightward curve, perfectly mirroring her brother. A smile lit up her face when she realized I'd done so, proving that I accepted her bond with her brother. The smile proved almost too much for her as I saw her shaking with joy. I think I almost pushed her into a heat with that. Finally came Fang. He did not look at me with anticipation like the others, but I could feel his convictions. I wanted to give him something special to prove that I knew him and would remember him. Thus, I marked him the same way I marked Brick so long ago. Fang might not have noticed the symbolism, but Brick recognized it immediately, happily trotting in place as I not only rewarded his subordinate but also him by proving that I remembered his ceremony. Fang did not require my smile, but I shot him one anyway when Brick trotted up happily to congratulate Fang. Brick was ecstatic at the sight, almost bouncing in place despite his back injury.
A strange calico molly appeared in the corner of my vision. She somehow seemed more real than any other cat present. Her colors were clear and untainted by the monochrome tint of my desires. She looked at me expectantly, so I made to chase her. The alleys and streets soon faded into nothing as I passed the boundaries of the memory. Realization dawned on me as I realized that I'd just escaped one of my nightmares. The monochrome world was left behind. Then the molly turned revealing that it was someone I knew. It was Mapleshade.
"Morbid dreams you have kit." She both taunted and consoled.