Scourge awoke with Ivy staring over at him, her ice-blue eyes filled with worry. He coughed, and raised his head before attempting to climb to his feet. He was wobbly, but he made it. His purple collar flashed in the sunlight, and he padded over to Ivy, wincing at the way his tender paws hit the rocky cement ground.
"Where's the kitten?" he asked, his voice rough from the smoke.
Ivy's eyes widened, but she nodded towards a little gray bundle on the ground. Scourge hurried over, nudging the kitten with his nose.
"Little one," he whispered. "Little kitten."
His voice became more frantic as he nudged her harder. "Kitten!"
"Her name is Silver," Ivy mewed softly.
"Silver!" Scourge shouted.
"What?" The kitten mewed weakly.
"H-how are you?" Scourge asked.
"I'm fine," Silver meowed quietly. "Except for my paw." She extended one of her forelegs, and Scourge gasped as he saw the twisted, burnt paw. He felt so guilty. If he hadn't missed at that jump -
"Don't blame yourself," Ivy mewed softly to him. "If you hadn't helped her, Silver wouldn't be alive. And the Becoming wouldn't have its newest member. We had the Nightshades make her a collar."
Scourge smiled softly and leaned down to nuzzle Silver. She squealed happily and batted at his ears. Then, he noticed the soft orange collar with one dog tooth on it around her neck.
"That's your collar, right?" he asked.
"Yeah," Silver meowed. "It's my old collar from when I belonged to those Twolegs. See how the edges are gray-ish and charred?"
Scourge nodded. "Can you walk?"
Silver stumbled out of her mossy bed and attempted to stand before falling over. But Ivy darted over and had the kitten lean on her. Scourge supported Silver on the other side as the kitten attempted to balance on three legs.
After a couple of tries, Silver managed to stumble a couple steps before tripping into Scourge again. He licked her ear and encouraged her to try again.
"If you can get to the fresh-kill pile, you can pick which piece of prey you get," Ivy said.
After a little while, Silver had gotten to the fresh-kill pile, and had settled back in her bed with a little mouse.
"I'm going hunting," Scourge lied, dashing towards the forest. He had heard a story about a WindClan cat who had been born without a paw. Maybe they could help. Maybe Silver belonged in WindClan, with cats who would support her. Maybe-
Scourge was so focused on his thoughts that he didn't notice the smell of a mouse, or the flash of fur as a cat leapt out of a bush to catch it.
YOU ARE READING
Scourge's Second Chance
FanfictionAfter Firestar kills Scourge in the battle against BloodClan, StarClan offers Scourge a second chance, born in Firestar's litter. Will Scourge accept, and change his ways?
