The Rule Of BloodClan- Book 1

Chapter 22

Soft flakes of snow fell onto the ground, tickling Scourge's nose as he walked through camp. A blizzard was coming. He could tell. A white mist was forming and not a single bit of the sky showed, only grey clouds. He had sent out multiple hunting patrols so they had plenty prey during the storm. It was freezing and icicles formed under the low branches of the pines and oaks that hung over camp. Scourge shivered and went to check on his kits. Brick was curled tightly around Condor and Midnight. Scourge smiled at the sight. They were his and Bricks kits and nobody else's. 

"It's so cold", Bricks teeth chattered and her meow was barely a whisper. Her fur was bushed but not even fox pelt could keep any cat warm. This cold was unbearable. 

"I hope they'll be ok", Scourge looked at his two kits, so helpless and needy. Brick looked just as concerned. 

"They'll be alright", Scourge wasn't even sure if Brick believed what she was saying. Scourge would protect them. He couldn't kill the cold but he could still make an effort to keep them safe. Scourge licked Brick's head and left the den. An icy wind hit him like claws. Scourge winced and headed over to Snake, head down. 

"Are all the patrols back?" Scourge asked. 

"One's still out I think? Why does it matter?" Snake replied. 

"So my cats don't freeze!" Scourge growled. Snake gave him this look and padded through the storm probably to his nest. Scourge hissed. What was his problem? Scourge just shook his head crossly and went to his own den. Before Scourge could even sit down he heard someone shout his name. He turned his head sharply but all he could see was white and grey. The snow whipped his face. He was about to turn back around when he started to make out the silhouette of four cats. Scourge went over to them. 

"It's KillClan! Their attacking the River Camp!" Venom told him. He had to yowl to be heard over the ferocious winds. 

"Those sly mange-pelts! Are they winning?" Scourge asked. 

"It looks like it!" a ginger she-cat sighed. It was Elisa, a cat from the River Camp. 

"Well we need to help get rid of those flea-bitten KillClan kits!" Scourge yowled urgently yet angrily. He ran into one of the largest dens and shouted his cats awake. The six cats aroused and ran off as Scourge explained the battle that was going on. Scourge padded back over to Venom, Elisa and the other two. 

"Go back! You are needed at the fight!" Scourge yowled. They nodded and raced off into the blizzard. Scourge followed after them. His paws stung with the cold and his eyelids were beginning to freeze shut. Scourge pressed on though the numbness in his paws made it a great amount harder. Why choose such a harsh night to attack? It did make the river more dangerous. If the ice wasn't too thick a cat could fall into the river and the coldness of the water could easily kill a cat. Scourge started to wheeze as he ran on across the open moor. Scourge suddenly stumbled and fell. Numbness made it almost impossible to get back on his paws. He forced himself on, stumbling down every single slope. Scourge gasped for air and his vision started to blur. The rims of his vision started to go black. Scourge stumbled again and fell to the ground but this time he couldn't get back up. He heard voices around him but they soon faded away. 

Scourge woke up in a dark and misty place. There was no snow anywhere yet an ominous red glow illuminated from the dead looking trees and bushes. He saw a flash of ginger fur. Scourge backed up until he felt the withering bushes scrape at his back. Scourge's cobalt blue eyes reflected the eerie red glow. 

"Who's there?" Scourge hissed. He turned his head sharply in every direction, fur bristling. A ginger cat revealed themselves, fur like fire and eyes like the forest. Firestar! Scourge remembered his nightmare with a jolt. He must be asleep, and when he was asleep he was useless. 

"Stay back!" Scourge spat, unsheathing his claws to find his extended dog claws were gone just like they had been in the last dream. 

"Your dying Scourge", Firestar's voice echoed through the mysterious forest. A softness glittered in his green eyes. A softness Scourge had only ever seen in kittypets! 

"Of course I'm not dying! What do you know?" Scourge snarled. 

"I know you hate me but believe me, if or.. when you die this is not the place you want to end up in", Firestar told him. Scourge looked around, at the dead scraggly shrubbery, at the rotting old trees, at the eerie red mist that swirled around his paws. 

"This place doesn't seem too bad", Scourge lied. How would he ever find prey here. 

"This is the Dark Forest. Do I need to convince you more?" Firestar growled. 

"Yes because I don't believe a word your saying! I don't believe in your existence! Your dead! You not really speaking to me!" Scourge spat. 

"Oh really? I don't exist? Explain your last dream then!" Firestar retorted. Scourge growled. He had been beaten and then woken up with the exact same scars. That was very real. 

"What do you want then?" Scourge hissed. 

"I will save you from death", Firestar was staring at Scourge as if he could see through him. Scourge growled. 

"And how exactly do you plan on doing that?" Scourge asked in a sharp tone. 

"I will give you enough strength to live on one occasion", Firestar explained ," You must set free the clan cats". 

"What?" Scourge exclaimed, outraged. That was it. Scourge yowled and hurtled himself at Firestar only to go straight though him. 

"It's your choice", he murmured ," Set them free or die".