Crimson

Prologue

Tigerstar was dead.

Firestar gawked, frozen to the ground in disbelief. The strongest cat in the forest, the one tom who most cats feared, was dead with a single lash of a rouges claws. The Bloodclan cats began to stalk forward, the teeth and claws in their collars glimmering in the light. The ginger braced himself to leap at the cats, the image of Tigerstar loosing all nine lives at once flashing in his mind, until Scourge raised a blood-soaked paw. The cats behind him stopped. "You see what happens to cats who defy BloodClan," the black cat warned calmly. "Your friend here, thought he could control us. He was wrong."

"We don't want to control you," Firestar rasped. "All we want is to lead our lives in peace. We're sorry that Tigerstar brought you here with lies. Please feel free to hunt before you go home."

A low, hollow chuckle erupted from the small black cat. "Go home? We're not going home quite yet," The four clans blinked in surprise. Firestar glanced at Tallstar, the tall black and white tom just as shocked. "Before we leave," the tom continued, small body stalking forward- the tom looked like a snake, moving through grass that was dancing in the green-leaf breeze. He stopped a few mouse whiskers away from Firestar. "I will be taking two or three warriors from each clan with me."

"Thats absurd!" Leopardstar yowled, bounding up to him. "Why would give you any of our precious warriors?"

"Because if you don't you will die." Scourge responded, tail flicking calmly from side to side. The four clans stiffened, Bloodclan gleaming behind their leader. Firestar let out a hiss, his once startled green eyes, now swirling with anger. "No," He snarled, claws unsheathing in one swift movement. "I will fight you, and only you." The small black tom nodded, licking his reinforced claws clean of blood. "Very well," He purred, eyes sparkling. "Take your best shot."

The two cats leaped at each other, jaws stretched wide in a snarl. The Bloodclan leader flew to the side and raked his dog claws across Firestar's shoulder, leaving a deep gash. The ginger tom refrained from letting out a cry in front of the clans that stood around him and whirled to his enemy, but Scourge was glaring, eyes wide and blood-hungry. He raised his claws and delivered a swift blow to Firestar's head. The Thunderclan leader went stiff and fell to the floor, and a stillness settled over him. From the row of Thunderclan cats, Whitestorm exploded towards the black tom, hissing in anger. Just as he leaped at him, Bone, the Bloodclan deputy raked his claws across the white feline's throat and slid back into place next to his leader as he watched the deputy fall. Scourge sniffed, his cold gaze scanning the clan cats. "Must you all try and fight me?" He asked, tail swishing over the ginger tom's body. "No more blood needs to be spilled, just do ask i request and we will leave." Cinderpelt bounded forward and snatched Firestar's scruff, hailing him back into where the Thunderclan cats stood, their fur bristling in union. Once Tallstar had checked silently that Firestar was ok, and with Cinderpelt, he padded forward. The tall tom stopped a few foxtails away from Scourge, making sure that they were a reasonable distance away from each other. "Tornear, Webfoot, come forward," he ordered. The two toms slid forward, legs shaking ever so slightly. They stopped in front of the Bloodclan leader and dipped their heads. "Please accept two of my finest warriors." Tallstar muttered, watching Scourge carefully. The small black tom nodded and motioned with his head for them to join the line of rouges behind him. The two bounded quickly past bone and shuffled in between two cats who murmured, "Welcome to Bloodclan." Leopardstar dipped her head and glanced back at the Shadowclan and Riverclan warriors.

 "Blackfoot, Tawnypaw, Rowanpaw, Featherpaw and Stonepaw, come forward," She ordered, flicking her tail. The five cats slunk forward, heads bowed like a bats. "Before you leave, can the apprentices come forward." Rowanpaw, Tawnypaw, Stonepaw and Featherpaw exchanged glances but step forward anyway. "You for are loyal and brave apprentices, and deserve to receive your warrior name. Tawnypaw from this day forward, you shall be known as Tawnypelt, Rowanpaw, you shall be known as Rowanclaw, Stonepaw, you will be known as Stonefur and Featherpaw, you will be known as Feathertail." The five warriors shuffled into the line of Bloodclan cats, just as the Windclan cats had done before. Scourge glanced at Thunderclan and slid closer to them. Hostile hisses greeted the black tom and he smirked. "I will chose who will join Bloodclan." He purred, tail flicking. He surveyed the cats, blue gaze dancing across the warriors until it landed on a white and ginger she cat with a shredded face. Scourge flicked his tail. "You, she cat with a torn face, step forward." The she cat, Brightheart slid courageously forward, her head raised high. She obviously thought it was an honour to be chosen by a clearly powerful cat. A gasp rose from a white tom, Cloudtail, who Brightheart gave a sympathetic glance towards. The small tom scanned her face. "What happened to your eye?" He asked.

"I was attacked by a dog as an apprentice." She replied, tail flicking. "And lived," Scourge purred nodding to his clan. "Very good, Join the line." Brightheart obeyed, not hesitating before speeding off. The tom once again scanned the crowd. "Please, let me choose the last warrior," Firestar's voice growled from the front. The ginger tom rose and shook his pelt, stalking forward. "I choose Mousefur to go with you." The older warrior dipped her head to Firestar and raced to the line of Bloodclan cats. Once she had joined Scourge stood, purple collar shining in the light. "As I promised, We will leave now." The tom mewed and stalked away, Bone following closely behind. Bloodclan and the nine cats bounded after their leader. The four clans stood still for a few moments until they had made sure that Bloodclan was gone. The leaders lead their clans back into their territory and all was quiet accept the shallow breathing of mouse.