Nine Lives Too Many-- Chapter three is up!

"So this is how it will be, old friend?" Firestar looked up into those merciless amber eyes.
"I gave up on friends," snarled the black-and-white tom above him. "Especially when I realised they weren't there for you when it mattered. Even if they are a wild cat." Another black-and-white tom came into view, but this one was bulkier and his gaze was malicious. His face betrayed no feeling or thought to the current situation that was panning out before him.
"Finish it," he said, his monotone voice sounding almost bored.
"I only take orders from Scourge," said the tom above Firestar, unmoving. Snorting, the second tom padded away, muttering something about being deputy.
"You don't have to do this, Smudge," he said softly. The ginger tom looked into his friend's eyes again. "You don't have to."
"Yes, he does," said a second tom, a black tom who had one white forepaw. His claws were clearly visible, sharpened with dog's teeth. His spiked collar was clearly visible. He looked at Smudge.
"If you don't have the stomach for it," the tom raised a paw.
"I'll do it," said Smudge, slashing open Firestar's throat as he said so.
"Good." The black tom nodded approvingly. He turned and swished away.
"You... Won't get away... With this... Scourge..." spluttered Firestar. The black tom turned, icy blue eyes narrowed. "You... Will be... stopped..." Firestar heaved in a shuddering breath and Scourge snorted with contempt, padding away.
"I'm sorry," whispered Smudge.
"Smudge! Come on!" The bulky black-and-white tom's barking order rang out over the battle field.
"Coming, Bone!" Smudge cast a final, mournful look at Firestar before padding away.
Hey. This is me. Scourge. You know, warriors super villian? I'm not dead! Don't you dare- Arrg. If you call me a demon once more I'll have to- come here! I'll rip you open- Fine, fine, I'll calm down if I have to, Bone. Anyway, I guess you're wondering how I'm alive. (I'm not a bloody demon! Get back here! I know it was you who said that, Owlmoon !) Now, you may not know this (don't encourage her, mintedstar/fur ) but the Dark Forest can grant lives too. That's where I got my nine lives. But... maybe they were nine lives too many. My story begins back a long time, just a few scarce moons after the battle against the Clans. The Clans had no clue BloodClan was rebuilding. They had no clue that the Dark Forest not only gave me nine lives, but gave my deputy, Bone, two lives. (Oh, shut up, Ignis🔥 . That can happen.) Those filthy cats thought they were rid of him. They also thought they were rid of me. But this story begins when a new recruit joined BloodClan... It was right after we had killed Firestar and most of his followers down by the lake. (Yes, we killed em, @brambleisback . Now pay attention. Maplestone360 , I said pay attention!)


"Scourge." The gruff voice made me lift my head and I stared my deputy down. (Deputies are like that. You have to constantly keep your authority.) My gaze was instantly drawn to the pretty she-cat beside him.
"Who is that?" I asked.
"She calls herself Yew," he said. "Apparently she came here because Oakenfur is her brother." Bone fixed Oakenfur with a deathly stare, which the warrior returned proudly. "Her RiverClan brother." I stood up and leapt from the rock I had been laying on. I padded over to Oakenfur and stood nose to nose with him.
"Is this true?" I snapped. Oakenfur's gaze did not waver.
"Yes," he replied.
"You have lied to BloodClan. You are a traitor. Do you have anything you wish to say before you die in painful agony?" (Yes, painful agony, Ignis🔥 ) Oakenfur raised his head.
"One thing," he said, staring at his sister with a cold hatred. "I was from RiverClan, but RiverClan was not where my loyalties lay. They lay here, with BloodClan. I knew that, the moment I found out when Leopardstar and Tigerstar formed the alliance."
"Do not say that name in my presence!" I growled, stiffening at my old enemy's name.
"You deserve to know, anyway," continued Oakenfur, unfazed. "That Leopardstar had two kits. Those kits were Yew and me."
"Ah. So if I were to order you to kill Leopardstar-" I began, but Oakenfur cut me off.
"I would do it in a heartbeat. Anything to get revenge on her. My father- our father," he looked at Yew as he said this, "Should not have been Tigerstar."
"Fight." The command slipped from my jaws before I could stop it. Yew looked up at me in astonishment.
"What?"
"You heard me," I snarled. "Fight. One winner."
"How do we know when the other is defeated?" asked Yew uncertainly. Oakenfur chuckled at his sister's ignorance. 
"You have much to learn about the ways of BloodClan," he mused. His eyes gleamed and he licked his already blood-stained teeth. This would be interesting. He could win his collar today.
"W-What do you mean?" Yew looked utterly terrified.
"How to know when they are defeated?" I padded closer to Yew, who flinched away from me, despite being nearly twice my size. She could obviously smell the blood on my breath. "They are defeated," I leant closer to her, "When they are dead." Horror shone in her eyes and I padded away, laughing. I settled down into the glade, practically hidden from view. I looked to Oakenfur to see if he showed any regret for the coming fight, but there was none. Only hunger. 
"Begin!" Bone's commanding call echoed across the camp and BloodClan cats flooded out to watch. Some of my guards, such as Snake and Venom, watched with anticipation while others, such as the former Clan cats Hollypaw and Tawnypelt, watched in horror. I was happy to see that Hawkfrost, Skyfall and Spiderleg, also watched with anticipation. Oakenfur leapt at Yew, catching her off guard. She shrieked as his claws tore through her muzzle, making it bleed. She scrabbled at his, her claws sheathed. He dug his claws deeper into her face and she unsheathed her claws, slashing his stomach. The tom yowled in pain and his eyes narrowed. He raised his paws to deliver the killing blow.
"No!" A brown blur shot past, slamming into Oakenfur. Wind. She never was truly loyal to me. I guess stealing her as a kit didn't help. Oakenfur turned on her, snarling.
"Stop!" yowled Yew, but the two cats didn't hear her. Wind's fur fluffed up in anger and she spat at Oakenfur. He feinted towards her left flank and, as she dodged, he quickly moved his paws to slash at her ear. It tore clear off her head. Wind snarled and leapt at him. He dodged ripped open her stomach. Pain and malice in her gaze, Wind slashed out relentlessly at the tom's face, but only two blows connected; one that tore his ear and another that barely scratched his muzzle. She eventually collapsed and Oakenfur moved in, hunger gleaming in his gaze.
"It's over." He swiftly bit her neck. She jerked once and lay still.
"Shame," said Venom.
"She was weak," I said, stepping out of the shade. "Oakenfur, you have earned your collar."
"You let your anger blind you." 
"I-I'm sorry, Scourge. I'll do better next time." Yew's eyes showed the slightest trace of fear.
"Let me show you how it's done." I stepped into the middle of the alley and looked at her. "Go on. Taunt me."
"Y-You're a fox-hearted coward," Yew began hesitantly. My face remained passive and her confidence grew as she continued. "You let innocent cats fight to the death so your stupid, mushy, soft-hearted, kittypet soul can be satisfied." I ignored her onslaught of insults. Kittypet, mouse-brain, foxheart- I'd been called them all before. Even jibes at my kittypet roots didn't bother me. Suddenly, one word penetrated the tightly-woven shield that was wrapped around my mind. I turned my head to look at Yew slowly.
"What did you just say?"
"You heard me." She raised her head confidently. "You were wrong to kill Tigerstar." Yew suddenly took a pace back as I rose to my paws, a dangerous light in my eyes.
"Say that again." It wasn't a question. It wasn't an order, either. It was a dare.
"You were wrong to kill him," she said. "What he did to you was in the past." With a roar of anger, I leapt at Yew. I clawed at her flank in fury.
"Do you think I don't know that? I relive that moment every single day." I slashed her muzzle and she stumbled back, attempting to claw my ear. "He could have been a powerful ally. That's what happens when you let rage take you over!" I pinned her to the ground, my face dangerously close to hers, lips drawn back to show my teeth. "Firestar is the one who must pay." a trembling Yew nodded slowly and I stepped off her, turning around to stalk from the alley. 
"Scourge?" Bone gave me a slightly worried look as I pushed past him.
"Get away," I spat. I continued through the twoleg place, stopping in my favourite place; an alley with heaps of old boxes and crates. I slipped into them; deep under the rubble. I could smell the approach of a cat but ignored it; if they were smart, they'd leave. Apparently, this cat was either dumb or brave, because they came into the rubble, standing behind me.
"A-Are you okay?" The cat's voice sounded dimly familiar. The cat also obviously didn't know who he was. A tear trickled down my cheek as I thought of the few cats I actually regretted killing; my sister, Ruby, my brother, Socks, my loyal cat Mars...
"Hey, are you okay?" The cat repeated. I let my claws unsheathe and let out a slow chuckle.
"I will be, after I kill you." I turned and the cat's eyes widened in shock. Recognition flashed in his gaze, and it probably flashed in mine. ThunderClan scent...
"Scourge?" The gray tom took a half-pace back. Then he seemed to remember himself and he meowed, "I'm Ashfur, and I have a proposal for you."
"The last cat who said those words died at my paws from a single blow."
"I don't plan on dying anytime soon." Ashfur stepped closer to me, ignoring the reference to Tigerstar. "In fact, I plan on being the one who does the killing."