Gaining Height - WARRIOR CATS

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The instant Hawkpaw touched her nose to the pool, the world went dark. She felt as though she was drifting through a strange world, slowly falling. Everything was black, and when she tried to move her limbs, it didn't work. Then, suddenly, everything brightened, and Hawk felt fresh snow underpaw.

Hawkpaw whirled around, exhilaration pounding in her muscles. The snowy landscape stretched as far as the eye could see, and Hawkpaw felt comfort wash over her like a warm breeze.

Then, the screeching began.

Suddenly, cats exploded into the snowy clearing, claws unsheathed, eyes narrowed to slits. Hawkpaw shivered where she was, although no cold probed into her pelt.

Each one of the cats had no special abilities, yet, as Hawkpaw narrowed her eyes she could make out several that bore striking resemblances to FalconClan cats that she had seen before.

A black she-cat swung a blow at a russet tom, that sent him crumpling to the ground. Nighthaze! Hawkpaw knew that smirk anywhere.

Then, there were deep rumbling sounds. All the cats instantly stopped fighting, looking around in confusion. Suddenly, the ground gave way and swallowed them whole. Hawkpaw fell too, until she was once more in darkness.

Though this time she wasn't alone. In the blackness that swarmed around Hawkpaw, she saw faint outlines of a cat's face flicker into view. Gradually, the light brightened, forming eyes, ears, and whiskers. Hawkpaw expected the light to stop once she could fully see the face, but it kept on expanding, until it made her eyes burn.

In a sudden explosion of light, Hawkpaw found herself flung backwards from where she was, suspended in darkness. She twisted through the air, paws flailing for something to grab onto. She scrunched her eyes tight shut as the bright light surrounded her.

"Open your eyes, my child."

Hawkpaw shivered as she heard a voice. It came from somewhere inside her head. The voice sounded loving, yet there was a certain authority in it that made Hawkpaw blink open her eyes.

Lights dazzled all around her. Bright white colours fizzed, and speckles of pale blues, reds, yellows and greens surrounded Hawkpaw. The stars!

"That is right, small kit. You are among the stars."

Hawkpaw blinked in confusion, looking for the speaker of the voice. Oddly enough, there was no cat to be found in the bright landscape.

Hawkpaw opened her jaws to speak.

"Why am I here?"

Her voice sounded very small, yet it echoed around. It was almost as though the stars were spreading the question she had asked as far as the distant galaxies. Hawkpaw shivered as she stared at her dark grey paws. Is this normal? She wondered.

In response to her question, a grave voice boomed. "You are our last resort. Even we do not know what will happen next, although we knew we needed a cat from outside the clans to save the disease that spreads inside."

"What disease?" Hawkpaw glanced over her shoulder, searching for the speaker who was talking to her.

There was no response to her latest question. For several heartbeats, Hawkpaw wondered if the stars had left her in the empty white landscape. Suddenly, a voice spoke, although this time the speaker's voice had a much rougher edge to it.

"Are you ready to become a warrior?"

Hawkpaw glanced over her shoulder, from where she was suspended in space. She shuddered at the thought of what was about to happen next. She found herself nodding, grim determination in her voice when she spoke.