Gaining Height - WARRIOR CATS

Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Hawkpaw saw the hazy figures of cats looming on the distant horizon as she stalked forward behind Dawnclaw. Coalfang and Frostwing flanked her on either side, flexing their claws eagerly. Behind them, Hawkpaw could hear the steady crunching of what seemed like a hundred cats.

The icy wind drove deep into her pelt and the pelts of the rest of the cats, but they moved forwards relentlessly in Dawnclaw's pawsteps. Hawkpaw tried to tilt her chin back to see her friends and make sure they were okay, but in that exact moment, Dawnclaw let out a soft hiss.

"Eyes on me."

Then Hawkpaw could only watch as her head moved until her snarling expression was fixed entirely on Dawnclaw. The Medicine Cat looked completely smug and confident, as though she had already won the war. Her tail sliced through the air to command all the other cats to stop in their tracks. As one, they all lifted her heads to Dawnclaw.

She let out a purr. "Well everyone, this is it. Our goal today is simple." She jerked her chin to order three of the cats forward, Wave the Feral, Sunflare the Trusted, and Moongleam, a Trusted and former AquaClan cat. Each of the cats were laden down with vines.

Dawnclaw smiled faintly. "These are some of CometClan's thickest vines. You might recognize them on two of our Ferals, Smokepaw and Hawkpaw." Dawnclaw flicked her tail at Coalfang.

He lunged at Hawkpaw, but Hawkpaw couldn't move, since Dawnclaw had ordered her to keep her eyes on the pale ginger she-cat. The wound throbbed faintly as she tried to resist, but to no avail. Coalpaw pinned her, unsheathed his long claws, and ran a paw over her neck.

Or, what would have been her neck, but what was instead a strong, hideous vine.

"Woah," the gasp echoed from around the crowd, as cats pressed in close to see the vines.

Coalfang let Hawkpaw up with a snarl, and as he did, Dawnclaw pressed against Hawkpaw's side. The contact made her fur stand on end. She felt fear run deep as Dawnclaw lifted her gaze to rake her followers for a final word before the battle.

"Hawkpaw and I will now be going to the summit I organised between the leaders, deputies and Medicine Cats," she announced. "The rest of you stay here, and wait for the signal."

Every cat seemed to nod, besides Frostwing. He looked on in confusion. "Shouldn't I be the one to go to this false peace summit," he queried, flexing his claws. "Why are you taking the ugly Feral instead?"

You mean the cat that was your failed apprentice? It wasn't hard for Hawkpaw to move her snarling gaze to face him, while all her attention was still fixed on Dawnclaw.

The new FalconClan leader flicked her tail. "Yes, Frostwing," she confirmed. "You stay here and lead the charge. Make sure all the Ferals are in our control and don't flee during the fight."

Frostwing might have murmured something like, 'of course, Great Master,' but Hawkpaw wasn't there to see it. Because at that exact moment, Dawnclaw hissed in her ear.

"Stop looking at me like a creep. Now come on, follow me like the submissive Feral I've taught you to be."

She turned away. Dawnclaw didn't even need the strong leash to pull Hawkpaw around anymore. Instead, she had her cursed flower she was named after, the Dawn of the Claw. Hawkpaw still was so furious that she had missed what Dawnclaw was doing, especially since Dawnclaw had dropped so many hints.

Within a few strides, they reached the peace summit, or what Hawkpaw assumed was some sort of peace summit. It was going to happen beneath the Star Rock, where the cats went for gatherings. To Hawkpaw's horror and dismay, the rock emmenanted very little light, as though it was losing power.