Gaining Height - WARRIOR CATS

Chapter 20

She also managed to see some parts of the CometClan camp. It seemed even more structured and rigid than FalconClan, yet also more open-concept. Just as Hawkpaw was beginning to let her fur lie flat, there was a sudden gust of wind.

In one swift motion, all the CometClan cats jerked their heads in the far off direction where the gust was coming. She saw fear flash in several of their eyes, the stoic Swiftslash among them.

"She's coming!" One cat gasped.

Hawkpaw narrowed her eyes as wind swirled all around the CometClan camp. Smokepaw was trembling, head buried beneath her paws; she had been through a lot for one day.

Then, as quickly as the wind had come, it ended. Standing in the middle of the circle of CometClan warriors, chin raised, eyes flashing confidently, was Nighthaze. Hawkpaw instantly felt the sheer respect and terror that her presence instilled in her own clanmates.

"Oh, what's this?" Nighthaze's eyes glinted as she stared at Hawkpaw and Smokepaw from where they stood, trapped in the Bramble Cage. "Some cat decided to try out this little invention, I see."

Hawkpaw raised her chin and let out a soft, low throated growl of defiance. Smokepaw merely stood, Swiftslash's decision about the muzzle still saying heavily on her mind.

"I thought it was a good idea," Flamepaw puffed out his chest as he came to stand before Nighthaze. "After all, one's a rogue, and the other's a Medicine Cat. What do you think, Nighthaze?"

Nighthaze's look of curiosity abruptly vanished the moment Flamepaw strutted up to her. In a flash, she swung a claw at his ear. Before he could duck away, her blow met, and the tip of his ear was shaved clean off.

Nighthaze licked her bloody paw nonchalantly as Flamepaw stumbled back.

"It's Nightstar now," she snarled. "You'd do well to remember that, apprentice."

Flamepaw's eyes glinted as he bowed his head to the ground, blood still dripping from his injured ear. "There is no one more loyal to you than me, Nightstar," he whispered. "My claws are yours."

"Hm." Nightstar seemed satisfied with that. She glanced at Flamepaw, whose blood still ran down his face. "This was certainly a creative invention." She chuckled drily, looking over Smokepaw and Hawkpaw from where they were trapped in the enclosure.

The clearing was silent as Nightstar went on. "These vines were a clever idea too," she meowed, nodding to the vines tightly lassoed onto Hawkpaw's wings and neck.

In a flash, she grabbed at the end of the vine, and jerked it.

The slack on Hawkpaw's neck suddenly tightened, and she crumpled forward into the side of the bramble den. Her paws splayed out, and she fell. Nightstar looked on with dark amusement as blood ran down Hawkpaw's face as a few CometClan warriors jeered.

"So this one's a rogue," she meowed drily. "I remember seeing her on the way to get those useless blue wings." Her eyes glinted. "I think it would simply be charming if she fought against those FalconClan fledglings."

"Death to FalonClan! End to FalconClan!" A cheer sounded, started up by a heavily scarred dark ginger tabby.

Nightstar turned away from Hawkpaw, leaving her glaring out while blood trickled down her face. The new clan leader moved on to address her warriors, and they cheered out her new name, making Hawkpaw's ears ring.

"Let me help you," Smokepaw murmured gently to Hawkpaw.

Before Hawkpaw could say anything, Smokepaw began gently rasping her wounded cheek with her tongue, as though trying to get out any dirt. As Hawkpaw stared at Smokepaw, she realised how vacant her friend's eyes were, staring hazedly in the direction of Nightstar.