Warriors: the forgotten hearts: trail of pain (book 1)

Chapter twenty-nine

Blossompaw continued to chatter beside him. Sagerain sometimes answered her questions, and sometimes it was Bee.
Finally, they reached the Thunderclan camp. The camp buzzed with warriors and unfamiliar scents. The cats here were a lot fatter then the ones at his own or The River Runners. They carried themselves differently too.
Sagerain tensed beside him. He wondered if she had the same anxiety of finding their father. Was he still here? Would he accept them?

A tortoiseshell she-cat scurried towards them. "What are they doing here?" She hissed.

Fringefur stepped forward. "It's ok, Sorrelcloud." He reassured the she-cat. "They wish to speak to Frightstar."

She blinked at him. "She's out."

"Where?" Stageleap huffed.

"Hunting." Sorrelcloud narrowed her eyes at Hawk. "I don't remember you in Shadowclan."

Hawk shuffled his paws. "I'm not in Shadowclan."

"He's from The Forgotten!" Blossompaw squeaked. She smiled happily at Sorrelcloud.
The she-cat's eyes widened. She locked eyes with Stagleap. Hawk could practically smell her confusion and fear.

"Why are rogues in our camp!" She hissed. A few Thunderclan cats lifted their heads. Curiosity was written on their features.

"We aren't rogues!" Bee hissed. His fur bushed and he glared at the Thunderclan she-cat.

Sagerain rested her tail on his back. "We aren't here to fight." She silenced the Tom. Bee relaxed slightly, but his glared didn't shift.

"Then why are you here?" A sudden raspy voice made Hawk dug his claws in the ground. He turned, seeing a tall black she-cat calmly pad up to them. She didn't look old, but her voice was scratchy.

Hawk retracted his claws. "We wish to speak to speak with Frightstar." He mewed.

The she-cat flicked her tail. "You are." Her deep amber eyes narrowed. "You don't carry the scent of the clans, who are you?"

Hawk cleared his throat. "My name is Hawk." He meowed, raising his voice slightly as cats padded up to examine him. "I am the leader of The Forgotten. I've come to ask for your help."

Frightstar blinked at him. "Help with what?" Her sleek black tail curled at the end.

"Shadowclan. They have invaded our camp, and killed many of my friends." A few cats' eyes widened, some whispered amongst themselves.

"You can't have territory, you're rogues!" A cat yowled. Hawk bristled.

"No they aren't!" Blossompaw defended him. Hawk blinked at the small she-cat, wondering why she was so kind to them. "They live and hunt just like us! Sagerain says they even have their own queens and elders, they just call them different names."

Sorrelcloud stared at the apprentice with wide, rage filled eyes. "Blossompaw!" She hissed. "Hootclaw, take Blossompaw away somewhere." She glared at the small she-cat. Blossompaw's tail drooped, but she followed the Tom away.

"Is this true?" Frightstar stared at Hawk intensely.

Hawk nodded. "Yes, and we are out numbered. Skyrain says Shadowclan has already got Windclan to fight with them. They want to destroy us. To destroy kits and elders."

"Surely we're going to help them?" A brown and black Tom slithered forward. "We can't let them die."

"He killed his own mother!" A she-cat screeched.

Hawk cringed. His fur suddenly stood on end. "She dumped me in the woods! If I wasn't picked up by what you call rogues I wouldn't be alive! The cats I live with have showed me more kindness then Shadowclan ever thought of doing!"

The cats around him went silent. "You're Poppytail's kit?" The Tabby tom asked quietly.

Hawk blinked towards him. His insides suddenly feeling as though they were turned upside down. The Tom had eyes almost just like his own, but the toms eyes were darker. Hawk looked at Sagerain, who's fur stood on end.

"Yeah. . ." Hawk mewed. "Why?"

The tabby coughed, clearing his throat. He glanced around at his clan mates. "We can't let innocent kits die."

"You sound like Adderpaw." Frightstar twitched her ear at him. She turned back to Hawk, giving him a hard stare. "Why should we help you?"

It was Goosewhisker who stepped forward. "Starclan has spoken. Glowstar is a threat, I've tried to warn her. She won't listen" his new was strained.

A small brown she-cat suddenly came barreling towards them. "What's going on?" She mewed as she skidded to a halt. Another tan tabby Tom padded behind her.

"These cats need help." Frightstar mewed.  She glanced at the she-cat. "Have you or Adderpaw heard from Starclan?"

The small she-cat shifted her paws. "Well. . We didn't know how to interpret it. ." She looked at the Tom beside her, as if expecting him to defend her.

The Tom nodded and stepped forward. "The message was. . Different." He mewed shooting an awkward glance at the she-cat. "But, I believe it means we should help them."

Hawk blinked. These must be the medicine cats. Frightstar looked at Hawk once more. "This is Bramblewhisker and Adderpaw; our medicine cats." She mewed. She flicked her tail to the dark tabby Tom. "This is Hawkgaze, my deputy."

He could feel Sagerain stiffen beside him once more. Her hackles raised and he could tell she tried to flatten her fur.
Hawk only nodded tightly, before forcing himself to speak. "This is Bee, my Heir, the same as a deputy. This is my sister, Sagerain. And I can only assume you know them." He meowed, gesturing to Skyrain and Goosewhisker.

Frightstar dipped her head to them. Yes discuss this more privately." She meowed, flicking her tail for them to follow.