Gaining Height - WARRIOR CATS

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

"What are you doing?!"

Talonstar's voice roared in Hawkpaw's ears the instant she, Dawnclaw, and the new recruits padded into camp. The clan leader swayed on his paws, eyes drooping. Cloudstorm and Duskfang moved in almost instantly to keep him upright.

Dawnclaw's poppy seeds! Hawkpaw knew precisely why Talonstar hadn't been as active lately, as well as why he was moving sluggishly now. She wondered how long Dawnclaw's plans had been in effect, and how long she had planned to take over FalconClan.

The pale ginger she-cat's cold gaze abruptly bore into Hawkpaw and the rogues behind her. She narrowed her eyes.

"Seat yourselves with the apprentices," she growled.

Almost at the same time, Duskfang, the clan deputy, yowled a formal summons.

"In line!"

Immediately, cats drooped prey they had been eating and moved to form their rigid lines. Hawkpaw even saw Specklekit, his mother, and the other kit, Fadedkit, poking their heads out of the nursery.

Specklekit's eyes were bright as he leaped over to take his place near the back row of cats. He had grown significantly since Hawkpaw had saved the little furball. It reminded her of how long she had spent in FalconClan.

Fadedkit, the only other kit, eyed all the rogues warily. Her black and white pelt was fluffed up against the cold, and she lifted her chin as she passed the rogues, eyeing the rogues coldly.

"This is ain't a warm welcome, is it?" The golden tabby stared at Hawkpaw. "Ye can speak right? They haven't stolen your voice along with your freedom, right?"

"Yes, I can speak," Hawkpaw responded, feeling somewhat indignant. "We should get going now."

The golden tabby said something under her breath that Hawkpaw couldn't hear.

Duskfang was yowling at the last summons. Looking around, Hawkpaw saw the apprentices, who were in rows on the outer left side of the lines. She flicked her tail at the new recruits to follow her.

"Why do we have to sit with the rogues?!" Coalpaw snarled as Hawkpaw sat down next to them. "Get away from me you freaks!"

He's losing it... Hawkpaw knew the past few days had been difficult for all the FalconClan cats, but Coalpaw could only ever seem to muster up enough energy to be needlessly cruel.

"'Scuse me," A massive white, black, and red striped rogue casually settled down right between Coalpaw and Hawkpaw. He flashed a grin at Hawkapw. When Coalpaw looked as though he was about to spit in the face of the large cat, the rogue put out his paw. "Name's Squawk! My mother, Navy named me that 'cause I talk a lot."

Snowpaw, who was behind Coalpaw let out a grin. Squawk saw the white tom, and struck out his paw in a valiant act to make friends with the other cat.

"What's the meaning of this, Dawnclaw?!" Talonstar snarled as he stared at Hawkpaw and the rogues. "Nightfrost, Frostwing? What are you doing with rogues?!"

Several of the rogues shrank away from the clan leader's icy gaze, but Hawkpaw's gaze was fixed steadily on Dawnclaw as she emerged from the rigid line of warriors. Her chest was puffed up, and her eyes were bright.

"I've recruited new cats, Talonstar," she responded. "That way we can defeat CometClan and AquaClan."

Talonstar seemed to be losing the effects of the poppy seed as he turned to glare at Dawnclaw's bright expression. Duskfang was beside his leader, staring at the ground. The usually so confident Deputy was obviously feeling his loyalties being torn apart.