Gaining Height - WARRIOR CATS

Chapter 24

Chapter 24

The moment the vine cave was in sight of Hawkpaw, CometClan warriors were upon her. They practically scooped her up, and dragged her into the cave. Hawkpaw was left, questions jiggling about in her mind of how these warriors had come, why they had come, and what was about to happen next.

Flamepaw was sitting down calmly at the entrance to the cave, eyes narrowed to slits. His entire body posture was rigid, yet his eyes gleamed when two CometClan warriors deposited her right below him.

Nightstar and Ravenfeather were settled beside him, and the other CometClan warriors had formed a sort of ragged semi-circle around them. As Hawkpaw looked on, she guessed that about half the clan was here.

Nightstar sprang to her paws the moment Hawkpaw fell to the ground at Flamepaw's paws.

"Now that our guest of honour has arrived-"

CometClan warriors laughed at Hawkpaw, a few of them throwing insults that made Hawkpaw's chest lurch. She thanked StarClan that Smokepaw wasn't here.

"-we can begin this fun little ceremony." Nightstar chuckled as she stared down at Hawkpaw. "Flamepaw here has built a lovely, permanent contraption for my beloved little pet that will make her easy to use and control in battle."

Several warriors raised a cheer, but Ravenfeather kept her eyes narrowed. "Yes," she meowed coldly. "That's all well and good, but," Hawkpaw remembered the way this cat had watched her nearly die, while staring on with cold interest. "why did Flamepaw leave her alone in the first place? And why did I have to gather the clan here for this occasion?"

Ravenfeather's eyes were daggers as she glowered down at the ginger apprentice, Nightstar's second-in-command. Nightstar gave a nod at Flamepaw to go on.

"Adderpaw was with her," he meowed briskly. When Ravenfeather opened her jaws to protest, Flamepaw went on with a snarl. "I was just testing out the loyalty I'd instilled in her." He let out a dry laugh that Hawkpaw knew was fake. "And it worked! She came right back to me when I ordered her to."

Several cats began pounding their paws to the earth at Flamepaw's remark, showing their obvious approval.

Nightstar hushed them with a glare. "Since we have all gathered today," she meowed. "I'd like to make an announcement with regards to our sick." Nightstar shook her head. "Their pain has been going on for far too long. Two nights from tonight, we will put them out of their misery once and for all."

Two nights?! Hawkpaw saw Flamepaw's expression flash, though he quickly put back on his cold stare. So he does care. That thought had hardly registered before another flashed into Hawkpaw's head. StarClan, I told Icepaw we had more time before the rescue mission...! We only have a half-baked plan, what are we going to do?!

That meant the only rescue time that could feasibly work was tomorrow night.

And even then...

Hawkpaw shuddered as Nightstar's curious gaze bore into her pelt. She let out a faint chuckle of amusement when she saw the look of horror that passed over Hawkpaw's face. Hawkpaw suppressed it, not wanting the vile she-cat to pick up on any more of her emotions.

"Let's just get this over with?" Ravenfeather muttered, pretending to hide a yawn. "Flamepaw, do your thing."

Flamepaw shot her a glare. Gripping the vines bitterly in his jaws, he lunged at Hawkpaw, who was still dazed from the realisation of the sick cats' fate. Smokepaw had told her a little tom kit had even fallen sick-

Vines twisted and jerked around her as Flamepaw zigzagged left and right. It was clear that he was a CometClan cat; no FalconClan blood showed through as he nimbly dodged Hawkpaw's outstretched paw and shoved her to the ground with a snarl.