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Hawkfrost paced angrily behind the warriors den. What was wrong with Mothwing? He was doing this for her! Everything he’s done has been for her! He just wanted their clanmates to accept them both as Riverclan warriors. They were trusted and respected warriors among their clanmates. But his sister had to go and want to suddenly become a medicine cat. After ALL they’ve worked hard for! They had waited a moon and no sign had come from Starclan so Mudfur could accept her as his apprentice. It had become all too clear that there was no sign coming. So he had spent all night hunting down a moth to catch. He remembered carefully tearing it’s wings off and then once no cat was around he had snuck into camp quietly and placed the wings right outside of Mudfur’s den. Where there was no possibility he’d miss them. He prayed Mudfur would find them quick and hoped the wind wouldn’t blow them away. Luckily there was hardly a hint of a breeze in the air.
Well whatever, he’d just have to work hard enough for the both of them. With his tail held high he went across the camp to where Mistyfoot was assigning patrols. She nodded in greeting to Hawkfrost as he approached. “Just in time Hawkfrost. Would you mind joining Blackclaw and Mosspelt to patrol the borders? We haven’t renewed the scent markers there in a couple days.”
“Of course!” Hawkfrost lashed his tail. He’d never decline a request from his deputy or leader. A good warrior. Be the BEST warrior. Never question. Just do. That was always his mindset. He needed to prove himself. He was probably the best fighter in the clan….no…he WAS the best. No cat doubted his loyalty. But he had noticed the looks that Mothwing started getting after the first couple of days as they waited for a sign from Starclan. They doubted her. Soon enough they’d doubt him. He had heard their clanmates starting to gossip. He saw them staring. It took everything in Hawkfrost not to hiss at them for daring doubt Mothwings loyalty. If Starclan didn’t accept Mothwing then it was over for them. They’d both be shunned. And possibly cast out. They’d have to be rogues again.
Hawkfrost’s heart beat wildly, his claws digging into the earth.
“Hawkfrost?” Hawkfrost snapped out of it at Mistyfoot’s mew and looked up to see her worried gaze on him. “Are you okay? Blackclaw and Mosspelt are heading out.”
Hawkfrost shook out his pelt and gave his chest fur a couple of embarrassed licks. “Yes. I’m sorry. I’m going.” He nods to her and before she could question him further, he hurries after his clanmates.
Their patrol had been going smoothly. They had reset the scent markers along their border with Windclan. But now here they were. Face to face with a Thunderclan patrol by sunningrocks. Sunningrocks had been the cause of a lot of border skirmishes. But it was Riverclan’s. It’s been Riverclan’s for moons. One of their apprentices had chased and killed a blackbird on Riverclan’s side of the scent markers. Every cat was bristling. Firestar was a part of the Thunderclan patrol. Thunderclan’s leader himself. Though Hawkfrost has never met him before he heard stories from his clanmates. He has yet to be taken to a gathering, but he had overheard Leopardstar and Mistyfoot talking about how they will take himself and Mothwing to the next one. The news had both excited and terrified him. But now, Firestar had not said a word about this encounter. He was staring at him. His body rigid and his eyes light with recognition. Next to him was Brambleclaw, Firestar’s deputy. Hawkfrost wasn’t dumb. Even he could see that both himself and Brambleclaw bear a striking resemblance to each other. They were no doubt brothers. Both children to Tigerstar. And it was clear to Hawkfrost that Firestar had known immediately the truth about Hawkfrosts birth.
It seemed like a long moment before Firestar shook his head and looked apologetically at Blackclaw, who was at the front of their patrol. He presses a paw on the top of the apprentice’s head and forces her to bow her head. “We are sorry. She is a new apprentice and hasn’t learned the borders yet. We’ll leave the bird for you. There’s no need to fight right now.” He stands tall and awaits a response from Blackclaw, there was a hint of challenge in his eyes despite his words. It was true they were outnumbered. They were only three while their patrol had five.
Hawkfrost leaned close to Blackclaw’s head and whispers in his ear. “We can’t just let them leave…they trespassed on our territory and kill our bird,” he hisses, his eyes never leaving Firestar. He was a danger. He knew. He knew their secret and he had no reason not to tell everyone about it.
Blackclaw narrows his eyes. He took a long pause before lashing his tail. “Just make sure it doesn’t happen again,” he snarls. “I feel bad for your apprentices. To break the code right in front of their own leader. What are you teaching them?” he sneers.
Hawkfrost saw one their warriors take a threatening step forward, his mouth open to retort. Firestar slapped a tail over his mouth before his could speak. “Enough Cloudtail, let’s return to hunting.” He turns tail and trots back toward the trees, his tail held high. The other warriors reluctantly followed him. Clearly they would have fought if their leader wasn’t there to stop them. He heard Firestar telling the young apprentice she was to catch extra to make up for the lost bird.
Hawkfrost turned to Blackclaw. “Why did you let them go?” he questioned irritably, lashing his tail in anger.
“We were outnumbered and they were offering us to take the fresh-kill they caught. As much as I would have loved to rip their fur out it was clearly a losing battle if we decided to fight,” he says as he bent down to pick up the Blackbird in his mouth.
Hawkfrost growled under his breath and they went about their patrol without another word.
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Several moons later.
The twolegs had invaded their home. Destroyed everything and took everything from them. They had found new territory. Far from Fourtrees, beside a lake. Mudfur had died before they left. Making Mothwing Riverclan’s full medicine cat. Their mother, Sasha, had revealed the truth of their father out of spite when they had refused to leave the clans and stay behind with her. However, to his shocked surprise, Thunderclan’s leader, Firestar, had defended them. Even if he was obviously just protecting his own little Tigerstar junior. Hawkfrost had mixed feelings of relief, hope, and resent that they even had to be defended by another clan leader before Leopardstar or anyone of his own clanmates had spoken up. They had hissed at them. His own clanmates. Hawkfrost couldn’t help the feeling of betrayal and rage that welled inside him. He had never done anything but try to be the best warrior for Riverclan. He was loyal, he’d do anything for the good of his clan. Just because of where he came from. First they hated him for being nothing but a rogue and now they find out he actually does have Clan blood flowing through him and the hatred that had seemed to have disappeared since they’d been brought in as kits had all flowed back out.
Hawkfrost marched to the warriors den and nestled down in his nest to sleep. He didn’t ignore the fact that all his clanmates had made their nests away from him. He tried not to let it bother him but it frustrates him that after all the work he put in to be the greatest warrior he could it all just disappears in one moment as soon as his true father was mentioned. He buries his face in his paws and lets out a hefty sigh as he drifts into sleep.
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Hawkfrost opens his eyes and lifts his head sleepily. Was he awake already? It didn’t feel like he had slept long. His eyes widen and he leaps to his feet. This wasn’t the warrior den. He looks around, it was dark. He could hardly make anything out, he could just barely make out the faint outlines of trees.
“Hawkfrost,” A deep voice purred.
Hawkfrost whips around, unsheathing his claws. He didn’t recognize the voice. “Who’s there! Show yourself!”
Now Hawkfrost could see it, a large broad-shouldered cat was standing a couple tail lengths away. He was larger than Hawkfrost, who was the biggest cat in Riverclan. The thought sent a shiver down his spine, this cat was massive, however he didn’t let his unease show. Hawkfrost growls deep in his throat as the newcomer stalked calmly toward him.
“It’s nice to finally meet you…..my son.”
This caused Hawkfrost to freeze. He kept his eyes on the larger cat as he walked around Hawkfrost, eyeing him up. Assessing him. He stopped directly in front of Hawkfrost and stared down at him with piercing amber eyes. Hawkfrost stood tall. He wouldn’t let this cat know he was afraid. Actually…Surprising even to himself, he didn’t feel afraid. Standing in front of him was the cat that mothers told their kits nursery tales of to get them to behave. The cat known as one of the biggest monsters through modern clan history. And yet…all he could feel was… Admiration? Pride?
“You know who I am do you not?” The cat purred.
“You’re Tigerstar. My father,” Hawkfrost answered with no hesitation.
“Very good,” Tigerstar chuckles softly. “And do you know why I’ve come to speak with you?”
“No…I don’t…” Hawfrost knew he should be passing this off as just some silly dream. But something inside him knew this was real. His father was standing right here in front of him. This wasn’t just a dream.
“I’m here to help you Hawkfrost. I have been watching you for quite some time. You are an excellent warrior. I am proud to call you my son.”
Hawkfrost’s heart swelled with pride. He couldn’t help it. He rarely gets told that somecat is proud of him. Even now, when this cat everyone called a monster says he is proud of him, he can’t help but feel his chest tighten with happiness. Now he looked at Tigerstar with curiosity. “Help me with what…exactly?”
Tigerstar leans forward. Hawkfrost had to force himself not to reel back at the stench of Tigerstar’s breath ran over his nose. It smelt of carrion. “Your clanmates are having doubts about you, even though you’re their best warrior. Loyal beyond compare. And they question that loyalty. Don’t you feel unappreciated. All of your hard work and for what? To protect these so called Clanmates who probably wouldn’t lift a claw to protect you? Who wouldn’t and did not hesitate to turn against you even though you had done nothing wrong?”
Hawkfrost stares at him with wide eyes. He nods slowly. Everything he’s saying is true…What would his clanmates do for him? He was loyal to them, he’d do anything to protect his clanmates but…would they do the same for him? Doubt started to cloud his mind. He did have friends in the clan…but…were they? They were his friends back in the old territories. But now nobody ever talked to him. Even his own sister…. Hawkfrost pauses and looks up at Tigerstar.
“Why didn’t you bring Mothwing here? She’s my sister…your daughter,” he says. Shouldn’t she be here with him? They were both facing the same struggle’s… weren’t they?
Tigerstar sighs softly and sits back on his haunches. “Unfortunately, your sister…she…she doesn’t quite understand. She’s too forgiving of the cats who wronged her. There is no point in talking to her, she would never understand,” he almost sounds sad. Maybe he felt bad for his daughter.
“I could talk to her. She’ll listen to me!” Hawkfrost says but he was cut off before he could continue.
“No, maybe another time. But right now…does the name Hawkstar appeal to you?” he purrs slyly.
Hawkfrost stares at him with wide eyes. He’d dreamed of having that name ever since he was an apprentice. But he shakes his head and narrows his eyes suspiciously. “What are you getting at?”
“Well I’m just saying, I think you’ll be an excellent leader,” he hums.
“And how would you help me with that? Leopardstar has many moons left,” he turns and starts stalking away. “Thanks but I don’t think you can help. I’m doing just find on my own. Mistyfoot trusts me. When she becomes leader she’ll surely pick me as her deputy.”
“But what if she doesn’t? Then what?” Tigerstar mews calmly.
Hawkfrost pauses. She would, wouldn’t she? He was the obvious choice. Everyone knew that. But now that it had been said allowed. He started to have doubts.
“I’ll…just work harder…” Hawkfrost says slowly. “Until she has no choice but then to pick me.”
“There’s always another choice. She could choose any one of your clanmates. Blackclaw, Heavystep,” he lists the names of his clanmates slowly, his voice getting closer to him as he speaks. “I could help assure that spot as deputy,” he whispers coldly in his ear.
“What do you gain from this…” Hawkfrost says quietly. It was tempting. Oh it was so tempting. But still…This was still Tigerstar. Could he really trust him so easily.
“You’ll learn in time. You don’t have to give me an answer now. In one moon I will visit you again. You will give me your answer then,” his voice turned into an echo as everything went completely dark around him and he awoke in the warriors den with a gasp. Glancing wildly around he found he was still in his nest. His clanmates sound asleep beside him. Hawkfrost stared down at his paws, he sheathes and unsheathes his claws. Had it been a dream? It had felt so real…
Hawkfrost takes a deep breath and hauls himself to his paws. He will think about that offer. And in one moon he’ll tell Tigerstar his answer…..