Ruins of an Idea
Hawkstar scowled as Leoparddapple called him again. He heaved himself to his paws and strolled out of his den beneath a rock shelter.
"Yes, Leoparddapple what is it?"
She scowled, a sure sign she had not forgotten their quarrel last night.
"We've found more evidence of Snowclan hunting on our territory. Bones and Snowclan scent."
Hawkstar's scowl deepened.
"I think," he began smoothly; "It's time we taught Snowclan a lesson they won't soon forget." His eyes glittered dangerously. Leoparddapple would be in favor of this. Perhaps it could make up for last night.
"I agree," Leoparddapple meowed tightly. Apparently not. Hawkstar didn't like rejection.
"You may go," He mewed coldly.
Leparddapple turned on her heel. She was ambitious, vicious, and selfish. Hawkstar loved her. Or at least as close to love as he would allow himself. If someone had asked him, he wouldn't have admitted any feeling for the dappled she-cat. Nor she for him, on that note. Everyone in the Clan knew they were perfectly suited to each other; almost too perfectly. The other cats feared them. As it should be thought Hawkstar. He narrowed his eyes, thinking about Snowclan. Their leader, Blazestar, was petty, snippy and cowardly. He hated her. Suddenly, a deliciously evil plan took his mind. Why should Snowclan continue to function on their own if they couldn't handle it? Surely they had proven that. Why shouldn't Breezeclan rule Snowclan? Why not?
Hawkstar crouched beside Skyleap, in the sparse undergrowth of Snowclan territory.
"Why couldn't I lead the second patrol?" wined Skyleap in a whisper.
"Shut up!" Hawkstar hiss-whispered back, "I need you here and I want Leoparddapple to lead the second battle patrol!"
Hawkstar turned to face his Clanmates.
"Ready?"
One of the queens called out,
"Are you sure that Starclan will approve?"
"Silence, Lavenderstem! To the Dark Forest with Starclan! We don't need them! Attack!"
The cats' eyes became wide as full moons at those words, but they followed Hawkstar. They dove into dens and dragged kits, warriors and apprentices out, slaughtering them in their dens, or driving them into the clearing where other Breezeclan warriors pounced on them. Blood spattered the leaves and ground. Blazestar leaped onto the boulder in the center of their camp.
"Hawkstar!" she cried, "How do you justify this cowardly attack?" Blood dripped into her eye from a cut and her fur was ragged with claw marks.
"You are the coward, Blazestar!" Hawkstar yowled, "Your warriors are weak and you are pathetic!" He lunged at her from the ground.
At that moment, Leoparddapple's patrol streamed in, yowling their battle cry. Hawkstar slammed into Blazestar and they toppled off the High Rock and onto the icy ground, clawing and slashing; they were a whirlwind of fur and claws. They knocked other battling cats aside with a ferocious screaming knot of cat. Leoparddapple tried to pull Blazestar off Hawkstar, but they barreled her over and kept fighting. They tumbled head-over-tail into the empty medicine cat den. Blazestar was fast and lithe, but Hawkstar was stronger. He pinned her down; planting one paw on her chest. She struggled to free herself, but she was losing blood.
"If you are too weak to hold your leadership, you don't deserve it!" snarled Hawkstar. Blazestar's eyes were wide with terror, and it made Hawkstar despise her all the more. He raised one paw to slash her throat open.
"Hawkstar wai-"
Her mew was cut off by the gurgling of blood. She flopped and thrashed as blood spilled out of her. Hawkstar would kill her with the same move his father had used to kill that traitor, Tigerstar.
"Hawkstar," she rasped, "Hawkstar, my beloved, Scourge never told you did he?" Her voice was so quiet he had to strain to hear her words.
Hawkstar was thoroughly confused now, and when Hawkstar got confused, he covered it up with anger. He slashed at her muzzle.
"Silence! I've killed you. Nothing else matters."
"My poor Hawkstar," she whispered, "You're so alone. But I-" she broke off, gagging, losing lives.
"I…I am your mother, Hawkstar." Her eyes rolled back in her head, which lolled off to the side.
"You lie!" Hawkstar screamed, "You lie! You piece of foxdung! Liar! Liar!" No! It wasn't possible! Was it? No! It couldn't be!
Leoparddapple came racing in, fur hanging from her shoulder, scratches all over her body, blood seeping from her side. She looked furious.
"Hawkstar!" she panted, "We're losing!"
"WHAT? WHAT?" Hawkstar screeched, "How can we be losing?"
"It's that wretched deputy, Wolfpelt. She's rallying the Snowclan cats! And she sent someone out for help, because Dragonclan are here!"
Hawkstar relaxed a little. The leader of Dragonclan was a friend of his.
"Good." He meowed in that cold voice.
"Did I mention they're fighting on Snowclan's side?"
"WHAT? That traitor!" Hawkstar ran out to the camp clearing, and sure enough, Dragonclan cats were surging through the tunnel entrance, closely followed by Birdclan. All three clans were against them. Hawkstar turned to Leoparddapple. Another thought occurred to him at that moment, as his Clan fell down around his paws. He decided to tell it to Leopardapple. She was after all, his deputy.
"I see no reason to remain here." He said diplomatically.
Leoparddapple's eyes took on that gleam he found so attractive.
"I agree, Hawkstar."
Together, they slipped out through the medicine cat's den, and headed for the twoleg place.