I didn't really give a chance for anyone to review, but two people did. Thank-you Kawakage and LaceyA.K.2410 for reviewing. In this chapter, it is set two moons ahead from where I left off (there will be frequent time jumps from now until the end ^^). It's very short, and I intended it to be so, because once Hawkpaw wakes up, there'll be a few surprises around the corner for the next chapter. So, enjoy~!
Chapter Twenty-Two
The sun eagerly peaked above the moor, sending rays of cold light down on the camp. Hawkpaw stifled a yawn, and slipped out of his den. Lionpaw held a look of pride on her face, and Smokepaw masked his.
"You have the whole day to catch all you can," Ashstar told the two apprentices, and flicked her tail for them to be dismissed. The two bounded off in opposite directions, eagerly ready to be made warriors.
Hawkpaw purred, and padded over to his mentor, "What are we going to do today?" he asked, giving his chest a self-conscious lick.
"How about battle practice? We haven't done any in a long time, we've been working on your running skills for the majority of the time," Ashstar decided. Two moons earlier, Hawkpaw had struggled with catching up with his mentor, so Ashstar had him run laps.
Now, he was getting to be as fast as his mentor, if not faster. Swimming had improved his abilities, but he still had a lot to learn aside from that. Hawkpaw dipped his head, and followed his mentor back to the training ravine.
"Come at me," Ashstar instructed. Hawkpaw narrowed his eyes, his icy blue gaze deepening as he decided what he wanted to do. Making a rash decision, he pelted forward, and saw his mentor beginning to duck out.
He twisted on his paws, and bowled into her front legs. The she-cat let off a yowl of surprise, and the two rolled over one another. Hawkpaw ended up on top, pinning his mentor down to the ground.
"Get off me you great lump!" she spat at him, and Hawkpaw loosened his grasp. In a flash, Ashstar took advantage of him, and spun around, lashing out at him with a sheathed paw.
She unbalanced him greatly, and sent Hawkpaw spinning. Rushing forward, she head-butted into his side and sent him flying. Using his instincts, Hawkpaw righted himself, and ducked under his mentor's flashing paws.
He was soon underneath of her, and he had to make another quick decision. Using his trained hind legs, he kicked the she-cat off of him, and she hit the ground with her back, not her feet.
"Very good," the she-cat rasped, a purr edging into her cracking voice. Hawkpaw's eyes stretched wide in a panic, he had fought much harder than he had meant to! Fighting came to him like the waves crashed on the shore.
In the midst of the scuffle, he had forgotten that Ashstar was much older than he was, and she was frail as well. The gray she-cat smoothed out her pelt, and gave herself a thorough washing. "You're definitely one of the best apprentices I've ever trained."
"Thank-you," Hawkpaw purred, embarrassed at such high praise. "But I'm not that good; I'm not a born WindClan cat, so I can't amount to any of them. I can prove myself worthy of being a warrior of this clan, but I'll never be as good as a pure-blooded WindClan apprentice."
"Of course not," Ashstar agreed, "I think you have the potential of being better. You carry the blood of three clans in your veins, and the relation to the fourth."
"What?" Hawkpaw breathed, his eyes stretching wide in disbelief. "I'm a pure ThunderClan cat! Nothing else!" he snarled, trying to shut out what his mentor was telling him, what he had pushed to the back of his mind for moons on end.
"Hawkpaw," the she-cat breathed. "You really know it, don't you? Deep inside of yourself, you know the truth."
In a blind rage, Hawkpaw snapped, "I don't know what you're talking about!"
"Hawkpaw, who is your father?" Ashstar asked.
"Bramblestar!" Hawkpaw cried, melting down.
"Hawkpaw, who is your father?" Ashstar repeated.
"Bramblestar, Bramblestar is my father!" Hawkpaw yowled as a light rain began to fall on them.
A silence fell over the ravine, and the rain picked up, the drops growing larger, and the wind gusting harder than normal. Ashstar made one last attempt, "Hawkpaw, who is your father?"
Water dripping from his whisker, and sliding down his fur, Hawkpaw screeched, "Hawkfrost!" After that, everything went black.
The same dark brown tabby let off a sinister cackle. His plan was all aligning perfectly. "Are you sure about this? I really don't want to leave my kits…" a ginger she-cat sighed, glancing nervously at the tabby.
"I'm positive," the tom reassured. Another brown tabby padded up next to ginger she-cat, and gave her a lick on the cheek.
"Hawkfrost," the she-cat purred, her green eyes sparkling.
"I don't mind that you are mothering Bramblestar's kits. Win back my brother's trust. As long as Tawnypelt's two kits get a chance to live, in yours, everything will be fine," Hawkfrost purred.
"Are you sure about this, Squirrelflight?" Tawnypelt echoed, Faithkit and Bravekit at her side.
"I'm positive. You shouldn't have been killed, Tawnypelt, and your kits need a chance to live," Squirrelflight agreed. At once the lithe brown tabby body of Faithkit approached, and she burst up into a blinding light.
The light absorbed into Squirrelflight's belly, taking the position of one of her two kits. Slower than his sister, the mottled ginger frame of Bravekit morphed into a weaker light, and took over the body of Squirrelflight's other kit.
"Thank-you," Tawnypelt purred, rubbing the muzzle of her friend.
"No problem," Squirrelflight mewed.
"Now back to the plan…" the dark brown tabby with glinting amber eyes hissed maliciously.
So, now the voting is up. What do you think I should call Lionpaw and Smokepaw? Smokestorm and Lionfang are in the lead, but if there's another name you'd request, please let me know and I'll consider it. The next chapter is uber long, so their warrior's ceremonies will be in it, plus the new surprises. So please review, and I'll update tomorrow...hopefully. I might not though, cuz tomorrow's my birthday! Please review! ~Sayonara~!