Alright, it's obvious that I've been sort of neglecting my fanfics lately, and I really hate to make people wait so long for updates, so I'm going to be honest: I don't know how frequent updates are going to be. I've been working a lot lately on an original story that I actually have ambitions to get published one day. That's great and all, but unfortunately, my inspiration for more serious literature absolutely drains my sarcasm and ranting inspiration. Good for me, but not for this fic. I have NO intentions of abandoning this thing, but I felt that I should give you all fair warning that updates are going to be erratic.
Chapter 10: A Hawk's Frost
Hawkfrost; Because every plot zombie needs an evil twin brother!
The Other Son
Amongst the battle and would-be emotional strife that happens in the first arc, about halfway through the series, we learn that, not only has naughty little Tigerclaw murdered many innocent cats, attempted to kill his clan leader…
Oh, wait, I've already been through all that… Oops; one sec, wrong character…
Warriors a New Prophecy was a mile stone in the Warriors world. A sign that the Erin Hunters weren't done yet and thus created a new quest. For survival! For the sake of the greater plotline! And more importantly, for more money!
During this new dawning, we were introduced to a plethora of new characters, like Squirrelflight (annoying as heck,) Leafpool (also annoying as heck,) and Crowfeather (schizophrenic queer.)
We also rediscover some old characters and learned to hate them all on a new level , like Brambleclaw (see previous chapter,) Tawnypelt (underappreciated magical character that appeared randomly for one plot device and then disappears until she has kits with a bisexual,) Stormfur (emo,) and Feathertail (dead.)
But out of all the characters we were introduced to, out of all of the characters that we encountered in this series, one rises above the rest:
Hawkfrost!
I don't know about you guys, but I know the first thing that went through my mind when Hawkfrost was first introduced to the Warriors series:
OMG, so totally NOT EEEEEVIL!
And of course, the second thing running through my head:
OMG, so totally NOT related to Tigerstar!
Of course, much to everyone's utter shock, it was later revealed that Hawkfrost was the other son of Tigerstar. He and his atheist sister Mothwing (and some other dead guy who we learn about in a later quest to earn money) are the children of Tigerstar and a former kittypet, Sasha. Why did Tigerstar have kits with Sasha? Well, I haven't read the 'manga' (NOT A MANGA!) yet that's supposed to explain it, so you guys will have to figure it out for yourselves…
PLOT DEVICE! MORE BOOKS = MORE MONEY!
Foreshadowing of EEEEEVIL!
In the beginning of the New Prophecy, Hawkfrost is introduced as a loyal warrior of Riverclan. A loyal strong warrior of Riverclan, and ultimately is over shadowed by his sister's role as the first atheist medicine cat (lolz irony.) It isn't until Moonrise that is revealed that he's one of Tigerstar's spawn. And by then, it's too late. He's already been introduced to the plotline, and therefore there's no stopping him now.
In Midnight, Hawkfrost isn't really given much attention. Sure, he's mentioned, and it's made pretty clear that he looks pretty dang scary (by Leafpaw, like, five times) but that's about all we get. It isn't until Moonrise, when Leafpaw happens to hear him talking about his plans for world conquest with his sister that the average reader realizes, "Hey, I think this might actually be going somewhere…"
A little later in the book, Hawkfrost is made clan deputy when Mistyfoot 'mysteriously goes missing'.
Okay, I don't know about you, but something about that just sat wrong with me. I mean, Hawkfrost was only just introduced in Midnight as a newly named warrior. Then a book later he's named freaking deputy? I mean come on! Even Fireheart went through half an arc before he got that opportunity! And since when did Hawkfrost have an apprentice? It's never even mentioned or implied that he had one even for the briefest of times. Whatever happened to that rule?
Answer: It was one of the first of a long chain of traditions and rules that were so important to the first arc that had to be removed for the Greater Plotline.
Honestly? After hearing all of his ULTIMATE TAKEOVER ideas, one starts to wonder at the exact reasons behind Mistyfoot's disappearance…
Aside from his oh so subtle hints at ambition, no one in the clans really seem to think he's a problem. Well, no one except Leafpaw, but who cares about her? After all, Hawkfrost is just a loyal, abnormally strong warrior with a dark tabby pelt and icy blue eyes.
The Face of EEEEEEVIL!
Note the fact that I mentioned his description in the previous section.
Throughout the series, there are about a million characters (no, that is not a huge exaggeration) and, let's face it: if it isn't a main character or important in some way to the overall plotline, you're going to have to look up most characters' descriptions in the allegiances if you want to know what they really look like.
This, of course should be an indication that Hawkfrost's up to something in the plotline because his description gets mentioned about FIVE MILLION FREAKING TIMES THROUGHOUT THE SERIES! Seriously! You can hardly get through a scene with him in it that without it mentioning his "Ice-blue eyes" or the fact that he has a dark tabby pelt and broad, strong shoulders.
Don't believe me? Here are a few excerpts:
(The following excerpts from the Warriors series are the property of Erin Hunter…Blah, blah,blah,blah disclaimer)
Midnight: page 53
He walked on, and Hawkfrost raised his head to look after him. Brambleclaw couldn't quite suppress a shiver when he glimpsed the tom's eyes, an eerie ice blue that seemed to stare through the ThunderClan leader as if he were made of smoke.
Midnight: page 214
Hawkfrost dipped his head courteously to Leafpaw and Sorreltail. He was a powerful tabby with a glossy dark pelt, and for a heartbeat Leafpaw thought he reminded her of someone she had seen before – but no other cat in the forest had such icy, piercing blue eyes.
Midnight: page 258
Hawkfrost hesitated, scuffling the ground in front of him with one paw in apparent shyness, though Leafpaw noticed that his ice-blue eyes flickered from side to side as if making sure that every cat was watching him.
Moonrise: page 58
Looking at the warrior's massive shoulders and strong muscles, Leafpaw was relieved that he had not caught them trespassing.
Moonrise: page 80
Then as her head broke the surface she saw the huge tabby shape of Hawkfrost approaching the bank and realized that Mothwing had done the only thing she could to hide her quickly.
Moonrise: page 204
He looked up and glared at her with his eerie ice-blue eyes.
Moonrise: page 252
Leafpaw drew herself up and met Hawkfrost's icy blue eyes, summoning all her courage.
Moonrise: page 253
Hawkfrost's blue eyes were chips of ice.
Moonrise: page 254
Hawkfrost fixed his cold blue stare on his sister.
Moonrise: page 256
Two pairs of eyes, icy blue and amber, turned their gaze on her.
And that's just in the first two freaking books! Those last four were in the same chapter!
We get it! Hawkfrost is the reincarnation of scary, he's strong, and he has icy blue eyes! There is such a thing as too much reiteration people!
Though, if it counts for anything, Hawkfrost is one of only cats that aren't main characters whose description is completely consistent throughout the entire series.
Plotting of EEEEEVIL!
In the chaotic plot gap of doom left after the warriors finally reach their new home by the magical sparkly lake (Gah! I'm never going to get over the scarring from chapter six, am I?) Hawkfrost's plots finally become apparent.
Well, more apparent than before, in any case.
That's right. Still sore about being kicked out of his random and short lived deputyship in RiverClan, Hawkfrost uses the chaos and distraction caused by said plot gap to his advantage and goes in cahoots with Mudclaw, the equally evil former deputy from WindClan, so that they both can take over WindClan and later RiverClan.
You know, together! Because that kind of not evil partnership always works out!
But, shrouded in the heat of battle, Hawkfrost betrays Mudclaw after he tries to kill Brambleclaw.
*Sigh* Do I even have to comment on the predictability of that?
So, the battle is lost. Hawkfrost walks away unscathed, seeing the error of his ways and restoring the bond between himself and his half-brother (that, admittedly, hardly existed in the first place, but whatever…)Hawkfrost gives up on his scheming, a better, more loyal warrior…
Or DOES HE?
Yeah, no, he doesn't.
It is discovered that Hawkfrost, along with his new best buddy Brambleclaw, meet every night in the Dark Forest (a new plot device which is the equivalent of some sort of feline Hell) with their deceased father, TIGERSTAR!
You know, a bonding experience!
So together, the three relatives learn new and improved fighting moves and receive mentoring in the ways of how to take over the clans.
Yay bonding!
Brotherly Bonding of EEEEEEVIL
Even though they had pretty much no idea about their relations until Dawn (well, at least in Brambleclaw's case, anyway) Hawkfrost and Brambleclaw hit it off as highly competitive, long lost brothers.
After Hawkfrost, through some spontaneous moment of morality, saves Brambleclaw in Starlight, things only escalate from there with their 'bonding' sessions, which mostly consist of their father supervising them during their epic duels to the death.
BONDING!
However, as time passes, something quickly becomes apparent to Hawkfrost. Something shocking. Something horrible.
Brambleclaw isn't EEEEEVIL!
Shocked and awed by this revelation, Hawkfrost starts to worry about their plans for the future. After all, if Brambleclaw suddenly decides that he doesn't want to take over two of the clans and achieve epic pwnage, what does that leave him with? After all, when Hawkfrost takes over his two clans, who will handle the other two and make sure that they don't rebel?
What other cat could he trust besides his newly discovered half-brother to help him fulfill this dream? Mistyfoot was already highly suspicious of him, along with most of RiverClan, he had already inadvertently killed Mudclaw, and it would be too tiresome to take over the remaining clans himself.
No, this plan must work. Brambleclaw must back his mission fully.
In order to insure this, Hawkfrost decides to pose a test of loyalty, shortly after Brambleclaw is named clan deputy (the second cat to be named deputy without having had an apprentice).
So, sneaking onto ThunderClan territory, Hawkfrost cleverly lays a trap of cleverness, along with the help of a mysterious ThunderClan warrior (Ashfur spoilerz) which causes Firestar to get caught with a fox trap around his neck.
Brambleclaw arrives and Hawkfrost generously offers his brother the choice to let Firestar die so that he can become leader and accelerate their plans, or to betray his kin and DIE!
Brambleclaw, proving himself to be the ultimate plot zombie, frees Firestar, and Hawkfrost dies very anticlimactically when he trips and falls on the surprisingly sharp wooden stake from the fox trap.
Oh Hawkfrost, you klutz!
Brotherhood of NEEEEEEUUUUUTRALITY!
I think it is safe to admit that Hawkfrost and Brambleclaw's brotherly relationship was something special. Strangely odd and pretty spontaneous at times, but definitely special.
Because Hawkfrost was the face of EEEEEVIL, and Brambleclaw was the face of plotline induced JUSTICE! And together, they formed the ULTIMATE NEUTRAL. It's that Cain and Abel sort of relationship that people just can't resist!
And speaking of the Cain and Abel theme, has anyone else noticed that it just seemed to keep popping up everywhere in Warriors? Almost every protagonist has and evil half sibling!
Firestar and Scourge
Brambleclaw and Hawkfrost
Jayfeather/Lionblaze and Breezepelt
Dovepaw and Ivypaw (not a half-sibling, but whatever, same concept)
And it somehow wouldn't surprise me - with all the secrets suddenly being revealed and all – if Sandstorm had a 'dark secret' and Leafpool and Squirrelflight suddenly had an evil half brother or sister. Just throwing that out there.
They're freaking EVERYWHERE!
Dreaming of EEEEEVIL
One might think that, like most of the villains that have died, Hawkfrost would be forgotten and left in peace to fade into the background.
WRONG!
In Dark River, Hawkfrost makes a STUNNING (not stunning) reappearance as he and Tigerstar meet with young Lionpaw every night for some family bonding.
And, hey? Why not teach him a thing or two about EEEEEVIL fighting methods while he's there…
Even more startling, after failing with Lionpaw, Hawkfrost actually ends up being considered important enough to have a role in the Next Great Plot for Conquest in Omen of the Stars, bringing his awesome to an entirely new level.
Now Hawkfrost has taken it upon himself to recruit and train young Ivypaw, molding her with his diabolical paws (…oh wow, that sounds wrong out of context…) into the next greatest EEEEEEEVIL!
Legacy of EEEEEEEEVIL!
What is there to say about Hawkfrost? He's evil, he's a diabolical schemer who pretty much hates his own sister and kicks puppies (erm, does that term work for Warriors? Oh, you get what I mean) and works to poison the youth of the clans.
But can he really be blamed? After all, all he wanted to do was spread his love and happiness to all the other clans by ruthlessly taking them over in a quest to destroy the Greater Plotline? And, considering the levels of insanity that the Greater Plotline has risen to: is that really such a bad thing?
Is Hawkfrost really evil, or just another misunderstood victim of the plotline and of circumstance? I'm sure that if we, just for a moment dig down deep enough to the inner workings of Hawkfrost, we might understand his motives in a more redeeming…Oh StarClan…oh, oh dear STARCLAN!...OH THE HORRORS!...AHHH!
*Ahem*
On second thought, we don't want a deeper look into the mind of Hawkfrost.
Seriously, just…. trust me on this one.
Okay, so maybe Hawkfrost really is EEEEEEEEVIL! And admittedly? He's a pretty darn good villain.
But, the point here is, there's just so much more to Hawkfrost than that.
He's half brother to the greatest plot zombie of all time, a dark tabby, and above all else, more important than anything else...
Hehas the most freaking icy blue eyes in EXISTANCE!
IMPORTANT NOTE: Okay, so, to be honest, I'm starting to have trouble with the character rants. It's easy for the main characters, but to be honest the others take a lot more digging in order to find material, and frankly I feel like things are starting to get a bit repetitive. So, I've been thinking about where this fic is going, and I'm going to ask you, the readers for your opinions on this:
I've been thinking of changing things up a bit. Lately I've had a lot fewer ideas for character bashing and a lot more ideas for general series bashing. So, instead of bashing a different character every chapter and a separate aspect every sixth, I might switch things around and focus on a different separate overall aspect of the series (be is a clan, a pairing, or just something people find bothersome) and then do one of the actual characters every sixth chapter. There are a lot of points I would like to make, but I find it a lot harder to fit them in doing only characters.
I can go either way at this point, and I'm continuing the fic no matter what, so I'd like to know what the majority wants.
Also, I'm currently in need of a beta, if anyone's interested.