Hawkwing's Journey/Chapter 16

Chapter Summary
Hawkwing's PoV
 * In the night, Hawkwing is awoken by the sounds of rustling brush. He wants to call a warning to his Clanmates, but decides to check it out first to not wake them up unnecessarily. The tom creeps past several sleeping bodies and emerges into the open. Hawkwing surveys the clearing, seeing many rogue cats swarming into the camp, led by a silver-gray tom. He yowls a warning, waking all of his Clanmates. At first, they think he's had a dream, and try to wave him off. The gray tom insists it's real, and a screech from Stormheart on watch jerks them to wakeful reality. SkyClan's warriors streak out of their den, hissing defiance as they meet the rogue cats.


 * Leafstar joins them, letting out a caterwaul, while Sharpclaw leads the attack.Hawkwing tries to insist that the apprentices stay in their den, but they want to fight. He leaps into the clearing, fighting with the ginger rogue he'd attacked on patrol previously. Hawkwing and Pebblepaw work together to drive off a black and white rogue before jumping back into the battle. He realizes that the rogues knew to attack them at night, when their daylight warriors aren't here. Drops of rain start to fall as he helps Sandynose beat off an opponent, and then joins with Bouncefire to help more cats.


 * He goes with the warrior and is waved over by Darktail, who points at another cluster of his Clanmates. He starts to lead them across the clearing, but a rogue intercepts their path. Hawkwing waits for the white tom to attack, but instead he turns and bites into Bouncefire's neck. The warrior is too shocked to defend himself and dies with blood pouring out of his throat. Hawkwing yowls that he's a traitor, and wonders if everything the white tom has done is part of twisted plan. He moves to attack Darktail, but a silver-gray tom engages him instead.


 * Hawkwing struggles to beat his opponent while watching his father Sharpclaw fight two rogues at a time. The gray tom cuts off Hawkwing's air supply, and he struggles to breathe. He sees Darktail sneak up behind Sharpclaw, but is unable to warn him. They begin to fight, but Rain stealthily creeps up on the deputy from behind. Meanwhile, Hawkwing is in horror and tries to shove off his opponent so he can yowl a warning. Rain and Darktail work together to kill Sharpclaw, leaving the dark gray tom watching, with nothing he can do. He shoves off the silver gray tom and races to his father, but is too late.


 * Hawkwing is horrified, asking Darktail what SkyClan did to deserve this. He feels guilty for trusting him, as he brought this upon his Clan. The white tom sneers that this has been his plan all along, and that it's nothing they did. Hawkwing asks again why he did it, still confused on how he could hate SkyClan so much. Darktail softens and says that he's different than the other Clan cats, and more like him. He gives him the chance to join his group, and become his deputy. Hawkwing velhelmetly declines, insulted at the offer. He moves to attack, but the white tom says he can die with the rest of his Clanmates, and leaps away out of sight.