The Battle (A Warrior Cat Story)

Hawkpelt unsheathed his claws as he waited or the familiar yowl that sent ThunderClan into battle with ShadowClan, RiverClan, and WindClan. He saw at least four bodies on the blood soaked prairie that were unmoving, and swiveled his ears so he could hear the endless hisses and desperate meows coming from the three other Clans. He sent a silent prayer to StarClan as Willowstar finally decided to lead ThunderClan into the bloody mass of spitting and yowling cats below. He heard the ear spitting battle yowl sent from Willowstar as she flicked her tail into the upward shape that meant, follow me. There was a thundering stampede of pawsteps as the ThunderClan cats went roaring down the slope, and into the battle raged field. Hawkpelt’s claws came immediately intact with a young WindClan warriors soft fur. As he tangled with the black and white warrior, he heard the retreat yowl coming from RiverClan. He didn’t get to see them weakly leave the grassy land, as there was blood spilling into his eyes, and he wasn’t tall enough to see through the sea of cats. He had thrown off the WindClan cat by now, and watched as he ran screeching into the forest, a badly torn ear, and a bloody nose slowed him down as he sprinted into the thick undergrowth. Hawkpelt took on another warrior, but this time it was an unfortunate ShadowClan cat with a white pelt, stained with blood. She looked too small to be a warrior. Hawkpelt shrugged, and pushed the blue-eyed cat out of the way. She ran back to him, though, she wanted to fight. Hawkpelt leaped into the air as the small warrior swiped her unsheathed claws under his paws. She didn’t give up, though. When his paws touched the ground, she jumped to the side and clawed his flank. The small warrior took one look at Hawkpelt’s bloodsoaked body, and ran into the bushes. What a coward, Hawkpelt thought. Then, as he was gloating over his two easy victories, Twistedstar, the ruthless ShadowClan leader, lept over the cat that he was battling, and landed straight onto Hawkpelt’s back. He didn’t have time to react as sharp claws stabbed into the back of his neck, pinning him to the ground. Then Twistedstar bent over to whisper something into his ear. “ I saw how you frightened little Whiteclaw back there,” he rasped in his ear, “ and I won’t let that happen again!” He spat those last words out, loud and clear. Then Hawkpelt felt a wrenching pain on the back of his neck. Then, suddenly, his breaths were cut short and shallow, and he saw a glowing blue cat on the battlefield. The unusual she cat had stars patterned in her fur, and she whispered softly into his ear. “Come,” she meowed, “ Join us among the stars, and watch over your Clan from the great heights of StarClan.” Hawkpelt shivered, then stood up. Then a wave of shock passed through him as he recognised the she cat. It was his old leader and mentor, Dawnrise. He followed Dawnrise into the brambles to Fourtrees, that was where he would be accepted into the paws of StarClan. He took one last look behind him at his dead body, lying on the battlefield. Then he turned and followed Dawnrise into the Land of Stars.