Warriors Super Edition: Hawkwing's Journey written by Erin Hunter
- Cana Clark
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
I just finished Hawkwing's Journey and cannot believe how incredibly miserable it was. Not miserably written — genuinely the entire book is just one misery after another.
Hawkwing's Journey chronicles SkyClan's second exile (the first having taken place far before the original books start). SkyClan are betrayed by a loner with dark intentions and eventually made into a wandering, homeless band of cats losing their faith and their lives with each page. Hawkwing goes through hell to become the wise and strong warrior we see in later books —this brutal transformation is one of the darkest I've read so far.
When to Read Hawkwing's Journey
I read Hawkwing's Journey after completing the A Vision of Shadows arc. The official Warriors website recommends: "Hawkwing’s Journey can be safely read after completing the third book in A Vision of Shadows, Shattered Sky."
Thoughts and Analysis
I've read the origin of SkyClan's revival in Warriors Super Edition: Firestar's Quest and read about SkyClan joining the other Clans at the Lake Territory in the A Vision of Shadows arc. It's so fascinating to learn about the revived SkyClan; their lack of Clan neighbors, proximity to humans, fairly young members, and their "daylight warriors" who live as kittypets by night and warriors by day.
The revived SkyClan is haunted by the knowledge that their predecessors were exiled from the other Clans, who refused to help them during a crisis. What is it like to revive traditions and culture that may not fit with your lived reality? What must it be like to be haunted by ancestors you can't trace, to pick up a baton and know the last runner failed long before you were born?
SkyClan is sort of this martyred, noble yet tragic Clan that really explores the question of why cats choose to live as a Clan at all. They face that question outright in this book when rogues, raccoons, exile and sickness force them to answer what the point of it all is...
Forgive me for saying this, but Hawkwing's Journey is like the Book of Job from the Bible. Hawkwing loses his brother in the first couple of chapters, and it's all downhill from there. He meets a loner named Darktail, whom he escorts to the gorge where SkyClan lives so Leafstar can decide what to do with him. Darktail is eager to join the Clan, initially begging for herbs so he can recover from the smoke of the fire that killed Hawkwing's brother. SkyClan's medicine cat Echosong reveals that they must find Firestar's descendents and join the other Clans, but they have no idea where to go. Darktail claims to know their location and sends SkyClan warriors on at least two failed quests. On the first failed quest, he tells them to turn at an abandoned badger's nest, but it's revealed that the nest is active and he knew it. Leafstar's beloved mate, Billystorm, is killed. The scene where she learns of his death is brutal:
"And Hawkwing could see from Leafstar's eyes, which suddenly became deep and dark with grief, that she already understood...
...For a moment, Leafstar stood still, frozen with shock. Then she drew in a deep , shuddering breath and turned away. 'No,' she whispered, her voice quiet, sounding almost like a kit..."
LIKE A KIT? Jeez. Break my heart, why don't you... It's more misery for Leafstar from there. Her Clan faces Darktail and his band of rogues, a hostage situation, raccoon attacks, months of wandering, kidnappings from humans... At one point, two Clan members leave to become kittypets, including Hawkwing's first apprentice.
Poor Hawkwing fares no better than his leader —his father is killed by Darktail, his mother and sister stay with Barley during their journey to find the Clans, and soon after his mate Pebbleshine discovers her pregnancy, she gets trapped on a truck that drives away. Unfortunately, I've read the Vision of Shadows arc and I know that Hawkwing never sees her again. Thus the Job comparison.
Hawking's one saving grace is Plumwillow, who loses track of her own mate Sandynose after Darktail's attack. Pregnant, Plumwillow leans on Hawkwing for support. The two become a makeshift family and raise her kits together.
Leafstar manages her Clan's exile as best she can, but when she ignores Echosong's plea to leave a temporary camp for continued wandering, Echosong leaves and Leafstar's own son goes with her. SkyClan's faith in StarClan barely hangs on. During their stay, in the makeshift camp they're attacked by dogs and then pursued by humans who I can only assume are some sort of Animal Control. In a horrific scene, humans in hazmat suits grab three cats, including the deputy, who are then never mentioned again. I searched the fan wikis for their fate and have concluded they were culled. Hawkwing is named deputy even as the captured cats are being carried away. When sickness comes for the Clan next, it is all Leafstar can do to keep them from disbanding:
"'I can't hold cats hostage if they want to leave.' Leafstar's words were forced out. 'But let us not decide while tempers are high and the bodies of our Clanmates lie beside us. Tomorrow I will call a Clan meeting and we will discuss this again.'"
Her coolheadedness and fortitude keep the Clan together long enough for Echosong to return. Echosong's return gives them all hope and revives their withered faith in StarClan. When some cats still doubt if SkyClan can go on, Hawkwing speaks up:
"'Rogue cats only look out for themselves,' he pointed out. 'Clan cats help each other, and that's what we've been doing all along. Of course we're a Clan, and we must go on believing there are better times ahead.'"
Still, even after showing his hardwon fortitude and faith, Hawkwing is dealt one more blow; Sandynose returns soon after Echosong, and takes his rightful place as Plumwillow's mate and their kits' father. Despite the kits' confusion, Hawkwing gives up the joy of fatherhood to do what is right by Plumwillow.
This book is a fire from which Hawkwing is forged. His brother's death makes him reckless and angry — he talks back to his father and leader and lashes out at everyone. But through tragedy and hardship, he becomes a strong and selfless deputy.
Despite Darktail's evil intentions, his false reasoning in coming to SkyClan for help mirrors Hawkwing's most powerful statement:
"It's great how you Clan cats look after each other. It must really make a difference, being part of a Clan."
Haunting, given his true motivations. Darktail is set for his own special edition, Darktail's Judgement, coming Sept 2026.
Themes of exile, faith, fatherhood, selflessness, grief, and leadership make Hawking's Journey a worthwhile read, even though it made me so sad that I actually dreaded picking it back up each time I put it down. For two weeks, my poor girlfriend listened to me bemoan fictional cats' trials and losses. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone in a fragile mental state, but I would recommend it to SkyClan fans and Leafstar stans. (Count me among them; Leafstar is the leader everyone WISHES they could be). Warriors has never been a lighthearted series, but Hawkwing's Journey may just be the darkest book yet.
Book Info
Title: Hawkwing's Journey
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 9780062467683
Author: Erin Hunter
Pub date: Nov 2016
Plus, check out artist @graypillowart on Instagram for some amazing art of Hawkwing's Journey:
Darktail kills Hawkwing's father: https://www.instagram.com/p/DIY_VPyqiNF/?img_index=1
Hawkwing's mother and sister stay behind: https://www.instagram.com/p/DJpQso9qfl3/?img_index=1
Pebbleshine and Hawkwing are separated: https://www.instagram.com/p/DKySCAGMeIn/?img_index=1
Hawkwing, the dad who stepped up: https://www.instagram.com/p/DKY4qC3uieJ/
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