Swiftstar's Prophecy - Unofficial version

Prologue

There was a small, crystal-clear pond, surrounded by flat rocks and reeds, that reflected the very blue skies of StarClan. Cypress trees swayed gently in the breezes that swept by, and wildflowers spreaded their pollen in the green-leaf sun. Calls of sparrows and cardinals echoed throughout the forest, but not a sound once more. Nearly all at once, six cats emerged from the cypress tree lining, all making their way to the pond.

A broad-shouldered tom, his pelt black as night, sat upon a red rock that stood higher than the others. He lifted his dark head and blinked his wide, yellow eyes, before meowing, "TideClan, thank you all for coming."

A small tabby apprentice stepped forward, lashing her tail anxiously at this odd meeting. "Eelheart, what is this meeting all about? Don't you know we all have things that must be done!" she bickered, prodding her tiny paw at the pond water. Another she-cat shushed the apprentice, and they both turned their gaze to the black tom, Eelheart.

Eelheart's ear slightly twitched at the apprentice's comment, but he announced, "You all must have sensed it much earlier, but TideClan is in major jeopardy. A rouge, a threat that has seeped his way into our Clan, will strike at any moment. We cannot ignore this much longer!" He stood up and his tail stuck up like a stick as his heart rushed adrenaline through his body. The other five cats murmured among each other. What should they do about it?

"TideClan has never dealt with this before," A well respected she-cat, Whiteoak, spoke up, "But I advise we send Baydawn a warning."

"But will a warning be enough?" A gray tom, Troutpath, intervened, "A warning is understanding, but how will Redstar deal with it once Baydawn tells him?" The tom was pacing back and forth, his tail lashing in worry. Whiteoak lowered her head, thinking deeply. Eelheart blinked slowly, processing over how they could help the present TideClan. The same apprentice before, Argentpaw, suggested, "How about we just leave TideClan to face it themselves? I mean, she di--"

"Argentpaw, enough!" snapped Morningstream, Argentpaw's mother, before Eelheart let out a deep sigh. The arguing between the cats halted, as they gazed upon the black tom. "We need to argue less and find out how to help TideClan. Argentpaw, we cannot just let them go! Think about Hailpaw, Splashpaw, and Carppaw! Troutpath, I do agree with your suggestion, but there must be something more." 

All five cats remained silent, until a humble, soothing voice suggested, "How about we pick a cat to save TideClan?" The silent she-cat that stayed near the reed patch sat in an urbane manner, her black tabby pelt glossy and clean. Troutpath lashed his tail and asked, "And who should we pick, Juniperberry?"

The she-cat gently stood up, her slender form making her look graceful, before she explained, "Echoflower, Dapplefur, and Brackenstalk all have, or expecting, kits! We should pick one of them while they are young, and warn Baydawn so he can prepare Redstar and the clan."

Eelheart nodded to her, before the tom gladly meowed, "It is decided. Someone should warn Baydawn, and three of you shall pick the kit. I will speak with Mallowstar about this." Instantly, the six cats broke off. Eelheart was off to speak with the previous leader of TideClan, Troutpath was to warn Baydawn, and Morningstream, Argentpaw, Whiteoak, and Juniperberry were sent to pick the kit.

As they split up, Argentpaw was buzzing about seeing her brothers again, "I haven't seen Splashpaw in forever! I wonder if he still has a crush on Whitepaw!" She told Morningstream, who would constantly tell her to keep quiet. Whiteoak purred at the mention of her only daughter, while Juniperberry commented at how much time she would be leaving her kits with her dead friend, Creekpelt. Soon, all of the she-cats left StarClan territory and ventured down to the TideClan camp.

TideClan was surrounded by many smaller streams, but the Grand River was branched off and ran beside the camp. The beech trees and willow trees were spread throughout the territory, but it all stopped by the camp, which was hidden in the oaks and reeds. The cats who hunted fish and loved water remained, and thus, TideClan was made.

Whiteoak easily swam across the Grand River, alongside Juniperberry and Morningstream. Argentpaw remained close to her mother, as she had drowned in this very river before. Reaching the camp entrance made of a strange rock with an arch and lichen hiding the entrance, Argentpaw eagerly rushed in, ready to see her littermates. Whiteoak pushed through the lichen and padded through a short tunnel, before entering the camp.

Leaf-bare was near its end, and the camp was all muddy and slippery since the snow had melted. Whiteoak could guess that either Echoflower or Dapplefur have delivered their kits, because most of the clan were around the nursery. Argentpaw happily flocked to her brothers, but the other three she-cats slide past their former clanmates and enter the nursery made of a huge boulder.

As Baydawn left the den with his small apprentice carrying herbs, Whiteoak could see Redstar enter. Morningstream entered after him, then Juniperberry, then Whiteoak. The very first thing the white she-cat could smell was blood. That was before her blue eyes rested upon a black and white she-cat wrapping her tail around four newborn kits. Juniperberry gasped, "Oh, Echoflower just had her kits!"

Morningstream padded to the exhausted queen, and lashed her tail. "None of them look like her, despite having four kits," she commented, and Whiteoak peered at her kits. One was a calico, another looked like his father, Redstar, and two looked awfully similar. Juniperberry let out a gentle purr, "I remember when I had Wolfkit, Fishkit, and Aspenkit. All three of them stayed close to my belly."

Whiteoak's ears perked up as her eyes were focused on the calico she-kit. Her heart began to pace faster, and she felt her fur stand on edge. Only the swiftest will save TideClan. Whiteoak didn't feel too good, but after the prophecy echoed in her head, she heard Redstar's exact words and she knew it was true. 

"Let's name her Swiftkit," the red pelted leader meowed, and Whiteoak lifted her eyes away from the kit. Morningstream and Juniperberry were staring at her in worry, but Whiteoak blinked. She breathed in, relaxing her tense body, and meowed, "We're picking her."