Swiftstar's Prophecy - Unofficial version

Chapter One

"TideClan, attack!"

Swiftkit launched herself at Ripplekit, who snarled in their small game. Behind her was Maplekit, who was battling Webkit by Echoflower. The smaller she-kit was quick to dodge Maplekit's light slashes at her, but she kept backing up in response. As Ripplekit moved out of the way, Swiftkit landed unto her paws and began to bat Ripplekit's ears with a gentle paw. Her younger brother, yet a large, gray tabby, let out a snarl, "You'll never defeat BoulderClan!"

"Oh yes we will, you mouse-brains!" Swiftkit teased him as she went in to pin him down, but the bigger tom easily and gently knocked her away into the moss bed. The calico kit crashed into the soft moss, and she scrambled to her paws, shaking off the moss strands. Echoflower chuckled lightly at her, a black paw going to brush a wad of moss off her back. "Go back to playing, little warrior," their mother purred.

Webkit let out a squeal. "Swiftkit! Help!" she cried, as she writhed under Maplekit. Swiftkit reared her head to her tiny sister, before dashing over to help her out. Ripplekit was directly behind the calico, but the she-kit was too quick for the big tom.

"Let Webkit go!" she growled, before colliding into her red brother. They tumbled around a bit, Maplekit trying to overpower Swiftkit. The two kits were gently pushing each other down, before Echoflower meowed, "Kits, Redstar is here!"

Maplekit, who was below Swiftkit, lifted his tabby head. "Redstar! He's here! He's finally back!" The calico kit got off of her brother, and nudged him with a paw. "Come on, Maplekit! Before Ripplekit and Webkit get to him first!"

A soft growl came from Webkit, as the small kit stood on her hind legs and prodded Swiftkit, "Ripplekit and I aren't as quick as you are! Be fair!" Her ears flattened against her head, and Swiftkit felt slightly guilty for downgrading her sister and brother, "Sorry, but I like to run more!" 

Ripplekit rolled his eyes playfully and meowed, "Come on, let's go!" The gray tabby then hurried to the exit of the nursery, and behind his tail was Webkit. Swiftkit could hear her older clanmates chatter outside the rock den, and Redstar's voice. Maplekit went after the twins, and Swiftkit slowly followed behind. Echoflower gently brushed past her kit and slid out of the nursery, while Swiftkit easily exited.

It has only been seven days since Swiftkit and her littermates were born to Echoflower, the prettiest she-cat in all of TideClan, and the ambitious Redstar. She was told from Baydawn that she was named because of how quick she hurried once she was born, and Swiftkit beamed proudly at his words. But she loved her littermates just as much as she did for Baydawn. Even though Maplekit had a slightly inverted paw, he looked just like Redstar, with broad shoulders and a handsome face. Ripplekit and Webkit were twins, but Ripplekit was the largest one.

The TideClan camp was massive, as large oak trees eclipsed the sunhigh light. Many cats of all different pelts padded around, and some even came out of dens made of woven reeds or of fallen oak trees! Swiftkit could see two dens of woven reeds, and she guessed those to be the warrior dens. As her paws sank in the wet sands and mud, she saw her littermates' paw prints leading to the largest, and blackest rock in the whole camp. It sat at the far edge of camp, away from the stone entrance. Many cats were crowded around it, and Swiftkit could guess it was the Clanrock. 

"Come on, kits, stay together, now," Echoflower meowed as she lowered her head to her kits. She was a beautiful she-cat, with bright-blue eyes and a symmetrical face. Swiftkit wondered if she herself had gotten her mother's beauty. Echoflower gently scooped up Webkit by her scruff, before padding over to the crowds. Swiftkit fell in line with Maplekit and Ripplekit, and the three kits trailed behind their mother. As she brushed past many other cats, Ripplekit murmured to his littermates, "Look at all these warriors! I hope I become the strongest one,"

Maplekit chuckled and brushed his flank against his. "You will be, Ripplekit!" he meowed, and Swiftkit added in, "You'll be the biggest and strongest!" Ripplekit quietly purred and lowered his head. "Thank you, Swiftkit and Maplekit," 

Echoflower sat down near the middle of the crowd, and set Webkit by her paws. Swiftkit went and accompanied her littermate, while her brothers sat beside their mother. Swiftkit lifted her head, and climbing the very Clanrock was Redstar, her father.

The handsome, red tabby tom's pelt shone in the sunlight, and his green eyes gleamed proudly. "Today, TideClan has officially reclaimed the Shiny Shore from DriftClan!" All the cats around Swiftkit, even Echoflower, rose their voices and cheered happily. This must be what Dovefeather was talking about yesterday... she thought as she stared over at the pale-gray queen. The queen was sitting beside her mate, Sparkclaw in the very shade of an oak. 

Ripplekit mumbled into her ear, "Redstar looks a bit distracted..." Swiftkit lifted her head to gaze up at her father, and she could see his ear twitching slightly. The Clan cats all fell silent, before Redstar solemnly meowed, "In our pursuing battle, we have lost Eelheart." Swiftkit blinked innocently. Who is Eelheart? She thought, and tilted her head, before a wail came from an elder tom. His dark pelt was bristling, and his eyes burned with sorrow. Webkit whimpered as she hid behind Maplekit, and Swiftkit asked, "Who is Eelheart?"

"Never mind that, kits," Echoflower meowed gently, as she now plucked Ripplekit by the scruff. "Back into the nursery." 

"But why, Echoflower?" Maplekit asked, but Echoflower urgently ushered them back into the nursery of a boulder. Swiftkit whined, but as she turned her head, she could see why Echoflower wanted them inside. A black tom was dragging a cat pretty stiffly, as he had been affected as well, but as the dead tom's unblinking eyes stared into Swiftkit's, the kit fearfully dashed under Echoflower's legs.