Swiftstar's Prophecy - Unofficial version

Chapter Ten

"Swiftkit, Ripplekit, can you both please watch over my kits for me? I want to share prey with Sparkclaw," Dovefeather gently asked the two kits, as her tongue ran across Briarkit's spine. Swiftkit was about to reply, until Ripplekit's excited meow interrupted, "Of course, Dovefeather!" The eldest she-kit looked at her brother and purred.

It had been a day ever since Redstar yelled at Webkit in front of the whole clan, and in general, the day he basically disowned them from him. The current status of Swiftkit's parents weren't very well, but it affected Ripplekit and Webkit the most. Maplekit was a bit in the middle, while Swiftkit was almost on the same level as Ripplekit and Webkit. Although this affected her a lot, the death of her mother and the abandonment of Redstar, Swiftkit still tried to remain strong for her littermates; she was their last hope.

To cast out their sadness, Swiftkit had suggested helping out the queens and befriending the kits. Reluctantly, Ripplekit agreed, but Swiftkit was able to easily see that he loved teaching the younger kits (besides Maplekit and Webkit, who also taught and played with them as well). Whenever Dapplefur would be out of the nursery for some fresh air, Ripplekit would be teaching her kits how to fight or play moss ball. Or with Dovefeather's kits, like today, he and Swiftkit would be teaching them how to swim.

"Thank you," Dovefeather breathed in relief, before the gray she-cat padded out of the nursery. Swiftkit purred, before her amber eyes shone, "Alright, who wants to learn how to swim?" Swiftkit cannot deny the fact that she liked to teach others as well, nor deny that she had made some friends as well. Brinekit, Russetkit, and Briarkit were her friends, and they usually looked up to Swiftkit for answers; sometimes Swiftkit didn't know and admitted truthfully. Other times, she would slide in a joke.

"I do!" Russetkit and Lilykit piped up, before Briarkit squealed, "I do as well!" But the brown calico she-kit raced up to Swiftkit. She was very tiny compared to her littermates, but her personality outshined her the most. Briarkit, unlike Lilykit or Russetkit, was very open and energetic. But at times she could be sassy as well, especially to Poolkit. Swiftkit gently chuckled, before Ripplekit challenged, "Last one to the reed bed is a rotten egg!" And the large gray tom scurried out of the nursery. Letting out a squeal, Briarkit began after him, along with Russetkit and Lilykit. Swiftkit narrowed her eyes and purred, "Oh, no way!" She began after them, sliding out of the den.

Swiftkit was racing after her brother, and easily beat him to the reed bed, nearly bumping into Bloompelt and Minnowstream, but she was having fun. Truthfully, she felt happy once again. Ripplekit soon reached the reed bed, playfully glaring at his older sister, "No fair! You're so fast!"

"And you're slow!" Swiftkit teased, and cuffed his ear gently. Ripplekit chuckled, before Russetkit meowed, "Ah, Lilykit! You're the rotten egg!" His orange paw prodded Lilykit's white shoulder, and his older sister snapped, "I slipped in the mud!" But Briarkit was chuckling sinisterly, "You're both rotten eggs! I beat you both!"

Before the three would fight, Swiftkit intervened, "Alright, alright, settle down you three." Her tail lashed, and they all obediently sat down. Ripplekit went to test the reed bed, as a gentle current flowed into it. When he dipped his large, gray paw in, he meowed, "It's good enough!"

Swiftkit purred, before she began to instruct them how to swim. "The first step in learning to swim is to know how to move your legs. It's like running," she calico she-kit meowed. Lilykit proudly puffed out her chest, "I want to demonstrate!"

"By what? Being dunked in the water and coming out like a wet piece of moss?" Russetkit asked teasingly, before Lilykit retorted, "I'll show you!" But their relationship between them was mutual, like Swiftkit and Maplekit's. Briarkit rolled her eyes, "Uh huh, Lilykit, I bet you can."

"Watch me!" Swiftkit gave Lilykit a nod of approval, and the white she-kit plunged into the water. "Agh! It's cold!" Lilykit squealed, before she began to work her white legs. She writhed a bit awkwardly, and Ripplekit purred in amusement. Russetkit stared in disbelief as his older sister now began to paddle around in circles easily. "See?" she sneered to him. 

Russetkit shook his head, before he dove into the cold water as well! And so did Briarkit! Swiftkit chuckled as the three kits easily learned to swim. "Natural swimmers!" she commented, as she extended a paw to bump Briarkit away from a reed. Ripplekit leaned to Swiftkit's ear and meowed, "And quite loud, too."

"And you aren't loud as well?" she purred and gave her brother a lick on the shoulder. That was before a cold splash landed on Swiftkit's paws. She let out a yelp, and glared playfully at a cackling Briarkit and Russetkit. The two kits were obviously the culprits of the act, but they weren't prepared for a large, ginger paw to splash them back. Briarkit squeaked in surprise and Russetkit yelped from the sudden hit. Lilykit watched and purred loudly.

It seemed that spending time with Dovefeather's kits eased Swiftkit's mind off of her troubles. And it seemed to work for Ripplekit as well. That was until Redstar's yowl broke out in the clearing. She turned her head, and nearly let out a snarl.

Ripplekit looked over as well and his tail brushed her shoulder to calm her. Briarkit, Russetkit, and Lilykit lifted their heads to their mighty leader. The red tom stood in the middle next to a beaming Lichenface, their tails entwined. What now? Swiftkit thought bitterly, before her eyes widened.

"Lichenface is expecting my kits!" Redstar purred.

I nearly forgot to mention! Briarkit is SohviWillBeMissed Shoutout to her!