Swiftstar's Prophecy - Unofficial version

Chapter Seventeen

The first thing they told her was how important she was to TideClan. Whiteoak, a long haired, white she-cat, had explained to her the danger that her clanmates are already in. "A rogue has made his way into your home already, and disaster is bound to strike, Swiftpaw,"

"Do you know what day? Or how far away it is?" Swiftpaw had asked her. Whiteoak shook her head, "Even I don't know. But I'm here to tell you and make sure you are attentive to your clanmates. Realize who's acting more different than the other, that is all I can tell you." Swiftpaw could see the strain in the she-cat's white eyes, and the apprentice realized how much more important it was than how she thought it was. Swiftpaw had joked that it was Redstar, but just seeing how stressed Whiteoak must've been made the apprentice feel guilty. I shouldn't be joking about this. This much be very serious, then... 

Troutpath had also spoke to her during her visit. Swiftpaw remembered Troutpath from a story that Echoflower had told her before. Well, not exactly a story, but it was before Swiftpaw and her littermates were born, that Troutpath, and many other warriors, had surrendered to death during the most intense leaf-bare ever. Too many kits and elders have died, but some warriors or apprentices have drowned in the dangerous currents of the Grand River. But never before has Swiftpaw ever seen such a great warrior, Troutpath. 

"Swiftpaw, realize how much stronger your legs are than your clanmates," His bushy tail brushed her leg, and the apprentice looked down at them. Of course, she had realized how much bigger and muscular her legs were. But she found it odd as to why she had them. Even Troutpath didn't know.

Juniperberry was about to speak to her, until Eelheart gently nudged his niece's shoulder. "Swiftpaw, it is almost time for you to wake up. You're about to attend the Gathering." Excitement rose in Swiftpaw's chest, and the apprentice beamed, "The Gathering? Wow! Finally!" The other six cats all chuckled at her. 

Argentpaw, another apprentice, commented, "I remember my first time," while Juniperberry gently pressed her nose against Swiftpaw's. "Have fun, little warrior," she spoke, and her mouth opened, as if she was going to say something else, but she closed it. Hm, odd, Swiftpaw thought, looking at Juniperberry, before the scenery of StarClan faded from her eyes.

~

Swiftpaw awoke to the sound of her clanmates loudly chattering with one another not too far from the Apprentices' den. The calico she-cat lifted her head, blinking tiredly, before remembering that the Gathering was tonight! Already, she could see the moonlight piercing through the reeds of the den, and excitement made her almost run out of the den.

The first cat she saw was Carptooth talking with Webpaw. Her younger sister was sitting close to the much bigger tom, and Carptooth almost eclipsed her if it wasn't that they sat in the middle of the clearing. Swiftpaw's ears perked up at them, Does Webpaw like him? She thought curiously, before she heard Pricklepelt call her name. "Coming!" she meowed, and hurried over to the brown tom.

Pricklepelt looked paler under the moonlight than before. His pelt was the color of dried grass, or the color of dried mud, but eyes shone a youthful yellow that showed promise of many good moons. Swiftpaw let out a purr as she saw her friend standing beside Dapplefur, the pretty tortoiseshell wishing farewell to her kits.

"I want to go to the Gathering, too!" Beetlekit pestered his mother, like always, as he ran underneath her stomach up to them. Brinekit and Poolkit looked up at Pricklepelt, their matching blue eyes filled with persuasion, "Pleeeaaaseeeee, Pricklepelt? Bring us with you?" Swiftpaw held back another purr, her amber eyes glinting in humor at the kits.

"I'm sorry, darlings, but only apprentices and warriors can go," Dapplefur meowed, as she snatched up Poolkit by her scruff to take her back into the stone nursery. Reluctantly, Brinekit and Beetlekit followed, and Pricklepelt chuckled at Swiftpaw. "They're growing up too quickly," Pricklepelt purred happily, his yellow eyes gleaming with pride. Swiftpaw's tail lashed and she meowed, "Yeah, they really are. Have you seen Beetlekit's attempts at invasions?" Swiftpaw snorted a bit at the last sentence, out of annoyance. But Pricklepelt's ears flickered, "But at least he's trying. I can see that he'll be a strong warrior."

Swiftpaw looked hopefully at him. It's a shame that they all look more like Dapplefur and have  gray and black pelts than their father. But something in the back of her mind screamed that there was no way that Pricklepelt could be the father, that Brinekit and Poolkit have brilliant, blue eyes and more of a triangular face than him, or Dapplefur. Whiteoak's words echoed in her head,  a rogue has made his way into your home already. 

Does she mean that...Dapplefur had kits with another cat? Swiftpaw's eyes widened, and she struggled to let her fur lay flat when she stared into the depth of the nursery, after Dapplefur. That must be the only reason...right? Swiftpaw thought, and she felt bitter that the tortoiseshell queen would do that. 

"Swiftpaw, are you ready to go to the Gathering?" Blizzardtail suddenly appeared beside her, gesturing over to where Redstar stood, with the many other cats attending. Swiftpaw could see that altogether, all the cats underneath the moon shone brightly, almost like stars. She yearned to be one just like them, so she padded over to where she saw Ripplepaw and Thrush-heart. Ripplepaw's blue eyes widened and he happily hurried to his sister. "You're coming!" he exclaimed like a kit.

Swiftpaw tilted her head, "Huh? Aren't Maplepaw and Webpaw coming?" 

"No, but they're going next time," Ripplepaw explained briefly, before Redstar's voice erupted over everyone else's, "TideClan, we're off!" Swiftpaw slightly glared at the red tom, the poor excuse of a leader. But she brushed it off once Snaketail, then Chivewhisker, then Mudstrike, and more of her clanmates began out of the camp. She followed behind Blizzardtail, but her paws made her faster than her mentor, thanks to her excitement.