Swiftstar's Prophecy - Unofficial version

Chapter Thirty

Swiftpaw felt as if the cold wind aided her stride, the faded moonlight touching her pelt. The white parts glowed in the stinging fog that littered the grounds of TideClan territory, and her amber eyes lightened up in the reflections of the dew on grass. Her warm breath showed, and she slightly shivered underneath her long fur. I'm thankful that the rain stopped... but everything is muddy, wet, and cold. Her paws barely touched the wet mud as she leaped gracefully over large, brown puddles. I hope Stonepaw is out tonight, though. 

As she approached the downhill of the cherry blossoms, she stopped when an all too familiar black pelt lingered at the cherry trees, her pelt decorated with shimmery stars and warmth in such a cold night. Juniperberry? Why is she here? Swiftpaw scanned the area, making sure that Stonepaw wasn't here, before she bounded over to the StarClan she-cat. 

"Juniperberry!" The apprentice breathed in relief as she came close to the pretty tabby, Swiftpaw's amber eyes widening in surprise. The StarClan warrior dipped her head, a small purr rumbling from her throat. "Hello, dear Swiftpaw. As you know, I didn't come to visit you just for nothing--" Instantly, Swiftpaw felt sick to her stomach in guilt. Don't tell me she will scold me for meeting Stonepaw in private! Please, I pray! "--now that you have finally been told the prophecy, how do you feel?" Juniperberry finished her sentence. Swiftpaw held in her sigh of relief. 

"Well, I feel rather scared. What disease has already spread throughout the clans? And...who has to die?" The calico she-cat hung her head, her eyes trained on her paws. She could feel Baydawn's voice echoing in her head, but her ears flattened against her head. No! Stop! This fear I feel...it's just so unfinished... like a cliffhanger. What am I missing, here? "I'm not here with the answers, for I don't know, either. But," The black she-cat's nose then touched Swiftpaw's forehead. "Don't forget that you now have a friend to trust; Stonepaw."

"Wait, wait, you're not here to scold to me about meeting up with him at night?" 

"Oh--um-- why would I?" Juniperberry fumbled with her words, as she lowered her narrow muzzle, staring down at her paler chest. Huh? Did she just stutter? Swiftpaw tilted her head, studying the black tabby she-cat. But the apprentice didn't push, nor did she judge, and Swiftpaw only sighed in relief, "Oh, thank StarClan! He's one of my closest friends!" Juniperberry has never appeared nervous, or rather unprepared, in front of me. It doesn't seem that she's unprepared, though. Swiftpaw narrowed her eyes, before something clicked in her mind. Wait, if I'm breaking the Warrior Code, she's not stopping me... she's planning something. 

The two she-cats remained silent for a brief moment, before Swiftpaw gave the she-cat a comforting lick on the shoulder. "It's fine! But I'm sure you'll be able to lead me throughout the prophecy," Swiftpaw meowed, but her amber eyes narrowed slightly. 

"Of course, Swiftpaw." Juniperberry let out a sigh, her slick tail lashing gently. As I suspected. She's planning something... Swiftpaw thought, as she used a bit of honeyed words to prove whether her theory was right or wrong. I know it won't be anything bad, though. Her heart made her feel like that towards Juniperberry, as it eased to her, just like how it does towards Stonepaw. But Swiftpaw broke away from her thoughts as the wind blew against her, coming from the direction of the border between BoulderClan and TideClan. "Looks like Stonepaw is coming. I'll speak with you soon, but I won't make you wait forever." Juniperberry murmured to Swiftpaw, before she disintegrated with the wind, her shimmery pelt fazing away. The stars in her pelt now rose quickly to the sky, and in a slow blink, her stunning, green eyes vanished.

Swiftpaw now sat down, and watched as the tall Stonepaw climbed up the hill towards her, the wind blowing from his direction now calming down. He looked legendary in her eyes, the wind making his short furred pelt bush up slightly; it made him even more handsome to Swiftpaw, and her heart raced. "Odd, the wind direction changed," he meowed as he approached her, the black tabby tom raising his muzzle to the sky. Swiftpaw lowered her eyes, flushing underneath her fur. "Y-yeah, it is weird," she agreed cautiously.

He sat down beside her, both of them sitting in front of a cherry blossom tree. Stonepaw's whiskers brushed hers, and it made her body tingle happily. "I'm sorry about earlier, with Acornpaw," Swiftpaw was the first to speak, looking over at him. Stonepaw let out a small snarl, his teeth showing, "Oh, it's fine. It's not like I want to rip all his fur off for making you uncomfortable!" 

Stonepaw noticed! That's...quite odd. But it's a bit satisfying for me, Swiftpaw thought, her eyes widening slightly, before she meowed, "He did also try to start trouble with you, too. Did something happen?" Her eyes glazed in worry. I hope Acornpaw didn't hurt Stonepaw in the past, like during a scrabble at the border or anything... He then rested his chin on her shoulder, stooping down to her level. "No, and that's also weird. Why do you think so?"

"Well, believe it or not, he does have a crush on me." Swiftpaw rolled her eyes, before she stood up, her tail bushing. Before she began to rant, she had gently nuzzled his chin off her shoulder with a nudge, "He follows me around like a duck and its duckling! Always watching me! It makes me angry, and I'm annoyed by him! But also, everyone in camp teases me about it! Like as if I don't know! W-well, I didn't know before, but... but STILL! I'm not interested in him!" As she ranted, she had paced around in front of him in the cherry clearing, her paws brushing some of the fallen leaves around her. But when she finished, she paused slightly, hotness growing underneath her fur. Did I just admit I'm not interested in Acornpaw? Oh no, what if Stonepaw knows I like him? Dear StarClan, if he ever found out, he'll laugh and we'll never be friends! He won't even like me, anyways. She looked over at him, hiding her saddened expression with an annoyed one. He's like a perfect warrior! He's built for anything, but I'm like nothing compared to him. 

He had watched her, his green eyes blazing a fury that equaled Swiftpaw's. His slick tail was lashing aggressively, and when she finished, he stood up. "He's so desperate that he doesn't realize that he's making you uncomfortable! And the way your clanmates do that to you is really ticking me off, too. Tell me the next time he makes you uncomfortable, and I'll rip his flea-bitten pelt to shreds!" he growled protectively, marching up to her, his tail wrapping around her strongly. 

The way he's so protective of me... it's so cute. Swiftpaw thought, before she let a purr rumble from her throat. "You know that you can't do that, Stonepaw." she said lightly, a bit amused at how offensive he got. He narrowed his eyes at her, before he snarled, "No one should be so uncomfortable like that, even you." 

Before he could say anymore, Swiftpaw's cheek now rubbed against his neck. "Stonepaw, you don't have to! But thank you," she purred, and her heart swelled in happiness that she was able to calm him down. She could feel his rapid heart beat ease, before her tail now wrapped around him. 

A small chuckle came from Stonepaw, before he asked, "How will you handle him, Swiftpaw? I'm curious to see what you've also been doing, too."

"Oh, just staying away from him and being nice as well," Swiftpaw's eyes now connected with his, and they locked. Stonepaw's held a protectiveness that made Swiftpaw comfortable, safe with him. She narrowed her amber eyes, and she boldly continued, "but I don't think he'll confess to me, yet."

"What makes you say that?"

"He only began touching me today," Swiftpaw confessed.

"HE WHAT?!"

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If anyone could count how many times Acornpaw makes Swiftpaw uncomfortable, that's how many times Stonepaw would probably KO Acornpaw. xD

Also, anyone else kinda feeling Stonepaw's anger tho?

-Morgan