Swiftstar's Prophecy - Unofficial version

Chapter Fifty-seven

"Tonight is a bit colder," Swiftblossom meowed, lifting her muzzle. She opened her mouth to taste the air and she could smell the scent of rain; would it rain tonight? Or tomorrow? She couldn't tell, for the wind blew harsher and harsher against her. Nectar gazed up at the little sky that was available through the trees. "But it is quite beautiful out here as well. The world seems a bit different at night, isn't it?" Nectar pondered out loud. She too sat down and wrapped her tail around her paws.

Swiftblossom then lowered her amber eyes and rested them on Nectar. "Back to our discussion," the calico resumed, "what else do you need help with?" The easiness in the air quickly disappeared and Nectar's face grew serious. Swiftblossom stiffened and her tail wrapped around her paws as well. 

Nectar spoke boldly, "I need your help with a friend of mine. It is very urgent. Far from these woods, half a day's walk from here, there is a twoleg home. Somehow, the twolegs are able to predict the weather. In about ten days, there will be a terrible snowstorm-- my friend has kits, and he needs shelter for them. He fears that his kits will no longer survive without the help of other cats. Swiftblossom, I beg of you, please, let his kits into your clan!" Her yellow eyes flashed and the calico stared back in shock. Nectar had the look of worry, the same worry that would be shared by mothers.

"I will try to work something out. My clan would be hesitant to let in rogues... but I'm sure the kits will be alright before the snowstorm hits." Swiftblossom admitted. Nectar let out a sigh of relief but continued to speak,

"Ash created his own demented clan not very far from here. It is much bigger than your clan; your clan would be heavily outnumbered. But even though there are many ruthless fighters in his clan--" when she said the word clan she exaggerated it in a nasty tone "--none of them are as ruthless as he is. Ash would do anything to get what he wants and he'll do anything to get more cats on his side. You can probably guess that he has many mates for his cause. But what he does to his kits is... absurd. All the kits are put through tiresome work. He works them to the bone! Some have died because of this! His fighters follow his every word and anyone who defies him will die."

Swiftblossom's blood turned to ice as she heard of the terrors. Her tail bushed and her ears flattened against her head.

"To kits who aren't his, he works them harder to make them into emotionless killers. But the fighters that lived and became killers... they can do whatever they want under Ash's rule. His twisted clan, AshClan, thrives off of fear, blood, and ferocity. To build up his clan, he has now joined his clan with other cat groups to take revenge on the clans. He will wash the grass scarlet and all kits will die. Every tom and she-cat will be massacred. Currently, he has joined with two other cat clans in a distant land..." Nectar ended harshly, her tail-tip flickering in anger. 

"My friend, Hawk, my daughter, and I have escaped from Ash's grasp the night of your clan attack. Hawk was able to take his two daughters with us and we fled to this forest. I don't want his kits to undergo abuse and I want to stop Ash's rule." Her yellow eyes blazed a bright fire that the sun couldn't compete with. "I want Ash to bleed out and suffer as he had done to my kits." But Nectar's voice grew soft and the she-cat looked exhausted. Swiftblossom gently extended her tail and the tip gently touched Nectar's shoulder. 

The warrior meowed gently, "I'm sorry for your kits, Nectar. And, thank you for telling me very important information." Ash is a long distance away from the clans if he's still recruiting more cats to fight. But my first priority is to tell Lionstar about the upcoming snowstorm. But how will she believe me? Swiftblossom thought in worry, before an idea brewed in her mind. Nectar can come with me to tell Lionstar about the snowstorm! And we'll bring Hawk and her daughter, too.