WARRIORS AU: Swiftpaw lived

Chapter 6- Fast forward in time

3 Seasons later... 

Swiftclaw sighed and rose to his paws. Another patrol. For the same old reason. Why? Because of two cats. 

Brambleclaw, the son of Tigerstar had gone missing along with Firestar's daughter, Squirrelpaw. They weren't the only cats missing. 

Tawnypelt of ShadowClan, Stormfur, and Feathertail of RiverClan, and Crowpaw of Windclan were missing too. All four clan leaders were worried about their clanmates. 

Swiftclaw took a deep breath and followed his patrol. 

Brackenfur, Rainwhisker, Shrewpaw, and Thornclaw were on the patrol. 

"Another one? Seriously?" Shrewpaw groaned. 

"Yes, another one!" Brackenfur hissed. "Your clanmates are missing! You should care!" 

"I do, it's just getting annoying," Shrewpaw muttered. 

Swiftclaw couldn't help but agree with the young apprentice. There had been many patrols in search of the two cats. And none had any luck. 

"Let's try Snakerocks," Rainwhisker offered. 

"Sure, we haven't looked there in a while." Brackenfur nodded. Swiftclaw only looked down. He just wanted to go back to camp and eat. Prey had been scarce the past moons. He hadn't eaten in days. 

"No! Don't go there!" Thornclaw exclaimed. 

"Huh?" Rainwhisker flicked his ear. 

"I tried hunting there. There are snakes! I hardly escaped without one biting me." He explained. Swiftclaw narrowed his eyes.  Was he lying? It sure seemed like it-

"Fine," Brackenfur growled. "Stay here. I'm going hunting there." 

"You'll be killed!" Shrewpaw mewed in shock. 

"One warrior's life is nothing compared to a starving clan," Brackenfur snarled. He nodded and raced off towards snake rocks. 

Swiftclaw shifted his paws. 

Brackenfur was a loyal senior warrior, but would he really die doing something that was unneeded? 

                                                                                                                  ******

Swiftclaw sighed and awoke to a quiet blue sky. He yawned and sat up. 

"Morning." a cat meowed. 

"Hello, Dustpelt," Swiftclaw said as he looked at the brown tom. 

Dustpelt nodded and sat down next to him. 

"What do you think Firestar will do?" Dustpelt asked. 

"What do you mean?" Swiftclaw said. 

"About everything," Dustpelt mewed back with a hint of anger. "My mate and kits are dying, twolegs are destroying our home, cats are missing, and what does Firestar do? Nothing!" Dustpelt unleashed his long claws. 

"Firestar is doing the best he can," Swiftclaw said calmly. 

"Sorry for sounding like a fox-heart," Dustpelt sighed. 

"Err- it's fine I guess." Swiftclaw shrugged. 

"You don't have a mate and kits so I guess you wouldn't get it," Dustpelt said coolly and padded off. 

Swiftclaw felt a pang of sorrow and anger. He wanted a mate and kits, but never found the right- 

"Ow!" he yelped as he stepped on a thorn. "StarClan cursed thorns," he muttered. His nest was full of then!

Better go see Cinderpelt or Leafpaw, he thought with a sigh of annoyance. 

He padded off to the medicine den with a sigh. 

"Hi, Swiftclaw!" Leafpaw mewed as she looked up from the herbs she was sorting. 

"Err- hey. I got a thorn in my pa- Ow!" Swiftclaw let out a yowl of pain as Leafpaw bit into his paw and took out the thorn. 

"Better?" She mewed. Her amber eyes gleamed with amusement. 

"Oh- yeah," Swiftclaw shrugged. 

"I'll get some marigold so it doesn't get infected." Leafpaw chewed the herb and then pressed it onto his paw. 

"Thanks," Swiftclaw meowed. 

"Anytime," Leafpaw replied. 

"Oh! And also... any news about Squirrelpaw and Brambleclaw?" Swiftclaw asked. 

Leafpaw sighed. "Nothing. I don't know what happened to them. Firestar is really upset."

"I get that. I'm not really close to my kin so I can't relate, but I hope things get better." he meowed. 

"Thanks, Swiftclaw," Leafpaw replied. 

"Also... listen. I never had any littermates- well I did but-" 

"You did?" Leafpaw blinked. 

"Yeah," Swiftclaw suddenly felt uncomfortable. "His name was Lynxkit. He was my brother..." 

"What happened to him?" Leafpaw asked. 

"He... he was always a weak kit. Unfortunately, he died at 3 moons because of weakness." Swiftclaw admitted. 

"Oh... I'm so sorry Swiftclaw." Leafpaw put her paw on his shoulder. 

"It's uh- okay. My mother- Goldenflower, was heartbroken. So was Patchpelt- my father." Swiftclaw paused and let out a sigh. "They both were overwhelmed with grief and didn't pay much attention to me after." 

"Oh! That's so sad!" Leafpaw exclaimed. 

Swiftclaw shrugged. "She fell in love with Tigerstar- Tigerclaw at the time and later had his kits. But uh- yeah." 

"I'm really sorry. I had no idea. You've been through a lot." Leafpaw mewed softly. 

"I-I guess. I just don't think about it." He managed to mew. Deep down, he knew how he felt. He missed his brother with every breath in his body. He just learned not to walk about it. 

"Do you and Goldenflower still speak? I had no idea she was your mother," Leafpaw blinked. 

"No," Swiftclaw looked down. "After she and Patchpelt broke up, she rarely spent time with me. All she could think about was Tigerclaw- err- Tigerstar. And then when Brambleclaw and Tawnypelt were born. Her attention shifted to them," He paused and shrugged. "Most cats forget I'm her son." 

"That's really sad. I don't know what I would do without Sandstorm." 

"It's not that sad," Swiftclaw added. "I have my former mentor Longtail. Who's like a father to me." He meowed. 

"That's good." Leafpaw dipped her head. 

"Stop talking and get back to work!" Cinderpelt hissed as she padded into the den. "The dock leaves and-"

"Yes, I know!" Leafpaw yowled back.

Swiftclaw nodded and padded out of the den, dazed. 

Could the tiny medicine cat be his friend? Or was she just being kind?