WARRIORS AU: Swiftpaw lived

Chapter 9

Swiftclaw anxiously paced around camp. 

"Swiftclaw," A voice mewed. 

"Sootfur," Swiftclaw dipped his head. "This is getting out of control... even Firestar is losing it."

"We'll figure it out," Sootfur promised. "In the meantime, we should focus on the problem in front of us." 

"Which is?" Swiftclaw flicked his torn ear. 

"Helping Whitepaw," Sootfur answered. 

"Right," Swiftclaw nodded. "I'll train Whitepaw for today and tell her mentor to take the day off." 

Sootfur nodded. "Good idea." 

"Swiftclaw!" A voice yowled. 

Swiftclaw warily spun around. "Yeah?" 

"Squirrelpaw and Brambleclaw are back!" Brackenfur bounded up to them. 

"No way!" Sootfur smiled brightly.  

"Yeah way! And they got an announcement!" he lashed his tail excitedly.

Swiftclaw shot a worried look at Sootfur. What could they possibly need to share? Was It why they left? Swiftclaw thought curiously. 

Sootfur exchanged the glance and turned back to face Brackenfur. "Is Firestar hosting a clan meeting?" 

"Mhm. He wants us there now," Brackenfur told the two toms. 

"Alrighty then," Swiftclaw muttered as he and the other two padded off towards high rock. Only the stars knew if the news was good or bad. 

                                                                    ***

Swiftclaw sat alone in the moonlight as tears streamed down his face. They'd have to leave the only home they've ever known! Why Starclan?! Why? 

"Swiftclaw?" A voice mewed. 

"Go away," Swiftclaw muffled. 

"No. I can tell you're hurting. I am too. But-" 

"No! Sootfur you don't get it!" Swiftclaw spun around and bared his  fangs. "This forest is my home! I've been through so much here," Swiftclaw paused for a moment and looked out into the distance. 

"See those rocks? Brightheart and I were attacked there. I lost my hearing in one of my ears there, I received scars to haunt me for life, and the respect of some warriors for StarClan's sake!" Swiftclaw snarled. He closed his yellow eyes and sighed. "I've lost so much here in this forest. I was hoping I could gain something." 

"I can't say I've had the best time here ether," Sootfur sat next to him. "My sister was poisned as a kit, I had to watch my mother die right in front of me. It was terrible," Sootfur looked down. 

"You never fully got over Willowpelt, did you?" Swiftclaw asked quietly. 

"No," Sootfur looked up at the stars. "But I have friends and family here. I have you, Rainwhisker, Sorreltail, Firestar, and so many more friends here that got me through it all. New beginnings aren't all bad. Think of it as a fresh start!" Sootfur put his gray paw on Swiftclaw's shoulder. "We'll do this together, okay?" 

Swiftclaw sniffled and continued to cry. "I never deserved a friend like you." 

                                                          ***

Half a moon slowly drifted by. The other clan leaders agreed to go by Starclan's request and travel to a new territory. It would be long and hard but they hard to try. 

"Swiftclaw," 

"Firestar!" Swiftclaw snapped out of his thoughts and looked at his clan leader. The ginger tom had been stressed lately so he hadn't spoken to him in quite awhile. 

"Are you ready for the journey?" Firestar sat down next to him. 

"I-I think." Swiftclaw narrowed his yellow eyes. 

"That's good to hear. I'm not," Firestar purred softly. "Graystripe is still missing." 

Why won't he accept that the old deputy was dead? Swiftclaw thought with annoyance. 

Firestar continued. "He's my best friend and deputy. I don't want to leave not knowing where he is or if he is okay. If it was just me, I'd stay. But I have to think of my clan," He looked down. "You understand, don't you?" 

Swiftclaw thought about his best friend, Sootfur. He surely would wait for him. 

"Yeah, I do get it." Swiftclaw nodded. 

"Thanks," Firestar got up slowly. "Ready to go into the unknown?" 

"Ready as I'll ever be." Swiftclaw huffed. He glanced back at the ThunderClan camp. This was it. Everything that had ever happened in that forest will stay there. This is a new beginning. A fresh start. A new hope.