She will be known as Lostface," Bluestar declared, her voice cutting through the silence like a blade. "So that every cat knows what StarClan did to take her away from us."
The words hit swiftpaw like a physical blow, igniting a fury within him that threatened to consume everything in its path. How dare she! How dare Bluestar condemn Brightpaw to such a fate, to bear a name so cruel, so heartless!
But as he watched Brightpaw's face, I saw something unexpected flicker in her eyes. Behind the sadness and horror, there was a glimpse of steely determination, a refusal to be defined by the name she had been given. And in that moment, swiftpaw knew that Bluestar's cruelty would only make her stronger. With a silent vow of vengeance burning in his soul, he swore to stand by Brightpaw's side, to guide her through the darkness and into the light. Together, he would quietly help her defy the odds, proving to Bluestar and the rest of the clan that nothing could break their spirit.
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Days bled into weeks, the silence of the medicine den broken only by Brightpaw's ragged breaths and the rustle of Cloudtail's fur as he padded around her. The weight of her injury hung heavy, a constant reminder of the battle and the price she'd paid. Sometimes swiftpaw couldn't help feeling he could have done more, as he watches slowly recover. As lostface- no, brightpaw swiftpaw thought, took her first steps out of the medicine den, swiftpaw wanted to yowl with happiness foe brightpaws recovery. Yet, even in her pain, a fire flickered in her gaze. Every morning, she'd clench her jaw and begin the arduous task of relearning the world with one eye. Cloudtail, ever patient, was her rock. He'd devised exercises to test her depth perception, leading her through obstacle courses of herbs and moss in the safety of the camp, far, far, away from the dogs. Frustration flared in Brightpaw's hisses and growls, but she never gave up.
One day, he watched them from the corner, a phantom yearning twisted in swiftpaw's chest. As Cloudtail offered a word of encouragement, he longed to nudge Brightpaw with his head, a silent show of support. but swiftpaw's shoulder passed harmlessly through her fur, a constant reminder of his irritatingly ghostly state. A pang of sadness washed over him, but it was quickly replaced by fierce pride. Cloudtail, with his unwavering loyalty, was exactly who Brightpaw needed right now. swiftpaw was now long gone, but always there to comfort brightpaw when she needed it, whether she knew of his presence or not.
Weeks turned into moons, and Brightpaw, now Lostface as per Bluestar's cruel decree, grew stronger. The initial clumsiness faded, replaced by a newfound determination. Cloudtail pushed her, testing her limits, honing her senses.Lostface never complained, her focus laser-sharp. She learned to anticipate movements, to rely on scent and sound more than sight. Her hunting skills, once so promising, were being reforged in the fire of adversity.
It had been a harrowing time when Tigerstar had relentlessly attacked ThunderClan with dogs, the very thing that had ended swiftpaws life and very nearly killed brightpaw. After a torturous day of waiting and watching from the prey-filled lands of starclan for both brightpaw and cloudtail to return alive, swiftpaw could finally rest easy. At least until the image of a blue cat plummeting down the gorge appeared before him. With pang of shock, he realised the truth: bluestar was now dead.
All of ThunderClan was in a time of grief, from the cats watching from silverpelt, to the cats who had participated in the very battle their leader died in. At least, all of ThunderClan except swiftpaw. He, unlike the rest of the clan felt a mild sense of calm that bluestar was dead. Apprentices would no longer have to endure the pain of never receiving a warrior name, and fireheart, the "filthy kittypet " (as his mentor used to call him) would become firestar. he knew that firestar would be nothing like his predecessor, and planned to apologise to him for those theoughts if he saw the to-be leader at his nine lives ceremony. Swiftpaw found it ironic that bluestar had been ended by the very creature that had killed swiftpaw, the cat that bluestar had always thought a traitor.
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swiftpaw's fury
Fanfictiona firsthand account of swiftpaws life, from his rage at cloudtail to his untimely demise. but what happens in starclan? how does he watch over brightheart? how does he feel? his anger at bluestar? find out here!
