Swiftstar's Light

Chapter 1

Thunderpaw crashed through the gorse barrier. "Riverclan is attacking!" He shouted. Goldenstar raced out of his den and past Thunderpaw. He leapt over a log and slashed at a warrior that had Swiftleaf pinned down under the water. Swiftleaf got up and shook her fur.

"Fishbreath Cats!" She yowled, blood staining her paws, belly and muzzle as she bit down on a black tom's neck. She slashed his muzzle and flung him against the log, killing him. Thunderpaw leapt down into the battle, a patrol behind him as he unsheathed his claws and scratched a She-cats eyes, drawing blood. The She-Cat yowled in fury and ran back to Riverclan.

Swiftleaf stood there as the Riverclan cats retreated, and left the injured party of warriors, the deputy, an apprentice and the leader standing at the shore of the river, hissing furiously. "FISHBREATH!" Thunderpaw yowled angrily as he turned and ran back to camp.

Swiftleaf limped to camp, refusing to have her wounds taken care of until everyone else was deemed Alright. Goldenstar sat in his den, preparing for the gathering that was tomorrow. Swiftleaf looked around before taking a patrol consisting of Devilclaw, Thunderpaw, Skyfur, Sparrowheart, and Horsewing.

Thunderpaw checked the Riverclan borders with Skyfur, while Horsewing and Sparrowheart checked the Shadowclan borders. Devilclaw checked the Windclan borders and Swiftleaf went to Skyclan borders. Just as she hoped, Icepool was there.

Swiftleaf looked at the stump marking the border, and at Icepool. Icepool nodded and patted the ground beside him with his paw. Swiftleaf walked over and sat next to him, burying her muzzle into the fur of his cheek.

Thunderpaw had slipped away from the group and was exploring when he saw Icepool and Swiftleaf. He noticed Swiftleaf was on Skyclan territory and fled to find Goldenstar. Goldenstar was racing towards the border instantly, flicking upeaves as he ran through the undergrowth. He stopped running and saw that Icepool and Swiftleaf on their own borders, talking casually.

Goldenstar shot a nasty look at Icepool before he turned and walked back to the camp, claws unsheathed. Swiftleaf watched Goldenstar go before she hesitantly went and sat next to Icepool again. Icepool buried his muzzle into Swiftleaf's cheek, using his paw to press down her ruffled fur as he started to lick the blood away from her wounds. Swiftleaf smiled. "I barely know you, and it feels like I've known you my whole life.." She said with a warm smile. Icepool nodded. "Meet me here tonight. Don't be seen." He said.

Swiftleaf nodded and started to walk back to the Thunderclan camp. She kept her expression neutral as she walked, smiling at Icepool before she vanished into the undergrowth. Icepool sighed and looked at the river, Quietstream's reflection staring back at him. Icepool reached his paw out to the water, touching it. His expression faltered as the water rippled and he found himself staring at nothing but his own reflection.

Swiftleaf sat in the camp, watching the young kits play. "Oh how I'd like to have kits of my own.." She said softly, her tail curled around Thunderpaw. Thunderpaw looked at her. "Where do kits come from?" He asked. Goldenstar walked over. "You will learn, Thunderpaw. You will learn in time. Maybe long time, but in time." He said

Thunderpaw smiled. "But I wanna know now!" He wailed playfully. Swiftleaf sat up and walked away. She walked into the warriors den. She missed Lightstar. She missed Stormriser and Oceanrose. But she was longing for Icepool's gentle touch. She longed for their tails to intertwine together. Swiftleaf lay down and pressed her muzzle into her paws, falling into sleep.

She awoke, stars glittering around her. She looked around. She was standing in the warriors den, right next to herself. She wasn't breathing, and Thunderpaw was racing to get Majestyfur. Swiftleaf raced through the clearing, leaping into the air, a small trail of stars underneath her as she ran, skidding to a halt at silverpelt. Why was she here?

Swiftleaf ran towards Lightstar and Stormriser, pushing her muzzle into their fur. "Why am I here?!" Swiftleaf youwled, panicked. Lightstar stood up. "A prophecy." He said, leading Swiftleaf to a puddle of water. Swiftleaf touched it, the water rippled and she saw herself with a cat, but the entire cat was shadowed out, leaving a black space. She was then with three shadowed out kits,  then running from the larger shadowed cat, leaving two shadowed kits before she dug a hole and pushed one of the shadowed kits into it and covering the hole.

She then saw herself mourning over a shadowed out body, who's figure she recognized as Goldenstar. "Is this.. my future..?" She asked, but silverpelt had vanished, and she was falling. A grey tabby cat had forced her down from a cliff, blood filling her vision as she crashed into water, her paws finding the ground and she struggled to get to shore, failing and getting swallowed by water, a "wave" crashing onto her as she forced her head above the water, Swiftleaf going under again and hitting her head on the riverbed.

Swiftleaf woke with large, gaspy breaths as she found herself in the medicine den, panicked. Goldenstar was standing above her, tears in his eyes and slowly falling down his cheeks. He lapped at her paw, which was skinned of all fur. Blood stained the moss and her paw. Swiftleaf stood up instantly, wincing as her paw touched the ground. "I have to go!" She said and raced out of camp, the moon in the sky as she ran to the Skyclan border, relieved to see Icepool sitting. He glanced to her paw with a worried look.

Swiftleaf sat next to him. "I had a dream, it was a prophecy. I fell into the river in the ravine, pushed off by a silver tabby cat.." She trailed off as Icepool gave her a petrified look. "Pixalheart..." He said quietly, His paw now on Swiftleaf's back as he pulled her in close, licking her fur. "You should go home.." He said. Swiftleaf nodded

"I'll see you soon.." She said, turning and walking into the undergrowth