Swiftstar's Light

Chapter 4

(@Tinyheart129 might be the saddest chapter so far)

Swiftleaf was struggling to get through the Thunderclan barrier a few days later. 'Starclan why can I not get through this easily?' She thought as she finally tore through, her paws moving from a small walk to a run, the weight in her stomach making it harder to run. Swiftleaf skidded to a halt at the Skyclan barrier, relieved to see Icestar standing there. His expression softened when he caught sight of Swiftleaf.

Swiftleaf raced to him, crossing the barrier and pressing against him. Icestar's eyes shifted to Swiftleaf's swollen stomach and he stumbled back, eyes wide with shock. "Y-Your..." He started, trailing off as Swiftleaf spoke. "I'm expecting kits.. And I don't know what to do.." She said quietly. Icestar gave her an affectionate look. "You could join Skyclan." He suggested. Swiftleaf shook her head. "I couldn't.. my only living kin lives in Thunderclan.. it's the only clan I've ever known.." She said.

Icestar nodded. "I could join your clan then." He said. Swiftleaf gave him a look as if a car was about to hit them. "But Skyclan is your home! You'd never be deputy if you joined Thunderclan! You'd be an outcast all your life!!" She said. Icestar nodded. "Better an outcast than me knowing someone could take your place as deputy." He said. Swiftleaf shook her head. "No! You can't leave Skyclan! Your kits, your family, they need you! I'm sorry, but I won't let you throw your life away like that!" She hissed, turning and running.

Goldenstar paced through his den, his paws twitching. He heard the gorse barrier shake, and poked his head out. Swiftleaf had come back, with no prey at all. 'She said she was going out hunting.' He thought angrily. Swiftleaf's body shook suddenly, and she raced to the medicine den. Majestyfur and Stormcatcher looked at her, noticing her quivering belly, and instantly got to work. Majestyfur started to get the assorted herbs that they needed, and Stormcatcher helped Swiftleaf lay down.

Majestyfur pushed a branch over to Swiftleaf. "Bite the stick." She said. Stormcatcher put a paw on Swiftleaf's stomach. "Push, Cat. Push." Stormcatcher hissed as Swiftleaf did so, her jaw clenching as she bit down on the stick. Majestyfur picked up a small bundle and started to lick it, the glossy white and brown fur becoming flat and smooth as the kit was placed against Swiftleaf's stomach. Stormcatcher pushed on Swiftleaf's stomach, a small plop and Majestyfur was lapping away at another bundle of fur, this one a dark grey. Swiftleaf bit down hard on the stick, snapping it in half. "One more." Stormcatcher said, his paws pushing on Swiftleaf's stomach as one final kit came, this one white with pale yellow and stone-blue paws.

'Thank Starclan it's over...' Swiftleaf thought as she curled her tail around the three small kits. "Sharkkit, Skykit, and Icekit.." She whispered. "Welcome to Thunderclan."

Goldenstar padded over, his gaze meeting the three kits. He simply nodded and came to greet the new members of Thunderclan as his fur spiked the smallest bit. "Swiftleaf, you can't care for kits and be deputy at once." He said. Swiftleaf nodded. "I know. I can find someone else to take care of them when I'm busy. Poppymoss could-" She started before getting cut off by a furious hiss from Goldenstar. "Swiftleaf, no! These are your kits! You're deputy, or you're mother. What's more important to you? Your clan, or your kits!" He hissed before retreating to his den.

Swiftleaf's gaze faltered as she looked at the small kits before she took them all by their scruffs, carrying them into the nursery. She lay down, curling her tail around the kits once more as she rested her head down to sleep, her nose twitching as she had a plan. She got up, carrying the three kits in her scruff and walking out of the den. Sharkkit squealed. He had opened his eyes. Icekit was squirming away from Swiftleaf's jaws and Skykit just let himself be carried as his siblings squirmed and wriggled and squealed. She put her kits down, Poppymoss approaching her.

Poppymoss smiled. "Go hunt, enjoy yourself for a bit. I'll watch your kits for you." She said. Swiftleaf nodded and left the camp, racing straight to the Skyclan border. She waited, sighing with relief as Icestar came bounding through the bushes with a patrol. His gaze softened and he sent the patrol away to hunt as he crossed the border. "Shouldn't you be at your own camp?": He asked. Swiftleaf shook her head. "I need you to take them. There's three. Sharkkit, Skykit and Icekit. I need you to take them, keep them in your clan. Please." She begged. Icestar nodded. "A.. Alright.." He said. "Meet me here tonight. I'll take them." He said as snow began falling.

Swiftleaf nodded, turning and making her way back to camp as she walked to her kits, wrapping her paws around them as she gave them each a tender and soft lick on the cheek. Swiftleaf carried her kits to the nursery again and she lay down with them.

It was moonhigh when she woke her kits up. "Shh. we're going to play a game. We must sneak out of camp, because we are pretending Shadowclan has invaded. Follow me, young kits." She said as she led the kits to the dirtplace tunnel, squeezing through and guiding them. Once out, she started walking towards Skyclan with her kits. She heard Skykit say quietly. "Swiftleaf, Sharkit won't move." He said. Swiftleaf turned, her eyes widening in horror as she raced over, collapsing into the snow around Sharkkit. "Sharkkit! No! Please! Wake up! Starclan don't take her!" She begged. "It was her time.." A quiet, yet familiar voice said to her. Swiftleaf got up, leading the small kits away towards Skyclan. Icestar sat at the border, waiting patiently.

Swiftleaf nudged her kits over the border, Icestar looking around. "You said there was three..? Wait! Swiftleaf!" He shouted as Swiftleaf raced away, tears spilling from her eyes. "Will I ever see you again?!" He shouted, moments too late. Swiftleaf crashed through the barrier, not waking any cats up luckily, but she did wake Goldenstar. Swiftleaf pawed a hole in the nursery before yowling loudly. "My kits! A fox stole my kits!"

Goldenstar raced over, inspecting the den before looking at Swiftleaf. "Swiftleaf. My den. Now." He said. Swiftleaf hesitantly walked into his den, where he was already waiting. "Where did your kits go?" He demanded. Swiftleaf looked away. "To their father." She said. "Ar you meaning to tell me that their father, is in another clan?!" He yowled. Swiftleaf nodded. "Yes. And one of the best, too." She hissed. "You can't replace me, you know that. You could never do it even if you wanted to. You NEED me. I'm your only living kin in this clan, and you're on your last life!" Swiftleaf hissed, turning and fleeing the den.

Much later, a loud shrieking cry from the black she-cat with purple eyes came from Goldenstar's den. Swiftleaf raced over, skidding to a half to see Goldenstar lying on his back, stomach slit open. Swiftleaf stepped back. "No! Goldenstar!" She cried. "I'm not ready to be leader, please!!" She yowled.