WattyWarriors Fan Magazine 2.0

Contest Entree: Swiftpaw's Death (s89827)

"I can't believe we're about to save Thunderclan! This is so exciting! Just remember, we can tell all the little kits of how we saved Starclan!" Swiftpaw bubbled.

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Swiftpaw! It's not like you're going to win a prize, ya know." Brightpaw scolded, as they snuck out of Thunderclan. "Not going to get a prize! Of course we're going to get a prize! We'll be warriors! And then we can be mates, and have kits, and be the best warriors yet!"

Brightpaw's eyes widened. "Kits and mates? No, I'm not ready for that! We're only apprentices, Swiftpaw." She whispered, as they followed the scent trail.

Soon they found Snake Rocks, looking quite sunny and welcoming in the light. "This way, Brightpaw!" He cheered, dashing towards a tree, hoping to relax and re-scent them again. Suddenly, he heard a slight noise. Why was did it seem to sound so familiar?

"Swiftpaw! There are-" Brightpaw started, yet something cut her off. Something that seemed way more scaring, way more terrifying. The dogs.

Swiftpaw frantically clawed his claws up a tree, as Brightpaw clung to one of the dogs, brutlly fighting them back. And then that's when something major happened.

The dogs then jumped, dragging the poor black and white apprentice to the ground, and before Swiftpaw died, he whispered something to Brightpaw, something she could never, not ever, forget.

"Brightpaw. Become a warrior, and I promise I'll be alright. I'll try my hardest in Starclan, it's simple, I'll just begin again." And with that, the courageous Swiftpaw, died. Brightpaw didn't remember much, but she did remember the glow in her friend's eyes vanish as he lost his life.

A sharp claw bright her out of the memory, it's claws raking her eye. Blood dripping down her face, she limped towards the tree, and collapsed as she watched the dogs run away from her, eye most-likely scarred forever.

***

The only thing Swiftpaw could remember when he died was all the Starclan cats's silvery pelts. He recognized a few of them, one being a pretty tortoiseshell cat, the medicine cat named Spottedleaf, who had died when he was only a kit.

Numerous cats welcomed him into the sparkling realm, pelts brushing his cold fur, turning it into nice and warm. One cat, one with a ginger pelt that had reminded him of Fireheart, had taken him by the tail, and said, "Welcome to Starclan. My name is Sunstar, you must be Swiftpaw. I am deeply sorry for your death, yet you are now fully allowed to watch over your clan mates."

He felt warmed by his welcome, yet Swiftpaw desperately missed his mother, Goldenflower, and Brightpaw. "Don't worry, just begin again. You'll be alright." A cat said, the sentence echoing in his mind. That were the last words he said to Brightpaw.

***

Many moons later, Bluestar joined Starclan, taking Sunstar's position of welcoming the clan cats who have died. It wasn't long before she came to her apprentice, her blue eyes sorry.

"Swiftpaw, I deeply regret not making you a warrior. Thank you so much for all the courage and support you have given our clan, and I hope you can forgive me?" He only nodded, and went to hunt for a mouse, in case he were to be hungry.

Another day or so, Bluestar came up to him again, with a question. "Swiftpaw, I know that Fireheart was very sad when you...erm...died. And I'd like to ask if you'd do the honoring of giving him his life, he will be the leader of Thunderclan very soon. Will you do that for me, for Fireheart?"

Again, like her last approach, he had nodded. And when Firestar was in need for his life, he gave him his life, and his newly-made gift of mentoring. And then, after that, after many moons of watching, pacing, anticipating of what will come, he felt peace among the other residents of Starclan.

When Swiftpaw questioned is there was anything left to lose, he would always reply back to himself, saying, "There's nothing left to lose. You have everything you can, you are able to gain more, and if there was ever a problem, someone would fix it for you. Everything would be alright."

And with that, he sat upon one of the starry hills of Starclan, and began his new life, again.