The Five Giants - Book 1

Chapter 3 - Swift

The past few days had been tiring. Me and my sister had gone out of the den for the first time, exploring the vast openness of the Windclan camp.

The dream I had with those other four cats still haunts me, and sometimes I look at my sister like she's about to turn into a demon and devour me. And as I do so, she'll just pounce around, pretending that she's catching a mouse, when all that's under her paws is a ball of moss.

While she was the playful one, I was the one that would want things to get done. I'd bug people, seeing if they need help with anything. Yesterday I helped an apprentice clean off the elder's ticks. I hated seeing an unfinished project, or someone that would complain about getting things done.

But I wasn't going to be a jerk about it. I'd try to help everyone in a nice way, not trying to pressure them into making me help, or to stop them from complaining. Because sometime, complaining is necessary.

That is a really stupid remark. Ignore that I said that.

"Swiftkit, come over here. Your fur is a mess! You too, Dahliakit!" I rolled my eyes, padding over to my mother and sitting down. I know I just said that I hated seeing a job not done, but washing fur and grooming are both wastes of time.

And I believe that every kit under the appropriate age of a warrior agrees with me.

Dahliakit looked over to me while my mother was grooming her. "Don't you hate getting groomed?"

I nodded vigorously, but then stopped. "Yes, but we don't really groom ourselves, so I guess mom just grooms us because we don't do it ourselves." My mother finished up grooming Dahliakit and pulled me closer to her.

In between licks, she told us, "Once I've finished grooming Swiftkit, you guys can go and see Whiteclaw. I'm sure he has a story for you." My eyes lit up with excitement, and I silently encouraged my mother to speed up my grooming.

My mother did speed up slightly, and eventually, I was groomed. My fur looked nice and sleek, and it had a shimmer to it.

I bounced up, and was tempted to shake my fur, but didn't. My sister and I sprinted out of the den, dodging the warrior's paws, and making our way over to the elder's den.

Inside was Whiteclaw getting his ticks cleaned off by Harepaw. Harepaw saw us, and smiled. "Hi guys! I've almost finished cleaning off Whiteclaw's ticks. When I'm finished, I'll go so he can tell you a story!"

Whiteclaw heard this, and looked over to where Dahliakit and I were standing. "Oh, hey there you two. There's an empty nest over there if you want to lay down and wait." Dahliakit nodded and started heading over, but I still had my eyes locked on Harepaw.

He must've caught me staring, because he said, "Swiftkit? Are you alright?"

I turned my head away from him and blushed, "Yeah. I'm fine." I shook my head, and then padded over to where Dahliakit was lying in wait.

She saw me coming, and smirked. "You so like him!"

"I-Wha-Do not!" My blush returned to my face.

He smirk grew into a smile. "Yeah you do. You were staring at him like: 'Oh Harepaw, won't you be my mate?' But I can't really blame you. He is a good-looking tom."

My blush grew larger, just like Dahliakit's smirk, and I scream-whispered, "Shut up!"

I must've said it too loud, because I could feel both Whiteclaw and Harepaw's gazes on my back. "Are you two alright?" I heard Whiteclaw ask.

Dahliakit, still glaring at me, responded, "Yes, we're just fine, thanks."

In that moment, the other three kits entered the den. "Whiteclaw? Owlfeather said you'd have a story for us!" Stagkit spoke up. The other two kits were bouncing with excitement.

Harepaw repeated what he said to us. "I've just about finished getting rid of Whiteclaw's ticks. If you want to wait over where Dahliakit and Swiftkit are, I'm sure they'll play with you until Whiteclaw is ready."

The three kits nodded and padded over to us. "You guys wanna play a game of mossball?" Doekit asked.

I grabbed a clump of leftover moss that was in the corner of the den, and threw it over the where Dahliakit was laying. "C'mon Dahliakit, play with us!" I was basically whining.

"No, I'm good. I think I'm just gonna lay here and wait."

I wonder if this attitude is going to hurt in the future. I hope this isn't the start of her evil "reign".

While we were playing, every few seconds I would look over at Dahliakit. She would either smile back at me, or would be watching on of the other kits. But she was also twitching her paw forwards sometimes, like she actually wanted to play with us, but didn't feel like it.

When she was focusing on one of the other kits, I stalked behind her, and then tried to nose her up onto her feet. "C'mon. You're playing with us whether you like it or not." Dahliakit opened her mouth to complain, but I cut her off. "We both know that you want to play with us, I can see it in your eyes. So please, just enjoy it."

She sighed, but then nodded, running over and intercepting the ball when Stagkit tried to throw it at Finchkit. "Hey! Dahliakit! Why'd you- Wait, Dahliakit? Dahliakit!" Doekit was the first to realize that Dahliakit joined them, and soon, they were all excited.

This didn't continue for long, however. Harepaw soon finished up, and called to us, "Okay guys, you're all free to listen to Whiteclaw!"

Well all said 'good-bye' to him, and he started to pad out. He turned around to say it to me as well, but after he did, his gaze rested on me a little longer than it should have.

I tuned out most of Whiteclaw's story, just thinking about Harepaw. His cute face, those beautiful eyes, the colored ears.

"And they lived happily ever after. The end!" I and come back to my senses just as Whiteclaw was finishing his story.

"What a great story!" Doekit was jumping around, truly looking her age.

Whiteclaw nodded, "Thank you. Now, it's getting late. You all should get back to your mothers for some sleep."

I seemed to be the only one okay with that, as the other kits voiced their complaints.

I slowly padded back to the nursery, looking up most of the time at the stars.

When I was just about to enter the den, I slammed into someone.

"Ow! Whoops, sorry Swiftkit!" It was Pebblesplash, Doekit, Stagkit, and Finchkit's father. "I was just coming out from saying goodnight to Owlfeather. But good night to you too!"

I nodded, not really paying attention. Even with the little delay from Pebblesplash, I was still the first one back to the nursery. My mother was already curled up, almost asleep. She wearily opened her eyes. "Oh, hey Swiftkit. C'mere. It's time for bed."

She seemingly didn't care about where Dahliakit was, but after a few seconds. She came into the den, and my mother repeated the process with her.

After that, it only took a few seconds for me to fall into a nice sleep, filled with images of Harepaw.

Swiftkit and Harepaw, sittin' in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G

I'm so excited to write more romance. T-T. But it's necessary.

This chapter is done! I hope young love made you laugh! If it didn't, what am I doing with my life? Next chapter should be up on Friday. I don't make promises though.

I had no ideas for the Author's note. So for now,

-Maple