Swiftstar's Past: Being a Warrior and deputy

It’s been a few moons our warrior ceremony. I let out a happy sigh of memories. But, today Darkclaw and I were going to get our first apprentices! I glanced over at Silenceclaw she already had one for a while now his name was Fallenpaw. I gave a snort of amusement thinking about when she always had talked about her apprentice even though she only got him one moon ago.

Not much had happened after the battle. I guess the only new thing is that Foxtail had been right with her opinion on Darkclaw… he has been wanting to hunt and patrol with me recently. Well I guess it’s fine, he would be a better mate then Nightbreeze in my opinion. I gave a quick glance at Darkclaw. A mate could wait though… I still want to train my apprentice. But many warriors have done both jobs at the same time. I shook my head, I could worry about this later, I decided.

I looked at the nursery; Weedwhisker was standing beside her two kits; Leafkit and Cherrykit. They bounced excitedly around each other while their mother scowled them growling something at them that made them return heads and tails down but quickly went up.

A rustle from ferns told me that Wolfstar had crawled out of his den, Ashfoot following him. Every cat in the clearing turned their attention to him. “All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here under the High Rock for a clan meeting,” he called.
All the sleeping cats aroused from their dens. Crawling out lazily, some giving small yawns but quickly perking up as the sun started to rise over the horizon. “Today we are going to make two new apprentices,” Wolfstar mewed. A loud cheer of mews came from the crowd.

Wolfstar waited for the mews to die down before he started. “Leafpaw come here,” he waited for the young brown and white tabby she-cat to come forward before he started. “Swiftfur you will mentor this cat. Let you pass down your swiftness and intelligence to this apprentice,” he finished. I bent down to touch noses with her as Wolfstar announced Cherrypaw’s mentor.

“Leafpaw! Cherrypaw! Leafpaw! Cherrypaw!,” the clan cheered their names. “So what are going to do today?,” I heard Leafpaw ask. I looked down at her thinking for a moment before replying. “Let’s show you around the territory,” I smiled. “Wanna join us Darkclaw?,” I asked him. He blinked in thought. “Sure,” he mewed. Cherrypaw bounced beside him, probably really eager to see outside the walls of the camp. I blinked remembering trying to peek out of them before our apprentice ship. I shivered remembering the fox that had sunk it’s teeth into my skull. “Okay, let’s get a move on,” I mewed running out of the clearing all three cats following me.

***********

“Now, attack me,” I ordered Leafpaw. The young cat looked unsure for a moment but followed my orders. Today we were battle practicing with Darkclaw and his apprentice. Leafpaw flew at me. I quickly dodged her and pounced onto her. Just like Bluetail did with me, I thought a faint smile on my face.

“Good, but try something I would not expect,” I advised. The small tabby nodded this time dashing for one side of me but quickly turning. I grinned, just what I did when I was still an apprentice. I slashed out with one paw, knocking her aside with a hard blow. Leafpaw got to her paws walking back to me quickly licking some scratched from her pelt.

“How was that,?”she panted. “…Better come on. Let’s try again shall we?” I mewed. The young cat nodded her head attacking me again.

***********

“Swiftfur!”. I heard a voice calling my name and I turned to see Darkclaw trotting over to me with a smile on his face. “Hello Darkclaw,” I greeted him with a flick of my tail. “Wolfstar wishes that we send our apprentices on a hunting assignment today,” he told me bowing his head slightly. I flicked my ear, wow! Their first hunting assignment. It is about time too, they have been our apprentices for 5 moons now. I gave a small purr of pride at the thought.

“And while they do that”. Darkclaw’s mew brought me back to the present. “We have to watch them,” he reminded me. Did he think I was stupid or something? I thought. “Of course,” I mewed. “I was wondering if you would like to watch them together,” he mewed shyly. I looked at him and blinked in surprise “Oh uh, okay,” I stuttered. He brightend up at my words, his amber eyes sparkling. “I’ll them right away,” he mewed walking towards the two apprentices who were boasting to Nightbreeze’s new apprentice; Smokepaw.

“Eheheheh young love,” a voice made me jump and I turned to see Silienceclaw. “Huh?” I shyly asked. The young white and red warrior gave a purr. “Come on Swiftfur, ever cat knows that Darkclaw had a thing for you, like, forever,” she teased playfully. “Ur…”. She laughed. “Don’t worry Swiftfur! We’re pals remember?” she mewed flicking her tail over my ear.

“Where’s Foxtail and Nightbreeze?” I asked wanting to change the subject. “Well Wolfstar ordered them to go hunting. I think Nightbreezes patrol is back though and he is right… there!” she mewed flicking her tail towards the dark blue tom who was eating his share of food with some senior warriors. He glanced at me his green eyes sparkled with longing and jealousy. Was he jealous of me and Darkclaw? Of course not! Why would he be? He had never shown any compassion for me like how Darkclaw did. As we locked eyes for that split second he quickly turned back to Thistletooth who was chatting away like a blue bird.

“What’s with him?” I mewed. “Well uh Nightbreeze did like you when you guys saved the clan by warning us that one day,” she replied. Ah yes the day we found those Skyclan warriors on our territory. I guess he did show compassion that day, maybe he is too shy to show it again? I thought remembering Darklcaw the brave fierce warrior who was shyly talking to me a couple minutes ago. “He said he was over with it though,” I just managed to hear Silenceclaw add that. “Anyway I think he’s waiting for you,” she pointed to Darkclaw. “Oh yeah! Bye Silenceclaw,” I mewed dipping my head. “Bye,” she mewed going to the fresh kill pile.

“I sent out the apprentices,” he smiled. “Okay, where too?” I asked. “Leafpaw is at the Tall stones and Cherrypaw is at the Skyclan border,” he replied. “Okay,” I mewed. Why Skyclan? Didn’t we have enough trouble with those cats already? I thought to myself shacking the thought away as Darkclaw told me something that I didn’t catch. “Huh?”. “I said let’s follow them,” he mewed. “Oh, yes of course” I mewed following him into the forest.

“Well done you two,” Darkclaw mewed as Cherrypaw carried her 2 squirrels and mouse and Leafpaw with her huge rabbit, blackbird and mouse to the fresh kill pile. “I’ll tell Wolfstar their progress,” he mewed. I gave a small nod. Good I thought.

***********

“Smell that?” I hissed under my breath my tail flicking with anger. Four months since their first assignment. “Pineclan!” Leafpaw bristled in anger her tail puffing up to double its size. “Yes come on let’s tell Wolfstar,” I hissed to her and we both sprinted back to camp. I dashed into the camp almost trampling over Nightbreeze. “Swiftfur! What’s wrong,” he asked. “We scented Pineclan in our territory, real fresh too” I hissed.

“I’ll tell Wolfstar!”. Too late. Warriors were crashing in attacking any cat in site. Wolfstar and his deputy crawled from his den, snarling at their enemies. Claws slashed at flancks and teeth bit into flesh. “Swiftfur!” Darkclaw was attacking two huge toms. I sprang at one clawing at him ans nipping his legs. After a short amount of time they ran off. “Thanks,” he panted. “Your-“ I was cut off as a red tabby crashed into me bowling me over with his large paws.

“Darkclaw!” I hissed. I froze wondering what to do.”Help!” I cried again, throwing him off me. He blinked stepping back one step and attacking a different warrior as Nightbreeze came and threw himself on the red tabby tom. Making him squeal as he ran for safety. “Thanks,” I panted. He only flicked his ear. Why didn’t Darkclaw save me? I thought.

I turned for the next warrior then the next. Soon the camp was empty. Toadthroat ran out with herbs crammed in his jaws checking one cat after the next. “Cats of the clan,” Wolfstar mewed. “Ashfoot is dead,” he croaked looking down at the she-cat’s body. Gasps of terror came from the crowd as they looked wide eyed at the dead deputy. “Who will be our next deputy?” a cat mewed. “…I’ll answer that after we have a naming ceremony for Leafpaw and Cherrypaw,” he declared.

“Leafpaw,” Wolfstar mewed the ceremony. “You will now be known as Leaffang,” he declared turning to Cherrypaw copying the same words. “You will be known as Cherryblossom,” he mewed. “Cherryblossom! Leaffang! Cherryblossom! Leaffang!” The cats chanted. “As for our new deputy… Swiftfur will be our new deputy!”.

I blinked, looking up with big round eyes. Me? Oh wow I never knew he would pick me. “Th-Thank you Wolfstar I will do my best,” I promised. “Good, tonight we will sit vigil for Ashfoot,” he called. As the group of cats huddled beside Ashfoot and shared tongues with her for the last time I looked to see Darkclaw, his amber eyes glistening with jealousy.

“Okay, Barkfoot lead a patrol to the Sky rocks, see if Skyclan has been hunting there,” I mewed. The dark tabby tom grunted and gathered a group and headed out for the exit. “Nightbreeze take... Foxtail, Silenceclaw and your apprentice out on a hunting patrol,” I called to the dark navy tom. “Where would you like us to hunt?” he asked. “You pick. Finally Weedfoot take the remaining cats in this clearing to check the borders on the other side of our territory please, make sure that fox has left”. The young tom gave a short nod and bounded off, the remaining cats following him.

“Darkclaw,” I called jumping off the cliff. He turned “, yes?” . “You can hunt with me near the river, okay?” I asked him. He dipped his head kindly, “very well my lady” he teased. I gave a playful swat to his head. “Swiftfur?” a voice made me turn around to see Wolfstar his dark grey pelt aged with silver streaks of fur. “Yes?” I asked. “I never could have picked a finer deputy since Ashfoot died,” he gave a sigh at the memories then looked back up. “You two run along now,” he mewed a bit of tease in his old mew.

We bounced along the trail making sure to not be too loud so the others/ prey who were out wouldn’t be alarmed and run away. “I bet I’ll beat you,” I hissed playfully running at full speed towards the lack. A small laugh was heard from behind and then the sound of drumming feet as he gave chase. Under that branch, to the left of the bush and there! We exploded into the small clearing the blue water in front of us.

I loomed over the blue water, the wind drifting the cold onto us. I gave a small shiver as the cold reached my bones. A purr of amusement came from Darkclaw. I swatted him away with a grin on my face, turning back to the water. Darkclaw looked around his gaze drifted from the ground to the trees. I shrugged it off as a flicker of grey was spotted in the water. I lifted a paw, slowly making sure not to make much noise. My claws slowly slid out as the trout came into full view, and slashed into the water. Hooking the fish and spraying freezing cold droplets onto Darkclaw.

He jumped around his pelt fluffing up. “Hey!” he mewed sitting back down. I tilted my head slightly giving a purr. “Come on,” I mewed. “In a moment, I think I see a bird in the distance,” he mewed flicking his tail side to side and dropping down. “Okay,” I mewed following his gaze, there was no bird from what I saw but well, I’m blind in an eye, and my sight is poor.

I turned back to hunting. A bit of pressure was put on my back and I cried as I plunged into the cold water, I came up with a gasp and Darkclaw stood at the edge, a wild grin on his face. I came out and shook my fur “, hey!”. With that I pounced onto him bowling the two of us into the water, luckily Scarclan wanted all cats; warriors and apprentices to train how to swim because Reedclan has tried to sneak in water before and we should be better prepared for it.

The sun slowly started to set as we brought the prey back to camp a total of; 3 trout all caught from me and 1 mouse and 1 water vole from Darkclaw. Not the biggest catch we had but something better then what we usually got from the cold leaf bare that was now becoming green leaf. “Swiftfur,” a croaky voice came from behind me, Bluetail who had once been my mentor stood at the entrance of the medicine cat den. He had been sick with green cough for a while now, Toadfoot does not think he would pass this sickness due to his old age. “Yes,” I asked kindly. “Can I have that trout? It looks very plump,” he coughed. “Has the elders been feed,” I teased. He gave a chuckle that ended in a coughing fit. “Of course,” his mew was hoarse and I placed the silver fish in front of him. “Thank you, you have turned into a fine warrior, better yet a deputy,” he mewed munching on the fish. “Thanks,” I replied. “Now go off, I think Darkclaw is waiting for you,” he smiled. I sipped my head and headed towards the fresh kill pile.

Dropping off all of the catch that I could carry I brouth the mouse that Darkclaw had caught and brought it towards were Nightbreeze, Darkclaw, Silenceclaw and Foxtail were eating. I dropped it beside Darkclaw and Nightbreeze and began eating as Nightbreeze told us how horrible his apprentice was. “That fur ball has the attention span of a sparrow and a mind of a flea” he mewed. A purr came from Silenceclaw “, well, with a bit of time I’m sure he’ll be a great warrior”. Nightcloud gave a snort digging back into his food.

*********************

-Three Weeks Later-

“Come on, we need to teach those prey stealers a lesson” I growled to the crowd. Wolfstar even with his age was among them. A large uproar came from the crowd of cats. “Good, very good, now let’s go” I hissed running towards the Reedclan border, after the people had come their fish had been poisoned and that was their main meal so they had to turn to thievery.

Soon we were passing the border into a swamp like marsh. We swam through the water; their camp was so close now. Only a few more strokes, I feel the land under foot... and I see their camp. “Remember what I told you,” I hissed. “3... 2... 1... Attack!” The crowd of cats split up into one main group and another patrol waiting as back up.

The Reedwhisker cats were terrified as Scarclan cats descended onto them clawing at them and nipping at their legs and backs. The petrified cats stood there for a moment suddenly becoming aware of their attacks and started to fight back; their paws moved slower due to the lack of energy making small claw marks and not so deep bite wounds.

Stormstar climbed out of his den and started to claw his way through the warriors as he was struck by Wolfstar who pounced onto him. The two rolled away in a giant clash. I turned to where Darkclaw was fighting two cat and jumped into help him, but he had already did a great job and the two ran away into their territory in a matter of seconds. “Second wave attack,” Wolfstar called as we were outnumbered by the cats.

I turned to another pair of cat. “Darkclaw come on lets get these prey stealing foxes” I growled and threw myself onto the one cat Darkclaw doing the same to the other. The two of us quickly took them out. “We’re winning,” Darkclaw panted beside me. I scanned the crowd as he went back into the blood covered battle field. I spotted Wolfstar and Stromstar, Wolfstar had his massive paw down on the Reedclan leader’s throat. They were hissing words at each other until Stormstar’s deputy bash into Wolfstar rolling the grey tom off him.

I quickly passed the battling cats as Stormstar and Firefang attacked Wolfstar. They were going to kill him, not knowing this would be his last life! I gasped charging into Firefang and throwing him into the crowd where Night breeze turned quickly and started to attack the deputy; the two ended off in a fight. Nightbreeze quickly making him flee into their territory. I turned back to Stormstar and nailed him onto the ground putting a paw to his throat just like what Wolfstar did. “I... I surrender” the tom managed to say as he was cut off of air.

A smirk of pride grew on my face and I let go. “Take it...” the defeated leader choked. The Scarclan cats quickly toke their remaining food and were off to our camp. Wolfstar, staggering to his feet and quickly followed the crowd, too weak to speak. “Let that teach you a lesson” I hissed.

As we reached the camp and we all started to chew on the prey we won a yowl of agony came from one of the cats. Cats started to form around a body. I padded up to see who it was. Wolfstar was sprawled on the floor, dead. I stared in shock at the body. “He... Wolfstar is dead!” a Nightbreeze cried.

We set his body on the floor as we sat out our vigil for him. “Rest in peace, Wolftstar,” I whisperd licking his forehead for the last time as the elders came and picked him up; Bluetail was among them now, his face blank as he picked up the body. “Swiftfur is leader!” Nightbreeze called . “You need to pick a deputy before nightfall,” a Barkfoot mewed. So soon?, I thought. “Very well... I think Darkclaw is a worthy deputy. Starclan will honor Wolfstar as tomorrow I will make my way to the Star Rock and receive my 9 lives of a leader with Darkclaw,” I called to the clan.

Some cats looked sad at the loss of their leader while others called out Darkclaw’s name and circled him wishing him good luck. I crawled into my new den and into the moss that had been there for Wolfstar. “You should not have died today” I whispered. A mew told me Darkclaw was at the entrance I lifted my gaze, “,yes?”. “Thank you Swiftfu-star for making me your deputy, I will make sure that my clan will not fall” he mewed and left.

My clan? Did he say my clan? Like in his clan? I thought for a second then shock my head, no of course not. Darkclaw was good; he was my deputy and future mate. I was just tired. I yawned and let sleep take my place.


There.
Done.
Be happy.

Silenceclaw- Riot