AN: Hey guys, I know I haven't been on lately- like monthly because-I'm busy. But suddenly, a great idea hit me. So, first chapter of the SwiftXBright Fanfiction, hope you guys like it! I claim nothing, only the idea of this fanfic. Watch Duckfeatherz- SwiftxBright I promise you we'll be warriors soon. Gave lots of inspiration.
Chapter 1: The Nameless Warrior
It's over, the sound begins to cease… Everything is over. I'm going to die right? Will I get into Starclan? Wait, I'm not ready for it yet, I still have my life… I still need my warrior name… I still… Need to do so many things…
It can't end like this…
A small figure of a black and white tom lay motionless on the cold ground of Sunningrocks, his tail tingling, he had lost his sense of feeling. His vision blurred, just breathing was difficult. It was a pain to be alive.
Why did I attack the dogs? Why did it end up like this? Starclan, do you hate me?
His mouth opened as he tried to breathe, something trickled down his throat. Salty, blood, swallowing he took another breath. Using sheer diligence alone to turn his head to the side where Brightpaw was laying. Her slender orange and white figure was tainted with blood, glancing towards the dogs that had turned their backs on the dead prey, he listened with all his might until their pawsteps were out of earshot.
Forcing his limp and numb body to move, he crawled- slower than any snail and slug, heartbeats felt like moons. Soon he reached her, she was breathing- just unconscious. He felt his heart tighten, so painfully than any wound the dogs left. Though he had sped infront of her before the dogs could rip out her eye, he knew he must've payed a price. The beautiful she-cat now, was a mess. And he did it.
"I…'m so sorry…" he breathed, unable to hear himself speak. "I love you Brightpaw…I'm so… Sorry." He lost the strength to move anymore, as the weight of everything collapsed on top of him. "Sorry isn't enough right?" He felt his eyes close tiredly.
When will I become a warrior?
Flashback:
"You've become really good Swiftpaw, you will be a great warrior of Thunderclan." A few pawsteps ahead of him, his mentor, Longtail mewed- almost too proud of his apprentice.
His chest fur puffed out in pride, "I'll be the fiercest tom ever." Longtail let out a purr of amusement, "I'm sure you will."
"And bet'cha I'll scare all the rogues and loners outta the forest when they hear my name."
My life was going fine… Absolutely fine, I had the skills, the mentor, the friends…
"Wow," She clearly sounded surprised as her eyes examined his small pile of prey, "You've caught this much already?"
Grinning he pawed each kill, "Yep. It's expected right?"
Brightpaw just flashed a smile, "Only you could do something like this."
~But more, I had her. Brightpaw. I could give up all my mousetails and freshkill for eight moons just to see her smile.~ Yes, everything was going just fine…Until HE came.
"Cloudpaw!" Fireheart called, his voice full of annoyance. "Can you hurry up?"
"We're going on patrol." Longtail hissed, "Can't trust kittypets."
~ I was sent back.
Cloudtail is a kittypet. He is stupid and doesn't believe in Starclan. He is younger than me, less experienced than me yet he gets his warrior name before me.
I worked three million times harder than him, all the time I spent stalking in the rain. Hunting in the snow, patrolling in storms, defending in ambushes… What has he done? A battle and he's ready? I could name everything I've done from kit to now. And him? He just sleeps and eats, practices when Fireheart screeches at him.
I can defeat him with both eyes closed! Yet why can't anyone see? Why did I work so hard? Why did he get his name before me?
Those looks of all the cats of Thunderclan, not saying anything, with all their pitiful glances. As if mocking me, they soothe and spray out sweet, honey-coated words.
"Swiftpaw, we know you work really hard. Just bear it for a while, Bluestar will get to her senses soon.."
"Yeah Swiftpaw, we know you're the best apprentice."
"Cheer up."
What do they know? The cold leafbares I hunted alone, the hot Greenleaf I fetched water for the elders, the newleaf I piled the freshkill pile to the highest ever, the leaffall I perfected all my battle moves and hunting crouches…
What was that for?
Curse you Starclan, Curse you and all clans, you and Fireheart, Bluestar… Let it all burn to the ground! Kill me, torture me! Send me to a place with no stars, I don't care anymore!
My life is not worth living if I never receive my name, if I never become a warrior and spend the rest of my life with her.
What have you got? Give it all to me. An ignorant, apprentice with no name.
"What a pity,"
Voices…
"Is he going to be okay?"
Whose… Are they?
"Yes… But there's a price he paid."
Am I dead?
"Brightpaw seems to be…"
What? Brightpaw? No, she's alive! She isn't dead with me!
"Thank Starclan we lost no apprentices."
Lost…None? I'm alive?
"Let them rest now, Fireheart, Longtail."
Longtail? My mentor?
Fading pawsteps, as he twitched, wriggling around wanting to know what's going on. He heard a soothing voice that trickled,
"It's okay now Swiftpaw, close your eyes and catch some rest..."
The sounds of the cat's voice was like a lullaby, as his eyes closed and the rhythmitic licks on the head calmed him.
I'm still an apprentice.
In darkness, he had no idea where he was. He tried calling out, "Hello?" Eyes suddenly glowed, pairs, many many pairs of eyes. Immediately recognizing their scent he leaped back.
"Stop..." He growled, fur bristling. "Stay away!" The canines were creeping closer, not just six or eight of them... At least thirty, their mouthes open and tongues lolling out. Saliva dripping, as they eyed him with hungry eyes. Surrounding him completely, without a chance to escape their formation- Swiftpaw was trapped.
Each of them had bulging muscles and long fangs that looked like it could cut through a skull of a cat. Some also had huge heads, with jaws that could crush bones easily. Their panting and breathing smelt like crowfood, he was scared.
"Stop..." his voice wavered, "Leave me..."
The dogs attacked, digging their sharp teeth into his fragile skin, tearing at his flesh and snapping his bones. Immense pain in his limbs, as he felt all thirty bite and slash at him. He saw his dead body, and then saw- What scared him most, a flash of Brightpaw and Cloudtail together.
Letting out a silent yowl he spun in his nest and felt his body screech out in pain. His heart thudded against his ribs and the memory remained carved in his mind. Cloudtail and Brightpaw. Taking a few deep breaths to calm himself, he flattened his fur.
Warm rays of sunlight shone through the den, Beside him, a few tail-lengths was Brightpaw. Settled on a mossy nest with cobwebs wrapped around her, he examined her- nothing was too bad, she has her ears and her eyes. He felt a gush of relief flow through him, wincing in pain to his sore paws he kept still once more. Slowly recognizing his surroundings, the medicine den. The scent of herbs surrounded them, it made him rather sleepy. Before he could relax, the terrifying images replayed through his head again...
The huge dogs with their mouthes wide open, sharp teeth and ganging up on them. Snarling and growling, muscles rippling beneath their pelts. As their teeth dug into his neck, shaking his lifeless body, toying with their prey. With fur like steel, his claws and teeth didn't work on them as he flailed helplessly.
"You're awake?" A figure pulled herself across the den floor, knowing the scent- it broke him out of his thoughts. The dark gray she-cat, Cinderpaw- Fireheart's previous apprentice who had been involved with a terrible accident.
He nodded tiredly, as he opened his mouth to speak.
"Yes I'm awake."
No words came out, no sound was heard. Cinderpaw looked shocked, "Are you okay?" She mewed sounding very worried. As she scooted closer to him, "How are you feeling?"
"Fine. I'm FINE." He mewed, again, no words or sound escaped from his mouth.
He could see Cinderpaw's shocked expression turn to dismay, as she nodded. "Wait here." Heartbeats later, she returned with her mentor- Yellowfang.
"No sound?" The old she-cat grumbled, opening his mouth to let them inspect, Yellowfang nodded for him to close his mouth. She didn't hesitate, but mewed:
"There was a price you paid to live, Swiftpaw. That was, your voice."
He felt the weight of reality crush down on him again, boulders on his shoulders and sharp claws of enemies, the scent of fox and the scent of crowfood. As if he was being bitten continiously by the dogs, their teeth grasping onto his tail...And slowly pulling him into darkness. A world without being able to speak, a world without sound, a world that had stopped spinning.
I've lost my voice?
"Yes," her voice sounded much more clearer than before. "You have lost your voice Swiftpaw."
Reality crushed him, he would never be able to speak to Brightpaw again.
