As soon as soon as she stepped paw out of Twolegplace, Swift broke into a full sprint. The wind flowed through her white and black patched pelt as she went at full speed, running far from her old home, far from Twolegplace, and far from her kittypet life. This was definitly the right decison, she thought. Though she would miss all her friends, Swift knew this was the right life for her. From now on she was a wild cat. She'd be a cat of myth just like the clan cats, a figure kittypet queens would warn their kittens about when they'd looked beyond the borders of their Twoleg dens.

Swift slowed down the farther she walked into the meadow until she came to the clearing where she had first met Shadowpaw. She remembered that she was told to meet Tigerfang here, and secretly hoped the little black tom would be accompanying him. With time to kill, Swift padded to the clearing's center to wait and sat down with her ears perked, listening for any sounds. She kept sniffing the air, trying to see if she could catch any catscent on the wind. In the area surrounding her, she caught the stale scent of the clan cats still lingering around. The she-cat found herself feeling lonesome as she sniffed, yerning to see the Grassclan cats again. It's very close to sundown, Tigerfang should arrive in a few heartbeats. Swift kneaded the sand under her paws impatiently, closing her eyes to enhance her senses. Nearby she could hear birdsong, the beautiful unscripted melody of the bird's chirping filled her ears. She could get used to this. The sound of birdsong in Newleaf meant more birds were going to hatch soon. More birds hatching meant more prey to feed the clan. This was a very good time of year to meet the clan cats, she thought to herself. Not only will I have better opportunities to learn to hunt, but I'll be able to prove myself by bringing the clan big juicy prey!

Without warning, everything fell silent. The birdsong was cut off, as if the birds had vanished into thin air. Swift opened her eyes, glancing around the clearing. There must have been something nearby which scared the birds into silence. Swift rose to her paws, parting her jaws to taste the air. There was an unmistakable scent of cat lingering around, and it was fresh, but she couldn't tell where it was coming from. In an instant, a flash of grey and white flew past her field of vision. Swift whipped her head around to see a young cat fall down into a crouch in front of her then turn tail to face her, grinning playfully.

"Hi!" greeted the cat with a giggle. This new cat looked to be around Swift's size with long grey and white tabby fur and meadow green eyes. "I'm Frostpaw. Gee you sure smell funny," she remarked, taking a step closer, sniffing at Swift curiously.

"Leave her alone, Frostpaw," meowed a familiar voice. Shadowpaw and Tigerfang emerged from the tall grass, padding side by side. Swift's heart began to leap with joy. The clan cats had finally come to take her home. She hadn't even stepped foot near the clan yet and she already felt so welcomed.

"Hello Tigerfang, hi Shadowpaw," mewed Swift, the excitement in her voice unmistakable.

"I'm glad to see she actually showed up," meowed an unfamiliar cat loudly as he stepped out of the grass next to Tigerfang. The new tom was strange. His fur was like a lamb's, white and oddly curly, and his eyes were an eerie shade of pale blue.

"Sheeptail!" mewed Frostpaw loudly and happily, running up to bump her head on the new cat's. Swift watched as Frostpaw pointed at her with her tail and moved her paws and whiskers in an unusual manner, earning a chuckle from the Sheeptail.

"I'd like to introduce you to our newest clanmate. Grassclan cats, this is Swift. Swift, this is Frostpaw and her mentor Sheeptail," meowed Tigerfang, presenting each cat with his tail.

Frostpaw made some gestures next to her mentor before speaking up. "I was just made an apprentice at sunhigh," she purred proudly, receiving a lick on the ear from Sheeptail.

"Why does Frostpaw keep moving around like that?" Swift asked Shadowpaw, whispering.

"Sheeptail can't hear very well so Frostpaw's communicating with him through our Silent Language. She's also interpreting what he doesn't understand."

"If you kits are done standing around in the field, perhaps we should head back to camp now?" Sheeptail suggested, with Tigerfang nodding in agreement.

"Try to keep up, kittypet," Shadowpaw purred playfully, flicking her ear with the tip of his tail just like he had done the evening before. Only now Swift was able to stick around him long enough to bat at his ear with a paw playfully in return.

All five cats began to pad out of the clearing, Swift following just behind the others to see where they would go. The group began to run almost as soon as they were a bear length away from the clearing, heading far across the meadow, further than Swift had ever seen. As they ran, in the fading light she could see the grass beginning to regain it's color, and flower buds beginning to rise up out of the ground. Newleaf did look promising after all, just like Whitestar had said.

The group travelled through the meadow over hills, rocks, and patches of sand. Swift found it a bit difficult to keep up with the others the further they ran. She wasn't used to running around so fast just yet and her plump belly weighing her down didn't help much either. The longer they travelled the more her paws ached and legs grew tired. But Swift wouldn't let herself slow down, she was determined to show the others that she could keep up just as well as any clan born cat could. To her relief the group began to slow down as they padded up a steeper hill than the previous ones they had ran over.

"We're almost at camp," Tigerfang alerted them.

"Can you smell it?" asked Shadowpaw to Swift as they walked further up the hill's slope. Swift sniffed a moment before exclaiming in astonishment.

"I smell cats, lots of them!"

"That's it." Shadowpaw purred.

"One day you will know every catscent by name. But for now, being able to scent them at all is a good start," mewed Tigerfang. Swift hadn't ever really thought about cats having their own unique scents, especially when living in a group. She knew it was going to be difficult for her to learn every one, on top of all the other things she'd have to learn about being a warrior, that is.

The cats finally came to a stop at the hill's peak. Greeting them there was a group of bramble bushes with a small hole under the branches big enough for one cat to fit through. Tigerfang looked back at the other four cats before he ducked into the hole, disappearing from sight. This must be the entrance to camp! One by one, the cats disappeared into the hole, with Swift as the last one outside. She wanted to go into the bushes with the others but she couldn't help hesitating for a moment, suddenly doubting herself. Could she really do this, live in a clan? Was it really even possible that someone like her could be accepted by a bunch of warriors?

"What are you waiting for, c'mon! Everyone's dying to meet you!" meowed Frostpaw, who stuck her head out of the hole in the bramble bushes to look at the doubtful she-cat. Swift glanced around before reluctantly following the fluffy molly in. To her surprise they weren't just bushes at all. The hole in the brambles was actually a tunnel which lead straight into a vast clearing filled with rock, bushes, and cats! Lots and lots of cats all going about their day. Warriors could be seen laying around sharing prey, elders lounged outside their den soaking up the last bit of sunlight while grooming each other. Queens slipped into their den where mewling kits cried out to be fed. Swift looked around in amazement. She had never seen anything like this before, even on the magic vision box back in her Twoleg's den. It seemed as if the clan had never seen anything like her either, as it seemed they all turned to look in Swift's direction almost the same instant she had walked into camp. They must have noticed her odd smell. Swift lowered her ears a little bit out of bashfulness, glancing at all the eyes that were upon her. Her heart began to race, blood roaring in her ears. It was obvious that she nervous from all this unwanted attention. Her pelt burned from all the eyes upon her and she averted her gaze, shuffling her paws.

"You shouldn't be afraid, Swift," mewed Tigerfang into her ear reassuringly.

"I'm not," Swift insisted, gaining a look from the older tabby.

"You shouldn't lie either. I can smell your fear. They all can too. If you show them cowardice, they will never accept you as one of us. You must prove yourself fearless, even in the presence of something that scares you."

Swift let out a small sigh, turning her eyes to stare back ahead at the crowd, calming herself down.

"Ok," she said calmly. "I won't be afraid."

From a boulder in the center of the camp emerged two cats. One of whom was a fawn colored molly Swift hadn't met yet, and the other was Whitestar.

"Oh wow, she came," remarked the fawn molly to Whitestar as they padded across the clearing.

"As I knew she would." Whitestar nodded once in reply, walking over to Swift with her companion at her side. The siamese she-cat stared down at the white and black patched molly, a look of joy showing in her blue eyes. "Welcome to Grassclan young one," she said to her, looking at Tigerfang and Sheeptail. "How was she on the way here?"

"She kept up well. Despite her plump stocky body weighing her down, she ran just as her name implies; swiftly," Sheeptail responded in his booming voice. Whitestar looked at the two toms for a moment, then back at her companion who gave her a small nod.

"Well then, I believe it's time we introduce her to the clan," mewed Whitestar.

Whitestar padded back over to the boulder, with the fawn colored she-cat in toe. The fawn she-cat stayed at the boulder's base, while Whitestar leapt up onto the to boulder's peak.

"Let all cats old enough to run across the meadow, gather here beneath the Tall Stone for a clan meeting," she yowled, her voice echoing around camp. At her call, every cat in the camp began to approach the boulder called Tall Stone. The clan gathered around, looking up at their leader expectingly, their eyes reflecting in the last bits of sunlight in yellows and greens.

Tigerfang rested his tail on Swift's shoulder.

"Follow me," he beckoned, walking forward. Swift followed, the two of them making their way through the crowd which parted for them as they passed. Tigerfang sat at the front next to his apprentice. Not knowing what to do, Swift stayed where she was until the fawn colored molly by the Tall Stone beckoned her forward with a wave of her plumed tail.

"Today is a great day for Grassclan. An outsider has graciously volunteered to join our ranks to help provide new blood and make Grassclan stronger. Tigerfang and Sheeptail have met this young cat, and have agreed with me that she will make a fine addition to our clan," Whitestar began, turning her blue gaze from the crowd, to Swift and called out, "From this day forward, until she has earned her warrior name, this apprentice shall be known as Swiftpaw. Chicorynose, you have proven to make a fine mentor in the past. I believe you will do an excellent job teaching Swiftpaw our way of life. Guide her paws on the path to become a great warrior, just as I have guided your paws on the path to becoming a great future leader."

The fawn colored she-cat, Chicorynose, walked up to Swift-now Swiftpaw, from the base of the Tall Stone.

"We must touch noses, that is our custom," she mewed, her voice soft. Swiftpaw nodded, leaning forward to touch her nose to her new mentor's. The clan suddenly broke out into a chant.

"Swiftpaw! Swiftpaw! Swiftpaw!" they cheered. Swiftpaw fluffed up her chest, her heart bursting with pride. There was no turning back now. She silently vowed to train as hard as she could to become the greatest warrior she could be. She wanted to make everyone proud; Whitestar, Chicorynose, Tigerfang, Sheeptail, Shadowpaw, Frostpaw, and her kittypet friends all included.