Alright, time for another rewrite! This is being posted August 10th for reference. According to 2017 me, this one was inspired by all the Rusty/Firepaw/Into the Wild rewrite fics that had been popping up back then. According to 2020 me, it was fun getting into Graystripe's head for this and writing his "voice".

Before we jump into things, like I said, I want to actually respond to reviews this time around now that I know to look out for them. It's probably pointless plopping in responses for 2017 reviews but I always felt bad that I never noticed them until after the story was essentially abandoned. I'll also respond to the recent/current reviews that have occurred since the chapter delete/bump thing happened, even if they weren't made on the most recent rewrite chapter. Be warned, this story has actually picked up a good handful of reviews over time, so if it's not your thing, feel free to just scroll down to the start of the actual story.

HollyleafOfTheNightWings: Thank you! Although pretty much every story makes more sense than Starkit's Prophecy :P

Shadowdapple: Ayy hi Shadow from three years later! Thanks! Sadly Beach Warriors is dead, but if you're reading the new rewrites, I hope you're doing well!

Snowcrystal of Thunderclan: Thank you! And yeah, have to agree that Twistedfoot is probably better than Lostface. I needed a different sort of injury and name for him than Brightheart though. Looking back on it, maybe a prefix like Broken- would have been more soulless...

"Shining-wings": Thank you for the review and the suggestion! Yeah, I think it was Sunset

ChocolateAndWriting: Ooh interesting... I like the idea of coming full circle, although I'd have to do some thinking as to how the rest of the story would change.

WyldClaw: Ahhh awesome!

"BlackWingRevenge": Thank you so much!

AquaticStorm: Hey Aqua! Hope you're doing well too if you're reading this. Those are all good suggestions, lots of possibilities...

SomeoneI'mSure: Ahh thank you so much! I really enjoyed The Legend Begins so it was pretty cool to see that you checked this out. The way I'm doing the review reply thingies now it'll be a while until I respond to your other review, but thank you for the concrit as well! I definitely think I've improved and have more to pour into this, although the things I'm thinking of probably won't show up until I start doing new What Ifs, since the rewrites were just supposed to get me out of writer's block when I did them.

On second thought, there were so many old reviews for the first chapter that I'm not going to respond to recent reviews until I'm at or after the chapter they were posted on, just so I don't clog things up too much.

(Another 2017 note: yes, I'm aware that it says Swift paw in places like the summary and chapter title with a space; for some reason, if you write Swiftpaw and save it gets replaced by "Swi". Still have no idea why it does that.)

What If Firestar Was A Girl?

. . .

Graypaw's POV

"Confrontation"

If I'm being honest, it really was a wonder that I managed to be the first one to meet Firepaw. It was my first night out as an apprentice, and most apprentices toured the territory on their first day. The fact that I was on a border patrol instead is nothing short of a miracle. Or, perhaps, it was fate. After all, the second Firepaw – Sunny, then – turned to face me, I knew I had to find out more about her.

I was so excited to be out of camp for the first time – with my leader on my patrol, no less! Part of me was terrified that I was going to embarrass myself in front of Bluestar, but Lionheart assured me that I would do fine. He was going to be a great mentor, I was sure.

"Graypaw, go on ahead. Try and find the ThunderClan border marks." It was said fabulous mentor. "Bluestar and I would like to discuss something. Remember, stay away from twolegplace!"

"Yup!" I exclaimed, nodding. "Will do! I won't let you down, I promise!"

Of course, it wasn't like there was much to let Lionheart down on, but I maybe kind of just wanted to impress Bluestar with my, I don't know, loyalty and devotion and willingness and obedience and all that stuff… I knew Sandpaw would laugh at me if she could hear my thoughts, but I just want to make a good impression, okay?

Lionheart winked at me. "I'm sure you won't."

With that, I was free. I ran ahead of the patrol, swerving through the trees and occasionally stumbling on a root or something. Seriously, the forest floor is so much more cluttered than the camp. I was so focused on not stepping in a hole or anything that I almost didn't notice a change of scents in the air. Delighted, I slowed. Had I found twolegplace?

I was still in the forest, but when I padded forwards, I could get a glimpse of something else through the trees that stretched out as far as I could see. Harsh lights and stone towers were hidden behind the… the… well, I didn't know what it was, but it separated the wilderness from what had to be twolegplace.

That was when I noticed it.

A gentle breeze had wafted towards me the scent of cat. But it wasn't a ThunderClan cat. In fact, it smelled kind of like the twolegplace did – a kittypet?

I crept forwards, straining to see through the brambles ahead of me only to ultimately groan as I was forced to diverge from my path. I crouched behind a clump of ferns, peered cautiously around them, and there she was.

She was a young kittypet, probably about my age, with a bright ginger pelt and luminous green eyes. Something strange encircled her neck, but she seemed perfectly comfortable with it wrapped around her throat. A jingling noise sounded when she suddenly jumped, spooked by something, and I realized just what the weird thing was: a collar.

I flattened my ears and made a split-second decision: I had to defend my territory from this invader! After all, a real warrior would never let a noisy kittypet scare away his prey.

Flying out of the ferns, I landed on the she-kitty's back. Even though I wanted to make a point, I was unwilling to use my claws on the poor thing. After all, she stood no chance against me, a forest-born, forest-blooded warrior – err, apprentice – and warriors were supposed to be merciful anyways.

With a terrified shriek, the kittypet bucked underneath me.

Thanks to my lack of claws, I was quickly tossed off. But I was on my feet in an instant like the strongest of warriors, and as the twoleg kitty fled, I chased after her. That'll show her!

But as we neared the wall that lined the twolegpace, something about the kittypet's resolve seemed to change. I dismissed it, not thinking it would mean anything, but –

What in the name of StarClan?

The kittypet leapt onto the side of the fence, kicked off it, and turned to face me with pelt bristling and eyes narrowed. She even hissed, the sound surprisingly fierce for a twoleg kitty.

Had she just… turned to face me? A tame kitty, a coward, in an impossible fight against a ThunderClan cat? For a few seconds, I was too shocked to do anything. Then, stopping just a tail-length away from her, I sat down. Better act cool. Besides, it's not like she'll be doing any harm. I still gave her a good fright.

Licking one forepaw and drawing it over an ear, I said the first thing that came to mind.

"You fight well for a tame kitty."

"A tame kitty?" she mewed incredulously, dropped her fighting stance. "What's that supposed to mean?"

I rolled me eyes. Brave, but kind of stupid. "Uh, you live with twolegs. You're not Clanborn, or even forest born. You live half a life, so on, so forth. Aren't you supposed to be a coward or something? Why'd you even go in here in the first place? I highly doubt a kitty like you could best the forest."

Green eyes flashing with annoyance, the kittypet puffed out her chest. "First off, if you're the best the forest has to offer, I bet I could handle it. Secondly, I'm no coward!"

I barely held back a sharp retort, instead forcing myself to keep silent as I stared her down. Clearly, she would fold soon, admit she should stay out of ThunderClan territory, and disappear back over the wall to wherever she came from. I mean, I always win staring contests with Ravenpaw, which has to count for something.

"Wait… what do you mean, Clanborn?" the kittypet mewed at last, confused.

I didn't even know I could widen my eyes that much. "You haven't heard of the Clans?"

She was completely serious.

How did that even work? The Clans were my entire world! How could she not know anything about ThunderClan?

I knew exactly what I had to do. And, you know what, maybe telling her what the Clans were wasn't the typical response to an intruder, but she definitely wasn't a typical kittypet.

. . .

Bluestar's POV

"The New Apprentice"

I invited the kittypet to join my Clan. She was the fire of the prophecy – she had to be – and yet… I couldn't help but doubt my actions. What was I doing bringing this stranger to my camp and giving her a place in my Clan? What if I was wrong and this kittypet would bring us nothing but trouble? She was brave, sure, but sheltered. The life of a tame kitty had not set her up for the life of a wildcat. But I couldn't afford to let her go, not if she was the fire that StarClan had told us about.

When Whitestorm and Lionheart bounded into camp with the flame-colored kittypet just tail-lengths behind, it was enough of a confidence boost that I was willing to go through with the ceremony then and there. But I was ThunderClan's leader, and that meant I had to think with my head, not my heart.

"How did she do?" I asked, careful to keep my tone neutral. Whitestorm didn't know about the prophecy.

"She certainly kept up with us, even though her shorter legs made it hard. I thought we lost her at one point, but she's still here, so I guess she's got something going for her," Whitestorm mewed, eyeing the kittypet. "I think she'll be okay."

I nodded, satisfied by my nephew's assessment. "Then I'll hold the ceremony at once. There's no point in delaying it."

Rising to my feet, I swarmed up the highrock and perched myself at the top. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the highrock for a Clan meeting!"

Instantly, my Clanmates flooded out of their dens and emerged from the shadows, pooling in the clearing. Lionheart led Sunny over to just beneath the stone, the Clan quickly noticing her.

"ThunderClan, I'm sure many of you would agree that we are low on warriors. Never before have we had so few apprentices in training – and the few we have may not be enough to brave any troubles that lay ahead of us." I paused to breath, giving me a chance to steel myself. "So, it has been decided to take in an outsider to train as a warrior."

Indignant mutterings broke out, and I winced. I knew my Clanmates wouldn't be happy about this.

Knowing I needed to take control of the situation, I raised my voice to a firm, commanding yowl. "I have found a cat who is willing to become an apprentice of ThunderClan."

"Lucky to become an apprentice," Longtail jeered, leaping to his feet.

I ignored him. He was young and proud – of course he didn't want outsiders filling his Clan. "Lionheart and Whitestorm have both met this young cat and they agree with me that we should train her with the other apprentices."

Slowly, indignant gazes turned from me to Sunny, and a deafening crescendo of caterwauling rose from the crowd.

"Where does she come from?"

"Which Clan does she belong to?"

"What a strange scent she carries! That's not the scent of any Clan I know!"

But it was Longtail's yowl that caught the attention of the crowd. "Look at her collar! She's a kittypet! Once a kittypet, always a kittypet. The Clan needs wild born warriors to defend it, not another soft mouth to feed."

His gaze swung to Sunny, tone growing increasingly hostile. "Your collar is a mark of the twolegs, and that noisy jingling will make you a poor hunter at best. At worst, it will bring the twolegs into our territory, looking for the poor lost kittypet who fills the woods with her pitiful tinkling. The noise of your treacherous bell will alert our enemies, even if your twoleg stench doesn't!"

The jeers went on and on. I knew the Clan was siding with Longtail, and it wasn't something I could change on my own. It was up to the kittypet to prove she was worthy of joining my Clan.

One look at Sunny and I had a feeling she knew it, too.

With a yowl, Sunny leapt at Longtail, causing him to stagger sideways. The kittypet dug her claws deep into the warrior's fur and sank in her teeth, the normal rituals of swiping and boxing long forgotten. This was a fight for Sunny's honor, for her place in the Clan. They screamed and writhed, flipping and somersaulting their way around the clearing. Other cats sprang from their path, eyes shining with the thrill of the fight.

Wails of excitement broke out as they watched the fight, each cat jostling one another as they tried to get a better view. I myself had a perfect view from the highrock, allowing me to see the exact moment when the tides turned.

Longtail had grasped Sunny's collar in his jaws and was using it to choke her.

Every time Sunny moved it seemed to get worse. My paws itched to intervene, but this was Sunny's fight. I couldn't win it for her.

But no intervention was needed. With a loud snap, the collar released Sunny from its entrapment. Longtail stumbled backwards without Sunny's weight, the broken collar dangling from his jaws.

This was my chance. I leapt down from the highrock and silenced my Clanmates with a thunderous caterwaul. The two fighters remained fixed to the spot, gasping for breath, and I took a moment to survey the two; there was a cut above Sunny's eye, but nothing too bad, while Longtail's left ear was badly torn.

I grabbed the collar from Longtail and placed it on the ground before me, facing the Clan.

"The newcomer has lost her twoleg collar in a battle for her honor. StarClan has spoken its approval: this cat has been released from the hold of her twoleg owners and is free to join ThunderClan as an apprentice," I declared.

Sunny, looking proud, stepped into a pool of sunlight. Her namesake flooded her pelt, turning it into a coat of blazing fire.

Yes, I thought. She is the cat of the prophecy.

"You look like a brand of fire in this sunlight," I murmured to Sunny, pushing the collar to her feet with one paw. The fire that will save the Clan.

Turning back to the Clan, I raised my voice once more. "From this day forward, until she has earned her warrior name, this apprentice will be called Firepaw in honor of her flame-colored coat."

I watched in approval as the newly-named Firepaw turned and kicked dirt over her collar without an ounce of hesitation.

Knowing the ceremony was complete, I retired to my den and sat just inside the entrance to watch the Clan. Calls rang out, greeting Firepaw, though I knew that it would take a while before the Clan would truly warm to the apprentice.

. . .

Fireheart's POV

"Heartache"

I loved ThunderClan, but my early warriorhood was rough. First, I lost Ravenpaw. Then Graystripe, who I had been falling for, had fallen in love with Silverstream of RiverClan. That hurt, but I was going to make life work because I cared too much about Graystripe to ruin his happiness because of my own broken heart. And then Cinderpaw was hit by the monster, and it just seemed like my whole life was falling apart one piece at a time. But sometimes love is found in unexpected places.

"Hey, Fireheart!"

I stiffened at Longtail's voice, glancing at the pale tabby. While he no longer tormented me as he had when I first joined ThunderClan, we had both kept our distance from one another. Our interactions consisted of the odd hunting patrol and sometimes group training sessions. Speaking of which, maybe he was here to rag on me about Cinderpaw. I couldn't blame him, not after I let Cinderpaw get hit.

Just in case, I responded with a polite hello.

Longtail seemed to take that as an invitation to pad over to me. "I was wondering if you could help me train Swiftpaw today. I want to test his tracking skills and so I need, well, bait so I can watch him."

"Uh… okay," I answered, still trying to figure out Longtail's motives. "Why me?"

Maybe he was trying to rub Cinderpaw's accident in my face by showing off his healthy apprentice. Or maybe this was just a ruse to get me alone so he could rib me more openly.

"I thought working with the apprentices might help you feel better about Cinderpaw," Longtail answered, looking away. "I'm really sorry about her, by the way. I'd feel horrible if something happened to Swiftpaw."

This did not seem like the Longtail I had expected. I searched his tone for any sign of taunting, but he seemed completely genuinely.

"Thank you?" I awkwardly shuffled my paws. "Um… should we go then?"

Longtail nodded and collected Swiftpaw from the apprentice den. "Fireheart's going to help you with your training today," Longtail explained as we walked through the forest. "She'll find a place to hide, and you'll have to track her down."

"Okay," Swiftpaw said with a nod, looking eager.

And so it went on from there. Swiftpaw found me twice, but I reminded myself that I would have done better if I had been hiding from an enemy warrior instead of helping train an apprentice. It was actually pretty fun, being reminiscent of the games of hide-and-seek that I had played with Graystripe and Ravenpaw as an apprentice.

Two days later, Longtail approached me again. Before I knew it, mentoring Swiftpaw with Longtail had become a part of my daily routine and I found myself waiting in the morning for Longtail to find me and explain what he was thinking we would do today.

Slowly, Longtail became more than just my co-mentor – he became my friend. If Graystripe was out gallivanting with his mate, that was okay, because I could hang out with Longtail instead. We talked about hunting patrols and planned training sessions for Swiftpaw and helped Cinderpaw collect herbs. Our nests crept towards each other's in the warriors' den so we could chat at night.

It didn't take me long to realize that I might be starting to fall for Longtail.

One night, I walked into camp at the rear of a hunting patrol carrying a robin and two mice. I delivered my prey to the fresh-kill pile before searching for my favorite meal, a squirrel. None.

I groaned and was just leaning over to pick up a vole instead when a familiar pale tabby tom came up beside me.

"Come on, I save you a squirrel," he told me, and whisked me away to the shadows outside the warriors' den. "By the way, you owe me one. I had to convince One-eye it was actually a robin to save you this."

Laughing, we ate.

I never knew a squirrel could taste so good.

. . .

Graystripe's POV

"Parents"

I really owe Fireheart a lot. She didn't have to take in my kits after Silverstream died – I knew that she used to like me, even though I never told her out of sheer awkward fright or something like that. But Fireheart insisted, saying it was the least she could do for her friend and that she would raise them like her own alongside the two little fluffballs that she had had just a half moon before. And she did. I don't think my kits ever would have found a place in ThunderClan without Fireheart's care.

"Graystripe!" the shrill squeaks called.

I didn't have to turn around to know who it was. First came Stormkit, my son using his powerful haunches to leap up onto my shoulders. His sister, Featherkit, skidded to a halt at my paws and looked up at me with shining blue eyes. Last came Finchkit and Sunkit, who were Fireheart and Longtail's children: Finchkit's pale tabby form settled next to Featherkit while the bright ginger Sunkit scrambled up next to Stormkit.

Laughing, I fell to the ground. "I've been defeated! You fierce ThunderClan warriors!"

Triumphant cries rang out as Stormkit and Sunkit scrambled down and rejoined their littermates.

"Play mossball with us?" Featherkit requested hopefully.

I purred. "Of course, darling."

The kits let out happy squeals and ran back to the nursery, returning moments later with moss clamped in their tiny jaws. With Longtail on border patrol and Fireheart out stretching her legs, I was – happily – in charge of the kits for now.

"Here, Graystripe!" Sunkit mewed proudly, rolling the mossball to my feet.

"Why, thank you Sunkit!" I said, snagging the mossball with one claw. "That's a very fine mossball you made!"

Finchkit nudged her sibling. "I helped!"

"I didn't know you could," I told him teasingly. "But it is a very nice mossball. Let's see if you can catch it as well as you can make it!"

I threw the mossball as far as I could and watched as all four kits scampered after it. I wish you could see them now, Silverstream.

Featherkit accidently stumbled into Dustpelt and I held my breath, but I didn't need to be worried. Dustpelt scolded her lightly before sending her after the others, treating her no harsher than he would have Finchkit or Sunkit.

Even though ThunderClan was still uneasy around me due to my relationship with Silverstream, they had grown to fully accept Featherkit and Stormkit with Fireheart and Longtail's gentle encouragement. I wouldn't ever be able to thank Fireheart enough for what she had done, and Longtail…

Well, I had never thought that Longtail could be gentle, or that he and my best friend could fall for each, but he and Fireheart made each other really happy. That was all I could ask for in the end.

. . .

Longtail's POV

"Warriors of ThunderClan"

Even after I was blinded by that stupid rabbit, I stayed as involved with the Clan as I could. Fireheart had become leader and I wanted to be there for her and our kits as best I could, even if hunting and fighting was difficult, if not impossible. Graystripe was Fireheart's deputy since Whitestorm, her first, had been killed by some BloodClan rat – although I had heard that he had been well avenged by ThunderClan's younger generation. Meanwhile, Cinderpelt was the Clan's medicine cat, with Finchpaw eagerly shadowing her as her apprentice.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the highrock for a Clan meeting!"

This was it. Today Sunpaw, Stormpaw, and Featherpaw would finally become warriors.

The Clan pooled in the clearing. As cats shifted around looking for spots to sit, I caught the scent of the soon-to-be warriors. Sunpaw probably looked perfect, not a hair out of place and her signature headstrong look turned on to the highest degree.

I couldn't be more proud of her than I was at that moment, except for perhaps the moment when she actually got her warrior name.

A few moments later, Finchpaw sat beside me, her pelt brushing mine. I shifted so that my trail was wrapped around her. While I knew Finchpaw was delighted for her sister and adopted littermates, I was worried that part of her would feel upset that she wouldn't have her full name for a few more moons.

"I, Firestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these apprentices. They have trained hard to learn and understand your noble ways, and for that, I commend them to you as warriors of their turn," Firestar began. She leapt off the highrock to stand before the three apprentices. "Sunpaw, do you promise to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Sunpaw didn't waste a second. "I do."

"Then from now on you shall be known as Sunblaze. StarClan honors your bravery and dedication and they welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan," Firestar declared.

She touched her nose to our daughter's forehead, and Sunblaze licked her shoulder respectfully in return.

So that was the name Firestar had chosen. I'd pestered her about it, but she'd told me that I would have to wait like any other parent. I'd called her out on that, but she'd simply laughed and touched her nose to mine. The words I'm special had gone unspoken, not that I would have disagreed.

Firestar turned to the next apprentice. "Stormpaw, do you promise to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Stormpaw declared, his tone serious but confident.

"Then from now on you shall be known as Stormfur. StarClan honors your strength and loyalty and they welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Firestar repeated the same rituals as with Sunblaze. Once Stormfur had stepped back to stand next to my daughter, Featherpaw took a tiny step forward. "And Featherpaw, do you promise to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Featherpaw's soft voice was strong with conviction. "I do."

There was a pause in which I figured Firestar was studying the apprentice. "Then from now on you shall be known as Feathertail. StarClan honors your passion and kindness and they welcome you as full warrior of ThunderClan."

Firestar touched her nose to Feathertail's forehead, and the new warrior licked her shoulder in return.

"Sunblaze! Stormfur! Feathertail!" the cheers rang out loud and proud from ThunderClan.

My chest puffed out with uncontrolled pride as I wove as best I could through the crowd, reaching my daughter and nuzzling her warmly. "Congratulations," I mewed, licking her forehead.

"Thanks, Dad," she answered, and I could just envision her blue eyes – the only thing that stopped her from being the exact image of her mother – gleaming with delight. Becoming a warrior had been Sunblaze's dream since she was just a kit, and now she had finally accomplished it.

As the crowd settled down and the three new warriors settled in for their vigil, Firestar came and sat down next to me.

"I'm so proud of them," she mewed, resting her head on my shoulder.

"I know," I answered softly. "I am too."

Looking back at my outro notes from the last chapter, Fireheart and Longtail remains a... unique ship, but I can still understand my reasoning for it: Longtail was a single cat no more than ten moons older than Fireheart. Nowadays, I totally could have just made Fireheart and Sandstorm still be mates but the fun of the What Ifs is what changes and also I just didn't think that up while I was rewriting.

Anyways, thanks for reading the second rewrite of the bunch! Like I said last time, feel free to send in suggestions, drop some constructive criticism, point out typos, or whatever else floats your boat. This would probably be the part where I plug my real account aka the place that the rewrites were supposed to go up on (yeah I'm still lowkey salty about FFN's little surprise) but there's nothing new/cool up there so see, so... just saying it's raindropp14 though. Hi to Lucy or Bailey if you stumble upon this!

Until next time, or rather one or two days from now...

Syrup / Rain