The cold night air gave Swiftfoot a chill as he sat at the entrance of the camp with Brightheart. His eyelids were heavy with sleep, and his legs felt like collapsing at any given moment. He looked over at Brightheart to see that she wasn't any different. Her eyelids were half closed, and her head hung low, and every few heartbeats she would jerk her head up, but it immediately drooped down again.

Movement out of the corner of his eye jump; he saw Brightheart do the same. He looked across the clearing to see Tigerclaw walking towards them; Whitestorm and Longtail behind him.

"You two go get some sleep, but don't sleep for too long!" Tigerclaw ordered. He continued,

"At Sunhigh, you will go on a hunting patrol with Longtail and Whitestorm." Tigerclaw dismissed them with a flick of his tail. Swiftfoot padded over to Brightheart to lead her to the apprentices den. As he was about to enter, he heard Longtail shout from behind,

"That's the apprentice's den mousebrain! You sleep in the warriors den." Longtail pointed his tail towards the warriors den. Swiftfoot guided Brightheart clumsily towards the warriors den. He entered the den and crept into the back with Brightheart. He settled down close to Brightheart, and as soon as he sat down, he felt sleep claim him at once.

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Swiftfoot woke standing in a grass covered clearing. Standing in front of him was the deputy before Tigerclaw, Lionheart.

"Hello Swiftfoot. Congratulations on becoming a warrior." Lionheart said in his deep, soothing voice.

"Thank you, Lionheart. I have something to ask you," Lionheart gave him a curt nod signaling to continue.

"Before, Redtail gave me a prophecy. I don't understand it; can you tell me what it means?" Swiftfoot asked.

"Even StarClan doesn't know what happens next, son. All we know of it is that something terrible will come and with it great horrors that could destroy the forest." Lionheart's eyes were clouded with uncertainty and sadness.

"But you must know! You're a StarClan warrior; you must know!" Swiftfoot pleaded. Before Lionheart could reply Lionheart began to fade. His last word were,

"Let your paws lead you, and doubt yourself for one heartbeat." Swiftfoot began to hear a chorus of voices calling his name. He felt a jolt of pain in his side, only to reopen his eyes to see Sunhigh light pouring through the brambles, warming his pelt.

"Swiftfoot! Wake up sleepy head! We need to do something else but sleep all day!" He looked to see Brightheart looming over him with a paw on his flank.

"Ok ok, I'm up!" he mumbled

"Tigerclaw wants us for a hunting patrol!" Brightheart turned around and disappeared out of the den. With a grunt he lifted himself out of his nest. His legs still felt like rocks. He gave his pelt a final lick and headed out into the clearing.

He headed out into the clearing to see cats gathered around beneath the Highrock. He trotted over to stand with the group.

"Look who finally decided to wake up and be a part of the clan!" Tigerclaw growled. He continued,

"Swiftfoot, Brightheart, Graystripe and Fireheart, I want you to go out for a hunting patrol." Swiftfoot looked around the clearing to locate his patrol. He saw them standing at the camp entrance. He walked over to them.

"Graystripe, I want you to stick with Brightheart. I'll stick with Swiftfoot." Fireheart announced as they walked through the camp entrance out into the forest.

"Ok Fireheart, c'mon Brightheart!" Graystripe trotted away with Brightheart. Fireheart looked at Swiftfoot.

"Ready to go and catch your first piece of prey as a warrior?" Fireheart said with amusement in his eyes.

"Yeah!" Swiftfoot said joyfully as a hopped down the trail.

Fireheart stopped to sniff the air. "I can smell a squirrel, over by those tree roots." Fireheart pointed his tail towards the tree roots of an old oak tree.

Swiftfoot dropped down into his hunting crouch and slowly advanced towards the squirrel. When he was close enough, he pounced on the squirrel and swiftly bit its neck.

"Nice catch, Swiftfoot!" Fireheart exclaimed. Swiftfoot saw in Fireheart's eyes, a hint of surprise and jealousy.

"Thanks! I think the elders are going to be pleased!" Then Swiftfoot heard a rustling behind him and see dark shapes crawl out of the bushes. Before he could react Swiftfoot felt a pain in his pelt, then everything went dark.