Right, the perspectives I'll be doing for the rest of the story are going to be Earthsong, Pouncepaw, Firconekit, Kitekit, Beetlepaw, and Swishpaw. Just so you know.

Anyway, Swishpaw's perspective.

But first, reviews-

Cloudy Dreamcatcher- The names are pretty strange, but I have some cool warrior names planned. I'll go to Pouncepaw's perspective next, don't worry. I didn't plan to kill Rockpool this early, but I couldn't let him become leader. Rockstar is way worse than Rockpool. (No this doesn't mean Blazestar's dying soon.)

Beetlepaw. Where was he? It had only been two sleeps since the Gathering, but Beetlepaw had not returned. Shrewclaw had said that cats disappeared sometimes, but Beetlepaw and Nightpaw disappearing? From what she'd heard from the other cats Nightpaw had disappeared without a trace – and so had Beetlepaw. That added up to something.

And Swishpaw didn't like it.

"Up yet, Roguepaw?" Badgerpaw growled in her ear. "Or are you too used to those lovely, long sleeps?"

"It's Swishpaw, actually, and I think you're confusing me with a kittypet."

"You look an awful lot like one," Badgerpaw sneered.

"It's not my problem if you don't want to groom yourself." Swishpaw replied. "You'd fit right in with the rogues."

"We're on the Dawn patrol. Me, Wolfsky, Foxleap, Shrewclaw, and you."

Swishpaw got up, stretching, and trotted out of the apprentice's den after Badgerpaw, who was whisking her tail crossly.

"Glad you could join us," Wolfsky mewed, her voice as cold as ice.

"Can't say the same to you," Swishpaw replied.

Many of her Clanmates treated her with distrust. Wolfsky was one, Badgerpaw another, though with Badgerpaw it might be more than just distrust. At least Shrewclaw and Foxleap liked her.

"Swishpaw," Shrewclaw warned.

She flicked her tail and followed the patrol out of camp. They crossed the river close to the PlantClan border and headed through the marshes. The other cats stayed out of the mud, with the ease of a cat who'd done it many times. Swishpaw, not knowing which reeds would bear her wait, was forced to wade through mud, curling her lip at the rank scent, and the feel of the sticky mud as it clung to her paws. The patrol reached the edge of the marshes and headed to a copse of trees near the PlantClan border. Wolfsky raised her tail, signalling them to stop.

"Shrewclaw, you mark the border near the Hollow. Foxleap, Swishpaw, you head to the outer boundaries."

"Roguepaw," Badgerpaw muttered.

Wolfsky nodded at the white apprentice. Swishpaw glared at them before bounding away from her Clanmates, tail lashing. Foxleap followed behind her.

"They don't mean it, Swishpaw," Foxleap said. "They're just getting used to you."

"That's not a normal part of getting used to."

"No," Foxleap growled. "It's not."

Swishpaw slowed to a walk, finally making the choice that had been troubling her all night.

"Something's wrong," she mewed.

"What do you mean?" Foxleap asked.

"In the Clans. Beetlepaw and Nightpaw disappearing. That can't be normal."

"They could have just left," the ginger warrior said. "To become loners or kittypets."

"But what if they didn't?" Swishpaw said urgently. "What if they were taken away, stolen? What if it's me, or you, next?"

Foxleap was silent.

"I'm going searching for Beetlepaw tonight," Swishpaw finished.

"How is going looking for them going to help us not get taken away, as you call it?"

"I have to find him, Foxleap."

"I have a feeling things will end badly if we go," Foxleap warned.

Swishpaw swished her tail. "I'm going. Meet me outside camp when the moon's halfway across the sky, if you're coming."

Swishpaw looked around the den, her eyes searching through the dark. The white pelt of Badgerpaw stood out. Rabbitpaw was curled up next to her, both she-cats trying to be as far away from the rogues as they could get. Swishpaw spotted her brother's ginger fur at the back of the den, near to where she usually slept. Otterpaw was next to him, snoring gently in her sleep. Swishpaw double-checked that all four apprentices were asleep, before creeping out of the den. She padded silently along the edges of camp, using all the skills she'd learnt from the rogues to stay unnoticed. Lizardwing stood guard at the entrance, ears pricked and staring into the shadows. Swishpaw snuck into the dirtplace tunnel, emerging out of camp a few moments later. She headed towards the river, crossing at the stepping stones.

"Swishpaw!"

A bright ginger she-cat gestured to her from the shadows.

"You came," Swishpaw mewed, surprised.

Foxleap nodded. "We'd better go."

The warrior took the lead, setting a quick pace, and they arrived at the Hollow within a short time.

"Where were you when you last saw Beetlepaw?" Foxleap asked.

"Over here."

Swishpaw headed to the edge of the Hollow, near a clump of bushes. When she scented the air there was still a faint trace of Beetlepaw's scent.

"I can smell him," she said.

Foxleap sniffed the air doubtfully. "I can't smell anything. You're probably imagining it."

Swishpaw glared at her. "It's real." Is it real? What if I'm imagining it? She dismissed the thoughts, refusing to dwell on them.

"Then follow the trail," Foxleap mewed.

Swishpaw tasted the air, then headed away from the Hollow, following the faint yet familiar scent confidently, stopping every few tail-lengths to check if she'd lost the trail. A rank, slightly rotten scent touched the air, but Swishpaw ignored it, more interested in finding Beetlepaw. Suddenly a heavy body rammed into her own, sending her flying into the bushes, where she lay still, out of breath. A paw clamped over her mouth, keeping her silent.

"Don't move," Foxleap hissed.

A grey tom slid out into the open, gazing around. The foul stench of decay clung to his matted fur.

"I thought I smelled intruders," he drawled. "Cats that have no reason to be here."

His eyes rested on Swishpaw, before moving over to Foxleap, crouched next to her.

"We need the ginger one," the tom growled. "The silver one… I don't care what you do with her."

Shadowy shapes flitted out from the trees, heading towards Swishpaw and Foxleap. The ginger warrior stood, lashing her tail.

"Stop," she growled, her eyes burning with anger, and – Swishpaw thought – a bit of fear.

Foxleap snarled, arching her back, and flames flickered over the attacking cats. Swishpaw gasped, looking from Foxleap – who must have created the fire – and the shadowy cats, who didn't collapse, dying, but continued forward, completely consumed in flames.

"What… how…" she muttered.

The grey tom turned to her, grinning.

"Your friend can create fire, but she can't control it," he growled. "And as for us…" He bared his teeth, revealing broken fangs. "You can't kill us. We're already dead."

Just to clear a few things up- yes, I have read Omen of the Stars, and I know dead cats can die. These cats were prepared for Foxleap, and covered themselves in water. Hopefully that explains it.

I will do Swishpaw's point of view again, not the next chapter, but the one after.

-SkyStorm