Here is chapter 2, I hope you all enjoy it and I would like to apologize for the long time in between updates, I was being super super lazy this week and just couldn't get myself to type up this chapter. Well it's typed up and ready to be read. Please leave me a super long review and I cant wait to see your responses to it. Enjoy :)
Swiftpaw sped through the territory; the plump rabbit and red squirrel dangling from his jaws and catching on brambles as he raced back to camp. The sky grew darker with each passing heartbeat and his paw began to throb, the ignored the pain and felt his heart leap as the camp entrance came into view. Suddenly he stopped, anxiety prickling his pelt.
"What if my clanmates find out where I've been" he thought, quickly he dropped the prey and ducked his head giving his pelt a quick but thorough washing "I hope I got all of the Riverclan and fish scent off of me."
Taking a deep breath and standing tall, he gripped the rabbit tightly in his jaws and trotted into the camp. When he got within the camp walls he saw that his clanmates were already gathering to leave, he held his head strongly and padded straight to the elders den, aware of Lionstreak's icy gaze following him.
He pushed his way into the elders den, spotting Silverstreak lying beside Leopardlight and Rowanflight. Frostflower was nowhere to been seen and her scent in the den was stale. "She must be going to the gathering tonight" Swiftpaw thought and as he moved closer to the elders, setting the rabbit and squirrel at their paws.
"Here Silverstreak, I know you like rabbit" Swiftpaw meowed, pushing the plump prey towards the silver and black streaked elder.
Silverstreak's blue eyes lit up and she licked her lips before taking a bite of the prey, after chewing meticulously and swallowing she smiled "Thank you Swiftpaw." He pushed the squirrel to Leopardlight and Rowanflight and both elders took a few bites as well.
Swiftpaw was about to turn and leave when Silverstreak spoke up again "Interesting" she murmured.
"What's interesting?" Swiftpaw meowed carefully, anxiety prickling his pelt.
When he looked over her could see Silverstreak examining her claw, hooked on the end of it was a small piece of reed.
"W-Whats that" Swiftpaw forced himself to say, his tail tip flicking nervously.
Silverstreak sniffed at it carefully before speaking "This rabbit came from Riverclan or at least near the border" she cast a suspicious glance at Swiftpaw "Where did you catch this?"
Swiftpaw hesitated "B-by the owl tree"
Silverstreak narrowed her eyes meowing hotly "Rabbits don't roam near the owl tree, owls eat rabbits."
Leopardlight snorted loudly "Really Silverstreak" she hissed "Did you forget that rabbits have feet and they can go where they please. It's quite possible that the rabbit was down by the river and then wandered up to the owl tree"
Silverstreak snorted and turned away from Leopardlight "All I'm saying is it's suspicious"
Leopardlight smiled at Swiftpaw "Now run along, or the clan will leave for the gathering without you."
Swiftpaw smiled back at Leopardlight, his pelt prickling with excitement about the gathering as he raced out of the elders den, catching the group of his clanmates leaving for the gathering just as they were about to leave.
Lionstreak rolled his eyes but nodded, letting Swiftpaw know he was allowed to come. Swiftpaw quickly fell into step beside his brother Hazepaw.
He held a special place in his heart for Leopardlight; the youngest elder had always taken it upon herself to make Swiftpaw and his brother feel special. She always took a special interest in them when they were younger and was willing to play silly kit games with them. Swiftpaw felt a purr build up in his chest at the memories of his favorite elder.
As they got closer to fourtrees Swiftpaw could feel his paw beginning to throb again, growling to himself he tried to lighten the pressure on his foot but it only caused him to limp.
"Are you okay?" Hazepaw whispered to his brother, concern thick in his voice.
Swiftpaw nodded "Yeah that rabbit I caught bit me before I managed to kill it."
Hazepaw rolled his eyes and pushed his brother playfully "Is it even possible for you to come back to camp unscathed?"
Swiftpaw shrugged and said nothing as the scents of the other clans wafted toward them, the mighty oaks of fourtrees within sight.
As they entered fourtrees Thunderclan quickly dispersed to share tongues with the other clans. Amberstar leapt up onto the highrock, greeting Windclan's new leader Rabbitstar. The young tom had wiry light brown and black fur and shifty yellow eyes. The tom's tail twitched back and forth nervously and his paws kneaded the ground impatiently as he waited for the gathering to start.
Swiftpaw felt Hazepaw leave his side and watched his brother follow Topazmist to where the other medicine cats gathered beneath a large holly bush. As soon as Hazepaw sat down beside a smallginger apprentice, Finchpaw if he remembered correctly, a slender black she-cat slunk over to them. She gave a polite greeting before sitting down a few paces away from the other medicine cats, her blue eyes sad and her dark pelt dusty and ruffled.
"That must be the Riverclan medicine cat" Swiftpaw thought "Ill have to ask Hazepaw about her", curiosity prickling his pelt. Even though Riverclan and Thunderclan attended gatherings at different times, the medicine cats, eager to stay out of the warriors business, insisted that they be allowed to attend every gathering.
Hazepaw had been able to attend every gathering since he was made a medicine cat apprentice. Envy coursed through Swiftpaw's pelt as he thought about the next gathering that Moonpaw could possibly be attending and he would not, but Hazepaw would.
Growling at himself to stop being so mouse-brained he looked around for somewhere to go, even though he had been an apprentice for nearly three moons this was his first gathering.
"Nervous?" Swiftpaw jumped at the voice and turned to see his father, Bluecloud, standing beside him.
Swiftpaw puffed his chest out "Of course not", Bluecloud followed his son's gaze and smiled knowingly before speaking.
"I know you and Hazepaw have always been close, it must feel strange to see him over there with the other medicine cats"
Swiftpaw frowned, feeling a tug at his chest as he watched his brother speak to easily with the other medicine cats, cats who to Swiftpaw could not be friends, only enemies.
"You have chosen different paths, paths that you cannot take together" Bluecloud continued "But that doesn't mean you cannot walk together"
Swiftpaw rolled his eyes, sometimes his father just didn't make sense.
"You will understand someday" Bluecloud purred, he looked up to see Shimmerlight approaching them, followed by two strange cats "I think your mother wants you to meet them" he flicked his tail toward the approaching cats.
Shimmerlight sat down beside Bluecloud twining her tail with his while the small white she-cat sat down in front of Swiftpaw, her plump belly squishing out as she sat. Beside her sat a large gray and black striped tom with glossy fur beneath his wind blown scent Swiftpaw could catch the softest hint of fish.
"This is my son Swiftpaw" Shimmerlight meowed to the strangers "You already met Hazepaw"
"Well he looks just like Bluecloud" the white she-cat noted "Probably for the best" she teased "Thunderclan has got too many ginger cats, you are all starting to look related"
The large gray and black striped tom rolled his eyes at the she-cat's remark but remained silent.
"Swiftpaw" Shimmerlight meowed "This is my good friend Emeraldsky and surprisingly her mate Featherstripe"
Emeraldsky rolled her green eyes "No need to act so surprised"
Shimmerlight flicked the white queen with her tail tip teasingly "I'm only surprised because you said you would never take a mate, and here we are" she meowed pointing to the queen's swollen belly.
Emeraldsky purred "I remember you saying such things not too long ago"
Swiftpaw shifted uncomfortably on his paws as the queens talked, he kept his eyes on Featherstripe. The tom was built large, larger than any Windclan cat, even larger than most of Thunderclan's warriors. His build and glossy coat seemed so familiar and yet so strange that Swiftpaw searched his mind for why it looked so unique.
Bluecloud finally spoke up "I guess the toms of Windclan just didn't have what you were looking for" at his words the air became tense and Emeraldsky bristled. Featherstripe placed his tail lovingly on Emeraldsky's shoulder, calming her.
The striped tom thought for a moment before speaking "I know my former clan has hurt yours" he steadily met Bluecloud's blue gaze with his own amber ones "But I am not loyal to them anymore, I am loyal to Emeraldsky"
Bluecloud nodded solemnly as if the answer satisfied him but his eyes remained narrowed as Shimmerlight chatted with Emeraldsky.
Swiftpaw felt his heart jump "Riverclan!, Featherstripe is from Riverclan. Maybe he knows Moonpaw" Before he could speak the call for the gathering to begin sounded.
Swiftpaw glanced up at his father, the blue tom looked uncomfortable and Swiftpaw racked his mind in search of the reason why. Suddenly it hit him, Bluecloud was uncomfortable because Emeraldsky's mate came from another clan. Swiftpaw remembered his father had always spoken seriously about the warrior code, and been disappointed and even angry at those who broke it.
Swiftpaw gulped loudly, sheathing and unsheathing his claws uncomfortably, "Would Bluecloud be angry with me, for meeting Moonpaw tomorrow?" as the thought crossed his mind, he glanced at Bluecloud, meeting his father's blue eyes with his own.
Sorry for the cliffhanger lol. Sorry but you wont get to hear about the gathering until Swiftpaw tells Moonpaw, that is if her keeps his promise and meets with her. Please leave a review and let me know what you think will happen and what you like about the story.
-Tigerflower08
Review Responses
Riley Dragon: thanks for reviewing
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