If Swiftpaw Lived.

I think that the title's pretty self-explanatory :D Eveningswift :) 02:00, January 16, 2010 (UTC)

Chapter One
Brightpaw flicked her ears as something poked her ear. Then it poked her again. Brightpaw's nose wrinkled when the poking did not stop. Finally, she wrenched her eyes open, and it was still not even the crack of dawn. Swiftpaw's black and white face was above her.

"Swift-" Brightpaw began, half shoked, half angry, and somehow excited at the same time.

"Shhh," he shushed her. "Remember? Our plan?"

Brightpaw's head went numb, then she suddenly remembered. Oh! Their plan! Brightpaw gulped and nodded as Swiftpaw's bright golden eyes shone in her understanding.

"Great!" he whispered enthusiastically. "Let's get started. We won't let Cloudtail," he snarled, his lips drawn back, "become a warrior just because his uncle's Fireheart, that spoiled kittypet."

Brightpaw's ears slid back. "It's not Cloudtail's fault he got to be a warrior," she hissed. "He deserves it."

"And who's fault is it?" Swiftpaw said, his eyes melting, "and don't we deserve it as well?"

Brightpaw was silent, and both their hearts beat like crazy when Fernpaw shifted in her den a bit. Swiftpaw had thought about this plan too much for it to go to waste.

"Come on, Brightpaw, let's go," he urged gently. Brightpaw met his eyes for a moment. They were tender, and she knew that he was going to try his heart out to serve the clan by doing this. She nodded. Swiftpaw purred softly. "Great. Let's go!"

Together, the two slid past the den's opening, slinking to Sandstorm's guarding shadows. Brightpaw looked back nervously. Swiftpaw saw her, and comforted, "Don't worry, nothing will happen. All we'll do is find what's going on, get back to camp, report to Bluestar, and become warriors. Of course, she'd be angry that we slipped off-" suddenly, his voice cracked, and Brightpaw's eyes went wide. A huge paw had grabbed Swiftpaw's throat! Brightpaw, wheeling around, immediately tackled the thing behind the shadows.... a terrifying, huge dog. But she couldn't let it hurt Swiftpaw like that!

Swiftpaw recovered and helped Brightpaw fight the dog. He first slammed its paw into Brightpaw's face, but it barely scratched it. Swiftpaw quickly leapt onto its head when he was watching Brightpaw. As Swiftpaw blinded it, Brightpaw tripped it. She then sratched its ears fiercely. But growling appeared at all sides.

"Run! Brightpaw!" Swiftpaw howled, dogs cornering him. Brightpaw was stunned at how big and ferocious they were. Then she spat, "No, Swiftpaw, I won't! We're in this together!" She hissed and bounded by one of the bigger dog's hind legs, bit it, watched it wheel around, and bit the hind lel of another dog. This time, this dog kicked its leg out and it- WHAM, right into the face of the other dog, who had turned around to see what had bit it.

Brightpaw was shivering when they turned to see her. But something fast and warm, surprisingly comforting, gripped her scruff, and dragged her to her feet. Swiftpaw! Thank Starclan he was alive.

"Come on, Brightpaw!" he said. The run was rising. Both didn't kno how long they've been gone. Thunderclan must have, Brightpaw worried thouhg, as she ran with Swiftpaw.

"I-I-I think we've lost them," Brightpaw stuttered, looking past her shoulder. Her heart skipped unevenly as a black shape emerged neside her- but it was just Swiftpaw. His flank was dripping in blood, but none of the wounds were too deep.

"I'm so sorry, Brightpaw," he said, voice shaking, eyes blank with sorrow, "it was the stupidest plan in the history of forever." Brightpaw rolled her eyes.

"Well, we got out before the others could come..." Swiftpaw added. Brightpaw and he had slowed to a stop at sunningrocks. "Others?" Brightpaw's voice quivered. Swiftpaw avoided her eyes and nodded.

"There were more in that cave... and guess what, Brightpaw, I know this is really messed up, but they were saying something... "pack pack... kill kill....."

Brightpaw's eyes flickered. Then she gaped.

".... Let's go tell Bluestar. I don't care how much trouble we're in. At least we're alive, right?" she offered. To her intense surprise, Swiftpaw nodded. She brushed her tail against his blood-stained pelt. "Come on,"