Rainwhisker and Swallowtail: I won't ever forget

Swallowtail swallowed nervously. She could not believe she was leaving her home, that all the clans were leaving their homes. She padded up to her mother, Dawnflower.

“Mother is it true? Are we really leaving the forest?”, Swallowtail asked. Dawnflower looked at one of her oldest kits.

“Yes my dear, it is true, we are leaving tomorrow”, answered Dawnflower gravely. Swallowtail’s ears twitched and she pushed her nose into her mother’s fur, wanting to be a kit again. Dawnflower rasped her tongue over Swallowtail’s ears. “It will be ok”

“I don’t want to leave mother”

“I know, me neither, but we must”, replied Dawnflower “Now run along and find Blackclaw and see if you can go for one last swim”. Swallowtail nodded and padded away, her tail drooping. She ran into Hawkfrost, he held his head high.

“Hi Hawkfrost”, mumbled Swallowtail.

“Greetings Swallowtail, whats wrong?”, inquired Hawkfrost. Swallowtail looked at him, her eyes wide.

“I don’t want to go, I don’t want to leave behind the river, our camp, everything, and I’m afraid”, admitted Swallowtail. She expected the haughty warrior to say something brave and rude, but he looked at her warmly.

“I don’t want to go either, this is my home as well, I might never see my mother again”, meowed Hawkfrost referring to his mother Sasha, who was a rogue “And I am afraid as well”. Swallowtail looked at him

“The big brave warrior, is afraid, oh my how things are changing!”, joked Swallowtail. Hawkfrost laughed. “I’m off for one last swim, do you want to join me?”, asked Swallowtail.

“Sure!” the tom replied.

“Race you!”, mewed Swallowtail before sprinting toward the river. Even though Hawkfrost was a strong and big cat, Swallowtail was quicker. She jumped up onto a rock and leapt into the river. The little wave splashed the clan deputy, Mistyfoot.

“Hey!”

“Sorry Mistyfoot” apologized Swallowtail. Mistyfoot just laughed.

“I was thinking of going for a swim later, but too many things to do, remember, be back to camp before nightfall”, meowed Mistyfoot before padding off. Swallowtail looked around for Hawkfrost, and then there was this giant splash. It sent Swallow tail tumbling under water. She surfaced and Hawkfrost was standing there grinning sheepishly.

“Your great oaf”, spat Swallowtail spitting out water. Hawkfrost just grinned. Her dark tabby fur was plastered to her body, showing how skinny she really was. Her ribs were showing through. She clambered out of the water, and she noticed how low the river was. It barely touched Hawkfrost’s belly fur.

“It’s become so low”, meowed Swallowtail sadly. Hawkfrost sat down beside her, and gave her shoulder a couple of licks.

“It will be okay”, meowed Hawkfrost. Swallowtail just sighed, but then her ears twitched, she scented the air.

“Thunderclan patrol they are coming this way”, meowed Swallowtail jumping to her paws, Hawkfrost followed. She and Hawkfrost dashed to the border. Sure enough, four cats padded out of the trees. Swallowtail recognized Squirrelflight, Brackenfur, a cat that looked a lot like Hawkfrost and a handsome dark gray tom. Brackenfur padded forward.

“Greetings, we have come to pass a message onto Leopardstar”, mewed Brackenfur politely.

“I will take it to her, you are not allowed on our territory”, Hawkfrost replied curtly, the tom that resembled him bristled.

“How can you think of boundaries at a time like this”, hissed the tom.

“Brambleclaw!”, warned Brackenfur, but Brambleclaw ignored him.

“No matter what happens there will always be boundaries between the clans” replied Hawkfrost. Brambleclaw hissed. Swallowtail caught Squirrelflight’s eyes and mouthed, toms! Squirrelflight smiled and rolled her eyes. The handsome gray tom thrust his way in between the two bristling cats.

“Enough”

“I can escort you to Leopardstar”, meowed Swallowtail, the gray tom flashed her a grateful look. Hawkfrost glared at her before whirling around and running across the river.

“Hawkfrost!”, yowled Swallowtail, but he just kept running. “Oh dear, follow me”. Without another word Swallowtail led the cats to camp.

“Stay here”, ordered Swallowtail before entering Leopardstar’s den. “Leopardstar, there are Thunderclan cats to see you”. Leopardstar followed her out.

“What is it?”

“Firestar wants you to know, all the clans will be meeting by the thunderpath”, Brackenfur relayed. The gray tom smiled at her again, and Swallowtail felt her pelt grow hot, he really was handsome.

“Okay, we will meet him there, Mosspelt and Blackclaw will you escort them to the border” ordered Leopardstar. Swallowtail bid her goodbyes to Squirrelflight and saw Hawkfrost coming toward her.

“Look Hawkfrost..”, began Swallowtail but he just kept stalking away. Swallowtail let out an impatient sigh and padded toward the entrance in camp where Mosspelt was coming back.

“Mosspelt, do you wanna spend the night out here, after all it is our last night?”, asked Swallowtail.

“Sure!”. With that Mosspelt and Swallowtail laid down under a fern, and swallowtail looked up at the sky, the only thing that she knew was that Starclan would be with her forever.pelt!

Swallowtail felt a paw in her rib, she opened her eyes. Hawkfrost was glaring down at her. Swallowtail jumped up, giving her pelt a few licks.

“We’re leaving now”, Hawkfrost growled, before turning his back on her and stalked away. Swallowtail hissed in frustration. She turned and prodded Mosspelt with her paw.

“Hey sleepy-head get up”, meowed Swallowtail. Mosspelt opened her eyes and jumped up.

“This is it!”, mewed Mosspelt excitedly. Swallowtail just sighed and turned to camp, it was in chaos. Queens were rushing around to get their kits, Mistyfoot was barking orders, and Mothwing was rushing toward her eyes wide.

“I think Mudfur is dying!” exclaimed Mothwing. Swallowtail felt a pang in her heart. The elderly medicine cat couldn’t die, not when they needed him most. “I don’t know what to do”

“Cinderpelt!”, meowed Swallowtail “I’ll get cinderpelt”.

“No you won’t”, hissed a voice beside her. Swallowtail whirled around to find Hawkfrost bristling. “Riverclan will not go to another clan for help”. Swallowtail’s fur bristled.

“I am going to go get Cinderpelt and you can not stop me!”, growled Swallowtail enraged by his pompous behavior. Mothwing returned.

“Leopardstar said to hurry!”, confirmed Mothwing. Swallowtail turned but Hawkfrost was in her way.

“Move Hawkfrost”

“No”

“YES!”, yowled Swallowtail losing her temper she knocked him aside and dashed for the border. She heard Hawkfrost in pursuit of her, so she sped up. She leapt over the border and ran into the handsome gray tom, bowlingg him over. Swallowtail fell onto her back.She turned to see Hawkfrost hissing in anger the RiverClan side. She turned to the tom to see him looking at her in amusement.

"I need to see Cinderpelt", exclaimed Swallowtail desperately, her eyes wide. The tom nodded.

"Come on!", ordered the tom befoe leaping away, he led her through trees, and skidded to a stop.