What if?

*Big Spoilers: The Prophecies Begin, #5, A Dangerous Path*

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What if Cloudtail died instead and Swiftpaw didn’t?

RUN SWIFTPAW! By PaintedSerentiy on DevaintArt

Here is how I envision it would go;

Swiftpaw shifted nervously, Cloudpaw had gathered all the apprentices. Swiftpaw could see all their heads and ears, as he was the oldest and biggest apprentice.

“We have to do something!” Cloudpaw hissed. “Bluestar can’t keep us apprentices forever!”

Swiftpaw shook his head, he disagreed with Cloudpaw. Swiftpaw turned to Brightpaw.

Brightpaw gave a small nod to Cloudpaw.

“What do you suggest we do?” Thornpaw asked.

Cloudpaw turned to Thornpaw. “We find out what’s stealing our prey!”

“Is that the best idea?” Fernpaw asked.

“Yeah, we don’t know what is stealing the prey, it could be something really dangerous!!” Ashpaw meowed.

“We are strong! Bluestar should of made us warriors by now! We have to prove we are worthy and do something to get Bluestar’s attention!” Cloudpaw hissed.

Brightpaw, who seemed slightly eager asked: “When do we do this?”

“At dawn!” Cloudpaw yowled.

Swiftpaw shook his head, and all the other apprentices looked unsure.

* * *

Swiftpaw entered the gorse tunnel with his prey from hunting with his mentor, Longtail.

Swiftpaw walked alongside Longtail, Swiftpaw was almost the same height as his mentor. He dropped his prey in the Fresh Kill pile and Fireheart called him over.

“Fernpaw told us what Cloudpaw had said last night, we need to find him and Brightpaw.” Fireheart meowed

Swiftpaw’s heart thumped, Brightpaw and Cloudpaw still hadn’t came back?

Greystripe and Sandstrom where beside him. Swiftpaw nodded a greeting to them.

“Alright, let’s go.” Fireheart meowed. The cats he had chosen for the patrol followed after him.

Fireheart stopped as they reached close to Snakerocks.

Swiftpaw saw Fireheart slide cautiously through the undergrowth and the rest of the patrol followed slowly.

Swiftpaw could scent dogs and newly spilled blood.

Sandstorm looked at Fireheart, her eyes huge with fear. “Something terrible has happened!”

With a twich of his tail, Fireheart gestured for his companions to move forward. Now they crept with their bellies on the ground, until Snakerocks came into view.

A fallen tree blocked their way. Fireheart scrambled onto the trunk.

Swiftpaw had a sickening feeling that whatever happened, wouldn’t be good.

He followed Fireheart with the rest of the patrol. Swiftpaw looked at the scene. The leaves had been churned up by massive paws and bloods stains trailed the ground. In the middle of the clearing lay the body of Cloudpaw and just beyond him, Brightpaw.

“Brightpaw!” Swiftpaw yowled, he ran toward over to Brightpaw’s motionless body.

Swiftpaw heard Fireheart leap towards Cloudpaw’s body.

“Great StarClan…what did this to him?” Fireheart whispered, he nosed Cloudpaw’s body.

Swiftpaw stopped listening. He touched Brightpaw’s bloody body, she was still breathing.

“Fireheart! Brightpaw isn’t dead!” Swiftpaw yowled.

Swiftpaw turned back to Brightpaw again, her ginger and white fur was spiked with blood. On one side of her face the fur was torn away, revealing pink skin. Where her eye should of been, there was only blood, one ear had been shredded and there where huge claw marks across her muzzle.

There was a choking sound from Sandstorm. “No…” She whispered. “Oh StarClan, no!”

“Fetch Cinderpelt!” Fireheart ordered to Greystripe and he raced off.

“Don’t die, Brightpaw, please!” Swiftpaw whispered to Brightpaw as he curled around her body. “Cinderpelt’s on her way, just hold on!”

“Brightpaw, can you tell us what did this to you?” Fireheart asked Brightpaw quietly.

Brightpaw’s eye opened and she looked at Fireheart with a cloudy gaze.

“What happened?” Fireheart repeated. “What did this?”

A soft meow came from Brightpaw that soon turned into a thin wail.

“Pack, pack.” She whispered. “Kill, kill.”

* * *

Swiftpaw entered Cinderpelt’s den.

“I told you to get some rest.” Cinderpelt meowed.

“I couldn’t sleep.” Swiftpaw meowed, he was too worried about Brightpaw.

Swiftpaw looked at Brightpaw and he curled around her. Swiftpaw licked Brightpaw’s head.

“This is your fault!” Swiftpaw’s anger spilled out and he hissed at Fireheart.

Fireheart dipped his head in sorrow and grief. “I know.” He meowed.

Swiftpaw felt ashamed now. Cloudpaw had been Fireheart’s apprentice. “Sorry.”

“What am I going to tell Princess?” Swiftpaw heard Fireheart whisper.

Then Bluestar appeared in the medicine den, her blue fur ruffled.

“Is she dying?” Bluestar asked.

“That’s up to StarClan.” Cinderpelt answered.

“And what can we expect from them?” Bluestar hissed. “If it’s up to StarClan, Brightpaw will die.”

“Without ever being a warrior.” Swiftpaw sighed.

“Not necessarily,” Bluestar meowed. “There is a ritual, if a dying apprentice is worthy, she can be a made into a warrior so that she may take a warrior name to StarClan.”

“Then you should do it.” Swiftpaw meowed.

Bluestar nodded. “I ask my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has learned the warrior code and has given her life in the service of her clan. Let StarClan receive her as a warrior.” Bluestar paused, her eyes blazing and then continuded: “She will be known as Lostface, so that every cat knows what StarClan did to take her from us!” Bluestar growled.

“But that’s a cruel name!” Swiftpaw hissed.

Bluestar seemed to ignore Swiftpaw and she walked out of the den.

Cinderpelt turned to Fireheart, “What about Swiftpaw?”

Fireheart sighed. “I guess I should ask Bluestar.”

* * *

“Swiftpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Swiftstrike, StarClan honors your courage and patience, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan.” Bluestar meowed and hoped off the highrock to her den.

“Swiftstrike! Swiftstrike!” The clan chanted.

Swiftstrike puffed out his chest in pride, and then though of Lostface, stuck with a name that was meant to remind them of what StarClan did to take her away from the clan.

Soon Longtail came over, his eyes filled with pride. “You finally got your chance!” Longtail meowed.

“Yeah, I just wish it where the same for Lostface.” Swiftstrike sighed.

“I know, it’s not very fair for her.” Longtail meowed. “And, it’s time for your vigil.”

Swiftstrike nodded and went to guard camp.

* * *

“Brightheart! Brightheart!” The clan chanted.

Swiftstrike purred and wrapped his tail around Brightheart.

“The name really suits you.” Swiftstrike meowed.

“It does.” Brightheart purred.

* * *

Swiftstrike stretched in the elder’s den. He walked out and saw his son, Sparrowwing, walking with his mate through the gorse tunnel.

Brightheart walked out after him.

Swiftstrike licked her head. “We did it” He whispered.

Swiftstrike thought about all the things that had happened, from the battle against BloodClan and Brightheart being named Lostface, to winning the Great Battle and having kits.

The End.

Conclusion:

Both of Fireheart’s apprentices would have never become warriors.

Dovewing and Ivypool would have never been born which means the clans might not have won the Great Battle.

Lots of things would have been different if Swiftpaw were alive and Cloudtail wasn’t.

Princess would of never trusted the clans again and would have regretted giving her oldest kit to Fireheart.

Rainwhisker, Cinderheart, Toadstep, and Hollytuft (maybe mentored by Cloudtail or Blossomheart) would have been mentored by different cats.

Mistakes in A Dangerous Path:

• Darkstripe is mentioned with black fur.
• Cinderpelt is mistakenly called Cinderpaw.
• Tawnykit is mentioned several times as having ginger fur, and once with tabby fur.

This book was better edited than some.

Want me to put more mistakes from books? Say in the comments which books you would like to know the mistakes!