This was written for my OC Swanheart, who was mentioned a couple times in what was my warrior's fanfiction (I never finished it x-x). She's dead in that book, but she's a descendant of Firestar and an ancestor to one of the main characters! This was going to be the prologue to her story that followed the story of how the new clans were formed, but then I pulled a me and got bored with it lmao.

So this is just her backstory and a little of her life!

Word count: 2271

"Arrowflight, Sharpstripe, tell us a story, please?" two young she-kits pleaded, their eyes wide and innocent as they stared up at the pale long haired she-cat and dark brown and white tom elders, who gazed back down fondly at them.

"Alright, alright," Sharpstripe sighed. "What about... the tales of the great Firestar? My mother told such wonderful stories of him and her great grandmother, Sandstorm." The she-kits nodded eagerly, and nestled together against Arrowflight's warm, fluffy brown and white body, his eyes, one pair a watery blue, like a frozen over pond, and another a bright, blazing yellow, seeming to grow even wider as the other old she-cat settled down next to them, her own eyes warm and dramatic as she met their gazes.

"Well, long ago, back when the Clans had never dreamed of the Great Lake, there was a kittypet," she started. Arrowflight smiled fondly at his mate and curled his tail tighter around his grandchildren as she continued. "His name was Rusty. One day, Rusty decided to leave his two-legs for the forest, making a dangerous decision for a kittypet like himself."

"Firestar was a kittypet?" one of the kits, the pure white one with blue eyes, asked, tilting her small head. "We came from a line of kittypets? Does that mean two-legs are going to come and take us away?" She sucked in a breath with fright, and her sister nudged her playfully, almost bowling her over.

"Don't be silly, Swankit," she squeaked. "Arrowflight and Sharpstripe and Ambermoon would never let two-legs take us to their stinky two-leg place. Maybe even Dapplestar would help save us, and I would fight them off too! After all, we are the only kits in ThunderClan."

"Now, now, Swankit, Hawkkit," Arrowflight purred, batting them gently in the faces with his tail, causing the two she-kits to sputter and spit. "Let your grandmother finish the story." Sharpstripe smiled at her mate with gratitude and crouched down to look the kits in the eye.

"Rusty, having made it to the forest, was suddenly attacked!" she said dramatically, waving her tail in the ground and pouncing on a stray bit of moss as if to demonstrate. The kits gasped, and Sharpstripe turned back to them dramatically. "But, of course, he fought back. He turned on the gray apprentice, who's name was Graypaw, later on Graystripe and Firestar's best friend. Of course, Graypaw was not alone, being accompanied by Bluestar, Lionheart, and Whitestorm, three other very great and brave warriors. They saw how he fought, and invited him...."

The two she-kits crouched, tucked in warmly next to their grandfather, entranced by the story, eyes wide with admiration, fear, and then pride. They knew that they were the only two who could carry on the line and legacy of Firestar, and they would be proud to do so.

. . .

Swankit sat tall in front of Dapplestar, Hawkkit by her side. The mottled dark brown she-kit was shivering with excitement, like her sister, and they both held their heads high. Despite the fact that Swankit was dwarfed by her sister's large, strong, and imposing form, she took no notice of it and stood straight as Dapplestar approached the two silently, stepping lightly on her dappled pale brown and white paws.

"Hawkkit," She started, looking down slightly on the large she-kit, who was already half her size, "You have now reached the age of six moons, and I can already tell that you have great potential. Do you promise to train hard to uphold the Warrior Code, and work to become the greatest warrior you can be?"

"I do," Hawkkit rumbled, puffing out her chest proudly.

"Then, by the gifts of StarClan, I hereby name you Hawkpaw until you have completed your training and receive your warrior name," Dapplestar rested her muzzle on the dark mottled brown she-kit's head. "I entrust you to the care and training of Featherstep, who I know will train you the best she can and teach you the ways of ThunderClan and the Warrior Code." Hawkpaw glanced over to Featherstep, a pretty silver tabby she-cat who walked up, her dark yellow eyes gentle as her new apprentice licked her shoulder and moved to the side to let Swankit take the stand.

"Swankit," Dapplestar's eyes softened as she stared at the small she-kit who was doing her best not to jump up and start squealing like a newborn kit who had just gone outside for the first time. "You, much like your sister, are a brave and kind cat, and I sense that you will grow to be a great warrior. Do you promise to train hard to uphold the Warrior Code and become the best warrior you can be?"

"I do," Swankit whispered, trembling with excitement, her blue eyes glittering with a jumble of strong emotions.

"Then, by the gifts of StarClan, I name you Swanpaw, until you have completed your training and receive your warrior name," Dapplestar rested her head on Swanpaw's, as she had done with Hawkpaw, before stepping back. "I pronounce Fogstorm as your mentor, and I trust that he will teach you all he knows of the Warrior Code and ThunderClan." The sorrel and white dappled she-cat smiled as Fogstorm, a pale foggy grey and black tom stepped forward and let Swanpaw lick his shoulder. The two turned to the crowd of ThunderClan warriors and elders and queens, joined by Hawkpaw and Featherstep.

"Swanpaw! Hawkpaw! Swanpaw! Hawkpaw!"

The two sat, chests puffed out with pride as their Clan called their name, granting them full apprenticeship and wishing them good will, while thinking of what adventures were to come.

. . .

Swanheart and Hawkflight crouched low underneath the holly bush, both gazes fixed on a massive golden eagle who was picking at a dead mouse in the leaves. Stormcloud and Spottedmist were hunched across from the pair, eyes also trained on the eagle. Hawkflight, being the largest out of the four, flicked her tail once to signal Stormcloud, and they both leaped out of the bushes, claws extended.

The eagle screeched as the tom and she-cats sharp claws sug into its wings. It desperately flapped into the air, dragging both Hawkflight and Stormcloud slowly upwards.

"Now!" Swanheart yowled, and she lunged up into the air after the eagle with a powerful thrust of her hind legs, Spottedmist following suit. The white she-cat grasped onto the eagle's large head, scratching at its face and eyes, while the black, brown, and white dappled warrior hung onto its tail, yanking out feathers and pulling it back down.

"Swanheart, go for its throat!" Hawkflight yelled, and her little sister did as she said, crawling up over its neck to avoid its sharp snapping beak. Swanheart dug her claws viciously into the eagle's feathery neck, and bit down hard behind its skull. The eagle let out a pained screech, which quickly turned into a gurgle as blood spouted from the wound in its neck.

"We're going down!" Swanheart called as she felt the eagle begin to drop, and she unlatched her claws, leaping away from it and landing with a quiet thump on the soft dirt. Spottedmist and Stormcloud did the same, falling away from the large eagle's body. Hawkflight scrambled up onto its back and yanked hard with her claws, snapping its neck to make sure it was dead before lunging swiftly away and landing next to her sister's lithe white form.

Swanheart was panting slightly, and she glanced down at her blood-splattered paws. Hawkflight nudged her gently before padding off towards the eagle who had thudded down onto the ground.

"Gather up as much as you can carry," the large dark brown mottled she-cat ordered, and Spottedmist and Stormcloud nodded, stepping forward and sweeping their tails across the ground, collecting the feathers that had fallen loose during the struggle. Swanheart blinked and looked up from her paws, hurrying quickly forward and doing the same while her sister started to drag the large eagle towards camp.

. . .

Coughs and retching filled the hollow. An air of sickness laid heavily over the camp, and Swanheart sat outside the medicine den anxiously, flicking her tail.

She stood as Raindapple walked out, a look of weary defeat in the medicine cat's gaze.

"Hawkflight and Ambermoon?" She asked, swallowing and preparing herself for what she would most likely hear. Raindapple closed her eyes and sighed, shaking her head.

"Ambermoon is improving, but Hawkflight...," she paused, and the white warriors' blue eyes filled with grief. "I doubt she will make it. Hawkflight is one of the strongest warriors I have ever seen, but this sickness... it is taking even the hardiest to StarClan." Swanheart let out a wail and lunged forward, trying to get into the medicine den to see her mother and sister, but Raindapple held her back.

"Swanheart," the she-cat said firmly, "You cannot go in there. If you do, I'm afraid it will consume you too. If not the sickness, then the sight of them." Swanheart's gaze hardened and she turned back to the medicine cat.

"If you do not let me see her," she hissed darkly, "and she dies without getting to say goodbye? That is entirely on you." Raindapple met the white she-cats cold blue eyes, glistening with grief, and closed her own pale brown ones again with another sigh. Then she nodded and stepped back, allowing the warrior to run into the den.

"Hawkflight?" Swanheart whispered hoarsely as her gaze landed on a dark mottled brown coat. But it wasn't the clean, bright one that she saw every day. This coat was dull and matted, and her sister's breath came shallowly. Swanheart could barely see Hawkflight's chest move. She let out a choked sob and hurried over, burying her muzzle into Hawkflights shoulder. "Hawkflight, don't die. I can't have you die, not after all we've been through. You can't leave me alone!"

"Swanheart," Hawkflight's rasping voice was hardly more than a whisper, but Swanheart's head shot up at the sound of her name. "Swanheart... I'm going to be... ok.... Do not worry... about me.... " Hawkflight dissolved into a fit of coughing, and blood spurted onto the ground from her sister's mouth. Swanheart let out another choked sob at the sight of the she-cat's suffering, but couldn't turn her head away.

"Take...," Hawkflight started again, only to be consumed by more coughs. "Take care... take care of Ambermoon for me... ok? Don't turn... her away...." Swanheart nodded, tears slipping down her face, unable to form words. "I'll see you... in StarClan little... little sister.... Know that I...." Hawkflight never got to finish her last words.

A wail bursted from Swanheart's throat, and she tilted her head back, squeezing her eyes shut. Raindapple rushed in at her yowl, but stopped at the sight of Hawkflight's body. The other patients in the den hadn't taken notice of the grieving she-cat except for Ambermoon, who was the only one strong enough to lift her head.

"Hawkflight...," Ambermoon choked out, and Raindapple shook her head, trying to clear the image of the once strong and brave she-cat's body as she hurried over to the white and amber colored queen.

"Don't worry about Hawkflight, Ambermoon," Raindapple murmured, "She's in a better place now, and she wouldn't wish for you to waste time grieving over her for longer than you have to." Ambermoon rested her den back down on the ground, closing her green eyes, and nodding, murmuring something that the medicine cat didn't catch. The blue-ish gray she-cat turned to Swanheart, whose wails had dissolved into pained whimpers.

"Swanheart, Dapplestar wished to see you," Raindapple murmured, walking over. "I will take care of Hawkflight, ok? You will have time to grieve later, but I would go to see your leader. I fear she might pass soon as well...." Swanheart's whimpers ceased and she glanced at the medicine cat with confusion.

"You mean...," she whispered, "You mean Dapplestar is on her last life?" Raindapple nodded sadly, but instead of divulging the subject further, turned to Hawkflights body, grooming her coat and detangling the mats that had formed during her sickness.

Swanheart took one last grieving look at her sister before nodding once and turning on her heels, hurrying out of the medicine den and towards Dapplestar's den.

"Dapplestar?" She asked quietly, standing just outside the den.

"Come in, Swanheart," Dapplestar coughed, and the white she-cat stepped into the den, her grief replaced with worry for her leader, who looked far worse for wear than Hawkflight had been.

Tiny sores were bleeding at the corners of the dappled she-cats mouth and in her ears, and her eyes were glassy. Her nose ran freely and Swanheart nudged her gently back down onto her nest when Dapplestar attempted to stand.

"Swanheart," She started hoarsely. "I have received... a message from StarClan...." Like Hawkflight, she hunched over as coughs racked her chest, and Swanheart turned her gaze away as her leader's blood splattered over the leaf-strewn ground. "'Follow the swan's heart... for it will lead... lead the Clans to prosperity.... New Clans will rise... to fulfill their ancestors... legacy... and restore the stars... to their... rightful place....'" Swanheart stared at her leader, who's eyes were shut and her chest rising and falling rapidly as her breath came quick and shallow while her heart slowed. "Listen... listen to StarClan, brave warrior...."

At that moment, for the second time that day, Swanheart watched as the cat she had looked up to, admired, and loved as if she was family, stilled and stiffened as StarClan took her soul to the skies, where she could live her second life to its fullest.