Swansong

basic description > A white, red, and black calico she-cat with long fur and amber eyes

build > Average build with small paws and a shorter than average tail
fur description > Medium-length, thick, and often well-kept
breeds > Moggy

height > 24 cm
weight > 7.5 lb
voice > Carrie Underwood
scent > Milk and Lavender

scars > 8 small scars on her back from an eagle
accessories > N/A
banned traits > N/A

Positive Traits
positive >
    >> Friendly > Swansong is a kind soul that empathizes and learns to understand. She couldn't be cold even if she tried. Her gentleness and friendly atmosphere make it easy for others to make friends with her, and she welcomes them all.
    >> Decisive > Swansong knows how to make decisions for both herself and others. If someone is ever going back and forth on choices or don’t know what to do, she can jump in and give her two cents on something, often leading to a decision. She loves to help others come to a conclusion, and she's good at it.
    >> Sophisticated > She is the definition of street smart, despite her young age. Swansong learns as she goes and has a knack for learning new things when it comes to her naturally. Because of this, she's excellent with survival skills and adaption, and she loves to learn more, especially about the clans and the environment.

neutral >
    >> Maternal > She has a big heart that she wants to use. This means treating everyone with motherly instincts. Swansong puts others' well-being before herself and lives to care for others. This means that she tends to forget to care for herself and can be a bit pushy towards others, but she’ll be there when she is needed--or even when she’s not.
    >> Quiet > Swansong is a cat of few words. She tends to show what she is thinking and feeling all over her face, so she doesn’t talk very often. And even when she does, her voice is soft and can be difficult to hear. This can make it hard to communicate with her, but she works hard to find other ways to convey her thoughts.
    >> Formal > Swansong is about formalities and doing her best to follow rules and etiquette. She speaks when spoken to, she gives her name at the start of every first meeting, and she always tries to keep herself in check. She never seems to drop her formalities, either, making it hard for others to become comfortable around her.

negative >
    >> Passive > If there’s one thing Swansong doesn’t like, it’s fighting. But she hates confrontation even more. She doesn't like to take action, so oftentimes, she doesn't. Swansong tends to be a bystander in everything, whether she approves of what is going on or not.
    >> Inhibited > Despite her gentle and caring outward appearance, Swansong is always on guard and never seems to be able to relax. There's no direct reason for this, but Swansong is always on high alert. She fidgets and is easily spooked because of this, and she often has nightmares.
    >> Dependent > Swansong has a hard time working independently and would rather have someone leading or guiding her. When she's alone, she can freeze up and become a bit lost as to what she's supposed to be doing. She usually is seen following others around, especially her sister, Cougarblaze.

Parents
 parents >
    >> Nettlefoot > Brown color-point she-cat with aqua eyes > Played by peeperonipip > Deceased
    >> Flowersmoke > Russet tabby tom with orange eyes > Played by monkiies > Deceased

siblings >
    >> Cougarblaze > Golden tortoiseshell she-cat with orange eyes > Played by Spacecat011 > Deceased

mate >
    >> N/A

kits >
    >> Blossomberry > Daughter > Red calico she-cat with bengal spots and heterochromatic blue and yellow eyes > Played by XxGlowingxX > Alive
    >> Creekhowl > Son > Black-and-white bicolor bengal tom with green eyes > Played by CGIspector > Alive
    >> Goldenpaw > Son > Orange-and-white bicolor tom with amber eyes > Played by monkiies > Missing
    >> Mousestep > Son > Red tabby tom with yellow eyes > Played by ymmatz > Missing

extended >
    >> Mistyfang > Maternal grandmother > Soft gray-and-white she-cat with hazel eyes > NPC > ???
    >> Pinespeckle > Maternal grandfather > Brown colorpoint tom with a white chin > NPC > ???
    >> Flowerwatcher > Paternal grandmother > Silky cream-white she-cat > NPC > Deceased
    >> Flametongue > Paternal grandfather > Short-furred russet tom > NPC > Deceased
    >> Swankit > Paternal Aunt > Cream-white she-cat > NPC > Deceased

    >> Chestnutwind > Sister-in-law > Light brown tortoiseshell tabby she-cat with green eyes > Played by Living-In-Anime > Alive

    >> Hazeldove > Daughter-in-law > Red ticked tabby she-cat with blue eyes > Played by Sn0wbranch > Alive

    >> Gorsewing > Nephew > Golden tortoiseshell tom with a white underside and  yellow eyes > Played by Living-In-Anime > Alive
    >> Sorrelblaze > Niece > Golden tortoiseshell she-cat with a white underside and yellow-green eyes> Played by ZodiacDream > Alive
    >> Nettleclaw > Nephew > Brown tabby tom with white undersides, curly fur, a bobbed tail, and golden eyes > Played by codesii > Alive

kithood [ 0 - 6 moons ] >
    Swankit was born to Nettlefoot and Flowersmoke of CloudClan, shortly after her older sister, Cougarkit. Though she started off quite small, she was quick to grow and become accustomed to the world. Though she doesn't speak her mind very much, and she is always seen by Cougarkit's side.
    The first few moons of Swankit's life was, thankfully, quite peaceful, save for Cougarkit's boundless energy. Swankit, although not often found in the fray of her sister's antics, wouldn't be too far from her and most likely watching from the sidelines. Else, she was hiding in the nursery or off somewhere with her mother, keeping the quite enigmatic composure that she had been born with.
    Shortly after her second moon had passed, things started to change in CloudClan. Out of nowhere, Ashstar had disappeared, and one of Swankit's denmate's, Nightingalekit, who had been adopted by Ashstar, went to find him. Neither of them returned. With Ashstar gone, the deputy, Sparkclaw, stepped up and became CloudClan's new leader and chose Starlingfeather for her deputy. But that, too, didn't last long when Sparkstar lost both of her lives to a monster and Starlingfeather became leader. He eventually chose a young she-cat named Thrasherwing for his deputy. It was all a bit too much for a young kit like Swankit to take in, but she understood enough to know that it could change CloudClan.
    Aside from this, the rest of Swankit's kithood was normal and she was quick to go back to routine. Partridgekit, who was Ashstar's other adopted daughter, became an apprentice and left the nursery. It wouldn't be much longer until Swankit and her sister, Cougarkit, also became apprentices.

apprenticeship [ 6 - 12 moons ] >
    Time flew, and suddenly it was Swankit's turn to become an apprentice. Cougarkit's ceremony was first, Starlingstar renaming her to Cougarpaw and giving her Moorstride for a mentor. Swankit was quite unsure about that pairing, and she only could hope it would be alright when it was her turn. She was renamed Swanpaw, and her mentor was a young she-cat by the name of Branchleap. Of course, Swanpaw had seen the warrior around camp, though she didn't know too much else about her. She seemed friendly enough, and Swanpaw figured they would get along quite well.
    Swanpaw had quite the uneventful apprenticeship. Even when there was action, she kept herself out of it, but there wasn't much action to talk about anyways. The clans had significantly calmed down since after the war, which she had heard plenty of from her father. Instead, her apprenticeship was filled with calm and relaxing training. As she figured, she and Branchleap were quite a good match, and when she wasn't spending time with her family, Swanpaw would tend to stick close to her mentor, instead.
    What did happen in CloudClan was almost always good news. She enjoyed watching apprentices earn their warrior names, new apprentices joining the den with her and her sister, and the best part--kits! In her time as an apprentice, two warriors of CloudClan had kits of their own; Leafdrift and his bundle of five, and Lionstrike with her four. Though she was not close to the kits in any way, watching new life and their development swelled Swanpaw's heart. It made her understand why her parents loved her and her sister all the more, and it made her look forward to when she could start her own family in the future.
    The rest of her apprenticeship went smoothly. Though she was incredibly reluctant to learn fighting and battle techniques, she excelled in hunting. She enjoyed her training with Branchleap, but it went much too fast for her liking. Suddenly, she was doing her warrior assessment, passing, and preparing for her warrior ceremony. She was ready, and yet, she didn't feel like she was.

warriorhood [ 12 - 30 moons ] >
    It felt like time flew, and suddenly, it was her and her sister's warrior ceremonies. She felt unprepared and wished she had more time to train and learn. But if Branchleap and Starlingstar thought she was ready, then she had to believe she was.
    Her sister's ceremony was first, and she was named Cougarblaze for her fierce personality and style. It fit her almost too well, and Swanpaw swelled with pride for her. And then it was her turn. Despite her nerves and fumbling over her oath, she made it through and was named Swansong for her grace. Her name... she liked it. It was very lovely, and she felt it fit her nicely. Although she still didn't feel ready to be a warrior, hearing her name be cheered on by the clan made her feel a bit better about her future.
    Even better news, it seemed Cougarblaze had been developing friendships and more as they were learning and growing, and a little over a moon after they became warriors, her sister was announcing her mateship with an older warrior, Chestnutwind. Swansong was happy for her sister, though she felt a bit of loneliness in her own lack of development with friendships outside of her family and mentor. Maybe it was time she learned to open up some more...
    She began to visit the nursery more. Having her mother's intuition and love for kits, it felt almost natural to be there. She adored their energy and curiosity, and the queens were a delight to be around, too. She became good friends with one of the expecting queens, Fawnfall, and she also found herself becoming a bit popular among some of the kits. Bloomkit, especially, she grew close to, and although some of the other kits had sour personalities like Pantherkit and Gloomkit, she still enjoyed the time she spent with them all. It built up the desire to have a family of her own. Kits to care for, a mate to love, a happy ending like her parents. She wondered if she should consider finding a mate as Cougarblaze had, but it seemed so hard to open up to someone like that. It sat in the back of her mind for a while, and for the time being, she just enjoyed the time she spent with the existing kits and their parents.
    StarClan, however, decided a different fate for her. It was a normal day to start, save for the greencough epidemic that everyone was fighting. Swansong had begun her day on a dawn patrol, and when she returned, she once again found herself at the nursery. She had become quite used to the kits and their parents by then, keeping casual conversation with them all naturally. Truly, it seemed she had begun to open up. Just as she was talking to Leafdrift's kits about their upcoming apprenticeship, a dark shadow had cast itself over the camp. It was unusual, and what was even more unusual was what created that shadow. An eagle looking for its next meal had targeted the camp and decided to directly invade it. Swansong was one of the first to notice it, and with her quick thinking, she was on her paws alerting the clan and helping the queens get their kits back to safety. What was a peaceful day quickly turned chaotic. Swansong put all of her efforts into assisting the kits, ensuring that they were safe in the nursery, as well as Fawnfall, who was so close to having her own. As they were being taken care of, Swansong had heard warriors approaching, and for a brief moment, she was relieved. This was short-lived as, when she turned to help, she had felt a sudden, searing pain in her back, and the next thing she knew, her paws were leaving the ground. In a final, desperate attempt, the eagle had turned its sight on her, successfully grabbing her and taking off. Swansong panicked, squirming in its grasp in an attempt to free herself. It only made its grip tighter, and the pain worse. She quickly lost strength as she felt her back become soaked with her own blood. She watched pitifully as the camp grew smaller, and the last thing she heard was her sister's cries before she fell unconscious.

    She didn't know how long the eagle flew, or where it was planning to take her. She would slip in and out of consciousness the entire time, and each time she managed to open her eyes, the scenery below her had changed even more. She didn't know where she was, but even if she did, she was not sure if she would recognize it. All she could think about was the now-dull pain at her back, her exhaustion, and when StarClan would finally take her. The next time she slipped into consciousness, though, thinking it was time, she was proven wrong again. Though she was unable to react herself, Swansong felt the sudden loss of the talons in her back. The wind buffeted her fur as she fell, and she couldn't even react to the terrible pain that was coming in contact with the ground. How far did she fall? She couldn't wake up, no matter how desperately she wanted to. She didn't know how long she laid there, but after some time, she felt herself being dragged. Did another predator find her? Or maybe she was dragging herself. She couldn't wrap her head around it, but she only knew that death was somehow not finding her.
    When she woke up again, she found herself in the depths of a small den. She was still weak, but it had put her on the defense as she tried to grasp her surroundings. She didn't smell any threats like a fox or badger, though there was an unfamiliar scent under the musk of her blood-stained pelt. Now that she thought of it... she didn't feel the stickiness in her fur like she did in the eagle's talons. She went to glance at her back, unable to move her head from where she laid, when she caught sight of what, or rather who was with her. A rogue. He didn't seem like a threat, but from where she lay, the tom looked just like any other predator, and her fur has spiked up in alarm. It took the tom many reassurances towards her to get Swansong to relax even just a bit, and he finally filled her in. He had seen her fall from the sky and brought her to this den, which was his, to try and help. He had cleaned her wounds and dressed them as best he could, which explained what she had been feeling earlier. He later introduced himself as Fox, and although reluctant, Swansong shared her name back. She learned that she was most likely far from the clans, as Fox did not seem to understand anything of her culture, from her name to her clan and even their territory. Yet, somehow, she was alive.
    She took the liberty to teach the tom about where she came from, though it would be in short spurts of information. Despite being alive, she had lost a lot of blood on her journey to his den, and she was beyond exhausted and weak. Fox did all and more to help her, catching her prey to regain her energy and changing out her dressings since she could not. In exchange, she told him about the clans, about StarClan, how they lived, and her family back home. Every time she spoke about them, she would smile and then frown. She wondered if they were okay. Her sister's cries haunted her dreams, and she wondered if her parents tried to look for her in the stars. After all, even she was convinced she would be joining StarClan. Now, as the days went by, she became more confident that she would live to see them again as her strength slowly returned.
    Of course, she learned more about this stranger, as well. He told her about his own past and how he had lived in the same den his entire life. He taught her about the territory around his den, giving her the insides and outs. And as they got closer, he even confessed to her that Fox wasn't his full name and that his mother had given him the name Foxy. Swansong found it quite cute, though she could see it embarrassed him, and she promised him that his secret was safe with her. The two grew closer in their time together as she slowly recovered.
    Swansong had begun to lose track of how long she had been away from CloudClan. The days began to muddle together as she only thought of her time with Fox. For a while, she was happy and had even forgotten temporarily about the clans. Sure, her family was still on her mind, and sometimes she would think of the few friends she had, but they always ended up being replaced with the time she slept by Fox's side, or when they played in the creek together. She remembered the first time she tried fish, and how she hated it. She climbed a tree for the first time with his help, and almost fell out of it. Her memories were encased with her time with Fox, and if it weren't for lingering desires to be home, maybe she would have been content staying there with him for the rest of her life.
    But her injuries healed and she became active again. And she began to miss the moorlands, and her family and her clanmates more and more. She loved her time there with Fox, yes, but it was not the same. Yet, she didn't know how to tell him that she wanted to leave. This was his home after all. At the same time, though, she didn't want to leave him. She admitted that she was very close to the tom and wanted to be with him at all times, having grown attached to him. But... she feared she couldn't have both. So when Fox came back and made that third option for her, telling her that he would follow her back to CloudClan. He told her that he had nothing else in that forest except memories and that she is what made him happy again, swelling her heart up with affection and love. She was going home with the one she cherished the most.
    They didn't leave immediately, though. They spent one more night in their den, sleeping beside each other. They spent one more day playing in the creek and climbing trees. Just one more day doing everything that brought them so close. And the next day, they said goodbye.
    Trying to get back was a lot easier said than done. Having been carried by the eagle to where she and Fox met, there were no traces as to where Swansong had come from. All they had to go off of was where Fox had seen the eagle flying from, but even then, surely it was not a straight shot back to the clans? Regardless, it was all they had to go off of, so they made their way in that direction.

    It was a long journey, nevertheless. There were many times where Swansong and Fox had to turn back and try other paths. They had to stop on numerous occasions and sleep for the night. They had expected it to be a long journey to get back, but they weren't expecting this. But they had to keep trying, they had to get home.
    Many days later--they had lost count of how many--they came across the twoleg place. Swansong had never been in the twoleg place herself, but Leafdrift often talked about what it was like from his own adventures. She wondered if all twoleg places were the same, but it was the best chance they had. So Swansong and Fox went in, where they surprisingly ran into the friendly rogue, Bliss. They had been in the twoleg place to support their sister and friend, who had just had kits, and found it strange to see a CloudClan cat there. Swansong confessed what had happened, and Bliss was more than willing to help them find their way. They directed Swansong and Fox to the other edge of the twoleg place, where past that, CloudClan lay. Swansong could feel so many emotions, seeing the familiar territory in front of her. With a quick thank you to Bliss, she was quick to depart for the moorlands, her heart racing.
    She didn't stop, even when they passed the border. To feel the wind in her fur again, the familiar scents, everything came rushing back to her in a state of euphoria as Swansong raced to the CloudClan camp, Fox following close behind her. But admittedly, when she got to the camp, she suddenly lost the confidence that she had, pausing. What if she had already been forgotten? Or she wasn't welcomed back? What if they didn't accept Fox? So many questions and doubts flowed through her mind that she couldn't bring herself to step into camp. She wondered if they really should just go back to where she had met Fox. They were happy there... weren't they? But Fox rested his tail on her back and smiled at her. He encouraged her that it would be okay. They would accept her back, and he would charm his way into the clan, too. Normally, she would bat him for his ego, but the way he acted so casually about it warmed her heart. He was right. Everything would be okay. It will be okay. So, with a deep breath, she mentally prepared herself, and then Swansong was walking into her old home.
    The response of her returned was extremely overwhelming. Before she even had the chance to go further than the entrance, she had been crowded by not just her loved ones, but also cats she didn't know all too well. But the affection of her father and sister brought her confidence back, and she was prepared to stand up for Fox as other stared at him with wariness and discomfort. When Staringstar approached them, she again stated her case; Fox was her savior and her family, and she hoped that the clan would accept him as she had. She was delighted, then, when Starlingstar agreed to let Fox stay, with the agreement that he would train under a warrior like an apprentice would. She begged Fox not to be himself just this once, and she was thankful for his respect towards the leader. With the decision made, Swansong was integrated back into CloudClan alongside Fox.
    There was a lot to catch Swansong on since her disappearance. Before anyone could tell her anything, she had gone to visit the nursery, where Fawnfall had been resting with her litter of four. She was eager to see the young she-cat's kits, having acquainted herself with Fawnfall during her visits to the nursery. It was a blessing to see how healthy they all were, especially knowing the news that was to come next.
   She was shocked to hear that HailClan had sheltered with CloudClan for a moon. Apparently, their territory had been flooded by heavy rainfalls and needed a place to stay, and Starlingstar took them in while their territory recovered. During their time with CloudClan, Kitestar had lost his life and Swanstar became HailClan's new leader. In addition to all of this, the greencough epidemic, which had started small before she was taken, had grown exponentially. Cats have died from it and some were still trying to recover from it.
    There was also the dog attack. Starlingstar had mentioned in their return that they had a terible run in with dogs, and now Swansong was getting further details. The dogs had severely injured some cats, like one of the young cats that had come to see her and Fox, and they even killed a cat. The cat, thankfully, was not a CloudClan cat. But they may has well considered him one, because he was one of Owlheart's sons, Chestnut, and Thrasherwing's father. After the encounter with the dogs, Thrasherwing had disappeared and Starlingstar had no choice but to name a new deputy, who was Brookshine. Swansong worried for the missing she-cat, but that would end up being the last thing on her mind.
    This entire time, she had been searching the clan for her dear mother, Nettlefoot. She thought maybe her mother had been on patrol when she returned, but as hunting parties and border patrols returned, she grew more worried. These talks about death did not help. Then, Flowersmoke and Cougarblaze told her true: Nettlefoot had died. Not by the dogs, thankfully, or the greencough, but she seemed to have pass overnight to what the herbalists later discovered was likely a lump they felt in her stomach. It didn't matter how she died, though, because she was still gone. Swansong couldn't believe her ears, especially when they told her she had died not long before she had returned. She would never get to see her mother again. She didn't get the chance to say goodbye. Heartbroken, she begged her family to take her to Nettlefoot's grave, where she mourned for her mother. She vowed to her mother not to leave her family again, that she was sorry she wasn't there for her. It was less of a closure than she would have liked, but it was all Swansong could take. She just had to pray that Nettlefoot was watching over her from StarClan and had played a paw in guiding her home.
    Fox was officially accepted into the clan when Starlingstar assigned him to train under Flowersmoke. Swansong was grateful for her leader's trust in Fox and was glad to know that someone she was close to would help Fox learn about the clans. The cats that had been injured in the dog attack were released from the herbalist's den, too, which was good new for the clan. And they were going to need it, because they were about to get hit with a lot more than they were ready to handle.
    Brookshine was found dead after eating a rabbit that was laced with deathberries. The clan was horrified to see this; according to the cats she spoke with, Swansong was told that Kitestar was killed in the same way. Surely CloudClan didn't kill the HailClan leader? Regardless, someone seemed to be wanting to kill high ranks, but who it was, no one was sure. Starlingstar, meanwhile, was forced to pick another deputy. But it didn't seem to be his choice, for he announced--albeit begrudgingly--that StarClan had sent him a sign that Grasshopperhill would be the next deputy of CloudClan. Swansong didn't know the tom very well, but she had heard some not great things about him. Apparently, he was very heartless to Thrasherwing when she lost her father, and her eyes didn't miss the looks he'd steal towards Fox. Something about him had her fur prickling, and she couldn't make sense as to why StarClan chose him. She just had to hope that the power wouldn't get to his head.
    The dogs were slowly being taken care of by the twolegs, but it was never fast enough. Cats were found dead, including two younger warriors, Peakmask, and Lionstrike. Another cat had disappeared, though no one knew if she had died or if she simply left. Swansong heard she never got along with Grasshopperhill, so she wondered if that maybe drove her away. She didn't know her well enough to really say, but she simply had to be thankful when the dogs disappeared from the moorlands and they seemed to go back to normal.
    At least as normal as it was for CloudClan to take in HailClan refugees. It was a normal day, and Swansong was sharing some prey with Fox and Flowersmoke when the strong, forest scent of HailClan trailed through the camp. Heads turned, and murmurs of shock arose when they saw two older cats with young kits at their paws. They asked to speak with Starlingstar, where they announced that they had left HailClan after a cat was exiled by their deputy, Robinear. They were looking for a place to stay, and Starlingstar granted them refuge. It was then that they learned Swanstar had grown unconscious from an unknown illness and his deputy was in charge at the moment. But she seemed to be doing a terrible job, for the more days that passed on, the more HailClan cats that they took in. Swansong had to wonder if HailClan was even a thing anymore, for there didn't seem to be a day that went by that a new HailClan cat wasn't on their doorstep. This went on for nearly two moons until Orchidfrost, HailClan's herbalist, had shown up with a group of cats and the body of Swanstar. He announced that Robinear had gone into self-exile and that HailClan was without any leader. Of course, he and the others were welcomed to stay, where Orchidfrost could continue trying to treat Swanstar.
    Swansong was worried for HailClan, but she would have something to distract her from the issue that was not hers. She was stunned when Starlingstar announced that she would be mentoring a young apprentice by the name of Quailpaw. The young she-cat had been born not long before Swansong had been taken by the eagle, so she didn't know her all too well save for being Warrenpath and Shrikefoot's daughter. She was outgoing, quite unlike Swansong, but she was nice and eager to learn. Swansong worried about the idea of training an apprentice, especially so soon after returning to CloudClan. Would she remember how Branchleap taught her? She wasn't sure, but thankfully, it seemed Quailpaw was ready to be patient with her, and for that, Swansong was thankful.
    It was a little strange to train beside HailClan cats, though. Quailpaw had a close friendship with one of the new HailClan apprentices, Aspenpaw, so they often wanted to train together. Swansong wasn't one to disagree, so she and Aspenpaw's mentor would coordinate. She also enjoyed when she got to work with Flowersmoke and Fox. Sure, Fox was far older than Quailpaw, but it was still essentially mentors training apprentices together. It gave her a bit of an excuse to be with her father and beloved more, and Quailpaw seemed alright with that.
    Something about being in CloudClan must have been good for them, for Orchidfrost's treatments for Swanstar seemed to be working. The HailClan leader woke up, and though he was disoriented, Orchidfrost believed he would make a full recovery. Swansong was thankful to see that HailClan's situation seemed to get better. She was happy for them.
    But not nearly as happy as she was for her sister. She was shocked to hear Cougarblaze and Chestnutwind proudly announce they were expecting kits. They got Drakefeather's help as a donor, and they would seem be welcoming a couple bundles of joy. Swansong was excited for her sister, congratulating her with sparkling eyes. It was her dream to be a mother someday--it was why she spent so much time in the nursery.
    Swansong spent much of her time helping her sister-in-law get comfortable in the nursery. When she was asked if she wanted to go to the daytime gathering, she shook her head. She could smell the rain on the air and wanted to be prepared to help Chestnutwind should her nest get wet. After hearing what happened at the gathering, she decided she was glad she didn't go. The rain began to come down and the storm got worse, and then there was darkness. The sun was gone, and it petrified many of the cats around them. Swansong remained calm, or as calm as she could, reassuring the younger kits and going around to check on others. As the sun returned, the rain began to calm into a light drizzle. It was the calm after the storm, and Swansong couldn't make sense of it all. Not until the cats from the gathering returned.
    Hope Bridge had been burned down, and a ghost had appeared. The ghost was called Blizzardfang, and she announced that there were spies among the clans. The revelation was one that no one was expecting. What in StarClan's name did that mean? Did that perhaps have something to do with Swanstar, who had been killed shortly before the gathering? Was it one of those spies? The thought of this all petrified many cats. It made them wonder who could be trusted and who could not be. Swansong, herself, was extremely unsure. She didn't know how to react, so she only did what she did best, and that was continue to go about her duties and help her family.
    She was delighted to call Foxy's name when he completed his training and became an official warrior. She cheered for her beloved all day and kept telling him how proud she was of him for working so hard to become a warrior. They wasted hardly any time to announce their mateship shortly afterwards, to no one's surprise. They were simply excited to get their lives started together as two warriors of CloudClan.
    Things were looking up for Swansong, though not so much for the rest of the clan. Cats were shocked to find that Goldenhaze had died to poisoned prey, and it could only be deduced that it was one of these spies of Blizzardfang's that did it. For a moment, Swansong wondered if they would have to live in fear of these spies for long, but it turns out that same day, all would come to light for CloudClan. Swansong was not a part of it, but word travelled fast as Starlingstar suddenly rushed out of camp. When he returned alongside a patrol of cats, the clan was shocked to find them carrying the body of Rosecry, Goldenhaze's daughter and Chestnutwind and Algaebreeze's mother. The news spread that Drakefeather had killed her; he was one of Blizzardfang's spies. Not only him, but their deputy, Grasshopperhill, had been one, too! Before they could cause anymore trouble however, they were promptly killed, Starlingstar taking down Grasshopperhill and Algaebreeze taking revenge for her mother against Drakefeather. It was over, but it still shook the clan. Swansong felt terrible for Chestnutwind and Algaebreeze, and she tried her best to be there for her sister-in-laws. She prayed that this was the end of the spies, at least for CloudClan.
    It would difficult, however, for Chestnutwind and Cougarblaze. When their kits were born, they were forced to be reminded of Drakefeather and his deeds. Though the kits, thankfully, didn't look too terribly like their biological father, who was to say they wouldn't ask of him someday? The new mothers asked that the clan keep it a secret, and everyone agreed to do so. So, the clan instead welcomed the three of the new kits with warm hearts. Swansong, especially, was happy to call herself the aunt of Sorrelkit, Gorsekit, and Nettlekit.
    With Grasshopperhill's death, Starlingstar was once more faced with the task of picking a new deputy. He ended up choosing a she-cat named Halfbranch. Swansong didn't know her all too well, but she seemed well put together and up for the task. Swansong, personally, welcomed the new deputy and prayed for a good future under her guidance.
    It didn't quite start out that way, with Gusthowl suddenly being taken by twolegs and two of Fawnfall's kits going missing. One of them, Sandpaw, had been taken by a hawk. Mudpaw, meanwhile, supposedly disappeared searching for his littermates. It was terrible watching the family struggle; one of the other kits, Claypaw, had disappeared in the chaos of Drakefeather and Grasshopperhill's death, and Swansong comforted her friend as best she could through this crisis. She was thankful that Mudpaw returned to the camp about half a moon later, not too worse for wear. And Swansong was delighted to hear when her mentor, Branchleap, announced that she was expecting kits! She knew how much her mentor looked forward to being a mother, and was more than prepared to help Branchleap with whatever she needed during her pregnancy and even after.
    Plenty of new apprentices were named, marking new hope for CloudClan. Even better, Hostadash returned to CloudClan after going missing a few moons back. It was all overshadowed by the injured Rippletide, however, who was found covered in wounds in her nest one morning. She was quickly carried to the herbalist's den, where she would stay. No one could make sense of what happened to her, though; everyone saw her go to bed that night, so how did she get hurt?
    Turns out, it was because she had helped fight against Blizzardfang and ultimately kill her, ending the ghost's reign. Though they were not quite aware of this, the clans were relieved to hear this news from Reedstar the next gathering. As if to write the next chapter, the twolegs had rebuilt Hope Bridge, too. It was strange, walking on the new bridge; it was made of stone, unlike the previously wooden one. It was sturdier, though, which made Swansong believe that it was a new foundation not just for the twolegs, but for the cats, too. It was a sign of things looking up finally.
    Not long after the bridge was rebuilt, Orchidfrost took the HailClan cats and they all left. It was later discovered that StarClan had chosen a tom named Salmonflight for HailClan's new leader, and they all had gone home under his new rule. That is, until some of them came back to CloudClan. It was here that they really learned about Rippletide and what happened that night; she was one of Blizzardfang's spies who turned against her. But before she did, she had killed cats--including Swanstar, whose death had previously been placed on Thistleflame's shoulder. Salmonstar had decided not to exile her, though, and in retaliation, two cats from HailClan left and returned to CloudClan, asking to join. The cats, Littlestrike and Whitetalon, were accepted into the clan. Littlestrike even changed their name to Blackstrike to signify their new life. Swansong was a bit unsure about the whole thing. There had to be a good reason that Salmonstar made his decision... right? But she trusted Starlingstar and his decisions. At least the new clanmates seemed to make others happy, like Martenfang.
    Swansong decided to focus on the positives, and one of those was the warrior ceremony of her apprentice, Quailbelly. Her heart swelled with pride as the clan called her apprentice's name, as well as her littermate's name, Rabbitlily. They had gone through so much during their training, but still they both pulled through. Swansong could not tell Quailbelly enough how proud of her she was. Meanwhile, the clan also welcomed Bramblewhisper as a full herbalist, having completed her training, and Branchleap gave birth to three healthy kits. Swansong fell in love with her mentor's kits, who were named Otterkit, Fisherkit, and Turtlekit respectively. She vowed to be there for them and looked forward to watching them grow.
    Things were wonderful for those couple of moons. Almost... too wonderful. And the world knew. The clans could not get the rest for too long, and CloudClan would be one of the ones to suffer the most from the next issue. It was a peaceful night when everyone went to sleep while the herbalists went to their half-moon meeting. But Bramblewhisper returning home alone with the tale of Waverose's death shocked the clan to their core. Crystal Falls had been attacked, and not just by anyone--by ghosts. Some of Blizzardfang's spies had returned from the dead to attack the herbalists, one of them, painfully, being Drakefeather. And it was the former CloudClan warrior that had killed Waverose, too. Swansong was relieved to hear he had been killed a second time by the MarshClan warrior, Icefang, who had accompanied the MarshClan herbalists, but he too died shortly after.
    Suddenly, CloudClan was without their high respected herbalist, and the clans were being haunted by ghosts of the past once more. Not only that, but they had destroyed Crystal Falls, preventing the herbalists from communicating with StarClan. It was difficult for anyone to believe, but there was not much else they could do when the proof was in their paws. Swansong was evidently worried, and she found herself attaching to those she was close to. She was often in the nursery with her sister-in-law and her mentor, playing with the kits, trying desperately not to think about it. How were they supposed to fight ghosts? What was going to happen to them now?
    That would only be the beginning of it, however. As if the world was mocking her, Swansong's father suddenly passed away. Bramblewhisper couldn't determine his cause of death, but Flowersmoke went quickly. Swansong cried for her father, resting solemnly at his side for his vigil. She didn't leave her sister's side when they took him away, following her back to the nursery to be with their family. When she wanted to give Cougarblaze space with her family, she turned to Foxy. She couldn't comprehend what had happened, or why it happened. Flowersmoke deserved retirement, rest, love. He deserved everything, and he got death instead. She tried to remind herself that he was with mother now, though it was hard to comprehend. She missed them both. She missed them terribly. All she could do was cry it out and take deep breaths, and she would keep walking for them.
    Bramblewhisper was found dead at MarshClan's border, shortly after the warrior ceremonies of Fawnfall's kits finished. The clan couldn't believe their eyes when they found her. Did MarshClan kill her? Surely not--there was no reason for them to do so. But speculations were raised when CloudClan tried to request an investigation and Sandstar turned them down. Some cats tried to investigate themselves, only to be chased away by MarshClan. It's not that CloudClan blamed MarshClan... but if there was something going, they deserved to know. After all, it was their herbalist that died. Never mind the fact they were without an herbalist all together now.
    It wasn't until MarshClan had discovered a strange scent by the tunnels did they agree to let CloudClan investigate. Swansong stood back while others went on the patrols to check out the tunnels. Perhaps she simply had a premonition of the danger, because the next thign they knew, a cat was racing into camp for assistance. The cats on the patrol had encountered a bobcat and a fight had ensued. In the middle of the fight, the tunnel had collapsed, trapping some of the cats inside. One of them was Algaebreeze, her sister-in-law. Swansong couldn't believe her ears. Don't tell her that she was about to lose another cat so close to her? She didn't hesitate to go and assist as best she could, and eventually, the cats were freed from the tunnel. There were many injured between CloudClan and MarshClan, but MarshClan could not take all of the injured. While their more critically injured were taken back to MarshClan for treatment, the other CloudClan cats were forced to go home with no treatment, only some advice on how to utilize the herbs they had at home. Swansong hoped it would be enough.
    It was difficult to start, with some of the cats picking up infections. Who knew figuring out herbs and applying them could be so difficult? Thankfully, they didn't have to fumble over it for too much longer, because Creamytail had come with the other injured CloudClan cats and decided to fill their void of an herblist. The clan was extremely grateful for her assistance, and her presence comforted many. Swansong, too, was thankful to have her around for their injured. Hopefully everyone would get better with her help.
    They couldn't rest until the bobcat was driven out, though. CloudClan and MarshClan continued to work together to devise a plan to get rid of it. When Swansong heard the plan, she was surprised at how meticulous everything was, even down to the reasoning for the cats in the different groups of the attack. Swansong didn't go, once more choosing to stay home and be with her loved ones. She watched the others leave, and she breathed a sigh of relief when they all returned. They weren't without injury, some being taken to the herbalist's den immediately and others having to go later on. But they were ultimately successful in driving the bobcat away, making the territories safe from the danger once more.
    Of course, CloudClan couldn't keep Creamytail forever. Eventually, she would need to return to MarshClan again. But CloudClan would need an herbalist eventually, so she chose to mentor their next herbalist. She chose a young cat by the name of Cirruspaw for her successor. The young she-cat was kind, and everyone welcomed her into her role with warmth. Swansong, personally, was thankful to see the clan stabilizing once more.
    The stabilization seemed to bring relief to many cats, so much so that the clan began to blossom in more ways than one. Suddenly, both Hickorybreeze and Leopardbite announced that they were expecting kits, Starlingstar and Gloomthorn's respectively. Swansong helped expand the nursery for their future litters, welcoming them warmly to the nursery despite not residing there herself. She was there so much, she may as well have been!

queenhood [ 30 - 38 moons ] >
    And perhaps it was just destiny for her to be there, because not long after she helped Hickorybreeze and Leopardbite settle down, Swansong found out that she was expecting kits, too! She was beyond excited to become a mother, rushing to tell Foxy and officially move into the nursery. For moons, she dreamt of being a mother and raising her own kits, watching others do so with fondness and desire. When she and Foxy first confessed to each other, she dreamt of having his kits and becoming a family with him. And finally, that dream was coming true. It would still be a bit until she could meet her bundles of joy, but she counted down every second with great anticipation.
    In the meantime, she watched the clan continue to go about their days. She was sad to see her niece and nephews leave the nursery to become apprentices, but she wished them well and congratulated them at their ceremonies. It was also nice to see most of the cats from the herbalist's den be free to return their duties, all while Zephyrfrost retired and some apprentices were made warriors a moon later. Despite leafbare knocking on their doorstep, everything was falling into place.
    That is until Sorrelpaw was placed in the herbalist's den for a terrible cough. It was like the weather was reminding them of what was to come. The family worried for her, wondering what could have caused such a cough to form. It would be one thing if it was an illness like greencough, but Sorrelpaw didn't seem to have any other symptoms. It was all the more concerning as speaking began to grow difficult for her. But Creamytail and Cirruspaw were doing their best for her, and they could only hope she would get better and return to her training soon.
    Hickorybreeze and Leopardbite gave birth to their kits, all healthy. The clan was shocked that they would suddenly have to care for ten new mouths, with Hickorybreeze giving birth to four kits and Leopardbite a staggering six. Swansong's litter would only add to it when she gave birth to her four healthy kits days later. Her and Foxy were over the moon meeting them, despite the concerns of food going into leafbare. They named the kits after activities they did together in their time at Foxy's old home, and so their kits were named Blossomkit, Creekkit, Goldenkit, and Mousekit respectively.
    Swansong had her paws full with her kits, but she couldn't ask for anything less. While Creekkit clung to her side, Blossomkit quickly made friends with other kits and Goldenkit was constantly seeking new adventures. Mousekit, meanwhile, was a nice all-around. Their personalities opened up quickly and Swansong loved watching them grow, all while hating how fast they grew up.
    Sorrelpaw was eventually released from the herbalist's den and was able to return to her training, but not without complications. The cough had stolen her voice; not exactly, but it left her throat damaged and made speaking difficult, so she didn't. The family was quick to act and adjust with her, with everyone actively learning sign language alongside Sorrelpaw. Swansong was amazed to see how keen her brothers were at getting the language down, and she was so thankful to be a part of such a family. She, herself, began to learn sign language for her niece, too, although her practice would often be interrupted with chasing a kit later on. Still, it was a good pass-time, and she enjoyed being able to talk with Sorrelpaw when able to.
    Swansong said farewell to sharing the nursery with her mentor when Branchleap's kits became apprentices. She was excited, however, when Foxy was named the mentor of one them, Fisherpaw specifically. Quailbelly, too, became Turtlepaw's mentor. Once, Swansong thought how fun it would've been to mentor one of Branchleap's kits and pass what she learned from her to her own kit, but seeing how her mate and former apprentice would do that instead warmed her heart. In the mean time, she helped welcome Rabbitlily and his surrogate to the nursery, instead. It seemed the clan would never quite be free of kits!
    But the growing nursery was a worry to the clan as food became more difficult to acquire. The nursery was safe, both queens and kits, thanks to the warrior code, but others would end up losing their lives to the lack of prey and awful hunting conditions. Swansong was not close to any of the first few cats to pass away, but with each death, she held her kits closer. She worried for her loved ones outside of the nursery, and she worried for her other clanmates. She prayed that the weather would get better and the clan would get through this hunting drought.
    It was all the more concerning when CloudClan one day found a stray kittypet kit wandering the border. She was promptly brought back to camp when she refused to go home, and she stayed for a bit. She was introduced as Velvet, and though she played with the other kits while the time went by, she was ultimately taken to HailClan, where she truly wanted to go. When the patrol returned, they said the kit was taken in by a HailClan warrior and she would stay there. Swansong wondered, then, how HailClan was faring with the weather and prey and if they would be able to care for the kit. Sure, CloudClan wasn't in any condition to take another mouth to feed, but if HailClan couldn't either, was there no way to convince the kit to go home? Well, Swansong had to hope the kit would be okay in the end.
    An older kit in the nursery became an apprentice, Snailpaw, and replacing him and his father was Warrenpath and his surrogate. The old tom had decided to have a second litter after losing his mate to the lack of prey, and though there was the concern for bringing kits into this weather, everyone still welcomed the grieving tom. After all, they didn't have much room to talk with their own kits. At least Warrenpath had his own kit in the nursery to talk to.
    If it wasn't starvation that would take a cat, it would end up being illness. Swansong remembered vividly the terrible greencough epidemic that took so many cats from them last leafbare, and while she was thankful this new spread of the illness was not as terrible, it was just as deadly. Both Blackstrike and Hostadash contracted the disease, and they eventually succumbed to it. But their deaths were over shrouded in Swansong's mind by another death, one that still shook her world to this day.
    Their family hadn't noticed how thin Cougarblaze had gotten. She likely had been pushing her meals towards his kits, or Chestnutwind. It wasn't until too late that they noticed, after Cougarblaze had collapsed. She passed away shortly after, much to the surprise of the entire family. Swansong cried for her sister for many days, her only grace being her kits and her mate. She wasn't typically a selfish cat, but she wondered how Cougarblaze could leave her. How could she? They were supposed to go through thick and thin together, and now... Swansong didn't have her sister. She was comforted by Foxy, and though her kits probably didn't know it, they helped comfort her, too. Meanwhile, she tried to be there for Chestnutwind, too, though she left it for Algaebreeze more as she struggled herself.
    It was the changes in the nursery that slowly brought her back. Rabbitlily's surrogate gave birth to four healthy kits, and Swansong welcomed them warmly. They reminded her that life had to keep going, even as others died. She knew Cougarblaze would be watching over them all in StarClan, waiting for her kits to become warriors and to continue watching everyone else grow. She was still there in the breaths that they took and the grass that grew. She was still there, as was Nettlefoot and Flowersmoke. Thinking like this, Swansong felt better. It helped allow her to move on while still thinking about her precious sister.
    Still, the lack of prey continued to steal cats from them, such as Acorntail and Egretfrost. But progressively, the clan recovered from their losses and continued to grow. Tidekit became an apprentice, and Swansong cheered for her nephews when they became warriors, Gorsewing and Nettleclaw respectively. Unfortunately, their sister would have to wait a bit longer while she completed the training that she had left, but she seemed determined to catch up and get her own name, so Swansong didn't worry.
    She turned her attention to the nursery instead. Warrenpath's surrogate gave birth to three kits, and though their births were a blessing, there was a worry in the nursery. Frogletkit, Rabbitlily's son, had fallen and hit his head while playing just a few days before and was rushed to the herbalist's den. No one was quite sure what had happened, but everyone was concerned for the poor kit. The herbalists assured everyone that he would live, and his waking up was a relief. Still, he was kept for observation, where it would later be learned that he had gone blind from his injury. He'd ultimately be alright in the end, though, and that was what mattered most.
    The clan, itself, continued to change. Swansong cheered for her niece when Sorrelblaze was named a warrior, all while feeling herself choke up while doing so. She was so proud to hear her sister's name be used by Cougarblaze's daughter, to know that she would be honored and live on through Sorrelblaze. Meanwhile, Martenfang had decided to leave for HailClan after their littermate's death, finding that they belonged in their home clan and with their mother. Swansong found understanding in the large cat's decision. It reminded her of her own journey and the brief moment where she wondered if she could have stayed in that valley with Foxy. It was difficult to belong, but you would always be tugged in the right direction. She wished the warrior well in their farewells, knowing it would ultimately be best for Martenfang in the end.
    She was glad her kits and the others could at least see Frogletkit return to the nursery before their ceremonies. It was good to see the young tom-kit back up and moving about, though perhaps a bit more subdued. Meanwhile, the clan was fretting over the missing Snailpaw, who disappeared from a patrol one morning. Seeing his father so distraught wrenched Swansong's heart. She couldn't imagine one of her beloved babies going missing like that. She hoped Snailpaw would come up again soon. But she had no more time to waste; she had to prepare for her kits' apprentice ceremonies.

warriorhood [ 38 moons - present ] >
    She tried mentally preparing herself while helping her kits get ready for it, too, but Swansong still couldn't believe how fast they grew up. It felt like it was just yesterday she had given birth to them! And now they were becoming apprentices, alongside Hickorybreeze and Leopardbite's kits. She was, admittedly, worried about Creekpaw being trained under Leopardbite herself, what after staying with the she-cat in the nursery for the last six moons. Would Creekpaw be able to match her ferocity? Hickorybreeze, too, would become a mentor to one of her kits, Mousepaw respectively. She was also a bit worried for Chestnutwind, who would mentor Blossompaw, but at the same time she had confidence in her sister-in-law. Swansong could be there for her and help her if needed, though she knew Chestnutwind a great warrior. She was simply worried Cougarblaze was not still on her mind. For now, all Swansong could do was cheer for her kits and the others and then move back to the warriors' den, where she was welcomed by Foxy's warmth in their shared nest.
    Her return to warriorhood was met with plenty of activity. Twolegs and their monsters had begun to stray from their thunderpaths and invade CloudClan's territory, which worried everyone. For a while, the clan couldn't figure out what the twolegs were planning to do, so when they started to build something about half a moon later, they watched warily from a distance.
    The death of the former EmberClan leader, Wild, was a shock to everyone. The gathering was going just fine, with Swansong gossiping and telling other mothers about her beloved kits, when the sounds of fighting echoed in the air. By the time the clan cats arrived at the scene, Wild was dead and there were no traces of her attacker. Everyone was stunned by the death of the rogue. Who killed her, and why? Sure, she didn't really have a great reputation, but no one seemed eager to kill her. Her death kept the clan cats on edge for the rest of the gathering, and Swansong went home grateful to see her family again.
    While CloudClan kept their distance from the twolegs and mulled over Wild's death, they carried on, receiving mostly good news. Cirrusflight received her full herbalist name and Creamytail was able to go home, giving CloudClan that breath of relief that they had their own herbalist again. What was even better was the return of young Snailpaw, who didn't come alone; he had found his older brother, Gusthowl, in the twoleg place and brought him home. Snailpaw was named a warrior early for his deeds, being named Snailbelly respectively. The clan welcomed them back warmly.
    Branchleap's kits also became warriors, and Swansong congratulated both Foxy and Quailbelly for training their first apprentices. She was so proud of them and of Branchleap's kits. She wondered how Branchleap felt, seeing her kits become warriors. How was Swansong going to feel when her own babies became warriors? She simply couldn't imagine it, but she knew it would come some day.
    Thankfully, she still had time until then. She focused on the present, where the twolegs' strange work began to hurt the clan. Prey began to act strange, and when it was caught and eaten, it made cats sick. Some even died to the diseased prey, including Littlejump, Heathercloud, and Foxrunner. The twolegs were the only plausible reasoning for why this was happening, and Swansong warned her kits to avoid catching any prey that acted differently to what they knew. She was terrified of the idea of them eating some of this prey, or anyone for that matter. Hopefully the twolegs would be done soon and this would all be resolved.
    Her wish was granted when the twolegs' activity began to decrease. Their monsters became far and few in between, and the loud noises they were making were gone. But they left a large den in the place they were working, with some strange animals hanging around it. CloudClan observed for some time, and finally, Starlingstar formed a patrol to officially investigate the area. Swansong held back, though she was worried when Leopardbite chose to go and take Creekpaw with her. She reassured her son that it was just an investigation and that nothing would happen. She wishes she could take those words back.
    Later in the day, the camp fell into an uproar when a kittypet came barging in, followed quickly by the majority of the patrol that had investigated the twoleg den. Swansong quickly recognized Thrasherwing, the former deputy, as the kittypet, but she was more worried about her son. She was stunned to hear what Creekpaw told her as she comforted the young tom. Starlingstar had been injured by one of the animals, and Gloomthorn had been captured by the twolegs. What in StarClan's name happened there? As she whispered to Creekpaw, promising him he didn't have to go back, Thistleflame had dragged Starlingstar into the camp. Their leader... he did not look good. And he seemed to know he wasn't doing well, with the say he was speaking.
    When he took his last breath, she found herself holding her own, and she watched with grief as Thistleflame took him back to the herbalist's den. Swansong, meanwhile, found herself continuing to hold Creekpaw, but... another young apprentice was just as distraught: Jaypaw, Thistleflame's apprentice. Swansong had no doubt that he would attend to her when he was composed, but she couldn't wait that long. Swansong took Jaypaw under her own wing for the time, and for the time, she focused on nothing but caring for Creekpaw and Jaypaw. This was an event that would haunt them forever, and Swansong wanted nothing more than to simply take it away from them.
    Halfbranch became CloudClan's leader, after Starlingstar was buried. Thrasherwing, or Peanut as she was called now, returned to the twoleg place, but she promised she would let them know if she saw Gloomthorn. But Gloomthorn had an apprentice, Windpaw, that would still need to be trained. Halfstar ended up assigning her to Swansong, and Swansong took the duty with determination. Windpaw was another one that was on that patrol, and worse, Starlingstar was her father... Swansong promised to be there for Windpaw whenever she needed her, all while giving her the space she may need. She hoped she could be a cat that Windpaw could lean on over time.
    But it wouldn't be easy. Not for Windpaw, but for Swansong herself. Not long after the incident happened, Goldenpaw had gone missing. Her beloved son... where did he go? Did an adventure call out to him? Was it his father's curiosity, or StarClan's calling? She couldn't make sense of it, and she found herself searching for her son any time she was given the opportunity. She didn't know what else to do, though... hopefully Goldenpaw was okay.
    Swansong didn't realize just how desperate Gloomthorn's family was for him to return, too. That is, not until they rescued him from the twoleg den--a barn, Peanut had called it--and brought him home. Of course, everyone was happy to see him, but Halfstar was upset with the way the group of cats went about retrieving him. She ended up punishing the cats, telling them they would not be permitted to go to the next gathering. Leopardbite, too, lost her privileges as a mentor, and Creekpaw was reassigned to Beechhowl for the remainder of his training. Was it selfish of Swansong to be happy about this reassignment? Beechhowl matched Creekpaw's pace far better than Leopardbite, and she was worried about how Leopardbite had acted during this entire incident. As for Windpaw, she would remain with Swansong, despite Gloomthorn's return. Swansong was alright with it, as she still wanted to help the young she-cat. She only hoped that Gloomthorn wouldn't be too upset about it.
    She didn't have to worry about that concern for too long. CloudClan welcomed many new apprentices over the next moon, including Rabbitlily's kits. While Swansong was happy to see her niece, Sorrelblaze, become the mentor to Magpiepaw, Gloomthorn received another chance at mentorship when he named Frogletpaw's mentor. Swansong hoped it would all work out, both for Gloomthorn and Sorrelblaze. Menawhile, Halfstar also named her new deputy, Lupinestorm. Swansong didn't know the she-cat all that well, but she figured she would be a good fit if Halfstar chose her. She prayed for good fortune for CloudClan under their new high ranks.
    There was a lot of other things going on in the forest, too. There was telling of ghost attacks and strange visions, and they were shared at the next gathering. Swansong, personally, did not attend, but she was surprised when they returned with the information that cats would be chosen to go on a quest with Dropletshine. They would go to some place Dropletshine saw in their vision, hopefully to find something that could help with the strange phenomenons. Swansong was worried about this idea, even more so when Halfstar picked the cats that would go. They were all so young... her beloved nephew, Gorsewing was among them, as well as her own apprentice Windpaw. Otterbounce and Jaypaw would also be going. Was this really okay? Swansong wanted to protest, but she couldn't get the words out. By the time she felt ready to say something, they had left, with Swansong only offering safe wishes numbly. They would be okay... they had to be okay... right?
    It was hardly a day after the quest cats left that the ground began to violently shake. It was terrifying, and Swansong felt frozen in her paws in the moment. When she finally moved, she went for her kits, ensuring their safety. The ground shook so much that it began to break open, and she saw some of her dear clanmates fall in, such as Fawnfall and the elder Freckleshade. And even after the earth stopped shaking, many of their clanmates were left unaccounted for for some time. Search parties were sent out, and knowing her mate was out at the time of the earthquake, Swansong hastily joined. She and her patrol found Warblerheart, who had died presumably after being struck, and they were shocked to see the tunnels sunken in. Wasn't Branchleap in the tunnels at the time...? StarClan... Swansong found herself choking up at the thought before desperately continuing her search for Foxy. But she wouldn't find him, returning home instead to find that others had found his body crushed under a tree.
    Swansong screamed, or she thought she did. It came out hollow, from shock and grief. Her beloved lay there, his body a lifeless heap. While the others of her search party brought in Warblerheart, she raced over to be with Foxy. She silently pleaded for him to come back, to open his eyes and say it was another one of his jokes. But he was cold. He was gone.
    Swansong found herself sticking close to Chestnutwind for days after Foxy was buried. Her sister-in-law had taken it to herself to comfort Swansong, much to Swansong's regret. Why didn't she do that for her when Cougarblaze died? She felt terrible, but... she felt grateful. She thanked Chestnutwind constantly for her company. She really needed that comfort.
    She was there for her kits, too. She stuck close to them, comforting them and attempting to be strong for them. They needed her more than ever at this moment, though it was difficult. And it only became more difficult when Halfstar assigned Swansong to be Blueberrypaw's mentor. Perhaps she thought it would help Swansong, that it would keep her mind off of her loss. But she only felt terrible for the young tom. Was she going to be able to give him her attention? And what about Windpaw? She'll need Swansong when she got back, too... she offered Blueberrypaw a small smile and told him that she would do her best. It was true, she would, but she wasn't sure what her best was going to be in that moment.
    It was the same day that she became a mentor that the apprentices of CloudClan got into a nasty scuffle. Swansong wasn't there when it happened, but she and Blueberrypaw had returned to camp just at the end of it. Blueberrypaw had gone to put a stop to it, with Swansong joining shortly afterwards. While the other warriors who intervened demanded explanations, Swansong checked the wounds and offered words of comfort to the young cats. She was especially worried that Blossompaw had been involved, though thankfully not directly. Halfstar and the other warriors resolved the issue while Swansong comforted the young cats and helped some of them to the herbalist's den. It was... terrifying. Hopefully whatever happened would not reflect in the apprentices' den later that night.
    The next couple moons muddled together for the she-cat. She watched the naming of new apprentices, including Warrenpath's kits. She was present, physically and even mentally, when her own kits became warriors a moon after that, being named Blossomberry, Creekhowl, and Mousestep respectively. Though, the ceremony still left a pang in her heart. Foxy should have been able to see this. Goldenpaw should have been receiving his name that day, too. But she held down her emotions and congratulated her kits warmly. She was so proud of them. They had been through so much, but still they made it. She couldn't have been more proud to call herself their mother.

missing period [ 45 - 64 moons ] >
    If only she could have been there for them more. She was out with Blueberrypaw shortly after the ceremonies, along with a patrol. They had been surveying the border with the barn, watching carefully for anything out of the ordinary. All seemed well until someone smelled smoke. Perhaps they should have run the other way, but the patrol investigated, and they came across a brush-fire. It was small, but the smoke billowed high in the sky and quickly shrouded their vision. Swansong, herself, had no clue where she was. She tried calling for someone: Blueberrypaw, Nettleclaw, anyone. But no one responded. The best thing she could do was move forward and hope she would run into someone.
    The smoke stretched for some time, and Swansong was quickly losing her senses as it filled her nose. She didn't know where she was, and when she thought she saw someone, she called out to them. She was stunned to see who she thought was her missing son, and without thinking, Swansong chased after the illusion. She didn't realize that she was running further from her patrol, further from her clan, further from home. All that she knew was that Goldenpaw was in front of her. She had to reach him. She couldn't lose him again.
    The air gradually grew clearer as she ran, but her lungs hurt from the smoke inhalation and the running. When she was finally free of the pollution, she called for Goldenpaw, but he was nowhere to be found. How could he just run off like that again? Where did he go? Swansong couldn't figure it out, but she continued to walk, shakily, forward. At least, until she finally collapsed, out of breath and exhausted.
    When she awoke, Swansong was still in the same place. She didn't exactly know where that place was, but it was vaguely familiar from moons ago. Did she and Foxy go this way then they were returning to CloudClan? Her lungs still burned a bit, but it was certainly better. She was still disoriented, though, and for a moment, she couldn't decide which way was back to CloudClan. Except... she had to find her son. Surely he was out there. Maybe... Maybe he went to Foxy's den? They always told the kits stories about where Swansong first met Foxy. Perhaps that was the adventure that called out to Goldenpaw. Swansong had to try. With shaky paws, she found herself walking the vaguely familiar path, unsure exactly if she was going the right way, but determined.
    What probably could have been a moon trip if she had remembered the path was several, between Swansong's uncertainty of where she was and her need to stop to catch her breath. When she did, she wondered about her clanmates. Were they searching for her? Did the other cats escape the smoke alright? Dear StarClan, she prayed Blueberrypaw was safe, and Nettleclaw. Were her kits okay? She didn't mean to leave them... but think of the look on their faces when she brought Goldenpaw back. They could be a family again, even if.. even if it was without Foxy. That thought is what kept her going. She had to find Goldenpaw and bring him home. She wanted to see her kits smile again.
    By the time the scenery began to grow familiar, Swansong had lost track of the number of moons that had passed. It was melancholic, being back in that area. Her paws dragged her right back to the familiar den, which was stale of any scents. She was surprised that there wasn't even a scent of a predator, but thankful as she fell over into the old, dried moss. It smelled like nothing, but still, her memories swam through her head as she recalled sharing that nest with Foxy. She wanted to cry, but she was too tired to do so. Instead, Swansong fell into a deep sleep right there, thankful to be in a safe space.
    Sadly, there were no signs of her beloved son as she had hoped. When Swansong woke up, she ventured the space carefully, searching for any possible signs of Goldenpaw. Her pawsteps followed old tracks that she remembered making with Foxy. She found her mate in different places, from the familiar creek he caught fish from to the same tree he sharpened his claws on every day. Her heart was wrenched with grief, but she smiled fondly at the memories. Even if she didn't find Goldenpaw there, Swansong found that she needed these moments. She was thankful, ultimately, for going there.
    Swansong remained at Foxy's old den for a little over a moon, mourning and recovering. She made herself a new nest, too big for just herself, and she covered the den with her scent once more. How she wished Foxy could see it again. She attempted to fish in the creek, though her efforts were never fruitful. She was never that great at it, even when Foxy tried to teach her. She resorted, instead, to what she was used to, which was hunting in the lush forest that Foxy first found her. She built herself back up there, recovering from the smoke inhalation through much-needed rest and overcoming the grief she felt in losing so many of her loved ones.
    But she couldn't stay there forever. Still, she wanted to look for her son. She had come this far to do so, and she wasn't ready yet to give up. It was hard to say goodbye, but with a small memorial at the den filled with flowers and feathers, Swansong left Foxy's den. She didn't know where to go from there; the den was the only place she could think of to look for Goldenpaw. She simply began to wander, keeping track of where she went so that she knew the way back.
    She didn't stay in one place for long, only long enough to search for Goldenpaw. She wanted to find him fast, to go home. She watched the sun rise and fall, the moon's phases change. She lost count of how many times she watched it, but every day she made sure to watch the sun go down and come up. Knowing her kits were watching the same sun, it comforted her. It reminded her that there were loved ones still out there for her. Were they still waiting for her? Perhaps not. Honestly, she hoped not. They deserved to live. She was just thankful to be their mother.
    Her watching of the sun rise was interrupted one day by a yowl. She had been near a twoleg place, though kept to the dense forest nearby; the yowl came from the forest. Swansong froze for a moment, but then she was running towards the sound. She wasn't all too surprised to find an injured cat at the end of the cries, though she didn't quite expect the cat's injuries to be of a twoleg's contraption. She recognized the trap a bit from her home, where twolegs used them to try and catch animals. It was one of the deadlier traps, though, with jagged teeth to clamp down on its prey. And right now, this trap had captured this cat's hind leg.
    Swansong didn't know much outside of that about this trap, but she figured there had to be a way to open it. The only thing she could think about was prying it open forcefully. Without thinking twice about it, she leaned down to grab one end with her jaw and the other she pushed against with her paws. The cat screeched, telling her to stop, but she didn't. Swansong wasn't the strongest cat in the world, but with enough force, the trap opened slowly. She managed to get it open just enough for the cat to pull their leg out before she released it and it snapped shut again. Swansong, panting from the effort she exerted, checked the stranger's leg. It was a bit mangled, but it didn't look permanent. The cat tried to thank her before stumbling off, but Swansong was quick to follow and offer her shoulder. The poor thing needed help, and she wasn't about to let them wander off alone.
    With Swansong's help, the cat guided them back to the twoleg place, where they stopped at one of the dens. Swansong felt increasingly more uncomfortable the closer they got, but she didn't back down as they walked. They were met by a group of cats who cried out of concern for the cat, and they were quick to take Swansong's place in helping them. One of them, an older she-cat, turned to thank her for helping and asked for her name. Swansong gave it, if a bit hesitantly. The she-cat introduced herself as Muffin, one of the local cats. She explained that Asher was a cat that was always getting into trouble. It took a bit of questioning to figure out that Asher was the cat Swansong had helped. She watched as Asher was taken away by the others, wondering if he would be alright. Muffin reassured her that the twolegs would help him, as would the colony, and thanked her once more before leaving.
    But Swansong couldn't just leave it at that. She found herself hanging around the twoleg place, despite her dislike for twolegs, wondering if she could run into Asher again. She would end up meeting a lot of the other cats from the colony Muffin mentioned, and she learned a bit more about what the colony entailed. It sounded not too unlike a clan, with cats that cared for each other and acted like family. There weren't any true ranks, nor territory to defend, but they depended on each other. It sounded nice. It sounded like home. Swansong didn't get too close to any of them in particular, though she would ask them every one in awhile about Asher and their condition. Not many of them could give her an answer, or perhaps they didn't want to. She couldn't blame them, with her being a stranger. She just wanted to make sure that the cat was okay.
    It wasn't until about a moon later that she finally caught sight of Asher again. Their leg had been firmly wrapped in what almost looked like cobweb, though sturdier. She intercepted the cat before they could disappear again, and she asked how they were doing. Asher, at first, seemed a bit reluctant to say anything. Maybe it was because Swansong saved them, but they finally opened up, saying the twolegs had disinfected it and wrapped it. It would be about another moon or two before they would remove the wrappings and see if it worked. Swansong listened thoughtfully. So the twolegs cared for these cats, too... did that make the colony cats kittypets? Though Asher seemed about as upset about the idea of the twolegs helping them as any clan cat would, so she figured not.
    It would take a couple more meetings with him before Asher would finally introduce himself formally. Of course, Swansong already knew who he was, but she appreciated the gesture of him telling her his name himself. She reciprocated, providing him her name afterwards, too. He found her name funny, which... yeah, to rogues, it was. It was once funny to Foxy, too. She only smiled and explained it was normal where she came from. Asher didn't seem to care about where she came from, at least not at first. As the two spent more time together, they both talked more and more about each other. It was never in massive dumps of info, just small bits and pieces here and there, like how Swansong learned to hunt or where Asher learned to be so quiet. Times like these made Swansong happy that she stayed to make sure he was alright.
    Of course while she was there, she tried asking around about her son. This didn't seem like the type of place that Goldenpaw would come to, but it had been so long that Swansong couldn't really say she knew her son anymore. She would question cats from the colony, especially Muffin, who seemed to act like a mother to many of the others. But whenever she described her son's orange-and-white fur or energetic nature, they all shook their heads.
    At one point, the news of it got to Asher, and they finally asked Swansong about it one melancholic evening. Swansong confessed that she was searching for her son, who had gone missing moons ago. The dam broke with that one statement, and she found herself spilling a lot about her personal life: the death of her sister; the incident at the barn; the earthquake. Asher quietly listened to her as she let it all go. It was a hesitant gesture, but she eventually felt him curl his tail around her in an awkward comfort. All he could really say was sorry, though he was not at fault. But it still made Swansong feel better. He told her he'd help her look for Goldenpaw, if that helped. But she quietly shook her head; perhaps Goldenpaw didn't want to be found, even if she wanted to find him. Maybe it was time she gave up on the search and return to CloudClan.
    But she decided she would wait until Asher was fully healed. It would be another couple moons until his wrappings came off, and when she first saw him with his leg free, he showed off how he could move it just like normal. The scar that the trap had left was a bit gnarly, but at least he was alright. Asher asked if he could treat her to a hunt in the forest as thanks for saving them that day, and Swansong agreed. Perhaps she already knew that she was beginning to like them at this time, and when they shared a juicy squirrel in the late leaf-fall, she couldn't help but watch Asher as they ate. Was it too soon to move on? Foxy would never return, and she had left her heart back at his den. But one day, she would need it back again, if not for another cat, at least for her kits.
    The one hunt turned to many, and Swansong enjoyed Asher's company more and more. She hesitantly met the twolegs that helped heal his leg, though when they tried to grab at her, she swiped at them. Asher didn't fault her, saying he did the same when he first met them. She asked him if he would ever become their kittypet, and he scoffed and said never. The twolegs were nothing more than sources of food and help for him and the other colony cats, with most of the cats keeping their distance from them. Swansong seemed to understand, but it didn't settle all too well in her belly to call them tools. Perhaps it made sense here, but... she would rather avoid them.
    One day, Muffin asked Swansong if she wanted to officially join the colony. Her relationship with Asher was quite public at this time, and the cats enjoyed her company just as much. At the time, they didn't quite realize that she had a home to go to, one that desperately needed her. One that she had almost forgotten. Again. Swansong quickly rejected, saying that she should leave. Now. She apologized for having interfered with their colony and, leaving little room for anyone to argue, she quickly fled the twoleg place to prepare for her journey home.
    But a snowstorm stopped her from going anywhere, and Asher later found her in the forest. They were hurt by how quickly she had left, and they said if she really wanted to go, then she should at least wait for leafbare to end. At least then, she could give them a proper farewell, and they could spend a bit more time together. Swansong wasn't sure, though. She couldn't mess with their life anymore, or anyone's life. Asher suggested they stay in the forest if she really didn't want to go back to the colony, and Swansong hesitantly agreed after a gust of the leafbare wind had her shivering. So with Asher's help, she built a temporary camp to stay in with them and resigned in the fact that she would be stuck there until the end of leafbare.
    Though, it wasn't all too bad. She appreciated sharing a nest with them to fight off the cold, and eight paws were better than four when hunting prey. Not having to feed an entire clan made getting through leafbare easier, but she wondered how CloudClan was holding up. Were her kits okay? Would they make it through this? She fretted everyday about it, and it took Asher's reassurances to soothe her, even if he didn't know either. All Swansong could do was take deep breaths and pray that the leafbare would end soon.
    When newleaf came, she was relieved. They made it through that leafbare. It wasn't as difficult as other ones she had been through, but then again, she was almost alone for it. She thanked Asher for staying with her, and they only nodded their head solemnly. Then, they asked if she really planned to leave right away. Well, that was the plan, though as Asher began to come up with excuses, like finding strengthening herbs for the trek or hunting to regain the weight she had lost first, Swansong couldn't find fault in their words. She conceded, stating that it would be better for her to be at her best before setting out. Asher seemed really pleased with this, too, and they said they would help her as much as they could. So they spent much of their time searching for herbs, ones that Swansong could vaguely recognize or that Asher knew, or hunting or sleeping. Swansong appreciated Asher's concern for her throughout this, and it gave her hope that she would soon be home to see her family once more.