could we get a recap of missingheart/swiftshade and swampfur’s relationship up until now?
sure!
so it started out that they met at a Gathering as Swampfur and the gang of apprentices, Swiftpaw and Lynxpaw being the primaries here. Lynxpaw befriended Swampfur accidentally/reluctantly at first. Lynxpaw was just being fake polite but she realized Swampfur was actually cool and wanted to hang out with her more
the second Gathering Lynxpaw sought out to hang w/ Swampfur and they became good friends. whenever their patrols passed at the border they'd always talk. of course, Swiftpaw was being mischevious and he and the apprentices would sneak out, and Lynxpaw suggested going into ShC land
well, Swampfur caught them but wasn't mad. Swiftpaw realized she and Lynxpaw were friends and then the three of them wanted to hang out more, so Swift and Lynx would sneak out to talk w/ Swampfur
over time Swift and Swamp started falling for each other (and Lynxpaw was totally not jealous at all) and were flirting like teenagers do. at the same time, the injustice of not being made warriors was hitting hard for Lynxpaw in particular and then Swiftpaw over time. Swampfur suggested running to ShadowClan since she became a warrior early there (even tho Brokenstar wasn't ruling anymore; it was more of a joke that slowly became serious).
Swiftpaw and Swampfur started meeting in secret w/o Lynxpaw and became unofficial official mates
then the dog pack hit
and now Swampfur's pregnant and Missingheart is heartbroken :,)
here's all their in-story interactions/hints! (warning: its A LOT!):
Chapter 89
Copperleaf followed after Nightstar and Cinderfur as they led ShadowClan back to camp after the tense Gathering...Then he worried; where was Swampfur?
His gaze flickered about, pelt prickling, but he let out a sigh as he saw Swampfur darting over to the patrol. He trotted over to her. “Where were you?” he questioned with a frown.
“Sorry,” she meowed, not looking particularly sorry. “I was saying goodbye to Swiftpaw and Lynxpaw.”
Copperleaf’s ears twitched. He was glad she was making friends, then. But… “Remember not to reveal any ShadowClan secrets to them, you know,” he said. He trusted ThunderClan, but that didn’t mean he wanted them knowing the sickness that was starting to take hold of their camp, alongside the lack of prey… They were starting to hunt among the Carrionplace where the rats were.
“I know,” Swampfur said, eyes suddenly brightening eagerly, leaning forward. “But I got them to reveal some ThunderClan secrets.”
...
Swampfur shook her head. “They have him in their camp,” she said. “ Alive .”
Copperleaf gasped, and he saw Russetfur glance back at them curiously. “They’re keeping him prisoner?” he meowed, then growled, “After what’s he done, that kind of mercy is far too kind.”
“Swiftpaw and Lynxpaw think so too,” Swampfur murmured. “And a lot of other ThunderClan cats. They aren’t happy. Swiftpaw even said he had to change Brokenstar’s bedding!”
Chapter 91
Swiftpaw padded in front of them, eyes more curious and eager as he stared out into ShadowClan’s land.
...
But it seemed not every cat was being shunned by their ShadowClan friends.
Feathercloud caught the black and white pelt of Swiftpaw near the back of the ThunderClan patrol. So far back, in fact, that he was walking with the ShadowClan cats. The senior warriors gave him sneers and glares, but he was locked in conversation with the scarred orange and white she-cat Feathercloud recognized as Swampfur. They exchanged excited, or perhaps worried, murmurs, heads dipped together and preventing Feathercloud from reading their lips. He caught Swiftpaw gasp, though, and glance towards his clanmates, then dip his head almost guiltily before Swampfur bumped his shoulder and said something that brightened Swiftpaw’s spirits.
...
Feathercloud glanced around, his eyes landing on Swiftpaw. The apprentice’s pelt prickled, and he ducked his head, even though no one else was looking at him. Unlike the rest of his ThunderClan clanmates, he had been chatting happily with the ShadowClan warrior Swampfur on their way here.
He must have told her, Feathercloud realized. That’s why he looked guilty earlier. She told him what Nightstar was going to say.
Chapter 119
“RiverClan camp is so weird,” Lynxpaw whispered to Swiftpaw beside her. “It’s so… gunky! Not like ShadowClan’s marshes, but it’s still kind of wet, and we’re not even in the river!”
“ShadowClan’s marshes are way worse,” Tulippaw disagreed, huddled beside the two older, warrior-aged apprentices. His whiskers twitched, his lip curling in disgust. “That icky mud under your paws! Yuck! How can they stand it?”
“ShadowClan’s land isn’t that bad,” Swiftpaw meowed with a frown. “Sure, it gets all muddy after rain, but it’s actually quite nice to hear the frogs croak instead of birds.”
“You can’t seriously think frog croaks are better than bird songs!” Lynxpaw gaped at her brother.
“Yeah!” Tulippaw agreed quickly. “That’s crazy!”
Lizardpaw glanced at her denmates, pondering how, exactly, they knew what ShadowClan’s land felt like under their paws and sounded like to their ears. For a moment, she thought of pestering and scolding them over it, but she knew they’d only turn on her. Plus, it wasn’t like her brother, Cloudpaw, hadn’t done the same stupid things they had.
Chapter 122
Quickly, the black and white form of Swiftpaw ran up to him, amber eyes hopeful.
“Can I come too?” the almost-whiny voice of Swiftpaw asked. Fireheart shook his head, and Swiftpaw’s tail drooped. “Please?” the apprentice pleaded, eyes wide and hopeful.
“I’m sorry, Swiftpaw,” Fireheart meowed, internally wondering why the black and white apprentice was so eager and insistent on going to the Gathering. “But you must stay back and guard the camp while we’re away.”
Swiftpaw looked put out, but dipped his head and murmured sadly, “Okay…” He hurried over to his sister Lynxpaw and whispered something too quiet for the red-furred deputy to hear. Fireheart shrugged his curiosity off and padded to the bramble entrance.
Chapter 124
He couldn’t bear that stare, and tore his green eyes away, ears flat, and noticed that Swampfur was now curiously searching through the ThunderClan cats. He called her away with a flick of his tail. The scarred orange and white she-cat hesitated, until the black and orange apprentice known as Lynxpaw ran up to her. The mottled she-cat quickly mewed something, and they both parted ways - Lynxpaw back to her clanmates, and Swampfur came bounding excitedly back, tail high.
“What did Lynxpaw say that has you so happy?” he inquired as they padded back to their clan.
“Nothing,” Swampfur meowed dismissively.
“Really?” Copperleaf asked, blinking. “You seem pretty happy-”
“Well, can’t I just be happy?” she snapped, fur prickling defensively. “Without needing a reason? I’m not a little kit anymore! Can’t you get off my back?”
Copperleaf gaped in surprise at his daughter’s outburst, stupefied by her attitude.
Chapter 125
Feathercloud halted in surprise when he walked through the gorse tunnel. The black and white spotted pelt of senior apprentice Swiftpaw was crouched in front of him, aiming for the rocky ravine. But Swiftpaw fluffed in surprise when he saw Feathercloud behind him.
“What are you doing?” demanded Longtail’s apprentice.
Feathercloud blinked, perplexed at the upset on Swiftpaw’s face. “Going for a hunt?” Feathercloud easily lied.
Swiftpaw’s fur relaxed, but his face stayed suspicious and wary, gaze flickering around them. “Oh,” he said. “Okay.”
“What are you doing?” Feathercloud pressed, meowing.
“Shhh!” Swiftpaw hissed, black and white pelt bristling. Feathercloud frowned. He hadn’t thought he’d been that loud; he may not be able to hear, but he could tell from the vibrations in his throat how loud he was. He’d long outgrown the stage where he couldn’t control his volume as a kit.
“I don’t need some kitsitter watching me whenever I go!” Swiftpaw snapped, teeth bared. Feathercloud hated when cats snarled; it made it harder to read their lips when they were pulled back. Especially when Swiftpaw lashed his tail back and forth, accidentally signing things he didn’t intend to. “I’m more warrior than apprentice. Longtail said so! Leave me alone and just go hunt, if that’s what you’re really doing.”
Swiftpaw had shoved his face to Feathercloud’s. The tom was as tall as Feathercloud, with similarly long limbs. Swiftpaw glared at him, and Feathercloud gaped, bewildered at the tall apprentice’s anger.
Swiftpaw lashed his tail once more, then turned around and bounded up the ravine when Feathercloud didn’t respond.
Chapter 140
“You’re Airleap, right?” meowed Swiftpaw curiously.
“Uh, yes?” he replied. Most cats in the clans, unfortunately, knew him and his story.
Swiftpaw’s eyes lit up with curiosity. “So you’ve been in ThunderClan, RiverClan, and WindClan, right? Have you been to ShadowClan? Is it cool?”
Airleap blinked, bewildered. “Uh, no, I haven’t.”
“But your brother Copperleaf is in ShadowClan,” Swiftpaw stated casually. “You’ve never visited or anything?”
Airleap’s whiskers twitched, and Runningwind cuffed Swiftpaw’s ears with his tail. “Has he ever visited ThunderClan?” Runningwind mused. “Just because he has family in other clans doesn’t mean he can truant around wherever.”
“Though I wouldn’t mind seeing you more often,” Creekflower meowed, which surprised Airleap. Normally, she was a stickler to the code… then again, didn’t she have a kittypet mate? He supposed his sister wasn’t as bossy as she was as a kit anymore.
“I know,” Swiftpaw meowed. “I was just wondering what it’s like to be in different clans. It must be weird!”
“Swiftpaw!” yowled his orange and black patched sister, Lynxpaw. “Stop talking to him.” Her nose scrunched as she said it, and her short tail flicked. Swiftpaw stuck his tongue out at her, then grinned and scrambled after her.
Chapter 144
Tulippaw hunched backwards when he saw Swiftpaw’s pelt flash by the entrance, pacing back and forth. The normally chatty tom said nothing, but Lynxpaw ranted on, “It’s clear she and Fireheart are holding us back. Our own leader and deputy! How can we trust them when they treat us like kits? At this point, we should just go to ShadowClan. At least they’d make us warriors!”
Tulippaw stifled a gasp. They wouldn’t! But Swiftpaw finally spoke, saying, “No, no- I think I have a better idea! A way Bluestar will have to make us warriors for.”
Hunted Lynx
Swampfur, [Lynxpaw] thought. I’ll never see Swampfur again too! Her friend from ShadowClan was perhaps the only sensible cat left in the clans. She understood how stupid ThunderClan had become, and she wasn’t a mouse-brain like Swiftpaw could be.
...
I could have had a nice, new nest in the warriors’ den right now, she thought angrily, her mind swirling. Once we defeated those dogs. We would have been heroes! Bluestar would have no choice but to make us warriors. Or if not, well, ShadowClan was sounding pretty cozy. She would have hated to have been like pathetic Fireheart’s brother, Copperleaf, but she honestly wouldn’t have cared, because she would have had Swampfur. Then Swiftpaw could have been as dopey and moony-eyed as he liked, haha.
Yes, a life in ShadowClan would not have been that bad. Not ideal, but not awful.
...
Stupid, stupid, stupid! Dustpelt wouldn’t be this cowardly! Swampfur wouldn’t be this weak! Longtail wouldn’t be this foolish! Swiftpaw wouldn’t be this pathetic!
Though she admired them, she had always felt better than them, smarter, cooler, more composed and collected; stronger, too, in some cases.
...
I really want Dustpelt or Swampfur. But it hurt far too much to think of them dead. She shivered as she thought of the dogs tearing their bodies apart and eating their flesh and guts.
...
"You died recently, yeah?" Lynxpaw guessed, and the she-cat winced. "So did I. I think I might know your family… Your stripes look like Oakfur's."
The she-cat's eyes widened, and her fur smoothed. "Oh, are you from ShadowClan? Yes, he’s… he’s my brother. My name’s Applefur. How is he?”
Lynxpaw hesitated now. “Uh, he’s fine,” she meowed. “I’m friends with Swampfur, actually.”
“And she’s not from ShadowClan,” Cricketheart added, giving Lynxpaw another look. “We’re from ThunderClan.”
“Yes,” Lynxpaw agreed with a twitch of her short tail.
“Oh,” Applefur said, then looked at her paws. She raised one to brush her kit’s tiny head. “So I guess you don’t… do you know how my other kits are doing? I… I have’t looked in the Moonstone…”
Lynxpaw thought for a moment. Swampfur didn’t talk about Applefur a lot. But she did talk about Applefur’s kits sometimes. “Fangkit and Aspenkit are healthy,” Lynxpaw answered. “They’re being nursed by a, uh… some—some cat. She, or they, or whatever, I don’t know—they’re from Twolegplace.” Then she tilted her head. “Actually, I think they’ll be apprenticed soon. Swampfur was talking about hoping one was her apprentice.”
Cricketheart looked at Lynxpaw harder, frowning. Lynxpaw pointedly annoyed her confusion and judgment.
Applefur blinked. “I’d like that,” she said softly. “I think Swampfur would be a good mentor… And—and what about Brownclaw?” She leaned forward eagerly. “Is Brownclaw alright? Is he—he’s a good dad, isn’t he?” Her tail puffed anxiously.
Lynxpaw’s whiskers twitched. All Swampfur told her about Brownclaw was that he was annoying. “Yes,” she lied. Or maybe she wasn’t. Maybe he was a good dad.
“And they’re in ShadowClan now, aren’t they?” Applefur asked. “I heard—is it true? Tig…Tigerstar is leading ShadowClan?”
Cricketheart scowled, but Lynxpaw just nodded. “Yep,” she meowed easily. “Tigerstar’s better than Brokenstar, at least.”
...
But then, as Cricketheart bristled back, Applefur stepped away, gaze to the side. “I think I’m gonna go, actually,” she said, quickly. “I’ve—I’ve got… stuff to do and all. Thanks though.” She snatched Daffodilkit up and bolted, literally bolted. Lynxpaw watched, mouth agape, as her only connection left to Swampfur ran away.
...
But she didn’t want to hang out with him. He wasn’t Swiftpaw; he wasn’t even Longtail. Lynxpaw didn’t want a new family, she just wanted to go home . She wanted to train under Whitestorm, she wanted to hunt with Swiftpaw, share prey with Dustpelt, sneak off to the border to talk with Swampfur.
...
Cricketheart looked sharply at her. “He’s just talking to them and Ravenwing, you know, his old crush,” she drawled. “Just like you’ve been talking with ShadowClan, apparently?”
Lynxpaw snapped her jaw shut and looked away indignantly. That was different . Swampfur was cool, and Lynxpaw wasn’t dealing with clan politics when she and Swiftpaw talked with her. They were friends.
Chapter 147
He shrugged and scooped up his catch, then paused as the familiar scent of a daughter permeated the air. He curiously tilted his head. I wonder what Swampfur’s doing out here, he wondered as he followed her scent back towards the Thunderpath. Midnight hunt, perhaps?
Copperleaf emerged from a cluster of wet bushes, and Swampfur jumped as he approached, tearing her gaze away from ThunderClan’s territory. He slightly narrowed his eyes as he caught a brief flash of guilt from her before she smoothed her fur over.
“Oh, uh, hi dad!” she stammered. “Hunting?”
Placing his mice at his paws, Copperleaf replied, “Yes, the mice are rather awake tonight. Found a nest back there.” He flicked his tail back in the direction he came from. “But what are you doing out here?”
“J-just on a midnight stroll, that’s all!” she hastily meowed. “The night air helps clear my head sometimes.”
Copperleaf frowned, concerned. Was something bothering his daughter? She seemed to be alright, as plucky and silly as usual - maybe a little more snappy than he was used to, but that was part of parenting, right? - but…had he missed something?
“Is something wrong, Swampfur?” he asked, head tilting.
“No!” she quickly meowed. “Nothing’s wrong! Wh-why would something be wrong?”
“You just seem…” Copperleaf blinked. “Agitated. Are you sure nothing’s wrong?”
He startled as Swampfur shot an infuriated glare at him. “ Nothing’s wrong !” she shouted. “How many times do I have to tell you? And even if something was wrong, it’s none of your business! I’m a warrior, not a little kit!”
Copperleaf stared, mouth agape, after the orange and white pelt of his daughter as Swampfur stalked off, tail lashing and shoulders hunched.
Had it been his imagination…or had she looked-
Looked scared ?
...
“The other night, I saw something rather suspicious,” he began. He noticed Swampfur stiffen, panic lighting up her eyes, and he frowned. Okay, something was definitely up. He’ll have to talk to her later - now, he had another duty to attend to. “Tigerstar met with Darkstripe at the border, by the Thunderpath.”
...
“Yeah,” Swampfur agreed. “He cares for our- our kits. He’s nothing like Brokentail!”
...
Swampfur antsily padded after Nightwhisper, her head down and her gaze on her paws. The tom kept glancing curiously back at her, but she didn’t want to be with her family right now. They were too… suspicious. Concerned.
She wanted to hide away in a den right now. She felt too exposed walking among her clanmates, like they could all read the fear and the shame on her face. They all know, her mind whispered, paranoid. They all know.
They don’t know, she shot back firmly. They’re all worried about Tigerstar for some mouse-brained reason. Who cares if he’s an ex-ThunderClan cat? So is Copperleaf. She had seen Darkstripe and Tigerstar talking too. Maybe they’re just catching up. Maybe he misses his old clan. Or maybe they’re lovers.
The thought sent an anxious thrill down her spine, and she raised her head and glanced around warily, heart thumping in her chest.
Mouse-brain! Don’t look suspicious. Keep your head down.
Lynxpaw and Swiftpaw will be at this Gathering. Lynxpaw said they would be.
Unless they got caught again and Bluestar keeps them back.
(This scene continues on in Swampfur's PoV but I'm not doing all of it. Summary: she asks Mistlepaw and Snowpaw where Swiftpaw and Lynxpaw is, they tell her Lynxpaw is dead and Swiftpaw is now Missingheart. She internally freaks out.)
Swiftpaw, she thought, her heart squeezing tight in her chest, what have you done ?
Chapter 154
He knew Swampfur- she was friends with Missingheart and Lynxpaw, and she had always been so cool at Gatherings. He could never hope to be as cool and suave and strong as her.
...
She glanced back at her clanmates, then, seeing them gone, leaned back down to hiss into Tulippaw’s ear. “You will tell no one what I say,” she started. “I know you’re good at keeping secrets- I’ve heard all about your little trips into ShadowClan. Wouldn’t want Tigerstar finding out, would you?”
Tulippaw shaked. “S-Swiftpaw made me!” he squeaked out.
Her lip curled and her ears pinned back. “I know,” she spat. “And I need you to give him a message.”
Tulippaw blinked, heart still thudding. He said nothing, and Swampfur continued, “Tell him to come to the border down by Twolegplace tomorrow at moonrise . Got it, ‘paw?”
“B-but Sw-M-Missingheart’s not s-supposed to leave camp,” he tried to explain. “He- he got injured-”
“I don’t care!” Swampfur snapped, shoving her paw harder against his throat. He gasped and choked for air. Her tail lashed. “Will you tell him or not?”
Chapter 155
That's the reveal chapter lol so I'm stopping there