#swiftpaw’s chance

[wander-wren]

more brightswiftcloud thoughts bc i was asked!

okay. so i imagine swift and bright both having a rough time with scars hurting in the winter, but swift moreso bc my mental design for him involves several large patches of scarring where there’s just no fur and thats Yikes. so in the winter they all sleep together in a big cuddle pile to try and help with that, and cuddle during the day when they can!

speaking of sleeping places, i waffled on that a lot but i decided they mostly stick to their respective dens, with occasional sleepovers between two of them or all three

not a ship thing but swiftscar has very mild hearing issues and more moderate balance issues thanks to his ears being shredded and losing half of his tail. i keep trying to implement that in the fics and then i dont rip.

they’re all very protective of one another, extremely close-knit, but tbh, swiftscar is the scariest (yes, it is partially bc hes my favorite, thanks) (after him is brightheart, then cloudtail, who’s more bark than bite). he’s got the Trauma but when his family is threatened he flips. he survived fighting a dog pack, he is not a bad warrior at all despite being a medicine cat now. also the scars and everything serve to make him extra intimidating.

as for whitewing, they’re just as protective of her. brightheart is probably the most strict of them but not by much; she just wants her to be a good warrior. cloudtail is the fun goofy parent, and swiftscar is the best at talking through problems. they’re all pretty good at that, though, from working with each other. i really would like to explore this more in d2d if i can, it’s just hard with the nature of canon being that bright & cloud are Gone for a big chunk of time

i haven’t thought about them much in the context of dovewing and ivypool—i want their story to play out in the same basic way, though, so i can’t let them affect too much. i think they’d make good grandparents, but even so that’s not always enough to keep someone away from the dark forest. which they’d probably feel very guilty about

i don’t think any of them really respect authority—or they do, but very conditionally. they like firestar, of course (well, most of the time), butttttt they’ve seen what bad leadership does. they’re not above speaking out against bad rules, bad leaders, etc. i mean, swift got the whole mates & kits medcat code dropped! main character syndrome honestly

i think swiftscar is the most deeply affected by their trauma (again, partially bc he’s my fave), but brightheart probably has the most anxiety about being a warrior? not in whether she’s good enough necessarily, but if she’s helping her apprentice in the best way, or about clan matters in general. cloudtail doesn’t strike me as an anxious guy.

i feel like i should have more cute and fluffy headcanons but i do not. sorry. i’m bad at fluff. also i haven’t read canon in ages so if anything feels ooc simply Ignore It, it’s headcanon

[birdsong-warriors]

Fun fact: my late sister used to call him Tigertail all the time as a condescending insult, so I had to sneak that in there somewhere. Also, SURPRISE THAT'S NOT REALLY A SURPRISE.

Also also: we're back to once weekly uploads every Friday. Sorry, guys!

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[dorkofspace]

STARCLAN’S LAST RESORT AU NOTES #1

Been meaning to update with some ideas on this AU but have really been struggling art wise, so here are some random world/character building thoughts and ideas I have currently. 

The story takes place in the old forest after deforestation, and the entire surrounding area is sort of post apocalyptic/ barren and almost purgatory like, though as to why this is and how the sudden destruction of the clans happened is still under construction. 

THUNDERCLAN

I’ve already decided the first “main” group that gets revived in Thunderclan are Scourge, Princess, Smudge, Swiftpaw, Shrewpaw, Snowkit, Mosskit, Elderkit, Tulipkit, Juniperkit, and Dandelionkit. All of them were chosen based on unfair deaths and each cat’s connection to Firestar or Tigerclaw/star in some way. 

Other returning Thunderclan members currently under consideration are: Thrushpelt, Frecklewish, Birchface, Speckletail, Snowfur, Bluestar’s parents, Swiftpaw and Snowkit’s siblings, Mapleshade’s kits, Honeyfern, and possibly Briarlight.

ABSOLUTELY returning next would be: Pinestar, Leopardfoot and her kits, and Goosefeather, which I feel could add a lot of drama and unique interactions based on unresolved feelings from the earlier events of the books. 

A possible change would be changing some parents of characters to prevent inbreeding or odd story choices (ie Darkstripe being the father of Brindleface’s kits), though I fully intend to properly address the extremely uncomfortable abuse/manipulation in relationships and large age gaps that are brushed over in canon, as well as bringing up some character traits that are often overlooked or ignored in said canon as well. 

One of the main ones I’ve discovered is Stormtail, Bluestar’s father, who’s alarming behavior has been mostly overlooked. Including his age gap relationship with Moonflower, his bullying and pretty much implied attempted murder on Goosefeather, the neglect of his kits till they live up to his expectations, and of course, his implied affair with Dappletail, which also concerns an age gap. I hope to expand on these details with lesser looked at characters like this some time in the events of the AU 

Finally for Thunderclan, Scourge would receive a leader role but would not have nine lives, and would possibly mentor Swiftpaw or Snowkit. I’m also considering Snowkit becoming a medicine cat, but not as a way to push him in there because of his deafness. Since the clans have been destroyed and rebuilt with these revived cats, I feel some warrior code would change, idk if Scourge would really want to keep everything exactly the same if he’s now in control of clan life. Snowkit would be a sort of battle medic, doing both warrior and med cat duties equally. Swiftpaw and Shrewpaw would gain a friendship, along with Snowkit and Mosskit! Snowkit would also support Goosefeather in many ways. 

Pinestar would return but still be extremely distant and attempt to live as a loner in the new barren world, though he would definitely keep being pulled back into clan life and his inescapable actions. Also learning about his revived kits, his grandson, and his great grandchildren (Dandelion & Juniper), would probably affect him in some way. Him and Leopardfoot are divorced (yippee!!! 🎉🎉) but still struggle with having to work together to keep the future of the clan safe. 

As for the other clans!! I don’t have a ton but here’s what’s gonna possibly happen there. 

RIVERCLAN

Do you remember Whiteclaw?? No?? He was Leopardstar’s apprentice who fell over the gorge. He apparently also had a crush on Silverstream before his death. I feel him and Thrushpelt could relate to have one sided crushes on girls who end up not being at all interested in them and having a romance with the neighboring clan cats instead. (Solidarity) Willowbreeze would return with her kits as well as Brightsky and her kits (Leopardstar’s mom) 

SHADOWCLAN

There is some Lord Of The Flies stuff probably happening in Shadowclan, so many apprentices and kits died there from Brokenstar’s reign among other things, daycare has gotten out of control. 

WINDCLAN

Also a lot of dead apprentices in Windclan! I thought there would be a similar scenario, except Antpelt comes back and has to babysit all of them. Also possibly maybe Darktail’s unnamed newborn siblings join??? 

EDIT: JUST REALIZED I PUT FERNCLOUD INSTEAD OF BRINDLEFACE FOR DARKSTRIPE’S MATE I’M SORRY

[burning-thistles-bt]

Have y'all read Swifthawk's Chance on here? It's a fantastic comic and I think y'all would enjoy it!

no!!! but it does look really cool!

[kudossi]

Tigerclaw and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Senior Warrior Position AU

In a world where deputies can only be named after their first apprentice has been granted their warrior name, Tigerclaw struggles to keep an apprentice alive long enough to earn their name.

or, a comedy-tragedy AU in which having an apprentice isn't enough — you have to see them to their warrior name, and Tigerclaw cannot fucking get any of his goddamn apprentices to live, damn it.

—

It starts out mostly normally, except for the fact that Tigerclaw hasn't gotten any apprentices to their warrior name, and he needs that so he can accomplish his (very noble, of course) kitty genocide goals. And also be the supreme leader of the world or something. Darkpaw died stupidly, he hasn't had a chance since, and now he's got some tiny thing that's afraid of his own shadow.

Well. It'll have to do.

So naturally this man is so protective over Ravenpaw that Ravenpaw barely even leaves his sight. Firepaw and Graypaw think that this is adorable. Look how much Tigerclaw cares about his apprentice!!

Ravenpaw, of course, is fucking terrified and also slowly losing his mind, just in a different way.

—

"Redtail assigned us to go on a patrol to Snakerocks." "OH NO HE DID NOT. WE'RE STAYING IN THE SANDY HOLLOW WHERE IT'S SAFE."

"Nothing matters more to me than making you a warrior, Ravenpaw. Nothing." And the terrible thing is that Ravenpaw is sure he's being sincere.

—

Ravenpaw disappears and Tigerclaw nearly fucking has a conniption because the timing was all RIGHT and he was going to finally get the position AND HE NEVER GOT HIS DAMN NAME FUCK.

"Do you think I could convince the elders that Fireheart was my apprentice?" "Fireheart was Bluestar's apprentice, as approved by StarClan. You're going to have to wait for the next litter to be apprenticed."

So he begs and begs and gets Cinderpaw and then she accidentally falls into the trap he'd set for a better deputy candidate at the Thunderpath. Fuck.

—

Well. Time to resort to drastic measures.

"I was thinking that Darkstripe would have been a good name. Because he had dark stripes." "Again, Tigerclaw, it's admirable that you loved your apprentice so much, but I cannot grant him a name." "Are you sure?" "Honestly, Tigerclaw, I'm not sure he ever would have gotten a name. Missing quite a few feathers from his nest, that one..." Fuck. The worst part was that she wasn't even wrong.

— Swiftpaw and Brightpaw get mauled by the dogs he set up to happen like right after he got the title and they sprang it before and he's like FUCK NOW WHAT DO I DO WITH THESE DAMN DOGS? His world domination plans literally never come to fruition because he cannot keep his apprentices alive/in the clan/his own.

— "Brightheart counts. She HAS to count." "Actually, Cloudtail took over her training…" [demented noises]

—

Turns out that Ravenpaw is alive and no one — no one — in the Harper Collins Extended Universe is happier than Tigerclaw.

"You're alive! …You deserve your warrior name!" "Actually, I've come to peace with my name and my way of life. I have no need for a—" "GET YOUR FUCKING NAME RIGHT NOW RAVENPAW OR SO HELP ME STARCLAN—" "I know you really wanted Ravenpaw to become a warrior," Barley says gently, "but he's made his decision. It's very kind of you to acknowledge that he deserves it, though. You must have been so close as mentor and apprentice." Tigerclaw's eye twitches. "Yes. Close. Very... close." —

He finally, finally retires as an elder after his plans go absolutely nowhere for years on end. And maybe StarClan is still like "Brambleclaw would be chill actually, we can forget that pesky little law" and Tigerclaw is sitting there like "excuse me what the actual fuck?" —

But at this point Tigerclaw is about as dangerous as Ashfur without a freak forest fire. Which is to say about as dangerous as using a leaf as a weapon. Which is, incidentally, how Darkpaw managed to get himself killed in the first place.

—

"Is this the Dark Forest? This has to be the Dark Forest. It doesn't look like Thistleclaw described it, but it must be. This Clan is all an elaborate punishment meted down by StarClan for my sins." "Tigerclaw, sir, I'm just here to help you with your ticks. See? I have the mousebile right here." "…Yes, thank you, Alderpaw." — Graystripe joins him in the elder's den and he's like, "You know, Ravenpaw thought you were up to some… scheme, back in the day. Crazy, right? You've been a model Clanmate as long as I've been alive." [muffled screaming] "Huh, what do you think that is? It sounds almost like someone killed a rabbit, but they know not to come this close to camp…"

[puppiekit]

I dislike the new Warriors covers (sorry warriors artist) so I've brought it upon myself to try and redraw every cover so that Erin Hunter can see and hire me. OBVIOUSLY A WIP I'm gonna upload the complete set when I'm done.

Covers:

Into The Wild: SpottedLeaf and the Fire Alone prophecy. I know Rusty is a common and probably the more logical cover choice for this book, but to me the prophecy is the "true" introduction to FireStar. If that makes sense.

Fire And Ice: You can't tell yet, but this is FireHeart and GrayStripe looking at eachother from across the river. Their strained friendship is pretty key in this book so I felt it would be the best cover pick.

Forest Of Secrets: I ended up going for the scene where TigerStar betrays BlueStar. This wasn't my original pick though. I also thought about a scene with BrokenStar being held in camp, or a scene with CloudKit, or CinderPaw... Settled with something more notable though

Rising Storm: I definitely wanted to depict the scene where a Fire burns through ThunderClan, but I wanted to include a cat somehow (excluding ones used previously). Decided to use YellowFang since shes important in this arc and is the only one in camp at the time. Yes this is meant to mirror the first cover

A Dangerous Path: SwiftPaw and BrightPaw running from a dog. AKA what this book is KNOWN for. I made a last minute decision to give SwiftPaw a different expression. He's behind her, and giving the dog an angry, challenging look. He fights the dogs off to give BrightPaw a living chance, and I wanted to depict that in a way.

The Darkest Hour: I saved FireStars primary cover appearance for this book... Since he's the key focus. It is firestar walking in the footstaps of LionClan (literally). Not the most exciting but I like how it mirrors the original cover

[bonefall]

If Sasha had left Hawk and Moth with Thunderclan or Shadowclan do you think Tigerstar would have been able to sink his claws that deeply into Hawk?

In ShadowClan, perhaps. Blackstar starts doing his damnest to stamp support for Tigerstar and his ideas out, but Ratscar is a clever cat. A clever, charming one. I can see him easily leveraging his charm to earn Hawkfrost as an apprentice, or the other Thistle Law supporters coalescing around their "young heir."

There would be less chance of Tigerstar getting his claws deep into his boy than RiverClan, which actively has NO reckoning and is deeply politically divided.

Meanwhile, it would be extremely unlikely in ThunderClan. ThunderClan as a whole HATES Tigerstar. Being part of his legacy is NOT something Hawkfrost would have been raised with-- and I can honestly see Sasha, if she realized ThunderClan was a good place to go, ALSO developing a pretty significant bond with Goldenflower.

...Thinking about it, it really would have been the Good Ending for Sasha here. Goldenflower would have learned about everything and felt a deep need to protect Sasha. Tigerclaw took EVERYTHING from her, and she immediately moved to reject him, but he still managed to convince her daughter to leave her side. TOOK Tawnypaw from her, and KILLED their oldest son Swiftpaw.

Learning that Tigerclaw went on to use Sasha would make Golfy sick. She doesn't have to think through it logically to know, deep in her gut, that what Tigerclaw liked about Sasha was that he could control this one. That Sasha was her replacement, to birth him kits he could own. Stealing her own child wasn't enough-- he wanted ones he could instill loyalty in from the very beginning.

There's a precious memory in her mind, of when their daughter Lynxkit caught greencough. Everyone knew she wasn't going to survive. Tigerclaw took his little kit, so small he could cradle her in his paws, and he hummed her to sleep for the last time. EVERY moon, she learns something that cracks that memory a little deeper, a little further, and one day she feels that she will loose one of the most meaningful images she has of her lost child.

How can she reconcile that image, to the trembling, half-starved woman who stands before her? This thin-boned rogue, who believes she is selfish and stupid for the egregious sin of losing a child while desperately trying to raise them alone?

Hawkkit and Mothkit would have had a very different upbringing. I also don't know if Sasha would have vanished back into the wilderness. World hard and cold. Golfy soft and warm.

[snailchasers-den]

Spottedtiger is probably one of my favorite aus and I love doing fucked up things with them, I have an au where swiftpaw is a spottedtiger kit and and I use this to add more tragic flavoring to their pairing.

Imagine tigerclaw losing the love of his life and desperately trying his best to get ahold of the only person that reminds him of her, but his own son wants nothing to do with him. Then his son turns up dead because of something that HE causes, I love doing that

NO, BUT THAT'S SO CLEVER AND INTERESTING OUGHH. Absolutely RUINING their days- Making Swiftpaw their kit is SUCH a devistating and cool choice, I'm absolutely living for the intense angst of that, god- I'd kill for a MAP about your AU, anon, I hope you know.

Depending on how Spotted dies too, it might just end up being Tiger ripping his own chance at happiness from himself again and again??? It's just SO GOOD.

[simbasomba]

GUYS. GUYS.

As some of us warriors fans know, BrambleClaw nor GrayStripe deserved to be deputy (maybe Bramble but he became a bitchy leader) so I GOT AN IDEA!!!

In the fight of bloodClan, where WhiteStorm dies and FireStar announces GrayStripe deputy. Well, what if he chose LongTail to be the new deputy instead??

LongTail then chooses to retire (fuck forced retirement because he got blinded. blind cats are actually really good hunters so he and JayFeather could be like the hunters of the clan alongside SandStorm) and instead of FireStar choosing bramble to be deputy, he chooses CloudTail?? (BrakenFur would be a good choice as well.)

Then, when FireStar dies, CloudTail becomes leader insteaddddd???

AND, what if this is the same au where FeatherTail gets saved by Squirrel and the same au where BrightHeart dies instead of SwiftPaw??

BrambleStar’s nine lives included FeatherTail so imma switch it up a lil bit.

CLOUDSTAR’S NINE LIVES:

1. FireStar, a life of courage to make the hardest decisions.

2. BrindleFace, a life of understanding the love of a mother. ( this life was originally given to BrambleStar by GoldenFlower but golden isn’t cloud’s mother )

3. BlueStar, A life of clear judgement of character.

4. MouseFur, a life of listening to your elders.

5. LionHeart, a life of having the greatest pride in your clan.

6. FernCloud, a life of honoring queens.

7. CinderPelt, a life of offering second chances.

8. BrightPaw, a life of exploring the borders beyond your clan. ( this life was originally given to BrambleStar by FeatherTail: But this is the same au where Feather and Swift survive so BRIGHT IT IS)

9. RavenPaw, a life of speaking out against injustice.

Thank you for your time <333

( @featherfrond and @espressopaw what do we think??)

[wander-wren]

Swiftpaw's Chance for the bingo? :3

ask game

the fic

so it’s been a Minute since i wrote SC, but from what i remember i saw a swiftpaw lives AU map and went “!!!!” then went scrolling some tags on tumblr for inspo, which is where i realized brightswiftcloud was a ship option. and i needed it in my life <3 i also saved some other characters from dying on the way, for funsies, so it was intended as an everyone lives AU….but i wouldnt say nothing hurts bc it was mostly an excuse to emotionally beat up swiftie boy for 48k.

also i just realized looking at this that SC was my first longfic ever (or, the first one i managed to complete, lol) (it’s not even that long), so that kinda counts under “just to see if i could.”

[birdsong-warriors]

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[powerofthesunau]

SWIFTPAW

He has a more important role than canon here. Not only as Tigerstar's eldest son but as an incredibly influential spirit and guide within SkyClan.

His death was part of his destiny according to spirits beyond StarClan. For the Three to be born, he must die. Moments before his death by the dogs, ancient spirits spoke to Swiftpaw warning him that he would die but must go down protecting Brightpaw. Because if his sacrifice he was rewarded in Silverpelt with knowledge and power that made him even more influentual than some of the medicine cat and leader spirits.

Because of his death, this allowed Brightpaw to carry on living and become mates with Cloudtail. Eventually their daughter was born as the final member of the three. For Sol to be defeated, the Three must be born

Some of his influence allows him to appear to the Three in their living world. Although he is only able to appear and be heard by Dovepaw when she actively searches for his prescence at the Moonstone.

She finds out Swiftpaw's story when her mother eventually tells her about him after hearing his name mentioned in the elder's den. Swiftpaw becomes a personal guide to Dovepaw, he is rebellious and brash, often providing her instructions not on the orders of other spirits. He criticises her inexperience and her affection for Tigerheart. Ultimately he does mean well, driving her to not give up and to use her powers to protect others. However perhaps his determination comes from a place of desperation, after all in order for the clans to stand a chance against Sol, Swiftpaw's destiny was to die, he wants to make surw he died for something.

He aids the Three as a guide alongside Feathertail who was fated to die in similar way, to protect Crowpaw and Leafpaw, making sure they would get together and that Jayfeather and Lionblaze were born. They serve as interpreters between the almost silent Silverpelt and the Three. Swiftpaw often finds himself butting heads with Jayfeather who prefers to use his intelligence, and links with the spiritual world to build up a plan to defeat Sol rather than infiltraiting the Sun Troop in the living world and shutting them down as fast as possible

[sleepyspots-wc-designs]

Dude, Goldenflower as a leader would be interesting

To see someone, Tiger, that she maybe looked up to betray the clan and was the reason Swiftpaw died. She'd be furious! If we shuffled who got Bramble and Tawny, maybe she pulled a Bluestar before they were born.

It would add to the heartbreak, but she knew most other cats couldn't become leader, or might've been a bad one. Something Something Starclan or fate in unfair and forces difficult situations

I wholly agree…

With my personal characterization of Goldenflower (a truly warm and caring soul, a mother at heart, but with the ferocity to protect what she cares for) I don’t think it would be out of the realm of possibility for her to pull a Squirrelflight-and-Leafpool move… Asking someone else to take and raise her kits, fake a pregnancy and help hide her own. I’m thinking that possibly FireSand could take them, or perhaps Frostfur...

Perhaps she felt especially compelled to gun for leadership because of Tigerclaw, who stole her chance at motherhood not once, but twice, who killed many of her friends, who caused the death of her dear brother and her firstborn, who now threatens to do the same kind of damage onto others… She just won’t stand for it.

So she makes yet another sacrifice, sets her paws on a path she never imagined she would pursue, to guide ThunderClan to glory and burn away all traces of Tigerclaw’s touch…

[warrior-cat-pride]

hi ! may i request butch lesbian swiftpaw and ratscar ? tysm for the chance :]

[dorkofspace]

STARCLAN’S LAST RESORT NOTES #2

Scourge takes the general leadership role for the new Thunderclan, he’d probably still want it to be called Bloodclan though. Remembers his death unlike many others, sort of lost his passion now that everything and everyone he knew is gone, has become a little humbled by the experience. 

Swiftpaw has a strained relationship with Pinestar, considering how his leaving made his father become the way he was. Swiftpaw lives for his second chance, working harder and longer than any other cat to prove his worth. He tends to mask his feelings with this work, trying to be as strong as possible for his Clanmates. 

Pinestar: Had a good relationship with his mom but not his dad, who was verbally abusive and pressured him to become leader. Only became mates with Leopardfoot so young because that’s what his dad did with his mom and assumed it was normal, no one in the clan’s really said no to either of the relationships out of silent fear of the leaders. Never truly loved Leopardfoot and vice versa, just sorta forced himself into the married with kids life but never did anything actually supportive. Doesn’t regret leaving because of all the death and agony, plus the hypocritical pressure by StarClan and clan life in general, though really does regret leaving Leopardfoot and the kits, he regrets a lot of things he did, yet still feels he’s too much of a sorry coward to change anything now. He stays within the territory of his Twoleg house, despite it being abandoned. He’s completely given up hope and pretty much just lays down to die, though learning of his resurrected kits, mate, grandchildren and Scourge’s harsh reality words bring him back enough to at least support them. Still refuses to fight, spends a lot of time gathering prey, helping Goosefeather, and spending time with the kits and apprentices. 

Goosefeather: Bitter, bitter man. Though he is thankful for not being able to see dead cats anymore, he also is super angry that they suddenly up and disappeared on everyone when they needed them most. Feels somewhere in his heart that they did all of this on purpose, why couldn’t they just let the old man die in peace? Still has prophetic visions, but they’re much more blurry and muddled due to the lack of help from StarClan. He got the monkey’s paw effect, he’s no longer burdened by his powers, but now more than ever needs them. 

[the-owl-tree]

I’m going to be honest here, I ship some cats together in StarClan:

Bright Stream x Storm

Swiftpaw x Shrewpaw

Thoughts about these ships please?

i am petty i love pairing up girls who don't talk to each other and were literally just there to give some shittily written man some angst. get that man out of there and let the girls have a chance to shine!! i hope the two of them are bonding in cat heaven and throwing rocks at clear sky.

no strong thoughts on swiftpaw and shrewpaw, cute idea though!