Swiftly I Once Saw You, I See You Again (~closed for Sunlitcastiel~)

Blacktwig was walking near the border. It couldn't do much harm, and so many cats knew that he needed to be alone. He looked at the hard black path. It was so similar to before, always the same, never changing. Such strange apparel the lieges of these beasts donned. He wondered if they ever made any sense. His ears were sticking up, alert for any warriors to come an attack him. He let his fur then lay flat. How could be he so suspicious of the clan he shared blood with? He looked across, spotting only flat terrain after the odorous border. He curled his lip at a monster that rushed by. Its loud roars filled his ears, and afterwards, so much shock entered him that he heard his blood pounding. Blacktwig sighed, still glancing across the Thunderpath.

Snow was like a perfect tarp, fitting the moor as comfortably as a pair of flannel pants to a child. What a swell, festive time for some. He silently wished that he could be a kit again, with no worried or cares. He continued watching, and prepared to leave, when nothing eventful occurred. It wasn't like he was expecting it to, anyways. He then stopped, hearing sound pawsteps. He gasped, turning around. He was obvious against the snow.

He then perceived that someone saw him. Frightened, he turned around, and saw a cat. He squinted. He felt that it was someone he knew, but he didn't see him clearly. He crept towards the border, until his toes, outstretched, nearly touched the yucky path. "Who's there?" Blacktwig asked, challengingly. He spoke more to himself out of fear than the opposing feline.

Swiftheart padded around the moor, taking in the comforting, familiar scents. He had begun taking more walks alone after his return from escaping the twolegs. It helped calm his mind and he always hoped he'd see Mistywater on them. Sometimes he did, but it was rare, and he missed the beautiful silver she-cat. He sighed longingly, but was brought out of his thoughts when a ThunderClan scent hit his nose. Sure he was close to the border between them and ThunderClan, but this was fresh and somehow familiar. How is it familiar? Who- He was brought out of his thoughts by a voice asking who was there. He padded closer to see an oddly familiar pelt come into view. He stopped right a the edge of the Thunderpath tilting his head and squinting his green eyes. "Swiftheart.. What are you doing so close to the border?" He answered, half-hostile half-still trying to figure out the weird "i know you" feeling.

Blacktwig's eyes widened, realizing why this cat was so familiar. "Are you truly Swiftheart?" Blacktwig asked, even though Swiftheart has just announced that it was him. He cowered back, his speckled black pelt fluffing. His voice was oddly quiet with realization, nervously gazing across. "Swiftheart, I'm Blacktwig," he attempted to say coolly, even though his voice was almost inaudible. His tail winded into an uneven curl, unsure how to feel. They had been separated for longer than Mistywater and Swiftheart had been.

Swiftheart nodded slowly when the cat asked if he was really who he said he was, but his eyes widened when the tom revealed his name. "Blacktwig..? My son..?" He asked, almost to himself. That's why he seemed so familiar. He did know him. He was his son. He had grown so much since the last time he saw him. He was a warrior now. Probably had been for a while. He broke out into a grin, "It's so great to see you! You've grown so much since the last time I saw you.." He meowed, a cheerful laugh escaping his lips. "How's Mistywater? And your siblings?" He asked curiously. He was eager to know how the rest of his family who lived in ThunderClan were doing. He hoped they were alright. WindClan hadn't been doing so well, and it would make him feel better to know his family was doing better than he was.

"Oh, Swiftheart," Blacktwig began, tail waving. He needed to get the little news out of the way. Perhaps Swiftheart would be surprised when he heard that his son... was already a grandfather. "My siblings have been great! Meadowlight has an awesome sense of humour... but I haven't seen her much. I guess she's fine!" Blacktwig dreamed briefly of his sister. She ought to be doing well back in ThunderClan, steadily growing. He was oblivious to the fact that she might be missing. His tail undulated. "Mistywater is doing well too, she's been hunting well!" Blacktwig reported proudly. He blinked at Swiftheart's face. It was looking at him lovingly. He was so glad that his father was faring well. "And... well... I had kits," he said. "And... those kits had kits." Blacktwig grinned sheepishly. His expression then morphed into a sorrowful one, looking at his paws, then back up at Swiftheart. "Mothstrike, my daughter, died recently... and so did my son, Flamepaw, and my daughter, Auburnpaw..." Blacktwig then realized how much he had lost. He only had one kit left, who he would defend fiercely. "Then, there's my last remaining daughter, Mottledwing. She's beautiful... you should see her. My grandkits are Goldenpaw, Icepaw, and Umberkit. You can see them, too." Blacktwig glanced up at Swiftheart, and he would nuzzle Swiftheart if it wasn't for his growing fear of the Thunderpath. He remembered the time it had injured him. He decided that he should tell his father about that, as well. "I got hit on the Thunderpath - but I'm okay now.. just stay away from it. If I hadn't jumped, then Emberfall would've gotten hurt."

Blacktwig's words were so high in quantity, that it seemed that he was telling his father about his entire life. In reality, he was telling him half of the story of his life. The splotchy black tom stood on the other side, his paws telling him to move forwards, but his brain warding him back. Swiftheart was right there... and after the loss of most of his kits, he was a reassurance. He purred softly.

Swiftheart purred happily at hearing they were doing great and about Meadowlight's humor. "Oh.. Good. I'm glad to hear that." He laughed softly. He wished that he had been able to watch them grow up and train and become warriors, but he knew it was hopeless thinking. He smiled warmly when Blacktwig told him Mistywater was doing well. StarClan he missed her so much. He gasped slightly, his green eyes lighting up, when he heard about his kits with Emberfall and his kits kits. So that's who was the father of her kits. He had wondered. But more importantly, he was a grandfather, no great grandfather. Wow that makes me feel old He thought,laughing inwardly. "Oh that's wonderful Blacktwig!I can't wait to meet them!" He responded warmly, but a sad frown replaced his happy smile when he heard the next part. "Oh Blacktwig.. I'm so sorry." He meowed sympathetically, his eyes softening. He wanted so bad to cross the thunderpath so they wouldn't have to talk across it, but he knew if they were caught there was no way he'd be able to explain. The next part he heard took him off-guard. "What?!" He gasped, heart racing. He let out a breath, "Well I'm glad you're okay! That was brave, but also hare-brained!" He yowled to his son. If he had gotten seriously hurt or killed Swiftheart would have been heartbroken. He shook his head, forcing the thought of Blacktwig dying out of his mind. "I miss you guys so much.. When you go back to camp, tell them all I love them and miss them for me, will you?" He meowed, his voice and gaze full of longing and sadness.

Blacktwig nodded. At Swiftheart's response to the events, especially the incident where he leapt unto the Thunderpath to rescue Emberfall, he responded accordingly. His violet-blue eyes stared into his father's. Even with the distance separating them, Blacktwig could see that he had grown as tall as the other tomcat. He smiled. "I will," he promised. He was so glad to know that his father was okay, still alive and living in WindClan. "And I do have to agree - but if Emberfall had gotten hurt, I don't know what I'd do..." Blacktwig shook his head, then looked up. "Mistywater misses you," he said. He thought of the burnt-cream she-cat, his beautiful mother. He knew that she was proud of him, but he felt the same way in return. He wanted to stay there, but wanted to think of what else to tell Swiftheart, before he didn't have a chance to. He found nothing, but wanted to know about Swiftheart's time in WindClan.

"How's WindClan?" Blacktwig asked. "How's Emberfall...?" Blacktwig knew that it was silly... she was probably alright, but he did need to know. "What about Flamepaw?" he asked quizzically. He felt as if he was fretting too much, but he was a curious tomcat.

Swiftheart nodded understandingly when Blacktwig explained why he did it. He understood. He would have done the same thing had it been Mistywater. "I know.. It's just your not allowed to die before me. You understand?" He meowed playfully, half-joking but also half-serious. He smiled warmly when he heard Mistywater missed him. "I miss her too.." He meowed, gaze full of love and admiration for the she-cat. She had raised litter after litter of kits all by herself and he didn't know how she did it. It had to have been tough, but she did it and they turned out to be great warriors from what he's heard.

His warm smile faltered a bit and turned to a sort of grim one when his son asked how WindClan was doing. "Well ,as you probably know, we were attacked not too long ago by RiverClan and lost pretty badly." He meowed grimacing. "I'm alright though.." He continued, "And I believe Emberfall and Flamepaw are alright as well. Though I haven't seen them very much." He admitted. If they weren't alright he knew he probably would have heard about it or seen it.

ooc: not sure about Flamepaw so if I'm wrong tell me and ill edit it.

ooc;; Flamepaw is dead. But Swiftheart might not know about it. When you edit it (if you edit it, again, he may not know) I'll edit my post.

Blacktwig nodded. "I'll try not to," he said, and although it seemed to be a rather serious and depressing comment, he spoke in a normal tone. He listened guardedly and without fail to Swiftheart's words. He reported simply, yet it was all Blacktwig needed to hear to feel alright. He sighed, relieved. "I'm sure they're fine," he meowed when Swiftheart was finished. His fur lay smooth on his scapulas, and he nodded once more. "I'm glad to see you're doing fine too - did anyone get killed in the attack?" Blacktwig asked, appearing worried.