Brass, Part 1

     Swiftstar crouched by the river, with her eyes closed. Over and over she kept telling herself how banishing Stormwater was for the greater good.
  He could've been a spy. She thought. But a small voice was nagging in the back of her head. What if he wasn't? But she ignored it.
     Sighing, she listened to the rush of the river and the birdsong in the air. It was home. But not for much longer, for her. I know the prophecy will only end in my own death. She thought. With only Two lives left...
    I should live like I'm dying. the thought rushed to her suddenly. She smirked to herself. Despite the constant storm of negativity, she would live. A thought suddenly dawned on her, and she took a deep breath. Opening her eyes, she peered at the river. The sunlight reflected off it made it so.... beautiful. Swiftstar turned around so her back was to the river, and took a few steps forward, then a few steps back. Then she ran, straight to the river, and jumped, and then only saw blackness.
                                                   ~<>~

   Brass looked on from the other side of the river. In the height  of green-leaf, the river was fast flowing, and he couldn't suppress a shiver. A cat could easily get swept away by the current. Pricking his ears and inhaling, he smelled something... fresh. Cat-scent. It might be.... Brokenclan again..... he thought with fear. Those cats who clawed their way though all the loner and rouge's territory, and it was either get lost or join them. Most chose to join. But Brass thought he was one of those smart few who ran.
     Not Brokenclan scent...... he thought, and he knew this wasn't a scent he encountered before. Suddenly he heard paw-steps, and he turned his gaze sharply across the river. A black she-cat stood there, backing up.
  "What is she-" his mutter broke off as she raced towards the river and leaped. Brass tried to will her to make it to the other side but her paws skimmed the surface of the river, and she barreled in. In the same heartbeat he dove into the water after her. His paws skimming the pebbles, he felt soft fur and ducked his head to sink his teeth into her scruff. Hauling her out, with her scratching at him, Brass dragged the black she-cat out of the water.
     He dropped her on the shore, and she spat out a mouthful of water. "Hey-" he started to say, but suddenly she got up lightning fast and had him pinned to the ground. His eyes widened.
   I've never seen a cat move so fast.... she bared her teeth. "Who are you, and what did you want." she said, still dripping wet.
   "Well, you were obviously begging to be saved!" he retorted. Her blue eyes narrowed for a second, as she considered this. "True. But answer my first question." she demanded, and Brass saw his chance, and flipped her over, this time he was pinning her over.
   "Brass." he said. "And what's yours?" he asked, and she hesitated. "Swiftstar." she said. Swiftstar? That name is familiar........  he thought, but then shook it off.
  "Why'd you jump in the river in the first place?" he asked. And her gaze clouded for a second. "I don't know, it's.... a long story." she murmured. He looked into her eyes. "I've got a the time." he suggested, and her eyes widened, and she looked dazed, and then her head went back, and she stopped breathing.
    She's... dead? She can't be, I can't loose her again!  he thought in sudden panic, but then stopped his thoughts abruptly. Again? He's never seen this she-cat in her life! But he couldn't have saved her for nothing, he knew that.
   She's gonna wake up... She's gonna wake up...  he kept repeating to himself. Time stretched on that could have been days or a few hear-beats, and her eyes suddenly fluttered open.
   "Your alive!' Brass exclaimed and and the words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. She looked at him confused, but then sat up next to him. She wobbled, and Brass got to her side before she can fall. "Oh, thanks." she mumbled.
   "I forgot to tell you something." Swiftstar said, looking at brass. "You saved my life!" she said, and pressed against him, before shying back.
   "Oh, sorry." she said, stiffening. Brass shrugged, but his fur felt like it was warming where Swiftstar leaned against it.
     "S'okay." he mumbled, looking down. "Where are you from, Swiftstar?" he asked her. "I am Swiftstar, leader of Briarclan." she said. "Briarclan? That sounds like....." he said, and froze.
   "Sounds like what?" she asked, leaning in, her face a mask of worry. "Brokenclan." he said. Swiftstar looked around, and growled.
  "Brokenclan!?! Are you one of them?" she said, glaring at him. Brass backed up. "N-no, I'm not. I'm a loner. Frozenstar drove us out. She said we either had to join, or run." he stammered. Did this she-cat know about Brokenclan?
   "So that's what she's been planning." she spat. "Brokenclan are sworn enemies of Briarclan." Swiftstar explained. And then Brass remembered something.
   "So, were you going to explain to me why you jumped in the river?" he asked her. "Oh, right. You see there was this prophecy.." she began, explaining everything.
                                              ~<>~
    "And I don't know how long left I have to live." she said, trembling. Why am I showing my weakness to a cat I barely know?!?  she thought for a second. But... I at least owe him this. 
   "That's terrible!" he exclaimed after a few heartbeats. "Is there something I can do?" he asked in a rush, and Swiftstar looked into his eyes, that shown with concern. She felt... lighter... then blinked.
   No..... I love Thunderspirit....... she thought.
"No, your just a loner, what can you do!?!" Swiftstar mumbled. Brass looked back into her eyes, his gaze filled with hurt.
  "Well, If that's what you think-" Brass was interrupted by growls as three Brokenclan cats jumping in front of them.
    "What are you doing here?" Lizardclaw hissed, and Archear and Raggednight chorused the with growls.
"It's doesn't matter. You stole Briarclan apprentice's. Why?" she asked.
"Stole? ... You think we stole them?!?" Lizardclaw said, and laughed. "No, you've mistaken us. We've got Blossompaw, Frostpaw, and Darkpaw. But they've come to us willingly, shown us their powers. Just so we could defeat you." he finished. "Enough talk. Attack!" and the cats fall upon them. Swiftstar bit into Lizardclaw's ear, while scratching at his pelt. She looked over at Brass. He was taking on both Raggednight and Archear, cuffing them both around the ears.
    Not even I can take on two warriors that easily... she thought. Suddenly Raggednight screeched, tearing away from him and running into the forest, and he turned to Archear, a wild light in his eyes.
    Suddenly, claws went into her back, and everything again went black.
                                 ~<>~
    Brass saw Swiftstar fall, blood streaming from her back. Snarling in rage, he aimed a hard blow at Archear, sending him whirling around and running away. He leaped onto Lizardclaw's back, claws fully extended. He sunk his claws into Lizardclaw's neck, and he went limp and collapsed. Brass turned him over with one paw. He was dead.
   "Good riddance." Brass growled, and turned to Swiftstar. She was bleeding heavily, but he could see the faint rise and fall of her chest. He searched for the nearest moss, pressing it onto her back.
   "It's gonna be okay, Swiftstar. You died and came back, I know you could make it through this." he whispered in her ear, and she seemed to shudder, her eyes now open and her mouth in a large grin.
     "I forgot to tell you something..." she said, but hesitated. Just say it again! That he saved your life again!

      "I love you." she said the words without thinking, and he waited for his Reaction.

(to be continued)