Swiftpaw

Swiftpaw is a supporting character in the first arc of the Warriors series. He was a ThunderClan apprentice mentored by Longtail, and the best friend of Brightpaw. He and Brightpaw were constantly held back from becoming warriors though, so they made a plan to impress Bluestar so much that she'd have to promote them by driving out the dog pack in ThunderClan's territory. This backfires horrifically though, with the dogs severely mauling Brightpaw and killing Swiftpaw.
== Appearance ==
Swiftpaw is a small, lithe, black-and-white tom with amber eyes.
== Biography ==
=== The Prophecies Begin ===
==== Fire and Ice ====
Swiftpaw is made into a warrior apprentice, and Longtail is assigned as his mentor. He is nervous and shaky during the ceremony, but Longtail assures him that he's doing fine. Fireheart is somewhat annoyed by this, as Longtail had never shown the same kindness to him when he was an apprentice. Later, Swiftpaw jeers with Longtail when Fireheart brings his nephew Cloudkit to the Clan.
==== Forest of Secrets ====
During a Gathering, Swiftpaw lets it slip to some of ShadowClan's apprentices that ThunderClan is keeping their tyrannical former leader Brokenstar alive as a prisoner. This then causes both ShadowClan and WindClan to attack ThunderClan's camp in an attempt to kill Brokenstar themselves.
==== A Dangerous Path ====
During a battle against RiverClan at Sunningrocks, Fireheart orders Swiftpaw to run back to camp to get reinforcements. He succeeds in doing so, but Longtail is angry that Fireheart made him miss a chance to become a warrior by proving his skills in front of Bluestar. 
Later, Bluestar refuses to make Swiftpaw, Brightpaw and Thornpaw into warriors, convinced after Tigerstar's betrayal that everyone in ThunderClan besides Fireheart is untrustworthy. Fireheart tries persuading her, but she still adamantly refuses, mainly because Swiftpaw's mentor was once a friend of Tigerstar. However, she agrees to make Cloudpaw a warrior because he doesn't believe in StarClan, despite him being younger than most of the other apprentices. During Cloudtail's warrior ceremony, Swiftpaw is furious that only he gets to be a warrior.
After numerous patrols report something stealing prey from ThunderClan, Swiftpaw gets the idea to find out what ever it is and get rid of it, thinking that doing so will impress Bluestar so much that she'll have to make him a warrior. He proposes this plan to the other apprentices, but Thornpaw, Fernpaw and Ashpaw all decline going along with it. Brightpaw agrees to help him though, and the two sneak out of camp towards Snakerocks. When they get there though, they find that the thing that's been stealing prey is a pack of huge, vicious dogs. They try fleeing by climbing up a tree, but the black-and-white tom is dragged out and attacked, and Brightpaw jumps down to try and save him. The two try fighting the dogs, but are quickly overpowered.
Meanwhile, Fernpaw tells Dustpelt about the black-and-white tom's plan, who then tells Fireheart. The deputy organizes a search party that heads to Snakerocks, where they find that the dogs had killed Swiftpaw and severely wounded Brightpaw, who is barely clinging to life. They take the two back to camp, where the Clan holds vigil for Swiftpaw.
==== The Darkest Hour ====
After Bluestar's death, Fireheart goes to the Moonstone so StarClan may grant him nine lives. During the ceremony, Swiftpaw appears to Fireheart to give him his sixth life. The orange tom apologizes for not trying harder to get Bluestar to make him a warrior, but Swiftpaw is no longer angry. He then touches his nose to Fireheart's and gives him a life of mentoring, telling him to use it to pass on all of his knowledge and skills to the Clan's youth. While being given the life, he feels a surge of terror and pain that ends with a flash of red, and realizes it must have been what the apprentice felt in his final moments.
Soon after, while Firestar makes Thornclaw into a warrior and renames Lostface to Brightheart, he mentions that Swiftpaw should still be with them, earning his warrior name alongside his friends. He adds that the apprentice died trying to save the Clan from the dog pack, and his Clanmates will always remember and honor him for it. Later, when Darkstripe is banished from ThunderClan, Firestar reassigns his apprentice Fernpaw to Longtail, saying that he was a great mentor to Swiftpaw and is sure he'll be one to Fernpaw as well.
Later still, during the battle against BloodClan, Firestar loses his first life. He wakes up in StarClan, where he is greeted by the recently-deceased Whitestorm as well as all the cats who gave him his nine lives, Swiftpaw included. When he's revived, he feels all nine of his life-givers fighting alongside him as he lands a killing blow on BloodClan's leader, Scourge.
=== Omen of the Stars ===
==== The Last Hope ====
Swiftpaw appears near the end of the book, after Firestar dies in the aftermath of the battle against the Dark Forest. He, Bluestar, Lionheart, Yellowfang, Redtail, Brindleface, Silverstream and Runningwind all come out of the bushes and begin reciting the lives they gave Firestar during his leadership ceremony (aside from Spottedleaf, who's spirit was killed in the aforementioned battle.) Jayfeather states that Swiftpaw gave Firestar a life of mentorship, and Brambleclaw comments that the orange tom was the best mentor he could've asked for.
== External links ==
Swiftpaw on the Warriors Wiki
== Navigation ==
Category:Warriors (Erin Hunter) Heroes
Category:Book Heroes
Category:Animals
Category:Anthropomorphic
Category:Male
Category:Fighters
Category:Rivals
Category:Envious
Category:Tragic
Category:Deceased
Category:Noncorporeal
Category:Saved Souls
Category:Victims
Category:Martyr