Swiftpaw (TPB)

Swiftpaw is a small black-and-white tom with pale amber eyes.

Fire and Ice

 * Swiftkit is apprenticed to Longtail, and receives his new name, Swiftpaw. He is shown to be very nervous and shaky as he approaches his new mentor. To Fireheart's annoyance, Longtail treats Swiftpaw much better than he treated him when he first joined the Clan.


 * Swiftpaw is shown to have gradually adopted Longtail's personality when he jeers along with his mentor when Cloudkit is brought to ThunderClan.

Forest of Secrets

 * During a Gathering it is thought by Fireheart that Swiftpaw told some ShadowClan apprentices that ThunderClan was keeping Brokentail within their Clan, thus causing a war among WindClan, ShadowClan, and ThunderClan, because the other Clans were angry that ThunderClan would protect a cat who had done such evil things.

Rising Storm

 * When Fireheart struggles to organize patrols in his new position as deputy, he suggests that Longtail leads the sunhigh patrol, but Runningwind replies with exasperation that Longtail was out training with Swiftpaw. However, Whitestorm helps Fireheart sort out the patrols and suggests that when Longtail and Swiftpaw return they can go on the evening patrol with him instead.


 * He is seen briefly chatting with the other apprentices before Ashkit and Fernkit's apprentice ceremony.


 * After the forest fire that ravages ThunderClan's camp, he replaces Mousefur on guard duty, and helps out with the rebuilding of the camp.

A Dangerous Path

 * Swiftpaw goes out on patrol with Bluestar, Fireheart, Cloudpaw, and his mentor, Longtail. They find a RiverClan patrol, led by Leopardstar, invading Sunningrocks, and Fireheart orders him to go back to camp and bring reinforcements.


 * After the battle, Longtail blames Fireheart for his apprentice not being made into a warrior, because when he was sent back to camp to fetch more warriors, what he called an "apprentice task", he did not get a chance to participate in the fight very much. This lost Swiftpaw the opportunity to show off his battle skills in front of Bluestar.


 * He is perfectly ready to become a warrior, but Bluestar is thoroughly convinced that every cat in her Clan is a traitor, especially Tigerstar's old allies, Darkstripe and Longtail, with the exception of Fireheart. She refuses to let Swiftpaw become a warrior because of who his mentor is, even after persuasion from Fireheart. She agrees to make Cloudpaw a warrior, partly because of his disbelief in StarClan, even though Swiftpaw had trained for longer than him. Cloudpaw becomes a warrior, Cloudtail, leaving Swiftpaw, Thornpaw, and Brightpaw as apprentices.


 * Swiftpaw now grows frustrated which compels him to prove himself to Bluestar. Swiftpaw convinces the apprentices that if they do something really brave, Bluestar will have to make them warriors. He plans to attack Snakerocks and drive out whatever was killing their prey and living there. Only Brightpaw comes with him to the Snakerocks. They are then met by a pack of vicious dogs. Swiftpaw is killed in the attack and Brightpaw is viciously scarred. Brightpaw clings to one of the dogs as it joins its pack mates in dragging Swiftpaw out of the tree. He is pulled to the ground, where Swiftpaw is brutally killed by the dogs. His body, along with Brightpaw, is later found and brought back to camp by Fireheart and his patrol.

The Darkest Hour

 * During Firestar's leadership ceremony, Swiftpaw appears as a member of StarClan to give Firestar a life. Firestar apologizes to Swiftpaw for not trying harder to convince Bluestar to him into a warrior, but Swiftpaw isn't angry anymore and is more forgiving. He gives Firestar his sixth life, with the gift of mentoring, so he can pass on his knowledge and skills to all the young cats of ThunderClan. When Firestar is given the life, he feels a pang of sheer terror, pain, and a flash of red. He thinks that was what Swiftpaw experienced at the end of his life.


 * At his former denmate, Thornpaw's, warrior ceremony, Firestar mentions Swiftpaw and how he died in honor fighting the dog pack. His former mentor Longtail is seen sitting among the ThunderClan cats with pride and grief on his face at the honorable mention of his apprentice.

Outcast

 * Swiftpaw is mentioned when Whitetail says that Breezepaw had gone out with other apprentices to fight dogs without orders and no warriors for backup. This reminds Lionpaw of the story of how Swiftpaw was killed when he and Brightheart attacked the dog pack back in the old forest.

The Last Hope

 * Swiftpaw is seen briefly at Firestar's death along with the rest of the cats that gave him his nine lives. Jayfeather notes that he gave Firestar the life of mentoring, to which Brambleclaw comments that Firestar was the best mentor he could have hoped for.

Secrets of the Clans

 * Brightheart tells the story of when she and Swiftpaw tried to take on the dog pack by themselves. Brightheart says that he was killed at Snakerocks when she and Swiftpaw were trying to prove themselves so that they could become warriors. They were trying to find out who or what was stealing ThunderClan's prey at Snakerocks.


 * Brightpaw tried to stop Swiftpaw, scenting danger, but he didn't listen, and got them into a fight with a dog four times their size. Six more dogs emerged, and Swiftpaw died fighting, while Brightpaw lost an eye and an ear, but recovered from her severe injuries under Cinderpelt's care. As the story ends, Brightpaw says she will always remember him "fighting like all of LionClan," despite the fact they were impossibly outnumbered.


 * He is also briefly mentioned in the elders section, when Goldenflower talks about Rosetail protecting her in the nursery during the attack from ShadowClan when she was still nursing Swiftpaw.

Trivia

 * In Into the Wild, it is suggested that Swiftpaw had several littermates, but it is unknown what happened to them.
 * On the HarperCollins Warriors website, Swiftpaw is listed as the kit of Willowpelt and Patchpelt, when in fact he is the kit of Goldenflower.
 * Swiftpaw's father was not Tigerstar.

Members
Mother:
 * Goldenflower: Deceased, Suspected StarClan Member

Sibling:
 * Unnamed tabby kit: Status Unknown, Most Likely Deceased

Half Brother:
 * Bramblestar:

Half Sister:
 * Tawnypelt:

Grandmother:
 * Speckletail: Deceased, Suspected StarClan Member

Grandfather:
 * Smallear: Deceased, Suspected StarClan Member

Uncle:
 * Lionheart: Deceased, Verified StarClan member

Half Uncle:
 * Snowkit: Deceased, Suspected StarClan member

Half Nephews:
 * Tigerheart:
 * Flametail: Deceased, Verified StarClan member

Half Niece:
 * Dawnpelt: