Swift Minnow

Swift Minnow is a small, hard-muscled gray-and-white she-cat.

Moth Flight's Vision

 * When Moth Flight loses Slate’s kits, Rocky asks if she wasn’t the one who was supposed to be looking after her, and a disdainful snort is heard. Swift Minnow eyes the young she-cat harshly from the heather wall of the camp, and meows that it is easy to tell Rocky hasn’t been with them long, as he clearly doesn’t know Moth Flight well. The white feline glares back at the other cat and asks what that means, though her belly twists as she guesses what Swift Minnow is going to say before even finishing her question. Swift Minnow sniffs that she never does what she is supposed to, such as when Wind Runner sent her out to catch voles the previous day and she came back with leaves from a stinking plant. Moth Flight defends herself that it wasn’t stinking, and that she had to bring it back because she never smelled leaves like that before, but Swift Minnow shoots back that leaves don’t feed a Clan.


 * Rocky gazes gently at the gray-and-white she-cat and mews at Swift Minnow to not be too harsh, as Moth Flight is hardly more than a kit herself, and kits get distracted. Spotted Fur reassures Moth Flight that he will help her look for the kits, but Swift Minow glances toward the shady hollow in the heather wall where Slate is sleeping. She urges the two that they had better find them before their mother wakes up, as she has had enough grief. Moth Flight determinedly states that she will find them.


 * After Moth Flight leaves WindClan and talks with the Spirit-cats at the Monstone, she learns that she, along with another cat from each Clan, are supposed to become medicine cats. Moth Flight stays at a barn and talks with Micah, a barn cat, about her dreams, and is relieved when he believes her, as she is afraid that her Clanmates wouldn’t believe her, and she imagines Swift Minnow’s scornful mew.


 * Moth Flight and Micah go back to the Clans and tell them about the prospect of medicine cats at a Gathering, but when Moth Flight shares what StarClan told her, they don’t believe her, and Swift Minnow stares at her accusingly. The gray-and-white she-cat asks Moth Flight if she has been daydreaming again. cats of all the Clans voice their doubts, and when Star Flower suggests that they wait for the spirit-cats to tell the Clans themselves, Swift Minnow murmurs in agreement.


 * Moth Flight tells the cats that StarClan said they would split the sky, and when a bolt of lightning proves her correct, the Clans believe her. Moth Flight says that the chosen medicine cats will learn about herbs and that each Clan has cats who know a little about healing, and Swift Minnow lifts her muzzle. She mews that Reed Tail knows plenty, and glances proudly at her mate.


 * After starting her medicine cat duties, Moth Flight reflects on the difference in how her Clanmates treat her, and notes that Swift Minnow no longer teases her when she disappears into thought. Slate's kits distract Moth Flight from work, so she asks Reed Tail to look after the three, and he says that Swift Minnow just came back from hunting, and he will see if she can watch them. However, the kits still ask questions about the herbs, so Reed Tail shoos the kits out of the den and tells them to find Swift Minnow and tell her he sent them. Moth Flight gets ready to get catmint for Rocky, who is sick, and when the kits want to go with her, Reed Tail promises to take them on the moor when Slate wakes up, causing Moth Flight to ask if Swift Minnow was busy. Reed Tail answers that she was tired from hunting, and said a tom would do the job just as well.


 * When Moth Flight returns to camp with the catnip, asks Storm Pelt to dry the catnip but watch over it, and looks at the camp, seeing Swift Minnow and Reed Tail lounge in the late-afternoon sunshine at the edge of the camp.


 * Later, when Moth Flight is going to go to RiverClan with Micah, she pads past Swift Minnow, who is washing in the long grass beside Reed Tail, on the way to the prey pile. The Clan ask her questions about her going to WindClan, and when Holly mentions that Rocky is still sick, Moth Flight defends herself that Reed Tail promised to watch him, causing Swift Minnow to flash her mate a look. She exclaims that he didn’t tell her that, but the silver tabby replies that he isn’t that sick.


 * When Moth Flight and Micah come back to WindClan after Rocky gets sick, the old tom is noted to look old and weak, and Reed Tail and Swift Minnow crouch beside him. Moth Flight says that they must cool her down,and turns to Swift Minnow, telling her to find as much moss as she can, soak it in a puddle, then bring it back. The gray-and-white she-cat races from the den, and when Reed Tail asks what he should do, Moth Flight replies that he should go with his mate.


 * After Micah’s death, Moth Flight wakes to find Wind Runner's flank pressed against her flank, with Swift Minnow on the other side. Wind Runner says they must bury Micah, and when Moth Flight says no, Swift Minnow shifts beside her and points out that burying him will show their respect. Moth Flight asks what will happen to her, and Wind Runner murmurs that she still had her family, with Swift Minnow adding that she has her Clanmates too. Moth Flight leaps to her paws and glares at them, hissing that she wants him, and not them. The she-cat exchange looks, then Wind Runner gestures to some cats to bury Micah.


 * When Moth Flight returns to WindClan after staying in ShadowClan for a moon, she frustrated as she learns that Clear Sky has made borders, and as Pebble Heart tries to calm her down, a gray-and-white pelt is seen against the heather upslope. Moth Flight immediately recognizes it and calls Swift Minnow’s name, the sight of her Clanmate having distracted her from her anger. Swift Minnow squints at them, lifting her tail suddenly and breaking into a run. She greets Moth Flight and asks if it is her, and sprints toward them, meowing happily. The gray-and-white she-cat skids to a halt a tail-length away and stares, eyes rounding at the sight of Moth Flight’s swollen flanks. Swift Minnow exclaims that she is expecting kits, joy lighting up her gaze, and asks if they are Micah’s. Moth Flight purrs that they are, and Swift Minnow meows that they were beginning to think she was never coming home. The older she-cat casts an anxious glance toward the hollow, and the expecting queen explains that she needed time to grieve. The heather rustles behind Swift Minnow as Slate pads out and greets Moth Flight too. When Slate realizes that the WindClan medicine cat is expecting, Swift Minnow plucks at the grass excitedly, and tells her friend that they are Micah’s kits. After Moth Flight confirms that she has returned home for good, Swift Minnow urges her to hurry up and ducks into the heather, meowing that they should get back to camp. Pebble Heart then heads back to his own camp, and Moth Flight follows Swift Minnow’s trail until she emerges onto the stretch of grass outside the camp entrance. The gray-and-white cat has already disappeared inside, and Moth Flight follows.


 * During a Gathering, when Wind Runner announces that she will cut Clear Sky off, cats from the Clans yowl agreement, and Moth Flight is disappointed to see some of her Clanmates, such as Dew Nose and Swift Minnow, join in with the cheering.


 * Later in camp, when Moth Flight looks for a cat to look after her kits while she tends to Rocky, the clearing is deserted, and it is mentioned that Swift Minnow went with a patrol to flush out rabbits from their burrows on the moortop. When Moth Flight learns that Slate has redcough and decides to go to SkyClan to find the healing bark, Spotted Fur asks where she is going, and Swift Minnow is seen back in camp with Gorse Fur, Strom Pelt, Dew Nose, and Fern Leaf. They lounge at the edge of the clearing, sharing a rabbit. Spotted fur says that he will come too and calls to Swift Minnow that they need to gather herbs. He asks if she can look after the kits and Swift Minnow stretches languidly, agreeing.


 * When trying to get bark, Moth Flight and Spotted Fur are held hostage by SkyClan for trespassing, and when WindClan attacks as revenge, Swift Minnow is seen racing into the clearing. The cats from the two Clans begin fighting, and Swift Minnow’s gray-and-white pelt flashes beneath Sparrow Fur’s as the tortoiseshell knows the she-cat’s paws from under her and leaps onto her back. As Moth Flight watches the battle, she sees that Thorn is about to attack Fern Leaf while she wrestles with Birch, and she dodges out of the way as Swift Minnow and Sparrow Fur roll toward her to warn the black she-cat.


 * Later in the battle, after Moth Flight heals Fern Leaf, she scans for more injuries and spots Swift Minnow struggling beneath Sparrow Fur, her whiskers dripping with blood. Moth Flight shrieks at the tortoiseshell she-cat to let her go as the cat on top presses Swift Minnow’s muzzle into the earth, and the medicine cat exclaims that her Clanmate is hurt. After Willow Tail is blinded by Clear Sky, he tells Red Claw that he can do what he wants to her, and the auburn tom unhooks his claws from Swift Minnow’s pelt and pads toward the pale tabby.


 * After the battle is finished and the medicine cats from all the Clans work to treat injuries, Moth Flight asks what they can do for Willow Tail, but Pebble Heart says she is dead. Swift Minnow limps closer, her eyes glistening with grief. The medicine cats continue to heal the cats, and Acorn Fur weaves between Blossom and Swift Minnow, checking for wounds.


 * A few days later, when Moth Flight is about to go to RiverClan, Swift Minnow is seen nosing through the prey pile with Storm Pelt. While coming back, Moth Flight learns from the moth that she is supposed to take her mother to the Moonstone and as she races into the camp, Swift Minnow is seen nosing Slate toward the shelter of the camp wall. Moth Flight’s kits try to get her attention, but Moth Flight tells them to go and shelter with Slate and Swift Minnow. As Moth Flight leads her mother out of camp with Dust Muzzle and Spotted Fur, Swift Minnow stares after her leader and calls for her to come back.


 * A few days after Wind Runner comes back from the Moonstone with nine lives, named as Windstar, she is seen assigning patrols, and she tells Swift Minnow to go to the ShadowClan border with Fern Leaf, Jagged Peak, and Holly. After assigning patrols, Windstar mews at Honey Pelt to get down, as the kit is scrambling onto the ledge halfway up the tall rock, and Swift Minnow and Reed Tail leap from the hollow to get him down.

A Forest Divided

 * Minnow, along with her mate Reed, are two rogues who joined Wind Runner's group at the end of leaf-fall.


 * When Gray Wing explains that he couldn't leave leave his campmates, Slate tells him that he hadn't met Reed and Minnow, as he could take a liking to them. While Gray Wing and Slate are being tended to by Reed, Minnow pads toward the other cats, and suspicious, asks who Gray Wing is. Wind Runner introduces Gray Wing to Minnow, and vice versa, mentioning that she was Reed's mate. Minnow is surprised, as she thought that Gray Wing would be bigger. When Gorse Fur suggests taking out the kits, Minnow offers to go with them, and Gray Wing notices her features.


 * As they begin to leave, Minnow asks if Gray Wing would still be present when they got back, and the latter is uncertain. Wind Runner then tears some grouse, and leaves some for the cats outside of camp, including Minnow. While Wind Runner informs Gray Wing of her camp's current state, she mentions that Reed, Minnow, and Slate were good hunters, as well as good company for her kits. After returning from camp, Gorse Fur announces that Minnow had found a fresh rabbit trail, and decided to hunt, adding that he planned to join her.


 * After the hunt, Minnow returns to camp with a lapwing, which happened to be half-dead when she caught it. When she returns, the kits call out her name. Once Gray Wing drops his catch, Minnow pads past Dust Muzzle and drops her lapwing. When Thunder's presence is felt to be nearby, Minnow drops into a defensive crouch, asking if the others can identify the unknown cat. Gray Wing confirms it to be Thunder, and Gorse Fur replies that he thought he scented him while hunting, and Minnow adds that it was near the four trees, as well as there being multiple. Wind Runner asks if there were rogues, and Minnow replies that they smelled strange. When Gray Wing is about to announce that he wished to stay on the moor, Minnow and Reed hang back in the shadow, eyes glinting.

Path of Stars

 * When Moth Flight is scolded by Wind Runner because she can’t catch prey, Gray Wing thinks that the young she-cat might be more use in camp, and suggests that she sees if Reed and Minnow need her to fetch more heather. Gray Wing had left the pair weaving a shelter against the camp wall, threading steams into the gorse to make a den, with Dust Muzzle helping them. Gray Wing retuns to camp earlier than the rest of the group, and in the clearing, Reed and Minnow work on their den beside the wall, and as they weave heather into the rough frame jutting from the gorse, their gazes flick nervously toward Tall Shadow and Clear Sky, who are visiting the camp.


 * Later, as Wind Runner’s group comes to the four trees, Minnow pads behind Gray Wing and Slate, and frets that she should have stayed behind with Spotted Fur and Reed, as Moth Flight and Dust Muzzle are too young to fight it the rogues attack the camp. Gorse Fur reassures her that the rogues won’t attack the camp. As Wind Runner’s group arrives at the hollow, Gray Wing notes that they are the last to arrive, though Minnow growls from the back that they wouldn’t be if the rogues plan to join them, as the early settlers can’t seem to go anywhere those days without tripping over them.


 * Later, as Gray Wing is taught battle moves before going on hunting patrol, it is mentioned that the day befre, Reed andMinnow had spent all afternoon drilling Moth Flight and Dust Muzzle on the new fighting techniques. After Dust Muzzle catches a rabbit, the patrol spots a grouse, and Gray Wing thinks that Moth Flight, Minnow, Reed, and Spotted Fur would be pleased when the patrol returned to camp with two fat pieces of prey. While trying to catch it, they are attacked by Slash and his rogues, and as Slash attacks Gray Wing, Reed is heard yowling as he comes out of the heather, with Minnow, Spotted Fur, and Moth Flight hurtling out after him. They crash into the attacking rogues.


 * During another Gathering, when the group cats discuss the rogues in their group, Wind Runner complains that Slate says that Fern refuses to go into the warren, but Gray Wing reminds her that Minnow does too, and that not ever cat likes to hunt underground. Wind Runner ignores him and adds that Minnow told her that Willow keeps getting lost in the heather.


 * When Slate’s kits are about to be born, Gray Wing rushes to Reed’s den, where the silver tabby is curled around Minnow. Gray Wing wakes him and informs him on what is happening, and Minnow sits up sharply and mews that she will fetch Wind Runner, who has had more experience. As Minnow slides past Gray Wing, the gray tom asks if he ever helped at a kitting before. Later, as Wind Runner and Reed help Slate with her kitting, Gray Wing waits outside. Fern bounds up to him and tells him that Minnow told her the kits aree coming, and Gray Wing nods.


 * Soon after, when Reed exclaims that Fern is hurt, Minnow and Spotted Fur quickly hare for the camp entrance, fur brushed, with Moth Flight at their heels. Gray Wing bursts from the camp after them. Wind Runner meets the cats on the moor and reports that something attacked Fern, and Minnow dashes back and forth, scanning the heather. Moth Flight says they should follow the blood-scent and hurtles by, and Spotted Fur and Minnow follow. Gray Wing races after them and he comes to where Fern is, bleeding and hurt. He pushes between Minnow and Gorse to where Reed is leaning over her. Moth Flight tries to stop the bleeding with her paws, but when Wind Runner tells her to get more cobwebs, Reed says that Moth Flight knows what she is doing, and that Minnow can find cobwebs. Wind Runner flicks her muzzle toward Minnow, saying that she heard what he said, but the gray-and-white she-cat is already racing downslope. Minnow dives into the heather and disappears. After Fern reveals that it was Bee who attacked her, Reed asks where the cobwebs are and glances over his should, relief in his eyes at seeing Minnow haring toward him. She skids to a halt and drops wads of cobwebs at his paws. Reed said that he still needs more, and Minnow races away again. When the cats get ready to take Fern to camp, Minnow, Gorse Fur, Willow, and Spotted Fur lift Fern onto their shoulders, and carefully carry her back to camp.


 * That night, when Gray Wing is in his den with Slate and his kits, he feels a twinge of pity for Gorse Fur and Minnow, who now stand as camp guards, as the two face a long, cold vigil beside the heather entrance. Slate worries about what Slash might do, but Gray Wing comforts his mate that they are safe, and Gorse Fur and Minnow are guarding the camp, though he thinks that it should be him who stands vigil; Wind Runner had refused his offer to help.


 * During the Gathering to make Slash’s former rogues part of the groups, the cats form a circle around the rogues and Gray Wing nestles between Spotted fur and Minnow. After Tall Shadow, River Ripple, and Clear Sky’s group cats take on their new names, Reed says that after being a moor cat for moons, he wants his name to reflect that, and Minnow agrees and hurries to join him. She says that she would like to be Swift Minnow, and though Wind Runner begins to object, Reed interrupts that he wants to be Reed Tail, and Wind Runner reluctantly accepts.


 * Slash comes to the Gathering and threatens the cats that he has stolen something precious of theirs. The early settlers realize that he has stolen Slate’s kits, and rush to camp. Wind Runner gives cats orders to find Black Ear, who is still missing, and she tells Swift Minnow to take Reed Tail and Dust Muzzle toward the river, and check the gorge and reed beds. When Thunder is about to leave for the pines, Swift Minnow is seen charging toward the gorge.


 * Later, when Gray Wing waits outside for Black Ear and Slate to come back, he answers Silver Stripe and Black Ear’s many questions, but Swift Minnow tells him to save his breath. She pads closer and sits beside Gray Wing, pressing the kits between her flank and his. The gray-and-white moor cat wraps her tail over their tiny bodies, protecting them from the thickening snow, and tells him that Wind Runner is right, and he should be outside. Gray Wing doesn’t answer. White Tail says that he wants Slate, and is hungry, and Swift Minnow glances toward the snow-capped prey pile. She suggests that he try some mouse, but Wind Runner mews that he is too young. Swift Minnow offers that she could chew it for him first, but Gray Wing hushes her at the sound of paw steps. Swift Minnow tells him that it is okay and laps his pelt with long smooth strokes. She soothes him that Slate is coming and that everything will be all right. Black ear runs to Gray Wing, and White Tail and Silver Stripe scramble out from beneath Swift Minnow’s tail to greet their brother.


 * As Gray Wing says his last good-byes to some cats, White Tail asks why Pebble Heart doesn’t live in their group despite being kin. Gray Wing answers that they have their own groups, but he suddenly realizes that the word doesn’t seem to be enough to describe the closeness he feels for his campmates, and realizes that he feels as close to Wind Runner, Gorse Fur, Slate, Swift Minnow, Reed Tail, and Spotted Fur, as he feels to his own kin. Gray Wing meows that they are not groups, but Clans, and renames Wind Runner’s group as WindClan.

Trivia

 * Minnow is not listed in the allegiances of A Forest Divided, despite appearing in the book.

Members
Mate:
 * Reed Tail:

References and Citations
Swift Minnow Swift Minnow Быстрая Рыбка