This may not be suitable for all ages. Mentions of death, blood, insanity, the like. You've been warned. ---------------------------------✧✧✧--------------------------------- This story takes place in Long Shadows. For the purposes of this story, the storm and the fire that follows take place before Jaypaw's ceremony. ---------------------------------✧✧✧--------------------------------- "But they aren't my kits!" Squirrelflight cried, one last, desperate attempt to save her niece and nephews. Ashfur's claws dug deeper into Hollyleaf's neck, and his grip tightened. "But you still care about them none the less. Kind of how I would image you would treat your own children..." Squirrelflight lunged desperately at Ashfur, but it was too late. He slipped his claws through Hollyleaf's neck like it was nothing, then tossed her body into the fire. Squirrelflight fell short, falling to the ground, crying. "Aww, don't cry," Ashfur said, standing over her, "You still have two precious kits left." Lionblaze hissed, standing in between Ashfur and Jaypaw. "All of this could be over already, if you would just be my mate," Ashfur said sweetly, bending down to meet Squirrelflight's eyes. Squirrelflight nodded slowly. "Squirrelflight, what are you doing?" Lionblaze cried. He glared at Ashfur, "Don't think you're safe. I will tell every single cat in the clan what you did." Ashfur just smiled. "Oh yes, that's right. I can't have any liabilities." He lunged at Lionblaze, knocking the golden tom over, straight into the fire. Lionblaze disappeared in the swirling flame, and Squirrelflight lets out a strangled cry. "Now Jaypaw," Ashfur purred, "You wouldn't go telling about what I did, would you?" Jaypaw stared at the ground, trembling. "N-no. I- I won't, I won't." Ashfur smiles again. "Excellent. Now, here's the deal. Squirrelflight, pretend to be heartbroken over your kit's deaths. When Brambleclaw pushes it, break up with him. I'll find you and pretend to comfort you. And of course, Jaypaw won't die. And Jaypaw, you won't tell anyone about what happened here, would you?" When both cats nod, Ashfur purrs again. He steps aside, ready to let the other two cats through, but Squirrelflight interrupts. "Promise not to hurt him," she said weakly. "Promise not to kill Brambleclaw." Ashfur pauses, then nods slowly, "Of course, provided you pretend to hate him and don't talk to him. Ever. Unless you're speaking against him." Relief sparks in Squirrelflight's eyes, as she says, "Yes, anything." With that, Ashfur lets Jaypaw and Squirrelflight leave, then follows behind them, the rest of camp bursting into flames. Immediately, the rest of the clan gathers around the emerging cats, worried. "Squirrelflight, what happened? Where are Hollyleaf and Lionblaze?" Brambleclaw asked. Squirrelflight burst into tears and pushed past her mate. "Squirrelflight!" Brambleclaw yowled, then raced after her. "Ashfur-" Firestar started. Ashfur interrupted him, "Dead. Both of them. We barely made it out alive." The gathered cats gasped in shock, and whispered sadly amongst themselves. Leafpool gestures to her apprentice and Ashfur, and the followed her into her den. ----------------------------mean✧✧✧while----------------------- Brambleclaw found his mate sitting alone in an empty clearing. "Squirrelflight," He said, padding towards her. But to his surprise, Squirrelflight pulled away, hissing. "They're dead. In case you were wondering." Brambleclaw reeled back at the relevation, then attempts to comfort his mate. Squirrelfight batted him away, hissing, "And what did you do? Nothing! Ashfur leaped into the fire to save us, while you just sat there and watched! Maybe they would've survived if you'd tried harder! Maybe you should've died instead! Maybe you should have never been my mate to begin with!" Brambleclaw stepped back, hurt by her words. "Maybe Ashfur should've been my mate. He would have certainly been a better parent than *you.*" Squirrelflight murmured gently. "But-" Brambleclaw said. "But nothing! Don't you get it? We're done! We're through! There is no us! We are no longer mates, Brambleclaw!" Squirrelflight yowled. Brambleclaw stared at her, then turned and walked away, tail drooping. Squirrelflight curled up, and waited for Ashfur to come. ---------------------------------✧✧✧--------------------------------- "Jaypaw," Leafpool said, "Before the fire started, I was going to tell you that I think it's time you were made a medicine cat. But, if it's to soon-" "No, it's fine," Jaypaw said, "But if it's okay, I'd like to be called..." Leafpool leaned towards him, and Jaypaw whispered in her ear. Leafpool nodded, then they left to go to the moonpool, where the other medicine cats were waiting. They greeted each other, then Leafpool stepped up. "I have decided Jaypaw has learned everything I can teach him." ---------------------------------✧✧✧--------------------------------- Continued in notes and credits
This may not be suitable for all ages. Mentions of death, blood, insanity, the like. You've been warned. ---------------------------------✧✧✧--------------------------------- Read instructions first ---------------------------------✧✧✧--------------------------------- "I, Leafpool, medicine cat of Thunderclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of a medicine cat, and with your help he will serve his clan for many moons. Jaypaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from rivalry between clan and clan and to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?" Jaypaw nodded, and said, "I do." Leafpool continued, "Then by the powers of Starclan I give you your true name as a medicine cat. Jaypaw, from this moment you will be known as Jayspirit!" The others cheered, then Leafpool said, "Starclan honors your spirit and hard work and welcomes you as a full medicine cat." Jayspirit touched noses with his mentor, then with the moonpool. Everything glowed white, and Jayspirit found all of Starclan chanting his name. Hollyleaf and Lionblaze brushed past him, and then he woke up. Everyone else was asleep, except Leafpool, who was crying softly into the water. "My kits," she whispered, "my beautiful, beautiful kits." Jayspirit knew that she meant him and his siblings, so he settled near his mother, and murmured softly in her ear, "I'm still here..." And then she quieted down and they went back to camp. ---------------------------------✧✧✧--------------------------------- Six moons passed. Ashfur and Squirrelflight became mates, and Squirrelflight became pregnant with his kits. One day, Jayspirit invited Ashfur to help him gather herbs. They walked to a gentle stream, where they stopped. "Why did you do it?" Jayspirit asked as they gathered thyme. "Because Squirrelflight hurt me, so I hurt her back." Ashfur said, not looking up. "But that's not right. You can't just hurt someone because they hurt you. Squirrelflight liked you, but she loved Brambleclaw. She can't control who she loves or why. If you wanted her to be happy, you should've let her stay with Brambleclaw!" "I wanted to be happy. And I come first." Ashfur snapped. "That isn't love," Jayspirit snapped back. "That's your own selfishness. If you really loved her, you'd let her go." "You don't know love!" Ashfur yowled. Jayspirit looked away, "I know more then you think." Ashfur hissed and raced away. <He's not right. He can't be. I know what love is. I love Squirrelflight.> Ashfur skidded to a stop at the edge of the lake, panting. He stood at the edge of the water, staring at his own reflection. If he hadn't been staring so hard, he might have seen Jayspirit emerge from the trees behind him. He might have seen Jayspirit leap. He might have been able to dodge. He might not have fallen into the water and hit his head on a rock. But instead, all Ashfur felt was a sudden push, a crack, and then darkness.
