Ashfur's Revenge. (warriors: tbc AU)

Chapter 1

Squirrelflight's heart pounded in her chest as she fought for breath. Her race with the ghostly spirits of her deceased Clanmates had left her exhausted, and her legs ached. She skidded to a halt in front of a tree, whose trunk loomed into the sky, never seeming to end. She heard pawsteps behind her and spun around to defend herself, but was surprised to see Willowshine, the former RiverClan medicine cat, standing in front of her.
"Squirrelflight," she whispered, "I know where Bramblestar is. But you must follow me, quickly, we do not have much time."
"Willowshine, you scared the daylight out of me!" Squirrelflight exclaimed. She looked up at the dark night sky that harbored no stars nor the moon. Not that there is any, she thought to herself.
"I'm sorry, Squirrelflight, but we really must hurry," Willowshine urged. "Ashfur has Bramblestar, and I'm afraid if you do not come soon, Bramblestar will not make it out alive."
Squirrelflight's stomach dropped in dismay. Taking a deep breath, she responded, "Alright, Willowshine. Show me the way."
Willowshine nodded. She turned around, signaling with her tail for Squirrelflight to follow her. Soon, they were racing through the trees, their pawsteps pounding on the earth.Then Willowshine slowed to a stop, Squirrelflight doing the same beside her.
Looking ahead to the mound of earth that seemed to grow out of the damp earth, Squirrelflight saw Ashfur sitting in the center, a group of dead Clan cats' spirits gathered around him. Ashfur's icy-blue eyes gleamed malignantly, and his dark gray fur spotted with even darker gray spots shone in the gloom.
Squirrelflight padded up to the hill until she was almost face-to-face with Ashfur. His eyes narrowed as she glared at him.
"Ashfur," she snarled. "Let Bramblestar and the others go."
Ashfur's face contorted with an emotion that was- Contempt? Hate? Squirrelflight couldn't tell.
"Squirrelflight," he growled, "I want to make a deal with you."
Squirrelflight glared at him angrily. "A deal? What kind of deal?" she hissed.
Ashfur snorted at Squirrelflight. "If you stay here with me, I will let your precious Clanmates go," he spat. "If you refuse..." He glanced behind him at Bramblestar, his dark brown fur matted and unkempt. "There will be consequences," he rumbled, looking back at Squirrelflight.
Squirrelflight stared at him. Stay? With you? I could never... she thought to herself. "What kind of consequences?" she growled.
Ashfur's eyes widened, his pupils shrinking into an almost venomous glare. "Bramblestar will not return to ThunderClan... or to anyone," he snarled.
Squirrelflight's heart dropped in her chest. He's going to kill Bramblestar? she thought in despair. ThunderClan cannot go without a leader.. And if he kills Bramblestar, he will most likely kill me too, and StarClan will never return. It had been bad enough living without their warrior ancestors for a few moons, but if StarClan was gone forever, how could the Clans- and the warrior code- survive?
Squirrelflight sighed. It seems as if this is the only way, she thought. She closed her eyes for a moment before looking back at Ashfur, whose malignant stare was as cold as ever.
"All right, Ashfur," she meowed slowly. "If you let them go, I will stay with you."
"Forever?" he whispered, his eyes widening into a surprised gaze.
"Forever," she murmured.
Ashfur stared at Squirrelflight for a moment, seeming to process Squirrelflight's response. Then he turned towards the spirit cats that surrounded him and yowled, "Go. Leave us in peace and return to your Clans."
Squirrelflight watched as the ghostly forms of the deceased Clan cats raced past her in a blur. Bramblestar was the last to leave, and she saw Shadowsight, Rootspring, and Bristlefrost leading him away from the mound to safety.
Turning back towards Ashfur, Squirrelflight stepped up to the mound and sat on the damp earth beside him.