Ashwings legacy

Chapter 6

Firesouls eyes slowly opened as she awoke from her sleep. Her legs were still a little sore from carrying the stranger the day before but she was feeling much better. She dragged herself out of the warriors den and towards the freshkill pile, where she picked out a small fish. With the fish in her jaws she found a nice spot to enjoy her meal.
It was a cloudy morning and the sun wasn't out yet. As she began eating, she looked around camp for Duskfur or Shadepaw, and didn't see them. They must have taken my advice then.
She began to eat her fish when Mallownose walked up to her. The light brown tabby Tom dipped his head in greeting. "Good morning Firesoul, you feeling okay?" He said in his usual gentle voice.
"Yea, I'm alright, that cat really was heavy." She said before taking another bite from her fish.
"He sure looked heavy!" He said with a chuckle, "speaking of, have you gone to check on him yet?"
Firesoul tilted her head in confusion as she swallowed her bite. "No, I haven't." She responded.
Mallownose looked at her, as if surprised by her response. "You saved him, don't you want to know if he's alright?" He said.
Firesoul looked at her paws, considering his words. "Yea, I guess you're right Mallownose."
He only smiled warmly and nodded. "I'll leave you be then, stay well Firesoul." He said as he padded off.
Firesoul had a deep respect for the Tom, he was a great source of advice, and the two spoke often. After finishing her meal, Firesoul stood and arched her back in a stretch. She looked toward the medicine den and thought about what Mallownose had said.
I should at least see if he's awake yet.
She thought as she padded over and stuck her head into the den. Mothwing caught her eye and she beckoned her to enter with a wave of her tail. "Greetings Firesoul, are you here to check on your friend?"
Firesoul stepped inside and sat next to the strange Toms nest, she watched his flank rise and fall steadily. She also noticed that the swelling on his head had gone down. "I wouldn't call him my friend, I just carried him back to camp is all." She said with a flick of her ear.
Mothwing sighed. "Well since you're here now, don't mind keeping an eye on him while I go check on Lakehearts kits?"
Before she could answer, Mothwing was already out of the den. Firesoul sighed.
It's not like I have anything better to do...
She turned back to the stranger and let her gaze travel over him. He was sprawled out, his legs stretched over the sides of his nest, and his mouth slightly open as he snored softly in his sleep. He had a very unique pelt, like nothing Firesoul had seen before. It was a shiny silver with gray and white tabby stripes. Firesoul had never seen a tabby with two different color stripes, but it looked amazing! Before she could stop herself, she reached out a paw and placed it on his flank.
Woah! It's so smooth and soft!
Her eyes widened as she ran her paw along his fur, and she wondered how his fur was so soft even though he had been asleep since he got here, and couldn't have groomed himself. She was so enthralled in this thought that she didn't even realize the toms eyes had flickered open and he was now looking at her. "Hello...?" He said slowly.
Firesoul nearly jumped out of her fur as she heard his mew. She felt her entire body heat up with embarrassment as she locked eyes with him and she saw his confused and concerned expression. She helplessly fumbled over her words in an attempt to explain. "Y-you're awake! I- uh, I'm sorry, I just- your fur- well..."
   "Hey, hey, it's alright. Just take a breath..." The Tom mewed.
   His tone was calm and friendly, so she stopped and took a deep breath before speaking again. "Your fur is very soft and smooth... I couldn't resist. Sorry..." she said, shuffling her paws uncomfortably, not daring to look up at the stranger. "T-Thanks I guess?" He chuckled sheepishly. "No need to apologize really, but who are you and where am I?" He says nervously.
Firesouls ears burned as she listened to him, his voice was as smooth as a river. He was the most handsome cat she had ever seen. Her heart pounded, but she forced herself to respond. "R-Right, of course... my name is Firesoul, and this is the Riverclan medicine den." She said.
"So you're a medicine cat then?"
"No, I'm not..." she replied nervously. "Mothwing and Willowshine are our medicine cats, they should be back soon."
He nodded in understanding. "Oh, I should introduce myself as well, I am Ashwing." He said as he sat up and looked at her with his handsome emerald eyes.
Wait... he has a warrior name? She thought to herself. "If you have a warrior name, what clan are you from?" She asks out of curiosity.
The tom suddenly looked nervous. "Well... this might sound weird, but I'm from- "
He was cut off as she heard pawsteps behind her. She turned as Mothwing entered, and saw her look of surprise as she saw Ashwing. "Oh! You're awake, do you feel okay? Any lingering pain in your head?"
She hurried to his side and sat beside firesoul. "No, I feel fine..." He responded.
Just then, Willowshine came in and dropped her freshly collected herbs in a pile before joining them beside Ashwings nest. "Hello! I'm Willowshine, what's your name?" She said.
"Uhm... Ashwing..."
"Don't worry Ashwing, we'll have you fixed up and ready to go home in just a moment." Willowshine promised.
As the medicine cats started to examine him, Firesoul noticed that he was starting to look a little overwhelmed. She gave him a soft smile, trying to silently reassure him. Ashwing caught her gaze and returned the smile with a grateful look. She felt her heart beat faster as he smiled at her, she felt as is she could get lost in his soft emerald gaze... "alright, all done."
Mothwings mew broke her from her thoughts and she reluctantly tore her gaze from Ashwings. "Thanks you two..." he paused for a moment before asking hesitantly, "how did I get here?"
Mothwing stepped forward, "well, Firesoul found you washed up by the lakeshore." She started, "she carried you on her back all the way here."
   Firesoul felt pang of embarrassment as Ashwing looked at her in disbelief. "You really did that?" He asked.
   "Oh, yea I did..." Firesoul grinned sheepishly.
   Ashwing looked thankfully into her eyes, it felt as if he was staring strait into her soul and could see her affection towards him growing by the moment. "Thank you Firesoul, I owe you."
   Firesoul felt her embarrassment turn to pride as he thanked her. She heard Willowshine let out a questioning meow. "How did you end up there on the shore anyway?" She asked, tilting her head slightly.
   "Well..." Ashwing began explaining how he had slipped on the path down from the moonpool and must have hit his head while falling and ended up in the lake. "You sure are a lucky cat, you could've drowned!" Willowshine said, her ears laid flat in concern.
   "And why were you at the moonpool in the first place? You are not a medicine cat." Mothwing questioned him with a skeptical look on her face.
   "Wait, I know you have a lot of questions, but I'd really rather explain it all once so please, take me to your leader and I'll explain everything then."
   Ashwings gaze darted hopefully between the two medicine cats, who exchanged glances before speaking. "Fine then, I guess you have a point. Come on, this way." Mothwing turned and lead the group out of the medicine den towards the leaders den. Firesoul heard a whisper from beside her. "Hey, thanks for helping me out back there, I probably would have been overwhelmed by those two if you hadn't been there."
   She gave Ashwing a friendly nod. "It was nothing really, I just smiled is all..."
   "Yea but, it went a long way for me."
   Firesoul quickly averted her gaze, fearing that he would notice her blushing under her fur. They made their way to the leaders den and Mothwing called out into the darkness of the den. "Mistystar, we need to speak with you, may we come in?" 
   The group patiently waited for a response, and a few moments later, Mistystars voice called back. "You may."
   The group entered the den and settled in a half circle around the leader who was now sitting up on m her nest. Firesoul didn't get to enter the leaders den very often, so she felt a little nervous. Mistystars gaze traveled over each cat in the group before settling on Ashwing. "You must be the mysterious stranger I keep hearing about." She said, narrowing her eyes. "You have a lot of explaining to do, so start talking."