Warriors: Ashfur's Insanity

Chapter 26

Ashstar stayed up all night with Thornclaw. His fever was getting worse. Birchfall had picked up the fever too. And tomorrow would be the start of leaf-bare. He shuttered. It was already cold, and he could see his breath in the cold air. 

"Ashstar, you need rest," Cinderheart and Brightheart came in the den. 

After Icecloud's and Foxleap's death, the Clan seemed very alert.  Prey was going scarce. Greencough was spreading. Hawkpaw had been badly wounded in the battle, but he managed to survive. He was off of apprentice duties. 

Thornclaw's eyes were dull and glassy with fever. He rasped and coughed every second. 

"I'll sleep in here," Ashstar meowed. He curled around Thornclaw, feeling his cold body. "I'll warm you up," He whispered to Thornclaw.

"Brightheart! Alderpaw!" A shriek erupted from the nursery. "Jaywing is sick!"

Ashstar raced from the den, feeling his heart skip a beat. He saw Jaywing coughing. Her kits looked terrified as they watched their mother cough roughly. 

"This is terrible!" Brightheart meowed. 

Ashstar just couldn't take it. He ran from camp, cutting through the thick forest. 

He stopped at the twoleg place. He sat down, breathing heavily. It's as if my world is crumbling. He then heard voices. He smelled rogue scent. Ashstar peered from behind the thick bushes. He spotted Wolfpaw, Crow, and Honey clustered together. At the far side of the clearing, he saw other rogues. A silver tabby she-cat, a black and gray tom, and a white tom.

It seemed as if the rogue leader, the deputy, and Wolfpaw were talking privately, as if they didn't want others to hear them. 

"I can't believe we killed two ThunderClan warriors. We could've killed that annoying apprentice if my stupid father hadn't gotten in the way," Wolfpaw meowed.

Ashstar gasped.

Crow laughed. "We should take over ShadowClan now. And then the other two Clans, and then ThunderClan last," He meowed.

Honey shifted closer. "And we got away with taking their herbs," She laughed. "Wolfpaw, it's a good thing you told us that they get weak in Leaf-bare. So we should weaken the Clans. We should attack them during leaf-bare. "

Ashstar felt a growl rising in his throat. But he thought Wolfpaw would be kinder.

Wolfpaw pricked his ears. "I smell ThunderClan. "

Ashstar's paws tingled. Maybe I should let myself be found. It's best to weaken them.

"I'll check it out," Wolfpaw meowed. 

Ashstar watched as he padded into the thick bushes. He crept back farther into the shadows.

Wolfpaw padded closer, clearly not able to see Ashstar.

Ashstar jumped on his son, pinning him to the ground. "Wolfpaw!" He hissed.

Wolfpaw gasped, then glared at his father. 

"Stop being with these rogues!" He meowed. "You're gonna get yourself killed fighting us!" He meowed. "And I can't have you to die!" Ashstar looked at his son desperately.

"You don't own me any more. I'm not your son anymore. So stay away from me!" Wolfpaw hissed.

Ashstar felt his heart break. He unsheathed his claws and put his paw to Wolfpaw's ear. "Stay away from ThunderClan," He hissed. He wanted to tell Wolfpaw his dream. But Wolfpaw wouldn't listen. He took his other paw and held it to Wolfpaw's mouth. Then he took his claws and slashed Wolfpaw's ear. Wolfpaw tried to yowl, but Ashstar's paw silenced him. Ashstar jumped up and ran, feeling pain. His heart ached. My son doesn't love me. Anger swelled through him. Well, then I'll treat him like a rogue! 

Thornclaw breathed heavily, trying to say something, but his words were only echoed gasps. He was to weak to even move. Ashstar shuttered. Everyone was getting sick, and leaf-bare had only began. Prey was scarce, the Clan was going hungry, cats were getting sick one by one. So far, Jaywing, Birchfall, and Squirrelflight were sick, along with the elder, Poppyfrost. He heard voices coming outside of the den. Ashstar crept forward, trying not to wake his daughter, Jaywing.

"This is a terrible start to leaf-bare," Brightheart was meowing.

Alderpaw sighed. "I think this is a clear sign that StarClan doesn't want us here anymore. With cats getting sick and hungry and with the rogues killing our cats, I think StarClan is telling us to leave," He meowed.

Ashstar's eyes widened. Is that what the apprentice really believed? Maybe he's right. But I know we can handle a couple of rogues.

"These rogues are vicious. They killed Icecloud and Foxleap in a very terrible way, and they wounded Thornclaw so bad, he's close to dying. I've had a vision from StarClan too. They showed me a place. A place beyond here. It has a huge space with no twolegs. Many trees are there. To me, it seems as if StarClan wants us to leave," Alderpaw meowed.

"We'll be going to the Moon Pool tonight. The others won't be there, of course, since it's not half-moon tonight. We need to get your ceremony finished," Brightheart meowed. "I think we should head out now."

"Take a warrior with you," Ashstar meowed. 

Brightheart and Alderpaw turned around and jumped. "Did you hear us?" They asked.

"Yes," Ashstar admitted. "If you're starting to think we should leave, share with StarClan. They'll surely give you clearer signs if they want us to leave. But they brought us here. And we can survive leaf-bare. We can survive these rogues. But we have to prove our strength," Ashstar meowed. "I'll have Ferncloud and Whitewing to go with you," He meowed. "Go and get them."

"We were only going to go tonight," Brightheart meowed. 

"And you will be going tonight," Ashstar meowed. 

All of a sudden, a gasp sounded from inside the den, and a choking noise echoed in Ashstar's ears. His heart beat faster and harder. His worst fears came true. He took a deep breath and went into the medicine den, feeling his hopes break into a shattering darkness that choked him. He felt like he couldn't breathe.