Warriors: Ashfur's Insanity

Chapter 58

Alderheart woke in his nest to the sound of yowling outside. He rose to his paws and looked over in Mothstripe's nest. She wasn't there, except for her kits cuddled up together. Alderheart padded over to where they were, and crouched down. He put his paw to Falconkit's head, then he put his paw to Willowkit's head. They were both healthy, not sick. 

Alderheart looked over in Twistedpaw's nest, seeing that he also wasn't there. Alderheart padded into the open, seeing that Ashstar was on High Ledge, and cats were gathered below him. Alderheart raced up the rocks and climbed up on High Ledge, padding to Ashstar, his tail flicking. 

Ashstar turned towards him, his ear twitching. His blue eyes narrowed and he shifted his paws, giving Alderheart an uneasy look.

"Are you picking a new deputy?" Alderheart asked. "You haven't picked one in two moons," He pointed out.

"No, I'm not picking a deputy," Ashstar growled. "I'm just gathering patrols together. And Alderheart, you need to take Twistedpaw up to the MoonCave," He added.

"Alright, I'll head there now," Alderheart meowed. 

"You're going to take a warrior with you," Ashstar growled. He scanned his Clan, his tail lashing. He then turned back to Alderheart. "Take Squirrelflight," He meowed. 

"Alright," Alderheart sighed. He didn't need a warrior with him; no other cat would attack him. 

Alderheart waited at the camp entrance, Twistedpaw by his side. They were waiting on Squirrelflight to come over to them. She must've gone to drink something after eating those traveling herbs, Alderheart thought. 

Jaywing, who was at guard near the camp entrance, glanced at them. "Be safe," She meowed. 

"Don't worry, we will. It's not like WindClan will come over and attack us," Alderheart meowed. He hoped they wouldn't attack...

"Well they do have a new warrior," Jaywing meowed. "Fernpaw became Fernwhisker," She meowed. "I can't believe that WindClan is growing fast," She added, her blue eyes shining. She flicked her tail and curled it around her paws.

Then, the bushes at the top of the hill outside camp rustled, and  Squirrelflight popped out, racing down the slope to meet them. "Alderheart, Twistedpaw, sorry I took so long!" She meowed. "I couldn't get that disgusting taste off my tongue," She added, wrinkling her nose and closing her eyes. 

Alderheart purred with amusement. His gaze swept across Twistedpaw and Squirrelflight. "Lets go," He meowed. 

Ashstar curled up for sleep in his den, feeling empty inside. He had visited his kits and his mate to make himself feel happy, but he just couldn't purr. He had set his daughter Jaywing up to guard the camp entrance. Ashstar knew she was strong, and she'd protect the camp from intruders. Paw steps sounded outside he den, along with a slight purr. 

Ashstar lifted his head and saw Jaywing, a fat mouse in her jaws. "Ashstar, eat," She meowed, dropping the mouse by his nest. "You haven't eaten all day, and I know you're hungry," She meowed. 

Ashstar could hear his belly growling. He snatched the mouse and started eating it. After he was done, his hunger faded away and he licked his lips. 

Jaywing sat down beside him, her eyes dull. "You haven't purred at all ever since Stoneheart died," She pointed out, her tail flicking. 

"I know, and it's because I'm not happy. How can I live without him? He was my son as well as my deputy," Ashstar meowed, his voice cracking. He put his head back n his paws. "Don't try to make me happy. I need sleep," He choked, closing his eyes. 

Jaywing's presence was still beside him for a few more heartbeats, then she finally left the den, her paw steps echoing away. 

Ashstar finally sunk into the depths of sleep. Darkness swamped his vision, then after what seemed like a few heartbeats, blackness faded into blurred colors, then it got clear. Ashstar found himself on a hill. Stars glittered around him, dancing on the grass ad twinkling in the sky. Ashstar padded forward, expecting to see Stoneheart, or maybe his mother, Brindleface, but instead, he only saw the hill slope down towards three cats: A black she-cat, a large golden tom, and a gray tabby tom. 

Ashstar padded down slope towards them and as he closer, he recognized them right away. Hollyleaf, Jayfeather, and Lionblaze! He growled in annoyance. He didn't want to see them, he just wanted to see Stoneheart! 

Hollyleaf noticed him and bristled. "Well look who it is," She growled. 

Jayfather turned his blind blue gaze on Ashstar. "Look at what StarClan brought us," He grumbled. 

"Ashstar?" Lionblaze yawned. 

Ashstar glared at them. "Why did I even come here in the first place?" He growled.

"I'm not sure, but maybe StarClan wants you to make friends with us," Lionblaze meowed, flicking his tail. 

Hollyleaf glared at Ashstar. "Make friends with the cat that killed us? No way," She spat.

"Why would we ever be friends with you?" Jayfeather grumbled. "It's like a cat trying to be friends with a badger!" He exaggerated. 

Ashstar growled in annoyance, then crouched down. "Bring me back, please, StarClan," He muttered. 

"Ashstar," A voice behind him meowed. "You must make friends with them." The voice had a leader-like tone to it. 

Ashstar turned to see Firestar. His green eyes shone, and his fur glittered with starlight. Stars twinkled around his paws. 

"Why?" Ashstar asked. 

"Because you must learn that things change," Firestar meowed, his tail flicking. "At least tell them that you're sorry for killing them," He added, a glint in his eyes.

Ashstar turned to look at them; it was hard not to glare at them. "I-I'm sorry," He muttered. 

"Louder," Firestar whispered behind him. 

Ashstar lashed his tail. "Listen, I'm sorry for killing you!" He growled to the three cats. 

Hollyleaf snorted and looked away. Lionblaze blinked at him, and Jayfeather's blind stare caught him.

"They haven't accepted my apology," Ashstar growled. 

Firestar looked at him. "It takes time," He pointed out.

All of a sudden, darkness swamped Ashstar's vision, and he fell through darkness, his yowls echoing. He woke in his nest, panting. It still felt like he was falling. Wind tugged his fur. 

Ashstar growled and rose to his paws, feeling hungry again. He climbed down the rocks and saw Alderheart by the medicine den, Twistedpaw at his side. 

"Did it go well?" Ashstar asked.

"Yes," Alderheart meowed, his voice shaking. He looked scared. Fear scent drifted from his pelt, and his eyes were glazed with fear. 

"What's wrong?" Ashstar asked. 

"Back on our way to camp, we were attacked by a rogue," Alderheart explained. "He didn't attack but he said his name was Silk. He said he'd come for us," He meowed, his voice shaking. "And at the MoonCave, I had a vision. A terrible vision. The camp was soaked in blood, and I saw strange cats everywhere. StarClan also told me that an alder will grow to save his Clan, and I'm not even sure what that meant," He meowed. 

"Get some rest," Ashstar told him. "Tomorrow is half-moon, right? You'll need rest," He meowed. As he walked away from Alderheart, towards the fresh-kill pile, he felt fear tickling at the bottom of his belly. A rogue named Silk said he'd come for us..... But when?