Warriors: Ashfur's Insanity

Chapter 59

Ashstar woke to the sound of a single yowl. He scrabbled to his paws, his tail lashing. He raced from the den and climbed down the rocks. At the camp entrance, Ivypool stood in a defensive pose. In front of her were three cats. A large white tom, bigger that Ivypool, a large tom with a white head and chest and a very dark gray body along with a white tail, and a ginger she-cat with scars across her eyes. 

"Hey!" Ashstar growled. "Who are you?" He hissed.

The large white tom pushed past Ivypool, his friends following him. 

Ivypool backed up, and Squirrelflight came to stand beside her, glaring at the strangers.

"I'm Silk, and this is Kindle," The large white tom meowed, pointing with his tail to the ginger she-cat. "And this is Vally," He meowed, flicking his tail towards the large white with a white head and chest and dark gray body. 

"What are you doing here, Silk?" Ashstar asked, glaring at them. He felt suspicious and his claws slid out. 

Silk smirked. "Don't worry about us, we aren't a threat," He meowed, his tail flicking. He twitched his ears, looking at Ashstar's claws.

Alderheart padded up beside Ashstar and gasped. "Th- that's him!" He whispered. "The tom that said he'd come for us!" He meowed, his eyes wide with panic.

Ashstar gave Silk a glare. "What do you want?" He asked, his voice dark.

"Be prepared," Silk meowed. "Some cat might turn on you," He told him, a glint in his eyes. "Shadows with claws of darkness," He sighed. 

"What do you mean? ShadowClan? ShadowClan would never turn on us!" Ashstar growled.

"Whatever, at least I warned you. I wasn't talking about your stupid weak Clans," Silk growled. 

Tigerheart, who was close by, bristled and his eyes blazed with rage. "How dare you call my Clan weak!" He hissed. He leaped on Silk, his claws striking Silk's face. Silk yowled in alarm.

Kindle sunk her claws in Tigerheart's back and tried to drag him off, but he had a good grip on Silk. Silk sunk his teeth into Tigerheart's neck and threw him to the side. 

Tigerheart got to his paws, panting. 

Kindle then leaped towards him, lashing out at his face. 

"Hey! Stop!" Ashstar yowled. He leaped on Kindle, pinning her to the ground, his claws unsheathed. 

Vally still sat back, watching, his eyes wide with panic. 

Silk had scratches on his cheeks. He glared at Tigerheart. 

Squirrelflight and Ivypool leaped on Silk and pinned him to the ground. Jaywing joined in to help. 

"Tigerheart! Are you ok?" Dawnpelt cried, rushing over to her brother. 

"I'm...fine," Tigerheart panted. Blood dripped from a small scratch on his throat. 

Ashstar got to his paws, yet held a paw to Kindle's throat. He looked at Silk struggling to fight off the three she-cats. "Stop!" He hissed, glaring at Silk. "Take your stupid rogues and leave!"

Squirrelflight and Ivypool and Jaywing got to their paws. 

"Leave," Ashstar growled to Silk, showing his fangs. 

"Alright then, but we'll be back," Silk growled. "I have more cats than you can imagine," Silk growled, giving Ashstar a glare. "Kindle, Vally, come with me," Silk flicked his tail, and the large white tom left. 

"We should follow him and make sure he doesn't try anything," Ivypool pointed out, flicking her tail. 

Ashstar nodded and flicked his tail to let them follow the rogues. 

Alderheart's eyes were thin slits. "I knew it," He whispered. "They're coming for us."

Ashstar glanced at him. "I...think you should rest," He pointed out. 

"No! No! I'm fine," Alderheart grinned. "After all, I'm looking after every cat. Twistedpaw has barely started his training, and Mothstripe is still looking after her kits," He meowed. 

"Isn't Littlecloud here?" Ashstar asked. 

Alderheart nodded then walked off, his tail flicking behind him.

Ashstar walked over to Tigerheart, seeing that he had blood dripping from a scratch on his throat. Dawnpelt let him lean against her. 

"Are you ok? Do you need to see Alderheart?" Ashstar asked. 

"No, I'm fine. I'll be fine," Tigerheart panted. 

"No you aren't. Go and see Alderheart," Ashstar growled to him, flicking his tail. 

Tigerheart walked away, Dawnpelt at his side. 

Ashstar decided to head to the fresh-kill pile. He picked two mice, one for himself and one for Cinderheart. He padded to the nursery and caught a glimpse of Twistedpaw stumbling outside the medicine cat den. His twisted paw was held against his side. His ears were cut up and a nasty scar was across his forehead. Besides all those wounds, his eyes shone and he looked confident.

Palekit squeaked with excitment as she saw Ashstar. She raced up to her father, jumping and purring. Ashstar was about to lick her head, but then loud yowls exploded from behind him, in the camp entrance. 

"Ashstar! They're attacking!"