Warriors: Ashfur's Insanity

Chapter 70

Moons had passed and in all that time came chaos. Tigerstar and his Clanmates and gotten attacked by Crowfrost, who was actually siding with the rogues. Dawnpelt had been badly injured and Tigerstar had lost a life. Dawnpelt's kits were with them too. Mothstripe had been working hard to heal them. Smallfeather, Moonshine, and Palewhisker were sitting vigil for the night, and Ashstar had been waken up by the soft whispers of the wind. 

The air was a crispy cold, like every other night in Leaf-Bare, and Ashstar stretched, not being able to fall asleep. He got to his paws and padded silently from his den, seeing the long shadows of his kits stretching in the clearing. He sat down at the edge of the High Ledge, looking up in the sky and hearing crickets. Memories of his other kits crossed his mind. Stoneheart, Softpaw, Bunnypelt, Wolffang......

Ashstar opened his eyes as a scent wreathed around him. 

"Beautiful night, isn't it?" 

That voice... sounded so familiar.. yet so distant..

Ashstar turned to see Stoneheart. The gray tom was transparent with stars in his fur. His eyes shone a dull blue, and he looked a lot younger than he was when he was still alive. Stars swirled around his paws, and he turned to Ashstar.  

"Stone-Stoneheart," Ashstar breathed. 

"You don't have to whisper, they can't hear you," Stoneheart meowed, whiskers twitching. He flicked his tail to Moonshine, Smallfeather, and Palewhisker. "This is a dream," He explained.

Ashstar shifted his paws. "How?" He asked.  He swished his tail. "Well never mind, StarClan is confusing," He joked, whiskers twitching. "Why did you come?"

"To deliver a prophecy," Stoneheart meowed, closing his eyes. "I wish I could still be in ThunderClan. The other Clans are growing nicely," He purred.

"I agree," Ashstar purred. "What's the prophecy?" He asked, ears pricked. 

Stoneheart opened his eyes and faced his father, his eyes shining brighter than before. "Beware the black crow, for if you kill it, it will bring grief and pain, only then will the eagle's talons get sharper."

"What does that mean?" Ashstar hissed. He was confused. Stoneheart was beginning to fade away. "Wait! What do you mean!" 

Ashstar had been worried about the prophecy all day. What could the crow mean? What could the 'eagle's talons' mean? He'd told Mothstripe about it, and she said she'd think about it. She said the crow could mean Crowfrost or Crowstar. She was also sure that 'it will bring grief and pain' meant that ThunderClan would have to make sacrifices to get rid of the rogues. I was thinking about leading a fighting patrol to fight the rogues and try and get rid of some.... but..

Ashstar padded from his den and stood on High Ledge. "Let all cats old enough to hunt join beneath the High Ledge for a Clan meeting!" He called. Cats began to gather around the High Ledge and murmured quietly.

Ashstar raised his tail for silence. Then he gazed around his Clan. "I've had enough of the rogues, and I'm sure you can agree with me, right?"

Cats yowled agreement, pelts bristling and tails lashing. 

"At Sun-high, we will attack their camp, and we will have them beg for mercy!"  Ashstar hissed. "I will lead a battle patrol, and I will take...," He gazed around his Clan. "Graystripe, Cinderheart, Ferncloud, Ivypool, Bramblehawk, Fluffypelt, Thistlepatch, Snowbreeze, Ambertuft, Willowbrook, Slateheart, and Smallfeather," He meowed, lashing his tail. He jumped down and yowled for the battle patrol to follow him. I'm on my second life...