Ashfur woke up. His mind was racing with thoughts. He had met Tigerstar! Power surged through him. He jumped up and scanned the camp. I will kill Brambleclaw. Ashfur darted out of camp. He knew that Brambleclaw liked to hunt by himself sometimes. Ashfur waited in a clump of ferns. His claws were unsheathed. Then Brambleclaw's scent drifted over him. Ashfur crouched.  He kept himself low and out of the wind, so it wouldn't carry his scent out to get to Brambleclaw. Brambleclaw passed Ashfur. No cat will know. Ashfur leaped out of the ferns and onto Brambleclaw.

The tabby's eyes widened. "Ashfur! I'm not a ShadowClan warrior!" He wailed.

"You took everything from me. Now you will pay," Ashfur hissed. He raised his paw, claws unsheathed. He swung his paw down and hit Brambleclaw's throat. Blood gushed out. Brambleclaw gasped in pain. "Mouse-brain. I killed your kits. I killed Sandstorm. I killed Dustpelt," Ashfur hissed.

Brambleclaw's eyes widened. He opened his mouth to speak, but blood streamed down his mouth and stopped him.

"Tigerstar wanted me to kill all of Firestar's kin. I will do what he said. You are part of his kin," Ashfur hissed. He sank his claws into Brambleclaw's throat and the tabby warrior's breathing got raspier.

"T-Tigerstar told you to kill me?" Brambleclaw rasped.

"Yes mouse-brain. Did you hear what I said?" Ashfur hissed.

Brambleclaw gasped in horror. He tried to wail, but all that came out was a low groan.

Ashfur purred as the deputy's body twitched and then fell limp beneath his paws. He kicked the dead warrior's body into a clump of ferns. Ashfur raced to the ShadowClan border. He stepped his paw over the ShadowClan border. Ashfur lifted his other paw. He lifted his head and sniffed. A ShadowClan patrol! Ashfur scented Russetfur, Oakfur, and Crowfrost. Ashfur sprang from the bushes and landed on Oakfur. He bit the brown tom's neck and the ShadowClan warrior fell limp beneath his paws.

"Oakfur!"  Crowfrost yowled. "You'll pay for this!" He leaped onto Ashfur and kicked his belly.

Ashfur escaped Crowfrost's grip. The scratches on his belly burned and dripped with blood. Ashfur yowled and raced back to camp.

He tripped over Brambleclaw's dead body. Ashfur hissed. The ShadowClan cats were still following! Russetfur leaped on Ashfur's back. Ashfur shook her off as she bit into his shoulder. Ashfur raced into camp. He shoulder and belly burned and dripped with blood.

"Ashfur! What happened?" Firestar came running over.

"ShadowClan cats were on the border! Me and Brambleclaw fought with them but Oakfur killed Brambleclaw! I killed Oakfur in revenge for his death," Ashfur explained.

Firestar's eyes lit up with hatred. "They killed my deputy? I will attack their camp now!" He hissed. He leaped onto the high rock and called a clan meeting.

Ashfur walked over to join. Squirrelflight joined the group of cats, but stalked far away from Ashfur.

"Brambleclaw and Ashfur were out hunting today. They found ShadowClan cats across the border. They fought with them. Brambleclaw was killed by Oakfur. Mad, Ashfur killed Oakfur and ran back to camp for out help," Firestar explained.

Shocked meows echoed through the camp. "We have no deputy!" A cat yowled.

"But.... I will attack their camp now! I will take these cats: Ashfur, Spiderleg, Brackenfur, Thornclaw, Whitewing, Foxpaw, Icepaw, Cinderheart, Berrynose, Mousewhisker, Graystripe, and Honeyfern. The rest of you can guard the camp. Birchfall and Poppyfrost I want you guarding the entrance. Hazeltail I want you guarding the nursery. I will be fighting myself." Firestar  meowed. "Lets go!"

The fighting patrol raced into ShadowClan's camp. The air was thick with their scents. Ashfur lunged for Rowanclaw. The golden warrior yelped in surprise.

"I shall kill you. You are part of Firestar's kin," Ashfur hissed.

"What do you mean? I don't share any of that kittypet's blood!" Rowanclaw hissed.

"Tawnypelt is Brambleclaw's sister. Squirrelflight is Firestar's daughter. Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw are mates. And you are mates with Tawnypelt. Your kits have ThunderClan and ShadowClan blood in them," Ashfur explained.

"Nonsense," Rowanclaw spat.

Ashfur growled and raised his paw. His claws were unsheathed. "Say goodbye!" He hissed. Ashfur raked his claws across Rowanclaw's throat. Blood spilled out and the golden warrior fell limp beneath him. Ashfur hissed as a flame-colored tom sprang on him. "Firestar- what?" Then Ashfur realized that it was Flamepaw. "Oh you pathetic piece of mouse-dung!" Ashfur hissed. "Useless medicine cat apprentice!" Ashfur raked his claws across the tom's throat. The small apprentice fell limp.

"Flamepaw!" A voice hissed.

Ashfur turned to see Tawnypelt standing over her dead son's body. She looked at Ashfur, her gaze filled with hatred.

"I thought you were better!" She hissed. She sprang on him. Tawnypelt raked her claws across his shoulder. She bit his ear and battered at his belly.

"We came to fight here because Oakfur killed Brambleclaw!" Ashfur lied. "Our deputy!"

"My brother is dead.....?" Tawnypelt meowed.

"Well he is isn't he??" Ashfur hissed. He quickly slashed his claws across her throat. Tawnypelt shivered. She fell to the ground, still alive. Ashfur sprinted off. He found Firestar and Blackstar fighting. Ashfur leaped on Blackstar.

"You!" He hissed.

Ashfur raked his claws across the big white tom's shoulder.

Firestar leaped on Blackstar. His weight crushed him. Firestar sliced Blackstar's ears. Blackstar hissed.

Ashfur watched, his eyes glaring.

Firestar lunged for Blackstar and bit into his neck. Flame against white,  they tumbled on the ground. Firestar's claws were wedged with white hair. His eyes gleamed. Blackstar fell to the ground, still alive. Firestar glared at Ashfur and ran off.

Ashfur slipped between blood-drenched ferns. Mousewhisker was a fox-length away. He was battling with Smokefoot. The black tom raked his claws across the ThunderClan warrior's throat. Mousewhisker fell to the ground, limp. Smokefoot raised his head and looked at Ashfur. His face was expressionless: eyes dull and ears pricked and claws unsheathed.

Ashfur ran over to Thornclaw fighting a ShadowClan apprentice. Thornclaw was one of his followers. Then a voice rang though the clearing.

"ThunderClan, retreat!" Firestar yowled. He limped over to Squirrelflight. "We leave in peace," He hissed.

"I'm not sure you will," Blackstar hissed. "I have lost a life because of you," He glared at Firestar with all the hatred Tigerstar had for him. "Leave my camp and my warriors alone. You've no right to come strolling into my camp like you own it. Firestar, you always act like you own everything."

"Your patrol was found hunting in our territory and they killed Brambleclaw, our deputy!" Firestar hissed. His fur was torn and blood stained his body. His eyes were thin chips and they blazed like fire. "ShadowClan has no respect for borders!"

"Like you're any better!" Blackstar hissed, his ears flattened. His tail was lashing from side to side. He looked down at his warriors, amber eyes hostile. "Have any of my patrols been hunting on their territory?"

The cats shook their heads. "Me and Russetfur were patrolling our border when a gray ThunderClan warrior crossed our border. He killed Oakfur. We chased him until he tripped," Crowfrost called. His shoulder was bleeding heavily.

"So it seems that my patrol wasn't inside your borders!" Blackstar hissed. "Some cat must have told you wrong!"

"Great! Lie on Blackstar. The black-hearted coward you are!" Firestar meowed. His green eyes blazed with hatred.

"Firestar!" A cat called. Ashfur turned to see Berrynose. He was holding the dead Mousewhisker by the scruff. "He's dead."

"Now you know not to mess with ShadowClan. We already know that you are weak," Blackstar meowed. "Some of your cats have died."

"Some of yours to. Rowanclaw and Flamepaw!" Ashfur called. The golden warrior was lying in a pool of his own blood. His claws were unsheathed and his eyes starred up into the sky.

"Leave!" Blackstar called.

"We will. But the scars of this battle will never be forgotten. We are prepared for an attack from you. And, don't try to take our territory or we'll be forced to kill off your warriors!" Firestar growled.

"Ah, kittypet, I'd like to see you try!" Blackstar snapped.

And with that, Firestar turned and stalked away, head low, eyes burning with defeat.

"What will we tell Hazeltail and Daisy?" Berrynose was whispering.

"Well.... we have one cat to blame," Firestar hissed. He turned his head and glared at Ashfur. "You lied."

"I'm sorry, Firestar. I just wanted ShadowClan to know that we are not weak," Ashfur meowed.

"You got one of our warriors killed!" Firestar hissed. "As for that.... no fresh-kill for a day!" Firestar growled. He limped ahead of Ashfur.

"Thanks a lot," Berrynose hissed. He trotted ahead of him.

What I did was wrong. I'm more mouse-brained than a dead mouse.

"Hey Ashfur!" Cinderheart padded over.

Ashfur felt her tongue rasp between his ears.

"You look down," She meowed. "What's bothering you?" She asked.

"I..... well.... Firestar accused me of lying," He meowed.

"Did you?" She asked.

"I'm sorry, but yes," Ashfur rasped.

"I don't hate you," She meowed. "I was thinking of the future. Our future. Our kits. Our kin," Cinderheart meowed.

"I'd want to have kits with only you," Ashfur meowed. Then he thought about Squirrelflight. The flame-colored she cat would tear him to pieces if he wanted to have kits with her. Squirrelflight wasn't over it yet. She still hated Ashfur. Even after he killed her kits in the fire.

"Really?" Cinderheart purred.

"Our kits would be the best. The strongest. The bravest. The best." Ashfur purred.

"Great. Because I'm expecting yours," Cinderheart meowed. Her voice was filled with love.

Ashfur's heart dropped. "W-what?" Ashfur meowed. He stopped dead in his tracks. Thunder cracked overhead as they padded on. Rain poured down and tickled Ashfur's ears. "Now?" He asked. "When will they be born?"

"In a couple of moons," Cinderheart replied.

Ashfur flicked his ear. His belly growled. "I'm starving!" He hissed.

"Well when we get back to camp we can eat together. I'll be moving to the nursery when we get back though," Cinderheart meowed.

Ashfur winced as thunder cracked through the sky.

"Quick! We must get to shelter!" Firestar meowed. "Before the storm gets any worse!"

Ashfur's heart stopped. What if the storm got worse. They were almost to the border.

Rain poured more heavy now and it echoed loudly in Ashfur's ears. The clouds were dark and they were soaking with rain.

"I don't want our kits to die," He meowed. He touched his tail along Cinderheart's flank.

"I know," Cinderheart meowed. "I'll be proud of them!"

"Me to!" Ashfur meowed. His paw slipped in mud.  "Oops."

Cinderheart let out a mrrow of laughter as he tripped and landed head first into a mud puddle.

The fighting patrol raced into camp. Thunder cracked the sky as lighting crashed down. Ashfur saw Foxpaw at the fresh-kill pile.

"I'm going to get these scratches fixed," Ashfur meowed. He darted toward the medicine cat den. Firestar was there.

"Hello Leafpool," Ashfur meowed. He looked over to Squirrelflight curled around two tiny kits. "Squirrelflight!"

"What? Oh, Ashfur, have you met my kits??" Squirrelflight asked.

"No, I haven't. Who is the father?" Ashfur questioned.

"Brambleclaw. But the kits won't see their father. He got killed by Oakfur, as you said," She replied.

"Names?"

"Alderkit for the ginger tom and Sparkkit for the golden she cat," She meowed.

"Well..... Cinderheart is expecting my kits," Ashfur meowed. He turned to Leafpool. "Can you get me a piece of fresh-kill? I can't walk. My paw hurts."

"No! I told you that you couldn't eat until tomorrow!" Firestar hissed. "Your punishment for lying!"

"Oh, right," Ashfur growled.

"I will appoint  a new deputy," Firestar declared.

"Firestar, maybe you should wait. Your shoulder is really bad," Leafpool meowed to her father.

"I will  appoint a new deputy and then I will rest," Firestar meowed.

"Fine! Just try not to walk on it!" Leafpool called.

Firestar nodded and limped out of the den to the high rock.

Ashfur winced as Brightheart rubbed some herb juice on his pad.

"Just keep still!" She hissed. "It'll hurt more if it's infected!" She meowed.

Ashfur kept as still as possible. He kept twitching.

"All cats old enough to catch prey join here beneath the high rock!" Firestar called.

Ashfur couldn't join. He could only watch from the medicine den.

"Mousewhisker has died in the battle with ShadowClan. We also have no deputy. This will weaken our clan. Now I say this before the body of Brambleclaw, so that his spirit may hear and approve my choice. Brackenfur will be the new deputy of ThunderClan!" Firestar meowed.

"Brackenfur!"

"Brackenfur!" Sorreltail yowled the loudest.

"Brackenfur!"

"Can you believe it? My father is going to be deputy!" Cinderheart meowed.

"I wish my mother was made deputy," Ashfur purred. He remembered how Tigerstar had killed his mother, Brindleface, to give the dogs a taste for cat blood.

"And with you being deputy, my clan would like to hear your first request!" Firestar meowed.

"Ok! Poppyfrost, I want you to lead a hunting patrol. Find some cats to go with you!" Brackenfur called to his daughter. He turned to Thornclaw. "Thornclaw, I want you to lead a border patrol. Check the ShadowClan border. Also, take some cats with you!" Brackenfur meowed.

Ashfur winced at the thought of Cinderheart having her kits. Yep, traitor blood. Mixed traitor blood. Her kits could try to be like Tigerstar. He turned his head around to see Leafpool talking to her sister, Squirrelflight.

"You can move to the nursery now," Leafpool meowed.

"Ok," Squirrelflight meowed.

Ashfur pictured his mate giving birth and then dying because of it. A strong pain gripped his stomach. Am I feeling it?