Final page of the chapter Future Aziraphale. YAY! Finally after their horrid kiss in season 2, they had to wait 2000 years to have a wet crying, "I miss you" kiss! Next chapter will be in two weeks. I need to catch up on other projects and prepare for the next chapter that will answer questions about this world that Rouge and Crowley live in. Koka's world will be chapter 3 .... or the end of 2. 😉
Fyi it is Rouge as in Red. Not Rogue as in the DnD class!
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(Thank you to those who have offered up wonderful songs to build a playlist. Im at 42 tracks.)
To see previous pages go to my Patreon (support will help me get them out faster) and/or Kofi (this has written details about each page).
I’m am so excited for you guys to see where this story is heading! I have such a blast writing it and planing for each thing. Of course if you have constructive criticisms or theories about what is coming in chapter 3 I am all ears!
Oh and again it would be so kind of you guys to at least check my and my friends social media. We do more than lmk too :)
This novella is inspired by @dark-rose-designs ’s post.
Ashfur sat by the lake, watching the moon rise. Tomorrow would be the gathering and tomorrow he would be set free. Hawkfrost, are you watching? I’m about to get my revenge, I hope you get yours soon.
Ashfur looked at his reflection, a brand new scar was on his cheek, a small patch of fur that would never grow back over his burn. A permanent reminder of that fateful night. The night that would mark the biggest mistake of Squirrelflight’s life. Second only to the day that Squirrelflight chose Brambleclaw over him. He slapped his tail against the water in rage. Mouse-brained she-cat.
“But what will I say?” Ashfur asked himself. “Where will I begin? Should I start with the kits being brought back to the camp? Should I start with the fact that Squirrelflight never showed any signs of pregnancy?”
Ashfur saw the stars reflect in the lake, “StarClan. I hope you’re watching. I hope you see and hear Squirrelflight’s sins. She deserves to suffer even after her death.”
Ashfur sighed happily, feeling a weight lifted from his shoulders. The feeling only lasted for so long as a black shape crashed into him. Ashfur yowled in surprise and kicked out, getting himself free from his attacker. He saw those big green eyes, “Hollyleaf? What are you doing?”
“Stopping you!” Hollyleaf hissed, launching herself at Ashfur and landing a solid blow across his cheek. Pain spread throughout the wound and he felt blood well up on the surface. He snarled and ducked under her next attack, leaping backwards.
“You don’t have to do this,” Ashfur meowed calmly. He knew there was no point in trying to reason with her, but he had to expose Squirrelflight. He had to! If he didn’t, then all of his suffering would’ve been for nothing!
“Neither do you, but if I don’t do this, you’re going to expose everything,” Hollyleaf spat. She reared up, clawing violently at Ashfur’s ears. He hissed and ducked under her, rolling away and kicking out her hind-leg. She crashed onto her side and he dug his claws into Hollyleaf’s shoulder. Hollyleaf screeched in paw and smacked him aside with a blow that sent him reeling.
Ashfur shook his head clear and had just enough time to leap out of the way of her attack. He heard her jaws snap next to his ear. He twisted his neck and bit down on her tail, yanking her across the lakebed. She kicked out with her hind-legs, catching Ashfur in the neck. The gray tom coughed and let her go. He swerved out of the way of her claws and slashed across her muzzle.
Hollyleaf snarled, baring her teeth and smacking Ashfur on the back of the neck. Ashfur hit the surface of the lakebed and felt the air being pushed out of his lungs. Hollyleaf landed on his back and churned her claws against his spine. Ashfur rolled over, knocking Hollyleaf off of him. He felt weak from the blood loss and saw blood covering the stones he was fighting on. Just like my blood that covers the camp.
Hollyleaf pinned him on his back, snarling in his face. “Do it! I have nothing left to live for. I’ve suffered my whole life for this moment, so do it Hollyleaf. Break your precious Warrior Code! Kill me!” He roared in her face.
Hollyleaf paused, flinching back. “If I let you live, you’ll reveal the secret, won’t you?”
“In a heartbeat,” Ashfur spat, not even bothering to struggle under her grip.
Her eyes clouded with grief, “I’m sorry that things could not have been different Ashfur. You could’ve been a valuable member of ThunderClan if you weren’t so blinded by revenge and hatred. Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw will suffer when the truth comes out on its own terms, not because you revealed it out of personal gain!” Hollyleaf bit down hard on his neck.
Ashfur felt weak, his paws tingling and mind fuzzy. This is it. I’m dying. StarClan, are you ready to receive me? He gave Hollyleaf one last look of pure hatred before he fell limp and his vision went dark.
Ashfur opened his eyes to a new type of darkness. He heaved himself to his paws, steadying himself. He felt heavy, yet weightless at the same time. He looked around. Is this StarClan?
From the shadows came a familiar shape. Ashfur felt his heart leap into his throat. “Hawkfrost? You’re in StarClan?”
The dark tabby purred gently, “This is not StarClan Ashfur. This is the Place of No Stars. Here, we can help you get your revenge and you can help me get mine.”
Those eyes. Still as piercing as ever. Ashfur thought, his mind flooding with memories. “Revenge?” He whispered, looking around. He could see other shapes moving around in the darkness, but he couldn’t make out any other specific cats.
“Revenge on Squirrelflight. On her and those pathetic kits,” Hawkfrost spat.
“Do you know who their father is?” Ashfur asked, leaning closer to the handsome tom.
Hawkfrost nodded, “Crowfeather. When she ran off with him, she came back expecting his kits.”
“They are half-clan!” Ashfur’s fur stood up along his spine, “No offense.”
Hawkfrost shrugged. “So what do you say Ashfur? Stay with us, stay with me. I promise you’ll get your revenge.”
Ashfur paused to think. He was already dead, what more could he do? He looked around, this forest was dark and barren. No prey, no sunlight, no river. No friends. But...Hawkfrost was here. Ashfur shook his head, “I cannot stay. I am dead. I have no vengeance left in my body. Thank you Hawkfrost, for everything, but I must leave.”
Hawkfrost’s eyes turned to ice, “Traitor. You’ll never learn and Squirrelflight will never learn her lesson if you leave!”
“It is not my lesson to teach,” Ashfur meowed, turning around and walking about from the ghastly cat. He was vaguely aware of Hawkfrost yelling at him, but he didn’t stop.
“Follow me,” A voice called to him. Ashfur looked over at a pair of deep yellow eyes and blinked. From the darkness came a flat faced shaggy gray she-cat.
“Yellowfang?”
“I will take you to StarClan,” she meowed, leading Ashfur out of the shadows. “You are a fool for ever believing that Hawkfrost loved you. He was using you the same way Tigerstar was using him.
Ashfur felt his heart sink. His deepest suspicion, true. The sun shone across a very noticeable border. The moment he walked over Ashfur could hear prey and water running. He heard cats talking amongst themselves and he felt more at peace. “Thank you Yellowfang.”
“I do not agree with your actions Ashfur. You almost led to Firestar’s death, you almost killed three innocent cats and who knows who else you would’ve killed. But, I know what it feels like to have your heart broken. Brokenstar was once my kit,” Yellowfang explained, leading Ashfur over into a heavily wooded area.
Ashfur flicked his ear in surprise, but did not comment. “Bluestar!” He called out, seeing the former ThunderClan leader sharing tongues with a dark brown tom he didn’t recognize. “Who’s with her?”
“Oakheart, the former RiverClan deputy. The two of them love each more than the stars love the moon,” Yellowfang meowed, flicking her tail in greeting to the two of them.
“Welcome Ashfur,” Bluestar meowed, dipping her head.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
I never thought I’d get to the end of this story. Somewhere in between losing the outline and losing all hope, I forgot about this story, much to my shame. This story deserved a much better writer than I.
But, looking back on this all, I am proud of what I wrote.
The last scene of this are the moments that, when this was a baby in the back of my head, were the ones that made me want to write this. This was the chapter that made me want to begin this story. And I believe this is the perfect way to end it.
So, for those of you who’ve read this or those who’ve now been inspired to do so, Thank You for listening to me ramble into this cold relentless night.
