A/N: Hey guys, I've recently been building up the motivation to work on this story some more, and I was thinking about rewriting it! This is the rewrite of the prologue, and with that I hope you enjoy!
Squirrelflight's fur bristled as she stared down the tom in the fire, the only obstacle left between her and her kits' safety. The tom was a pale gray, with darker flecks streaming down his back. Ashfur, the tom who had once loved her and now hated her for never loving him in return. Everyone thought you'd moved on… Squirrelflight mused in her head. She pushed the thought away at once. No. There isn't any time to dwell on that. Glancing back at the fully grown cats behind her whom she called her kits, she almost let out a cry of despair.
These cats who she'd raised since birth, these cats who she's loved as her own, supported through tough times, are about to die at the paws of a tom who couldn't let go of the past, a past that never concerned them in the first place. Lionblaze, the golden tabby tom who always had a thirst for battle yet was a kind-hearted brother to his littermates and fiercely loyal to his Clan. Hollyleaf, the black she-cat that always had a love for the warrior code, and would die defending it. Jayfeather, the blind gray tabby tom who was extremely grumpy and stubborn, yet had the heart to stay with his Clan through the darkest of days. The kits that she and Brambleclaw had raised.
Ashfur laughed, on his face a crooked smile. "You all thought I was done with our quarrel, but no," He chuckled, icy venom in his meow. "Far from it. I want to see you suffer for your crimes against me, Squirrelflight. You and your kits need to burn for it." Squirrelflight growled softly. He isn't thinking clearly, that's for sure.
"I thought you were a loyal and well-meaning warrior, Ashfur. Where did that disappear to?" She hissed, flattening her ears. The flames around them crackled, their fierce roars making Squirrelflight hazy. I must stay alert, She thought. Or Ashfur could-
"I've always been a loyal warrior to ThunderClan!" He boomed, anger seething in his voice. His tail lashing, he circled around her, snarling viciously. "I just felt like I deserved to have something go right in my life for once!"
Squirrelflight growled softly at the gray tom, curling her lip. "Oh really? Tell me, who was a respected warrior of ThunderClan for the entirety of their warriorhood? Oh wait, waste your breath; I remember exactly who it is. The piece of mouse-dung standing right before my eyes." Ashfur only let out a faint hiss, unsheathing his claws and drawing closer to her. From the corner of her eyes, Lionblaze leaped in front of her and pounced onto Ashfur as the gray tom attempted to push Squirrelflight into the flames.
"Leave us alone, you fox-heart!" snapped Lionblaze, his voice seethed with fury.
Lionblaze! She wanted to wail; but she knew that her kit was only trying to protect her. Glancing back at Hollyleaf and Jayfeather, she knew she had to keep those three alive. They may be Leafpool's, but I raised them. I'm their mother, She reminded herself.
Lionblaze's claws dug into Ashfur's shoulders, making the tom screech in agony. Ashfur attempted to throw Lionblaze off of him, but was barely able to get the large golden tabby off of himself. He instead swiped at Lionblaze's muzzle, still trying to shake him off. Squirrelflight jumped onto Ashfur, her claws unsheathed. Murderer! The flash of shock in Ashfur's eyes managed to give Lionblaze the edge, forcing his forepaw down onto Ashfur's head. Lionblaze shot Squirrelflight a pleading look.
He yowled, "Squirrelflight, go get Jayfeather and Hollyleaf out of the fire! I'll deal with Ashfur!" What? No! I'm not leaving any of my kits behind, especially not with Ashfur! Hollyleaf bounded up to Squirrelflight, Jayfeather at her side. Both were shivering in fear, most likely thanks to Ashfur and the raging forest fire.
"We can't leave you behind, Lionblaze! That'd be dishonorable!" She wailed, her dark green eyes fueled with sorrow and anger. The desperate gleam in Lionblaze's amber gaze told Squirrelflight that they needed to leave before things got worse. While I agree with Hollyleaf, I can't help but understand what Lionblaze means. One of us will die, and that cat's going down with Ashfur.
Lionblaze growled softly at her. "Would you rather us all die at the paws of a murderer-" His meow was cut short as Ashfur threw him into the flames, with him gasping and begging for help, his throat beginning to dry up. He was clinging onto the cliff, almost ready to fall. "Help!"
Hollyleaf rushed over to her littermate as the crackling flames roared louder. "I'm coming, Lionblaze!" She cried, her eyes gleaming with determination. But as soon as she managed to get within his range, Ashfur threw himself at the black she-cat, spitting in fury. He slashed his claws against Hollyleaf's gaze, blood gushing from her once lovely pair of dark green eyes that reflected the dark green leaves of holly berries. Hollyleaf! Hollyleaf screamed in agony and terror, stumbling backwards and away from the two toms. Squirrelflight grabbed her by the scruff and pulled her away from Ashfur, and then dropped her on the ground. How will we get out of here?
Ashfur trudged over to Lionblaze, growling softly with his claws unsheathed. "You ruined me, Lionkit. All of you did! Firestar just had to shove it in my face that you and Brambleclaw had kits and that I couldn't have that! And you all threw jeers at me, making my pain deeper and deeper…until now, that is, I couldn't have gotten you all back for the moons you've tortured me!" Lionblaze attempted to get free from Ashfur's grip on his shoulders, but the gray tom pushed his former apprentice off of the cliff, Lionblaze's wails echoing throughout the camp.
Pulling Hollyleaf and Jayfeather closer together, Squirrelflight nudged them towards a small exit that could possibly get them to safety. Lionblaze wanted us to escape, She reminded herself. And so would Brambleclaw. As discreetly as she could, she helped Hollyleaf get through the small gap that led out of the flames. Hollyleaf seemed to realize what her mother had meant, trying her best to squeeze through. Oh StarClan, let her get through!
"And where do you think you all are going?" Ashfur snapped, although by the time he'd opened his jaws Hollyleaf had already made it through the hole. Hollyleaf might be okay. Jayfeather was halfway through, now stuck in fear out of Ashfur catching him. "So you thought you would leave me here, would you? Well, you may have saved Hollykit, but you sure aren't saving Jaykit." He leaped for Jayfeather, caterwauling a yowl of fury as he aimed his claws for Jayfeather's muzzle. In a split second, Squirrelflight pushed Jayfeather through the hole and took the pain, Ashfur's claws sinking into her flesh. Struggling to get up, Squirrelflight hissed at Ashfur.
She rasped, "You won't get to them now, Ashfur. You never will."
Ashfur snarled in her face. "If you want to play it that way, then…say, would you care to see your son again in StarClan?" Before Squirrelflight could reply, Ashfur hurled her across the small clearing, appearing to be aiming for her to fall off the cliff in the same fashion. But instead, he stopped her from falling off the cliff, dragging her to the center. W-What's he doing? "Don't worry; I won't kill you in the same way as him," Ashfur raised his forepaw to strike Squirrelflight, his claws raking against her flesh. "I'll just leave it up to the stars for your fate." He padded away from Squirrelflight; soon she was unable to see the gray tom in the flames. Oh, StarClan, She thought, struggling to hold on. Please watch over us in these dark days to come…
Allegiances:
ThunderClan:
Leader:
Firestar - ginger tabby tom
Deputy:
Brambleclaw - dark brown tabby tom
Medicine Cats:
Leafpool - light brown tabby she-cat with white chest and underbelly
Jayfeather - gray tabby tom with blind blue eyes
Warriors:
Squirrelflight - dark ginger she-cat with one white paw
Apprentice, Foxpaw (reddish brown tom)
Dustpelt - dark brown tabby tom
Sandstorm - pale ginger tabby she-cat
Cloudtail - white tom
Brackenfur - golden brown tabby tom
Sorreltail - tortoiseshell and white she-cat
Thornclaw - golden brown tabby tom
Brightheart - white she-cat with ginger patches
Ashfur - pale gray tom with darker flecks
Spiderleg - black tom with dark brown underbelly
Whitewing - white she-cat
Apprentice, Icepaw (pure white she-cat)
Birchfall - light brown tabby she-cat
Graystripe - gray tom with darker stripe running down back
Berrynose - cream tom
Hazeltail - small gray and white she-cat
Mousewhisker - gray and white tom
Lionblaze - golden tabby tom
Hollyleaf - black she-cat
Cinderheart - gray tabby she-cat
Poppyfrost - pale tortoiseshell she-cat
Honeyfern - light brown tabby she-cat
Queens:
Ferncloud - pale gray she-cat with darker flecks
Daisy - cream she-cat (Nursing Rosekit; dark cream she-kit and Toadkit; black and white tomkit)
Millie - gray tabby she-cat (Nursing Bumblekit; pale gray tabby tomkit, Blossomkit; tortoiseshell she-kit, Briarkit; dark brown she-kit)
Elders:
Longtail - pale brown tabby tom
Mousefur - small dusky brown she-cat
ShadowClan:
Leader:
Blackstar-large white tom with huge jet-black paws
Deputy:
Russetfur-dark ginger she-cat
Medicine cat(s):
Littlecloud-very small tabby tom
Warriors:
Oakfur-small brown tom
Rowanclaw-ginger tom
Smokefoot-black tom
Apprentice, Owlpaw (light brown tabby tom)
Ivytail-black, white, and tortoiseshell she-cat
Toadfoot-dark brown tom
Crowfrost-black-and-white tom
Apprentice, Olivepaw (tortoiseshell she-cat)
Kinkfur-tabby she-cat, with long fur that sticks out at all angles
Ratscar-brown tom with long scar across his back
Apprentice, Shrewpaw (gray she-cat with black paws)
Snaketail-dark brown tom with tabby-striped tail
Apprentice, Scorchpaw (dark gray tom)
Whitewater-white she-cat with long fur, blind in one eye
Apprentice, Redpaw (mottled brown and ginger tom)
Queens:
Tawnypelt-tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes (mother of Rowanclaw's kits, Tigerkit, Flamekit, and Dawnkit)
Snowbird-pure white she-cat
Elders:
Cedarheart-dark gray tom
Tallpoppy-long-legged light brown tabby she-cat
WindClan:
Leader:
Onestar-brown tabby tom
Deputy:
Ashfoot-gray she-cat
Medicine cat(s):
Barkface-short-tailed brown tom
Apprentice, Kestrelpaw (gray tom with white splotches)
Warriors:
Tornear-tabby tom
Crowfeather-dark gray tom
Heatherpaw-light brown tabby she-cat
Owlwhisker-light brown tabby tom
Whitetail-small white she-cat
Breezepelt-black tom
Nightcloud-black she-cat
Gorsetail-very pale gray-and-white cat with blue eyes.
Weaselfur-ginger tom with white paws
Harespring-brown-and-white tom
Leaftail-dark tabby tom with amber eyes
Dewspots-spotted gray tabby she-cat
Willowclaw-gray she-cat
Apprentice, Swallowpaw (dark gray she-cat)
Antpelt-brown tom with one black ear
Emberfoot-gray tom with two dark paws
Apprentice, Sunpaw (tortoiseshell she-cat with large white mark on forehead)
Elders:
Morningflower-very old tortoiseshell queen
Webfoot-dark gray tabby tom
RiverClan:
Leader:
Leopardstar-unusually spotted golden tabby she-cat
Deputy:
Mistyfoot-gray she-cat with blue eyes
Medicine cat(s):
Mothwing-dappled golden she-cat
Apprentice, Willowshine (gray tabby she-cat)
Warriors:
Blackclaw-smoky black tom
Voletooth-small brown tabby tom
Apprentice, Minnowpaw (dappled dark gray and white she-cat)
Reedwhisker-black tom
Mosspelt-tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes
Apprentice, Pebblepaw (mottled pale gray tom)
Beechfur-light brown tom
Rippletail-dark gray tabby tom
Apprentice, Mallowpaw (light brown tabby tom)
Graymist-pale gray tabby
Dawnflower-pale gray she-cat
Dapplenose-mottled gray she-cat
Pouncetail-ginger-and-white tom
Mintfur-light gray tabby tom
Apprentice, Nettlepaw (dark brown tabby tom)
Otterheart-dark brown she-cat
Apprentice, Sneezepaw (gray and white tom)
Pinefur-very short-haired tabby she-cat
Apprentice, Robinpaw (pale tortoiseshell and white tom)
Rainstorm-mottled gray-blue tom
Duskfur-brown tabby she-cat
Apprentice, Copperpaw (dark ginger tabby she-cat)
Queens:
Icewing-white she-cat with blue eyes, mother of Beetlekit, Pricklekit, Petalkit, and Grasskit
Elders:
Heavystep-thickset tabby tom
Swallowtail-dark tabby she-cat
Stonestream-gray tom
A/N 2: Here's the list of previous reviews because I'm deleting all the old chapters:
Reviews (Old Prologue):
Mintfur - 1) Why thank you! It's quite hard to write her character. (well, for me it is) I'm glad you think so! 2) Hollyleaf didn't exactly escape the flames...she was still on the branch when Squirrelflight told her to run for it. She has just been running straight for now. More will be explained in this chapter, since I have both Hollyleaf and Jayfeather's point of view in here.
Reviews (Old Chapter 1):
Pudgyfluff: 1) I'm sorry that I killed Lionblaze off on you, but I had to choose someone to die. And it couldn't've been Holly, Jay or Squirrel because they're more important. Not saying Lionblaze isn't important, of course. I might add a PoV for him in StarClan. 2) Well, Hollyleaf hasn't found the Clan yet. But that is a great idea for her powers. I'm honestly still not sure what it should be.
Finch Swoop: 1) I was thinking more of an aid to her blindness, since Lionblaze's power wouldn't really benefit her that much in my opinion. And Lionblaze's power being given to Hollyleaf would ruin a plot twist that'll be implemented later on in the story... 2) Well, here's some of chapter two, if that's acceptable.