Ashflash stood on the edge of the border of Waterclan, a fast-paced stream, even more so now that all the snow from leafbare had recently melted. The dark grey tom with white spots knew all of this, beginning to wade in.

"Ashflash!" He turned and narrowed his green eyes, "Birchfrost." The sleek, lithe pale grey tom skidded to a halt, his eyes wide and scared, "Ashflash, get out of the river! You'll get swept away!"

"And why would you care?" Ashflash spat. Birchfrost looked hurt, "I'm your brother." For a moment, it was silent.

Then Ashflash laughed. Birchfrost tilted his head, confused, "What's so funny?" Ashflash quickly changed from laughing to glaring, a hard glint in his eyes, "Some brother you were!"

"Mama, watch me! Look Mama look!" Ashkit had climbed to the top of a thick, sturdy log. Wildshine looked over at him, "Ashkit, get down from there! You're not supposed to climb on the elders' den. You come sit here for a little while and think about respect for the camp." Ashkit's face fell and he did as he was told, jumping down. He went and sat outside the nursery, watching cats go about their duties. A moment later, he saw Wildshine coming toward the nursery with Birchkit and Firekit, his brother and younger denmate.

"You can't climb on the warriors' den," his mother said gently. "It's not safe. Now go find something else to do. Why don't you find Crowshade or Molefoot and see if one of them will teach you a battle move?" She lovingly nuzzled Birchkit, who purred, and giving Ashkit nothing but a glance, ran off with Firekit.

Birchfrost blinked, "I was a kit!" Ashflash lashed his tail, "That's no excuse! Wildshine and Crowshade never loved me! She only had eyes for you because you were better looking, stronger, faster, better than me!" Birchfrost shook his head, but Ashflash didn't let him speak, "It's not like it got any better later in life!"

Ashpaw stood on the edge of the clearing, watching Birchpaw doing a mock battle with his mentor Hookstar. Hookstar! The grey and white tabby leader had chosen his brother to be his first apprentice, saying he had a bright future. Ashpaw knew he should be happy for his brother, but all he felt was envy.

"Why'd I get Gorsetail?" he muttered. "He only has three legs!" It wasn't exactly true; the older tom had been run over by a monster and one of his hind legs had been crushed. It was now completely limp. Gorsetail could still hunt and fight, but not nearly as good as he had with all four legs. Crowshade had told him that the pairing made sense; Gorsetail was patient and would be able to handle Ashpaw's stubbornness.

"I'm not stubborn!" Ashpaw thought. "That's a lie! Why would my father say that?" He felt hurt and confused. He turned and walked away; clearly his mentor wasn't coming to the training session. When he arrived in camp, a little blue she-kit came running up to him, "Ashpaw! Ashpaw!" He looked down at the kit, "Hey Flowerkit."

"Teach me a battle move!" she said excitedly, her tail curling in happiness. Ashpaw smiled; how could he not? Flowerkit was six moons younger than him and very sweet, always wanting to play. He nodded, "Alright, how about we do-"

"Flowerkit!" The pair turned to see Darknight, Flowerkit's mother, "Flowerkit, stop bothering Ashpaw! He's busy!" Flowerkit's tail drooped and she glanced at Ashpaw before heading to the nursery. Ashpaw watched her go, and after Darknight disappeared with her daughter into the den, he saw Firekit in the entrance, smirking.

"Fireblossom was horrible to me!" Ashflash said. "She did everything she could to keep Flowerpetal and I apart! And you took her as your mate. That was when I knew you hated me, wanted to do anything you could to make my life worse." Birchfrost shook his head, his neck fur rising, "Fireblossom can be rude, but she's not-" Ashflash yowled, a yell full of anger.

"Fireblossom jeered and insulted Flowerpetal until she died just a moon ago," he suddenly looked absolutely defeated and pained, "She was the only cat who cared about me and you killed her!" Birchfrost shook his head, "No, I didn't!" Ashflash bared his teeth, "You couldn't have been more responsible if you had done it yourself."

"Promise me," Ashflash said quietly, "that you won't take any chances." Flowerpetal smiled at him, her eyes shining, "Don't worry my love. I'll be home before you know it." Forestclan had crossed the Thunderpath border and put scent markers a couple tail lengths inside Waterclan territory. Hookstar had been hesitant, but eventually decided they would get the territory back that night. Flowerpetal had been chosen to go along; Ashflash had not. Leafpaw, their daughter who was almost ready to become a warrior, was also staying back.

He glanced over at Birchfrost, the new deputy, who had encouraged Hookstar to get the territory back. He was talking to Fireblossom and their three newly apprenticed kits, Bouncepaw, Risingpaw, and Snakepaw. They were going, his brother and sister-in-law. His tail flicked, a bit of agitation showing. Flowerpetal nuzzled him, "Ashflash." He looked down at her and she smiled, touching her nose to his, "Don't worry about them. You're just as good of a warrior as your brother. Better even."

"Waterclan!" Hookstar had come from his den, "Time to get our territory back!" Flowerpetal pulled away, heading toward the patrol. Ashflash watched her go, not knowing that would be the last time she would speak to him.

*Later than night

Ashflash awoke immediately when cats entered the camp. He came out of the warriors den, immediately stopped by Darknight. She had a couple scratches, but her face looked extremely pained.

"What happened?" he asked. Darknight's voice was quiet, "Forestclan were waiting for us; they attacked us as soon as we arrived. They looked starved thanks to leafbare. We weren't ready. It was an accident..." She turned and Ashflash looked over her shoulder. Molefoot, the biggest tom in camp, was putting a limp cat in the middle of camp.

"Flowerpetal!" Ashflash ran forward. Leafpaw was already there, crying silently. Ashflash reached out to touched his nose to his fallen mate's cheek, but Leafpaw suddenly jumped up, glaring at him, "Don't touch her!" Ashflash was shocked; he and his daughter had never been close, but she had never lashed out like this.

"Why weren't you there?" Leafpaw cried out. "Why didn't you save her? You let her die!" Ashflash shook her head, "Leafpaw, I wasn't here. I couldn't-" Leafpaw pulled away, "I hate you!" She ran to the apprentices' den, leaving her father watching her go, knowing that he hadn't just lost the love of his life, but his only kit as well.

Birchfrost looked absolutely shocked, unable to speak. Had he really affected his brother in this way? He'd tried to be there for Ashflash, but had always been pushed away. Ashflash was backing away, deeper into the cold, rushing stream.

"I want to be with Flowerpetal!" he cried out, no longer seeming angry, only distraught. Birchfrost walked toward the bank, "But Leafpaw needs you! She's becoming a warrior tomorrow!" Ashflash shook his head, "My daughter hates me. She told me so." Suddenly, one of Ashflash's legs was swept from under him and the tom yowled, the stream taking him away.

"Ashflash!" Birchfrost yowled, running along the side of the river. Ashflash was flailing, suddenly looking terrified, "Birchfrost! Help me!" Birchfrost jumped onto a rock and reached out, his paw grazing the water, "Grab on!" Ashflash reached out desperately, wrapping a paw around Birchfrost's. The two brothers held tight as the water threatened to sweep them away, not realizing this was the first contact they had had since they were kits.

Birchfrost clenched his teeth, hauling Ashflash up onto the rock. Ashflash was drenched, shivering from the cold. Birchfrost could hear him saying "I don't want to die" over and over again. He helped him jump the gap, letting Ashflash lean against his shoulder as they headed back to camp.

*A couple days later

Ashflash sat outside the warriors den, alone. Leafgaze was standing across the camp, talking to Birchfrost. Leafgaze suddenly turned and ran to her father, "That's how you got whitecough? You were going to-" She cut herself off, trembling slightly, "Papa, I'm sorry." Ashflash nodded, letting his daughter sit beside him and press herself to him. How could he had ever thought he had been doing the right thing? Birchfrost came over, joined by Fireblossom, Wildshine, and Crowshade.

"I'm sorry Ashflash," Wildshine said. "We never did give you the love and attention you needed. Can we try again?" Crowshade nodded, agreeing with his mate. Ashflash smiled, "Of course." Fireblossom apologized as well. The whole family just sat together for a while, talking about things that should have been addressed long ago. But Ashflash didn't mind. With his daughter on one side and his brother on the other, he could feel Flowerpetal's spirit there. He smiled, thinking, "I will be with you again one day. Until then, I have my family."

Author's Note: New one-shot! Yeaaaaaa! I love this one so much. I read a book with a story like this: two siblings where one is loved by all and the other is practically an outcast. SUCH CREATIVITY I POSSESS. This is for Children of the Shadows, an excellent forum created by our very own Xixi. Come join! You'll be very welcome. Anyway, I hope you have a lovely day beautiful one!