Author's Note: Hey guys! I'm back again with a new story called A Greenleaf Breeze.

So as you've probably gathered from the summary, this is a LeafXAsh crack short story. Leafpool and Ashfur have always been a personal favourite of mine, and so I started to write this fanfic. In truth, I've actually had this idea for a long, long time. I'd considered writing a one-shot on the idea but I never really got round to it, so eventually, I decide to turn it into this. XD

Before I start a story, I usually like to post an allegiances page or something like that, but if I'm honest, you guys probably know all the allegiances already. I'm using real characters, and it's set post The Sight/early Dark River chapters. If you want to have another quick look at the characters, you can go and have a look at the allegiances pages on the Warriors Wiki for The Sight. Obviously, the main characters are Ashfur and Leafpool, but you probably didn't need me to tell you that. :)

So this is Chapter One, and I'll get to work on Chapter Two probably after I've finished Chapter Seven of Slaves. I apologise to anyone reading that story, but I felt like I needed to take a break from Slaves. I was lacking a bit of inspiration, but in the mean time, I really hope you like this!

Please RR! XDXDXDXDXD

A Greenleaf Breeze

Chapter One:

As Leafpool watched her Clanmates coming and going through the camp entrance, she couldn't help but feel a little melancholy. The now painfully familiar feeling washed over her like a ripple over the lake; she recognised all of them, Cloudtail, Sorreltail, the deputy Brambleclaw. The tabby brown tom was assembling the sun high patrol, shouting out his orders with authoritative conviction. His tone was brisk, his expression calm, almost nonchalant. The warriors around him nodded, used to the way Brambleclaw organised his patrols.

It was all very normal, the conventional sort of things that happened every day in ThunderClan. The warriors went out on patrols around the borders, hunting for their Clan, while she reorganised her stores with her apprentice, Jaypaw, and collected herbs for the coming seasons. So why did she feel so sad?

In a way, she'd felt like this ever since the day Crowfeather had left.

As soon as the thought of the WindClan tom entered Leafpool's mind, she shook her head in annoyance. No, she told herself, don't think about him. It would only make it worse. But now that she had, she knew there was no chance of forgetting it. Leafpool let out a long, resigned sigh. She remembered Crowfeather's soft scent, and his soothing touch. The feel of his tail intertwined with her own, and the sound of his purrs whenever they met. She closed her eyes, lost in the memories.

But, along with those happy memories, came the ones that Leafpool would've preferred to forget. The look of desperation on his face when he begged her not to return to ThunderClan, the acceptance in his handsome blue eyes when she told him she had no choice…

Leafpool opened her eyes once more, she was back in ThunderClan, watching the patrols leave the camp. The sun burnt brightly in the clear blue Greenleaf sky, and she was standing alone by the medicine cat den. When Leafpool had been just an apprentice, under the guidance of her mentor, Cinderpelt, she use'd to love learning about all the roles and responsibilities of a medicine cat. It wasn't like she'd lost all of her love and enthusiasm for the art of healing, but StarClan, sometimes she couldn't help but envy the thing that all of the warriors took for the granted. The freedom to love.

Leafpool glanced away from the camp entrance, over to the fresh kill pile. Even as the thought crossed her mind, she noticed her father, Firestar, emerging from the leader's den. His ginger fur caught the sun's rays, making him seem like he was ablaze with fire. His green eyes glowed like emeralds. They were scanning the cats below him, searching for one cat in particular. Finally, they rested upon Leafpool's mother, Sandstorm, sat beneath the High-Ledge with a juicy looking sparrow at her paws. He smiled, before padding down from his vantage point on the Highledge towards her, and resting his muzzle on her cheek. Leafpool's eyes narrowed at the sight. She knew it was awful to feel jealous, especially of her own mother and father! But she couldn't help it. She longed for the gentle voice of a tom whispering in her ear, but she didn't just want any old tom, she wanted Crowfeather.

And she missed him. She missed him so much.

Leafpool tore her eyes away from Firestar and Sandstorm's embrace. She couldn't bare to see them so happy together. You're so selfish Leafpool! she thought angrily. Stop moping around feeling sorry for yourself. You're a medicine cat, and love is forbidden.

Her resolve made her nod. She tried to expel Crowfeather from her mind, concentrating on her duties as a medicine cat. She had work to do.

Slowly, the she-cat turned around, away from the sight of Firestar and Sandstorm, and padded into the medicine cat den. The strong aromas of her herbs wafted into her nostrils. To her, there was no better smell around the whole of the lake than a herb store fully stocked in Greenleaf. She looked at them all, comfrey, marigold, borage, all neatly arranged in rows. Except, Leafpool noted, they were running a little low on poppy seeds. She would go and collect some later.

'Leafpool?'

The she-cat turned her head as the voice echoed through the den. It as her apprentice, Jaypaw. The tom's sightless blue eyes blinked rapidly as he raised his head from his nest. He had only just woken up. Leafpool usually made him get up when she did, at the crack of dawn, but she'd allowed him to lie in that day. He had seemed so peaceful, lying in his nest; she just hadn't had the heart to wake him up.

After all, Jaypaw wasn't just Leafpool's was so much more than that. Leafpool had a terrible secret. Not only had she broken the warrior code by falling in love with Crowfeather, but she'd also-

She was thinking about him again. In frustration, her voice came out sounding much annoyed than she'd intended.

'Yes Jaypaw?' Leafpool snapped.

The blue grey tom sat up in his nest, staring forward unflinchingly. 'It's sunhigh,' he mumured, sounded grumpy that he'd been woken up.

Quickly, Leafpool licked her chest self-consciously, composing herself. 'Yes,' she replied. 'You slept in late.'

Jaypaw glared at her. His eyes were blank, but there was something unnerving in his expression. 'Why didn't you wake me up?' he said accusingly.

Leafpool frowned. Her apprentice sounded almost aggressive. She knew that the two of them got off on the wrong paw. Jaypaw had never wanted to be a medicine cat, it had always been his ambition to become a warrior. But Leafpool had foreseen that it was his destiny to become a medicine cat, and eventually, Jaypaw had agreed to become her apprentice, partly out of acceptance, partly because he'd realised it was impossible for him to be a warrior because of his blindness. Either way, he had been devastated. He had to blame someone, and consequently, he often took out his anger on Leafpool.

It hurt her to see him so depressed, but the fact that he blamed her hurt all the more.

'I let you have a lie in,' she defended herself sternly. 'You've been working hard recently, and I thought you could use a break.'

Jaypaw continued to glare at her for a few more moments, before he snorted and looked away. 'Whatever.'

There was a long, awkward silence, before Leafpool coughed. 'Well, if you've got nothing better to do than sit around,' she said, 'then I've got a job for you.' She gestured over to her dwindling supply of poppy seeds. 'We're running a little low. I'd appreciate it if you went out and collected some more.'

Leafpool thought that Jaypaw might refuse to do what she said, but he didn't protest. Instead, he just stood up and padded over to the entrance. Their eyes met just as he was about to leave. They were full of undisguised dislike.

Leafpool watched him go with a sinking feeling in her gut. She didn't want Jaypaw to hate her. She didn't want anyone to hate her, especially not him. A miserable feeling passed over her. She sat down in her nest, staring at the place where her son had just stood. Sometimes, she wished that she'd never returned to ThunderClan. Sometimes, she wished that she'd never even met Crowfeather. Then, maybe she wouldn't have this awful secret, maybe Cinderpelt would still be alive, and maybe her life wouldn't be such a mess.

Ashfur's POV:

The lake was totally still. Ashfur was stood at the edge of the shore, glaring down at his reflection, displayed clearly in the unmoving water. It seemed there was hardly sound in the whole forest. His pale blue eyes were narrowed as he looked at himself in the water, a question beheld in their depths. It was a question he had thought he'd known the answer to, but ever since… ever since her, he hadn't been so sure.

It was past sunhigh. The sun burnt brightly in the sky, illuminating everything below it in a golden glow. It's rays reflected off the surface of the water, making the lake look majestic. Ashfur remembered when he'd first seen the lake, when all the Clans, walking as one, had emerged from the top of what was now WindClan's territory. He remembered the certainty that he'd felt within him, that after sunrise after sunrise of seemingly endless travel, they'd finally found their new home. He had barely been a warrior back then, and now, after moons living beside the lake, he was now a senior warrior.

So it was ironic that, when Ashfur looked at his own reflection, he hardly recognised himself anymore. It seemed to him that he was a completely different cat, one broken by loss and heartbreak. Yes, it was certain he was no longer the same Ashfur that had arrived at the lake. The tom looked disapprovingly at the ruffled grey pelt, that no matter how much he groomed, never looked quite as young as it had used to. He looked over the annoyed, almost confused, expression on his face, and the aged look in his blue eyes. StarClan, he felt old.

It's because of her! a familiar voice snarled inside his head. It's because of Squirrelflight!

The mere thought of the ginger she-cat made his claws unsheathe. A long low growl echoed from within his throat. Anger blew inside him like a storm. Squirrelflight was everything that he despised. She was the reason he had changed so much. She was the reason his heart had broken in two. He imagined sinking his claws into the she-cat's throat, and scratching the smile she had on her face off whenever she talked with her mate, Brambleclaw. How he pitied the ThunderClan deputy for falling in love with a mangy piece of foxdung like her! How he pitied himself! The monstrous voice inside his head purred it's approval.

Suddenly, Ashfur stopped. His whiskers twitched with bitter sadness and regret. But StarClan, I envy Brambleclaw. Just what would he give to be with Squirrelflight? To touch her soft ginger fur, and sleep with her at night, and listen to her voice whispering in his ear. The thought almost made him smile.

But then, the anger sharper than ice returned. 'That doesn't matter!' he growled under his breath. 'Soon enough, I'll have my revenge. I'll show Squirrelflight the true meaning of the pain she caused me!'

Suddenly, something flashed in front of his eyes. He remembered that evening, with the foxtrap. He'd tried once before, to get his revenge, and he'd come so close to succeeding. Agonisingly close. But Brambleclaw had foiled his and Hawkfrost's plan, at the very last moment. Firestar had survived.

But next time, I won't fail. Next time, Squirrelflight will suffer, more than she would've done if Firestar had died. Ashfur smirked. Oh yes, revenge will be sweet.

'Ashfur!'

The familiar voice echoed in his ears. Ashfur's eyes narrowed, and he turned away from the lake to see one of the sunhigh patrols appearing from the forest undergrowth. There were four cats on the patrol, Whitewing, Cloudtail, Dustpelt, led by Brambleclaw. His voice was the one that Ashfur had heard calling out to him. The deputy strutted out of the bush, leading the patrol with obvious confidence. Ashfur felt like snarling at him. Arrogant piece of foxdung, he thought.

'Ashfur,' Brambleclaw repeated, looking surprised. 'There you are.'

'Evidently,' the dark grey tom muttered.

Thankfully, the deputy didn't appear to hear him. 'I didn't see you back in camp,' he continued. 'I was going to put you on a patrol, but you weren't there.'

Oh yes, Ashfur thought. Patrols. He'd left camp before sunrise. The thought that he might've been needed on a patrol hadn't even crossed his mind. The tom forced himself to keep the hostility out of his voice. 'Sorry Brambleclaw,' he said through gritted teeth. 'I just needed a breath of fresh air. I didn't sleep too well.'

Brambleclaw shrugged, although he didn't look entirely satisfied. 'Yes, well next time, make sure to report to me before you leave camp like that, okay?' He glanced backwards, at the other members of the patrol. 'In fact, now that we've found you, you might as well join us for the rest of the patrol. We're heading to the ShadowClan border.'

Ashfur nodded curtly. 'Yes, Brambleclaw.'

The brown tabby tilted his head in return, before turning his back on Ashfur and padding further down the lakeshore, leading them towards the ShadowClan border. The patrol followed him quickly. Dustpelt and Cloudtail went to stand at Brambleclaw's shoulder, whereas Ashfur felt into step beside Whitewing.

'Hey Ashfur!' the white she-cat greeted him warmly.

He grunted in reply, keeping his eyes fixed on the ground. It was Squirrelflight he really hated, but Brambleclaw annoyed him almost as much. He couldn't believe that the son of a cold blooded murderer like Tigerstar was actually one of the most powerful cats in ThunderClan. What had Firestar been thinking, making Brambleclaw deputy?

'It sure is nice now it's Greenleaf,' Whitewing said, glancing up at the cloudless blue sky with a smile on her face. 'I wish it could be like this all year long.'

Ashfur agreed with her absently. He wasn't really listening. His thoughts were on Squirrelflight.

The she-cat paused, sensing that he wasn't in the mood for small talk. 'What's up?' she asked. 'Is there something wrong?'

Ashfur didn't reply, choosing to stay quiet.

A look of concern passed over Whitewing's usually cheerful face. 'Did you have a rough night?' she whispered, so that the other cats on the patrol couldn't hear them. 'You said you didn't get much sleep.'

Ashfur looked at her, wondering whether he could trust her. It was odd of him to think like that. He had known Whitewing ever since she had been a kit, back in the old forest. They'd always been friends, perhaps not close enough to confide in each other their secrets, but certainly friends. So why he felt so mistrustful confused him.

He shook his head. 'Sorry Whitewing,' he said, refusing to meet her gaze. He couldn't help but feel a little guilty about lying to her, but he wasn't going to tell her why he had really left camp. 'I just had a bad nightmare.'

Whitewing hesitated, as if unsure whether she was pressing him too much. 'Are you sure?' she said eventually.

'Of course!' Ashfur snapped. 'Why wouldn't I?'

Whitewing recoiled as if she'd been struck. 'It's just that you always seem so depressed at the moment!' she exclaimed, sounding hurt.

'It's none of your concern.'

Whitewing's eyes contracted a little. 'Why wouldn't it be my concern?' she demanded. 'I'm your friend.'

'That doesn't matter!' Ashfur retorted. 'It's none of your business.'

'What happened to you, Ashfur?' the she-cat sniffed. 'You've changed. Ever since-' she trailed off, twitching her paws anxiously.

Ashfur fixed his eyes on her. They held a hint of a threat. 'Ever since what, Whitewing?' he said coldly.

She looked up and met his gaze. Dark blue latched onto pale green. She looked intimidated, and perhaps a bit scared. But Ashfur was too angry to feel sorry, or sympathetic. All he could feel was passion, and the fury that flowed through his veins so often nowadays. Whitewing didn't deserve it, but he was too taken away in his emotion to think properly.

Eventually, the she-cat lowered her head, unable to hold Ashfur's ferocious stare for any longer. The tom suddenly realised how heavily he was breathing. His tail was twitching as if it had a life of it's own. Slowly, he turned his head to see the rest of the patrol had stopped, and were looking directly at him. Brambleclaw seemed disapproving, but Cloudtail, Whitewing's father, just looked angry.

Ashfur glanced back at Whitewing for a second. He could tell that she was upset, but he wasn't going to apologise. She shouldn't have asked him about Squirrelflight.

'I'm going back to camp,' Ashfur said bluntly. 'Finish the patrol without me.'

At this, Brambleclaw was ready to give Ashfur a bad scolding, but before the deputy could open his mouth, he had already begun to pad away. Brambleclaw shouted at him, ordering him to return, but Ashfur wasn't listening. In fact, he wasn't listening to anything in the whole world. His whole body felt numb, and his head was ringing.

He broke into a run. The shrubs and bushes passed like a blur around him. What in StarClan's name are you doing? Ashfur thought. Whitewing was just asking if you were okay.

Once again, the icy voice rose up inside him. Well she shouldn't have! it snarled. She had the nerve to talk about Squirrelflight right to my face. She said that I'd changed. She has no idea of the pain I'm feeling!

As the forest became unfamiliar around him, Ashfur started to slow down. He hadn't done as he'd said he would, and gone back to camp. If anything, he'd managed to run further away. The tom fell into a walk, and then finally came to a stop in the shadow of a huge oak tree. The sun continued to shine just as strongly overhead. Ashfur wished it would stop. He didn't want the sun. He wanted it to rain, rain until he was soaked to the bone.

Slowly, he rested his head against the rough back of the tree. It felt coarse and uncomfortable in contrast to his soft fur. 'What am I doing?' he murmured to himself. 'What's happened to me?'

He looked up, through the canopy of the forest above him, searching for something to reassure him. Surely StarClan would show him a sign?

But the ever silent forest gave him no answer. There weren't any stars in the sky above. Nothing at all.

Ashfur had never felt more alone.

So what do you think? A decent start? This chapter was mostly just setting up the characters and stuff. In the next chapter I'll get straight to the point with Ashfur and Leafpool's relationship.

Please RR! It really keeps me motivated. :)