Here's the second part to The Winner Takes it All, out of three. This is Ashfur's part, when some of you probably have guessed. The next and final one…well, you can probably guess who that is.
He could feel the fiery passion burning in his eyes, and the solemn gaze of amber eyes searing his pelt. Next to him stood Squirrelflight, as beautiful as ever, brushing next to his side. He shivered. The fire in her spirit could not even be contained on the inside. She looked at him, and he indulged himself in her green gaze.
Beyond Squirrelflight, Brambleclaw watched, his amber eyes hard as stone, not expressing any emotion. He stood still, even as cats brushed past him. His tabby fur seemed rigid, standing on end. It reminded Ashfur of Brambleclaw's father, Tigerstar, who also brutally murdered his mother, Brindleface. Fury rushed back, and Ashfur smiled, glad to have more of a reason to hate Brambleclaw.
Yet something tiny silently called from his heart, so small he barely listened to it. But it said that the darkness did not shadow Brambleclaw, but the opposite..
Ashfur shook the thought away,. If anything, Ashfur deserved Squirrelflight, and Brambleclaw could be eaten by a fox, for all he cared.
And all the time Ashfur was with Squirrelflight, she would only speak of how much an 'annoying furball' he was; bossing hr around. Ashfur also agreed; it was important that she was completely detached from Brambleclaw, so she could be his.
Yes, that had originally been his plan, but even he couldn't foresee the badger attack, and that had caused Squirrelflight's feelings to shift and make her go to Brambleclaw. Ashfur himself had felt destroyed when that had happened. He had always loved her, unlike that mangy Brambleclaw, and had even imagined having kits together. And even though when Leafpool left, and Squirrelflight had sought out his comfort, Brambleclaw reigned supreme.
But Ashfur's heart still ached, each and everyday. And when he met Hawkfrost that fateful evening, everything had changed forever.
Ashfur had recalled Brambleclaw's half-brother, and still couldn't believe the two were related. Hawkfrost was a diligent, cunning warrior that Ashfur admired, and Brambleclaw…Well, Ashfur just may kill him and Squirrelflight for a couple mouse-tail's.
Hawkfrost spoke highly of Ashfur, saying he didn't deserve to be thrown away like what Squirrelflight did to him, like a piece of rotten prey. Ashfur had been even more drawn it, at each and every word. And when Hawkfrost spoke of revenge, something clicked inside himself. Like, this was what he was supposed to do. Not protect his clan from a vicious dog pack as an apprentice. Not be Squirrelflight's plaything, but get revenge. And Hawkfrost also shed light on Ashfur about Brambleclaw, and made Ashfur waver, now liking Brambleclaw. This made the plan simpler.
But the plan to murder Firestar had failed. Ashfur wanted Squirrelflight to suffer, to feel the pain he did when she rejected him, but it had not worked. Brambleclaw had intervened, making Ashfur seething with rage at him, and Hawkfrost had died in the attempt.
As Squirrelflight had her kits, now Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Hollyleaf, Ashfur began to blend in with the clan life, even though each day he seemed to die over again. Now and they the three would have a confrontation, but nothing to serious. And yet, Ashfur had always had revenge on his mind. When he became Lionblaze's mentor, his first thought was to possibly kill him in battle training, but he knew it would be too suspicious.
And when the fire emerged, capturing the three in the ravine, along with the injured Squirrelflight, he thanked StarClan. It was as if they wanted to get revenge.
When he first stepped onto the branch, the confusion in Squirrelflight's eyes were enough to send his mind into spirals. He used to love those eyes, and now he hated them. Then when the comprehension swept over her face, he smiled. Just seeing the look of fear in her eyes was enough. Then, when he looked at the three huddled in the ravine, the fear in their eyes was enlightening too. Especially Hollyleaf's. Her green eyes were so like her mother's except fuller, brighter. But, they were even beautiful. He had just realized that Hollyleaf was a beautiful cat, and he just may regret killing her.
But once again, his plan had gone awry. Killing the kits had not worked, because Squirrelflight unveiled the terrible secret that they were not her kits. But Ashfur had jumped inside. When she thought she was protecting them, little did she know that she had just sealed her fate.
Yet he had just sealed his own.
Several nights before the following Gathering, his decision to go hunting had been fatal. Truly wanting to hunt for his clan before the upcoming leaf-bare, he sought out prey by the WindClan border. It was there she found him.
Ashfur truly didn't scent her coming, too keen on his catch. He had heard her leap, and felt her claws sink into his fur. He tried to fight back, but it was too late. Hollyleaf twisted her head, sinking her teeth into his scruff.
His last moments seemed to last the longest. Quickly his life flashed underneath his closing eyelids, from being apprenticed, helping with the dog pack, to admiring Squirrelpaw, watching her come back with Brambleclaw, committing her love, her losing her, the vicious bout with Lionblaze, the night of the fire, and just leaving the camp earlier.
But what he remembered the most was the anger he felt towards Squirrelflight, and the pain form her. It was like he and Brambleclaw were playing a game, a deadly game, and the prize was Squirrelflight. The winner takes it all.
And Ashfur had lost.
Even though he may have regretted killing Hollyleaf, she did not regret killing him.
Darkness engulfed him.
And, in the summary for this story, it describes three 'he's'. Ashfur is the first one, the one who regretted nothing of his painful past. Painful because he felt like he was 'being cut open every day, bleeding'. And I think Ashfur didn't regret aligning with Hawkfrost, or trying to kill the kits.