Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors or many characters featured in this story. The only things I own are the storyline and the original characters featured in this story.

CHAPTER EIGHT

BRAMBLECLAW

"Are you sure about this?"

"No," Ashfur replied flatly.

"Real comforting to know we left camp for possibly no reason," groused Brambleclaw. "Especially in the middle of leaf-bare."

"Oh hush. It's not like we'll really be missed for one day, and the trip is much shorter now that our territory is here, rather than in the forest."

"It's still far enough that it makes going for no reason a huge pain in the tail."

"Warriors don't complain, Brambleclaw."

"I'm not complaining. I'm stating facts."

"Uh-huh. Otherwise known as complaining."

Brambleclaw hmphed. "I still can't believe Graystar agreed to this right now."

"I'm insulted," Ashfur huffed. "I can be very persuasive when I want to, thank you very much."

"You're very not welcome," he replied. Then Brambleclaw paused. "Show me."

"What?"

"Show me," Brambleclaw repeated. "Show that you really are persuasive."

Ashfur rolled his eyes. "I know what I can do, and I only need to be persuasive when it really matters."

The tabby processed that for a moment. "In other words, you aren't and are just avoiding the challenge," he concluded.

"Am not! I just don't need to waste my mental power on convincing what little mental power you have that I can be convincing!"

"What little mental power I have?" Brambleclaw echoed incredulously. "Says you, the cat who is clearly so bad at swaying others that you've been stalling and dodging the question, so you don't have to lose face when you're forced to admit that you can't cajole me into believing anything."

"I can't believe I'm even arguing about this," Ashfur sighed, shaking his head.

Brambleclaw just grinned.

They walked quietly for a while, the only sound their paws crunching in the snow. Despite the low temperatures that came with leaf-bare, fluffing up his fur was adequate to keep out the chill when combined with the constant walking. It was nice, it was companionable, it was-

"I win," Ashfur suddenly announced.

"Huh?" Brambleclaw blinked and gave his friend a puzzled look.

"I win," he repeated. "I persuaded you."

"Uh... oh, right!" Brambleclaw shook his head. "No you didn't. You failed, remember? You didn't make me think anything."

Ashfur gave him a triumphant look. "No, I won. I tricked you into thinking that I can't trick you into anything."

Brambleclaw opened his jaws to counteract that... but nothing came out. He blinked once, twice. His mouth worked as he tried to find a reply.

"See? I win." Ashfur smirked, chin raised victoriously.

"Stop playing mind tricks on me," Brambleclaw growled, making a face at him.

"Isn't that what you told me to do?" he asked innocently in reply.

"Hmph," he muttered finally. "You were supposed to make me believe that you can convince me, not the other way around."

"You didn't say that," Ashfur returned. "You just said, 'Persuade me.' You didn't add anything specific."

"You weren't even trying to make me think that, though, were you?" Brambleclaw accused.

Ashfur shrugged. "That doesn't matter. I still win."

Brambleclaw huffed indignantly, tail flicking in annoyance. "Cheater."

All he got was a pleased smirk in reply.

"How do we even know StarClan will answer?" Brambleclaw wondered.

"We hope."

Brambleclaw sighed heavily. "You're really not giving me much confidence here, Ashfur."

The pale warrior retorted, "You came, didn't you?"

"I don't trust you to not get killed by a BloodClan patrol," he replied matter-of-factly.

Ashfur hissed. "I am so going to be the one to save you next battle, just to rub that in your face."

Brambleclaw rolled his eyes. "Sure. Definitely. But we are still just warriors. We don't have that much connection with StarClan, not like medicine cats."

"Warriors who've been fighting BloodClan for moons now, with no sight in end," Ashfur added. "Not only that, we've been losing. Slowly, but surely, they've been driving us out and killing us off." His shoulders slumped. "I don't now about you, but I could use some reassurance that StarClan is still watching over us."

Brambleclaw let his gaze travel to his paws. "You're not alone there," he admitted, almost guiltily. "But..." But if Tigerstar is still watching us, surely StarClan is too. I refuse to believe a murderer is the only dead cat who cares about the fate of the Clans.

"But StarClan is more than just distant ancestors that we've never met," Brambleclaw said instead. "So many cats we know are up there with them, both those lost in the Blood Battle and before then: Goldenflower, Thornclaw, Brindleface, Swiftpaw, Sootkit. I know they wouldn't just abandon us."

"They must be there," Ashfur agreed, tail flicking. "But why have they done nothing?"

"StarClan operates in ways we can't understand," Brambleclaw suggested. "Perhaps they're just waiting for the right time to intervene."

"We'll know tonight." Together, the two of them looked at Highstones, looming high above them. "Regardless, I'm sure they'll give us some sign that they're still there," Ashfur meowed, his voice quietly resolute. "BloodClan may have brought us grief, but StarClan won't let them destroy the Clans forever."

"Ah-hah!" Brambleclaw suddenly declared.

Ashfur started at his sudden exclamation, jumping instinctively. "Huh? What?" He gave his friend a sidelong and slightly wary look. "What are you ah-hah-ing about?"

"I just figured out why Graystar let us go to the Moonstone!" Brambleclaw announced proudly.

"Oh?" Ashfur blinked, looking bewildered, but Brambleclaw refused to fall for it.

"He hoped you would be a medicine cat!"

The scarred warrior came to a sudden stop and stared at him. The tabby grinned back, looking every bit proud and triumphant as he should after figuring out something like that. He waited patiently for his friend to reply, a satisfied look on his face.

"...You're still on this whole medicine cat thing?" Ashfur finally asked, a note of disbelief in his voice.

He rolled his eyes. "You say that like it's unreasonable."

"It is," Ashfur growled, irritation flaring to life in his blue eyes. "I'm not a medicine cat, Brambleclaw."

"How would you know?" Brambleclaw shot back. "You didn't help Sandstorm give birth, so how would you know if you have undiscovered medicine cat potential? Graystar wanted you to find out; that's why he said yes." He suddenly gasped, and Ashfur tilted his head curiously and warily. "Is this you asked him in the first place? You wanted an excuse to find out whether it's your fate to heal others? Ashfur, you could've just told me! I wouldn't have judged!"

"Oh shut up," he grumbled. "Get the bees out of your brain, Brambleclaw, and stop looking for flying hedgehogs. I am not a medicine cat, nor will I ever be."

"...suuuure," Brambleclaw agreed, drawing the word out. A moment passed. Then Brambleclaw let out a cough, a cough that sounded very much like the word "denial."

Ashfur gave him a long, weary glare. "You've been spending time with Rainpaw, haven't you?" he accused.

"Well... maaaaybe," he admitted. "I've been keeping him company as he recovers. Trust me, I know how hard it is to be stuck in camp. At least all he really has to do is refine his skills a little. But anyways, the sarcasm rubs off on you after a while."

"Why I'm friends with you, not even StarClan knows," Ashfur muttered, raising his head and staring at the blue sky as if it would provide an answer (it didn't).

"You know you love me," he replied with a grin. "Come on, don't deny it! Of course, we can't be anything more than friends if you're going to become a medicine cat..."

Ashfur rolled his eyes and started walking again.

"Debatable. If it gets me away from you, seriously debatable."

The cold breeze swept through the tunnel, ruffling the two warriors' fur. They were silent now, voices still, padding noiselessly deeper into the mountain. The stone was cold underpaw as they approached the main chamber. Stepping in, they saw that moon-high had not yet risen, for the great boulder that dominated the middle of the chamber was unlit still.

Exchanging glances, Brambleclaw and Ashfur quietly stood at the back, near the entrance, hidden by the shadows. The dark tabby warrior sat, licking grit from his pawpads as he waited. As he worked, he felt a sense of calm sweep over him. It'd been a long time since he'd had the chance to really relax, without always fearing that BloodClan could strike at any moment. Being in the presence of the Moonstone, even unlit, was comforting after the past moons of warfare. He closed his eyes, basking in the moment.

A sudden burst of silver light flared to life. Brambleclaw could see it even through his closed eyes, and once it had calmed down, he cautiously cracked them open, squinting at the gleaming rock before them.

"It's time," Ashfur whispered, softly and reverently, padding forward and settling down before the Moonstone.

"I hope StarClan sees fit to share with us," Brambleclaw added, voice just as quiet as he joined his friend. It felt... wrong, to speak any louder than that, especially after the thundering of the war.

Swallowing, he bent his head forward and touched his nose to the silver, gleaming stone. It was cold to the touch. Brambleclaw closed his eyes and let StarClan guide him to wherever they deemed fit. Moments passed in darkness and silence, then he felt a hot gust sweep over him.

Brambleclaw's eyes snapped open, and he let out a startled yelp. The cold stone beneath him had turned into scorching dirt, fires dancing all around the forest that had replaced the cave of the Moonstone. The flames reached high into the sky, the orange-and-red glow a stark contrast to the silver light of the Moonstone, but when he turned to run, he saw dark shadows looming behind him. To his horror, rivers of blood were slipping across the ground from the shadows, reaching for him. He glanced around wildly; Ashfur was nowhere to be seen.

Terror spiked through the warrior as he stared at the two sides, panic twisting his gut. His instincts were screaming at him to run, but Brambleclaw didn't know where to go. Fire or shadow? Which was worse? He wanted to get far away from the flames, but that meant running right to something potentially worse. His gaze flickered wildly between the two, when a sudden shift came over the blazing trees. Suddenly, instead of fierce and dangerous, like it was the time he was trapped in a fire as a kit, it felt... still warm, but familiar. Both terrifying and comforting.

And from the fire stepped a cat.

Brambleclaw's eyes widened, and, disregarding both flame and darkness, he found himself stepping forward toward this strange, new tom. It was obvious from the glowing pelt and sparkling frost at his paws that he was from StarClan. However, Brambleclaw didn't recognize this cat. And yet, at the same time, he seemed eerily familiar; Brambleclaw just didn't know why. The warrior was certain that he had never met this cat before in his life, but there was just something about him!

"Who are you?" he rasped.

The tom's green eyes shone brightly in the flickering firelight, as he stepped back in reply and beckoned him deeper into the mass of flames. Brambleclaw felt an innate trust in this cat, and despite his fear, he found his paws carrying him forward. His breathing got shorter and faster as he drew closer, but his fear was for naught; though the fire licked his pelt, it did not scorch or singe any of his hairs, feeling more akin to a warm breeze ruffling his fur on a sunny day. As he walked, the flames bent around the two of them, forming a sort of den - a blazing sanctuary. He felt no more discomfort than he would walking outside under a bright, cloudless sky. That wasn't to say it didn't make him extremely nervous.

The tom, massive, tall, and muscular, sat in the middle of the now-cool clearing. Brambleclaw looked him up and down, but whatever it was that gave the warrior a sense of familiarity continued to elude him. Green eyes, a sturdy build, dark reddish-brown fur - none of it added up to someone he recognized.

"Hello, Brambleclaw," the tom meowed. The voice sent a jolt through said warrior, and he sat up straighter, stiffening. It was eerily similar to another voice - his father's. "It's nice to finally meet you."

Brambleclaw swallowed, eyeing him again. Now he could see the resemblance. The colors were all wrong, and this tom had a warm, compassionate gaze Tigerstar had never had, but the huge, sturdy build was exactly the same.

"W-who are you?" he stammered, cringing away from the walls.

The cat dipped his head. "My name is Pinestar. And I'm the father of Tigerstar. Your grandfather."

Brambleclaw stared mutely, at a loss for words, shock overcoming fear. Goldenflower had spoken of this cat, father of their father. As a kit, Brambleclaw had heard of how Pinestar had once been leader of ThunderClan, before he chose to become a kittypet, passing the mantle of leadership onto his deputy. But what was he doing here?

Pinestar smiled, sadly, seeming to read the question in his thoughts. "I don't know. Whoever watches over StarClan believed this was where I belonged, so this was where I came when I died."

"But you left ThunderClan!" Brambleclaw blurted out. "And then Tigerstar tried to take over the Clans!"

He sighed, eyes misting over. "I'm sorry for the destruction my son has wrought upon the Clans. I often wonder, what would have happened if I had stayed? Sunstar was a great leader, and I don't regret him taking over, but I do regret not being a better father to Tigerstar. There is a story behind me leaving, but this is not the time or place." Pinestar flicked his tail, sighing again. "Regardless of what's happened in the past, that's not why I'm here tonight."

"Then... why are you here?" Brambleclaw wondered, shifting on his paws. He couldn't stop himself from giving their surroundings another worried look. "And no offense, but why you, rather than Goldenflower, or Firestar, or Bluestar?"

Pinestar just offered an uncertain shrug. "Fate," was his simple reply. "I was chosen, they were not. Simple as that."

"Chosen for what?"

The former leader gestured grandly with his tail, indicating everything around them. Brambleclaw had almost forgotten where they sat, in the face of meeting his grandfather for the first time. He gazed at the flickering flames, completely encompassing the two of them, giving no sign of what might lie beyond.

"This."

"Ok..." he murmured hesitantly. "Then, why me? Why not Ashfur or Cinderpelt or Graystar?"

"I can't tell you everything, Brambleclaw," Pinestar replied, chuckling. "I'm a StarClan warrior, not all-knowing. Besides, some things must remain a mystery for you to solve."

Brambleclaw's tail-tip twitched back-and-forth, and he furrowed his brow. "But..." He shook his head. "Never mind." The warrior looked at the burning walls. Why, out of everything, did it have to be fire? He didn't want to devote time to ponder this; it was best if he ignored where he was. Besides, BloodClan was still a threat. The longer it took...

"What do we do, Pinestar?" he asked, almost pleadingly.

When he turned, he saw the amusement bleed out of Pinestar. The reddish-brown tom's star-shining eyes grew serious, his face becoming grave. "We are surrounded by blood and darkness," he meowed solemnly. "Pain and death. BloodClan has the Clans trapped."

Brambleclaw swallowed, tail flicking uneasily. Pinestar gazed solemnly down at his son's son; upright, the tom stood taller than the young warrior, about equal with Tigerstar. Though he had none of the menace of the tabby leader, he exuded just as much strength, power, and authority. The resemblance was almost uncanny.

Pinestar's focus didn't waver as he continued addressing Brambleclaw. "We have seen many cats join StarClan's ranks in the past several moons. Too many. But all is not lost. Have hope." He stepped closer until the two cats were nearly nose-to-nose. His voice dropped until it was nearly a whisper, and despite the warmth around him, it sent a chill through the tabby. "And when it seems blood will dominate all, remember this, Brambleclaw: Your refuge lies in fire."

"Did StarClan say anything to you?" Ashfur asked.

Brambleclaw sat up, blinking as the powerful leader's last words echoed in his minds. The Moonstone had grown dim again, severing the connection to StarClan. Shaking his fur, he rose, rolling his shoulders and stretching his limbs out. Despite the cold ground that he had slept on, his body felt vaguely warm, a lingering and, quite frankly, an unwelcome reminder of of his dream.

After a moment, Brambleclaw suddenly realized Ashfur had spoken. "Hmm?" He turned to his friend, who was still waiting for a reply. "Oh. Oh, yes. They did." He swallowed, remembering his dream, the streams of blood, the looming shadows, the threatening safety of the dancing flames. "It was... interesting."

"Lucky you." Ashfur sighed, but then a faint smile made it's way across his face. "I saw Brindleface. She... It was like I never lost her." He shook his head. "Anyway, she told me a few things, but it was nothing more than that she had faith in me and the Clans. No prophecies or anything. What about you?"

"I met Tigerstar's father," Brambleclaw offered. "Pinestar."

Ashfur's eyes widened. "You did?" he exclaimed, pricking his ears. "He was the leader who left to be a kittypet, right? What was he like? Was he a lot like Tigerstar?"

Brambleclaw shook his head. "No." Then he immediately corrected himself, "Well, yes and no. I could definitely see they were related - same build, similar voices - and they both had this aura of... authority. But they were different too."

"How so?" asked Ashfur curiously as the two began to pad out of the cave. They were plunged into darkness.

"Pinestar was... gentler. Kinder. Tigerstar always had this threatening feel to him," the tabby admitted, "but Pinestar was calmer and more comforting. Definitely not as vicious. Similar looks, different personalities."

"So, like you and Tigerstar," Ashfur concluded. "Same appearances, but very different motives and goals and ideas."

"I... yeah. I guess that's pretty accurate." Brambleclaw flicked his tail. "Anyways, I was in this really strange dream."

"Oh?"

Brambleclaw described it to him, trying to remember every last detail. He skimmed over the majority of the conversation - that didn't really matter as much - but every other part, he went in length about. He finished off with Pinestar's final sentence: "Your refuge lies in fire," just as they approached the entrance to the outside.

"Whoa." From the light streaming in, Brambleclaw could see his friend's wide gaze on him. "That's... wow. I'm jealous. What does it mean? Like, besides the obvious?"

The tabby simply shrugged. "I don't know. Pinestar didn't say. I still can't believe StarClan chose to share that with me," he confided, stepping out under the mostly-still-dark sky. He glanced toward the horizon, where the sun was just beginning to peek out at them. "Not Cinderpelt or Graystar or any of ThunderClan's other warriors, all of whom are more senior than me."

"Special destiny?" suggested Ashfur, blue eyes lighting up and lips beginning to curve up. "Ooh, am I going to be a deputy to your leader?"

Brambleclaw smirked back. "Yeah, right. Much as I'd love for it to happen, I doubt Graystar would make me deputy. Lots of other cats would be better. Besides, you'd be my medicine cat, not my deputy."

The grin the gray warrior'd been sporting vanished immediately, and he groaned loudly. "Oh come on! Just leave it be already!"

"No promises," he laughed.

No doubt somebody has already figured out my "mysterious" prophecy. It is fairly obvious from an outside perspective.