Warriors- The Outcasts
Thornclaw raced past the barrier and didn't stop until he was sure he had traveled far enough.
Please follow me… He desperately needed to get things straight. There was every possibility that Ashfur was telling the truth, but nothing made any sense!
He felt exposed, like everything in the clearing was watching or listening… he ran deeper into ThunderClan territory, hoping that Ashfur would simply follow his scent.
He hadn't gotten far when he was knocked off his paws by an unseen force. He soon found himself glaring into the anxious blue eyes of the cat he was looking for.
"You believe me, don't you?" He begged.
"I can't say much with your claws at my throat." The gold-patched tom rasped.
"Oh, sorry." His grey friend muttered. Ashfur blinked and sheathed his claws, clambering so that he stood on his own paws.
"I need you to believe that it wasn't me."
Thornclaw was silent for a moment, watching his former friend fidget with a cool, level gaze. He licked his lips and Ashfur sighed in relief as he began to speak.
"Let's say that I do." He began. "What in the name of StarClan possessed you to let some evil RiverClan cat take over your brain? Have you lost you StarClan given mind?!" He snarled.
"I didn't have a choice! It's not like I could just fight him off! Even with help from StarClan, by the time I was back here everything had already happened."
"You honestly expect me to believe that some dead cat can take over your body and make you do things you don't want to?" The golden tom snorted.
"It's true-" Ashfur started.
"Fox-dung to that! Stop looking for a way out of this mess and own up to it! You ruined our Clan, Ashfur, and you have a lot to do before you can get anyone to believe you, much less me."
With those words, Thornclaw shouldered past the grey tom and disappeared into the darkness that was the forest. When he was positively out of earshot, Ashfur let out a mournful wail.
Poor little Ashkit lost his best friend… A voice sneered.
"Shut up!" Ashfur growled. "I'm a ThunderClan warrior."
If you say so… you would have made a great candidate for the Dark Forest, y'know? Too bad you had to go and ruin it! We don't really like cats who turn tail at the first sign of trouble, Ashkit.
"Whatever." Ashfur snorted.
I wonder… what happens when Thornclaw finds out you were telling the truth?
"He'll believe me… he has to. He's all I've got now."
He left you, Ashkit. He left you for your mouse-brained Clan. It's too late for him to find out now. You'll be with us by then. Then there will be nothing left…
"What in the name of StarClan are you talking about?!"
The voice now had an owner.
"StarClan doesn't walk where you're going, Ashkit!" Hawkfrost sneered. The grey tom couldn't be bothered to cry out before the dark tabby made his world go black.
Hollyleaf had to admit that she was rather worried when Thornclaw stormed into camp without the grey tom at his heels, begging for mercy as she expected he would be, and after much self-debate, she decided to confront the tom on his friend's whereabouts. She didn't know why, but she knew that somehow, Ashfur was in trouble.
"Where is he?" She demanded of the golden tom.
"How do you know he's not just blowing off some steam? They probably argued and Thornclaw left Ashfur to think for himself." Breezepelt muttered when he finally caught up with her. " It's what cats do when they fight. They want time alone."
"I have a feeling that Ashfur isn't completely alone, Breezepelt. Now, Thornclaw, where is he?"
"Probably sulking in the forest about how I won't believe his lies." Thornclaw snorted and stalked off toward the warriors den, presumably to curl up in his nest and do the same.
"Do you really think a Dark Forest warrior would attack Ashfur for no reason other than he told the Clans that they were back? We all know they exist just like we know StarClan exists." Breezepelt mused. "Why would anyone attack Ashfur? No offense, but he's not the most important cat around."
"I wouldn't put it past Hawkfrost." Hollyleaf muttered. "If Ashfur was telling the truth, then Hawkfrost will probably kill him."
"I just don't get why."
"What would you do if someone exposed your darkest secret and you had no one like me or Crowfeather?"
"I'd flay them alive and hide the body." He confessed. "But since you two are constantly around and I have yet to have a dark secret-" Breezepelt cut himself off.
"Fox-dung!" He spat. Hollyleaf nodded and they bolted into the forest.
"Where are they off to at this time of night?" Crowfeather had noticed that they were talking, but had no idea what about. They seemed to be spending more than a lot of time together, and he briefly wondered whether he should be concerned.
He shook himself out and curled up to sleep. He'd ask Breezepelt in the morning.
Review please! I need your opinion. (Am I making them too OOC?)