Burn to Ash

Prologue
"Is this the fate of my beloved clan?" the golden she-cat asked sadly.

"I'm afraid so, Sun. It breaks me to see it after destiny helped me create this place, but a single kit has the power of ashes in her paws."

"That one?" Sun asked pointing at the strongest among the kits that had started to appear. "She has that look to her," she added.

"Yes, I'm afraid so," the ginger tom replied gravely. "She has the power to control her destiny, however. She must fight the forces of love; they will do nothing but ruin her."

"Love saved the clan before though," Sun replied sadly, "it brought Bramblestar to the clans, and surely he is not a bad thing for Ashclan."

"Of course he is not," the old cat assured. "But love doesn't always bring happy endings. Sometimes it is only better to avoid it's pull."

"I suppose so," Sun replied calmly, "I just hope this kit doesn't do the wrong thing."

"She has the potential to make Ashclan even stronger, to the point where it is invinsible. But she also has the ability to make it more vulnerable than it could ever be."

Ash must feed off the burning elm.

"I suppose it must," Sun sighed. "We have nothing to do but wait. We must wait to learn the true destiny of ash."

Chapter 1
"What is your name?" Bramblestar cautiosly asked the young cat who approached him. "And what are you doing on Ashclan territory?"

"I'm Storm," the brown tabby tom claimed. "Just a loner. A friend told me about this place, and I have decided that I might want to join."

Bramblestar raised an eyebrow at Braveheart, curious what his deputy might think. Ashclan was now string and healthy, no longer in need of more cats to join, but they would have to remember that the clan had been created by lost loners, like the one they were facing.

"Being a warrior requires extreme dedication," he warned the cat. "You will always have to bring your clan first, and you must be willing to give up your life for any clanmate. You will wait for the queens and elders to eat before you do, and you will always have to go by our code."

He nodded, "I have heard about all of this before," he commented. "And I have already decided that I would be willing to do this for my new family... if you take me in."

Bramblestar shrugged. "We grow off loners," he claimed, "and we welcome all cats who wish to join us, because that is our purpose. To form a large family that will help us all survive."

He smiled, "Great! Am I a warrior then?"

Bramblestar thought for a moment. "No," he decided. "You will stay in the clan for a short while before we finally decide to accept you."

He nodded, "Sounds good."

Braveheart pointed her head towards the camp. "Why don't you come with me?" she offered, "I'll show you around the camp while they finish up the patrol."

He nodded with excitment.

Bramblestar dipped his head at the deputy and she smiled in return before dissapearing alongside the newcoming cat.

The patrol was a quick one, and Bramblestar was pleased to learn that no cat or animal had been on their territory lately. Swampfur, a newly made warrior, even caught a thrush on the way back, despite the approcahing season of leaf-bare.

When he came back to Ashclan camp that day, the cats were already warming up to Storm, and he already seemed to have learned a lot about the clan.

Later that evening he decided to gather the clan to welcome him. After he had done all the daily anouncements, he summoned the warrior to the front of the cats, "For those of you who have not met him, this is Storm, and he will be joining our clan."

Strom waved his tail to all of the cats; obviously feeling comfotable with the attention he was getting from the crowd.

"Storm! Storm! Strom!" the clan began to chant, for the new member of their clan, and Bramblestar felt pride in his clan.

They were so strong and they were still growing. It seemed like nothing could rip them apart now.

Then why do I feel like something really bad is about to happen?

Chapter 2
When Bramblestar woke up the next morning his clan was in a frenzy. He quickly jumped up to his feet, to see what all the noise and excitment was about.

Oakstorm was pacing the clearing wildly and Bramblestar realized that Mossheart must be kitting; something the whole clan had been expecting for moons.

"How is she?" he asked the worried warrior. "Is she going to be okay?"

"I hope so," he mutered with fear as his eyes widen at the sound of Mossheart let out a screech of horror as Petalscent tried to soothe her.

"It will be okay," Rosemaryfur promised aproaching the worried tom. "Petalscent knows exactly what she is doing, and Mossheart will be fine."

He nodded slowly although it was obvious he was still worrying. Seeing that the tom wasn't about to calm down, Bramblestar crawled into the nursery where Mossheart was gasping in pain.

"Is she going to be okay?" he asked the medicine cat who shrugged.

"Everything is looking normal to me."

"How many kits?" Suddenly a bundle of fur escpaed the queens body as she let out another high pitched wail.

Petalfall picked it up and began to lick the kit.

"This one is dead," she sighed. "I don't know what caused it, but there should be two more kits coming any moment now."

Mossheart let out another screech and one more kit rolled onto the floor. Petalscent didn't even bother to pick it up, as a confused expression entered her face, "I don't know what is wrong with these kits. Why are they all dying before they even come out of her stomach?"

Bramblestar shrugged, as the final kit escaped and Mossheart breathed a sigh of relief. Petalscent picked this kit up and sniffed it for a moment before she quickly began to lick it, sighing with relief.

"Is this one alive?" he asked her, and she nodded.

"Barely, but she is here, and it seems she will survive."

Suddenly Mossheart screeched, and she heavily began to pant. "Are you okay?" Petalscent asked rushing over to her. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know," she breathed out, "it just feels like Starclan is dragging me out of my body."

"I need to get some herbs to see what I can do!" Petalscent exclaimed, but Mossheart stopped her.

"Don't deny Starclan. Just tell Oakstorm that I loved him," she paused looking at the kit, "and tell him I would like to name her Elmkit if that is okay."

Moments later, she collapsed with a sigh, leaving a dark and dreadful feeling inside of Bramblestar, as he looked down at the young kit.

"Welcome to Ashclan, Elmkit," he murmured.

Chapter 3
A twig snapped in the distance as Bramblestar sat in the clearing, sharing some prey with Bushtail. His eyes turned up from the squirrel he was sharing, before he put them back down, figuring it was just the kits running around outside.

Seconds later he heard the leaves rustling, before several pairs of footsteps broke into his thoughts. He looked up to see nothing, but hear the crunching of the flaky leaves.

The clan seemed to have heard because they were looking around suspiciously.

There was silence. Then, not a second later Bramblestar felt himself being thrown over, as a pair of sharp claws dug into his shoulder. He let out a screech and looked up to see a rouge, his ribs poking out of his fur, his patchy fur all ripped up.

Bramblestar felt a small stab of sympathy for the tom, before the rouge raked his claws across the leaders face. Enraged, Bramblestar kicked the cat off him, before pouncing and digging his sharp teeth inside the cats arm, causing him to yowl in pain.

Another cat bowled into Bramblestar who tried to push him off the other rouge. Soon, the two strange cats were swatting at Bramblestar together, as he struggled to avoid them.

"What do you want?" he hissed.

"Your borders steal our prey!" the cat responded in fury. "You are a greedy lot, that can't bother to share your food. No better than the cats who lived here before your lot cruel lot!"

That triggered a switch inside the leader, and he leaped onto both cats with fury, "We are nothing like the cats who loved here before us!" he screeched. The thought of even comparing AshClan with his old family made him horror struck. "We are honorable and noble cats, fighting for what we believe in, not rouges that bully other cats because they are weaker!"

The cats backed away in horror, at the discovery of the fury the leader was displaying, "Then why don't you share your borders with us?" the smaller one squeaked.

"Because we need those borders to survive," Bramblestar responded, as he dodged another pair of paws and swiped his large claws at the cats. "Without them, we would starve due to the lack of prey, becuase it will have been taken by you."

"Well, when you set those borders we are the ones who are starving!" the older tabby shot back, as he lashed at Bramblestar, knocking him down.

Bramblestar struggled to throw him off, and when he finally did he managed to reply, "You wouldn't starve if you joined our clan."

"Clan life isn't for everyone," he responded casually as he took in a deep breath. "Some cats prefer to live on thier own, instead of in such a large group. But you fail to respect that."

Bramblestar was at a loss of a reply for once, so instead of stammering he bowled into the cat, knocking them down.

"Leave!" he hissed. "You are no match for us."

The rouges seemed to understand that they had underestimated the strength and numbers of the cats they were opposing because, they pulled themselves up, and dashed out of camp, but not before giving a call for retreat.

Soon the rather large number had dissapeared through the entrance through camp, leaving the wounded AshClan cats alone, as Nightfern and Petalscent quickly ran from one cat to the other in order to heal all of the cat.

Bramblestar sighed, before noting a pair of small beady little eyes, baring into his pelt. He whirled around to find them coming from the nursery. Elmkit was watching his with a look in her eyes which he failed to identify.

He couldn't help suddenly feeling very worried about the young kit.

Chapter 4
Bramblestar turned his nose around as he scented for the rouges. He knew that they would continue to cause a threat and was detirmined to stop them before they caused any damage to the clan.

"Are you sure we are on the right track?" Braveheart asked behind him. "I think they went the other way..."

"Why don't we split up?" Bramblestar offered. "But we won't attack when we find them. Just report back to camp where we will organize a patrol."

Braveheart nodded and flicked her tail at the rets of the tracking patrol, signalling for them to split up and search for the cats that had just attacked them.

Bramblestar felt himself walking the way his old camp had been, while he stuck his nose out, for any scents that he might find.

He felt the argument he had with the cats repeating in his head, as he tried to track them down. '''Clan life is not for everyone. You can't force cats to become something they are not''.'

He shook his head and reminded himself that these were cats who had almost killed in order to get their point across. But a part of him knew that the rouges had a very valid argument.

Are we really any different than my family?

He tried to tell himself that they definitly were, but doubt began to sing in his head. What even were the differences? Ashclan treated she-cats better but they were both hostile towards others that got on their territory and the strongest group of cats in the forest.

We ARE different, he told himself although he secretly doubted how much he believed it. And he felt guilty for not being able to believe it. If the clan or Sun knew they would be so dissapointed...

He looked around the area all day, without any trace of the cats. He felt himself walking closer and closer to his old camp but he forced himself to turn away before he could get caught in the deep memories of his dark and forgottten past.

The past he rather wanted to forget.

With a sigh, he felt himself turning around and heading back towards camp. The scout had been unsucessful, and he could already feel his doubts growing.

What was the fate of Leader Prey's, Sun's, and his beloved clan after they had fought so hard and overcome so much to create it?

Chapter 5
Elmkit bounded out of the nursery, hardly able to control her excitment.

Today was her big day.

"Hey Elmkit! You look like you are prepared to burst. It's just apprenticeship, you know. It will be gone before you even know it."

"I know," she sighed at her father. "But I can't help being so excited at finally becoming an apprentice. I have been waiting for this since I was born."

Oakstorm smiled. "I guess I can understand you. You have been confined to the nursery for six moons now,." he stopped and stared into empty space for a moment, some pain filling his eyes. "I can't believe it has been six whole months since I lost Mossheart and I met you."

Elmkit knew that this was both a sad and happy occasion for him, although she could find nothing but joy in the thought that she was about to be apprentices.

"I wonder who my mentor will be?" she trailed off. "I wonder if I might get Braveheart? That would be so cool!" she felt herself bubbling with excitment.

"I wouldn't hope for that," Oakstorm replied. "Braveheart has a lot to worry about and I don't think Bramblestar would want to put more stress on her shoulders with an apprentice."

Elmkit sighed, realizing that her father was right, but she couldn't help herself from hoping deep inside. She wouldn't be dissapointed with anyone else thought, considering that she was so excited to become an apprentice anyways.

She heard Bramblestar calling the clan, and feeling the butterflies in her stomach begin to flap their wings even faster she rushed beneath the large rock where he made his anouncements to the clan.

"We have a kit, who has reached the age of three moons and is ready to become an apprentice," the leader anounced when the whole clan had gathered. "Elmkit, please step forward."

Giving the clan a confident smile she jumped on top of the rock and stood beside Bramblestar as he turned to the clan.

"I have taken it upon myself to train this apprentice in the ways of the clan, by passing down everything I know to her. Elmkit, from this moment on until until you recieve your warrior name you will be known as Elmpaw."

Stunned at her luck, Elmpaw touched noses with her new mentor.

I am really the apprentice of the clan leader?

She was hardly willing to believe it but as the clan chanted her name, and she could see her father, his eyes gleaming with pride she realized that this was real.

"Elmpaw! Elmpaw! Elmpaw!"

Elmpaw accepted their praise as she smiled radiantly, unable to believe her luck. It was the best day of her life, which, although she was unaware of it, was about to take a turn for the worse.

Chapter 6
"Make sure that your legs are tucked in behind your stomach," Bramblestar warned Elmpaw gently as she showed him her hunting crouch. "And be sure that you make no noise."

Elmpaw nodded with confidence as she pulled her legs in and tried to maintain her position while Bramblestar observed her closely, before giving a pleased nod and walking away.

"Now I want to apply this," he claimed. "Let's find a place where there is some prey to catch, and I will see how well you can hold onto this stance."

Elmpaw nodded and Bramblestar began to paddle away, signaling with his tail for her to follow. She quickly bounded after him, making sure to keep a close distance behind the leader.

Since she didn't know the territory she had no idea where he was taking her. At one period of time she realized she was losing herself in her thoughts about her apprenticeship and how fortunate she was to be apprenticed to Bramblestar when she looked up and realized that she was lost.

She stared around for a moment, scared that she would be stuck in the woods forever when she reminded herself that the clan would send a patrol to find her, when she couldn't find her way back to camp, but she would be embarassed and maybe Bramblestar would decide that she was far too foolish to become his apprentice. She cursed herself for not paying attention.

"You look like you could use some help."

Elmpaw whirled around, searching for the source of the voice and found herself fading a golden she-cat who looked pale under the sunlight. Elmpaw even thought she could see through her the slightest bit.

"Who...are you?" she asked her, before baring her teeth. "If you are an intruder I will make you regret ever setting a foot on our territory!"

She let out a slight laugh. "I can assure you that I belong in Ashclan," she claimed, before turning her head to the skies. "Just a slightly different kind of Ashclan."

Elmpaw also turned her head up, before looking at the cat again, starting to understand what she realized should have been a lot more obvious. "Are you from Starclan?" she asked in awe.

The golden she-cat smiled kindly. "Indeed I am. And I know that you belong to my old clan. I can help you find your way to the place I know Bramblestar is taking you but first I need to recieve a promise from you that you must swear never to break."

Elmpaw was stunned, "What is that promise?"

"I want you to promise," her face was grimm, "Never to bring your heart first. Listen to your mind and ignore the desperate screeches of your heart. Do you understand me?"

Elmpaw was slightly confused but she nodded, "I promise. I always listen to my mind anyways."

The Starclan cat smiled, "You must continue to do so. To find Bramblestar just keep going strait and you will soon catch up to him."

Elmpaw nodded. "Thanks," she claimed, before asking, "Why do I need to make the promise?"

But the she-cat was gone, with no signs of her presence left in the woods of the clans she claimed to have once belonged to.

Chapter 7
"Very good," Bramblestar praised as he dodged a blow from Elmpaw and swiped back. Elmpaw was not taken off guard and quickly jumped out of the way, leaving her mentor to bat at the open air as she nimbly turned around and sent sheathed claws across his face.

He laughed when she successfully managed to attack him, "You are doing really well Elmpaw!" he exclaimed, "Your mother would be proud if she saw you."

"Thanks," Elmpaw whispered suddenly feeling her spirits quietly deflate. She wished that her mother was there to watch her and praise her and congratulate her for being Bramblestar's apprentice.

He let out a loud cough and Elmpaw noticed a shiver creeping down his spine, "Are you okay?" she asked him, suddenly very worried.

"I'm fine," he assured her after another cough, "Just a little cold with leafbare creeping up on us. I'm sure it's nothing though, it will be gone by the time we are back in camp."

But Elmpaw knew better than to be too sure about what Bramblestar said.

"I'm a little tired," she lied casually, "Can we go back to camp so that I can eat before we come out and continue to practice."

Bramblestar eyes her a little suspiciously and she did her best to look innocent. He finally sighed, "Sure I guess. I'm feeling a little tired too."

This only further worried Elmpaw although she tried not to show it. Instead she happily bounded back to camp while Bramblestar trudged on behind her.

Once she reached camp, minutes before Bramblestar she didn't hesitate to rush to the medicine cats den. Nightfern pulled her head up at the sight of her.

"Something wrong, Elmpaw?" she asked cautiously.

"Erm..." Emlpaw stuttered for a moment before speaking, "I think Bramblestar has whitecough or something. He was coughing during training and he seemed really cold. He was also tired after our training session, even though he denies being sick."

Nightfern seemed thoughtful, "I'll examinate him when he gets back to camp," she claimed and flicked her tail in dismissal, "Thanks for telling me though, Elmpaw."

She nodded before nodding her head and exiting the den. Moments later Bramblestar's head appeared in the entrance. He looked worn out and Elmpaw quickly ran over to the fresh-kill pile and picked out a mouse before heading to the apprentice den.

There was no one else in the den so she was forced to eat alone. When she was finally done eating, Bramblestar was waiting at the entrance to camp, frustrated.

"Nightfern won't let me out of camp!" he complained, "She thinks I have whitecough."

Elmpaw looked away, trying not to meet his gaze, "Do you want me to go hunting then?" she asked him slow voice.

He shook his head, "You have done enough training for today, Elmpaw. You have to rest of the day off until I can convince Nightfern that I am in good health."

She nodded and slowly began to paddle away. She knew that she should be glad Bramblestar was going to be stuck in camp until she healed but this just felt like the beginning of a long chain of bad events waiting to wrap around Ashclan.