Hawkfrost x Ashfur Fanfic ~ As Long as I Have You

Chapter Two

A/N: I am so, so sorry for my inactivity! I promise I'll keep writing more chapters soon, I'm just experiencing a bit of writers' block at the moment. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Ashfur stepped out of the warriors' den and stretched as his jaws gaped in a yawn. He blinked the sleep from his eyes, and gave his pelt a quick shake. He looked around the ThunderClan camp, and his gaze rested on Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight.

The two of them looked happy and affectionate toward each other as they laughed and joked. Ashfur couldn't make out what they were saying, but he felt a stab of jealousy as Squirrelflight playfully nudged Brambleclaw. Brambleclaw rested his chin on her forehead.

Ashfur gave his head a quick shake, letting out a low growl. I don't need that stupid she-cat anyways.

But, as much as Ashfur tried to convince himself otherwise, he couldn't help but wish it was him instead of Brambleclaw who Squirrelflight was nuzzling.

"Ashfur?"

Ashfur jumped, startled at the sudden voice coming from behind him. He turned around to see Brambleclaw, with Squirrelflight standing a few mouse-lengths behind him.

Ashfur tried to keep his voice level. "What do you want?"

Brambleclaw blinked. "Could you join the hunting patrol at sunhigh?"

Ashfur stifled a snort of annoyance. Of course, now that he's deputy, he thinks he knows everything and gets to boss everyone around.

"No, thanks," Ashfur hissed impatiently. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go hunting."

Brambleclaw's jaws gaped open in surprise. "Ashfur, I-"

"Hey, Ashfur, that's not fair!" Squirrelflight broke in. "Brambleclaw is the deputy! You can't just say 'no' to a patrol. If he tells you to-"

She was cut off as Ashfur thrust his muzzle in her face so they were only a whisker apart. Ashfur curled his lips back in a snarl.

"Of course you're defending him," he hissed. "He's your precious mate."

Squirrelflight's jaws gaped in surprise. She looked as though she were about to say something, but before she could, Ashfur whisked around and started lumbering toward the camp entrance.

Ashfur's eyes stung with tears, but he squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. The image of Squirrelflight brushing up against Brambleclaw continuously flashed in Ashfur's mind. What does she even see in that bat-blind fox-heart anyways?

Deep down, Ashfur knew he shouldn't be thinking so negatively of Brambleclaw. He was his Clanmate, much less the Clan deputy. But he could care less. Ashfur couldn't fathom what Firestar was thinking, making the son of Tigerstar the deputy of ThunderClan.

With a soft snarl, Ashfur continued treading through the forest. He paused as he heard the sound of skittering through the bushes. Instinctively, Ashfur dropped into a hunter's crouch. His jaws were slightly gaped open as he tasted the air.

The scent of mouse lingered in his nostrils. Carefully, Ashfur padded through toward the bush. He halted as it rustled once more, and out appeared a dusky mouse. Ashfur quietly took one more step toward it, then with a great kick of his hindpaws, he lurched himself at the mouse, but ended up stumbling over it. The mouse let out a squeak of alarm as it scurried away into the woods.

Ashfur got to his paws and shook bits of dirt and twigs from his fur that he had taken from the fall. I can't even think straight, he thought.

"That was a very ungraceful landing," came a voice.

Ashfur looked up. Hawkfrost! What was he doing here? They were nowhere near the border, so this couldn't have been a simple mistake. Hawkfrost had deliberately trespassed on ThunderClan territory.

"What are you doing here?" Ashfur hissed, although he was more worried than angry. "You're lucky it's me you ran into, or else you'd be torn to shreds."

"I wouldn't count on it," Hawkfrost said as he carelessly licked his paw and drew it across his ear. "ThunderClan is soft. Worst case scenario, I'd be sent away with a warning."

"ThunderClan isn't soft!" Ashfur protested. Now his hackles started to raise.

Hawkfrost sat down and tilted his head curiously. "Oh? Then why haven't you attacked me yet?"

"I was going to see if you had a good explanation to why you were trespassing on ThunderClan territory, but it seems you don't," Ashfur responded. "Why are you even this far in our territory anyways?"

"First off, I'm not that far into the territory," Hawkfrost mewed.

"What? Yes you-" Then Ashfur looked behind him, and let out a soft gasp. He had gone farther than he thought he had. The ThunderClan camp was out of sight.

"Secondly," Hawkfrost interrupted Ashfur's thoughts, "Brambleclaw wasn't where we were supposed to meet each other, so I figured I'd get his attention. Would you be so kind to show me where he is?"

Remembering the quarrel they had earlier, Ashfur pulled his lips back in a snarl. "He's on a hunting patrol," he growled through gritted teeth.

"Well, I suppose I shouldn't bother him then," Hawkfrost said with a sigh as he started to walk away. Then he paused, and looked back at Ashfur. "How come you're so mad at him?"

"What? I'm not-"

"Please. I don't think it's normal to talk about a cat with your fur bristling and teeth bared unless you're angry."

Ashfur's heart twisted with grief. Part of him wanted to open up to this cat, but another part of him knew that sounded ridiculous. Hawkfrost was from RiverClan. Why should he even trust him? He should have driven Hawkfrost out without any questions asked.

"It's a long story," Ashfur eventually said. "And.. and you should probably return to RiverClan before someone catches you here. But..." Ashfur shifted his paws awkwardly. "... if you would care to hear the full story, we could meet each other tonight?"

Great StarClan! Why did I just say that? He's RiverClan and Tigerstar's son! I can't trust him! He'll probably just say no anyways! But there was a glimmer of hope in Ashfur's heart that there was finally some cat willing to listen to him.

Hawkfrost dipped his head. "At moonhigh, near the border. The first time we met." Then he disappeared into the forest.

Ashfur watched him until he was gone, and a delighted purr rumbled in his throat. Maybe my life won't turn out so bad after all.