Ashdrift's Heart

* About
* Allegiances
* Chapter 1
* Chapter 2
* Chapter 3
* Chapter 4
* Chapter 5
* Chapter 6
* Chapter 7
* Chapter 8

Ashdrift's Heart is in the *GoldClan Series*, written as a collab by Sandfrost and Galaxymist. The main protagonist is Ashdrift. This book currently has 4 chapters.

## Interesting Facts

* Emeraldflight's original name is actually Firefly!
* They're based on IRL people (some characters)
* This fanfiction is s l o w l y being written over like a year. So don't expect it to be fast

### LEADER

DIAMONDSTAR – brownish-white tom with a gray spot on his ear

### DEPUTY

EMERALDFLIGHT – black she-cat emerald-green eyes

APPRENTICE, ASHPAW

### MEDICINE CAT

MINTBLOSSOM – grey sepia she-cat with mint-green eyes

### WARRIORS

SALMONLEAP – pink-gray tom

APPRENTICE, FREDPAW

FROSTFANG – snowy white she-cat

APPRENTICE, TIDEPAW

STARSPIRIT – black she-cat with white flecks

FORESTTALON – scarred tom

APPRENTICE, LYNXPAW

BLUEBERRY – blue-gray she-cat

APPRENTICE, CLOUDPAW

STONESTEP – dark gray tom

APPRENTICE, PIXELPAW

### APPRENTICES

LYNXPAW - spotted brown she-cat

SILVERPAW – silver she-cat

FREDPAW – dark brown she-cat with a lighter underbelly

TIDEPAW – dark gray she-cat with ocean-blue eyes

ASHPAW – reddish-brown she-cat

PIXELPAW – flecked tom

CLOUDPAW - white she-cat with gray splotches

### QUEENS

MANGOFUR – orange she-cat, excepting Foresttalon’s kits

COMETTAIL – black she-cat with yellow eyes and a splotched tail (Mother of Beekit, Rockkit, Oakkit)

## Chapter 1

Ashpaw sniffed the undergrowth. Not a single mouse tail slithered out of the leaves.

Instead, a dark gray pelt flashed from the leafy forest. It was Tidepaw! Ashpaw's best friend always distracted her.

"Tidepaw!" Ashpaw growled. "You're distracting me!"

"Sorry," the gray apprentice mewed, a sparrow in her jaws.

Ashpaw pricked her ears, her reddish pelt bristling. Emeraldflight was panting, as she reached the two apprentices.

"Fox attack!" the GoldClan deputy's pelt was spiked with anger. "Come, quickly!"

Tidepaw's blue eyes lit up. "Maybe we can become warriors!" she mewed with delight.

Emeraldflight was sprinting ahead. "There's no time to think of that!" she hissed.

The three cats reached the GoldClan camp, the bramble barrier rustling.

Fredpaw and Silverpaw was twisting around a fox as it screeched, fleeing into the ferns.

Ashpaw leaped into battle, driving a fox out.

"It's over!" Diamondstar yowled.

Mintblossom, the medicine cat hurried out of the medicine den, marigold in her jaws. "Any major injures?"

Frostfang shook her head. "A couple of scars there and there, but we're fine,"

Ashpaw's pelt beamed with pride. Her mother was an important warrior, her father was clan leader and her mentor was deputy!

Diamondstar leaped onto the jutting rock. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the jutting rock for a clan meeting," he called.

Tidepaw caught Ashpaw's eye, and the two friends bristled with excitement. They might become warriors!

"Lynxpaw, Fredpaw and Silverpaw are ready to become warriors," the cream tom announced.

Dismay gathered in the apprentice's chest. But she was happy, her friends were finally warriors!

"I, Diamondstar, leader of GoldClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as a warrior in their turn."

"Lynxpaw, Fredpaw and Silverpaw," Diamondstar gazed down at the three apprentices, "do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." Silverpaw breathed.

"I do!" Lynxpaw and Fredpaw chanted.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Lynxpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Lynxear. StarClan honors your courage and skill, and we welcome you as a full warrior of GoldClan."

Lynxear's glossy pelt puffed out with pride.

Diamondstar went on as Silverpaw became Silverpool, and Fredpaw became Fredbear.

"Lynxear! Silverpool! Fredbear!" the cats of GoldClan cheered.

"Congratulations!" Ashpaw bounced towards the new warriors.

Tidepaw dipped her head. "We'll miss you," she mewed.

Silverpool nodded to the camp entrance. "We're sitting vigil," she explained. "I'll catch you later." the three she-cats padded off.

Ashpaw slid into her nest. Now that the three she-cats moved into the warriors' den, there were only four apprentices, her, Tidepaw, Pixelpaw and Cloudpaw.

\*\*\*\*

Ashpaw yawned. Dawn light was dancing off the walls. Emeraldflight poked her head into the den. "We're on the dawn patrol," the she-cat explained.

The red apprentice groaned as she dragged herself out of her nest.

Outside, Silverpool, her gray pelt gleaming in the sun, Cloudpaw and Blueberry were waiting. The five cats walked into the forest.

"I'm going to track down a fox," Silverpool explained. "One went that way."

"Be careful," Cloudpaw cautioned, as the silver warrior slid into the bracken.

The rest of the cats started to hunt. Ashpaw managed to catch a scrawny vole and shrew.

When she was stalking a plump squirrel, a screech from the forest startled it, fleeing.

Crossly, Ashpaw stormed down.

Blueberry emerged from the bushes, a fat rabbit in her jaws. "Great StarClan, what was that noise?"

"Let's follow it," Ashpaw suggested.

The two she-cat tracked the noise down, and found a gray cat lying on the ground, her pelt sticky with blood.

Ashpaw froze. It was Silverpool!

"Silverpool!" Ashpaw yowled. Who has done this to her? She sniffed her pelt. Fox!

"It was a fox," Blueberry sighed. A moment later, Emeraldflight and Cloudpaw ran from the trees.

"Silverpool!" Cloudpaw wailed.

Emeraldflight slowly lifted Silverpool's dead body. "We better carry her," the black cat puffed.

The five cats gently lifted Silverpool to the GoldClan camp. Her dull blue eyes gazed endlessly at the sky, her tail hanging uselessly from her body.

When they reached the camp, Lynxear and Fredbear shot to their friend, grief in their gazes.

Diamondstar emerged from under the jutting rock, his green eyes cloudy. "What happened?" he demanded.

Emeraldflight stared at Silverpool's body. "She was killed by a fox," Emeraldflight explained. "We couldn't save her."

Diamondstar shook his cream-coloured pelt. "Mangofur, Darksong and Comettail. Fetch some lavender, and prepare for Silverpool's vigil."

Emeraldflight nodded to Ashpaw. "You can stay in camp for the rest of the day, and grieve for Silverpool. Get something from the fresh-kill pile."

Ashpaw padded to the fresh-kill pile, but didn't feel hungry. Instead, she padded to the nursery to play with Comettail's kits.

"You're the badger, Beekit!" Rockkit was squealing. "Oakkit! We have to defend the camp from the badger!"

Ashpaw ducked in. "Hi, kits," she mewed.

"Ashpaw!" Rockkit squealed with excitement. "Are you here to play with us? I'm bored!"

The reddish apprentice nodded. Silverpool's death was sad, but it didn't mean to be grumpy to her clanmates.

Ashpaw tossed a mossball at the kits. The three kits leaped for it, just missing Oakkit as he ducked, hitting Beekit on the head.

"Beekit, you're it!" Oakkit cuffed the striped kit around the ear softly. The tom sprang up and tossed the ball at Oakkit. Oakkit ducked, as the ball bounced and hit Rockkit's flank.

Ashpaw smiled. The kits were fun to play with. And Emeraldflight said she could take the day off.

# She sprang with the kits, having more fun than ever.Chapter 2=

"Kits! Mangofur's kits are coming!" Foresttalon was yowling.

Ashpaw woke with a start. Mangofur's kits! The orange queen's belly was aching a few sunrises ago, now her kits were coming!

It was lucky that it was her second litter!

The reddish brown apprentice scanned the den for Tidepaw, the big sister to Mangofur's new kits. But the dark gray she-cat was missing. It looked like she had already gone to see the kits!

Before Ashpaw could rush to the nursery, Mintblossom poked her gray head out of the cave.

"The first kit is born!" she called. "a tom!"

Cats emerged from their dens, murmuring softly. Outside, Foresttalon was digging his claws into the earth.

Another yowl was from the nursery, and Mintblossom called it was two kits, a tom and a she-cat.

"Congratulations, Foresttalon! Two healthy warriors!" Stonestep praised.

Ashpaw was dying to see the new kits, but she could see Emeraldflightn wanted her on patrol.

"Yes, Emeraldflight?" Ashpaw asked her eagerly. The black she-cat flicked her tail.

"It's time you become a warrior," the deputy paused, excitement bubbling in Ashpaw's heart.

"You'll have to hunt." Emeraldflight explained. "Catch at least five pieces of scrawny prey, or three fat ones. You'll be hunting with Tidepaw and Pixelpaw."

The two apprentices were waiting at the bramble barrier, Pixelpaw looking smug. Ashpaw snorted. Her littermate had always hated her, annoyed her, and torture. It was strange, because most littermates didn't quarrel that often.

The three apprentices padded through the undergrouth. "I'm going to try the NettleClan border," she mewed. Pixelpaw padded in that direction too.

"Me too," the white tom nodded, giving Ashpaw a smug look.

Ashpaw rolled her eyes, as she started to stalk through the forest.

A loud chirp interrupt Ashpaw's thoughts. A fat sparrow was searching the ground. Ashpaw could smell blood. The brown sparrow had an injured wing! This should be easy.

The apprentice crouched, but realized she wasn't upwind. The sparrow shrieked as it tried to flee, hoping uselessly with its injured wing.

The apprentice shot up, sprinting as fast as she can go. She puffed. She was almost there! She reached for the sparrow, claws unsheathed.

Just then, another sparrow swooped in and rescued the fat sparrow. Ashpaw froze, realizing she was on GrassClan's territory!

She was about to back away, but a scarred she-cat emerged, along with a small gray tom.

"What are you doing here?" the gray tom barged his teeth. He seemed like an apprentice.

"Relax, Stonepaw," the scarred cat answered. "What are *you* doing here? Does Diamondstar know?"

Ashpaw shrank back. Her father would be so angry when he found out! She tore past the GrassClan cats, fleeing.

"Hey!" shouted Stonepaw. "Where are you going?"

Ashpaw ran back to the bramble barrier, climbing up the brambles, hiding in a bush.

To her luck, the two cats followed her, and were at camp.

"What are you doing here?" Diamondstar questioned the two GrassClan cats.

"One of your warriors crossed our border." the scarred she-cat growled.

Ashpaw sighed. She was in a great hiding spot, where no-one could find her.

Unfortunately, her bushy tail was sticking out. Stonepaw pointed his tail to her tail. "That cat!" he mewed.

Diamondstar stared at the bush. "Ashpaw?"

Embarrassment burning in her pelt, Ashpaw crawled out.

"That cat," the scarred she-cat mewed, "crossed our border."

Diamondstar dipped his head. "I'm sorry, Goldenscar. I'm sure she'll be punished."

Ashpaw cringed. Punishment! The worst was a delay to her warrior ceremony.

As soon as the GrassClan cats left, Diamondstar sighed as he gazed at his daughter.

"Ashpaw, you're crossed the border. It could have caused a big battle." Ashpaw's chest tightened.

"You cannot become a warrior. You will, in a moon." the leader answered calmly.

"Pixelpaw, Tidepaw and Cloudpaw," Diamondstar began. "It is time for your warrior ceremony."

"I, Diamondstar, leader of GoldClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as a warrior in their turn."

Ashpaw clawed the ground. Her smug brother and her two friends were warriors! Before her!

"Tidepaw, Pixelpaw and Cloudpaw," Diamondstar looked at the apprentices. "do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do!" the three apprentices shouted.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Tidepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Tidesong. StarClan honors your loyalty and spirit, and we welcome you as a full warrior of GoldClan."

"Pixelpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Pixelblaze. StarClan honours your fighting skill and strength , we welcome you as a fall warrior of GoldClan."

"Cloudpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Cloudsong. StarClan honors your cleverness and honesty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of GoldClan."

*I should be a warrior with them.*Ashpaw bit back the tart reply.

"Cloudsong! Pixelblaze! Tidesong!" GoldClan chanted.

The three warriors padded to the entrance. Tidesong tried to catch her eye, but Ashpaw ignored it.

*I'm not a warrior with Tidesong! I'll have to wait a moon, a moon feels like forever!*

# Ashpaw slid into her nest, her heart cloudy.Chapter 3=

Ashpaw pounced onto a fat squirrel. Her heart leapt with joy.

It had been a long moon, but finally it was her assessment, then her warrior ceremony!

The red she-cat dug up her other prey, a rabbit, two birds and a squirrel. Emeraldflight was going to be impressed. Ashpaw struggled to carry the prey back to camp.

Ashpaw dropped her prey on the fresh-kill pile and sighed with relief, as she dozed, lying on the clump of soft grass.

She could hear Oakpaw and Rockpaw bickering. Since Comettail's kits were made apprentices, the two warrior apprentices had been arguing since. Beepaw, though, had wanted to become a medicine cat, mentored by Mintblossom.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the jutting rock for a clan meeting!" Diamondstar yowled.

Ashpaw couldn't stop herself from bouncing, but realized how stupid that would be.

Frostfang leapt from the warriors den, grooming Ashpaw's fur viciosuly.

"Ashpaw is ready to become a warrior," the leader annouced. "Emeraldflight, is your apprentice qualitfied to become a warrior?"

"She certainly is," the black she-cat mewed, pride in her gaze.

"I, Diamondstar, leader of GoldClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as a warrior in her turn."

"Ashpaw," her father gazed at her, "do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do!" Ashpaw yowled.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Ashpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Ashdrift. StarClan honors your energy and enthusiasm, and we welcome you as a full warrior of GoldClan."

The leader nicked her ear, as the new warrior licked her father's shoulder.

"Ashdrift! Ashdrift!" the cats of GoldClan yowled.

*I'm a warrior!*Ashdrift's pelt pricked with pride. Tidesong bounced towards her and the two friends pressed muzzles.

"Congrats!" Tidesong mewed, her blue eyes glittering

Ashdrift was about to talk to her friend, but Emeraldflight's stern voice rose from behind her. "Ashdrift, you have to keep your warrior's vigil," the deputy mewed.

"Coming." she waved goodbye to Tidesong, as she watched the beautiful night sky.

Ashdrift wondered if her ansetors were up there. She knew that Emeraldflight was her father, Diamondstar's littermate. Frostfang and Diamondstar had never told her about their parents.

The red warrior sighed. She could daydream all she want, for the rest of the night. But first, she had to see if there were any strange scents.

* + - *

Ashdrift woke with a start, the pale dawn light shining on her smooth pelt. She shook herself awake, as she dragged herself to Emeraldflight, who was originizing patrols.

Emeraldflight spotted the new warrior. "Ashdrift! You can join Diamondstar's patrol."

*Diamondstar leading a patrol?* Ashdrift wondered. *Must be very serious!*

Her father, Salmonleap, Rockpaw, Starspirit, Tidesong, Lynxear were waiting at the entrance. Rockpaw was fighting an imaginary warrior, slashing the air.

Diamondstar stared at the sky. "Let's go."

"What happned?" Ashdrift asked Tidesong. The gray warrior looked towards the NettleClan border.

"NettleClan stole our prey," the she-cat mewed firmly. "We're going to raid them."

"Attack them?" Ashdrift was shocked. Was it worth fighting over their food?

As the approached the border, the smell of NettleClan was thicker. Then, a small brown cat limped, then a tortoiseshell cat leapt and screeched, "Attack!"

Ashdrift froze and realized NettleClan was attacking! She quickly raced to the limping brown tom, as he tried to nip the new warrior's flank.

She hissed as the small cat rolled under her belly, which she dodged. She clawed at the brown tom, sending it wailing across the border.

GoldClan was winning. Lynxear lunged for a dark gray tabby as Rockpaw dodged a ginger cat's blow.

A pale ginger tom with spiky fur was racing for Ashdrift. She froze. It was Nettlestar! She was ready to defend herself, but the leader ignored her as he lunged for Diamondstar.

The pale tom bit into Diamondstar's throat. "GoldClan's too soft with you!" the leader hissed. "Goodbye, Diamondstar."

Diamondstar made a terrible choking noise; he was dead.

The cats of NettleClan started to back away, and they ran back to camp.

"Diamondstar's dead!" a cat wailed.

Salmonleap's green eyes were full of grief, but mewed, "Ashdrift, you carry Diamondstar's body with Lynxear."

Ashdrift stared at her dead father's body. *He can't be dead!*

The reddish-brown she-cat staggered over to the camp, where several cats were mourning.

Emeraldflight leaped to the jutting rock. "Diamondstar's death is sad to us all," she began. "But we will sit for his vigil."

The cats started to surround the dead leader.

"Diamondstar was an excellent leader," Emeraldflight breathed. "He was also a great brother to me."

Each cat took turns saying what they missed about Diamondstar. Ashdrift sighed as she stated her's.

"Diamondstar was the best father I could ever have," she mewed. "The last thing he ever did was to save GoldClan. We'll miss him a lot."

"Darksong, Mangofur and Comettail," Emeraldflight directed. "Take Diamondstar's body to the resting tree and bury him." the black she-cat's green eyes glowed. "I must travel to the Dream Cavern."

Mintblossom slowly stood up. "I'll come," she offered. "Beepaw can see anyone who is sick."

The stripe yellow tom's eyes widened. "Really, I could do that?" he asked.

The gray medicine cat nodded, as she and Emeraldflight took off.

"Salmonleap will be in charge of camp." she mewed, as the two cats walked out.

The gray tom dipped his head, as he spoke up. "Ashdrift, Pixelblaze and Frostfang. You must be sad of your kin. You can stay in camp today."

Ashdrift sighed. She wanted to sulk all day, but she had to at least make herself useful.

*Diamondstar....*

## Chapter 4

Ashdrift lay restless on the soft grass. She had stayed at Diamondstar's vigil the longest. At dawn, Emeraldflight had returned with Mintblossom, now Emeraldflight. Frostfang, her mother, was made deputy.

Everything was peaceful, even though their leader just died. When Ashdrift had just fallen asleep, she heard a deafening noise.

It was one she'd never heard before. Was a loud rumble. Then the hair on her pelt rised. Was that the volcano that GoldClan had lived in erupting? Darksong had told her the story.

Clearly, other cats had noticed too. Beepaw and Mintblossom stared at the clear blue sky, if there were any owens. Mangofur tucked her two newborn over her tail. Emeraldstar's eyes were thin as slits as she yowled, "The volcano is erupting! Run! Every cat meet near the GrassClan border!"

Ashdrift knew she had to help Mangofur. She raced to her friend's mother and grabbed the cream kit - Peachkit's scruff.

"Thank you," Mangofur panted, as she held Mudkit in her jaws.

Now Ashdrift could see the orange and red bubbling 'lava' Darksong had told her about. It was very hot, and can destroy anything in its path.

The lava was moving fast. Starspirit and Stonestep had double-checked if any cats were left, luckily not.

Soon, the whole of GoldClan had met up at the border. Suddenly, the scarred golden she-cat who had caught Ashdrift crossing the border panted as she yowled, "The forest is on fire!"

Then she realized the whole of GrassClan was standging behind her.

"The volcano is destorying the forest," a large, stocky striped gray tom mewed. Then, she knew that he was Graystar.

"Let's go to the island shore," Frostfang suggested. "The lava probably won't reach us there.

Emeraldstar gave her deputy a look of approval, then spoke up. "Cloudsong and Stonestep. Go to OakClan and round up their cats."

The scarred GrassClan cat and the gray apprentice mewed, "We'll go to NettleClan."

Graystar nodded in approavl. "Let's go.

\*\*\*\*

Soon, the four clans were all on the shore, not knowing what to do.

"We're lost," Troutstar, the OakClan leader, sighed. "Any ideas?"

A GrassClan warrior's eyes brightened. "Wait until the eruption is over?" he suggested.

Nettlestar shook his head. "Anything could happen while we wait," he sighed.

Tidesong gazed across the ocean. "How about we find another island to live on?" she suggested, pride in her blue eyes.

Bettlestar turned on her, his amber eyes blazing. "Are you bee-brained?" he growled at the GoldClan warrior. "We don't know what dangers are beyond the island!"

"I think it's a great idea!" Rockpaw agreed, as some cats agreed.

"You're not even OakClan," a sleek-furred tortoiseshell glared at her friend. "How will you swim, eh?"

"I'll learn," Tidesong declared. "Just like everyone."

Sererval cats stared at her, but a tabby OakClan cat nodded. "I'll help teaching the other cats."

Ashdrift's pelt pricked with both pride and curiousity. It was a great idea to find a new home, but weird to learn swimming.

"You have to learn how to not panic," the tabby was meowing, as Tidesong eagerly listened.

* + - *

Soon, most of the cats knew how to swim, except for the NettleClan cats, who refused to leave the island.

Nettlestar gazed at them hardly. "Our ansetors led us here," he mewed sternly. "We cannot leave this land."

"Very well," Troutstar sighed. "Everyone, we will leave now."

Ashdrift raised a forepaw, and dipped it into the water. Wet, but she knew she had to swim. She'd learnt well, and she needed to at least carry one of Mangofur's kits.

Mudkit wriggling as Ashdrift swam into the water. Tidesong led the cats to a forest island.

"Wow," Ashdrift breathed. Her friend was right! There *was* another island!

The island, at the shore, was covered in sand. Behind the beach, there was a woodland forest.

"That's perfect territory for GoldClan!" Frostfang exclaimed. She warmly dipped her head to Tidesong. "We couldn't have done this without you."

Ashdrift licked her friend's ear. "Great job," she purred.

## Chapter 5

Ashdrift flicked her claw at the mouse in front. Prey was rich at the new island, and their camp was great, but she was heavy with grief. Beepaw had treated a deadly greencough that look one of Emeraldstar's lives, Frostfang and Mintblossom's life. Beestripe was made a full medicine cat, but she missed her mother dearly.

No cat knew who the new deputy was going to be, but she had heard it was going to be Tidesong. Her best friend had lead them to the island. Without her, every clan cat would be dead!

"Do you want to go hunt?" Rockstream asked, Oakfall groomed his pelt. The two toms had become warriors after their other brother was made a medicine cat.

She shook her head. "I'll hunt alone," she mewed.

She flinged a fern away from her eyes. She crouched, and she heard soft mews echoing in the distance.

*Tidesong, Mangofur and Foresttalon? What are they doing out here?*

"Why did you lie to me?" Tidesong was yowling to their parents.

"It was for the best! Foresttalon was a great father! And I'm still your mother, at least!"

Ashdrift backed away, horrified. *Foresttalon was a great father? But that means...Tidesong has a different father!*

"Who is my father?" The gray she-cat snarled.

Mangofur hesitated. "He...he is OakClan."

"Half-Clan? I'm Half-Clan?" she exclaimed. With an angry sniff, she fled, tearing past the bushes.

Ashdrift shook herself awake. *Tidesong is half-OakClan? I must go confront her!*

She raced past Mangofur and Foresttalon, as the warrior's eyes widened.

"Ashdrift?" he said, shocked. "Were you listening."

The reddish warrior ignored them, and she tore past the ferns. She could see a faint image of her friend swimming.

She couldn't go alone though. She needed backup.

* + - *

"What are we doing today?" Mudpaw asked her eagerly.

The young tom had been surprisingly be apprenticed to her. He was Tidesong's brother, so he could help.

"We're hunting by by the shore," Ashdrift replied, flicking her tail to the new apprentice's nose. "Follow me."

She led splotched brown tom to the shore, where she had seen Tidesong. *She probably escaped to that island.* She dipped her paw into the water.

"Where are we going?" Mudpaw asked her. "Into the water? I don't want to swim! That's what OakClan does!"

*You have OakClan Kin.* she bit back the retort. Mudpaw didn't know anything yet. "Just checking the other island, you know."

The apprentice nodded, as Ashdrift lifted his scruff as she swam into the water.

"I remember the old island!" The brown tom eagerly mewed. "I was a kit, and Tidesong convinced everyone to swim! It was awesome!" He stared into the reddish-brown she-cat's eyes. "You carried me, right?"

"Yep," Ashdrift's mew was muffled my Mudpaw's scruff. She glanced at the island. "Here we are."

"Tidesong!" she called. "Tidesong! Are you there?"

"My sister's here?" The apprentice's amber eyes were filled with shock.

"We need to find her," The red warrior replied firmly.

A dark gray pelt slid out of a gorse bush. Tidesong's pelt looked dull; it was long scars over her flank.

"What happened?" Ashdrift asked her friend, horrified.

"Fox," she muttered. Her blue eyes widened. "What are you doing here?" She eyed Mudpaw. "And what's Mudkit doing here?"

"Mud*paw*," the brown cat corrected his sibling. "Ashdrift's my mentor now."

Ashdrift nudged Tidesong's flank. "You *have* to come," she urged. "I overheard Emeraldstar saying you're the new deputy.

A look of interest lit up in her friend's eye. "Really? But my parents said I was Half-Clan! My life is over!"

The reddish she-cat rolled her eyes. "Come on! Mistakes are made, Tidesong. At least Mangofur's your mother. And wasn't Foresttalon a great father? And your real father! He must love you."

The dark gray rogue rose to her paws. "Fine, let's go," she muttered.

"Tidesong! Where were you?"

"We were so worried!"

The dark gray she-cat mewed, "I have something to say."

GoldClan grew silent. Oakfall muttered to Beestripe. "Hopefully it's important."

"Mangofur is my mother," she mewed, "But Foresttalon is not my father. It's an OakClan warrior."

Gasps of shock spit into the air, as Ashdrift cringed. *Tidesong, why would you say that?*

"But," she put in. "I'm happy that Foresttalon was my father. He was good."

Peachpaw and Mudpaw stared at their parents. "Are we Half-Clan?" Peachpaw squeaked.

"You're our kits," Mangofur muttered. "Tidesong is your half-sister."

Emeraldstar flicked her tail. "I've decided that even though Tidesong is half-Clan, she is worthy to become deputy. She has led us to this island, and we couldn't have survived. Tidesong is GoldClan's new deputy."

"Tidesong! Tidesong!"

"Tidesong!" Ashdrift yowled, as she saw her friend's blue gaze stare into her.

The new dpeuty thrust her muzzle into her's. "You were right!" she purred. "I *am* deputy!"

The red warrior licked her friend's ear. "You'll make a great deputy," she purred.

The dark gray deputy padded to the warrior's den, as she joined in. She felt a soft nudge, as she turned around. It was Rockstream.

Ashdrift smiled. Rockstream was her friend. As an apprentice, he and Oakfall had argued. But as a warrior, he had become much mature.

Rockstream nodded to the entrance. "Wanna go out?"

The red she-cat's heart leapt. "Yes!"

the two warriors ran to the High Tree.

"So," Ashdrift mewed, gazing into his blue eyes. "Why did you call me here?"

The gray warrior paused, as he started to talk.

"I really like you Ashdrift," he began. "You're smart, adventurous and funny. I really.--" he stopped.

"Go on," she pressed the gray tom.

Rockstream gazed into her blue eyes. "I-I want to start a family with you," he mewed shyly.

The red warrior's heart skipped with joy. Kits! Kits were the future to the clan! She burst her muzzle into the warrior's face. "Of course!" she purred with joy. "I'd love to!"

Rockstream nuzzled her belly. "I think...I feel something."

Ashdrift twitched her ear. "Feel what?" she asked. She touched her flank. Something was squirming inside of her. Happiness filled her heart. "I'm expected kits!"

"Already?" Rockstream asked, as he licked his mate's ear. "That's wonderful! I can't wait to see them!

"Me to," Ashdrift purred.

She was happy. Finally, with a mate, and a best friend.

She couldn't any ask for more.

Ashdrift let a yowl of pain. She bit into the stick.

"When I say push, push!" Beestripe commanded.

Having kits was painful, especially at dawn. She pushed hard, as a tiny flecked white kit came out.

She pushed harder. Two other kits came, a cream tabby kit and another white kit, but with a golden tail tip.

"What are we going to call them?" Rockstream asked.

"Goldenkit for the white one with the tipped tail. I think Goldentail is a good warrior name." She explained.

"I like it," her mate purred. "How about Sootkit for the spotted golden one? And Sunkit for the cream tabby?"

Ashdrift licked the three kits. "Sootkit, Sunkit and Goldenkit. Welcome, my precious kits."

"Fox attack! Fox attack!" she heard Cloudsong's panicked yowl ringing in the camp. "Protect the queens and elders!"

Ashdrift's fur lifted off her spine. A fox attack! It could kill her kits!

Darksong limped to the nursery. "Better not alone," she croaked.

The red queen peeked outside the den. She saw Emeraldstar lying down on the ground. *Is she dead? She can't be!*

The black leader gave a cough, as she lunged at the leading fox. "Get lost!" she snarled.

The foxes yelped as she ran out of the camp.

Ashdrift sighed. Everyone was fine. The foxes were gone.

Mangofur waved her tail at the new queen. "You should sleep," she muttered to Ashdrift. "You must be tried after your kitting."

She drifted asleep.

* + - *

"My kits!" she wailed. "Where are my kits?"

She spotted Goldenkit, Sootkit and Sunkit falling off a ravine. She jumped boulder to boulder to catch them.

"No!" she yowled, as the three kits fell into the darkness.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a bright flash. A starry figure matched toward her. Was this a StarClan cat?

"Greetings, Ashdrift." the starry cat mewed. "I am Windwhisper of Starclan. I must tell yoou something.

The red queen trembled. StarClan needed her? Was it a sign?

"You must become a medicine cat."

*What? No!*

"I can't; I have my kits to nurse!" She glared at the StarClan warrior.

"You can, after you finished nursing them," Windwhisper pressed.

The red she-cat turned away from the StarClan cat. She loved Rockstream. She didn't want to abandon her kits.

* + - *

"Ashdrift! Wake up!"

She thrashed in her sleep. Windwhisper had kept on telling her to give up on her kits to become a medicine car.

Beestripe was standing over the queen. "Are you okay? I need to tell you something!"

The yellow and black tom seemed desperate. She stiffened. Perhaps her kits had a cough!

"You must become a medicine cat. It's your destiny."

Ashdrift stared at the medicine cat in disbelief. *That's what the StarClan cat told me! That means...it* must *be my destiny!*

The reddish queen sighed. "A StarClan told me," she breathed.

Beestripe nodded. "It's your destiny!"

"I will, after I finish nursing my kits."

"I bet you can't catch me, Duskkit!"

"Oh yes I can!"

Ashdrift groaned. Since Fredbear and Pixelblaze had a kit called Duskkit, he had never stopped bugging her. He'd visit the nursery everyday. She had been happy for her friend, but her brother was annoying.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the highrock for a clan meeting!"

The red warrior sighed deepily. Now she'd be a medicine cat, Beestripe's apprentice. And she would never have kits again.

Emeraldstar beckoned Sootkit with her tail, who blurted out, "I wanna be a medicine cat!"

More coming soon