[Hellion]

TW: Under Spoiler Tag there is a bit of suicide ideation by Aspenfire, and it will change how his death is read, take it or leave it. Keep your self safe

The news of his adoptive his 'sister''s pregnancy left him uneasy. As her condition became apparent and those in the clan became excited for her, Aspenfire's sadness and anger grew like weeds in his heart. Ferngaze's death and with her his kits had come as such a shock Aspenfire had hardly accepted it. There were days and nights he often felt bursts of excitement, hope, and happiness to the idea that in RainClan there were bundles of love in his mate's nest.

Then reality would remind him that StarClan took that from him and he'd quickly curse the ancestors. Spit their names and swear to one day bring the stars down or cease to exist for trying.

Wayward paws, as they often were, found the muddy terrain that would soon blend into riverbanks if he traveled further. He knew of Ferngaze's family and believed they would be grieving the same as he. For the first time in many moons, he wanted their comfort instead of the comfort of his clanmates, not that they granted much. Only a pawful knew of his love for Ferngaze and they were not cats to seek sympathy from. He didn't even try.

Setting a course along the well-worn path to the river, Aspenfire intended to find himself a RainCaln patrol and ask to speak with Ferngaze's kin. He imagined that Silverstar would come first, given he was her father, and then perhaps Echobreeze and Dewfrost. They could sit with him even for a moment and mourn with him. Even as he had cursed StarClan, he wanted to ask Dewfrost if she saw her, if she was happy in the forest with their ancestors.

Skirting down a narrow trail to walk closer to the river, Aspenfire eased on his stride. The chosen path would be weakened from the river's growth. He trusted his pawsteps to keep him steady but one false move or simply too much water could cause it to sink into the rushing water below.

To his surprise, a figure, small enough to be a cat, stood near the riverbank. Excited, less out of having company and more for success of finding a cat to serve as a messenger. Aspenfire called out to them.

Once

Twice

On the third time, Aspenfire grew concerned. The cat didn't reply back and the closer Aspenfire got to them the sooner he realized how small the cat was. An apprentice more likely and from the swaying of their body, an unwell cat. It happened all too fast. The cat bent down to lap at the water, leaning a bit too far forward for the embankment. Then he was in the river. A plop! that was drowned out by the rushing of the current. He knew the cat was of RainClan stock and should be able to swim, but Aspenfire took no chances.

He sprang forward, headfirst into the water yowling as he dove in, his entire body threatening to fall into shock from the icy grasp of the water. Fighting hard to swim, Aspenfire aggressively clawed his toward the apprentice. Each gasp of his breath into his own lungs burned as the water tried to make find a way into him as well. Little time had passed and with barely enough strength to grasp at the apprentice's scruff, Aspenfire heaved.

Energy drained out of him with each harsh kick, but he managed. "Edge!" He shouted at the apprentice between the tight grip. His intention was to get the apprentice to crawl onto the embankment while Apsenfire supported his rump.

His own hind claws dug into the soggy sand at the river's edge, with what little traction he could get, Aspenfire managed to push the half-drowned apprentice onto the more solid ground. Unsteady on his own feet, Aspenfire readied himself to jump out of the water from the weak shelf he had found, but to surprise the shelf gave way. Sending him frantically scraping at what little earth he had managed to find and once again plunging him into the river.

Barely able to right himself, Apsenfire swam upwards, toward the surface. Each kick seemingly only making him go deeper, Aspenfire grew panicked. The glassy ripples of the water above him seemed to shift, figures started to emerge. A patrol! Empowered by sheer desperation, Aspenfire broke to the surface. Barely able to tread water, he searched the nearest river bank to see Ferngaze at her paw steps a set of three kits. Riverkit, Ripplekit, Reedkit,. Their names came to him, unburied from deep within his heart where the love for them remained.

SPOILER: Click to show

The river tugged at him, attempting to pull him back down but he fought against it.

This was his chance.

He could fight against the water, pull himself to the riverside, and be greeted by his family. Or he could go back down and find himself on the riverbank without them. It was as simple a that. He didn't want to go back, life without Ferngaze unbareable.

Ferngaze called him, her voice sweet and melodic. Oh, how he missed hearing his name sung by her. Almost effortlessly now Aspenfire swam to her, pulled himself out of the water and into the comfort of her fur. The kits at her paws greeting him as if he had only been away for a day. The fight against the water was forgotten the moment he could feel the warmth of her fur. She whispered a greeting to the shell of his ear, he replied with his own words of happiness. She thanked him too for saving her little brother, for giving him a second chance at life. Aspenfire, surprised at first, relaxed after the news. The deeds of his former life did not matter, all that mattered was the forever to be shared with Ferngazeand the family he could finally have.

42 Moons RainClan Tom

Aspenfire

Honesty has a power very few people can handle

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