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Ashfur silently crept through the grass, making his way towards the lake edge. The waxing moon shone through the clear night sky, illuminating the landscape in an ethereal glow. Moonhigh was quickly approaching, the time they had agreed to meet at.
He quickened his pace, still careful not to make too much noise. Sneaking out of the Thunderclan camp had been simple, even more so now that he was doing it so often. He was far enough away now that nobody would be able to hear him anyways, but it was safer to stay quiet just in case.
Ahead, the lake glimmered in the starlight, reflecting a wavering image of the pale night sky in its calm ripples. A cluster of reeds and bushes gathered a little away from the water’s edge, creating a barrier between the stone shore and the lush grass. Ashfur strained his eyes against the darkness as he approached, trying to see if anyone was hiding amongst the growth.
His heart lightened as he made out the obscured shape of a tabby pelt hidden between the reeds, and he quickly walked closer. The other cat heard his approach and sat up, turning to face him. As Ashfur stopped in front of the reeds, they silently slithered out from their hiding place.
“Greeting, Ashfur,” The tabby welcomed.
Ashfur dipped his head kindly, trying to cover up the warmth spreading from his chest to his face. “Hawkfrost.”
The Riverclan cat smiled, his blue eyes shimmering like sapphires in the moonlight. The formality of their meeting quickly fell away as he stepped over to Ashfur and affectionately rubbed his head against the Thunderclan tom’s chin with a purr. Ashfur melted into the embrace, feeling his heart throb with love.
“I missed you, you know,” Hawkfrost said.
Ashfur snorted a laugh. “It’s only been since last night.”
“Well, a whole day without you is simply dreadful.”
Ashfur chuckled, but he understood. He spent all day anticipating their nightly meetings, with every moment feeling empty and lonely without the other being there. He pressed closer against the Riverclan tom, entwining their tails together in a mix of soft gray and rich brown.
“How have things been in Thunderclan?” Hawkfrost asked, his voice alluringly silken.
“What do you care about Thunderclan for? Nothing important’s changed since yesterday.” Ashfur replied, slightly pulling his head from the tabby’s to speak.
“You know I’m really asking about you. How have you been today?”
“Well, it was pretty much just as boring as every other day. Until I get to see you, of course.” He made his voice brighten at the last part, trying to hide the edges of desperation leaking through from the question. It was hell back at camp, but he didn’t want Hawkfrost to know that. These meetings were the only sweet things left, and he wanted to savour the lovely feeling for as long as possible.
Hawkfrost purred beside him, drinking in the admiration. He gently untwined himself from Ashfur and stepped over to an empty patch of grass that was closer to the lakeside. Ashfur stared in awe at how his sleek tabby pelt shined in the moonlight, silky between the soft patches of white taking up his chest and paws. He followed Hawkfrost over to the patch of grass and laid down, mirrored by the Riverclan warrior.
Hawkfrost laid his tail over Ashfur’s back, his thick fur warm against the faint chill of the night air. “Tell me how you’ve really been,” He asked sincerely.
Ashfur sighed. Hawkfrost always had a way of knowing how he really felt, and he was so good at listening that it was impossible not to open everything up to him.
“It’s Squirrelflight,” He admitted, letting his gaze flicker over the lake.
“Her again?”
“Yes. I just can’t get her out of my mind. I know she doesn’t love me, and I know she probably never even did love me, but just seeing her with Brambleclaw like that - so happy and joyful… It should have been me, but that retched Brambleclaw-” He dug his claws into the earth as a flicker of anger took hold.
Hawkfrost gently stroked his back with the tip of his tail, soothing the fury before it got too much. He waited for Ashfur to calm down before speaking.
“I know how you feel. She betrayed you, acting like she loved you before turning her back like it meant nothing. But you’re stronger than her, and you can’t let her keep consuming you like this. It’ll only make it hurt more.” He explained smoothly, voice echoing with reassurance and trust. “I know it’s difficult, but you have to let her go.”
Ashfur turned to face him, eyes brimming with a mixture of sadness and anger. “How can I do that, when I have to see her loving someone else instead of me everyday? Knowing that I wasn’t enough for her?”
Hawkfrost kept his gaze steady as he spoke. “You don’t need her. You have me, and you’ll always be enough for me.”
Ashfur edged closer to the tabby, craving the warmth in his voice. “I don’t need her…” He echoed.
“You shouldn’t wish for her back either, not after she’s hurt you so much. You can’t keep dwelling on the past wondering what could be different, but instead look at what you can change for the future.” His voice was hypnotizing, addictive.
Ashfur sighed and rested his head against his paws. “I’m trying to,” He paused for a moment. “I’m glad I have you.”
Hawkfrost purred quietly, resting his muzzle against the ash warrior's forehead. His breath was warm against the cool air. “I love you, you know?”
Ashfur smiled as he felt his heart warm with the words. “Of course. I love you too.”
Hawkfrost gently pulled his head away and turned to look at the star-speckled sky. Ashfur watched him move, following his gaze upwards as they watched the indigo night stretching out before them. A gentle breeze brushed the reed stems around them in a quiet rustle, but the moment was too perfect to cause a chill through either of the cats. They sat in silence for a long stretch, taking in the comfort of each other and the beauty of the environment.
Finally, Hawkfrost spoke up.
“I’ve been… coming up with something,” He started gingerly.
Ashfur pricked his ear and met the other’s eyes. “Yes?”
“A plan - to get some much needed retribution.”
“Hmm. Tell me more.”
“I’ve been thinking about your Squirrelflight situation, and I can’t stand the way that she treated you. She deserves to pay, don’t you think? To hurt the same way she hurt you?”
Ashfur sat up straighter, intrigued. “What do you want to do to her?”
“Oh, nothing to her directly- no, that wouldn’t be good enough. We need to attack her emotionally, just like she did you. By taking away someone she loves.” His eyes glinted malignantly in the moonlight.
“And who would that be?” Ashfur questioned, growing more enthralled with each addition.
Hawkfrost laughed quietly. “Well, who could she love more than her darling father? It would wreck her if he were to be caught up in an… unfortunate accident."
Ashfur paused. “Kill Firestar? How could we possibly do that?”
Hawkfrost flexed his claws against the earth. “I’ve been taking some notes about those fox traps that have been appearing around the area, and we all know that if a wound is fatal enough that it can take multiple lives at once.” His voice tightened on the last note.
Ashfur leaned closer. “You’re talking about Tigerstar. You want to avenge him, don’t you?”
The riverclan tom was quiet for a moment, seemingly distant.
“Yes. He deserves revenge.”
“I see,” Ashfur murmured. He clearly didn’t understand the relationship Hawkfrost had between his dead father, but was willing to accept it. “How do I help with this scheme?”
The tabby turned to face him, eyes glimmering in the moonlight. “It’ll be simple. You just need to lead Firestar to the lakeshore with some kind of lie. Up ahead-” He nodded to further up the lakeshore “-is a fox trap. I’ll cover the other stuff, you just get him over to it.”
Ashfur nodded, feeling a strange thrill tickle though his paws. Squirrelflight would finally be able to hurt the same way he had. “Alright. When are we doing this?”
Hawkfrost glanced over the lake, where the moon was beginning to set across the sky.
“Tomorrow, at sunset.”
~~~
Ashfur crouched amidst the bramble bush, watching the lakeshore from his position. The sun was setting, sending bright streaks of orange light across the sky and reflecting against the waters. On the shore, the two strong tabby pelts of Hawkfrost and Brambleclaw fought against each other, while the frail body of Firestar lay motionless to the side, specks of blood staining his fur where his throat was lacerated. The discarded fox trap was glinting on the stones, the long skewer that had held it into the ground shining in the setting sun.
Ashfur lashed his tail angrily, but was careful to stay silent. The plan had been going fine: he had lied to Firestar that there was an emergency by the lake, and he had rushed there without a second thought. Hawkfrost had been waiting, pushing him into the fox trap and letting it tighten around his throat. Everything was as it was supposed to until Brambleclaw showed up from nowhere.
Now he and Hawkfrost were fighting, Brambleclaw trying to defend his leader while Hawkfrost tried to persuade him into killing him. The Thunderclan tom had even managed to release Firestar from the fox trap before it could even injure him more severely.
Ashfur watched from his protection behind the reeds, waiting to see what would happen. He despised Brambleclaw even more now, and was praying that Hawkfrost would defeat him.
Surely he can, he thought optimistically, trying to press down the worry churning in his belly. He’s the strongest cat I know.
But then it all happened too quickly for him to register it.
Brambleclaw grabbed the fox trap in his jaw and stabbed the stake into Hawkfrost’s neck in a single, swift movement. The Riverclan tom froze mid-swipe, his eyes widened in panic, before he slumped to the ground. Blood gushed out from his throat, staining his white chest red and spitting out from his gasping mouth.
Ashfur froze, his heart freezing as he realised what had just happened.
No no no no no no-
He couldn’t be dead. He couldn’t be.
He sat, stunned, while he watched his forbidden lover go still against the rocky shore. That wasn’t how it was supposed to go! Firestar was meant to die, not Hawkfrost!
Ashfur felt his stomach drop as the reality weighed in. He could barely feel his surroundings anymore, just watching Hawkfrost’s body as the pool of crimson blood steadily grew around it. The world grew numb, just a gray mist circling around him.
He didn’t notice as Bramblclaw stepped away and helped Firestar to his feet. He didn’t notice as Leafpool tended to their wounds and guided them back to camp. He didn’t notice anything apart from the body of his lover, whom he would never see again.
When all the other cats had finally cleared, did Ashfur finally emerge from his hiding place. His legs ached from sitting for so long, but he couldn’t feel anything apart from the dull throb in his chest. Slowly, he stumbled over to Hawkfrost’s body.
Even in death, he still looked gorgeous, with his sleek tabby pelt gently rustling in the passing breeze. As he got close enough, Ashfur felt the warm tears start to run from his eyes, but he didn’t register them as they spilled down his face. All he could do was stare at his lover.
A wave of longing washed through him, and he collapsed to the Riverclan cat’s side, burrowing his muzzle into Hawkfrost’s cold fur. The air reeked of a metallic tang, and he could feel the blood starting to seep into his own fur, but he didn’t care.
All he could feel was despair. He would never see Hawkfrost again, never hear his voice, never feel the warmth of his pelt brushing against his. This was the end.
The dying rays of the sun split across the sky, fighting against the claws of night that were starting to take hold. The gentle ripples of the lake ebbed closer, starting to brush against Hawkfrost’s fur and drink the crimson blood into its waves.
Ashfur finally pulled his face out of the lifeless fur and stared at Hawkfrost’s empty eyes, their blue glow suddenly stale. The sun dipped below the lake, draining the area of its light.
“We’ll meet again, Hawkfrost,” Ashfur promised, his voice catching with grief. “Our work is not done yet.”