Warrior Cats x Reader

Ashfur x Reader ~ Forgive and Forget

For TheRomanceMasterTM. Sooooooo so so so so soooo overdue, sorry! Spoilers ahead! 

A dark sky loomed above, bright flames sending shadows dancing; the creak and crackle of scorching wood accompanied the rumble of thunder overhead. You cowered beside your littermates, the fire engulfing the surrounding forest, threatening to spill over into the hollow. Slowly suffocating as the black clouds of smoke and heat of the blaze closed in around you, your mother's desperate pleas filled your ears. In spite of the overwhelming fear coursing through you, her words burned much deeper than the licks of the flames.

"They are not my kits." 

You were awoken by a paw on your shoulder, gently shaking you from your dream-state. Your heartbeat still pounding in your ears, you clambered to your paws and were greeted by your brother, Lionblaze. Even in the darkness of the den at high-moon, his bright golden pelt was recognisable. 

"Come on, we're getting ready to leave for the gathering," he explained before stepping back out into the clearing. You followed him, joining the cluster of cats preparing to leave. In the corner of your eye, you spotted the tell-tale, speckled, grey tail of Ashfur vanishing through the bramble thicket and out of camp. Only a heartbeat later, Hollyleaf slunk out after him, glancing around as if covering her tracks. 

Your mind bounced between curiosity and suspicion, but you decided to chase after the two of them regardless. Lionblaze's confused meows of protest sounded behind you too late. Your mind was made up. 

The forest was dotted with silver moonlight filtering through the canopy but retained its eery feel in the dark. As you spotted Ashfur along the WindClan border, you ducked into a clump of bracken for cover. Just what you had gotten into, you weren't yet sure. 

Water trickled softly along the rocks of the stream bed beside you as you looked on, breaths rustling the frond of bracken beneath your nose. It was peaceful, almost silent, until Hollyleaf stepped clear of the nearest thicket and launched herself at Ashfur without warning. If you weren't still as a stone before, you were frozen solid now--confused and conflicted. 

Your instincts overcame your apprehension after a heartbeat of surprise; you leapt into action, latching onto Hollyleaf's back and yanking her off of a defenseless Ashfur. Still laden with black tufts of fur, your claws sank into the moist soil of the streambank as Hollyleaf rolled out of your grasp. 

"What are you doing here?" she hissed, scrambling to her paws. There was a look of fear and fury in her eyes that you didn't recognise. This wasn't your sister, not how you knew her.

"What are you doing?" you retorted, lips snarled in disgust. Your claws flexed, curling into the sandy ground and readying yourself to pounce back into the fight if need be. Thankfully, Ashfur was merely recovering his balance at the edge of the stream, dark blood welling up through his pale pelt. "He is our clanmate! Have you forgotten?"

"Did you forget that he tried to kill us?" Hollyleaf reasoned despairingly, the volume of her voice carrying as clear as the night sky across the clearing. You'd have been surprised if WindClan couldn't hear her from where she stood, the sound echoing downstream.

"So, what, you're levelling the playing field?" you hissed rhetorically, your voice much lower in an attempt to diffuse the situation and avoid drawing the attention of other cats--or worse, predators. "Nothing makes this okay! You're just stepping down to his level!" 

"Do you have any idea what he has done?" Hollyleaf snapped, hardly listening to a word you had to say; her mind was made up. She cast a scathing scowl in Ashfur's direction, but he didn't dare move as much has a muscle. "If he tells anyone--!" 

"What you're implying is against the code!" you insisted, starting to sound desperate rather than rational. You couldn't stand idly by as an injustice to the code occurred, much less watch your sister through her life away for such a transgression. Still, you calmed yourself with a deep breath and lowered your voice: "It's against everything we believe in! Hollyleaf, listen to me. There are better ways to settle this." 

She retracted her claws in response to your pleas but didn't seem satisfied by your rationale. With a final glance between you and Ashfur, she turned and disappeared into the shadows of the forest. 

You sighed heavily, more defeated than relieved despite the deescalation. At last, you turned to face Ashfur, who had a look of bewilderment on his face. His dark blue eyes looked inky black in the dim moonlight as they met your gaze. You simply twitched your ears, gesturing for him to follow you back to camp as you turned heel and padded off.

Not a word was spoken between the two of you for a long while, the still silence of the forest engulfing you: the chirp of insects beneath the undergrowth, bats flittering about overhead, the faint howl of a predator in the distance. When you were nearly halfway back, Ashfur's pawsteps faded as he stopped in his tracks. You pricked your ears up in response and turned around, expecting to see him slipping away or merely the empty space where he had been. Instead, you were met with those same deep blue eyes filled with grief. 

"Ashfur...?" you whispered, tentatively taking a step in his direction. He ducked his head away from your gaze, and you froze in place, one paw hovering above the grass in anticipation.

There was a long silence again, the hoot of an owl echoing through the trees the only sound breaking through the still night now. 

"I..." Ashfur croaked, choking on his own words the moment they formed. You cocked your head inquisitively, but your eyes were wide with interest. It seemed to encourage him. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry." 

You blinked at him in shock and confusion. Tears shimmered in the corners of his eyes beneath the pale moonlight. The sight softened your gaze, a wave of empathy and understanding washing over you as you realised; the apology was for you, genuinely, for that night.

"Please... forgive me." His voice sounded so small, so vulnerable, that it almost broke your fragile heart. Meeting his pleading gaze only made the weight in the pit of your stomach heavier. "I beg you..." 

Less hesitant now, you stepped toward him until you were almost nose-to-nose. The tears in his eyes gleamed in the light, beautiful despite wrenching your heart further.  He looked afraid: of your reaction, of your rejection, of your closeness.

"I do," you whispered, breath ruffling his whiskers. He noticeably swallowed the lump in his throat, looking expectant as you spoke--maybe even hopeful. "I forgive you. No... I never blamed you for what happened. I understood why you did what you did. Is that crazy?"

Despite your attempt to lighten the mood, he only stared at you in disbelief. You worried you had said the wrong thing until he stepped forward to bridge the gap between you. Now cheek-to-cheek, you sucked in a breath of surprise but relaxed into his touch for a heartbeat.

"Thank you," he murmured, pulling back only a breath's distance away. Your eyes fluttered open to meet his again, mesmerising. "I promise, I'll earn your forgiveness."

You purred softly with incredulous laughter before leaning in to give his cheek a comforting lick. "Earn it? You have it..."