#ashpaw

"Did Darkstripe really help us become a warrior?"

At that, Ashfur blinked, tilting his head in curiosity.

"Dustpelt was the one who took me as his apprentice."

Oh.

Of course. What if Bluestar was just a little more their leader that day? Would she had given him to Dustpelt?

He could've been Dustpelt's apprentice.

The bitterness festered in his chest.

(Unaware of the twitching whiskers of his older counterpart.)

"It doesn't have to end this way, you know." Ashpaw was taken out of his stupor, shocked by his other self's words.

"What do you mean? The dogs ripped me in half. I was..." He swallowed and shifted his backlegs, just to make sure he could feel them.

"I was a mouse to them." Ashfur's own hackles prickled at the reminder, tail lashing of haunting barks and large teeth before taking a step forward.

The young apprentice stilled, keeping his eyes on the approaching tom, something in his gait was off.

Odd. Were his eyes ever that blue? It looked so...

Cold.

"There's a way to go back. You just won't be in your own body. I can help you." That doesn't sound right, that doesn't sound good at all.

Ashpaw's eyes narrowed, "But Cloudpaw and Aspenpaw will still see me as their brother, right? They'll recognize me?"

Ashfur looked surprised at his question. No, this isn't– This isn't him.

He wouldn't grow up to be someone who wouldn't think about his siblings.

"They won't. You need to–" "Then, I'm not doing it!"

He turned around to run, he needed to look for Starclan or the Three or his Mira!

His gaze had never wavered when looking at that, that imposter.

That wasn't him, that couldn't be him!

All he saw–

Was someone like Darkstripe—

Wearing his face.

Ashpaw ran as fast as he could, away from danger instead of towards, the rage is gone, the bitterness bleeds out from him.

He wanted to cry, was that a warning from The Mother?

For a moment, he had to take a breath and looked back. No one was there. That didn't make things better.

He turned back to continue forward, flinching back at the sight of a grinning muzzle and a flash of teeth, he's going to—!

"Ashpaw! Ashpaw, is that you?!" Swifttail burst through, his visage more light than that pale imitation of the stars.

Then the realization hit. If he was here...

"I'm sorry!" The young apprentice, barely out of hus kitten fluff sobbed, looking at his friend and knowing, just knowing he had a paw in the other's demise.

This time, he doesn't look back as he's guided to the stars. There's no use in being angry when you're dead.

At least in Starclan, he can watch over his siblings and everyone else.