Quote:
Originally Posted by Siren Bliss
[ @ TheNyanCatMinecart; ]
Ashfur and Brambleclaw switch bodies for the day during the time Squirrelflight was choosing between the two. |
This OC was requested by Siren Bliss.
The AU, as stated in the quote above, was to have Ashfur and Brambleclaw switch bodies during the time when Squirrelflight had to make her choice.
But why would this happen?
StarClan wanted Squirrelflight to be with Brambleclaw. They saw him as a good cat and this relationship would affect many things to come in the future. But right now, Squirrelflight and Ashfur were close, even though she was beginning to think that Brambleclaw could be the right choice. She and Ashfur weren't even official mates.
Brindleface was watching up above from StarClan. She saw her daugther, Ferncloud, so successful in life with a mate and many kits. But then there was Ashfur, cursed by StarClan to have a terrible fate, and she thought that he and Squirrelflight - Firestar's daughter! - were perfect for each other. She didn't want to see her son go down the dark and twisted path of revenge.
StarClan knew her misgivings and forbade her from going anywhere near ThunderClan's living world while they worked things out. Angry and frustrated, which was so uncharacteristic for her, Brindleface hatched a plan behind StarClan's back: she would get Ashfur and Brambleclaw to switch bodies. Somehow.
Even with StarClan's powers, she did not know how it could be done. However, she confided in a sympathetic Yellowfang. The former medicine cat was very cautious, thinking about Squirrelflight's future, but wondered if Ashfur would be alright to take his place. In the end, she gave in and the two of them went down to ThunderClan under the noses of the other StarClan warriors during the night, on the day where Squirrelflight had to choose.
Why switching bodies, you may ask? Well, she felt that Brambleclaw would be kinder in Ashfur's body and adapt to it more quickly while her son would be irratical and confused. Yellowfang thought so as well and the two of them silently took their spirits by killing their bodies. Before the spirits could ascend, they were swapped around and the wounds were healed. Neither warrior had noticed; it had just been like some sort of odd fever dream.
Brindleface and Yellowfang snuck back to StarClan. Bluestar noticed and came up to them, demanding to know what had happened. Yellowfang replied that she had caught Brindleface sniffing around, but apparently, she had just wanted a bit of prey. Bluestar was skeptical but luckily, didn't question them any further.
The next morning, Ashfur went to wake up Squirrelflight to do some early hunting with her only to find that he is stuck in Brambleclaw's body. He can tell by his huge size and dark tabby fur, which scares him and also makes him angry at the same time. He remembers a vague dream of him rising from his body and seeing his mother's face, but nothing else. He staggers to his paws and doesn't feel comfortable in another cat's body.
Ashfur is still very confused and suddenly wonders if StarClan has played some dumb trick on him. He starts cursing them, his brain becoming muddled. But then a faint idea flutters into his mind. Squirrelflight loves Brambleclaw, right? If only he knew how long he'd be stuck in his body. If it was for a short period of time, then he could make her get angry at him. If it was forever, then he'd have to convince her to stay with him.
Still upset and confused, Ashfur goes out of the camp, wanting to head on a walk. He is able to do so, walking through the forest and wondering why this has happened to him. And what about Brambleclaw? Then he gets a better idea. He could maybe make the Clan hate and cast out Brambleclaw - just in a day! - and then find a way to kill this body and take over his own. He was confused about whether StarClan would accept, but he had to get out of this.
Brambleclaw didn't know why he didn't feel tired when he woke up or feel the stinging of his wounds even though his Dark Forest training had been interrupted by a strange dream of him being killed and standing over a pale body. He also remembered the face of Yellowfang, ThunderClan's old medicine cat who had died when he was a kit. However, he found himself lighter and smaller, moving with swiftness that thoroughly confused him until he looked down and... it wasn't him.
Being in Ashfur's body made him so confused, and looking around, he couldn't find his own. It looked like it was near sunhigh and he staggered along, not knowing what to make of it. Then he ran into Squirrelflight, who apologized and asked him if he was okay. Haltingly, he replied yes, and his ex-mate was obviously suspicious of him. He knew that he couldn't fix this and didn't understand StarClan, but thought that it would be the best thing to play along as Ashfur.
The rest of StarClan could tell that something was a bit off about the two warriors: Brambleclaw cursing StarClan and acting more like Ashfur while Ashfur seemed confused and was acting more like Brambleclaw. They just thought that they were confused or putting up some act. After all, switching bodies seemed a bit of a stretch, even for StarClan.
Ashfur got back to the camp and started plotting silently in his mind what to do. He saw "Ashfur" talking to Squirrelflight and was dazed for a moment before remembering the whole scenario. He knew that, by the way the other Ashfur acted, it must've been Brambleclaw. Brambleclaw, upon seeing himself, was dazed. Squirrelflight asked what was wrong with him and he said nothing, even though Ashfur had some... plans.
Ashfur got a better idea: as Brambleclaw, he could attack his former self and injure him, but not too badly. Brambleclaw's body would be exiled from ThunderClan while he would plot how to escape. But then Leafpool appeared from the medicine cat's den and Squirrelflight can't help but think about the whole "I-love-Brambleclaw-and-Ashfur-is-a-friend" thing.
Right when Ashfur was going to tell Brambleclaw to meet him in private, Squirrelflight told Brambleclaw (in Ashfur's body) that she loved Brambleclaw more. Brambleclaw was happy and relieved to hear this confession, but those emotions on the face of Ashfur wouldn't look very good. So, he acted as though he was submissive but also not happy, and Squirrelflight seemed glad that he wasn't taking it too harshly.
Of course, the real Ashfur was furious and decided to set his plan into motion. After Squirrelflight leaves, Ashfur goes up to Brambleclaw, who instantly looks uncomfortable. He has no trouble challenging his former body and dragging him out to the forest.
There, Ashfur tried to attract a crowd by yowling and Brambleclaw asks him what he means by this. Ashfur replies by saying that he must be with Squirrelflight and this body switch is the perfect opportunity if he could seize his whole body back. Brambleclaw is horrified and tries protesting, saying that he didn't mean to upset him so much and that it was Squirrelflight's opinion.
Ashfur doesn't want to hear it, and with the sound of running cats, he attacks Brambleclaw. The two fight and he finds himself at an advantage, being larger and muscular. Brambleclaw, without his regular build, is able to move faster. This makes them nearly equal in ability.
The two happen to roll close to an area where the fox traps are and Ashfur triggers it, hoping to catch Brambleclaw's neck. Terrified, the tom ducks out of the way and Ashfur nearly gets caught in it instead. Getting up, he attacks Brambleclaw again, and according to plan, Firestar, Dustpelt, and Mousefur come up on the sight.
As Firestar is questioning them, Brambleclaw tries saying that he was attacked, then stops, realizing that he may never get his body back. Sadly, he says that they got angry at each other. Meanwhile, Ashfur is upset and announces proudly that he wanted to teach "Ashfur" a lesson. Brambleclaw is horrified and Firestar is suspicious.
Upon hearing what happened, Squirrelflight turns away from Brambleclaw's body (Ashfur), saying that he is evil. Ashfur knows that this was his plan, but still feels an awful tugging at his heart.
Brindleface and Yellowfang watch from StarClan. The rest of StarClan is confused, but Bluestar thinks that they have something to do with it. After some interrogating, Bluestar threatens them and wants to get everything back to normal so that the two can fulfill their destiny. However, Yellowfang and Brindleface kidnap her in an attempt to keep her silent.
Firestar is comtemplating on whether to exile "Brambleclaw" or not while the real Brambleclaw needs to set things right. Bluestar, managing to escape from her captors, whispers to him a prophecy: "Claw and fur may always differ, but in this case, it is needed the most. Flames can burn a forest, but it will bring forth new growth. Turn the tides of the water and outsmart your foe."
Brambleclaw was confused by the prophecy, but couldn't ask her anything before she was gone. He had to do something, though. That was why he tried thinking of the prophecy. Extinguished fire, growing plants... did it have to do with him and Ashfur? Then StarClan sent an idea to his mind.
Yellowfang and Brindleface were angry with Bluestar, but StarClan was angry with them. A massive argument broke out.
Brambleclaw decided that he must attack Ashfur in front of the ThunderClan cats. He wouldn't harm his opponet's body too much, but with luck, Ashfur would go all-out.
It happened. Firestar had decided to give "Brambleclaw" another chance and Ashfur was seething. Then Brambleclaw attacked Ashfur in front of the Clan. Everybody was shocked and the fight was rushed to be stopped, and Ashfur gave his body some pretty nasty wounds before spluttering, yelling at Brambleclaw that he had tried to use the body switch to his advantage to gain his future mate, Squirrelflight.
In front of the Clan.
Whoops.
Everybody was shocked and appaled, and during StarClan's fight, Bluestar appeared. She yowled that this had been a disaster and explained what Brindleface and Yellowfang had done. Nobody quite understood, but this had been too much of a disaster and the future had been affected. So, Bluestar said that they were stuck, but to imprison Brambleclaw's body until they could switch out again at night.
Firestar and ThunderClan did as they were asked, even though some of the warriors were suspicious. Squirrelflight was dismayed about the whole situation, blaming herself. However, she was comforted by her Clanmates - most of them, anyway, while most of them remained very confused.
That night, Bluestar made the switch and would've killed off Ashfur if Yellowfang hadn't stopped her. The former medicine cat said to let Firestar deal with him and the rest of StarClan agreed, so she gave in.
The next day, the Clan was wondering if it had all been a weird fever dream, but it had all actually happened. Firestar contemplated Ashfur and let him stay in ThunderClan, much to the dismay of some of his Clanmates.
StarClan watched over him carefully and let him fulfill the "blood will spill blood" prophecy.
However, they let Firestar see Ashfur and Hawkfrost together, and Brambleclaw as well, so that Ashfur was exiled from his Clan.
Brambleclaw thought that they could be at peace, but then Squirrelflight came back with a litter of three kits (Leafpool's) and kept the secret. Ashfur ran into Sol, meanwhile, and they teamed up for revenge on the Clans. Brindleface was heartbroken by her son's actions.
Sol got into ThunderClan and began to manipulate them while Ashfur stood on the sidelines. He didn't know where Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw had gone, but seeing how they treated the Three with affection - even though they didn't look alike - infuriated him as he connected the dots.
Then the fire happened. Flames, crackling everywhere, chaos. He confronted Squirrelflight and the Three, yowling at her, when Squirrelflight made the reveal. Ashfur was shocked, and so were the siblings, but what could he do about it? The other Clans viewed him as an outcast.
Maybe he could try.
But then Hollyleaf killed him and he was sent to the Dark Forest quickly without Yellowfang to sympathize with him.
Ashfur blamed Hawkfrost for some of the plan and was too bitter to learn how to walk in dreams, staying silent. In the final battle, he killed Hollyleaf, only to have Brambleclaw take revenge.
Hollyleaf didn't feel as guilty since she hadn't known Ashfur, but upon Jayfeather letting her know the truth, she opened up about it around the time that Dovekit and Ivykit were born. Firestar questioned Leafpool and Squirrelflight, and they admitted to it. Brambleclaw felt betrayed and they broke up, but after seeing him trying to kill his former daughter made him upset and made him feel like he had to strengthen his bond with Squirrelflight.
So, yeah. Sorry if the end was a bit rushed.
Switching bodies would be a big no-no.
Writing Your Warrior Cat AUs!
