Ashfur (TC)

Ashfur is a thick-furred, pale gray tom with darker flecks, dark blue eyes, and a torn ear.

Firestar's Quest

 * In Firestar's Quest, Ashfur appears as a young warrior. He has a very minor role in this book, only being mentioned a few times. He is friends with Brambleclaw, a newly named ThunderClan warrior and Firestar's former apprentice.


 * His sister, Ferncloud and her mate, Dustpelt has their first litter, Spiderkit and Shrewkit.


 * Later, Ashfur appears on patrol with Sootpaw, Thornclaw, and Willowpelt. The patrol runs into Firestar, after his night at Smudge's. On the same patrol, Ashfur fights a badger after it kills Willowpelt. The badger gives Ashfur a bad wound on his shoulder.

Into the Wild

 * Ashkit is first seen as a newborn kit, born to the ThunderClan queen, Brindleface. He is described as a tiny dark gray tom. He is one of her four kits, one of them being a she-cat named Fernkit. The kits' names are not known or mentioned in this book.

Fire and Ice

 * It is mentioned that one of Ashkit's littermates dies not long after their birth, despite being a healthy kit. When Fireheart brings Cloudkit into the camp, Fireheart asks Ashkit's mother, Brindleface, to suckle him. At first she refuses, but eventually accepts. Ashkit, his sister Fernkit, and Cloudkit often go on small adventures.


 * After Sandstorm's and Dustpelt's vigil, they report that Cloudkit, Ashkit, and Fernkit are missing. Fireheart and Sandstorm go searching for them and manage to find Ashkit and Fernkit, though they cannot find Cloudkit. Later, the three kits follow a ThunderClan battle patrol, hoping to participate in the fight.


 * Ashkit's other unnamed littermate dies of greencough later on.


 * Brindleface later adopts Cloudkit, becoming a foster mother to him and becoming Ashkit and Fernkit's adopted brother.

Forest of Secrets

 * Ashkit and Fernkit are still in the nursery with their mother, Brindleface. His foster brother, Cloudkit, becomes an apprentice to Fireheart, taking the name of Cloudpaw, despite the fact that he is younger than Ashkit and Fernkit.

Rising Storm

 * Ashkit and Fernkit reach six moons of age and Bluestar tells Fireheart, who is the new deputy, to choose their mentors. Fireheart picks Dustpelt, in the hopes that he will become less irritable, and Darkstripe at Cinderpelt's recommendation. Ashpaw is Dustpelt's first apprentice and this upsets Sandstorm because Fireheart picked Dustpelt to be a mentor and not her. Ashpaw shows a strong friendship with Cloudpaw in this book, and Cloudpaw returns it, possibly because they were raised together.


 * When Cloudpaw starts taking food from Twolegs, Ashpaw knows, but out of loyalty to his friend, he doesn't tell anyone about it. Later, after Fireheart learned that Cloudpaw had been "kidnapped" by Twolegs, Ashpaw goes to Fireheart to find out what happened, ordered by Darkstripe. When Fireheart tells him, Ashpaw becomes very frantic and upset. After Cloudpaw is rescued by Fireheart, Sandstorm, and Ravenpaw, Ashpaw is relieved to know that his friend is safe. At the very end of the book, Ashpaw is chosen to go to the Gathering, when ThunderClan find out that Tigerclaw is the new leader of ShadowClan.

A Dangerous Path

 * In this book, Ashpaw's foster brother, Cloudpaw, becomes a warrior, Cloudtail, despite Ashpaw and the other apprentices being older. Bluestar refuses to make the other apprentices warriors, due to her recent paranoia and her war with StarClan. She chooses only Cloudtail because he revealed that he had lack of belief in StarClan. Ashpaw and the other apprentices are angry at Bluestar because of this.


 * Disgruntled with her reluctance to trust him, and refusal to make him a warrior, Swiftpaw, a ThunderClan apprentice, tells the other apprentices that they should all try to find out what was stealing ThunderClan's prey at the time. Then Bluestar would have to make them warriors. Thornpaw, Ashpaw, and Fernpaw, politely decline Swiftpaw's offer, but Brightpaw, Thornpaw's sister, accepts. Later, after the two go missing, Ashpaw convinces his sister, Fernpaw, to tell Fireheart where they had gone.


 * After uncovering the trail of rabbits, Fireheart and Cloudtail discover that Ashpaw's mother, Brindleface, was killed by Tigerstar, who had wanted to give a pack of fierce dogs a taste for cat blood. Ashpaw, Fernpaw and Cloudtail carry out her burial. Furious and grieving, Ashpaw and Fernpaw ask Fireheart if they can help lead the dogs to the gorge. Fireheart agrees after being persuaded by Whitestorm, and the two young apprentices lead the dogs to the next cat in line, which is Sandstorm.

The Darkest Hour

 * When Firestar comes back with his nine lives and leader name from StarClan, Ashpaw is the first cat to welcome him back. During Thornpaw and Lostface's warrior ceremony, Firestar mentions him and Fernpaw, and that they will join them soon.


 * When BloodClan comes to the forest, Ashpaw snorts when he sees their collars, exclaiming that they are kittypets, but he is quickly silenced by his leader Firestar.


 * Later, during the battle with BloodClan, the noble deputy of ThunderClan, Whitestorm, is killed by Bone. In revenge, Ashpaw, Fernpaw, Tawnypaw, Bramblepaw, Featherpaw and Stormpaw ambush the BloodClan deputy, avenging Whitestorm's death. After Bone goes limp, Ashpaw yowls the victorious cry.

Midnight

 * Ashfur is seen going out on patrol with Brambleclaw and Thornclaw. Squirrelpaw is caught following the patrol, and after a bit of scolding, is ordered home. Ashfur points out that she'll be in trouble if Dustpelt goes looking for her. Angry and upset, she begs Thornclaw to let her join them, and he eventually gives in. Later, the four cats scent badger, and Ashfur wonders if it is the same one that killed Willowpelt last leaf-bare. The patrol is forced to return to camp early, so they can alert Firestar. Ashfur is not seen again in this book.

Moonrise

 * Ashfur is a minor character in this book. At a Clan meeting about Firestar's patrol, Ashfur points out that the monsters will frighten the prey, and asks what ThunderClan will eat. Later, he points out in another Clan meeting that fishing is too difficult. Firestar chooses him to be part of the patrol that speaks to Tallstar about the lack of prey. On the way, Ashfur shows anger at the WindClan cats for stealing prey, and disbelief towards Firestar when he orders to let the warriors go. When Cloudtail and Brightheart disappear, he seems to believe that they disappeared deliberately.

Dawn

 * Ashfur is first seen when Squirrelpaw and Brambleclaw return from their long journey. Ashfur greets Squirrelpaw with surprise by reaching out to touch her muzzle with his and purring, "You came back!". He is later seen guarding the fresh-kill pile. When the Clan is trying to convince Firestar to name a new deputy when Graystripe is captured by Twolegs, he stares at Brambleclaw, suggesting that he does belive that Brambleclaw is the logical choice.


 * Ashfur is later seen on a hunting patrol with Firestar, Brambleclaw, and Squirrelpaw. After he patrol finds out that Tigerstar fathered Hawkfrost, he believes that Hawkfrost shares Tigerstar's ambition to take over the whole forest. When Shrewpaw dies, Ashfur offers to take the squirrel Brambleclaw caught to Birchkit, since his mother Ferncloud wouldn't be able to feed him for awhile due to her starvation and grief.


 * When the Clans are leaving the forest and Sasha comes to ask Mothwing and Hawkfrost to leave RiverClan, Ashfur hisses threateningly at her, but is silenced by Firestar. In the mountains, he is bewildered when he sees where and how the Tribe of Rushing Water lives.

Starlight

 * In Starlight, it becomes apparent that Ashfur is in love with Squirrelflight, as he's always trying to defend her from Brambleclaw, and any other dangers or threats, acting rather overprotective and possessive. This annoys the independent Squirrelflight, who says she can take care of herself, and snaps at him from time to time.

Twilight

 * Ashfur is seen on the patrol to see that Onewhisker has gotten his nine lives.


 * When Squirrelflight and Ashfur are out collecting moss, they start a game by flinging it at each other. But they get caught by Brambleclaw, causing Squirrelflight to walk off in anger. When she gets attacked by a fox, Ashfur tries to help her, but Brambleclaw saves her instead. After they recover, they are sent to warn WindClan about the fox.


 * At the the first Gathering on the Island, Squirrelflight and Ashfur explore the Island together.


 * Ashfur gets his first apprentice, Birchpaw, his nephew. Squirrelflight now hangs out with him more than Brambleclaw, who had been in a foul mood lately. She enjoys his company.


 * Ashfur grows very close to Squirrelflight, trying to protect her from outside threats and Brambleclaw. When Squirrelflight runs over the border, Brambleclaw scolds her but Ashfur tries to fight her battle for her. Sandstorm sees this, and has a talk with Squirrelflight afterward. When Daisy brings her kits in, Ashfur says that they will be a great addition to the Clan, unlike Brambleclaw who said they were kittypets. When Leafpool runs away, Squirrelflight wonders if she would run away with Ashfur if she had to. She believes she wouldn't, but she didn't know if she would with Brambleclaw, who she was starting to grow close to again.


 * Later, during the badger attack, Ashfur does his best to defend Squirrelflight from the attacking badgers, which easily irritates her.

Sunset

 * Soon after the badger attack, Squirrelflight tells Ashfur that she and Brambleclaw have realized what they mean to each other, and that she wasn't going to be his mate. Ashfur protests that he loved her. He is hurt and becomes extremely angry with both cats as he believes that Squirrelflight and he should be together. Also, he openly shows his mistrust of Brambleclaw, mainly due to Brambleclaw's father being Tigerstar, the murderous traitor who killed Ashfur's mother, Brindleface.


 * Later, Firestar appoints Brambleclaw deputy after Leafpool got a sign from StarClan, which said that Brambleclaw should be ThunderClan's new deputy. Ashfur becomes furious with this, and he openly challenges this choice. He wonders why Leafpool had said Brambleclaw should be the new deputy; after all, her sister, Squirrelflight, was Brambleclaw's mate. At this, Squirrelflight becomes outraged and leaps at him. Leafpool becomes utterly shocked, but no one takes notice of Ashfur, and instead, they congratulate Brambleclaw. After the ceremony, he is the only one who doesn't congratulate Brambleclaw and is seen stalking off slowly to the warriors den.


 * Later, before Brambleclaw goes to meet Hawkfrost for the final time, Ashfur says he's planning to give Birchpaw an assessment - nothing out of the ordinary. But, not long after, Ashfur comes to Leafpool and Squirrelflight, saying he had seen Brambleclaw and Hawkfrost with Firestar, who was stuck in a fox trap. Ashfur couldn't have taken on Brambleclaw and Hawkfrost by himself, so he went back to ThunderClan for help. After he tells them this, Leafpool and Squirrelflight follow his fear-scent trail to where Firestar was trapped, but arrived just after Hawkfrost is killed.


 * Ashfur ends up ignoring Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight after this. Squirrelflight later says that when she greeted Ashfur, it was like he was staring straight through her, which hurts her feelings.

The Sight

 * Ashfur becomes a mentor to the newly named Lionpaw, which starts an uneasy relationship since Lionpaw was Brambleclaw's son and they had never been on equal terms with each other. Later, Lionpaw shows off the sparrow that he had caught with Ashfur's help. Afterwards, Ashfur takes Lionpaw out on a warrior patrol.


 * When Graystripe, ThunderClan's former deputy, returns, he has his new mate, Millie along with him. Some cats think that Brambleclaw should step down, and let Graystripe return to his old position, but, much to his Clanmates' surprise, Ashfur disagrees, saying Brambleclaw should stay where he is and is the first to start cheering for Brambleclaw. This is a surprise because of his protests against Brambleclaw's deputyship in Sunset.


 * Later, when Ashfur returns from a patrol, he complains about ShadowClan, saying, "Some cats always try to take what another cat has." This statement makes Squirrelflight flinch. It is likely Ashfur was referring to how Brambleclaw "took Squirrelflight from him".


 * He is later seen in the patrol that finds out that ShadowClan is trying to ambush ThunderClan. After the ShadowClan warriors retreat, Ashfur and Brambleclaw are told to renew the scent markers on the correct border. When Lionpaw asks if he can come as well, he tells him to go home and get some ointment on his scratches.

Dark River

 * Ashfur becomes annoyed with his apprentice, Lionpaw, during a training session, and leaves the young cat to learn the badger defense move, one of the hardest fighting techniques, on his own. After awhile, Ashfur returns, and is surprised to see that Lionpaw has already mastered the move, even adding an extra kick at the end. Lionpaw claims to have made it up on his own, but in reality, Tigerstar had taught it to him.

Outcast

 * In Outcast, during a training session, Lionpaw accuses Ashfur of not being "tough enough" on him; Ashfur is greatly angered at this remark, and soon, warrior and apprentice are in a real battle. Ashfur acts as if it's real, unsheathing his claws and inflicting wounds on Lionpaw, and frightening the nearby apprentices and mentors. After the battle, when both are back at camp, he praises Lionpaw, saying he will be as good as his father. This may be a veiled insult, as Ashfur's dislike of Brambleclaw is well-known. He lets the young apprentice have first pick from the fresh-kill pile.


 * It is also mentioned that Ashfur doesn't show the same warmth and affection other mentors show their apprentices.

Eclipse

 * Ashfur is seen when he calls Lionpaw out for a hunting patrol. Lionpaw wonders if Ashfur would be angry with him for sleeping in late. When Lionpaw takes longer, Ashfur calls him out again, sharpness in his voice. Ashfur greets Lionpaw when he comes out of the apprentices' den and mentions that Icepaw and Whitewing were waiting to go out hunting. While out in the forest, Ashfur advises Icepaw to keep her tail still while in the hunter's crouch and Lionpaw looks at him in surprise, thinking that he didn't care about apprentices. Ashfur shares a glance with Lionpaw and it's clear that he wanted Lionpaw to point out Icepaw's mistake. Lionpaw is angered at Ashfur for expecting him to mentor another apprentice.


 * Later on their hunt, Whitewing asks Ashfur if they should go down to the lake, but he doesn't reply. Lionpaw wonders why he wasn't responding. Ashfur silences Lionpaw with his tail when he tries to give advice to Whitewing and then tells Whitewing to trust her instinct. Ashfur explains to Lionpaw that Whitewing needs to build her confidence on her own. Ashfur later congratulates Icepaw when she catches a vole.


 * When the patrol is heading back to camp, Lionpaw talks with Icepaw and she mentions that Ashfur is a great mentor. Lionpaw watches Ashfur walking ahead and recalls how Ashfur had taught him well, but that Tigerstar was his other mentor. The patrol arrives back at the camp and deposits their prey.


 * When WindClan invades the ThunderClan camp, Ashfur is seen calling Lionpaw over from the elders' den. He tells Lionpaw to help Mousefur and Longtail up to the Highledge while Ashfur helps Whitewing and Icepaw fight off some WindClan cats. Ashfur is seen with Whitewing and Icepaw pushing WindClan back.


 * Firestar later sends Ashfur out with Lionpaw, Dustpelt, Birchfall, and Cloudtail to make sure WindClan had left the territory. Ashfur's pelt bristles angrily when the patrol learns that none of the WindClan cats had gone back over the border. The patrol heads back to the camp and explains everything to Firestar. Later, Ashfur is sent with a patrol to defend ThunderClan territory, along with Firestar, Lionpaw, Berrynose, Spiderleg, and Poppyfrost. When the patrol finds the underground tunnel which WindClan had used to get over to ThunderClan territory, Ashfur is very angry about it and helps cover it up with dirt.


 * Later on in the battle, Ashfur is seen sticky with blood as he stands next to Berrynose. He encourages Spiderleg to get up so that he can go back to the camp and be treated by Leafpool. Back in the camp, Ashfur alerts Firestar that more cats are coming from WindClan's direction. He is later seen fighting with a brown tabby tom.


 * After the battle, Lionpaw notices that Ashfur still hadn't washed the blood off of his paws. Ashfur talks with some other warriors about why the sun might have vanished.


 * Later, Ashfur is seen talking with Dustpelt and they are comparing the battle with BloodClan to the recent battle. Ashfur comments that Lionpaw is ready to become a warrior and he glances over at his apprentice. Ashfur then calls Lionpaw over for a patrol with Sorreltail and Whitewing.


 * Ashfur congratulates Lionpaw after Firestar announces that he will be made a warrior. His apprentice is then granted his warrior name, Lionblaze.

Long Shadows

 * In Long Shadows, a large fire starts near the ThunderClan camp, and all the ThunderClan cats are forced to flee. When Squirrelflight and her kits, Hollyleaf, Jayfeather, and Lionblaze, are trying to escape, Ashfur blocks their escape route, which is a fallen tree branch. He tells Squirrelflight that he is furious and heartbroken from being passed over in favor of Brambleclaw, and had tried to punish her by conspiring with Hawkfrost, in hopes that Firestar would die in a fox trap, so that she would feel the emotional pain that he felt when he was rejected, revealing the "traitor" Hawkfrost mentioned in Sunset. He says that he never had a problem with Brambleclaw, but it was Squirrelflight who he blamed. Since that plan had failed, Ashfur hisses he will instead kill Squirrelflight's kits. To this, Squirrelflight reveals a secret too, proclaiming that Hollyleaf, Jayfeather, and Lionblaze are not her kits. Ashfur lets them escape upon hearing this, but vows to take revenge in other ways.


 * Later, armed with Squirrelflight's news, Ashfur plans to let it be known at the next Gathering. He asks Firestar if he can go to the Gathering. Hollyleaf, Jayfeather, and Lionblaze all beg him not to, but he pays them no heed. Jayfeather even visits Ashfur in a dream, but the tom refuses to back down.
 * On the night of the Gathering, Ashfur and Squirrelflight disappear, and their Clanmates decide to leave without them. But before they can really leave, a mud-slathered Squirrelflight joins them, saying she had slipped into a stream. Not long after this, ThunderClan finds Ashfur's body in the stream bordering WindClan. His body is taken back to camp, and his Clanmates mourn for him.


 * Leafpool is said to have been anguished and sad as she cares for Ashfur's body. It is assumed by Jayfeather that she had fallen in love with the fallen warrior.


 * Later, Leafpool discovers that Ashfur hadn't drowned as was previously thought, but was murdered. Due to the absence of other Clan's scents, it was believed that a ThunderClan cat was responsible for his death, though some thought WindClan was responsible.

Sunrise

 * Leafpool prepares Ashfur for burial when she finds a tuft of his killer's fur in Ashfur's claws. She wraps the fur in a leaf and hides it in her den where no one will find it. Later, Leafpool reveals she knew that it was Hollyleaf who killed Ashfur, because the tuft of fur had her scent when Hollyleaf was threatening to kill Leafpool with deathberries.


 * Later, Firestar asks Leafpool if she wants to meet Ashfur in StarClan. He wants her to ask him who the cat is that is responsible for his death, but she refuses because she can't choose who to meet in StarClan.


 * Later, Hollyleaf reveals at a Gathering that Leafpool and Crowfeather were her, Lionblaze, and Jayfeather's parents, not Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw. This is ironic because Hollyleaf had killed Ashfur so their secret wouldn't be revealed.


 * Near the end of the book, Hollyleaf tells Lionblaze and Jayfeather that she killed Ashfur, and then vanishes into the tunnels. The tunnels collapse, and Hollyleaf is trapped inside.

Night Whispers

 * While Lionblaze and Cinderheart are out on a run, they come across the collapsed tunnels, where Hollyleaf was supposedly killed. Lionblaze remembers in detail the true story of Ashfur's death, and how Hollyleaf had murdered him in order to keep her parentage a secret. He also remembers how the Clans assumed the cause of Ashfur's untimely demise was a passing rogue.

Sign of the Moon

 * When Yellowfang is with Jayfeather in StarClan, Jayfeather sees Ashfur running through the trees and Ashfur stops and stares back at Jayfeather with burning eyes. Jayfeather is surprised that Ashfur is there, but Yellowfang simply says that all he did wrong was love too much, as did Squirrelflight. Jayfeather is confused by Yellowfang's statement, but she tells Jayfeather to work it out for himself.

Cats of the Clans

 * Rock tells the kits that it is a shame that Ashfur is most famous for quarreling with Brambleclaw over Squirrelflight's affection, because he was a good cat. He was able to see past Squirrelflight's fiery exterior and love her while Brambleclaw still saw her as a nuisance, but he protected her too much, and tried to stifle her courageous, daring spirit, which is not what she needed in a mate. But despite his troubles with Squirrelflight, he was a brave and loyal warrior.


 * He also mentored Lionpaw very well, and despite his somewhat confrontational nature, he was a loyal warrior of ThunderClan. He says not to listen to Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight too much, as they dismiss him as somewhat of a troublemaker, since Ashfur has a story of his own.

Trivia

 * Either he or his sister, Ferncloud, were called tawny.

Members
Mother:
 * Brindleface: Deceased, Verified StarClan member

Brothers:
 * Two Unnamed Kits: Deceased, Suspected StarClan members

Sister:
 * Ferncloud:

Half-Sister:
 * Sandstorm:

Foster Brother:
 * Cloudtail:

Grandmother:
 * Robinwing: Deceased, Suspected StarClan member

Grandfather:
 * Fuzzypelt: Deceased, Suspected StarClan member

Aunt:
 * Frostfur: Deceased, Suspected StarClan member

Uncles:
 * Dustpelt:
 * Ravenpaw: Status Unknown

Cousins:
 * Cinderpelt Deceased, Reincarnated as Cinderheart
 * Brightheart
 * Thornclaw
 * Brackenfur:
 * Honeyfern: Deceased, Verified StarClan member
 * Poppyfrost:
 * Cinderheart:
 * Molepaw: Deceased, Suspected StarClan member
 * Molekit:
 * Cherrykit:
 * Whitewing:
 * Dovewing:
 * Ivypool:

Nephews:
 * Shrewpaw: Deceased, Verified StarClan member
 * Spiderleg:
 * Birchfall:
 * Foxleap:

Nieces:
 * Hollykit: Deceased. Verified StarClan member
 * Larchkit: Deceased, Verified StarClan member
 * Icecloud:
 * Squirrelflight:
 * Leafpool:

Grand-nephews:
 * Lionblaze:
 * Jayfeather:
 * Toadstep:

Grand-nieces:
 * Hollyleaf:
 * Rosepetal:

Quotes
Jayfeather: ''Ashfur! He's here.''

Yellowfang: Why not his only fault was to love too much.

Jayfeather: Hardly he tried to push us off the cliff.

Yellowfang: But he didn't. Squirrelflight stopped him-and maybe her only fault is that she loved too much as well.

Jayfeather: What do you mean?

Yellowfang: Work it out for yourself mousebrain! - Jayfeather and Yellowfang Sign of the Moon page 94

''You'd be wiser splitting up! On your own, you might just manage to surprise your prey, but the three of you clumping through the forest will scare everything from here to the sun-drown-place''.&nbsp -Ashfur to Berrypaw, Mousepaw and Hazelpaw&nbsp The Sight page 69