Aspenfall

"What good will your precious tunnels be if ShadowClan drives us from our home?"

— Aspenfall about the tunnels in Tallstar's Revenge, page 185

Aspenfall
The pixel artwork is fanart based on the canon description; undefined traits are left to the artist's interpretation.
Affiliations
Last known:	WindClan
Names
Moor runner:	Aspenfall
Warrior:	Aspenfall
Education
Apprentice:	Doespring
Book appearances
Living	Tallstar's Revenge, Redtail's Debt
Living	Tallstar's Revenge, Redtail's Debt

Aspenfall is a lithe, gray-and-white tom. He has sleek fur, long legs, and a wiry tail.

History

In the Super Editions

Tallstar's Revenge

Aspenfall is a WindClan warrior.

When Tallkit skids to a halt after Cloudrunner telling him to watch out, Tallkit sees Aspenfall crossing his path along with Cloudrunner. The two warriors were to head for the prey heap, carrying fresh kill in their jaws as they bring food for their Clan. Tallkit admires their long legs and wiry tails, remembering that they were moor runners, and he smells heather on Aspenfall and Cloudrunner. When talking about the gorge tunnel, Aspenfall lays down a vole beside Cloudrunner's rabbit, and comments that the grit is unstable, therefore making it unsafe to tunnel there. As Tallkit speaks with Sandgorse, he notices Aspenfall and Cloudrunner, and how they are built for speed instead of strength. After being told the story of Shattered Ice, Tallkit wonders of how he could dream of running the moors like Cloudrunner and Aspenfall.

At Ryekit's, Stagkit's, and Doekit's apprentice ceremony, Aspenfall bounds down into the Meeting Hollow with Cloudrunner. Heatherstar selects him to be Doepaw's mentor, making Aspenfall prick his ears and blink, as if he were surprised. He then crosses the hollow to greet his apprentice, and Heatherstar advises for him to share his courage and strength with Doepaw. He dips his head, and touches his nose to Doepaw's ear. When Plumclaw asks who the three newly named apprentices were being mentored by, Heatherstar confirms that Larksplash, Aspenfall, and Cloudrunner were to mentor Mistmouse's kits. She informs Aspenfall to show his apprentice the territory and to train Doepaw well, and he then bounds out the camp entrance after Cloudrunner and Stagpaw, along with his apprentice. At Tallkit's apprentice ceremony, Doepaw waits in between Ryepaw and Aspenfall. When cats are congratulating Tallpaw, Aspenfall tells him he'll be an early riser, if he was anything like his father, and glances at Sandgorse.

Aspenfall is then seen streaming out the camp entrance behind Shrewpaw. He is shown taking out Doepaw, along with Larksplash, Cloudrunner, and their apprentices, to test their observation skills. Once they are being testing on how they pursue Tallpaw, Aspenfall, along with Cloudrunner, are chosen to watch how the older apprentices stay out of sight while giving each other tail signals. As Stagpaw and his siblings near Tallpaw, Aspenfall, who is higher up the slope, tells him to think. After the chase, Aspenfall, Larksplash, and Hareflight pound across the grass with Shrewpaw. When the greenleaf visitors arrive, Aspenfall greet Sparrow respectfully, and Sparrow greets him back, matching his tone. A dark gray rogue lifts his head, and hopes that cold-season was kind to the Clan, and Aspenfall replies that despite the length of that leaf-bare, the prey kept running, and their nests were warm.

Aspenfall is on patrol with Tallpaw, Stagleap and Dawnstripe. When Hickorynose pushes past him, Aspenfall grumbles about how tunnelers didn't wait their turns, unlike other warriors, and he halts to let the tunneling patrol through the entrance. While on patrol, Aspenfall pads across a grassy clearing along with Stagleap and Dawnstripe. Tallpaw mentions an invasion, making Aspenfall's fur bush up, and he asks where it was. After meeting some ThunderClan apprentices, Aspenfall catches up to Dawnstripe, and asks if Tallpaw managed to stop the war, gaze flashing toward the apprentice. Once Aspenfall appears at the hill's crest, Stagleap asks him and Dawnstripe whether Thunderclan had declared war or not. Aspenfall's tail quivers, and he replies that they knew it was an honest mistake. When they stop, Aspenfall asks Stagleap what was wrong. Stagleap notes of ShadowClan scent, and Aspenfall runs over to bury his muzzle in the grass, before wrinkling his nose. He then asks about ShadowClan's reason to cross the border, and Tallpaw notes that he scented ShadowClan up a slope.

He then questions Tallpaw's choice to not speak of it, and Tallpaw replies that he thought ShadowClan was on their way to the Moonstone. Aspenfall explains that ShadowClan didn't need to cross WindClan land to reach the Moonstone, as their camp was on the other side of the Thunderpath, like Highstones. Tallpaw notes of the amount of scents, and Aspenfall breaks into a run up the slope, dodging back and forth to sniff leaves, before informing the others that there were too many scents to count. Stagleap reports of a ShadowClan patrol crossing the border, and Aspenfall realizes that they are heading towards the camp, and charges past Stagleap, plunging into the heather. Aspenfall and Dawnstripe are a few paces ahead of Tallpaw as they run, and they swerve along a rabbit trail through a gorse swathe before bursting into the clearing outside of their camp.

When Dawnstripe stops the patrol, Aspenfall pulls up beside her, and asks about her choice to stop the group. She orders Tallpaw to get the patrol near the RiverClan border, but he refuses, prompting Aspenfall to go. In the battle, Aspenfall is seen chasing a tabby tom across the clearing. When Brackenwing is dying, Shrewpaw pushes past Aspenfall to get to his mother to report that they had won the battle. Aspenfall, along with Hareflight and Cloudrunner, then take Brackenwing's body to the grassy clearing, where her body is prepared for the burial. The next morning, Aspenfall and Ryestalk collect and thread shredded gorse back around the nursery, and Aspenfall promises Meadowslip that ShadowClan wouldn't get through the walls, and threads a piece of gorse through some branches. When Plumclaw returns with some tunnelers, Aspenfall emerges from the nursery, fur covered with pieces of leaves, and informs her that ShadowClan had attacked WindClan.

When the tunnelers argue, Aspenfall twitches his tail, and inquires about the amount of use the tunnels would have if ShadowClan drove them out. Sandgorse replies that if they allowed them to dig the tunnels, they could defend more effectively, and Aspenfall asks if he meant the gorge tunnel. Curling his lip, he questions its purpose it would have had that day, and Sandgorse reasons that it would have been an escape route. Aspenfall challenges him, asking if it would lead them to RiverClan territory. When Sandgorse dies, Aspenfall pauses on a tussock, staring at the tunnelers, and asks for news. Some time after, Aspenfall is chosen for a hunting patrol along with Mole, Doespring, and Cloudrunner. As he speaks with Reena, Tallpaw notices that Sparrow turned back to Hareflight and Aspenfall, and remarks that he had more friends than him.

When Heatherstar announces the end of tunneling, Aspenfall exchanges an approving glance with Cloudrunner. Stonetooth's reactions to ShadowClan is noting, prompting Aspenfall to claw the earth, and declare that they must prove that they were warriors. He then joins in the chant of the Clan's name along with other cats. At Tallpaw's warrior ceremony, Aspenfall and Larksplash settle near the edge of the hollow. After Talltail and Shrewclaw's vigil, Aspenfall appears with Doepsring, and he exclaims that they were awake. He then trots down toward a patch of heather with Reedfeather. When they find a rabbit, Doespring gives chase with Aspenfall and Reedfeather on her tail, Talltail watching them. When Aspenfall spots Talltail hunting underground, he asks what he was doing in disbelief, and he stands at the edge of the heather.

Talltail explains that he was hunting, and Aspenfall reminds him that they didn't hunt underground, as Heatherstar claimed it was unsafe. Talltail replies that he was chasing it from the ridge, and wonders why Aspenfall was questioning his catch, and if he forgot that Talltail was a warrior like himself. Aspenfall then adds that the tunnels were forbidden, and Shrewclaw slides out behind Aspenfall, making a comment that sets off Talltail. Aspenfall steps forward, and tells him to calm down, remarking that it would be hard for them to remember that they didn't have the tunnels to hunt in, and suggests to take the rabbit back to camp. When Talltail is about to announce his departure from WindClan, Aspenfall pads from the prey-heap pile. As Talltail heads about to WindClan, the path contains Aspenfall's scent, suggesting that he had passed the track some time prior, making Talltail imagine his paw prints warm on the grass.

After Talltail saves the kits, Stagleap races past Aspenfall and Cloudrunner, who emerge from the shadows at the edge of the clearing. A few days later, Heatherstar shelters below Tallrock with Aspenfall and Doespring. On a patrol, Dawnstripe remarks that she scented grouse, and Aspenfall tastes the air, confirming it. When Dawnstripe calls for Talltail, Aspenfall and Plumclaw nose their way into the heather swathe, before following her Clanmates, making Talltail wonder why they had to waste four warriors on a single catch. When Talltail announces ShadowClan's presence, Aspenfall barges past Plumclaw, and comments that he was about to attack the grouse. Talltail glares at Aspenfall, and informs him to tell Heatherstar that ShadowClan was using the tunnels to steal prey, and for WindClan to re-mark the border. Aspenfall then turns away, and pushes through the heather. During the second battle with ShadowClan, Talltail wonders if Aspenfall had persuaded Heatherstar to send in more warriors.

In the Novellas

Redtail's Debt

He and Doespring were left to guard the camp when ThunderClan attacks. Tigerclaw draws them out in a fight, and he pins down Aspenfall.

Quotes

"Why can't tunnelers wait their turn like other warriors?"

―Aspenfall about tunnelers ^{Tallstar's Revenge}

"We must prove that we are warriors!"

―Aspenfall when ShadowClan's treatment of WindClan is noted ^{Tallstar's Revenge}

"Aspenfall, share your courage and strength with Doepaw."

―Heatherstar to Aspenfall during the apprentice ceremony ^{Tallstar's Revenge}

Cloudrunner: "Where were you when we were fighting to defend the Clan?"

Plumclaw: "We were digging tunnels so you could eat come leaf-bare!"

^{Tallstar's Revenge}

Mole: "I hope cold-season was kind to the Clan."

Aspenfall: "Leaf-bare was long, Mole. But the prey kept running and our nests were warm."

^{Tallstar's Revenge}

Aspenfall: "What in the name of StarClan are you doing?"

Talltail: "Hunting."

^{Tallstar's Revenge}