Who Fathered Ashfur and Ferncloud? by Goldenpaw

Goldenpaw attempts to track down Ashfur and Ferncloud’s ancestry

Hi, everybody! Goldenpaw here with my second article! Today we will be discussing . . . **drumroll** . . . THE DAD OF ASHFUR AND FERNCLOUD. Now, I know many people think that their father is Whitestorm, but _as far as I know_, that hasn’t actually been confirmed by the Erins. Right, Kate?

So. I shall list all the possibilities and discuss each of them. The main candidates are the six live, male, ThunderClan warriors at the time: Longtail, Lionheart, Darkstripe, Whitestorm, Runningwind and Tigerclaw. I’ll go in the approximate order of least likely to most likely, so I’ll start with Longtail.

Longtail: He’s over 3 years younger than Brindleface, and he’s her half-brother. Enough said, he’s OUT.

Lionheart: He had kits with Frostfur just a couple of moons before the birth of Ferncloud and Ashfur; he’s also a golden cat, which just doesn’t fit with the pelt colours of Brindleface’s kits. Lionheart is also OUT.

Darkstripe: There are a few reasons why he could be the father, and one main reason why he couldn’t. He’s dark gray, similar to Ferncloud and Ashfur; he’s not related to Brindleface; he’s younger than her, but not extremely so—a year, maybe? HOWEVER, there’s his character to think about. What cat could fall in love with a cat like Darkstripe? He was clearly malicious and evil from the very beginning, and I just can’t see how Brindleface—or any cat, for that matter—could have had kits with him. I’m not going to completely rule him out yet, but it’s quite unlikely that he’s the father.

Whitestorm: Although many people think he is the father of Ferncloud and Ashfur, there are a couple of reasons why he probably isn’t. First of all, consider this: he also fathered Willowpelt’s kits, who were born only about eight moons after Ferncloud and Ashfur. Although there’s a chance that he got Brindleface pregnant, broke up with her, and got together with Willowpelt, he just doesn’t seem like the type of cat who would do that—he seems like a cat who would stay with one mate his whole life. Secondly, Whitestorm is a white cat, and notice that there is not _one_ speck of white on either Ferncloud or Ashfur. It’s not impossible that he’s the father, but it’s not very likely, either. I’m not totally sure.

Runningwind: I don’t really know what to say here. I can’t come up with a good reason why he would be the father, but I can’t come up with a good reason why he wouldn’t be, either—there’s no indication either way. It’s a possibility that he’s the father, but I think it’s rather unlikely, as you never see _any_ interaction between him and Brindleface. On the other hand, you could say that about Darkstripe as well, and even Tigerclaw and Whitestorm rarely speak to Brindleface or her kits. I’m really not sure about him.

Tigerclaw: This is another interesting option. He’s a touch older than Brindleface but not extremely so; he’s not related to her; he’s dark brown, and brown is recessive to black, so the genetics work; he seemed, if not kind, at least mature and responsible in the beginning; and although he fathered Goldenflower’s kits (and Sasha’s, later on), he seems like the sort of cat who could have multiple mates, unlike Whitestorm. I think Tigerclaw is the most likely candidate for the father of Ferncloud and Ashfur.

So Longtail and Lionheart are definitely out, Darkstripe is probably out, I’m not sure about Whitestorm and Runningwind, and Tigerclaw is definitely not out. Tigerclaw is the most likely option, but something tells me that he’s not the father; I’m not sure what it is. Maybe it’s that he’s so evil later on. Maybe it’s that he had kits with Goldenflower less than a year later. Maybe it’s just that they don’t have chemistry, although I don’t really know enough about Brindleface’s character to be able to judge that. Hmm. Opinions?

Signing off,

Goldenpaw. :3

(Also, Kate, if their father has actually been confirmed, could you please tell me? Thanks in advance.)

Kate: not confirmed