Defending Ashfur by Ebonypaw

Ebonypaw looks at Ashfur’s perspective on his mistakes.

Art by starlygreen

It’s been debated many times whether Ashfur should go to Starclan or the Dark Forest. I believe Ashfur deserved Starclan, and here’s why.

As a kit, Ashfur had two brothers and a sister. However, both of his brothers died at a young age. He may have been too young to feel sad for Elderkit, but he was definitely old enough to feel sad for Tulipkit, leaving only himself and his sister, Fernkit.

As a young apprentice, his mother was killed. His own mother. This was extremely traumatizing to Ashfur. However, Ashfur and Ferncloud suggested one thing.

Fernpaw: “Fireheart, we want to help.”
Fireheart: “I said warriors.”
Ashpaw: “But Brindleface was our mother. Please, Fireheart. We want to do it for her.

-A Dangerous Path, page 291.

Revenge.

Ashfur and Ferncloud suggested revenge as an apprentice. Having it approved by the deputy makes it seem like it’s the right thing to do. In Warriors, the age of an apprentice is when cats listen to everything they learn. While it may be unknown who Ashfur’s father was, out of the three possible cats (Runningwind, Redtail, and Whitestorm) they all died when Ashfur was young. Ashfur was an orphan with two dead brothers and a sister that hangs out with his mentor a lot.

Then Ashfur’s sister and Ashfur’s mentor who is also their uncle become mates and have three litters of kits while Ashfur has no one. That must be awkward.

Anyway, back to topic. Ferncloud doesn’t really have time to hang out with Ashfur. She’s always in the nursery helping out with kits and never went hunting with him as warriors.

Then Ashfur falls in love with Squrrielflight (Random Fact: A.K.A his maybe half niece). Squrrielflight only saw him as a friend rather than a mate, unlike Ashfur. When Squrrielflight became mates with Brambleclaw however, Squirrelflight never hung out with Ashfur as friends! Squrrielflight never thanked him for training Lionblaze, she just forgot him. I’m not hating on Squrrielflight (I like her), but Squirrelflight could’ve still been friends with Ashfur.

Ashfur was driven by grief. He hardly had anyone as kin, which led to him being crazy.

I’m not blaming anyone for Ashfur’s actions (As it wasn’t their faults. They didn’t know what Ashfur would do), I’m just simply looking at Ashfur’s perspective. I truly think Ashfur deserved Starclan, even if the authors regret sending him there.

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.” — Sign of The Moon, page 94.

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36 comments

  • I have written several full-length paragraph essays on this topic + counterclaim address and introduction. But you introduced points I had never even considered. Amazing job! 😀

  • The article is worded very well but I’m afraid that I disagree strongly. Here’s why:
    -Ashfur tried to kill 4 cats just to hurt someone else. Ashfur was not entitled to his NIECE, Squirrelflight, being his mate, and him killing her father and then trying to kill her children is way too far. He had NO excuse. Nobody in the real world does this and gets away with it, and if heaven exists, they wouldn’t go there. He didn’t love too much. He hated too much.
    -Ashfur had plenty of time to think over what he was doing. When he tried to kill Firestar is wasn’t very long after Squirrelflight chose Brambleclaw (who turns out not to be much better, mind you), but when he failed, he had seasons to think about it, but he did it anyway. Meaning he had no regret taking one of Firestar’s lives.
    -Ashfur probably never regrets anything and still wants to punish Squirrelflight. Ashfur is the one cat everyone (except for me because I haven’t read The Broken Code yet) believes is the impostor, meaning he’s still out for revenge. My guess is that this is so that Ashfur will be sent to the Dark Forest like he DESERVES to.
    -He had the dumbest reason in the world. He went through a break up, no, a rejection, that’s all that happened. He claimed it was like bleeding onto the stones every day, but that’s HIS fault for never letting go. His reasoning is worse than Mapleshade’s (yes, it was her fault for not taking one of the bridges, which would almost guarantee a safe crossing). He could have pursued other she-cats, or heck, even other toms, but he CHOSE to hold onto Squirrelflight.
    -Ashfur was never in a relationship with Squirrelflight. She wasn’t mates with him before running off to Brambleclaw, he just liked her. And she didn’t like him back. I’m at least glad you didn’t blame Squirrelflight entirely, and mentioned that she wasn’t even friends with him anymore, rather than saying she should have been mates with him, but in her defense, Squirrelflight was asked by Leafpool to take on her kits shortly after, she was under the pressure of keeping the secret, and I don’t think Ashfur even wanted to be friends with her anymore.

    I don’t choose to ignore his mother’s death. He did go through traumatic experiences. But Ferncloud never showed any signs of acting the way Ashfur did, and she didn’t have a perfect life. I can guarantee that someone hurt her, but she doesn’t act like an evil psychopath. She chooses to move on. You do bring up some very good points, and you blame Ashfur’s actions once on Squirrelflight but mostly on his trauma and loss of kin, making this article much more thought out. I may disagree with your position, but I admire your reasoning, so props to you, Ebonypaw!

    • It’s squirrelflights fault ashfur was like that but most female fans wouldn’t agree if squirrelfliight never got close to ashfur and then rejected him ashfur wouldn’t be that way instead she was so insecure about brambleclaw and hawkfrost smh

      • So SquirrelFlight just can’t be friends with guys? Yeah, she got close to him to be FRIENDS. She still loved Bramble but just was mad at him because he wouldn’t believe her one single bit.

  • Blackburr, I disagree. ‘He loved too much’ is not a valid excuse. And if you’re saying that love was attempting to murder four cats (and actually succeeding in killing Firestar’s 4th life), I STRONGLY disagree. Attempting to murder four cats over a she-cat is not love, it’s obsession. Ashfur was obsessed with Squirrelflight. There, I made my point.

    • And yet it’s squirrelflights fault for that if she never got close to ashfur ashfur wouldn’t be obsessed with her as u can see ashfur wasn’t even worried about her until squirrelflight started messing with him in starlight it’s not ashfurs fault

      • Ashfur was the one who tried KILLING HER SAID TO BE KITS. And yet it’s Squilf’s fault? You can be close to someone without it being romantic, there is a reason platonic exists! And let’s say your friend starts stalking you, ITS YOUR FAULT BECAUSE YOU ARE FRIENDS WITH THEM???? You were the one who became friends with them that’s why it’s your fault they are obsessed with you! NO THAT IS NOT HOW IT WORKS.

  • I think both ash and bramble were kinda bad mates since ash went CRAZY and bramble got kinda annoying towards squirrelflight