❅Maplefrost❅ i believe he was obsessed the moment she came back. he was only obsessed with REVENGE *AFTER* she rejected him. he was always obsessed, it just changed to revenge later on. it makes sense, no?
Not really.
I already explained the whole thing on another thread, I'll probably dig it up later.
But this is why I bring up similarities between him and Bumblestripe.
Bumblestripe called Dovewing a hero when she came back from her journey, and suddenly began to develop a crush on her instead, despite the Erins imply BumbleIvy before.
And in a very similar way, Ashfur was the same, he admired Squirrelflight and became affectionate toward her after she returned from her journey, seeing her as a hero of the sort.
It's not surprising for people to become enamored with those they admired. Ashfur had genuine feelings for Squirrelflight at some point, and just because I don't like him, I won't write it off as all being an obsession or nothing at all, etc.
It's just that, Ashfur wasn't the right cat for Squirrelflight. His actions would clash with Squirrelflight's personality. He was the common, "Knight in Shining Armor" trope, some females are into that, some aren't and Squirrelflight wasn't. It's why they fell out a few times in their friendship. However at some point it became Ashfur protecting Squirrelflight from common enemies like rival clan cats, and predators, to him feeling the need to protect her from Brambleclaw.
Its no secret that Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight argued a lot, and Ashfur always took her side, hence why Brambleclaw and Ashfur's friendship pretty much got axed. He was biased with Squirrelflight because he liked her, and he thought that he was winning in the game of love if he was chivalrous, and comforting in her presence. I don't blame him for thinking that Squirrelflight may have felt the same way about him at some point, she did go out of her way to spend more time with him over Brambleclaw purposely.
However, that pretty much changed after she rejected him. I guess it came as a slap to a face, that she chose Brambleclaw not long after the battle, when they realized they loved one another? But to suddenly be rejected I can understand. I think it's in that moment he pretty much snapped. Emotional wise it's probably shock, confusion, and the feeling of betrayal? It's okay to feel hurt when you've been rejected, that's fine. But what's not okay is to want to hurt someone just because they didn't return your feelings. I think in that moment it's when his obsession started. In fact, Ashfur hadn't even confessed his feelings yet prior to Squirrelflight's rejection, she already knew how he felt and then decided to tell him that they wouldn't work out. It's then that he does confess out of desperation of not wanting to lose her to the one he was trying to protect her from. And this is important because Squirrelflight did consider Ashfur at one point, she did know about his feelings, but in the end realized that Brambleclaw was the one for her. So by coming to Ashfur first, and telling him how she felt, and how she only wanted to be friends, Squirrelflight in a sense was trying to spare his feelings before things got any further between them. She thought Ashfur at least had to right to know that she was choosing Brambleclaw and why. She didn't have to tell him, but she did.
They say you desire something more if you can't have it, and one can be obsessed over something they're unable to obtain, in Ashfur's case, it's Squirrelflight at that point. She rejected him, only wanted to be friends, and then ended up with his ex-best friend, who was the son of the cat that murdered his mother. No, Ashfur's actions aren't justifiable, he has no right to want to hurt Squirrelflight, they weren't even mates lol. But it's understandable, if not also unacceptable. I can see how he ended up the way he did, but it doesn't change what he did is wrong, and Squirrelflight isn't obligated to return his feelings.
Also holding a grudge for so long? Now that's pretty obsessive. Just like how Tigerstar was obsessed with Firestar, wanting to finally kill him. And how Mapleshade was obsessed with getting revenge on the clan after her kits drowned. Or even Breezepelt, who's heart was tainted after moons of neglect from his father to the point he wanted him dead. Obsession doesn't have to be that only of amorous infatuation, it can be that of wanting revenge, the act of wanting to hurt someone because they apparently hurt you in some way. Ashfur even says, his qualms were with Squirrelflight, and he waited moons for the opportunity to get back at her, that's pretty creepily obsessive compared to before the rejection. Him and Squirrelflight weren't really even joined at the hip, because he had plenty of other moments that didn't revolve around her.
And that bugs me. Ashfur was a such a good warrior before all this, so I always wondered why him? And I know the Erins said something like, he wasn't chosen for any particular reason, it could have been any cat, yikes. But that doesn't change what happened, just gives a different perspective on things.