Synopsis: Ashenkitten (a Team Girl Alternative Reality story)

Two women who saved the life of a king were richly rewarded and able to buy land, which prospered and made them wealthy. They had a daughter, whom they named Sunny for her head of golden hair. They hoped to pass their land onto her when she got married, but the local lord stole their land when he had them arrested for treason. Sunny ran away to tell the king who rewarded them, but when she arrived at his palace she found he had died, and his wife, Medb, refused to hear her plea. Having nowhere else to go, she signed on as a scullery maid. Her life became one of endless drudgery, tormented by the cook, Mabuse, who ran the kitchen with an iron fist. She was overseen by Mabuse's favorite kitchen maid, Wendy, who was perhaps even more cruel. Sunny was put to sweeping out the huge cooking fireplaces every night, as well as other menial chores such as fetching water and firewood, cleaning cauldrons and spits, and scrubbing the floor. Yet she did all that was asked of her and more with a smile and no word of complaint. At night she slept in the fireplaces after she had finished her work.

During all this time, her only friend was the pantry cat, who hunted mice and rats. Wendy particularly hated her because as a kitten she had scratched her face and left scars. Sunny took care of her, fed and watered her, found places for her to hide to stay away from Wendy and Mabuse, and named her Snowfoot because of her white paws. In return, the cat rewarded her by helping her with her chores and entertaining her when the work became too monotonous. Snowfoot was a descendent of the Great Cats of yore, the last of her kind, and had inherited the ability to speak and some magical talent. Sunny told her about her parents, and Snowfoot swore that somehow she would find a way to get Sunny's land back for her.

Mabuse and Wendy were jealous of Sunny's beauty, which the hard work never marred and which seemed to blossom even more under adversity. They also wondered how Sunny could complete all her chores, even though she did the work of five girls. So they paid a boy to watch her, and he saw Snowfoot helping her. Enraged, Mabuse nonetheless knew she could not kill the cat outright, so she had Wendy set out a bowl of cream laced with poison where Snowfoot was bound to find it. Snowfoot drank, and as soon as she realized what had been done to her she raced to Sunny. As she lay dying in her arms, she made Sunny swear to skin her once she was dead. Though Sunny refused at first, she relented when Snowfoot begged her to do it for her sake. As soon as Sunny promised, Snowfoot died. Sunny did as she was bid: she skinned the cat, scraped and cured the hide, and made it into a scarf to wear around her neck. The body she buried in a secret place where neither dog nor rat nor Wendy could find it.

When Mabuse and Wendy saw the skin the next morning, they taunted Sunny about it, hinting they had killed the cat, and boasting that now she would have to do real work. Wendy also christened Sunny Ashenkitten. Sunny took it all in stride, because Snowfoot's spirit remained in the skin, and it continued to help her with her chores and to entertain her.

Soon after this, Medb declared she would hold a ball so that her stepdaughter, Eile, could pick from the kingdom's most beautiful girls for her bride. Snowfoot instructed Sunny to ask Mabuse if she could be among the staff that would serve the guests. Mabuse refused and Wendy pinched her for asking. That night, after the kitchen staff had finished its preparations and moved to the ballroom, and Sunny was left to scrub the floors, clean the cauldrons, and sweep the fireplaces, the kitchen was invaded by a mob of cats, that cleaned it until it sparkled. Then Snowfoot turned herself into a gorgeous silver gown. Sunny dressed and the cats escorted her to the entrance of the palace, where she was admitted to the ball. She joined the line of other girls waiting to meet Elie, when the cats appeared, chasing rats across the room. The girls scattered, all except Sunny, and she introduced herself to Eile. They danced together all night, until midnight, when the cats appeared again and ushered her out of the palace. As she fled, Eile asked her name, and she replied, "I am She Who Was Pinched." Eile was enchanted by her and tried to follow, but lost her as soon as she was out the entrance.

She pined for her, but Medb's attempts to discover her identity failed. So she devised a plan. A week later she declared another ball, officially to allow the girls who ran from the first a second chance, but privately hoping Sunny would return. Again, Sunny asked Mabuse to be allowed to serve at the ball, and again Mabuse refused, this time having Wendy kick her. As before, the cats came and cleaned the kitchen, and this time Snowfoot changed herself into a more beautiful golden dress. Again, Sunny got in line, and again the cats swarmed through the ballroom, this time chasing birds. As before, the girls scattered, leaving Sunny alone with Eile, and as before they danced together until midnight, when the cats came to sweep her away. This time, when Eile called for her name, she replied, "I am She Who Was Kicked."

Eile was frustrated, but Medb understood there was powerful magic at work. She declared yet a third ball, to be held in a week, but this time she made preparations of her own. Wendy slapped Sunny across the face when she asked Mabuse to be at the ball, and Snowfoot turned herself into a translucent crystal dress. The cats came in chasing butterflies, and when Eile asked her name, she said, "I am She Who Was Slapped." However, this time, when the cats appeared to whisk her away, magical hounds chased them off and Sunny had to flee on her own. Eile was able to follow her and saw her disappear into the kitchen. When she peered in, she saw the dress transform into a catskin and her beloved into the scullery maid Sunny. But instead of confronting her, she did as Medb instructed and told her what she had discovered. As soon as Medb heard the story, she divined the truth, and laid a plan to rescue Sunny from the kitchen.

The next morning, Medb went to the kitchen and announced she was seeking a valet for Eile, and that if Mabuse had a suitable girl, she would pay her ten gold coins. Mabuse lined up all her girls and Medb carefully examined each one, but she was unable to find one wearing a catskin scarf. In reality, Mabuse had sent Sunny off to collect water. Medb stated that she was looking for a particular girl, one named Ashenkitten, who was rumored to be very pretty. Her greed inflamed, Mabuse announced that there was one other, a girl hired just this morning. She then found Sunny, took the catskin from her, and locked her in the pantry. Mabuse gave the catskin to Wendy and presented her as Ashenkitten, but Medb knew Mabuse was lying, because this girl had no welt on her face. Rather than accuse her openly, Medb pretended she had been mistaken and was prepared to leave, when Mabuse declared that there was still one other girl, whom she had turned away but who still loitered about. Mabuse released Sunny from the pantry and presented her to Medb, and when she saw the welt across her face, she knew she had the right girl. She paid Mabuse, who gave a gold coin to Wendy to silence her grief over loosing such a lucrative advancement. Medb then granted them both a day's holiday and they went into the town, getting drunk off their money. Unfortunately, they attracted bad attention. Robbers waylaid them in alley, killing Mabuse for what was left of her gold and taking Wendy to sell into slavery. Neither were every seen or heard from again.

Medb took Sunny and presented her to Eile that same evening. Sunny's first duty was to wait on Eile's dinner. As she ate, Eile told of the girl she met at the first ball, and how much she adore her. When Sunny asked what she would do if she ever found her, Eile demonstrates by kissing and caressing Sunny.

The next night, after dinner, Sunny's next duty was to bathe Eile. Once again, Eile described the girl she met at the second ball, and when Sunny asked what she would do if she ever found her, Eile demonstrated by touching and fondling Sunny.

The following night, after dinner and the bath, Sunny's final duty was to warm Eile's bed. As they snuggled together, Eile described the girl she met at the third ball, and once more Sunny asked what she would do if she ever found her. Eile made love to Sunny, during the course of which Sunny confessed that she is the girl. Eile stated that she knew all along, because of the welt and the catskin.

The next morning, Eile presented Sunny to Medb, dressed in her crystal gown. Medb was impressed by her beauty and bearing, and welcomed her. Sunny then told her what happened to her parents. Medb had been aware of the lord's corruption for some time, but had been reluctant to deal with him because she didn't want to leave a portion of the kingdom's border undefended. But as soon as she heard Sunny's account, she ordered the lord's arrest and made her parents lord and gave them his land as compensation for their ill treatment. The marriage of Eile to Sunny was then arranged, and during the ceremony, Sunny wore the catskin in gratitude to Snow foot for everything she had done.

A week after the wedding, a pyre was built and the catskin burned. As the spirit of Snowfoot was released, she hovered over Eile and Sunny and blessed them, before she rose into the night sky. Before she disappeared, Eile and Sunny saw other spirits of the Great Cats appear and greet her, and they went bounding off together into the heavens.