Skyclan's Newest Deputy

Poplartooth met Mumblefoot's gaze as the tailless tom came over to stand beside him, but he said nothing to the tom. He didn't nod, he didn't flinch, and his eyes displayed no emotion that would betray how he was truly feeling. The emptiness that the entire Clan currently felt was feeling seemed to reflect in his heart. He tried his hardest to not stare down at his paws, but the slumping of his shoulders was still a clear sign that he was obviously distressed. The fluffy warrior didn't feel like being here, surrounded by cats. Sadness was an emotion that he wasn't used to feeling, and it bothered him that he felt so weak in front of a crowd. As if he was actually cold, despite the newleaf weather, Poplartooth shivered.

It was then that Rippedsky began to speak. The warrior flattened his ears against his head and continued to stare down at his front paws. There was nothing to listen to, nothing to hear. Every word that the new leader said went in one ear and out the other. Well, until he heard his own name, of course. At first, Poplartooth was convinced that he was hallucinating or dreaming. Crowstar's death might've just been one long, detailed nightmare, and after waking up, the former leader would still be alive. Dogs wouldn't have attacked the camp, and this tragedy wouldn't have happened. It took everything in Poplartooth to not yell, "Are you sure?" after Rippedsky announced the new deputy. The tom glanced over at Mumblefoot again before his green eyes briefly opened wider than he had ever opened them before. Realization suddenly struck him.

He was SkyClan's new deputy.
This wasn't a nightmare, this wasn't a dream, nor a hallucination.

"I-" The SkyClanner breathed out so quietly that even he had trouble hearing himself.
His name suddenly began to escape from the maws of the cats that were around him, and his sister's voice seemed to be the first one that he heard clearly.
"Thank you, Blossomheart." He thanked his sister, sincerely.
He had new responsibilities on his paws, and he knew that he couldn't slack off. He never slacked off. He couldn't. The weight of SkyClan was now on his shoulders as well as Rippedsky's, and if he didn't carry his weight, then Rippedsky would have to carry it alone.
"I will do my best to be a great deputy for SkyClan." He promised, not speaking to any cat in particular.

Sedgestrike waited patiently. Every so often he turned to look at the gathering cats, and glimpsed the body of Crowstar. A weight was in his chest, but it wasn't unbearable. The silver tom had hardly spoken to Crowstar, and never directly unless given an order. His sadness came from his mentor instead. Rippedsky looked more miserable than he ever had. It was pathetic, and saddening to him.

When his eyes glanced at Sedgestrike though, the silver tom puffed himself up. He couldn't imagine any other cat being more worthy than he was. After all, Rippedsky was his mentor... so surely that meant the position was assured. He stood up as Rippedsky began to speak, then stared as the next words landed like a blow.
"Poplartooth?" He blinked, then looked at the tom pointedly, before he looked at Rippedsky. This, this felt like a betrayal.

He bit down the urge to growl. His ears flattened but he said nothing until they were dismissed, then stalked over to Rippedsky.
"Very funny. Poplartooth?" He meowed, sitting down by Rippedsky. "Surely you meant me, I mean I was your apprentice." His green eyes narrowed pointedly at Rippedsky's for a long moment. " You ARE joking right? "

(OOC: Congrats Harlem! 8D )

Although he offered no verbal acknowledgement to Mallowbrook's gentle support, Elmcloud managed to flick his tail against her flank in a gesture of thanks that he hoped she understood. Hardly stirring as his Clanmates slowly began to gather around, the majority of the ceremony seemed to pass right over his head. Finding himself to be much too caught up in listless and self-pitying thoughts, his attention only really perked up slightly as the new Deputy was named. "Congratulations." Elmcloud mumbled, his halfhearted sigh hardly stirring the stiff fur of Crowstar's nape.

Russetpelt grinned at Poplartooth. "Congratulations!" He purred. He remembered that one interesting patrol he went on with Poplartooth and Mumblefoot when the two were apprentices.
Russetpelt's eats pricked at Sedgestrike's words. "Poplartooth is a fine warrior and will be a great deputy," he meowed calmly. Poplartooth was young, but he would make a fine deputy and one day leader.
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Hazelpaw stood up, excited at Rippedsky's words. Poplartooth? She hadn't actually expected Poplartooth, but whatever, Poplartooth will probably be a good deputy.

Tigerpaw sat at the edge of the crowd, staring at the lifeless body of Crowstar now laid out in the center of camp. Her gaze was blank and empty, but inside she felt a sharp pain as if claws had been sunk into her heart. She had never really known Crowstar personally, but he was her leader, the cat all of SkyClan looked up to. There had never been a time in her life when Crowstar wasn't SkyClan's leader, and she had never thought that there would be. Now that he was gone, things just didn't feel right. There seemed to be a hole in SkyClan, an emptiness that shouldn't have existed. If there was one consoling fact, it was that he had gone to StarClan. She watched Elmcloud's grieving with an overwhelming feeling of helplessness. She wanted to go over to him, but despite thinking that, her paws did not move, and she remained rooted to her spot. What could she possibly say to console him? She had never known Crowstar like he did.

Tigerpaw's gaze flickered to Rippedsky. The soon-to-be leader of SkyClan looked haggard and weary. Well, of course he was. The crown of leadership had now been passed to him, but in exchange a life had been lost. That was a very real and very obvious aspect of being deputy, but Tigerpaw had never really thought about it before. Now it struck her. As the name of the new deputy was announced, the apprentice joined in the calling out of Poplartooth's name. "Poplartooth! Poplartooth!" Despite the heaviness she felt in her heart, she tried her hardest to force a tone of congratulations into her voice. She did not know the tom well; in fact, she had never talked to him, apart from seeing around camp. If Rippedsky was the one who had chosen him, however, then he was probably the best choice for deputy.

OOC: mobile post

Mintpaw had been watching the ceremony from the ruins of her den. Since Crowstar's burial, she had worked tirelessly on repairing it. Having something to do helped distract her from everything she was feeling. A medicine cat wasn't supposed to feel this much. They were supposed to accept what had happened and let go.
But Mintpaw couldn't let go. She had watched it happen.

But like all the others, Mintpaw mustered a grin when Rippedsky announced the new deputy; Poplartooth was a wise choice. Although he wasn't very experienced yet, he was clever and brave. She was certain that once the young tom had gotten used to his new position he would make a fine deputy. The taupe tabby slowly stood and padded towards her adoptive father, murky green eyes dull. "Wise choice." She mewed quietly, nudging him.

Echoflame nudged Sedgestrike. She was just as dissapointed. Leaning, Echoflame whispered into her mate's ears. "Shut up, idiot He didn't even chose his own daughter and Crowstar's favorite apprentice, and one of the youngest cats to be made warrior." She leaned away, and said nothing to Polarpaw.