ShadowClan Deputy November 2021

Upon returning to camp, Murkystar wasted no time. Her paws ached and her belly rumbled with hunger, exhaustion clinging to her eyelids. However, the clan needed to be informed, and tradition called for her to name a new deputy before moonhigh. She separated from Basilpaw and Flintshard to make her way towards Jaggedrock, an air of authority and grace around her despite the long journey she had returned from. She had climbed Jaggedrock to perform a ceremony many times before, but this was the first she would do so as Murkystar.. as well as the first deputy ceremony she had ever performed. She hoped it would be the only she would ever have to do, but she knew the troubles Flintstar had when choosing who to aid him in leadership. Her first ceremony after she had been named, she had been nervous and uncertain, but she felt a bit more at home now. Perhaps it was the lingering effects of the ceremony, but the newly named leader felt like she could take on the Dark Forest and emerge unscathed. It had been a difficult choice, there were many fine warriors in ShadowClan, and all of them she would trust with her life. She could only choose one, however, and she thought she had just the cat in mind to balance out her leadership and pick up the duties that had previously been hers.

As she looked over the quiet camp from her perch, she smiled and positioned herself at the edge of Jaggedrock. "ShadowClan! Gather in the shadow of Jaggedrock for a clan meeting." She yowled to summon her clan.

Burningwing slunk out of the medicine den, his wounds mostly healed at this point but Basilpaw had wanted to be sure. He never protested. He'd been quiet since he returned from Shadowclan's defeat at Highpine. Today wasn't going to change that. He sat beneath the Jagged Rock, his eyes and expression tired and blank. He held his silence even now. He didn't look around or speak or greet anyone. He simply stared up, his eyes on Murkystar but the glaze in his eyes told anyone who looked at him that he was not mentally present at Shadowclan camp.

Batglow padded out of the warrior's den from his short nap. As soon as he was a few steps out he padded his front paws forward a couple sets before stretching out as far as he could, before straightening up. His eyes found Murkystar, a bright grin lighting up his face. Murkystar.. It was gonna take some getting used to. He hoped Flintstar... no Flintshard would rest easy now that he didn't have to be a leader anymore. He still felt guilty over the tom's leg.. It was partly his fault after all..

As Basilpaw followed her mother back into camp, it was clear that the young tortoiseshell was absolutely exhausted.  Paws and tail dragging, amber eyes half-closed under heavy lids, but when she saw her mother approach the Jaggedrock she remembered; oh, our new deputy!  No way she would miss this announcement, and a bit of energy returned to her as Basilpaw took a seat at the front of the crowd.  ShadowClan had been blessed with many talented warriors, she wondered which one her mother would pick.  The first one to come to mind was her father, but somehow she couldn't really imagine him taking Murkystar's place.  He was a skilled warrior, a good father, a loyal clanmate...but not the most talkative, and preferred to keep a low profile.  She chuckled; I can only imagine his face if he had to get up on the Jaggedrock to speak, or StarClan forbid the Great Rock!  

Gazing around, a few other options came to mind.  Emberleap was a good warrior, though she didn't know him well, as was Webshadow.  She smiled at the thought of Loudnose becoming deputy, they could all work together as a family!  She didn't know if her mother would put her son in such a dangerous position though, he was a bit younger than Basilpaw after all.  Frostgaze would be a good choice, he was smart and logical and had a kind heart.  Burningwing was a choice too, and though she considered the hot-headed tom a friend, she couldn't say she agreed with a lot of his actions lately.  Murkystar knew well how unpredictable he was.  Perhaps even Batglow would be picked, he was experienced!  However, the longer she thought about it the more she realized that Batglow and Mistyfalcon were quite similar; besides, Batglow was still recovering from the battle against the rouges.  Basilpaw's mind raced until she forced it to calm down; she would know soon enough, and she was sure that whoever her mother picked would be the best possible choice!

Frostgaze slunk out of the Warrior's Den, taking some respite from the outdoors. He wasn't cold, no, he just didn't want to be around those who were awake. Every once in a while, quiet time was good. It let him do some uninterrupted thinking, without any cats just wandering up to him willy nilly. He had plenty to think about, his apprentice, his... kits, even Webshadow! Though that one... that one was one he wouldn't tell anyone. No, nobody needed to know about that. Even so, he was snapped out of his thoughts by Murkystrike's yowl to gather under the Jaggedrock. She had been gone, along with Flintstar and Basilpaw, which meant one thing. She was, if he was not mistaken, now Murkystar, and Flintstar was now Flintshard. That would take some time to remember.

Sitting near the front, Frostgaze pondered the one question he was sure was on everyone's minds. Who would the next deputy be? There were plenty of choices, and Frostgaze could only truly rule out warriors, instead of assuming who would become deputy. Burningwing wouldn't, that was for certain. He had already seemingly butted heads with him multiple times, usually, after he had brought back a rogue kit... so twice at least. That was only his first thought, but he put a halt to them for now. He wanted to pay attention to the meeting, it would be rude not to.

As the nights grew longer and colder, Emberleap had taken to pacing while he went about his business within ShadowClan's camp. Tonight was more of the same. Murkystrike’s yowl caught him padding in circles as he gulped down a frog; he glanced up at her, one tiny leg poking out of his mouth. A meeting. An apprentice ceremony, he corrected after a moment’s hesitance. Though he didn’t recall seeing any kittens tumbling around outside the nursery, Murkystrike’s presence on the Jaggedrock had only ever meant one thing before. After a glance across the crowd, the mottled tom situated himself near the back—as far from Burningwing as he could get—and swallowed the last of his frog. His paws kneaded the ground relentlessly. It didn’t do much to keep him warm, but it was the thought that counted.

Mistyfalcon had just sat outside the warriors' den, wearily drawing a paw across his face. Murkystrike, Murkystar, he'd need to get used to that- hadn't returned yet, and his tail twitched back and forth as he tried to ignore the anxiety stirring beneath the surface.

The tom's head snapped up at the sound of movement from the camp entrance, a smile appearing as his daughter and mate made their way into camp. They both looked absolutely exhausted, but Murkystrike- Murkystar made a beeline for the jaggedrock.

Mistyfalcon glanced at Batglow briefly, then padded over to sit next to Basilpaw. "You alright?" Her exhaustion had been apparent even from a distance, but even more so now that he'd sat next to her. Murkystar called the clan together, and Mistyfalcon turned his attention toward her, offering her a small smile.

Duskpaw groomed himself, then with a jolt— the tom sat up as he heard Murkystrike's yowl for a clan meeting. He saw another apprentice got out, and decided he should as well. He shook his head, blinking as he got himself up, and padded out of the apprentice den. More and more cats were gathering underneath the Jagged Rock, and so he followed them there. Quickly, he spotted his mentor from just a distance, and went over to sit beside the warrior. He greeted him with a nod, then raised his head up to Murkystrike's direction from above. "Do you know what announcement this may be?" He'd quietly ask. The atmosphere seemed tense all around. Some cats seemed obnoxious, and some not so anxious as the others. He shifted his paws nervously, and bit his inner cheek.

Both Murkystrike and Basilpaw seemed.. exhausted, though he didn't have a proper clue to assume things of. He kept his gaze fixated on Murkystrike, and took in a deep breath. He could only hope that things will go well.

Loudnose was laying down by the warrior's den when the returning cats entered camp, but still asleep until his mother called for the clan. He opened his eyes to see her standing atop the jagged rock, and cats appearing out of their dens. Rushing to his paws he hurried over to the meeting, taking a spot beside Basilpaw and Mistyfalcon. As his head started to clear away the sleepy fog, he remembered seeing his sister, mother, and leader head out of camp. They were out for a long time, so Loudnose could only assume they went to the moonstone. He turned to Basilpaw, his eyes sparkling, "Murkystar? Is mom leader now? Great! What about Flintstar? Flintshard now, right? Is he going to be a warrior or an elder? Well his leg is hurt so probably elder. How was it, the ceremony? Did you get to be there, to see mom get her lives? What is it like? How did Flintstar- shard, lose his lives? Does he still have them? This is the deputy ceremony right? Who is it? I bet Mistyfalcon! He is smart and deputy like yeah? If it is dad then I would be related to all the important cats! That would be funny, and cool."

The clan milled beneath her, joining up with family or friends as they settled in. When they started to quiet down, Murkystar took a deep breath, the smooth stone under paw familiar and foreign at the same time. "ShadowClan, I'm sure some, if not most of you, have heard about Flintst- Flintshard's decision to step down and retire to the elder den. Please take the time to thank him for his contribution to ShadowClan, and his leadership for many past moons, and wish him a long and healthy retirement. With his stepping down, I have stepped up as ShadowClan's new leader. Last night I received my lives alongside Flintshard and Basilpaw, and I stand before you all now as Murkystar." She paused, waiting for the clan to quiet back down before continuing.

What had Flintstar said at her ceremony? She searched her memories for what had been said before beginning to speak again. "This meeting serves another purpose as well, as ShadowClan currently has no deputy and I have a duty to appoint one by moonhigh. I have thought long and hard about this decision, and I am confident in my choice. I say these words before you all and our ancestors, that you may hear and approve of my choice. Frostgaze will be ShadowClan's new deputy. I trust that you will respect his authority as much as you did my own, if not more." She mewed, searching for the tom's face in the crowd. She hoped he accepted, the tom was a strong and dependable warrior, and she was confident in his abilities.

Pale blue eyes peered up at Murkystar, Frostgaze quietly watching from below. His assumption that Murkystrike was now Murkystar had been correct, which meant that everything else fell into place neatly. This was the deputy ceremony, the time where the possible future leader of Shadowclan would be chosen.

Then he heard his own name.

Frostgaze's eyes widened in shock, just for a moment, before he regained his composure. He was to be Shadowclan's next deputy? There were plenty more senior warriors, others who would do the job just as well or even better. Yet he had been chosen, and Murkystar awaited an answer. The clan awaited an answer, some kind of short spiel. So that is what he would do. Standing tall, he spoke up to ensure he was heard by their new leader. "Thank you Murkystar, I will not let you, or this clan, down." For a moment, he looked for his wards in the crowd. Would they be... proud of him? Would Webshadow think differently of him now that he was the deputy? As cold as Frostgaze was, he did still care for his clanmates, he was still afraid of change like anyone else. That would not stop him though, he was the deputy now, he couldn't afford to have any fears about his new role.

Shypaw had waited up for her mentor. Her ears perked and she got to her paws as the brambles rustled. Murkystrike entered the hollow, followed by the small tortoiseshell form of Basilpaw, and the enormous form of Flintstar limping behind. Shypaw didn't have time to greet her mentor before Murkystrike leapt atop the Jaggedrock.

Her mentor looked exhausted but authoritative and graceful. Shypaw's eyes widened at her announcement. Murkystar... had nine lives? 

Shypaw's confusion was swept away when Murkystar named Frostgaze her deputy, pride and awe welling up inside her. Her eyes found her dad's cool stare as he briefly looked to the gathered crowd. Shypaw's eyes shone like stars, her fur fluffed in excitement.

A dark-furred shape appeared next to him, and Emberleap stopped kneading long enough to give his apprentice an uncertain smile. “My best guess is an apprentice ceremony, but…I’m not really sure.” He followed Duskpaw’s gaze back to the Jaggedrock, mouth curving into a frown. The longer he stayed here, the more he began to suspect he’d missed something important. All of ShadowClan’s leadership gone at the same time. The expectant tension in the air. Even the fact that Murkystrike had called this a meeting by name, rather than just asking everyone to gather the way she and Flintstar usually did.

Murkystrike began to speak. Emberleap’s kneading ceased again, this time for good. As it turned out, his first guess couldn’t have been further off the mark; Flintstar was stepping down, which meant Murkystrike—Murkystar—had to take on his position and the suffix every Clan leader seemed to have. He understood that much. The rest was foggy, at least until she mentioned naming a successor. Frostgaze. A knot in Emberleap’s stomach loosened, the easing of a fear he hadn’t realized he felt, and with a quiet sigh, he scanned the crowd for the new deputy’s pristine white coat. He barely knew Frostgaze beyond patrols, sharing the warriors’ den with him, and the fuss Frostgaze’s penchant for bringing outsiders in had caused—but that, for the moment, was all he needed.

Burningwing, for as out of is as he was, had a hard time drowning out Loudnose. He refocused his attention on what was going on and his yellow gaze was on the young warrior for a moment. His lips actually twitched up in a small, amused smile. He wished he could feel like that, if even for an hour. Mistyfalcon would make a great deputy, even if they had their differences and didn't see eye to eye. He remained quiet as Murkystar confirmed her leadership and announced the next deputy. ... Frostgaze. Frostgaze. The tom's a joke... He thought to himself, feeling a ripple of annoyance. Well... he would continue to watch Shadowclan swirl down into nothing but common flea-bitten rogues he supposed. Once it seemed that was over, Burningwing got up without a word and walked back to the medicine den. Basilpaw was busy standing under the Jagged Rock, likely congratulating Frostgaze on his deputyship. Under normal circumstances, Burningwing probably would as well... if the pale tom hadn't been so obvious in his disdain towards him and anything that a true Shadowclan cat should hold dear.

He went to the back where Basilpaw kept her herbs and his eyes landed on familiar tiny black seeds. Shamelessly, he licked three of them up and swallowed them swiftly. The dark tom walked over to his assigned nest and lie back down, waiting to fall into a deep sleep. His eyes drifted over to where his brother and sister lie and his mother hovered over them... looking far older than she should and more miserable than she had ever been. Starclan if you have any mercy at all, take my siblings tonight. I can't stand to watch her fret over their sick little bodies anymore.

The effects of the poppy seeds began to kick in and he felt his eyes getting heavy. Until he had this mess sorted out and his plans were set up for the purification of this clan, he wanted to block what he could of the world out.