Emberleaf's Elder Ceremony

Saltpelt crawled out of the leader's den, feeling at ill with sleeping in the den that she'd executed Sablestar in. The she-cat's coat lacked the usual lustre as she attempted to leap onto the Tallrock in one go. She slipped a little, but raking her claws against the rock, she scraped her way up to stand on top. 'I hope no one saw that,' she thought, though that was highly unlikely. This wasn't the future that she'd imagined as leader, but it had to do. Anyway, she had a job tonight. It was high time for the clan medicine cat to retire. That would be for the best, Emberleaf was too loyal to StarClan, it was best that the old was taken out so that the new could take his place.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Tallrock for a clan meeting!"

He had seen every second of the "leader's" pitiful attempt to "gracefully" leap onto the Tallrock. Emberleaf was sitting outside of the Medicine Cat's den, eyes narrowed to less than slits....if that was possible....and long, ginger fur mangled and grimy. Silently, the old tom stood up and limped to the Tallrock, exaggerating his limp only slightly. Maybe if everyone saw how crippled he was, they would have pity and let him stay in Windclan as an elder. Anyone who looked at him could tell that something was off inside of his head, so maybe they'd blame that for his seemingly unloyal attitude. He could still heal; they had to let him stay! With him, Gorsefeather, and Leafheart all in the clan, Windclan was set! As the Medicine Cat plunked down under the Tallrock, the ringing in his ears and the aching in his head seemed to increase with the thought of the Dark Forest now ruling over all the clans. He had sworn his loyalty to the Dark Forest; he had been forced to! What choice did he have? Loyalty was survival, right? Loyalty or no loyalty, I'd rather have Sablestar doing this, Emberleaf thought despicably.

"Emberleaf, please step forward." Saltpelt meowed once the medicine cat came over to sit in the clearing.

Emberleaf stood up from his spot and limped forward a few steps, before keeping his gaze on the ground, refusing to look up at Saltpelt. He had to stay loyal to the Dark Forest if he wanted to live. They couldn't read minds, right? Emberleaf didn't even know what powers the dead cats held. He didn't care either. If they could read minds, they would've killed him by now.

"Emberleaf, is it your wish to give up the title of Medicine Cat, and join the elders of our clan?" The she-cat saw his defiance, but flicked with her tail for the Dark Forest cats to not interfere, she wouldn't let them kill him for such a minor thing. She knew that the tom didn't respect her as his leader, that he would be with Ashwing in a heartbeat if he could. That was no matter though, as long as StarClan was gone, this was the only way to live.

Is it my wish? Do I really have a choice? It is my wish not to be killed, so I guess becoming an elder is technically my wish. Emberleaf cleared his throat and slightly nodded. "Yes, Saltpelt, it is," the old tom mumbled grumpily.