Deputy Lottery for RiverClan

Standing beneath the willow branch, Ivyfall looked onto the perch with a heavy heart. The wood had been worn smooth from the generations of leaders that had stood on the branch, their paws rubbing at it as they made announcement after announcement and held ceremonies for cat after cat. It was frightening. She'd stood on it before, she's made announcements and held ceremonies, but now it was different. She wasn't a stand in, she was it. She was the last in the chain command, the one who would decide who lived, who died, who would rise above their station.

Closing her eyes, she gathered herself. Ivyfall focused on how Fishstar had looked up there, channeling the older leader's strength and courage. Then she thought of her father, though she hated the old foxheart, he'd been charismatic. She needed that. She couldn't just be a bitter fighter, she had to be more than that. She had to be... A leader.

Bunching up her haunches, she pounced onto the branch. Facing the clearing, she yowled for all to hear.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the willow branch for a clan meeting!"

Amberpelt peered up at Ivyfall from where she sat, her heart heavy with the recent events. It was a shame, Fishstar had been her mentor and a cat she had greatly looked up to. While she had faith in Ivyfall, she knew it couldn't be easy for the she-cat to take the spot of such a beloved leader. She stood to her paws as she moved closer to the willow branch. It didn't take StarClan to guess what this clan meeting was for as she took her normal spot but there was a curiosity to it all - who would Ivyfall pick to be her deputy?

Swanpaw sadly made her way to the gathering cats at Ivyfall's call. To think that it had happened all so suddenly - ShadowClan losing their leader, and now RiverClan losing theirs. She wondered what might happen next as she found a place to sit among her Clanmates.

Snailbelly sat down alongside all the other cats, particularly beside his mother, Amberpelt. He gazed at her with a burning question in his eyes. Was Fishstar...? That could be the only answer. The single leader he had known his entire life was dead, most likely, as was what he gathered from Ivyfall being perched where the old she-cat usually would be. This was not any mere apprentice ceremony. This... this was important.

Having an apprentice had taught him a bit about life, about growing out of his kit fluff. He was a little less naive now, although still as slow as ever... the slightest bit more perceptive. Some cat would walk away deputy today. He was quivering with fear, with anticipation.

Jaystream glanced at her mother with serious eyes as he approached the Willow Branch, lost on his thoughts. The leader he always knew was gone... Fishstar had been a great leader for Riverclan and he hoped that she would be fine watching over them from Starclan. But the clan needed to move on into a new era with a new leader. The warrior trusted in her mother skills and abilities as a leader. Ivyfall was a strong she-cat ready to die for her clan if she had to. Even if he didn't have a close relationship with her, the gray tabby tom was happy for her to see her standing in the Willow Branch as the future Riverclan leader like she deserved from a long time ago... and that meant that she had to do a very important choice.

His fluffy tail wrapped around his paws while he waited for the announcement of the new deputy. Who would it be? Maybe one of the most experienced warriors in the clan. After all, they were wise and knew a lot about everything so it wouldn't be strange to see one of them by the side of the tabby she-cat. However, he didn't care too much because the warrior was sure that Ivyfall would make a good choice no matter what.

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The little warrior walked to the Gathering with sad eyes. Fishstar's death, his fight with Batfang, the deaths of her apprentices... she felt horrible now that her world seemed to be falling apart each day. She sat alone, not even looking at the deputy and just staring at her own paws, wishing that this would finish soon so she could go back to her den.

Sootwhisper joined the gathering crowd of cats. While he appeared to be as emotionless as always, deep inside he felt pain at le loss of their leader like the rest of the clan. While he was proud to see his mother standing as leader instead of deputy, the aftertaste was quite bittersweet. He knew that Ivyfall would need to appoint a deputy and he couldn’t help but wonder who it would be.

Surprisingly enough, deep inside he wished she wouldn’t pick him. While he would find pride on the position, he knew that the rank would force him to interact with more cats than he used to, an idea that made the aloof tom quite uncomfortable just by considering it as a possibility.

Lilypaw ducked her head. She looked up at Ivyfall, wondering who she was to choose. She missed Fishstar. Starclan only knew how many cats would disappear from her life.

Shellwater padded outside, a genuine glimmer of emotion in her eyes for once- curiosity. Now that the oldest leader in the forest had passed on to some better place, RiverClan would need someone new to make it strong alongside Ivyfall- Ivystar, soon. Once, she would have wanted to be that warrior to ascend the ranks. But not only had she lost her ambition long ago, and her ability to ever be a strong leader, she had retired a little while ago, and now she was an elder. There would be no path to leadership for her- not that she would accept it now if it was an option. But who would be chosen? There were so many good candidates. There was Amberpelt, Sootwhisper, Rainstorm, Thistleblaze, Swiftheart... Otterleap. Who would get the position? The calico she-cat watched with interest, eyes darting among the other cats in the crowd. She trusted Ivyfall's judgement.

Sandpaw's eyes widened. Fishstar was dead?! She couldn't believe it. The she-cat was one of the newer apprentices and she hadn't conversed with the former leader but she knew how everyone must be feeling. She gazed up at her mother where she stood, where Fishstar stood not too long ago.

Whitekit sat in the opening to the nursery, peeking out curiously. What was going on?

"RiverClan!" She began, her voice coming out much clearer than she expected. There was no tremor, her eyes were bright and voice was strong, her place in the trees felt right. "The passing of Fishstar has left us all in grief, but we cannot let this shake us. We have enemies to the east, enemies to the north, and shadowy figures that cannot decide where they stand on the outskirts. We are a proud clan, a strong clan and I know we will make it through this. But, I cannot do this alone. So I called you here today to announce who will be by my side to lead us."

Taking in a deep breath, she closed her eyes and angled her head to the sky. The silver she-cat pleaded to the leaders that had come before, that they would guide her and make sure she didn't regret her first decision as a leader. "I say these words before StarClan, and may they approve of my choice. Jaystream will be the new deputy of RiverClan. I know he will be a loyal deputy that will serve us for moons to come, have faith in this new RiverClan we will create."

The warrior didn't expect anything else from her mother words when she started her announcement. She was well known for being a fiery she-cat with always saw the other clans as enemies rather than allies and he wondered what that would mean for Riverclan in the future.

His breath stopped in anticipation for the real reason for this Gathering. He looked at her mother without blinking, ready to hear who would his next deputy. However, the name left stunned. Jaystream... That was his name, wasn't it? But, how was that possible? He was still so young... so naive and unsure of himself. Why the mother who always was busy would take him as his deputy? Why not Sootwhisper who older than him? Jaystream finally caught his breath when he started to notice that this wasn't a dream but a reality. This was true... he was appointed as the new deputy.

Standing up with his paws trembling a bit, the gray tabby warrior glanced at the green eyes of future leader and noded with respect. "I'm honored by the trust you have in me, Ivyfall. I'll try my best for my clan..." He said looking back to his fellow clanmates with a shy smile. What would they think of him? He really hoped that they wouldn't hate him for being the new deputy as such a young age. Jaystream really wanted to do the best he could for his because he knew they needed a deputy. He only wished he could their expectations.

Nutfur padded into the center of camp at Ivyfall's summons, wondering who would be the new deputy. When she announced that it would be Jaystream, she approved of the choice, chanting his name with the rest of the clan.

Fawnpaw never knew Fishstar very well, but she knew that she was a great leader. This must be pretty hard on Ivyfall. She thought.
Once Ivyfall announced the deputy, Fawnpaw began cheering the name of Jaystream.
"Jaystream! Jaystream!"