ShadowClan’s Deputy 2019 2.0

Scorchstar slowly climbed up the side of Jaggedrock. He was tired. So very, very tired. The loss of his beloved younger brother — the last of his siblings — had been so hard on him. It was almost unbearable. On top of being forced to exile his own son from the Clan and force his daughter into permanent retirement certainly wasn’t making any of this any easier to persevere through. But he knew he had to. Having gained control back over his Clan, he knew he was going to need help more than ever to get ShadowClan back up and running. So his first order of business was to announce the next deputy. ”Let all cats gather beneath Jaggedrock for a Clan meeting!”

(OOC: Sorry for this post being super short.)

Sitting near the front of the gathering crowd, Daisyflame sat tall and proud, watching as Scorchstar sat up on Jaggedrock. Him and the leader had chatted about the choosing of a new deputy, and the older tom was fully aware of who would be chosen. Of course, it wasn't him, but after the first couple of times not being chosen those many moons ago, even though he was an obvious choice, Daisyflame had found peace about it. If him and Scorchstar could be so very close just as best friends and without him even being the deputy, he was perfectlyu content with that and hoped nothing would change.

While she would once have pushed through to the front of the crowd to watch the father she admired, Mothpaw now kept her distance. Recent events had taken a toll on her respect for her father, as much as she didn't want to admit it - forcing her sister into retirement before she'd even been a warrior, or forcing her to leave her home behind? An impossible choice, something there had been a lot of lately. How he'd driven her brother from them... She may still love her father, but there were things she couldn't bring herself to forgive or forget.

She had to be glad that she had chosen to stay. If she hadn't, then... Well. Mothpaw had always been loyal to her sister before anything else - before her responsibilities as a medicine cat, before her responsibilities to ShadowClan, she had a responsibility to her sister. And if Silent had left, she would have followed; unwilling to lose the sister she'd only just returned to. She turned her gaze to make sure she was alright, and her expression softened ever so slightly as she did. Having assured herself that Silent wasn't going anywhere, her attention returned to Scorchstar, and the scowl returned to her face.

Salamander certainly wasn’t happy about all the events that transpired recently. But, as he had to accept, there wasn’t anything he could do about him, his father, or the weird cats everywhere. All the calico could do was try to get familiar with this “Starclan”, “Shadowclan”, and “Warrior Code”, and pray that nobody clawed out his throat for being Burnt’s son. It was a confusing time for such a sheltered kit.

At his mother’s word, Salamander soundlessly got up and obediently followed his pale mother out to the crowd. Usually he would tumble with his siblings and loudly complain and procrastinate getting out, but not today. After seeing his father murder, after seeing his father’s dead body, after seeing his sibling’s broken, bleeding form, and after seeing all the friendly faces he knew leave, it was hard to muster up his characteristic rowdy smile. The child sat in the crowd with eyes cast down, barely paying attention to what was happening.

Poppyheart slowly padded out of the warriors' den, making sure Redwing and the kits she now carried within her belly were close behind. With Asterspark -- well, his name was Sans now, but he didn't want to accept that name for him -- no longer in ShadowClan, he couldn't see himself being with any other cat but his mate. Burntstag had caused so much death, destruction, and despair that even Shade and Lichenmask themselves would be in awe. And to make matters worse, it seemed as though Scorchstar had completely lost faith in his capabilities to lead ShadowClan. Contrary to what his father thought to be true, Poppyheart still immensely respected him despite the decisions he had made that wouldn't have been easy for any cat to make. How was a cat supposed to properly react when being put on such a spot like he had been anyway?

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Scorchstar sighed heavily. He didn't want to be up here on Jaggedrock. He didn't want to be anywhere in camp except for in his den. But in spite of all the turmoil brewing and storming within him, he still loved his Clan ever so much, and he didn't want to leave these cats without a leader, or at least a deputy, now that Wildstrike was gone. He wanted so badly to choose Daisyflame to be his next deputy, but he knew he couldn't; he didn't want his best friend, the last cat he sensed had even an inkling of respect for him, dead. He knew he wouldn't have been able to take it. Thankfully, there was another cat he had in mind to fill Wildstrike's pawprints, and even the pawprints of ShadowClan's first deputy since he'd been leader, Froststone.

"It is with a heavy heart," he began, his voice almost monotone and completely void of emotion, "that we say farewell to Wildstrike. He had been killed by the claws of the traitorous Burntstag, all while trying to regain and restore ShadowClan's glory. He was a strong cat who had matured and grown so much over the course of his life in ShadowClan, and he will be forever missed. And now, I shall appoint a new deputy. I say these words before StarClan, that the spirits of our ancestors may hear and approve my choice. The new deputy will be Thornbriar." He looked down at the battle-worn molly and dipped his head to her. At the end of the day, she was still a very strong, responsible, and respected member of the Clan, and he knew she would be able to continue what Froststone and Wildstrike had done before her. ShadowClan would be in good paws with her as deputy.

"Thornbriar! Thornbriar!" Daisyflame began chanting, loud above the hushed yet noticeable clamor. Just as he'd suspected, he hadn't been chosen to be ShadowClan's next deputy, but unlike last time, Daisyflame didn't find himself mad or even annoyed. After what Scorchstar had told him those many moons ago, he knew that it was in his best interest not to be appointed deputy, as crazy as it sounded.