RiverClan's Deputy | January 2021

Though the silver she-cat wasn't entirely sure if Asylum would approve of her appointing a new deputy, she was going to do it anyway. They could drag her into the middle of the clearing and beat her into a pulp- at this point, she didn't care. After much deliberation and conversation between the two of them, Ivystar and Stormbringer had decided it was in their relationship's best interest, as well as the Clan's, for Stormbringer to step down from her position as deputy. To focus on their relationship and the betterment of the Clan... That was what she'd said. Her voice still rang deeply within Ivystar's ears, and she couldn't help but feel guilty.

Nevertheless, she had a job to do. From the snowy clearing, she pushed off of the ground and onto the Willow Branch, her feathery tail dangling below as she looked out across camp. Hopefully, she was making a wise decision- she knew this cat better than she knew the rivers and streams that ran throughout the territory, so she was almost sure that nothing could go terribly wrong. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the Willow Branch for a Clan meeting!" She yelled out, her mellow voice ringing out across the clearing. Her emerald eyes traced the wispy cloud that left her slightly parted maw, fluffing out her thick pelt against the chilly wind.

Stormbringer heard her mates call and stepped away from her resting spot and over to the Willow branch. She found it strange but not in a bad way to not sit in her usual deputy spot. It was for the best in the end. It was her choice. She would rather keep Ivystar and Honeyto gue than her spot as deputy. Shinning, happy, Amber eyes stared up at her mate, a small nod of encouragement following. Ivystar was doing the right thing. This was for the best.

As Ivystar's voice carried across the camp, drowning out idle chatter of Clan and Asylum alike, Flashlight's ears pricked up. News of some sort, or simply a ceremony? Whatever the cause, it had caught her interest, and she moved to a better listening position - though she was still careful to keep a short distance between herself and anyone else, with a swift glare as a deterrent to anyone who might have gotten too close. In recent days, the prickly she-cat had only gotten worse, the brief joy she'd felt upon leaving the apprentice den swiftly fading into more bitterness at RiverClan's present predicament; but Ivystar remained one of the few cats who could attain both her attention and respect with ease, so she sat perfectly still and listened quietly (a rare thing indeed, at least when it came to Flashlight).

It hadn't been hard for Honeytongue to get an understanding of what was going on between her mates - having listened in to their conversation. She couldn't blame either of them - it seemed it was agreed it was for the best. She felt her heart go out to Stormbringer, she knew she had done her best to do what she could for her Clan. And they would still do it - together, as warriors. She had both of her mate's back...And at least in any case, there was some relief knowing that she wasn't going to be named deputy. For as close as the trio was, it was true that the leadership and deputy position that they had both held made things...Tricky. There was still a power imbalance with Ivystar as leader, she wasn't going to deny that...

But perhaps this would still help them grow even closer as a partnership. She happily took a seat at Stormbringer's side, leaning into her mate with a soft purr - a reminder that she was going to support her no matter what.

Aquiline features awash in a gentle flecking of downy snow, Jayshriek's carefully donned expression of casual disinterest held strong in those critical, unintended seconds following Ivystar's sudden appearance and announcement, even as his tongue curled sharply against the tightly cinched beds of his canines. It was more of a weighty struggle to keep the purposeful façade at the realization that Stormbringer was not seated in her ceremonial seat alongside Ivystar, molten dark gaze quickly flicking between the familiar outlines of his mothers. Icy tendrils of unease curled tightly around the rigid length of his spine, a menacing current of disbelief and discomfort curdling low and sharp somewhere deep within the fathom of his being. Even from the willowy, bleak shadows of the den he was currently hovering on the outskirts of, the sudden dusting of tension wreathing across his being was palpable.

Sharp jut of the chin tilting forward in an intent display of false ease and assurance, Jayshriek remained a watery smudge against the chilly backdrop of the barren forest, the fierce pulse of curiosity and dread currently encapsulating his veins making it entirely too difficult to move.

Dewpaw bounced out of the apprentice den, still fascinated by the fact that she could see her breath. What a magnificent thing it was, sparkly and wispy and beautiful, just like the arc of water droplets from a fish as it was snagged from the water. The cold air was cutting through her pelt, but the young she-cat had discovered that if she just kept moving, it wouldn't bother her so much. She wondered what greenleaf was like, with the warm sun, and if newleaf would be as beautiful as she had been told. Today was for something else though, and as she settled in the gathering crowd she wondered what she would experience today.

Ivystar's call had not just attracted clanmates, but Asylum, as well. Eos settled on the fringe of the crowd, knowing full well that her presence wasn't exactly welcomed, but also curious as to what this meeting would be about. A ceremony seemed the most likely candidate, but then it became a matter of which. There had been a pair of new warriors recently, and there were certainly more apprentices to name.

Then her gaze settled on the clan deputy, Stormbringer, who did not sit in her usual spot at these meetings. Interesting, very interesting. Eos' gaze flicked up to Ivystar, then slowly traveled around the assembling cats, now far more interested than she had been when Ivystar's call first rang across the clearing.

When it first came, Ivystar’s call hasn’t aroused much interest. Of course, Shrikefrost gathered with the other cats, but it was with restless paws and a bored gaze. Until he noticed Stormbringer - or rather, the absence of her in her usual position. He hadn’t seen her do that before... ever. Interest was aroused in his gaze as he padded towards Flashlight and sat next to his sister. If he had to guess, it was an announcement for Stormbringer’s retirement. An undeniable prickle of hope ran through him. He was, admittedly, a younger warrior. But he was capable. Though, he realized, after his display on the night of the takeover, Ivystar would not be so inclined to choose him.

That didn’t stop him from feeling hopeful.

Wisteriabloom joined the gradually growing crowd beneath the Willow Branch, joining Shrikefrost and Flashlight where they sat. She greeted her mate with a friendly bump, and crossed her fluffy tail over his. Echokit's ill health had had them both worried, causing for her to spend more time than she would've liked in the nursery. Yellow-green eyes instinctively raised to where Ivystar sat, but something was unusual today - Stormbringer was missing from her usual spot beneath the leader. Is she stepping down? That meant a spot was open for deputy. What if that was me up there? It was something that had barely crossed her mind before, but she had no idea how. Truthfully, there were probably better options amongst the warriors; for example, Streamtail didn't loose her temper nearly as quickly. But there was still hope in her mind.

Loonwhisper was not one well-acquainted with the interpersonal relationships of other cats, but he understood why Ivystar and Stormbringer decided to break up... professionally, that is. The way he rationalized it, they could not share a nest and a Willow Branch. It was simply too much to share with one cat. To be intertwined with another so intensely, Loonwhisper philosophized, could make you forget who you are outside of them. Or, at least he figured. He did not know what that was like. The closest relationship he had was with his littermates, and he was bonded to them by upbringing.

The tom's wispy outline slunk through the gathered cats like a cloud of smoke, weaving through the bodies to find his favorite spot: the left-center side, among the warriors of his age group, in a nicely beaten-down part of the clearing. He waited with ardent curiosity.

Emerald eyes drifted slowly across camp, shifting between each of the warriors who sat beneath the branch. She'd considered each of them, taking into account their personalities and fitness to lead... And truthfully, the she-cat had a hard time deciding. She loved each of her warriors with a passion that burned right from her heart, and while some of them stood out to her as potential deputies more than others... This had been a difficult decision to come to. Did she want to choose someone who agreed with all of her ideologies and actions, or someone more indifferent, to balance her out? Did she want to choose someone who she could predict the actions of or someone who was a bit more unpredictable?

She'd mulled over the choice for hours before coming to a solid decision, and had even spoken with Stormbringer about who she thought might be the best fit for the job. In the end, it had been her counsel that made things easier. She looked down to her mate where she sat, giving her a slight smile and a firm nod, hoping that she'd seen it. With a deep breath, she began, "As I'm sure many of you have noticed, Stormbringer does not sit in her usual position by my side. She sits among all of you now not as your deputy, but as a fellow warrior. She has made the decision to step away from her role in the Clan and return to the life she once lived as a proud RiverClan warrior. I am glad to have served at her side for as many moons as I did." With that out of the way, Ivystar nodded to Stormbringer, and closed her eyes for a moment. She could feel her heart racing as the silence stretched thin across the Clan, each set of ears awaiting her decision.

"As you all know, that means I must select a new deputy to stand by my side, and to one day fill the pawsteps of the many leaders before me. I sincerely hope that each of you approves of my choice for deputy." Once again, she waited for a moment, whiskers twitching as she thought over her decision one last time. It was one of the hardest choices she'd ever had to make, and she just hoped that she'd made the right call. "Loonwhisper will be the new deputy of RiverClan. His thoughtfulness and kind-hearted spirit will aid RiverClan in all its endeavors going forward." She locked eyes on the young tom, listening as her Clanmates reacted.

"Loonwhisper, you are a young but fine warrior. You've got a heart of gold and a spirit like no other, and it is these qualities that lead me to believe that you will make an even finer leader. Despite all this, you may find doubt in yourself and in your own ability to lead. I understand that this is a difficult position to fill, and if you do not desire it, I will not force it upon you. If you are willing to commit your heart and spirit to the future of this Clan and dedicate your life to it, then I will be happy to have you by my side. So... What will it be?" She mewed, keeping her gaze focused on the tom as she awaited his answer.

Each consecutive word belayed by Ivystar further stiffened Jayshriek's tight posture, muscles and tendons drawing in close and fierce, stifling undercurrent of shock and dismay roiling hot and low. Nervous energy coiled sharply in the center of his being, an unfamiliar thrum of violent chill constricting his veins with all the force of an enraged fox caught in a trap; discordant and restless twitches occasionally flinching down the rigid line of his spine in a chaotic manner, a physical show of the violent force currently plaguing the young tom. It was difficult to lay a name to such a strange, completely alien feeling, especially for one as reserved and withdrawn as himself. Refusal to accept change? Envy? Frustration? It was all different faces of the same stone, smooth and indistinguishable like the petals of a flower.

Loonwhisper.

Though the delicate arrangement of disinterest held fast atop the sharp lines of his face, something quick sifted in the fiery depths of his piercing gaze. The momentary flash of darkness - devoid of any semblance of familiarity and oh so strange - weighed heavily on the bridge of his nose, which upturned briefly in a momentary mimicry of a frown. Remaining stiffly withdrawn in the welcoming embrace of the chilly shade fringing the outskirts of the clearing, Jayshriek did his best to power through the strange ache entrenching itself within the webbing of his heart, hackling softly as he did so.

Lyralei padded into the camp as she heard the summons of Ivystar, settling on the edge of camp so not to mingle too much with the crowd. This was their custom, after all, and she would respect it to the best of her abilities. A new deputy, hmm? Her gaze found Stormbringer in the crowd and she nodded slightly before turning her gaze back to Ivystar. Listening intently to her words, she found herself fascinated by the way the leader addressed her clan. Finally, it was time for this new deputy to be announced, and she had to resist jumping to her paws as she heard the name. Loonwhisper! The excitement was apparent on her face, but she merely blinked, tail tip flicking as she bit her tongue and found the tom in the crowd. What would his answer be?