pro regina, lege, et grege [open]

Though it didn't seem like it, some time had passed since Iniko's passing. He'd always been a compassionate tom, and to die protecting a cat of the Clans, and a mother at that, was a death that suited him, Eris thought. It was noble in the eyes of some, idiotic to others. No matter how they felt, though, Eris had found it respectful to give Asylum time to mourn his death, as he was loved by all. It hadn't hit her quite as hard as she thought it might- after all, he'd practically raised her. To think of him would offer nothing but a momentary stinging feeling in her gut, but she'd quickly move on. It was strange, but Eris paid it no mind.

Though it would never feel quite right, plenty of days had passed, and it was time to name a new Standard Captain. Truthfully, Eris felt like there wasn't any solid option. A decent chunk of the Standard population was made up of the kits from the Clans, and none of them were even near old enough to serve as a Captain. The majority of them were hardly old enough to be Rank Two, let alone lead an entire faction. There were a number of trusted cats within the faction that Eris felt might do a good job, but she lacked that sense of certainty that she was actively seeking out in a Captain. Certainty. That was something the she-cat felt often, about numerous subjects. The kits, the Clans... But this wasn't one of them. She thought about Iniko, and who he might want to serve as his successor. Her mind drifted momentarily to that Clan cat that he'd brought along, Dawnhawk. He'd been instrumental in forcing SkyClan into submission and had done an excellent job at it. Iniko seemed to have much faith in the tom... And despite his training as a Nightstriker, Eris felt confident that if he was good enough for Iniko, he would be good enough for her.

For several long moments, Eris went over a list of Standards that might be a better fit than Dawnhawk, and came up with nothing. So, even if it felt strange to give another cat Iniko's position, she rose from her nest and glanced around camp. It was quite perfect timing for an announcement such as this- the sun was just beginning to set, and shifts would soon be switching. Asylum Camp was swarming with cats, and word of the new Captain being named would spread like wildfire to those who weren't present. Another glance revealed that Dawnhawk himself was present, meaning that the Asylum Head was fully prepared to move on. "Asylum, gather around. It is with great honor that I announce Asylum's new Standard Captain." She waited for any chatter to die down. Even distant birdsong seemed to cease as she looked at her family surrounding her. "Iniko's passing has caused us an indescribable pain, but it is time for us to move on to new horizons, as he would've wished."

"Dawnhawk, step forward."

"To follow is one thing; to lead, an unfathomably difficult task. If you should accept this position, you will be expected to uphold the traditions and stay true to the ways of Asylum. You are young to Asylum, but I trust that Iniko's faith in you won't be betrayed. So, will you bear the scars of a Captain, and serve Asylum for moons to come?" She mewed, staring at Dawnhawk from a foxlength or so away. Her usual slick, toothy grin was absent, instead replaced with a serious expression. Her claws were barely poking out of her large paws, but ready to honor Dawnhawk with the scars he'd wear for the rest of his life, should he accept such a monumental task.

Eos was looking forward to some rest at Asylum's camp, away from Riverclan's sodden territory. She wasn't looking forward to the chill, however, and sat shivering in her white hare pelt, soft eyes absentmindedly (seemingly) scanning the camp. It was as lively as it ever got for the time of a shift change, and Eos relaxed, comforted in the knowledge that she was surrounded by friends and family.

A voice ringing out over their camp had the she-cat's ears swiveling in that direction, eyes landing on Eris curiously. Iniko had died not long ago, but she would have expected this meeting to come a bit sooner. Eos got to her paws, slipping a bit closer before settling once more.

Dawnhawk... The Nightstriker was certainly an interesting choice to replace Iniko as Standard Captain. Now her ears pricked forward out of more genuine interest rather than the typical scout's curiosity. She'd had kits with the tom, though they seldom saw each other with their own duties and that was fine with Eos. Such was life. Still, while an odd choice, he seemed a reasonably fitting choice. His reaction would be telling of what sort of Captain he would make.

Pyrik did not want to be here. In fact, he couldn’t think of a single place where he did want to be. His only options were to face WindClan’s open hostility, searching their closed-off faces for an angular frame or dark, orange-dappled fur, or to plunge himself into the uneasy atmosphere he called home, never knowing just how many lies they’d raised him on. But he had to choose, for Roe. If Eris or the captains realized the truth was out, Roe would suffer for it, to say nothing of what might happen to Pyrik or his one-time denmates. And so Pyrik, a clumsy liar at best, chose to sit among his factionmates, cloaked in his sacred pelt, as if nothing had changed. He’d gotten very good at that.

Someone to replace Cap…Iniko. Underneath the fox head, Pyrik bit his tongue; lifelong habits were awfully hard to break. He didn’t want another captain. Even if it had been safe to explain himself, he wouldn’t have known where to start; trying to disentangle and identify everything knotted up in his gut was like unraveling a ball of cobwebs. Another hero. Another liar. Shoulders hunched, Pyrik pulled his tail closer. Eris might choose Finn, or maybe Rama, both well-respected Rank Threes and cats he hadn’t felt too uncomfortable around, before.

His guesses couldn’t have been more wrong. As Eris called her choice forward, a very, very small squeak escaped the mottled tom's mouth. Picking a former Clan cat to succeed Captain Iniko would have been strange enough, but a Nightstriker? That was like asking Theron to lead the Scouts! But if there was one thing he could still be certain of, it was that Eris wasn’t, had never been, a fool. Her reasons were probably too complex for a mere Rank One to understand. Or maybe this Dawnhawk was in on the lie, too. Pyrik swallowed and sat up straighter, trying to get a look at the golden tom as he split off from the crowd.

Iniko had died, and it seemed few cats didn't miss him. Hoosier was one of the few cats who didn't miss him. He didn't bother getting attached to the captain. He didn't bother getting attached to anyone. Because it was most likely that the cats he got attached to, were going to end up dead. It was just the cycle of life. And as he watched Eris stared down at Dawnhawk deciding to choose him to take Iniko's place, Hoosier couldn't have cared less. He just watched the announcement, from the comfort of his raccoon pelt.

At the mention of calling upon a new Standard Captain, Ivory picked up her pace from the edges of Asylum Camp. Her silver fox pelt was draped around her, it's white tipped tail flopping alongside her own. She barely had made it to the meeting when Dawnhawk's name was called. Dawnhawk.... her father... a Nightstriker becoming a Standard Captain?? Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of the russet fox pelt with one ear and riddled with scars. He was here. She spotted her mother too, though she dared not speak out loud during this ceremony... should Dawnhawk choose to become a captain.

---

Dawnhawk didn't quite believe what he'd heard at first. Resembling Bloodstrike when he was called upon to be Skyclan's deputy, he blinked and stared, wondering if he heard Eris correctly. Once he was sure that he had, questions buzzed in his mind as he approached. A Nightstriker to lead the Standards? It was true that Dawnhawk hadn't fit in well with the Nightstrikers. He found them to be savage and dull of wit... whereas the Scouts had been intelligent but too flighty for his liking. Dawnhawk probably should have been made a Standard, he'd thought that before.

Eris must have seen it too.

Scars... his entire body had been free of scars even as a rank three Nightstriker. He had instead had them set upon the fox that he wore, unable to fathom having scars on his flawless face. However... Standards had scars on their shoulder. Dawnhawk knew that his medium length fur would likely hide most of the scars on his body, should he'd ever get any... Iniko's scars were basically invisible underneath his longer fur.

The pale tom shook off his fox pelt and turned his appropriate shoulder towards Eris.

"I will." He answered with a strong, confident voice for all of those who had gathered to hear. His head swam as the words left his mouth. The deputy of Skyclan... and the Standard Captain of the Asylum... His thoughts immediately went to Wolfstar... and perhaps ways to get rid of him. The power was addicting and it made every nerve in his body like a live wire.

He wanted more. He would always want more...

Nero sat among his clanmates, waiting with anticipation to hear who would be chosen. His tail flicked from side to side when he heard Dawnhawk called but his face remained passive. Choosing a Nightstriker and clan cat as the new standard captain? Unheard of. Ridiculous. Dawnhawk had been in the Asylum for barely a season, how could Eris seriously think he was worthy to lead? Though Nero had to admit the main reason he was unhappy with the choice was his jealousy. Iniko's passing had opened a powerful position, one he felt should have been filled by him. But no matter, he would bide his time, congratulate the new captain at the proper moment, and wait for another opportunity.

Thalia's paws carried her toward her - well. She had called them family, once, and she'd meant it. She didn't want to forsake that, and yet... She wasn't sure what they were to her now, these cats that had raised her. Still, Eris' voice was a call she couldn't shake after a lifetime of Asylum, and she obediently gathered with the rest. It was an otherwise ordinary evening, even as the shadow of Captain Iniko's death hung heavy once again when the reminder sunk in. That someone else would take his place. She hadn't known him well - he was a Captain, and of another faction, no less - but she missed the familiarity, all the same.

The announcement that his successor would be Dawnhawk confused her, more than anything. She wasn't jealous - she had no reason to be, when everything she believed in was falling apart around her - but she couldn't see a clear path of thought behind Eris' reasoning. She supposed that the Asylum head knew what she was doing, in at least some respect, but weren't there Standards who could have filled the position? Those with the necessary type of Standard training?

But, well. She wasn't a Standard, or a Captain, or Eris. None of this really concerned her, all things considered. She glanced to Pyrik, though - he was a Standard, so he was bound to have some kind of thoughts on all of it. She wondered if he'd share them, if she asked (later, when all of this was over and done with, but before he returned to his WindClan post; it had been easier when they were returning to the same place to sleep, even if she'd missed the shadowed ledge of the Nightstriker quarters).

Large, white splashed paws prowled forward, each step firm against the dreary ground, little iced patches of white dotted here and there across it. He picked his way between them without even a thought given to the movements, no sound of crunching or shuffling of snow disturbing the buzz of the crowd ahead. Dark tail swishing softly behind, just above the ground, he slowed, expressionless amber eyes painted with a hint of yellow curiosity running over the cats gathered. Some of them wore their pelts - others didn't. His own sat comfortably atop his fur, firm with the mud coating to hold it in place, the living glow of yellow contrasting with the dead eyeholes they gazed through, its dark tones blending with his own.

He settled along the edge of the crowd, a mild, slow blink half-lidding his eyes for a moment as he looked from Eris to the Clan cat, one of his own brethren by Theron's acceptance of him. Apparently no more, as he was due to be the next Standard Captain. Interesting choice. He didn't doubt that the massive she-cat knew what she was doing. Dawnhawk was somewhat of an anomaly, but he at least sounded capable from what Spyre had heard of his exploits in SkyClan. Not as good as Iniko had been, but an acceptable stand-in. Hopefully he would be at least amiable to the kits; after all, for many of them the former Captain had been a sort of father-figure - they deserved at least some acknowledgement of their budding skills and capabilities, taken from these Clan cats as they had been.

May he serve his new faction well....

Spark had padded out into the clearing upon Eris's call. He didn't especially respect Eris after finding out about his origins, but nobody knew that but Roe and the rest of the missing kits. Roe... he seemed to have disappeared after telling the missing kits about their true origins. Though Spark never really talked with him, the ginger tom did like Roe, especially more than Eris after finding out about their capture. Really, she was probably the one who made up how Spark had a bad family before being kidnapped by Asylum. He didn't even remember any of his family's names. He was a puppet in her grand scheme.

His opinion of Eris only soured more as Dawnhawk was chosen as the Asylum Standard Captain. He was probably one of the worst people to be chosen as the Standard Captain. First of all, he was never a Standard until this surprising promotion. Secondly, Asylum cats changing factions was almost unheard of, and it set a precedent that the ginger tom wanted Eris to follow up on. If it had been more common, cats like Shira would have certainly been made Nightstrikers, and cats more like Roe might have become Standards or even Scouts. Also, why couldn't Pelt Wards like Ichtaca have been assigned to one of the three factions, instead of beginning to hate Asylum as time passed on?

Really, while the Asylum had said that every cat had a role in the Asylum, some cats had better roles than others. After all, none of the missing kits ever wanted to be Pelt Wards. And possibly because they were that - the missing kits - they didn't in fact become Pelt Wards. Rookfire had a point when it came to training Pelt Wards. The clans knew how to train any cat to warriorhood. If Asylum was really all that great, there wouldn't be 'cats who can't fit in any of the three factions'. Every cat should be able to fit in at least one of the three factions. And if these cats just complain about not having a pelt ward to take care of their pelt... well, you just take care of it yourself. No big deal.

Still, Spark wouldn't dare say any of that out loud. He wouldn't risk losing everything to speak. The last time he did that, it was almost disastrous. So he just watched and listened, his face devoid of emotion, nodding at Dawnhawk as the tom was appointed Standard Captain. Really, Spark wouldn't be upset if Asylum burned down to the ground right now.

Eris' gaze didn't falter as she stared at Dawnhawk, searching his icy blue eyes for any sign of reluctance. The only thing she picked up was at the mention of scars, which she had fully expected- a strange trait for any Asylum cat to have, but so be it. He seemed willing to receive the mark of the Standards. One for each rank, and an one additional for his position as a captain. With a simple nod, she drew closer to the tom, lifting a paw and outstretching a single claw. "Very well. May you bring honor to your faction and family, Dawnhawk." With those words, she sliced her claw into his practically untouched pelt, once, twice, and a third time.

Pausing for a moment, she let the first three scars sink in. "You are now bonded to the Standard faction," She mewed, watching as tiny trickles of blood flowed down Dawnhawk's pelt. Finally, she drug her claw down the middle of the collection of scars he already had, this one the deepest of them all. "and it now welcomes you as the new Captain. May you bring nobility and honor to us all." She mewed gently, watching him quietly.

Dawnhawk grit his teeth, but would not allow a single noise to escape his throat despite the sharp, stinging pain in his shoulder. A part of him felt disheartened that his flawless body was now no longer as flawless, but he'd find a way to cover the scars when he felt it was necessary. They might only be visible a little bit sometimes... but for now they were bright red and weeping slightly. Once Eris was done, he took a breath and relaxed, his jaw aching from being clenched.

"Thank you, Eris." His head swam. He was the Standard Captain now... He stepped away from her and kept his chin up, holding a strong and proud stature with his new rank.

---

Ivory stared, watching with a flutter of joy and disbelief that her father of all cats was now officially her captain. As he stepped away from Eris and stood proudly, she could no longer contain herself.

"Congratulations... d- ... Dawnhawk." She couldn't quite bring herself to call him dad yet. She would though! She would! She just needed to do it away from everyone else. It was going to be a special moment and she didn't want the presence of others to taint it. Her eyes traveled to her mother, curious to see her reaction as well.