Shira's Elder Ceremony

Flintstar's gaze was dark as he sat at the base of the Jaggedrock, claws digging into the ground beneath him. Things could never go easy for ShadowClan could they. The moment - the moment - they had finally dealt with the threat of the rogues... His Clan had picked a fight with SkyClan. Border skirmishes happened, he could accept that but the damage that had been done - the injuries sustained by Shira at the claws of Bloodstar himself... This was only the start of...Something, and it was something that the leader was starting to realize he couldn't partake in.

...It had been a shame when Shira had approached him, expressing her feelings that she couldn't go on as a warrior. Her injuries weren't healing well, she had lost so much... Whatever fire had burned within her was starting to fade. And to be honest, the leader was starting to see her point - did he feel the same?

Was his time as a leader ending?

His eyes narrowed in thought before he gave a shake of his head. No, this wasn't time to dwell on his own problems - there was a ceremony to be done. "ShadowClan! Gather in the shadow of the Jaggedrock!"

Shira was pretty sure she knew what this ceremony was.  She had talked to Flintstar about what happened at the battle.  With her leg, which she would still fall if she tried to put weight on it, she knew that she would not be able to be the warrior Shadowclan needed anymore.  Not to mention the concussion she had gotten and the wound she got from hitting her head after falling.

Also, it was an unfortunate fact to know that Burningwing had left her, whether in hopes she would die or not, to come back to camp herself.  Not only did it break some of the pride she had for the clan, it also showed her how easily she could have died.  Limping back slowly, her head pounding with pain, she knew that if the rogues were still there or if a predator came out she would have died.  That was it.  There would have been no chance of survival.  Unfortunately, Shira thought it would stay like that for the most part.

She was not actually happy about this, but maybe it would finally give her the rest she deserved after everything she had been through.

Shira walked and sat down under Jaggedrock.  She watched Flintstar, listening and waiting for the ceremony to continue.

Frostgaze appeared quietly, weaving his way through the rest of the clan to sit within eyesight of his former mentor. He had seen her come in after the skirmish, alone no less. She had looked awful, and her wounds hadn't healed properly enough. There was little doubt in the warrior's mind about what ceremony was about to take place... and it upset him. It seemed like only a short time ago, Shira had been fighting with him. Now... such a thing would be nigh on impossible. Skyclan's take on maiming their foes was unsettling, to say the very least. They were violent beasts, and they needed self-control and consequences. Perhaps one day, he would be able to deliver it to them. For now, however, he sat, eyes flicking between Shira and Flintstar. Both maimed, one getting sent to the Elder's Den, and the other's fate being uncertain. It was, at the very least, a curious thing.

Mistyfalcon lifted his head at Flintstar's call, wincing as he saw the sorry state he was still in. And Shira... Shira looked even worse. It had been no secret that her wounds were not healing as they should, and even Mistyfalcon could tell she wasn't happy at all. Could she even remain a warrior with her injuries? Would Flintstar, for that matter? Somehow, the dark tom wasn't optimistic about either of his friends' chances.

At least Flinstar had gotten to kill Vea. Skyclan... Well, they'd always proven themselves to be ruthless brutes in battle. It was something Mistyfalcon could respect, but only to a point. Maiming his clanmates was something well beyond that point. The tabby silently sat near Frostgaze, dark gaze watching Flintstar and Shira.

Flintstar's call to gather made Webshadow's ears lower. He wasn't entirely certain what the ceremony could be, but... he thought he could make a guess. Emerging from the warrior's den, he sought his mother's pelt in the gathering crowd and weaved his way over to her side.

"Hi," he mewed gently, an air of sadness to his voice. His jaws parted as if he had more to say, but when words failed him, he settled for just pressing himself into her side.

The tom hadn't been there when she returned from camp, but Shira's injuries were impossible to miss regardless. And hearing the murmurs that she had returned alone– the fur along Webshadow's spine rose and his tail lashed against the ground at the thought. Someone had to have been with her, and they had just left her to drag herself home from the border? It looked like a miracle she'd made it back to camp at all. Her injuries were already bad enough, but if whichever SkyClan brutes had decided to do worse, or if she just hadn't made it back...

A little grumble left Webshadow and he shook his head. It wasn't the time to be thinking about that. The tabby leaned in closer to Shira, resting his chin against her head and letting out a quiet sigh. For now, he would sit with her through the ceremony. He would worry about details later.

Flintstar watched as his Clanmates gathered, gaze lingering on Shira and Webshadow before he finally opened his maw to speak. "...I've called you all here for a ceremony - but not a joyful one," he said with a shake of his head. "Tonight, one of our own will be joining the elder's den - but not fully by their own choice. ...Shira, please step forward." He fell silent to allow her the moment to step forward, fixing her with a...Sad gaze. ...How long before he joined her within the elder's den? The option was there - what was causing her to retire, he... He gave another shake of his head. "Shira, is it your wish to give up the name of a warrior and go to join the elders?"

Shira could feel the eyes that landed upon her and she really did not like it.  She knew it was all sympathy or pity or something along those lines and she hated it.  The she-cat never told anyone this though, she thought that they would know or at least understand that she was not the kind of cat who wanted others to feel bad for her... no matter how broken she truly felt.

"Hello," she simply replied to Webshadow, having no energy to say anything more then that.  She could sense his sadness as well.  She welcomed him leaning into her, it actually made her feel a little bit better.  She wrapped her tail around him and closed her eyes.  She sighed, her eyes not opening until the moment she had dreaded occurred: the calling of her name.

Pulling her tail away from Webshadow, she rose to her paws.  She hesitated a moment, but then continued forward, through the crowd and towards Flintstar.  She swallowed as he asked the question to confirm she wanted to go in the elders den.  I don't!  I don't!  It's all that stupid Skyclaner's fault.  But deep down, she know that she needed to.  After much hesitation, she finally replied, "I have to and so it is."  Although it might appear that that statement could have been said with anger, the only detectable tone in her voice was sorrow.

Shira hated this.  All of it.  Everything.  She did not want this.  She had vowed to stay strong, to be strong so no one could see any weakness and use it against her, and she made a deal with herself to never give up on anything...

So why... why did this moment feel so much like giving up?

Flintstar remained quiet as Shira hesitated on her answers, before finally the words left her maw. His ears twitched, his expression shifting to a tinge of sadness as he knew it wasn't her choice... But what else could they do? "...Your Clan honors you and all the service you have given to us. I call upon StarClan to give you many moons of rest," he meowed, calling the ceremony to an end. He pushed himself to his paws, taking a few steps forward to approach Shira as he lowered his head - along with his voice. "...Do not be hard on yourself, Shira. I know your pain - this is not what you wanted but this is how things have...Happened." There was a pause as he spared a glance at his dead leg, whiskers twitching. "...I suspect, you will not be alone in that den for long," he simply meowed before he turned and limped his way to his den - not giving Shira a moment to comment on words.