down once more [CLAN MEETING]

Tail swishing back and forth in a bitter sort of annoyance, Vixenstar sat and watched the sandy camp from her perch on the Willow Branch. Jaystar’s disappearance had caused mild anger to boil in the pit of her chest, but she knew she couldn’t let it get to her. They would only be as strong as their weakest link, and if Jaystar was bound to disappear anyway, perhaps this was for the best. Witha. huff of frustration, she rightened her posture and rasped out, ”The entire Clan must gather beneath the Willow Branch for an important Clan meeting!” This was important enough that the entire Clan, including kits and elders, should be gathered as well. The sooner they were exposed, the easier it would be to win them over.

Dovepaw sat down, and Karuna is running out of muse so just assume she is here being Dovepaw.

She had been sitting just outside the apprentices' den when Vixenstar's raspy voice called out. Spotting Dovey sitting nearby, Martenpaw edged closer to sit next to her. What could this be about...? I'll bet Jaystar's disappearance is gonna be mentioned-

Vixenstar's raspy call drew Whitesnake from the shadows, the lanky tom's movements relaxed and unhurried. Water dripped from his pelt as if he'd just come from the river, except the water was dirtier, discolored, and seemingly endless as the shadows that curled around him. Golden eyes turned lazily towards the Riverclanners, a small smile crossing his maw as he pointedly beckoned the more reluctant of them towards the meeting.

With Jaystar missing, the air in the clan was strange. Their leader had been in league with the invading Dark Forest cats and yet he'd still been some solid presence, until now. Vixenstar was calling the meeting, no doubt looking to address the situation. He was grateful for the distraction of his kin and friends. Focusing on those around him instead of the unusual situations that had been their lives... it made things easier. Picking his way across the clearing, the russet tom settled down next to his littermates. Once next to Martenpaw, he meowed lowly, "Hey. How're you holding up?"

Owlpaw sat in the middle of the clearing. Not in the back to where they would harass him to move up, but certainly not close enough to the front to get attention. Yellow eyes stared up at Vixenstar with a blank gaze. He knew nothing about the whereabouts of his father, and if he could handle it, Owlpaw would not get himself involved lest Jaystar eventually showed up. But, the knawing feeling of possibly losing a parent held the apprentice's head low. It wasn't fair. None of this was fair.

He just wanted his dad around. The apprentice blinked away something in his eyes and peered up the tree, though this time, staring at the branches beyond Vixenstar. He was totally fine.

Ashflight's ears perked up instantly at the sound of that Dark Forest monster's summons, and the tom couldn't help his scowl as he joined the others in the clearing, sitting down near the back. He gazed around, trying to catch sight of Perchfall or Poppypaw, but to no avail. Curling his tail around his paws, a comforting gesture to the anxiety-ridded warrior, he waited to hear whatever dour news was to come.

Buried deep in the maze of strange bits of information she'd stored up in her mind, her brother's voice almost didn't manage to draw her out. "H- oh! Um... " being startled wasn't something she wanted others to see, quickly she scrambled for an answer. How am I doing? "I'm okay I guess... being so clueless about what's happening is driving me nuts though." she responded, and there was a pause before she quietly added, "Thanks for asking... but what about you?" Head slightly tilted, she studied Rushpaw's expression, noticing how alike they look with the exact shade of green in their eyes and similar colored pelts, her own just a little lighter.

"We will get answers soon." He reassured her, crouching down to butt his head into her shoulder. Rushpaw pressed his coat to hers in an attempt to provide some reassurance. There was only so much that he could do given the circumstances. The tom found himself feeling helpless every so often and it bothered him. Moments away from camp seemed to be the best down. Out in the territory where there weren't beasts breathing over their shoulders. Surely, it was something he had become accustomed to but that didn't make the uneasy feeling within the camp walls any easier. Flicking his ear, he leaned back slightly, "Ah, I'm alright. Even with everything going on, things haven't been too bad." The brief smile on his maw was remembering times spent with denmates, with Flywhisker, and with Poppypaw.

Jaystar was... missing. Just like Ivystar. This was not a pattern that Perchfall liked. Of all the times for the enigmatic tom to wander off, being under a regime with evil ghosts he endorsed was not a good one. Anxious thoughts had been gradually racing through her mind since she had gone to speak with the leader and found him gone. Was he simply traveling elsewhere? On a long patrol? Or... had something unspeakable happened? Her nerves were frayed. Pacing back and forth in the warriors' den was not helping anyone, least of all her, but it was nice to feel like she was doing something. Anything. Anything other than failing the Clan, as she had done, and as she continued to do every moment that the Dark Forest threatened them.

What she heard next made her halt. Summons... from Vixenstar? The bleeding Dark Forest shade that Jaystar had befriended? The raspy voice grated on her already worried mind. However, forcing her calm deputy face on, Perchfall walked out to meet the rest of her Clanmates.

A quick glance did not yield the face of Poppypaw, but a familiar gray pelt immediately caught her eye. "Ashflight," she murmured, not noticing she had done so aloud. Normally she would sit beneath the branch in her deputy position... but to do so here would imply recognizing Vixenstar as the leading authority of the Clan, which she was not. So, with that excuse, the gray and white she-cat settled next to her friend, allowing his presence to bring her some small comfort. Yet, her anxiety was palpable. Her ears twitched. Her paws fidgeted slightly, despite her best efforts to still them. But as long as he was here... it might be okay. She itched to do what Poppypaw often did and lean into his soft gray fur., but she instantly banished the thought. She did not want to bother him. And besides, they were in front of everyone. She had to be strong.

There was something so noticably wrong as Hollyleaf approached the Willow Branch. The so-called "Vixenstar" was calling instead of Jaystar, whom she quickly noticed that he wasn't here, either. Setting herself beside her apprentice— Owlpaw, the molly curled her tail around her paws, anxious— and somewhat even wary of what Vixenstar had to say. Hopefully, things were in control.. though she doubted it, as much she wanted to believe so.

Once a sizeable amount of cats showed their faces beneath her perch, Vixenstar cleared her throat and began to address the Clan. ”As you’ve noticed, our dearly loved Jaystar has disappeared on us.” Tail swishing, she waited for any murmuring to die off. ”In the natural order of things, Perchfall would take hid place and name her own deputy. However, things are different now. I will take Jaystar’s place and rule as I did many moons ago. Perchfall will remain deputy, so long as she remains on her best behavior.” A smug wink towards Perchfall signified that while her tone took on that of a joking manner, she was serious. ”Hunting and border patrol assignments will be handled by Perchfall. Should you all have any questions, direct them to myself. I expect you all to carry on as before. That is all.” With that, she leaped from the branch and made her way toward the outskirts of camp.

The silver-tom shrugged in indifference; it didn't matter to him whether a dead cat or whether a living cat was made the leader of Riverclan. He hadn't liked Jaystar in the first place, so the fact that the tom had 'disapeared' during this time of the dark forest was not surprising. Although Jaystar had been a supporter of the dark forest they obviously didn't like him in the position of power and would rather place one of their own.

There was only a moment after Perchfall appeared where she had to wait, alongside her Clanmates, with bated breath. Her tail twitched, and she longed to wrap it around herself, but that would make her seem weak. She had to be strong. Even in front of the abomination that leered down from the Branch above. Finally, Vixenstar spoke. Her rasping tone was already unpleasant, but the words she spoke were even more so. So, even the Dark Forest knows Jaystar is gone... he's really gone, then. He's not coming back. For a moment, her fear was enveloped in a bitter frustration that made her shoulders tense up. Of course. He comes out of nowhere, claims to be chosen by StarClan, appoints the worst possible option for deputy, lets the Dark Forest in, and then leaves. Was he even real this whole time? How in the stars would I know? Her anger at the leader had already been slowly churning within, amplified with anxiety by his disappearance, and now-- well, she didn't know what to think. Was she glad that he was gone? Or would this bring even more awful things to RiverClan?

She didn't have any time to consider this new development. More words spilled forth from the Dark Forest she-cat, permeating the clearing and slowly sinking over them like a musty fog. Before her brain had even caught up with Jaystar's disappearance. it was mentioned that she was supposed to take his place. Become leader. Take up the responsibility that the smoky black tom had so smoothly danced around these past moons. Those thoughts had barely reached her, she had barely begun to steel herself for this new development, when it was shattered once more by a few extra, well-placed words.

"I will take Jaystar's place and rule as I did many moons ago. Perchfall will remain deputy."

Perchfall froze. All her hidden urges to fidget, to lean into Ashflight, to glance around for Poppypaw, ceased. All she could do in that moment was stare up at the dark-colored she-cat who sat above like a familiar inky shadow. The wink, the overt threat, made her flinch. Jaystar had showed up as if he were a ghost... and now they were led by a literal ghost. A bloodthirsty murderer from ages past who had calmly seized power with sharp claws as if it was hers to take. Once again, Perchfall was nothing but a symbol. A pawn. Though she held the "deputy" position, then and now, all cats knew that no power was actually hers. All she did was the duties, the menial tasks, while whoever was above her did whatever in the stars they pleased. Once again, she didn't matter. If she rebelled, then some other Dark Forest cat would take her place, and her Clanmates would hate her. If she acquiesced, then the Dark Forest would still be in control, but she would be able to... what? Perform ceremonies? Assign patrols? Either way, she was powerless. She was worthless.

As all these thoughts raced through her head, she wasn't even given a chance to respond. Her acceptance was taken for granted. Vixenstar had practically left by the time that Perchfall blinked. The Dark Forest knew she was worth nothing. She would take no action. She was too cowardly to give up what little help she could try to give her Clan. I... My Clan... RiverClan, Ashflight, Poppypaw.... I failed them. Desperately, she tried to keep her appearances up. Her shock could be used as a moment to fix her physical appearance. Neutral face, tall shoulders, straight tail. Yet, the corners of her eyes stung. There was a dullness in their blue depths. She couldn't move, except to slowly glance away from the empty Willow Branch down to the muddy, sandy ground beneath her paws. I failed. The whispers and words around her meant nothing. Her Clanmates knew she was a failure; did they even care anymore? What kind of a deputy was she, anyway? What should she say? Nothing? Agree? Disagree? It didn't matter. Whatever she did. She had already failed. "I... I will do my best to serve my Clan," she murmured hollowly. It was the best she could do. RiverClan.... It was doomed no matter what she did, wasn't it? The best she could do was save herself and exert what little influence she had. Pathetic. You're pathetic. You coward. Despite her best attempts to control herself, her breathing had grown irregular. Hopefully nobody was paying attention. Hopefully, though they knew she was a worthless failure, they could at least not know how much of a mess she was inside.