Skyclan's Deputy of 2022

How.... how had so much happened in such a short amount of time? Starclan was punishing him, they had to be. Not that that was anything new, just another day in the life of Bloodstar. Ashstorm was gone, killed by foxes, right as he was about to pass down leadership to her. If this is your way of telling me not to retire you can all go eat your tails. He thought to them scornfully. Tired, ragged-looking and somber, Bloodstar leaped up onto the Tallbranch. "Let all of those old enough to climb a tree gather beneath the Tallbranch for a clan meeting." He called out, his voice tired and no longer carrying the boom it once had. He had been so ready to just pass on leadership and go die somewhere, yet here he was, appointing a new deputy.

Moonpaw heard the call of her father, her ears perking. It sounded so... distant. A small frown tinged her maw, young thoughts racing through her mind. "Isn't he supposed to be strong and mighty..? He sounds plain sad. She hadn't quite grasped just all it was that Bloodstar had gone through, and oh how the naivety of youth sang through her body. But she dutifully followed his call, finding her place. Pride was ever present in her step as she would sit, a curious, yearning gaze keeping its watchful eye on the worn tom that sat atop that branch.

Briarthorn could tell her mate was exhausted. Any and all warmth towards her had disappeared moons ago, and the light he usually held was quickly dimming. Ashstorm’s death had to have been the final straw for him. His eyes and voice were empty. That scared the she-cat. Even when he was angry with her, when he lost his temper, it was never empty. Anxiety tugging at her large frame, she padded to the center of the clearing and found her place next to one of her daughters, Moonpaw.

Beechfang's eyes were closed, shoulders hunched as she rested in the shade near the edge of camp. Ashstorm, dead. Killed by foxes. Memories swirled through her mind of Sagelight, of Dustpaw and Swansong, of Copperfox as an apprentice, Smokefeather's pelt drenched in blood as the pair had stumbled back to camp.

And now Ashstorm. Why her? After everything? A sigh escaped her as Bloodstar called the clan together. Right, Skyclan was in need of a new deputy. And after the wonderful gathering they had just recently had, she was sure whoever was picked would have a smooth, easy time for the next few moons. At least it wouldn't be her, she'd sank the potential of that chance with her confessions - first of Dovefrost being her mate, then of Cloverheart's murder. Even had that not been the case, she knew her father. He'd chosen Ashstorm because she wasn't like him. And Beechfang, for all that she railed against it, was very much her father's daughter. Bad decisions and all. Dark yellow-green eye glanced around briefly for her kits, who were nearly all apprentices now, though Beechfang couldn't bring herself to approach and sit next to them. Maybe she was her mother's daughter, too. Her kits didn't need to turn out like their mother, either.

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Wolfpaw hadn't known Ashstorm all that well, but she could see the affect her death had on her clanmates that had. Bloodstar looked older and haggard, even by his usual standard of old and haggard. Beechfang looked like she might be ill, but she couldn't be sure that it wasn't also from that chaotic gathering, either. Silently she slipped into the crowd, finding a place among her siblings. She was curious to see what would happen now.

Driftcloud lumbered out of the den with heavy paws, taking a seat with the rest of the Clan. His eyes were dark with grief; the Clan had lost too much in too short a time. They didn't know Ashstorm too well, but losing a deputy when the leader was already in poor health was a strong blow.

They gazed up at Bloodstar, noting the haggard leader's stance and expression. Poor Bloodstar, he's lost so much...

Birdpaw was quiet as she joined the growing crowd of cats. Their deputy was gone, eaten by foxes... she hardly knew Ashstorm, but the weight of the loss was evident in all her Clanmates' faces, and it made her wilt. Not only that, but her grandfather looked... she couldn't say different. He had looked worn for all of her little life, but something had very evidently changed in him. Now, he just looked like he was waiting for his body to give out under him. Wordlessly, she found her mother's form on the fringes of the crowd and settled in gingerly, pressing against Beechfang's soft fur.

Once the clan had gathered, Bloodstar began to speak, though he did so slower than usual. It would be easier to keep his voice level this way. He was getting too tired to carry on much longer. Too much bad had happened too fast. Some days he wished he had never woken up from when Dawnhawk killed him.

"Ashstorm is gone, which means her position of deputy will need replacing. She would have been a wonderful leader some day. She was patient, compassionate and kind, but fully capable and willing to use claws and fangs if ever necessary. I daresay she would be a far better leader even than myself or Wolfstar before me. I do not make this new decision lightly, as Ashstorm had left a tough act to follow." Bloodstar's eyes then settled on one cat in particular in the crowd. His... mate more or less.

"The next deputy of Skyclan will be Briarthorn. She made me who I am today and has proven to Skyclan many times she is willing to bleed for us as readily as draw blood herself. The moons she has bene with us, her temper has cooled and any wrongdoings in the past she has made the efforts to correct. Though she was not born a Skyclan cat, she has become one just as much as any of us who were born in our nursery.

Skyclan honors you, Briarthorn, and I hope you will accept this position." Bloodstar then went quiet and waited for her to respond. It wasn't a choice he thought he'd ever make, giving a Shadowclan cat any sort of high rank in Skyclan. But he meant what he said. She had earned it and he trusted her to be the most capable of leadership when he came to pass it.

Briarthorn’s head dipped in respect when Bloodstar named the late deputy, remembering the she-cat and honoring her, rightfully so. SkyClan had not only lost a brilliant, diplomatic future leader, but a strong and brave warrior as well. It was a shame, and though she’d never say it aloud, the fluffy she-cat didn’t feel as if there were anyone who’d fit the position quite as well as Ashstorm had. There was potential among SkyClan’s ranks, but Ashstorm had grown into her duties well, and proven she had what it took. That would be difficult to match.

No matter, there wasn’t much time to dwell on that. There was nothing to be done about it, except move on. However, Briarthorn wasn’t expecting what came next. Her heart was pounding. Never in a million moons would she have expected Bloodstar to make her, a former ShadowClanner, his deputy. It had to be a joke, or a mistake… Something. As he spoke highly of her to the Clan, her pelt heated and ears grew hot. So he was truly serious. Then, all eyes were on her. It was her decision to make. Was this a position she really wanted? Had she actually earned it? The molly wouldn’t readily think so, but Bloodstar seemed to believe it true. She glanced over at her kits, scattered around the clearing, and Moonpaw next to her. Then, something clicked in her. She’d do what she needed to, for them. Straightening her posture, she looked directly up to her mate. ”I do.” For them. For SkyClan.