SkyClan's Deputy Ceremony | December 2022

Her mother was back. Wolfblossom had caught her scent around the edge of fourtrees, but no other scents were with her. Why come alone, when she'd had cats behind with her, particularly Briarstar? Something must have happened, and for Skyclan's sake Wolfblossom hoped her uneasy thoughts were not proven true. She had half a mind to slip out of fourtrees and find her mother, to ask what in Starclan had happened, to ask what had taken her so foxing long, to simply know that she was alive and well and that this wasn't her nose playing tricks on her, seizing upon the buried desire of a kit to see her mother again.

Birdchaser's yowl interrupted Wolfblossom's thoughts, calling the clan together. An apprentice ceremony, maybe, some of the kits were nearly old enough... Or news. Bad news, judging by how rattled and weary her sister's face looked. Not that there was anyone in Skyclan who didn't look rattled and weary at this point, but... They were alive, they were here. They would get through this somehow. How, Wolfblossom wasn't sure, but Skyclan would surely find a way.

Forcing the thought aside, Wolfblossom padded towards the great rock, finding a spot to sit among her clanmates.

---

A tufted ear twitched at the deputy's call, and Stonekit couldn't suppress a brief flash of curiosity. Her or Mistkit's ceremony, perhaps? They couldn't be kept kits forever, of course, and she refused to entertain the idea that they might be, that the older cats would think current times too dangerous to allow freshly-named apprentices into the forest. Was she being impatient? Maybe. But Stonekit was beginning to get sick of sitting around fourtrees doing nothing. She wished she were bigger, stronger, that she could hunt and fight as well as Skyclan's more experienced warriors.

The kit watched the deputy on the great rock, a glimmer of curiosity flickering within her green eyes.

Thornstalker didn't know what to think. Her tail tip thumped against the ground every so often as she was lost in thought. Nerves were eating at her on the inside it seemed. As much as she tried her best to remain calm.. after everything it was getting difficult.. When would the twolegs show up again? Were they even safe here? How many cats even got taken?

She was quickly shaken out of her thoughts by the deputy's call. What would it be? A ceremony for some of the new kits? Or was it a deputy ceremony? Whatever it was.. It was a welcomed distraction.

Willowvine was just returning to fourtrees after a mildly successful hunting trip (two starlings) when she heard the deputy's call from atop the great rock. Dropping her catch on Skylan's fresh-kill pile, she joined the gathering crowd at it's base.

Birdchaser began to speak, and the reason for the meeting soon became apparent as she spoke of mom visiting. With bad news, because of course it would be bad news. She hadn't known Briarstar all that well, their few brief interactions limited to being taken to the moonstone and her own warrior ceremony, but she'd seemed kind, willing to do what was necessary for Skyclan. She had managed to keep Skyclan in relative peace after Bloodstrike and Beechfang had chosen exile.

And just like that, twolegs had stolen her away. A shame, that, and Briarstar was far from the first cat. Wolfblossom doubted she would be the last, with the twoleg presence still lingering. Whether she would be back or not, it seemed as though life would have to go on. Birdchaser was moving forward, and as much as Wolfblossom hoped for Briarstar's safe return, they had no way of knowing if or when she would. Moving forward was a prudent choice, even if it may have seemed callous. Birdchaser could only act as leader in name only for so long before it must become official. Skyclan had never been leaderless, even without Briarstar's presence.

If Birdchaser was to take up the name and mantle of a leader, then... Yes, a deputy would need to be picked. Birdchaser would pick someone smart, someone she could trust, Wolfblossom was sure of that. They would have to be, to lead the clan as a well-functioning unit.

"I say these words before StarClan so that our warrior ancestors may hear and approve of my choice. Wolfblossom will be the new deputy of SkyClan."

Wolfblossom blinked. Me? She had misunderstood, surely. Birdchaser was not choosing her for deputy. Except Birdchaser continued and-

Birdchaser was choosing her for deputy. And she had a whole speech, even. A speech that Wolfblossom didn't think was prepared, but was so clearly heartfelt that it brought a pained smile to her face even as her vision blurred and her skin prickled with warmth. "I-" Wolfblossom's voice cracked as she tried to speak. Stars, Birdchaser... Birdchaser knew exactly what she was doing. "You're a foxheart, sister. I love you too." She nearly choked on a weak laugh.

And she had to remember that it wasn't just the two of them, the clan watched, and she could feel their eyes on her, just as her own eyes had been on Birdchaser. The mild sensation of warmth blazed into a full inferno of embarrassment at the thought as Wolfblossom tried to regain her composure. She usually didn't care about being embarrassed but this was different. It felt like all eyes were on her in the wake of Birdchaser's announcement. The weight of her words finally sinking in.

Deputy... The weight of responsibility had been dropped squarely atop her shoulders, as it had for Birdchaser, for Plumleaf, Fogfeather. None of them were alone in this. Nor were the clanmates they led and guided.

She took a breath and tried again. "I'll do everything I can to keep our clan strong, and safe. I hope I can live up to Birdchaser's expectations, and yours." Her voice was steadier this time as she glanced around at her gathered clanmates, meeting their eyes in turn.

Somewhere, Beechfang jerked awake, heart racing and a cold sweat upon her paws. She didn't know what, but she could feel it in her bones. Something was wrong.

Reluctantly the large molly gathered at the outskirts of the clan. Briarstar had not yet returned, and any fool could realize what was going to be said in this announcement. That thought made her blood boil. At this point, Trufflesnap really couldn't remember exactly what had made her hate Birdchaser so much. The reason she had settled on was that instead of caring about her as she laid dying in the medicine den, she was focusing on worming her way into leadership. That dumb, tail-licking molly got what she wanted, huh? With ears laid back her fur bristled as Birdchaser spoke. Mother came and didn't even speak with her? How dare she. Trufflesnap was the only one who truly stood up for her. Birdchaser was a sheep baww-ing to Briarstar about the decision in agreement. Fogfeather defended her, she thought... But not as hard as she. At this point, it didn't matter. The moons just tumbled her hatred into a bigger and bigger mound, as tightly knit together as the thickest and thorniest bramble. At least Wolfblossom...

was Deputy.

Of course Birdchaser would chose her. How could she have not seen it sooner? The miss-perfectt-make-happy was obviously the perfect choice for the nepotism train. Trufflesnap got so angry that her lungs tightened, forcing another coughing fit to wrack her body. 'Good, I hope that ruins the moment. Such a sweet, caring, sister-to-sister moment. I could almost cry from gooeyness.' Birdchaser continued, every word like a claw threatening to pop the balloon of rage.

She... She... 'I am the only sibling to not have power in this clan.' Digging her claws into the dirt, Trufflesnap couldn't handle anymore. If she stayed, she would do something very bad. Standing up abruptly, Trufflesnap offered no calling, as per tradition. She should be one of the first but she would not. Lashing her tail, Trufflesnap hacked her way out of the clan meeting.

Let them watch. Let them see.