cleansing souls [tc deputy ceremony]

Acornstem had been well out of the loop - she had taken to choosing that day to go hunting...And had seemed to miss everything. Her hunting trip had been uneventful - she had caught a bird and a squirrel...And had returned to find her Clanmates moving the body of Starlingflare from the camp and the news of how he had been put on trial - only to be murdered by their deputy when the warrior chose to lay the blame of events on him...

Or, ex-deputy as it seemed to be. Her head was swimming as she just kinda sat in a daze by the warrior's den. The camp was clear, the body was gone and Darkspirit had been exiled to the medicine cat's den for...Who knew how long. She could still smell - and taste - the blood on the wind but it was faint. It wouldn't be long until it was like nothing had happened...If you didn't pay attention to the fact that one of their warriors was gone, killed by another and now they had no deputy.

Her ears twitched as Mottlestar's voice stirred her from her stupor - eyes blinking a few times before she turned to look up at the leader. Or...Well, they would have a deputy soon - this was what it was about, right? The plump she-cat pushed herself to her paws as she made her way to the Highrock, taking a seat as she curled her paws around her. She was crouched a little on herself - trying to make herself small as her fur couldn't help but prickle. She...Wasn't sure what to think - how to feel! Darkspirit had murdered a cat in front of everybody - the crime that Starlingflare had been on trial for from what she had pieced together. And...Maybe he was the one who had actually done the murder in the first place? ...She wasn't sure if she felt safe, not with the tang of blood still faintly present.

...But Mottlestar knew what she was doing, didn't she? And whoever she picked as deputy would keep them safe...

...Right?

It had been a few hours since the chaos of the trial had taken place and his initial feeling of shock still hadn't left his pelt. He'd offered to take the ShadowClanners back to their territory and luckily for him, neither of them were too keen on chatting. Perhaps it was from the fact that their prophecy had brought a death and a maiming all in the span of a few minutes, of maybe they were like him and simply too horrified to form any coherent words. Whatever the reason was, he found himself glad that they were gone. The other clans certainly had a reputation of bringing unwanted discord to ThunderClan, that was for sure.

Their leader's call, though lacking in strength, was more than audible; seeing as though the camp clearing had been ever-so-solemn since the trial just a few hours earlier. Making his way from the warrior's den with his tail low, Curlyfluff had taken some much needed time to himself upon returning to camp and had curled up in his nest, politely dismissing any-cat who tried to talk with him. In all honesty, while he was never one to turn cats away, those few hours a alone were more than needed. Being able to process all that had been said and then thinking over what Darkspirit had dared to do... it had been a lot. He could see why the former deputy had been enraged, but in taking Starlingflare's life he must've known it would raise new suspicions and turn the attention to him, right? He still wasn't quite sure what exactly to think or believe about his clanmates, but hopefully some-cat or other would provide some clarity to it all sooner rather than later.

Giving his pelt a shake as he sat down, Curlyfluff let out a big breath. Turning his amber gaze up to Mottlestar, he prayed clarity and good judgement over the leader. Hopefully, whoever she chose as the next deputy would help lead ThunderClan in the right direction.

Acornstem had taken in a deep breath, ready to chant the name of whoever was chosen deputy as Mottlestar started to speak - only for all the air to leave her lungs in a startled gasp as her name rang out. W-What? She blinked a few times, trying to make sense of it - it almost made as little sense as the events that had transpired a few hours before! She was deputy. Finally she inhaled, a soft, nervous and breathless laugh bubbling in her throat. She...Didn't know what to say - to do! Certainly there were plenty of other cats who were deserving - she had just wanted to be a good warrior! She had never thought - considered, wanted - to be deputy.

...But she was. Mottlestar had chosen her - and despite the chaos that had wracked the Clan recently... She had absolute faith in her leader's decision. If Mottlestar thought she was the best fit for deputy, then she wouldn't let her down! She gave her pelt a shake as she straightened up - raising her gaze to meet with her leader's. "I won't let you down, Mottlestar!" she called out, her mind already racing to remember everything that would be expected of her.

Slowly, she started to smile. Everything she had to do would start with knowing her Clanmates even better - this would be her excuse to truly branch out, get to know them. Hear their fears, their worries. Things were...Things were a lot, but she was more than happy to lend an ear to them all. Yeah, she could do this. She nodded, tail swishing in raising excitement. Being deputy meant a lot of responsibility, but it was nothing she couldn't handle!

After everything that had happened recently, she would do her best to be the best deputy that Mottlestar could hope for!

Darkspirit was curled up in the medicine den with herbs over his left eye and more on the claw marks over his neck. He hadn't even noticed he'd been attacked when it happened. He was listening to deputy ceremony with a burning resentment. It was a resentment he wished he didn't have, but it was there. As Acornstem's name was called, making the loss of his title official, he curled up tighter in his nest and heaved out a sigh.

Thanks for making me feel cared about and part of the clan Mottlestar, He thought bitterly and closed his other eye, frustratingly feigning sleep. Just to take it all away from me again. Everything she said before, about how she saw good things in him... What a load of foxdung it all was. He supposed he shouldn't be surprised. He just wished he hadn't made the connections that he had with his other clanmates and began to enjoy feeling included in things. It would have made today much easier.

Once he was released from his home imprisonment, he'd go back to staying in the shadows and sulking on the peripherals of his clan like he used to. He should have stayed there anyway. He tired to ignore it and push it away, but there was pain in his chest that had nothing to do with his physical injuries there now. Hurt. Betrayal. And this time, no one was going to be there for him.

Starlingflare won after all.