keep moving forward [shadowclan deputy october 2024]

Swiftheart was in the middle of deciding if she wanted to go out for a hunt, but there did not seem to be anyone to go with right at this moment and she did not like going alone, because she liked talking with others.
When she heard the announcement of a meeting she eagerly headed to the base of Jaggedrock knowing that she would get to socalize with clanmates this way too, luckily it appeared she was one of the first ones here so hopefully she could have lots of others to sit with and whisper quietly to before the meeting officially offically began, those seconds before it when everyone was trying to guess what was going on was always her favorite.
Hmm what would this be about anyways? Perhaps leopardstar wanted to remind us all going nearer to harsh season to be prepared for worsening weather?
That was her guess as to what this would be about at least.
She gave a happy wave of her tail and smile to her leader encouraging leo.

Briarpatch's head lifted at her mother's call, and she uncurled from where she'd been resting near the edge of camp, quietly padding toward the jaggedrock and sitting near her aunt. The tortoiseshell-tabby kept quiet, stifling a yawn. The clan's lack of deputy had become apparent, and Briarpatch had little care about it, in truth.

Bubblebeam sat alone in camp, grooming herself, allowing her mind to wander. She'd been thinking all day--it was nice to take a break and let her brain jump aimlessly among topics like a squirrel leaping through the branches. Branches... she missed climbing trees. These pines were so much harder to scale than the deciduous groves she was used to. Leopardstar's call interrupted her reverie. She blinked slowly, lowering herself back down to reality. A meeting... probably a ceremony, if she had to guess. Maybe Hedgepaw or one of her siblings would finally get their name? Or, maybe, the Clan had finally given up searching for Sablestrike, whom she'd never gotten to meet. Whatever it was, she ought to attend if she wasn't doing anything else. She settled herself beneath the Jaggedrock, looking up with only a mild amount of curiosity.


Hedgepaw had just completed her daily visit to see her brother in the medicine den. As always, Fernpaw remained asleep, his lifting and falling chest the only clue that he still breathed. At least now his wounds had been patched up and he was looking better. Still... when would he fully recover? Nightowl said he didn't know. In all honesty, Hedgepaw wasn't really in the mood to attend the meeting. However, she found a seat in the crowd anyway, just in case it was for someone she knew. Her tail curled tightly around her paws. She could've gone to sit by Bubblebeam, but... she didn't really want to talk to anyone, either. She just wanted Fernpaw to get better.

Swiftheart gave a happy wave to Cedarkit and nodded welcoming, "Id love to have you sit with me" she purred wrapping her tail snuggly around the kit in a little hug.

It was good to hear Lily was on her way apparently as well from the kit.  She would do anything within her power to protect this kit from harm.


As Leopardstar began this meeting her ears flicked and then she froze up eyes widening at the name of Sablestrike.  No sightings of him still? Her friend had been gone for a long time and she had held out to hope he would be home soon any day now but with just how the first sentence of Leopardstar said it she suddenly realized what this would be about.

She could almost feel the anxiety creep in all at once replacing the usually so care free attitude that she held and she went rigid and stiff.

oh stars... I do not want to be deputy, do not pick me ... dont even look at me she panicked inwardly.

She had, ever since she was a kitten wanted to be a warrior but never wanted any part of clan leadership. When she and her littermates and friends played warriors and such as kits even in her youth she was always content to be warrior while the other kits argued over who got to be the leader of that day.

She had in the past made it a point to always talk to the deputies and make them promise her to never appoint her to any high rank spot.  She had even done so with Sablestrike... did he pass that along to Leopardstar, she supposed she never directly told her leader how little she wanted deputy and that the thought of having it terrified her.

She felt her ears lie flat against her head and her front paws moving forwards out of instinct to make herself smaller, she wanted to shink away as if that would make it so that she was out of sight of Leopardstars gaze to see whom to pick from.  

She crouched down until she was at cedarkits level and offered the kit a silly smile of embarrassment, then hid behind the kit, putting Cedarkit between herself and any possible line of sight Leopardstar had on her.

As Leopardstar spoke again her heart was thudding, she would be fine with literally anyone but her.  It could be Cedarkit for all she cared, she would be his personal bodygaurd his entire deputyship while he grew up if it meant not having to be in the role herself.


"Rowanheart"

Swiftheart let out a long breath of relief her pelt still all poofed out from the nerves of it all. Usually meetings were fun because she got to sit with everyone and being a very social cat made that an easy bonus.

Deputy ceremonies were a living nightmare.  Luckily this nightmare just ended and turned into something that was happy once again.

She sprung up smiling happy as could be again.

"Rowanheart!!! Oh I'm so happy for you!" she cheered and purred looking in his direction.

She did not know him well at all he was the newest warrior and though she had tried to make an effort to know all her clanmates well she knew very little about him at all. But Leopardstar picking him was enough reason in her mind to have her convinced that he must be amazing. Not to mention, also amazing that it was not her in that deputy spot.

Sunflare purred as he settled next to Swiftheart and the kit. For the first time in a long, long time, the deputy position was open… and Sunflare didn’t want it. He remembered all too well what he’d been like when he wanted to be deputy, and that Sunflare was best left dead to history. For a moment, he actually worried a bit. What if he was chosen? He’d have to decline, but would the clan understand? It dawned on him that there weren’t that many qualified warriors, and some of the options were rather… polarizing. Perhaps the time for him to step back from warrior life and embrace his true calling was sooner than he thought.

Of course, the loss of Sablestrike was devastating as well. The tom had been his cousin, and his mentor, for his whole life. Sunflare didn’t always agree with him, but he was a constant, steady presence. Until he wasn’t. May StarClan light your path, Sablestrike. I know we will meet again, if not in this life then in the next.

He was relieved to hear Rowanheart’s name. He was young, but had a good head on his shoulders. ShadowClan was in good paws.