Deputy Ceremony

[| COMRADE |]

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, join here beneath the high rock for a clan meeting!"

The familiar yowl echoed around the clearing from a single black she-cat sitting atop a large rock in the centre of the camp. Her black fur shone silver as the moon rose high in the sky. As with the tradition of their warrior ancestors, the new deputy was to be announced at moonhigh. Lying at the foot of the base rock, with fur washed clean from the blood that had stained and clotted his tabby pelt, the former deputy lay still. It was an eerie feeling to see the once energetic and strong warrior lying motionless, his body cold against the earth. Silentstar stared down at his battered body. He was much too young to have been killed by that fox. His death would be a shock for many moons. But there was no time to linger that night. The deputy had to be chosen. She was still considering whether she had made the right choice or not. Would the clan really accept the cat she had chosen to be their next deputy? Would they follow the orders of such a warrior?

Whether they respect him or not, I will make sure they follow his orders. Although she was willing to help the young tom out with his duties as much as she possibly could, she knew she had to test him to know for sure that he had what it took to take care of the clan in case anything had happened to her. she had completely trusted Spiderclaw to take her place when she died, but now that he was dead she had to look deeper. It was hard to focus, with her mind still swarming with grief for her fallen warrior- her friend. Spiderclaw had served her long and hard, as an apprentice, a warrior, and especially as her deputy. He had supported her from the beginning, and he had greatly deserved the leader position that she once imagined him having. By now, though, it was too late for remorse. She peered down at her clan as they assembled below, forming a circle around the deputy's motionless body.

That was also tradition. Or perhaps it was just respect, or fear. Maybe they were afraid to sit near the dead tom's body. Pushing the thoughts away, she looked for the one warrior in particular who she needed to be here. For a heartbeat she fought against her doubt, and then, a small smile played on her face. Yes. He is the one, she thought, looking away so he wouldn't realize what was about to happen. Stepping forward, she gathered herself enough to meet all her warriors' eyes.

"Clan mates!" She yowled, loud and clear so they could all hear her. "Spiderclaw's death is sad and has come much too soon! He would have made a great leader, one that would make ThunderClan greater than it ever was today," she could feel a lump rising in her throat, and she had to think quickly before she lost it. "Let us have a moment of silence in honor of his brave death." She hoped they didn't notice her quick subject ending, as she bowed her head to give one last prayer to her warrior. Squaring her shoulders and gathering her breath, she came forth with the ceremony they were all looking forward to.

"But now we have to move on," she raised her tail for any murmuring in the crowd to cease. "I say these words before the spirit of Spiderclaw," she glanced quickly at her former deputy, "so that he may hear and approve of my choice!" She hesitated for one more heartbeat. Then- "Breathwisp will be the new deputy of ThunderClan!" She fell silent, waiting anxiously for the yowls of protest against her choosing a half-clan warrior to be their new deputy, and looked to Breathwisp to see the tom's expression.

[Barketh]

[yellow]It was astonishing how many things could occur in such a short amount of time. Just yesterday it seemed he was happily standing beside his beloved Dreamstep. Just yesterday that Spiderclaw had been tall and proud, directing his clanmates with confidence and an overwhelming sense of loyalty. It was even more astonishing how quickly everything had been wiped away. He wasn't the one, not for Dreamstep anyway, and Thunderclan's deputy had been taken by a fox.
So fast... How fast things change.

The gray tom stared at the limp body that had been moving with such assurance only days ago. He had thought that when a cat who was important to you was in danger or was dying, you would sense it. When Spiderclaw died though, did anyone have the premonition? No one knew that he was in grave danger, that he would pass on to Starclan so soon. Inhaling, the tom held his breath for several moments before letting the air escape from his lungs.
At times like these, the only thing we really can do is move on.

He closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them again, one amber orb burned with a newer determination. Yes, they needed to move on. For Spiderclaw's sake, they needed to continue working hard and doing their best to uphold everything he'd lived for; this clan, the Warrior Code, Starclan... It was the least they could do for him.
I can't even imagine how Sile must feel.
Smiling softly, he dipped his head to Spiderclaw's limp form one last time before backing up. Somehow, now, he felt even more astranged then when he'd first come to Thunderclan. He had the right to mourn a lost clanmate too, didn't he? Even if he wasn't born there, Spiderclaw was still an important someone in his life; even that would never be aknowledged, it was a truth that he had accepted. Pain was a part of life; it let you know that your body had the desire to live. So caught up in thought, the tom furrowed his brow, not even noticing that Silenstar had started speaking.
I wonder... It's been a while since I called her by her nickname... Sile... She didn't really respond the last time I did.
Purring in amusement, he tried to mask the feelings of loss inside him, casting one final glance at Spiderclaw before swiveling his gaze up to Silentstar when he started paying attention.
Deputy? That's right, even if it is so soon after his death, it is a tradition... I wonder what mother did the days after her mate died...

The tom had never known his father, but he knew that his mother must've loved him with all her heart, for she'd always mentioned him at daily intervals;
"Your father was an excellent hunter! If he were here, he would've taught you so many wonderful things! We would be full to our toes in Leaf-bare!"
Mother, gentle and warm. Strangely, he got the same feeling from Silentstar. Wasn't she, in a way, a mother to Thunderclan? Watching out for it, protecting it with all her being? The tom let out another soft purr of amusement until he heard his name called.
Ahaha... Wait, what did she say?

Tilting his head to the side as Breathwhisp tried to cover his confusion with a smile, he struggled to replay the words he'd been listening to with little attention.
I.... Will be....
Narrowing his eyes in confusion, the tom was oblivious to the fact that no matter what he did, he never appeared to be fully attentative due to having one eye that was hazy and seemingly distant. However, he barely managed to pick up on the she-cat's last words, and he thought he'd just imagined it at first.
Me? Deputy? That's strange... Why me of all cats? There are plenty who would be better for it... Maybe this is thanks for the nickname? Huh...

Without the usual reaction, the tom was certainly a tad strange. Most cats might go, "Great Starclan! Me?!"

[/i] or "I'm so honored!"[/i]
Breathwhisp was more like, "How interesting! I wonder why...?"[/i]
Blinking, he realized with a jolt that he might need to say something at that moment. It still felt strange, as if this was just a normal conversation between himself and Silentstar, and no one else was there. The words that came out of his mouth weren't planned, nor did he feel that he made them himself; more so, it was a backup plan that hadn't been planned.

"I suppose I'm supposed to say something here... I know I'm not Spiderclaw, and that I can only dream of serving Thunderclan as well as he did, but... Even so, I'd like to think for now and long as you'll all accept me, that I can do my best to protect this clan and the Warrior Code with my life just as he did..."
And then the words stopped. Was he supposed to say something else? His mind was blank, and he blinked several times, clueless as to what was supposed to happen next. Did he need to thank her? He didn't have to directly say, "I accept your offer."[/i], right? The tom swallowed the cold lump in his throat, forcing back the sudden shaking in his voice.

"I... I'll do my best to serve as Thunderclan's deputy and honor Spiderclaw's name..."
His voice was sure of itself this time. He didn't have to recite some speech or give a toast of some sort. As long as they were his own sincere words, than that was enough, wasn't it? He wasn't sure what lay ahead, other than that it was sure to be a tangled path of many different outcomes. Funny, how fast life changed. It was all he could do to keep hanging on before it left him behind.[/size][/blockquote][/blockquote][/yellow]