SkyClan's Deputy Ceremony

It was around evening time. The air around him felt still and empty. Everything felt so hollow and barren, ever since it all... unfolded. The fur on his back felt heavy as he stretched and stared up at the overcast sky. Silverstar padded over to the High Ledge, the huge rock that normally made him feel like an actual leader only felt surreally numb against the silent and dull atmosphere. He leapt onto the High Ledge, the nightfall moon's light shining through the thin layer of clouds coating the sky like ice on the water.

Silverstar held his head out towards the clan. They had to stay strong, no matter what. But sometimes, he struggled to know what strength means. Sometimes, he wanted everything to freeze in place just to have a few moments where nothing would happen. But time never stops, he had to move on no matter what. He raised his head and called out to the clan.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather here beneath the High Ledge for a clan meeting!"

Hailstorm lifted his gaze. He trudged slowly, grief shown in his gaze as he sat down and looked up at Silverstar's call. This must be the deputy ceramony. I wonder who'll be chosed. He thought.

Recent events has left a cloud over the clan. Between rogues and Sorrelwing's exile, things were unsettling. Thankfully, their camp was well-guarded and sheltered. If anyone were to try to attack, they would be well-guarded. Robintail flexed her claws as she responded to the leader's call. It would only make sense that this were a deputy naming ceremony. Her gaze flickered across the crowd, seeking out her former mentor. Maybe it would be Shrikethorn who took the deputy place, she was certainly worried. Lionflame, a tom who she might have previously considered, would never get the title now. Surely Silverstar was guided by Starclan and sensible enough to not even consider it. As she settle back, she also considered Iceheart. Regardless, soon, the sorely empty deputy spot would be claimed by a worthy cat who would help to lead and guard them.

Cream fur stirred in the stale winds of Greenleaf, and the tom lazily lifted his head at the summons of Silverstar, already having a vague idea on what was about to unfold. Stress had been ever present in azure eyes, his thoughts subconsciously drifting to the incident that Sorrelwing had caused. The she-cat, however nice and well-meaning she was had broken their leader's rule on Lionflame, Coal and their kits, and in doing so had seriously endangered the clan. Anger sweltered beneath his pelt as he thought of the situation he now found himself in; worried for his both his blood and adopted kin and the entirety of his clan as they awaited retaliation from Magpiestar. Briefly his mind wandered to Sorrelwing, wondering where the disgraced deputy found herself now. As much as she had put him in a bad position, he wouldn't ever wish ill on her, although disgust at his own pity made a ball in his chest and stomach, and he found himself on all four paws taking in a deep breath to relax. This was no doubt a ceremony to appoint a new deputy, and he watched from an outside spot, knowing the trust fostered between him and many of his clanmates had been dashed with his betrayal. Quietly to himself he hoped that the mollies who had shown the most disdain for him, Shrikethorn and Robintail wouldn't find themselves in that position - he couldn't take more punishment, neither could his mate and children.

Leopardspot slowly walked up to the High Ledge along with her clanmates. Things had been hard, not only for SkyClan, but also for all the clan cats. Who would take the place as our new deputy at such times? She let out a quiet sigh, shutting her eyes for a brief moment.

Soft footsteps led the misty-pelted medicine cat to sit just outside of his den. Due to his unfortunate stature, he needed to sit a good way's away from the High Ledge in order to actually see Silverstar while he spoke. Mistedsong's lips curled into a frown; things had been disconcertingly tense in their normally homely abode. The arrival of Coal and her kits had explained a lot of things, but only StarClan knew how many more problems it would cause. Sorrelwing's betrayal had shaken the medicine cat to his core; he had faith that she wasn't that mouse-brained. Unfortunately that was not the case, and that was why they were gathering at this very moment. Mistedsong really wasn't sure what to think about anything anymore.

---

Coal settled outside of the nursery, eyeing the procession in the center of the cave. Her brow furrowed as she considered the potential consequences of the cat that would receive this title; their predecessor had already put her and her kits' lives in danger, let alone the lives of the cats who had sheltered them. Whoever was to get the title, she hoped it was not someone who would judge her kits for their parents. A soft sigh left her muzzle; Lionflame would have been a great choice, but she had a pretty strong feeling that it wouldn't happen now.

There was a solid weight within the sharply cramped confines of Acornpetal's belly, a sinking and twisting guilt that gnawed and curdled until her appetite went sour and unresponsive. It was a hardly a secret among the Clan when it came to her devotion and love towards her former mentor Sorrelwing- after all, how could she not? Sorrelwing was more akin to a elder sister than a mentor in all actuality, a beloved companion and respected authority figure. Someone she loved, someone she trusted. So, to witness the shambling aftermath of her thoughtless actions, as well as all the pain directly inflicted onto her family once more, only made Acornpetal feel exponentially worse. How could all of her pain always come back to her kin? Whether it be their own actions, or the actions others have taken against them? Deliberately keeping her features free of the pained grimace building within her throat, the little tortoiseshell was quick to seek out the steady-fast presence of Robintail, unabashed in her unyielding desire for comfort.

Softly rounded curve of her cheek bone connecting with the protruding ridges of Robintail's spine in a gentle greeting, Acornpetal snaked herself around the increasingly familiar shape of her denmate as she took up a seat in close proximity. The conversations they often hold have yet to touch on anything of true subsistence in recent days - Coal and Lionflame, Sorrelwing, why their Clanmates often tossed curious or amused stares in their wake - but it didn't really cause too much ruffling to her oddly centered emotional state. They would talk about everything on a different day, on a day where she didn't feel like curling up and allowing herself to be devoured by the forest.

"Hey," Acornpetal mewed, trying hard to keep her quiet voice void of any sort of lingering quaver, "feel brave enough to try and place any bets?"

Sorrelwing’s betrayal had cut the ginger tom deeply— how could a cat so trusted by her Clan betray one of the most important tenants of The Code? A leader’s word is law— and Silverstar had made it explicitly clear Coal and her kits were to be kept a secret. It didn’t matter that they were formerly of ShadowClan, and that the kits were half-Clan, not when Silverstar had agreed to harbor them in SkyClan for the time being. Even if their prescence in camp was uncomfortable, they had to listen to their leader. How could Sorrelwing disobey Silverstar, and in turn, her own Clan so easily?
Sunpaw’s head hung low as he joined the rest of his Clan to hear the summons, his paws dragging along the ground as if they were too heavy for him. He couldn’t piece together how all these things came to pass in such a short time— what good was The Code if it felt like no cat adhered to it? Was he putting his faith in something that didn’t even matter? It felt like the very ground beneath his paws had fallen out from under him to plunge him into a cold river of doubt and confusion.
His amber gaze dragged pleadingly over his gathered Clanmates for a friendly face that might lend an ear to him after the announcement— he needed to spill his worries or else he felt he might burst.

Silverstar stared blankly down as his tail curled around his paws, as opposed to how he usually stood and stared out towards his clanmates. "I'm sure that I need not remind you of what happened with Sorrelwing." he began, "And this is truely a bad time to lose a deputy, but regardless, the clan must keep moving on if we are to make it through. As per the code, I must choose a new deputy before moonhigh. Perhaps holding this ceremony at moonrise was pushing the deadline, but I needed time to think it through. I originally chose Sorrelwing because I thought her strength would make her a great leader for her clan, but it's apparent that I misconcieved blind immodesty as real clan pride. I have to make sure SkyClan doesn't fall under unworthy paws." his expression changed to one that showed hints of dread and sadness. Maybe... that was a mistake Skystar made... He shook the thought away and looked up slightly, not as much as he normally would during a meeting, but more than before. "That's why I had to think carefully and consider every option and scenario. The hardships we struggle through today bring an uncertain tomorrow, and the decision of next leader decides if SkyClan thrives or falls in that future. What SkyClan will need is someone who is both proud of the clan as a whole and willing to protect the individual member."

Silverstar then closed his eyes, and when he opened them, his head tilted up more to face the clan. He forced himself to stand, voiced raised and tail unfurling as his eyes shined with a lamenting resolve. "I say these words before StarClan, so that the spirits of our warrior ancestors may hear and approve of my choice. The new deputy of SkyClan is Acornpetal!"

If Acornpetal felt as though the world was crumbling at her paws before Silverstar spoke, then the surge of innate emotion that came suit was verging on apocalyptic.

Weight, previously resting against the shared connection of her own shoulder firmly entrenched against the solid muscle of Robintail, lurching forward precariously, low center of balance awkwardly sending her forward a pace or two amidst the initial surprise. The little tortoiseshell's dark gaze was contorted into a nearly comical expression, a faint ring of white easily visible against the honeyed pools of blatant surprise. Weight of her tongue going unbearably dry and heavy against the tightly clenched confines of her teeth, the young molly could only turn a wide, hapless stare in the direction of Robintail- almost as though pleading for some semblance of instruction, searching for help in any capacity, trying to seek out the rightful center to her balance. Of all her bets and guesses, this was certainly far from anything she had envisioned.

Stiffly regaining some remnant of composure, Acornpetal was slow to eventually straighten herself back up once more, sudden shyness in the aftermath of the newfound attention entirely unfamiliar, too foreign to understand, too strange to attempt to navigate. Her desire, verging on compulsive need, to protect her family was undeniable, but she hadn't wanted something like... this. Responsibility in a way that was entirely too high-stakes, relevance that took her well beyond the comfort of her familiar circles.

"I... thank you, Silverstar." Acornpetal eventually managed to eek out after an agonizingly long moment of fumbling, unsure of what to say or do, "I- I only wish to protect SkyClan as I do for my kin."

The soft touch of her clanmate against the curve of her spine caused Robintail to straighten up. She could brave a lot of things, or at least pretend to be accustomed to them, but the gentle graze of Acornpetal's fur still sent light jolts through her pelt. A puzzling mixture of comfort and unnerve crept into the cavern of her chest. Light twitches of whiskers and the rhythmic flicker of the warrior's tail came as a reply. Her head dipped slightly to rest on the she-cat's head and was followed by a low inhalation of the familiar scent. Inept as ever, Robintail was resigned to offer little blatant comfort to the tortoiseshell who likely suffered with the idea of Sorrelwing's banishment. There was a heartbeat before she considered saying something. And it was less hardly silken with commiseration, "There are a few cats I would hope for, or wouldn't. But it doesn't matter what I think. Silverstar will pick the best cat."

Even in her frustration with Coal's effortless integration into their Skyclan and the events that had transpired, the young warrior was unwavering in her devotion to their clan and the code. It was true that whoever was chosen, Robintail would respect the decision. Unless it was Lionflame, but the leader wasn't daft. Silverstar's voice rang through the clearing once more. It tickled the soft fur of her ears and drew her attention forward. After a drawn out speech, addressing what had occurred to the previous deputy, came the announcement. Of all the warrior names filtering through her consciousness, the last possible one she could have anticipated drifted through the air. Robintail blinked as Acornpetal surged forward. She swallowed back something that welled up in her throat. Understanding the various things prickling at her coat would have required a more versed cat.

It was not long ago that Robintail had to promised to assist in battle training. Acornpetal was as new to the warrior's den as herself. What was finally placed as concern, for the clan and for the other she cat, was forced down her throat like sand. She blinked when the newly named deputy cast a wide-eyed gaze in her direction. Robintail straightened up and offered a strong nod. No matter what deeply rooted concerns threatened to snake themselves around her heart, the fact remained that she would aid Acornpetal no matter the circumstances. This would be no different than anything else. Hunting, fighting skills, or leading the clan; she would stand by the other warrior's side. They could learn to help lead this clan together.