coming home again [ceremony]

[mºµrñïngs†år]

Every kit and every apprentice and every warrior dreamed of becoming deputy, and subsequently, leader of their clan. Wasn't that right? It was a theory engraved in all young cats' minds that the leader of a clan was the most highly respected cat in the territory. Everyone had to do what the leader said. It was an authority figure that was not to be trifled with. Perhaps the fact that the position was so sought after was the reason that nobody who ever wanted it got it.

Mourningstar couldn't remember a single moment in her life that she'd ever said aloud, "I want to be leader of ShadowClan." In fact, she couldn't remember having ever implied it, least of all to Bristlestar, who had been the one to name her. She'd been so scared to talk to him for long periods of time, for the fact that she was just a little bit in love with him, so she'd never gotten the chance to talk about her dreams with him. Not that those dreams had ever included leadership. Sure, when she was younger, she thought her leader was cool, but she never considered going for it herself. It was just too much work.

Boy, was she wrong. It was actually such a small amount of work, it was agonizingly boring. She'd never been so bored in her life! As a warrior, and even as deputy, she was not the most exciting of cats. She usually preferred a nap to a friendly fight, and every solution she came up with for the clan's problems steered as clear from war and confrontation with enemies as possible. But still, sometimes she enjoyed a nice walk around the territory. She was a fan of the hunt, and found the most joy in hunting mice. Now, she didn't get the chance. She was cooped up in camp all day because someone could need her help or their medicine cat might need to speak with her about a dream.

The one thing that made her job worthwhile, really, was the ceremonies. She always enjoyed the look of pure excitement in a kit's eyes as she announced his apprenticeship, and there was no match for the pride in a Queen's heart when her son or daughter finally gets promoted to a warrior. Those ones were easily done - pick a mentor, talk with the apprentice about what they want their warrior name to be. And while this ceremony was no less a joyous occasion for all involved, it required a little bit more thought. She'd contemplated long and hard who she wanted to take Failghost's place, and now, she was sure she'd made the right decision.

She leaped up onto the smooth, charcoal surface of the DarkStone that she could clearly remember being much larger when she was a kit. Back then, it ahd seemed so unattainable, regardless of the fact that she didn't much want to attain it in the first place. It was the throne of the leader - the center of ShadowClan and all clan life. But it hadn't been the stone at all, had it? No, the center of clan life had been the cat atop the boulder, and this time around, it was Mourningstar herself. So as the hub of her territory, she had to do her duties.

"Let all those cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the DarkStone for a clan meeting!" she howled into the still night air. The traditional ceremony called for her to address StarClan in hopes that they might smile upon her decision, but she was sure that they would. Failghost had been a wonderful deputy, but he had retired for whatever reason, and now someone else had to take over. She knew her choice would prove to be a good one.

[Badgerclaw]

Let all those cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the DarkStone for a clan meeting! He heard the call, but Badgerclaw was torn. Part of him wanted to irritate Mourningstar by showing up late, and part of him wanted to show up early so he had time to pester her. It had become one of his favorite pass-times as of late, going out of his way sometimes just to throw in a comment or two that he knew would get under his leader's skin. So, the opportunity to get in a few good comments before the ceremony began...well, it was an opportunity he didn't want to pass up. Grinning impishly, the tom stretched his long, wiry legs, his fluffy tail flicking this way and that as he leaped up, heading out of the warriors den.

As he made his way out into the central camp area, he nodded greetings to friends and family, though he was itching to head right over to darkstone where Mourningstar stood patiently waiting for her loyal clan to gather. Being a leader was never something Badgerclaw aimed to be, and frankly he didn't really understand why anyone would want the responsibility of a whole clan. It was a lot of stress and pressure, and the tom shuddered that the thought of having to be responsible for anything other than bringing food home to the clan. He hadn't even had an apprentice yet, and he wasn't sure how he would feel if he ever got one.

"Good day, Mourningstar," he greeted loftily, tail swinging casually from side to side as he eyed his surroundings. He was in fact the first to actually reach darkstone, a feat he felt was impressive as he had usually been the last to show up to such things. Ceremonies were just not on the top of his to-do lists, ever. "What's this ceremony for? Not another mentoring, is it? Those are so boring." he began, rolling his eyes as if bored just by the very thought of listening to such a ceremony.

"I have to commend you, you know. I personally find the idea of being a leader more boring than changing the bedding in the elder's den. Only boring cats would readily jump into a leader position...or bossy cats...no offense, of course." he added with a smirk, whiskers twitching with amusement as he waited for a reaction. The cats slowly began to file in, and he wasn't sure if she would respond right away, or wait until the ceremony was over, but he knew she would. She always did, after all. Mourningstar was his favorite source of amusement; she never failed to react like he knew she would. So predictable.

[`ˆ´ v î ø l é t `ˆ´]

Nerves are something that barely even exist in Violetstorm's vocabulary. However, today that wasn't the case. He did his best to keep his composure as he padded through his clanmates that he's grown to love. Even here, at his own ceremony, he wasn't quite sure if they all felt the same way, or if they doubt he'll do well as a deputy. He try to focus just on making it to the Darkstone. He was familiar with how the deputy ceremony went, having seen Mourningstar's and Failghost's ceremonies. This didn't help much, though. It felt completely new now that it was him who was inheriting this position.

Violetstorm is strong and burley, and most of the time can come off as nonchalant even when something is eating away at him. You're going to be deputy, so many different things were going through Violetstorm's mind during this time. He felt like he did when he was being promoted to an apprentice, and then eventually a warrior. Though, this was different. Very different.

Out of respect, he bowed his head to Mourningstar. Too involved in thought, he didn't give much notice to Badgerclaw talking to Mourningstar He looked at her for a second, trying to read her eyes. Does she feel like she made the wrong choice?, he thought. He licked his paw out of habit and tried to think of something to say to her without sounding stupid.

"Good morning, Nightstar. Euh.. Good night, Mourningstar. I mean... Hello," he felt like he was a young awkward apprentice again. He perked his head up and tried to relax himself. He took in a deep breath of the stale forest air through his mouth, and exhaled. With that breath, something replaced anxiety: excitement.

[mºµrñïngs†år]

Before Badgerclaw came along and captivated her, Mourningstar had never known what it felt like to have her heart skip a beat. She'd only been in love twice before - once with a fellow apprentice who used her emotions against her, and then a second time with Bristlestar, whose position in the clan had kept them apart. Neither of them could make her stomach flip-flop the way it did when Badgerclaw teased her, though. Summerpaw - had she even been in love with Summerpaw or was it just the infatuation that every young cat feels at least once in their life? He made her heart pound, but in a way that was more frightening than anything else. He scared her. And her brief fling with Bristlestar had hardly been long enough to consider the L word, and he'd only ever made her nervous. She'd never felt butterflies around him. Just an unwillingness to speak openly about herself.

Badgerclaw was different. He was ruthless with his teasing, and most of his jabs came from the fact that she was the leader of ShadowClan. She was positive he meant no harm, but she still couldn't help feeling a little put down. Not because she took personal offense, but because... For some reason, she didn't want him to dislike her for any reason. Okay, so maybe he didn't hate her or anything, but he certainly seemed against the idea of leadership as a whole. Probably, the reason for her fluttery heartbeat was the fact that she maybe had a teeny, tiny crush on him. But that wouldn't stop her from readily replying with a scathing remark of her own.

When she spoke, she made sure it was with a completely level, unaffected tone of voice. "You don't know boring like I do, and you won't know it until you take a walk in my paws for a little while," she mewed. "If you really are so impatient that you can't wait through the ceremony like the rest of the clan, I'll have you know I'm appointing the new deputy." Her eyes slid over to look him up and down, as if she considered him nothing more than a pest. She couldn't help an amused chuckle as he echoed her thoughts about her position. "Oh, you have no idea," she purred. "Trust me, I didn't ask for this. Some fool thought I was cut out for it."

Some fool being the only cat she'd truly respected in the clan before she was forced to open her eyes to the rest of her clanmates. Bristlestar had been charming, charismatic, friendly. He'd never once made fun of her for anything, not even her quiet demeanor, like the other cats had. Now that she was put atop this stone to look upon every one of her clanmates that she would normally not give a second thought to, she realized that not a single one of them meant harm by their words to her. In most cases, it was all in good fun. Not that Mourningstar would know fun if it bit her in the tail these days...

She was not about to let herself get into it with Badgerclaw. She had an important task at hand. More important than bickering with an immature warrior, that was for sure. She was very tempted to make one last witty remark, but before she could get the words out, Violetstorm shuffled on over and made a blubbering idiot of himself. Mourningstar gave a curt nod to Badgerclaw, dismissing him from the conversation, and turned her attention to the new deputy of ShadowClan. She could see the excitement in her eyes and this gave her more courage than before. Failghost's... incident with the badger had left her a little anxious. She hadn't been expecting to have to make a huge decision regarding his replacement, but here she was now, about to announce it to the rest of the clan.

Asking if Violetstorm was ready would be not only a waste of time, but a waste of breath as well. It was clear from his stammering and his demeanor that he was most certainly not ready, but who ever was? It was a big responsibility and a lot of work and taking orders, and Mourningstar knew that from experience. Not too long ago, she'd been Mourningdance, doing Bristlestar's bidding, never having a moment to herself and only resting when her tired paws would let her walk no longer. So instead of letting precious moments slip away, she offered the warrior a smile and turned back to the small crowd that had formed around the DarkStone.

"I say these words before StarClan so that our warrior ancestors may hear and approve of my choice," she bellowed. "Violetstorm will be the new deputy of ShadowClan!" She tilted her body so that she was half facing the mob around her and half facing the newly named deputy. "I trust that you will use your skills and knowledge to live up to the legacy that the deputies before you have left in their wake."

[Badgerclaw]

If he were being honest, Badger never looked too deep into his own actions. Everything he did was based on what was fun at the moment, never questioning why it was fun or even how the other cat would react, really. Had he been a female, perhaps he would have thought about his own emotions. However, he was not a female, and therefore shrugged off any intimate reason behind his actions without hesitation. To the rest of the world, however, his teasing of Mourningstar may take the form of a crush, as that's how kits showed they liked someone, and Badgerclaw was hardly mature enough to evaluate his feelings. However, if anyone had mentioned such accusations, he would deny to the ends of the earth that he had a crush on Mourningstar. She was leader for Starclan's sake! Badgerclaw had it out for every leader, she wasn't anything special.

You know, except for her pretty eyes. Or the way her pelt shone when she stood on Darkstone. Or...Badger shook his head to clear the thoughts, trying to pay attention as Mourningstar retorted. His eyes glazed over, his expression bored, tail twitching with impatience as she droned on and on. In all honesty he had respect for her, for putting up with his shenanigans, but he would never admit it to her. Nope, not in a million moons. You don't know boring like I do, and you won't know it until you take a walk in my paws for a little while. Her tone was so dull, it fit his point so well. "Why would I want to walk in your paws, if your paws are boring!?" he retorted, making a face. If you really are so impatient that you can't wait through the ceremony like the rest of the clan, I'll have you know I'm appointing the new deputy.

So, that was it. He was about to ask who the new deputy was when Violetstorm came over, obviously tense. So, it must be him, eh? The tom eyed the soon-to-be deputy and grinned brightly at him. "Good luck, buddy." he congratulated in his own way, shaking his head. Why these cats wanted the position, he'd never understand. His attention was quickly back on Mourningstar, however, as she spoke again. Oh, you have no idea. Trust me, I didn't ask for this. Some fool thought I was cut out for it. Badgerclaw snickered. "Well, I dunno, they seemed to pick the perfect candidate, if you ask me." he chided, backing away a bit as the ceremony continued. He wanted to run off, but that would have been rude of him and he wouldn't do something like that when it was Violetstorm's big moment. He liked the tom, honestly, and hoped he enjoyed the position he was given. After Mourningstar spoke the words, however, Badgerclaw jumped up, running off. "Violetstorm!" could be heard as he quickly ran off before the leader could respond to his earlier comments.

TO:: I dunno. Somewhere.

[`ˆ´ v î ø l é t `ˆ´]

Violetstorm returned Mourningstar's warm smile. Badgerclaw was testing Mourningstar's patience, but she stayed composed. For a few seconds, he was wondering if there was something between the two of them, but then again maybe not. It seemed Badgerclaw hated leaders, he wasn't sure why, though. It's a difficult job, but every clan needed one. Every clan relied on one.

A few moons ago, Failghost's leg was mangled by a badger. Violetstorm didn't know what Failghost thought of being a deputy, but whether he liked it or not, he had to step down. Violetstorm often felt bad for him, but then thought about all of those people who don't like being a deputy or a leader. Somehow, Violetstorm doubted that would be him. All though his life he'd always looked up to the leaders and deputies, hoping that maybe someday he could be one and help the members of his clan. And here he was, about to be named deputy of ShadowClan.

Somehow, just thinking about everything relaxed him. This is it, he thought, unsure of what to say next, but luckily, Mourningstar spoke. "I trust that you will use your skills and knowledge to live up to the legacy that the deputies before you have left in their wake," she said.

"With honor, Mourningstar," he replied, unwaveringly.

To: Somewhere over the rainbow...

[mºµrñïngs†år]

There was not much else to say after that. The hardest part of a ceremony was upon her now, and that was just figuring out how to end it. It always seemed so awkward to just nod and slink off of the stone, but that's how she had always done it, and that's how she would continue to do it. She dipped her head to the new deputy and crept down off the boulder, taking relish in the feel of the soft, marshy ground against her delicate paws instead of the cold, rough surface of the DarkStone. She was glad that was over with. Although she was more than confident that her choice would be approved by her warrior ancestors, and as rewarding as she found performing ceremonies, they always made her just a tiny bit anxious. There was always the chance that one of her subordinates would speak out against her decisions, much like that cat whose name she couldn't be bothered to remember had during the issue with the harsh seasons.

This ceremony, along with almost every single one she'd performed before it, went quite smoothly. That was always a relief. But now, she had other business to take care of. She wasn't about to let Badgerclaw get the last word. What right did he have? She was the leader of this clan! Maybe it was self-righteous thinking, but she figured she deserved to have the last say in all arguments. And if he didn't want to let her speak her mind... Well, she wasn't above giving him a good cuff over the ear. He deserved it at least. But where had he gone?

She let a quiet, bitter growl slip out of her throat as she searched the crowd, taking advantage of the fact that her clanmates seemed to part like the red sea for her. She saw Failghost, and Whitestripe, and even some young apprentices who appeared to be fascinated by the prospect of a deputy ceremony. They were probably envisioning themselves upon the stone, something that Mourningstar hadn't done even once in her youth. But now she was dawdling, thinking back on what she might call the "good ol' days". The time when she had no responsibilities to speak of and the only concern she had was whether or not Summerpaw would come back to take his revenge on her. He hadn't so far, and that was good... But now she had a different tom on her hands. A cat who was equally disrespectful but not quite so scary.

He was nowhere in the camp, that was for sure. And while she knew it was against the better interest of herself and the clan, she knew if she was going to have the final word in the matter, she would have to venture outside the camp walls for the first time in... She couldn't even remember how long! When she was sure nobody was watching her too closely - at least no one who understood the gravity of not having the leader safely within the camp boundaries - she slipped out through the entrance and stuck her nose up into the air, trying to catch wind of his scent. She kept her head tilted upwards, filtering through the thick, woody scents of the undergrowth and the nutty aromas of tempting prey until - ah, yes! There he was. He wouldn't be getting away from her this time.

She followed his trail, taking leaps and bounds to assure that he wouldn't outrun her, and eventually, she'd followed him to the end of his trail. This would be the end of two things - firstly, her tolerance. Then, shortly after, his attitude.

To: Uhh, wherever Wolfeh posted

[*~§Dæthsong§~*]

Time and time again the seasons of the world had passed and clouds had come and gone. Day and night rolled into one another and cats becoming one with the clan and others not. It was another one of those days in ShadowClan, the warm greenleaf sun shining directly over head. Deathsong lay under the cool shade of the nusery, Gingerkit beside her. She wrapped her long tabby tail around her kit proectively. She had been the only to survive. Gingerkit struggled in her grasp, but there was nothing she could do. The queen purred, a slight hint of humour reaching her voice. Raising a paw, the she-cat licked it and began to groom her sleek bronze fur. Her black stripes looked proper again. A yowl echoed across the calm ShadowClan Camp.
"Let all those cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the DarkStone for a clan meeting!"

Deathsong looked up, a glow lighting her saphire eyes. This was the day her kit would hopefully become an apprentice. The bronze-furred tabby rose from the soft nest and nosed her daughter out the door toward Mourningstar. She padded to the base of the Darkstone, hoping her mate, the lovely Duskfall would soon join her. A young warrior named Badgerclaw was new to the clan and sat not far off next to another cat. It was Violetstorm. The cermony began and she beacme the new deputy. Deathsong shouted her name, praising her new deputy. The cermony ended ust as quickly as it had began. Gingerkit sat close by, a faded light in her gold eyes. "Your time will come little one," she told her kit. "Next time. I promise."

To:: Somewhere!