tonight. (thunderclan meeting)

[Fernear!]

fernstar

Tonight would be the night she would pick up her leadership duties. Tonight they would be renewed and refreshed.

The clan was surely asleep, for only her paw steps could be perceived. The stone dens were cold, the elements not allowing any heat to be stored for the felines. Dry moss was rare in the forest and many of the elders and kits had been given most of the dry moss, some of which had been slept in already. Fernstar slipped out of the camp in a futile attempt to find the treasured lichen in a damp environment earlier in the day. She returned, a mere hours later, to be welcomed by a slippery decent into her home. The climb to her den had proven itself to be difficult; Fernstar had fallen head-first into the loose stones many times before reaching the terrace.

The grey tabby sat on the pedestal gloomily. She was chilled, her pelt providing near to no insulation for her thinned body. The rain had let up enough for her to hear the faint movements from the dens below her. Those movements were mostly from dreaming clan mates. Fernstar had broken the Warrior Code, or at least, half of it. Her feelings for Rainefrost were to be kept a secret for now. She vowed that her future endeavors would not come between her and the brown tom but also to not come between her and her commitment to ThunderClan. She gazed out into the distance and into the cloud-strewn horizon. A patch of illuminated clouds signified the moon was but minutes from its zenith. At this moment she prayed to StarClan that Cedarclaw would be near. So many things were on her mind, not to mention the sudden loss of her good friend Mudstorm. The sky, it seemed, held a world of possibility all its own. She could hear its power echo in the hollow as a bout of thunder bellowed. The lake which was encircled by the clans had visibly grown. The river bordering the WindClan and ThunderClan territory had become a violent threat to the clan cats. Its waters flew along the river bed creating turbulence along the shore and in the heart of the old stream. How much more rain could these bodies of water take? It was a common question within the minds of many, many cats.

Laying beneath her somewhere were the few ranks of ThunderClan that were left. Fernstar prayed to StarClan that things would begin to brighten for her clan, its dwindling numbers worried her. She feared a repeat visit from death. Taking in a deep breath and then letting out a prolonged sigh, she began, "Let all cats old enough gather below the High Ledge!" The she-cat had been leading the clan without a deputy for countless moons since the ongoing disappearances of her former deputy. Her decision had been made on her early said embark into the forest as to which cat would take Duskwing's place. It was good to finally begin a new chapter for ThunderClan, but how it were to close was still unknown. "Tonight I will be appointing our new deputy as well as apprentices their mentors." She smiled at the thought of having eager apprentices running around camp performing their daily chores with their mentors not too far away. It was comforting.

Scanning the clearing in front of the High Ledge Fernstar could see her clan mates beginning to shake off the remnants of their disturbed slumber as they made their way towards the High Ledge.

[/blockquote][/color]

[Rainefrost]

-Post coming-

[c e d a r *]

Eyes opened easily, blinking softly once before the she-cat lifted herself off the cold, soft floor and got to her paws. Sitting down near the entrance of her den, the medicine cat brought one of er forepaws o her maw, allowing her rough tongue to swipe once over it, before she gently swiped it over her ear. She continued doing this for a few seconds before hearing Fernstar call out for a Clan meeting. Allowing a small yawn escape her jaws, she gave her mussed up chest fur a few quick licks before stepping forward into the rain.

The moment she stepped into the soaking clearing, her tail started flicking in annoyance. The rain was easily bringing her mood down, and it was bringing it down rather quickly. Her ears flicked back and forth as the rain slid down their soft, white fur. She shook her head, and her eyes shone with a small amount of amusement as she noticed the glittering drops of rain sliding and falling off, landing in other puddles that had been made over time.

Quickly, the she-cat found a slightly dry patch of soil before Fernstar continued to speak. Her tail was curled neatly around her delicate paws, that were kneading the ground. He rears pricked forward as Fernstar mentioned something about an apprentice, but then her heart dropped. There was still no sign of Mudpaw. Might as well give up, the she-cat thought somewhat bitterly to herself. She'd have to get a new apprentice soon, but the question was - which apprentice would she have? As far as she knew, none of the other apprentices had any want to become to next medicine cat of TunderClan.

She sighed unhappily, and looked to the ground below her. What she thought was dry was actually wet, and now she was cold and quite uncomfortable. She tried to listen to the rest of what Fernstar was saying, but everything seemed to be distracting her for she was sure she'd be tuned into everything sooner or later, and she'd know the results of who would be deputy.

---

Goldenheart yawned and stumbled out of the warriors den, her paws slapping on the mud, making sickening squishing noises. If this was what RiverClan's clamp was like, she felt terribly sorry for them. But then again,she supposed they actually liked the mud and rain. Their pelts could handle it. The rain water kept getting stuck in her fur and she had to keep shaking it off like a mongrel such as a dog would. Shuddering internally, she turned toward the High Ledge, noticing Fernstar hop gracefully upon it.

The she-cat smiled politely at the leader and approached the Ledge, nearing the base. She backed up, so she was looking straight on with the leader, not looking up. "Good evening, Fernstar," she meowed about one millisecond before her leader made the call for all cats to join beneath the High Ledge. Frowning, Goldenheart merely sat down, wincing externally as she heard the mud and then felt it, squishing between her paws and getting her tail and haunches dirty. Instantly her shoulders crumpled in sadness, she'd have to clean her pelt...just like she had done a few hours ago.

Picking up her gaze, the she-cat looked at Fernstar, listening intently to her spoken words. She would not be the new deputy, but she was quite excited to see who would be.

[maxxy]

Sweetfeather

| Small white paws float across the terrain. Beautifully groomed rose colored fur reflected the sunlight in a glorious shine. Her long fur bounced with each step she took, making her all the more beautiful. Her tail was following behind her, low to the ground, but not dragging. Her arrow head was soft in appearance, thanks to her enormous emerald eyes. They held excitment and love in them most of the time. She knew that this was a ceremony where a Deputy was named and apprentices were assigned to mentors. She felt her heart warm to the feline that was to get the Deputy position. She knew that she would never be able to hold power, she was too sweet, and hated to be mean, not saying that Fernstar was mean, Sweetfeather just couldn't hold controll very well. Especially when she couldn't talk. The cats basically claim her as a 'mute'. She barks, and speaks with her eyes, but her voice is never really used.

| The clearing was starting to fill in, and Sweetfeather felt the rush of fur and heartbeats skip under her paws. Her nice round ears were perked forwards to listen to all the comotion that was stirring before her. She didn't need to be a Mentor. She didn't need an apprentice, but its always nice to share abilities. She beleived her clanmates trusted her, even with her fox roots. Sweetfeather decided to bring up the rear of the pack of cats. She could hear perfectly fine, and she wasn't needed up front. And She didn't need to be talking to any other cats, so why not just keep "quiet" and listen?

(OOC: Sorry crappy post.. Gotta get back into the swing of things.

[[+] breanna]

-- fluffyDREAMY mapleFEATHERY
how i remember sleepless nights
when we would read by candlelight
remembering a blue moonlight
upon the fallen snow

` enter: maplefeather

-- The river was very quiet tonight. The water flowed over the stones like fur over soft skin. A tan-gold she-cat walked along its banks, her fur nearly glowing in the soft evening light. The trees were in full bloom, green and pink covering their gray-brown branches. Across the river sat reeds and water-dwelling grasses of every kind, flourishing in the wet conditions. The sky was clear, even at this time of day, after the hot sun had drawn up all the water it could get.

-- The cat drew to a stop. It was nearly sundown, time for something. She couldn't remember what, all she knew was that she needed to be here at sundown.

-- Maplefeather woke with a start, Goldenheart's movements disturbing her restful slumber. She rose her head up, the fur slightly mussed from having fallen asleep without grooming first. "What's going on?" she hissed quietly, taking care not to awake anyone else. No one seemed to have heard her, and she didn't get an answer. The maine coon stood up to find out for herself - after having a quick groom. Maplefeather started with her paws, licking them to smooth perfection. In this pattern she slowly made progress on her legs, but before she finished, she heard a call.

-- "Let all cats old enough gather below the High Ledge!" Fernstar's voice echoed faintly through the warriors' den, alerting Maplefeather instantly. "Tonight I will be appointing our new deputy as well as apprentices their mentors."

-- Forgetting about her fur for a moment, Maplefeather listened more carefully. She heard Goldenheart sitting uncomfortably with a squelch on the mud, and a couple cats' paws sinking into the wet ground. Better stay under cover for this one, Maplefeather thought. She wouldn't be able to hear as well, but it would be the best way to keep herself as clean as possible at this point.

-- She stepped over her Clanmates' awakening forms, stopping when she reached the entrance of the den. Maplefeather sat carefully, making sure there was no dew, and that there was enough room next to her for others to exit and get back into the den. Only then did she look up and pay attention to Fernstar as the leader waited for her Clan to gather underneath the rock.

[folf]

&| THiSTLE


Thistlepaw's ears flattened like trees in a storm as a yowl, weak from distance and blocked by sleep, flew by her ears. Drowsiness was chased away as the sound reverberated, and the apprentice's eyes cracked apart.
"Whaazaattt..." She grumbled, voice awkward and cracked. She shook her head to clear away any remaining drowsiness drowsiness, and it was a good act, for the second half of Fernstar's announcement reached her ears loud and clear.

"Tonight I will be appointing our new deputy as well as apprentices their mentors."

Thistlepaw jolted upright, her mind soon becoming a whirlpool of commotion and thoughts:
Fernstar is back! A Clan announcement! Apprentices and mentors! I get a mentor! Who could it be? And a new Deputy! Oh, who could that be too! I need to get out there...and groom! Yes, I need to do both...
She was soon caught between lapping ferociously at her pelt in an attempt to scrub it clean and rushing out to meet her leader under the High Ledge. The result was her stumbling out of the den with wet ears and her tongue peeking out. As the shadow of the High Ledge draped itself over her fur, the she-cat just managed to stop politely.

"No dust this time!" The tabby puffed her chest out with accomplishment. Tilting her head back so the moon flashed into her pale amber eyes, Thistlepaw gazed up at her leader. Hope and pride sprung to ever single fur-tip. This was her leader, the leader of ThunderClan.

"Hello Fernstar!" She echoed the greeting of her clanmates, beginning to wriggle in anticipation as they began to gather around her. One of them would not only be her mentor, but the Deputy of the entire Clan!

[apostophe]

Bramblestep

Some hidden, unidentified force was dragging Bramblestep slowly out of his slumber. Pale eyes half open, he flicked an ear almost involuntarily above him. Rain pattered softly against the thickly woven roof of the warriors den, lulling Bramblestep further into his half-asleep state. In some hidden, rational corner of his mind, it occurred to him that this meant more wetness, and more mud, two things that he'd had more than enough of as of late. But at just that moment, safe and warm in his nest, the rain was soothing rather than bothersome. Sighing contentedly, he curled up again to go back to sleep.

It was only when he'd closed his eyes that he realized the warriors den was empty.

His eyes flashed open again, this time with no hint of grogginess to his green gaze. One glance around him confirmed that he was, indeed, alone, the cluster of nests around him free of their owners. A bolt of fear flashed through Bramblestep, and he sat up quickly. Perhaps too quickly; his muscles, sore from dampness, groaned in protest at the sharp movement, but he hardly noticed.

Where was everyone? Surely the evening patrol was back by now? And there was no way the dawn patrol could already be leaving; the sky was still inky black. A knot of worry was forming in Bramblestep's belly. What had he missed? Had their camp been invaded by enemy warriors, and he'd slept right through it? Had...had a band of badgers attacked the camp? Had-

"Let all cats old enough gather below the High Ledge!"

Fernstar's familiar yowl yanked Bramblestep out of his frantic train of thought. A clan meeting. Of course, Fernstar had to announce the new deputy. A familiar feeling of embarrassment, mixed with relief, washed through the tabby warrior, like it always did when he found that some concern of his was completely unnecessary.

Exhaling, Bramblestep forced his tense body to relax. Nothing to worry about, he told himself firmly. Giving his ruffled chest a few hasty licks, he stood and slipped out of the den.

Most cats had already gathered under the High Ledge, flicking their tails both with excitement and impatience. A light drizzle of rain fell as steadily as it had the night before, soaking through the already damp ground. Bramblestep grimaced, giving himself a shake in hopes to dislodge the drops of water that already clung to his long, tabby pelt. If the rain kept up like this, he doubted he’d ever be dry again.

And it wasn’t just the cats that were suffering from the weather; most prey had taken also shelter, making hunting all the more difficult. Bramblestep glanced warily at the fresh-kill pile. It was looking awfully meager…

The tabby warrior gave himself another shake, this time to halt his worries. The fresh-kill pile would be replenished soon, once the new deputy sent out some hunting patrols.

Giving a firm nod, more to reassure himself than anything else, he continued towards the High Ledge. Warily, but still curious, his pale gaze swept over the crowd of cats. There was Goldenheart, exchanging a few polite words with Fernstar from below the High Ledge. Maplefeather was crouched at the entrance to the warriors den, and Bramblestep’s whiskers twitched with faint amusement. Clearly, the spunky she-cat wasn’t about to get wet for something as small as a clan meeting.

Not too far off sat Cedarclaw, her small head angled slightly towards the muddy ground. Bramblestep couldn’t see her expression, but padded over to her anyway. He rather liked the patient, good-natured she-cat. And she was certainly less likely to claw his ear off than the short-tempered Maplefeather.

“Hello, Cedarclaw,” he greeted her, dipping his head politely to the medicine cat. The tom sat down, giving her a wry smile. “Some rain, isn’t it?”

Before he could say any more, however, Fernstar spoke up again, calling his attention back to her. One, dark ear twitched in surprise as she mentioned apprentices needing mentors. Bramblestep had never had much desire to become deputy; he was quite content serving Thunderclan as a loyal warrior. But to have an apprentice of his own? His gaze passed over the apprentices mixed in with the crowd. The idea of mentoring one of Thunderclan’s future warriors appealed to him, he couldn’t deny it. But then, would he really make a suitable mentor?

Frowning slightly, Bramblestep tried to put the thought out of his mind as he looked back up at Fernstar.

[Fernear!]

fernstar

A warm breeze caught the rain drops and drew them across the group at an angle, their unswerving beat unchanged since the storm began. Most of the clan had gathered beneath the golden-brown High Ledge, and had begun to whisper and speak amongst themselves. Little comments about the weather and apprentices were commonly bouncing around the felines, as such was the subject of the meeting. Although there were only two apprentices to be given mentors, the subject had created a lot of excitement, as did the earlier matter about the deputy. Fernstar had thought about who she would appoint diligently and carefully. Her heart wished for Rainefrost to stand beside her, although suspicion might spark. Her affection towards the tom would be even harder to conceal, had he been her choice.

Looking down unto the formerly groggy felines, she studied at each cat earnestly, reviewing the moments she had spent with them and how they may react to their new responsibilities. Before the silence drew on, she replied to Goldenheart and spoke her apologies for the late-night awakening. She spoke before the world tuned her out. In what seemed like ages, her mind was cleared and engulfed by the symphony of the intonation of the chasm and surrounding wood. The breeze pushed the leaves of the trees against one another, producing a sound much alike the waves found at the Sun-Drown place. The lightning was trailing behind as it tripped over itself and echoed its roar many times within a short period of time. After the tempestuous battle of sounds and sights, Fernstar continued.

"My friends, it has been many moons since a cat walked as ThunderClan's deputy," she paused, taking in a deep breath, "But tonight we will begin anew; we will remember the days we have spent together but we will forget the turmoil of death that has left ThunderClan battered and scarred." The words spilled out of her mouth in a jumble, and she began to worry that her words had been hard to understand. She wanted nothing but her clan to be safe and happy, proud and everlastingly faithful to each other. Her dainty paws kneaded to cold stone in anticipation of her own words. This was it. Whatever amount of worry and doubt she carried on her shoulders would have to fade away. This was it.

"Let StarClan hear my words and approve of my choice... Maplefeather will be the new deputy of ThunderClan." In the grey tabby's mind, the feisty she-cat held a bountiful amount of potential, even more-so than either feline may know. She had a feeling. She hoped that that feeling would prove itself to be positive; she prayed to StarClan that Maplefeather's snappy manner wouldn't get in the way of her new duties. Sighing, she drew her head to the sky to see if the clouds had revealed the pallid face of the moon. No such window was opened. The question that was laying thick as fog in her mind was: did I make the right choice?

[/blockquote][/color]

[[+] breanna]

-- fluffyDREAMY mapleFEATHERY
how i remember sleepless nights
when we would read by candlelight
remembering a blue moonlight
upon the fallen snow

` enter: maplefeather

-- Waiting in patience for Fernstar to make her announcements, Maplefeather took a quick glance up at the sky. Though there were small breaks between the clouds, it was still wet, and it would be until the sun could smooth the disturbance the rain had caused in the earth. She was grateful for having the sense to stay inside this night.

-- The tabby markings and white splotches betrayed the spunky form of Thistlepaw, one of the apprentices that had caught Maplefeather's eye. She certainly seemed very impressionable, and eager to learn.

-- The rustling of moss startled Maplefeather, and she snapped her head around to see it was only Bramblestep, the mottled brown and golden-brown tabby. She nodded respectfully to the older cat, although he was admittedly only a moon older than her. At one time, she might have tried to flirt, but he didn't seem in the mood, and in any case, he had already stalked off to chat with Cedarclaw.

-- These thoughts prompted her to look for the other cats in the Clan, wondering how many were out hunting. There was Cedarclaw, Goldenheart, and Thistlepaw, Bramblestep, herself, and of course Fernstar. The only cats she didn't notice among her Clanmates were Icepaw and Rainefrost.

-- But now Fernstar was making her announcement. Maplefeather slipped her tongue away from her tail, letting the wet fur settle on its own. "My friends, it has been many moons since a cat walked as ThunderClan's deputy," she explained, loud enough for every cat to hear. Fernstar took a hesitant breath, as if she wasn't sure how to word the next part. "But tonight we will begin anew; we will remember the days we have spent together but we will forget the turmoil of death that has left ThunderClan battered and scarred." Maplefeather dipped her head, remembering the past few weeks of fear. But they would move on, and a new deputy would help them all.

-- "Let StarClan hear my words and approve of my choice... Maplefeather will be the new deputy of ThunderClan."

-- Maplefeather at first thought she was just hearing things, and looked up at Fernstar to see if she was looking at the cat she had really chosen, but the grey tabby was staring right at her, blue eyes clouded slightly as if she was wondering if this was the right decision. Since when have I been a good candidate for deputy? the she-cat wondered, thinking back the past few weeks. She couldn't remember doing anything that would make her stand out among her Clanmates. Well, the rain was waiting...and Maplefeather was fairly sure she needed to go acknowledge her new title.

-- She stepped forward gingerly into the mud, careful to keep her face clear of disgust - now would not be the time to worry about her appearance. The ginger she-cat skirted around her Clanmates, taking shelter under the High Ledge before gazing out at ThunderClan.

-- This will be an adventure.

[folf]

&| THiSTLE


Thistlepaw's eyes were stuck on Fernstar's form, all but a silhouette as she stood tall atop the High Ledge. She couldn't help but squint to get a better view of Fernstar as the whistling wind drove rain here and there, weaving it into patterns across the sky. The terror and confusion ruling over the past few weeks were finally being beaten back. Had that one simple action of scaling the cliff done so? For all onlookers, including the white-splotched apprentice, it must have seemed so.

Thistlepaw heard Bramblestep's paws cross the damp clearing, before he settled down some tail-lengths away. She was about to look over curiously as Fernstar's yowl rang through the hollow once more. Her gaze immediately jerked back to the High Ledge. The apprentice listened intently to her leader at first, but soon found her attention drifting off. The apprentice was not one for delicate poetics, even if Fernstar meowed the words. No, a simple "We will win!" or "Time for a new deputy!" would do just fine. Eloquence flew right out her ears as soon as it entered.

Not to mention how loudly the thunder clambered for attention, roaring after each flash of lightning that illuminated the gray tabby pelt of Fernstar. Thistlepaw found herself watching the threads of light as they snaked down the sky, eyes widening with each strike. And so she remained...that is, until her Clan began cheering.

Green eyes clearing from their haze instantly, she whirled around frantically, before realizing that a ginger cat was settling below Fernstars's perch, and Thistlepaw gasped. Maplefeather! She was the new deputy!

"Uhh..uhh...Maplefu--feather! Maplefeather!" Thistlepaw yowled, trying to disguise her stumbling words by raising the volume of each and every meow. But, the she-cat was truly excited. Maplefeather was young and energetic, with more then enough willpower to lead the Clan. Not at all pensive and boring!

[apostophe]

Bramblestep

A sort of hush fell over the group of cats as Fernstar spoke up again, broken only by the occasional whispered comment or shifting of position. Each word out of the leader's muzzle was heavy with the importance of the ceremony, and Bramblestep felt renewed excitement prickle through his tabby pelt. Tonight, Thunderclan would finally have a new deputy! Tonight would be the end of the less-than-subtle comments from other clans regarding their lacking hierarchy; tonight, they proved that they were still as strong as ever.

"My friends, it has been many moons since a cat walked as ThunderClan's deputy," Fernstar began. She paused, her eyes flickering with something unidentifiable in the weak light of Silverpelt, before continuing, "But tonight we will begin anew; we will remember the days we have spent together but we will forget the turmoil of death that has left ThunderClan battered and scarred."

The anticipation that rolled through the crowd now was practically tangible, visible in the raised angle the cats' heads, and the unhidden gleam their eyes. Even Bramblestep, despite all his concerns, found his large forepaws kneading the soft, wet ground with excitement. His gaze, pale with moonlight, was fixated on Fernstar's shadowy form, as he waited with bated breath for Fernstar's next words. The next words that could make or break the future of Thunderclan.

For a moment, it was quiet. Even the night breeze that had been winding it's way through camp with a gentle whooshing sound seemed to settle into expectant silence. And then-

"Let StarClan hear my words and approve of my choice... Maplefeather will be the new deputy of ThunderClan."

Bramblestep blinked up at Fernstar, taking moment to register her choice. It seemed as though his clanmates did the same, for there was no response to the leader's words for a few, dreadful seconds. Then, finally, one cat, his identity lost in the sea of darkness, yowled Maplefeather's name. Slowly, other cats joined in the chanting of the she-cat's name, until a triumphant yowl was rising from the entire clan, accompanied by a nod of approval that seemed to ripple through the crowd.

"Maplefeather! Maplefeather!" Bramblestep joined in the chant, his gaze gleaming with approval as he sought out the she-cat's lithe form. He soon found her crouched at the bottom of the Highledge, half concealed by darkness. But there was no mistaking the genuine surprise in the warrior's expression as she gazed out at the group of cats, and Bramblestep just barely concealed a mrrow of amusement. Clearly, Maplefeather had not been expecting to be named deputy.

Even so, Bramblestep was certain she would manage this new responsibility with grace. With her infamous spunkiness, only the stupidest of cats would dare cross her, and her sharp attitude could be fueled towards making sure the Clan was running smoothly.

[Fernear!]

fernstar

Whatever doubt was carried upon some of the pairs of eyes was blown away by the breeze of anticipation. The meeting was not over yet, they all knew that, and Fernstar still sat patiently on her ledge. The wind battered her wet pelt sending waves of chills over her body. Behind her, a single weed had pushed up through one of the larger cracks in the yellow rock. It had already flowered, a humble pink blossom now beginning to fade into the overwhelming grey-scale of the world. It grew unnoticed, alone, but nevertheless determined. As you looked up the rock wall you could begin to see grass peeking out from the top, spying on the happenings of the camp. Their unharmed stems dripped with summer rain, creating minute splashes at the bottom of their descent. Their distant cousins grew before the forest, the clearing no longer openly conversing with the storm but instead being shielded by the wide-branched maples and oaks.

Whispers hung lightly on the clothes line of speech while Fernstar waited for the group to regain the partial silence they had once acquired. The feline's faint blue eyes scanned the clearing, picking out one or two cats every so often; thinking, putting them through situations in her mind to see how she believed they'd react to the new task and commitments brought on by mentoring the youth. It was not long before the aforementioned silence was attained. Instead of taking a deep breath, the grey leader swallowed before continuing. "Icepaw, Thistlepaw, Hawkpaw, Redkit and Bluekit please step forward." Her voice was the reflection of the seriousness of which her mind had analyzed her clan mates. She put all indifferences behind her, all personal feelings away and presented the bare facts. Able warriors prepared to become mentors were few and far between in ThunderClan. An obvious give away to this were the number of warriors who attended; there were four, including Maplefeather and herself.

"Before I give these three apprentices mentors, I will also call upon Cedarclaw. Please come forward." Another matter of business that had yet to be taken care of, and had most definitely been forgotten in the group's chatter, was the Medicine cat apprentice. The den situated on the first level of the cavernous dwelling had seldom been seen with a patient in need this Greenleaf, and it had also been home to but one expert. In some aspects the clan lacked communication, or had grown to in some ways. Cats spoke to one another about everyday tidings, but seldom had Fernstar heard from her friend Cedarclaw. She knew that the ragdoll she-cat was looking at some of the apprentices, looking for that opportunity, for that possibility that he could be the one to take control of the Clan's recovering when they came.

"Patrols and training sessions will commence next dawn after a Medicine cat apprentice has been named." These were her last words before she awaited Cedarclaw's next words. The two apprentices who were in the running of becoming ThunderClan's next medicine cat apprentice were Thistlepaw, Icepaw and Hawkpaw. The only three apprentices. Thistlepaw was what every apprentice is thought to be: excited, inquisitive but with a hint of her own personality, her own being. Fernstar couldn't picture her becoming the Medicine cat's apprentice. Icepaw, on the other hand, was a semi-negative and grumpy tom. There was a secretive air about him that always left Fernstar doubtful after she spoke with him. She knew something was up, but even so, he seemed like the best candidate. And Hawkpaw, well Fernstar hardly knew the dark pelted tom but was sure he could be thought of. Of course the other warriors could always step forward, but the number of warriors, as earlier stated, had dwindled immensely. Could ThunderClan take such little growth?

[/blockquote][/color]

[wraith]

Kestrelclaw had been patrolling the woods while the others where still sleeping. Night was his favorite time. He blended in with the shadows like a ghost, unseen and unheard by his prey. Mice, rats, voles and rabbits, none of them stood a chance against the silent predator. The darkness was his friend. It aided him.

It wasn't rodents, or rabbits he was after tonight, however. No, tonight he hunted a much more unusual... and more challenging prey.

Bats

Whirling around his, wing beats rang in his ears, and the high pitched chirping of their calls rang out through the forest. Not many could hear bats properly, but cats could. Kestrelclaw used this to his advantage.

He sank into a hunting crouch, ear's twitching. He could see their dim shapes, whizzing past. He tensed, readying himself for the spring.

He waited until one was skimming towards him, then leaped, claws unsheathed and paws outstretched. He felt the satisfying snag of claw against a body and he fell back to earth with a thump. Pinning the bat down with his paw, he stooped to finish it off, before grasping it lightly in his jaws, searching for a place to bury it while he hunted more.

But before he could, he heard Fernstar's sharp yowl from the ThunderClan camp. He stiffened, the bat dangling in his jaws. A clan meeting? Now? Well, who was he to argue. He set off back to camp.

Racing through the trees Kestrelclaw became aware of the driving rain. Under the shelter of the trees he'd been moderately dry, but now the foliage was thinning out, allowing rain through. He was soaked in a few minutes.

Bedraggled, he skidded to a halt. He'd reached camp. He hurriedly dropped the bat on the fresh kill pile, before padding over to sit with the other cats. He dipped his head apologetically towards Fernstar, then relaxed to watch the ceremony.

And so, Maplefeather was chosen as deputy. Well, she certainly deserved it. The she- cat was well respected, and he joined the cry eagerly.

Next Fernstar turned to the apprentices. About to be chosen mentors. How exciting! He waited eagerly as Fernstar and Cerdarclaw made their announcements. He certainly wanted an apprentice. But he doubted he's be awarded one just yet. There were probably older warriors more deserving than he. But he could always hope.

[c e d a r *]

The ragdoll she-cat's ears pricked and she tightened the grip of her tail as is curled neatly and snugly against her snowy white paws. Her claws were unsheathed for a moment, as the medicine cat heard her name. She was to step forward and speak the words of a true medicine cat, allowing herself another apprentice after the loss of Mudpaw. Now, now, the she-cat reminded herself slightly unhappily, you mustn't let Mudpaw ruin your view on all of these other apprentices. They're all fit for the job, and you know it. Sighing, the she-cat dipped her head in recognition of the leaders call, and she stepped forward into the muted dimness of the night that had settled upon the bodies of the cats that surrounded her. Bright blue orbs flickered over each of these apprentices as her mind sort of shivered, giving the medicine cat a shaky feeling inside of her body. Closing her eyes, the female finally got the urge to speak up, allowing her words to drift almost muted and soundlessly inside the others ears.

"I will be taking Icepaw to the Moonpool when the chance is given, so that he shall receive the status of the next ThunderClan medicine cat apprentice. Icepaw, do you accept what I say, are you willing to become the next medicine cat of ThunderClan?"

The medicine cat opened her eyes and swivelled her head toward the mysterious tom. She knew, despite his snappish and slightly unhappy attitude, she could turn him into quite a fine young tom, and a tom who would end up as the next healer of the Clan that so graciously accepted her into it's ranks those many seasons ago. Her heart was beating rapidly, for the she-cat had no idea what the tom's response would be. His stubborn and fierce attitude allowed the she-cat to fear what she was taking on. His attitude seemed to strike up her attitude and not many cat's could do that to her. A sigh formed upon her slightly parted lips, and her eyes were once more cast downward to her paws as she awaited the simple yes or no from the young tom.

[Fox]

Two young kits, each six moons of age, sat side by side. Though siblings, their pelts differed greatly from each other. One was an orange tabby; the other, a blue-gray striped. The orange tabby sat calmly, his body erect, his eyes focused intently on Fernstar. His sister, however, was not. She was paying no attention whatsoever, and was rolling around in the mud, enjoying the new, bizarre feeling of the wet ground on her fur.

"Bluekit, sit still!" The orange tabby hissed at her. Bluekit stopped and looked over at him. "Why, Redkit? I'm having fun!" She squealed a little and jumped into a large puddle, covering her belly in brown earth. Redkit's ear twitched, and he looked around to make sure no one had seen or heard his sister. "Sis! Fernstar's talking! This is important!" Bluekit smirked. "What's the worst that can happen 'cause I'm having fun?" She asked, idly drawing her paw through the mud. "Fernstar can not make us apprentices!" Redkit retorted, and Bluekit stopped. "She would do that?" The blue-gray she-cat whispered, and her brother nodded. "I bet she would. So sit still!" His sister obeyed, and sat quietly next to her brother.

Bluekit listened as Fernstar announced the deputy, and turned to Redkit. "Oo, it's Maplefeather! She'll make such a good deputy!" Her brother told her once again to be quiet. "Fernstar's not finished!"

The two siblings listened until Fernstar said, "Icepaw, Thistlepaw, Hawkpaw, Redkit and Bluekit please step forward." Bluekit squeaked in happiness, and ran forward, sliding to a clumsy halt next to the other apprentices. Redkit followed slowly in a more dignified manner, his head held proudly high, despite his paws sloshing uncomfortably through the mud. "Wait." He told his sister. "They have to decide the medicine cat apprentice first." Bluekit was wiggling excitedly, not even trying to contain her joy.

The two kits waited as Cedarclaw chose Icepaw to be the medicine cat apprentice. Bluekit, still squirming, looked at Redkit, eyes gleaming. "We're next!" She mewed happily. Redkit nodded, and fixed his calm gaze on Fernstar. Bluekit also looked up at the leader, a big grin pasted on her face. "Oh, I can't wait!" She whispered under her breath, and her tail started to swish through the mud. She tingled with excitement. She was about to become an apprentice!