..//Honor[and]R.E.member

[Snowstar]

<sub>This couldn't have happened.. This didn't happened.. How was the deputy going to break it to the clan?

She paced just before entering the clan, with her head and tail low in mourning. She jumped to the top of a boulder, shoulders slunk in sadness as she gave a sharp and piercing yowl.

LET all cats old enough to catch their own prey to join me beneath this rock for a clan meeting!! She caterwauled into the darkening sky. Starclan was mourning too as the rain began to trickle down upon the dark she's pelt.

I have terrible news to bring to Stoneclan!!

Featherstar has disappeared, and I must take action and take her place as Snowstar! She thundered, eyes clouded with grief.

The deputy yet is undecided, but I wish Loveless, Dragonpelt, Pinepelt and Brindleflame to share the deputy's responsibilty between them.

As for me, I shall go for my 9 lives and 'star' name tomorrow, before the battle, for I shall lead you into it, and uphold Featherstar's wish to join Risingclan. She swung her small head to peer at all the cats below her.

And should Featherstar return, I want utmost respect to her! All of you! She said sharply. Some how she knew Featherstar was not gone, and she refused to admit it to herself. She respected the leader with everything, and gave her deputy priveleges even with a family.

Blindsong, please come forth for me. I wish to speak to you in private before taking on leadership duties.</sub>

[Shadow Spirit]

Dragonpelt followed his mate into the camp and sat directly in front of the rock where she now stood to speak. He was utterly astounded at the dissapearance of their leader, and equally that his mate was now to become one herself! Being accepted, courting his love, learning of her rise to deputy, seeing his kits and now being mate to the Clan leader?! If he'd been a weaker cat, his very heart might have given out from the shock. Never the less, he looked up at his mate proudly, passion burning in his eyes as he thought of the bright future she could bring to StoneClan. He was perfectly happy to take on the responsiblities of a deputy, he would do anything for his love.

Though one thing about the whole arrangement made his insides twist with dread. Just what was happening to their home? Why was it that every Clan had changed leadership and why did all the leaders seem to "dissapear" without a trace? Whisperstar gave up her Clan to the lovely Lillystar, TreeClan's previous leader whom he had never heard of left their leadership in Amberstar's level-headed paws, Sabrestar was rumored to have gone and a new cat called Bloodstar had stepped into her place...and now this... Something just didn't feel right. All of the leaders had been seemingly called away from their duties by an unknown force and were almost never heard from again. As much as he admired his mate, he would never want that fate to befall her.

[Blindsong]

Blindsong grieved greatly. The beautiful, blind calico sat away from the others, head lowered. She had valued Featherstar so much, not only in respect. She had thought the other she-cat to be her friend.

But then, a voice.

Snowstar? Yes, that was it. She would become the leader now. A soft purr rippled form the saddened she-cat, but she rose to her paws, head lifted to look up in the general direction where the new leader rested.

“I am here and ready.”

She was bewildered. Why would she wish to speak with her?

[Loveless]

Loveless watching his friend with pure pride, before his sharp gaze flicked around for Pinedark.

…Chainless had not returned yet either. He knew, that he needed to share the news with the new leader about Chainless, what had occurred…especially if his dear sister had not returned soon.

Or maybe she already knew?

Yellow hues flicked upwards, looking at Snowstripe.

[Pinedark]

She tilted her head to the side as Snowstripe initially called them all together. Featherstar usually did that...

But Featherstar was gone, that was made clear a few moments later. Pinedark glanced at the ground for a moment, wondering where the leader could have gone, and why. Hopefully she was alright, wherever it was she'd gone.

She raised her head, hearing her name, and then looked around for Loveless. He was looking up at Snowstar on her rock. Pinedark didn't know about Chainless, but she knew she hadn't seen the medicine cat around in awhile.

Like a grey shadow, Pinedark padded over to sit by Loveless.

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[Snowstar]

She padded toward the she-cat, coming with louder steps to announce her coming to the blind she cat, even if she faired well on her own. She ducked her head to indicate private conversation before continuing. "Correct me if i'm wrong in assuming this, but are you still nursing kits? Although I know that your kits are growing older, my hopes is that you or Chainless would please take the responsibility in nursing my kits. I must take the leadership position now, and the clan comes before my kits, though they may need me." She said with guilt, eyes shining with sadness. She loved her kits, but they were growing to a close in nursing and soon ready for solid foods. She hoped one of the mothers could take them; the clan needed her more than ever in this time of war....

[Onyxdart]

Warfox sat silently at the edge of things, listening to the announcement. They'd lost their leader. He shrugged one shoulder to himself, uncomfortable and unhappy, unsure of how best to communicate this to himself and others.

This was, what, the second time a leader of his had gone away? Gone missing, feared worse? He flicked his ears back and glanced around, making sure no one was watching him on the sly. The whole world did not need to know of his emotions. Satisfied, he hunched his shoulders and stared at the ground. He somewhat sympathized with Snowstripe- now Snowstar. He'd been a deputy once, and he'd lost his leader once.

With a big sigh, he looked up, shoulders still hunched over. He was sad Featherstar was gone, and he still missed Battledream. Today was not a happy day.

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The light tom stood around and stared at everyone else, reacting to Featherstar's disappearance in a vague way. He'd lost a lot here and there, including friends and leaders. It still bothered him, but perhaps he was good at getting on with things.

Plus, he knew better than most that sometimes disappeared things come back when you least expect them. Maybe Featherstar would come back. After all, Snowstripe had said she disappeared, not that she died. Surely if the new leader was sure the old wasn't coming back, she'd have said so.

Still, perhaps he'd better lay off any disappearing tricks for awhile.

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((Eeeeeeeeeeemo Warfox. Not so emo Spellbound. I don't think Spellbound has it in him to be emo.))

[Lucky]

Ooc: I'm only coming from my topic from the medicine cat den, just for a moment. No one has replied anyway...

Silverwhisker trotted happily into camp. He had just come from hunting, and giving a bundle of herbs to Chainless. He was late, and could tell, so he slowed down a bit. But the words he heard made him stop in his tracks. Featherstar? Gone!? She was the first, and nicest cat he had met in the Clan (second to Chainless, first to Warfox)! This couldn't be! And a war? Why was he finding out all this stuff now?

Then he spotted Warfox, and ran over to him. He sat down, and looked at his sad friend.

"Um... You... You ok buddy?" he asked sorrowfully, then twitched:

*twitch* *twitch*

[Onyxdart]

Warfox looked up from the ground and over at Silverwhisker. He was a little bothered by the ineterruption, prefering to be miserable alone, but he recognized that the other tom was only trying to be nice.

With a sigh, he looked back up to rock.

"I lost a leader once. Another time. Before I came here. It was a bad time, for a long time," he said simply. He didn't wish to discuss it, but he kind of thought he could get away if he just told the truth right out. Hopefully it wouldn't just pique Silverwhisker's curiosity. But he'd go later, after he was sure everything here was okay. He was, first and foremost, a warrior of this clan. And as such, he felt that it was his responsibility to put clan before self, and worry about his troubles before going off to contemplate his own. He'd failed a clan once, and he'd be darned if it was going to happen again. Still, maybe a short patrol of the border... that was helpful to the clan too, right? They probably didn't need him here just now.

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[Lucky]

Silverwhisker stared in disbelief at his friend. Had Warfox come at the wrong time? The new leader was about to lead them into battle, and his orange friend was in the misted.

"I'm so sorry," he said sincerley. He got up, and looked toward the cat, who had been standing on the rock.

"I'm going to ask Snowstar if I can lead a hunting patrol. The stock pile seems a little low, and we'll need all the food we can get. Can't have weak Warriors running around now can we?"

The older cat chuckled, trying to seem a little cheery, but at the look of his friends face, his face fell once again. He twitched and spoke, "You can come if you want."

And Silverwhisker's nose twitched, making his long whiskers glitter, as he leaped away.

[Snowstar]

She trotted back into camp, tail held high and magnificent as she trotted keenly up to the rock. She almost had a smile upon her face as she took a leap up the rock, tail swinging with perfect balance as she landed with dainty percision. Before I forget, I wish to let Stoneclan know that there shall be a meeting coming up on the full-moon. I wish Dragonpelt, Blindsong, Spellbound, Silverwhisker, Warfox, Jadepaw, Honorpaw, Valorpaw, and perhaps Chainless should she return to accompany me to the gathering.

... Loveless and Pinedark? I wish you to be in charge and guard the camp. With that she leapt from the rock and landed gracefully before her clan and strided towards the nursing den. Perhaps she could see her kits for a quiet moment.

<sub>Honorpaw perked from where he lay sunning on a warm rock. Rubbing away dreary sleep from his eyes, he loped over to the stone where gatherings were and plopped down, looking around for his mentor. He shrugged kindly as he realized the mentor wasn't here at the time, and Snowstar didn't seem to pay much heed to the fact he was missing. Perhaps she knew something..

Then he leapt to his feet and let out a triumphant yowl and bounded to his feet in excitement, almost in a subtle show-offy way. But he was quick to stop as he trotted away, tail held high and chest puffed under his chin. He did look quite honorable.

[... Ahaha, ha.. ha.. ha.. I badly needed to roleplay Honorpaw. Dun shoot me plz kthx. owo Warfox, that's where your apprentice has been, a'right?]</sub>

[Lucky]

Silverwhisker hadn't even made it to Snowstar yet! Clan Gathering? His first Gathering!?

He trotted the rest of the way to his new Leader.

"Ma... Ma'am? May I... May I have a word with thee?"

The tom's whisker's twitched, and he everted his gaze away from the Leader and to the Fresh-kill pile, so as not to be scared to speak.

"I noticed the Fresh-kill pile was a little low. May I go hunting, before the Gathering for the Clan?"

[Snowstar]

Snowstar turned to look at the tom full on, no shyness showing to the twitching cat before her. She paused at the entrance to the nursery, her ears swiftly swiveling from listening to her kits mews to the tom's words. As he spoke, she turned a cool gaze to the fresh-kill pile. Hrm..

Maybe it did need refilling?

Snowstar smiled at the tom's thoughtfullness. "Yes, lead a hunting party for me. Bring an apprentice with you, and possibly a warrior." She looked at him more keenly.

"Dark times are overhead like clouds. We need all our strength for the coming war; We wouldn't want such a fine warrior to get hurt, right?" She said softly. She flicked her tail.

"Ask the mentor's permission before taking an apprentice out; I'm sure Valorpaw or Honorpaw would do." And with that she ducked into the nursery.

[Lucky]

Silverwhisker's fur fluffed up proudly.

Snowstar called him a "fine warrior"! There might be some hope of me becoming Deputy yet!

After watching her go in the nusery, the gray warrior turned to Warfox. His whiskers twitched sadly. Apperently, he was still down.

"Would you and Honorpaw like to come hunting with me?" he asked, trying to sound cheerful, "It might give you a chance to do some training."

The older tom, silently hoped his friend would come. He hadn't really spent time with him in a while, and it might be a chance for them to talk. He also hoped he'd be able to spend time with Chainless at the Gathering.

[Onyxdart]

[Warfox is off havin ye merry old fight with War. He'll be back eventually.]

[Lucky]

Well, Warfox seemed to be... somewhere.

"How about you Honorpaw? I'm sure Warfox would like you to come with me."

He looked around. Warfox and Chainless were his best friends, and if he couldn't get a hold of Warfox, it shouldn't be too bad. He would ask him if his Apprentice could come along on the way out...

Wafox does train Honorpaw right?

[Onyxdart]

Indeed he does!

[Bovine]

Brindleflame's ears flew forward at the sound of Snowstr--star's announcement. She had been giving herself a thorough washing when the first caterwaul broke out.
Her heart seemed to leap in her chest. She would be sharing the Deputy position with her first friends.
It seemed not too far in the past that she herself had been an apprentice. Then to warrior, to shared Deputy-ship.
She would be careful not to let her already inflated ego get too out of hand.


She had noticed that she would not attend the fast-approaching Gathering.
It was a bit of an upset, but it made sense to her. She was needed back at camp.

Jadepaw swung her head about, scanning the camp.
She let out a deep sigh; Her mentor was still nowhere to be seen.
But in a moment, her thoughts of Chainless were temporarily thrown to the back of her mind, for she was chosen to go to her first Gathering!
How exciting.
Once again, her current thoughts were thrown aside as she lifted her gaze to the now drizzling sky. She thought she could see the far-off black speck that was the Magpie she had 'spoken' to a few moons back.
It had brought her news of the brewing war in the Rogue Meadows. She had doubted the signs before, but now, it was blatantly clear that the war was coming.
She had heard that Mistclan and Treeclan had joined Stoneclan in alliance with Risingclan.
But that left Duskclan. She had not heard word from Starclan or otherwise about them.
Were they in alliance as well?
There was an ominous feeling in the air.
It was unnerving to the petite white and grey she-cat.

[Shadow Spirit]

Content that his mate was done speaking, Dragonpelt stood and followed after her. She seemed to be heading to the nursing den and he wanted to be with her. Catching up to her briskly, he nudged her shoulder with his nose.

"Holding up alright, my leader?" he asked, in a slightly amused way. He was only trying to lift her spirits, for he knew how hard this was for her.

[Onyxdart]

Spellbound looked around after the announcement. The big range Warfox had disappeared, leaving Silverwhisker sitting there looking confused. Jadepaw was there and she was staring up at the sky looking worried. Snowstar and her mate were going back to the nursing den. Spellbound yawned just once, and rolled his shoulders. Then he stood, and trotted over to Jadepaw.

"Hey, kiddo," he said, though Jadepaw was maybe a bit old to be called kiddo. Spellbound looked up following her gaze, and got water in his face. And thought he saw something flying around up there.

"'Sat your bird friend? What's news? he asked, very calmly and unconcerned considering the recent news and the gathering. He didn't really feel much was worth getting worked up about.

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