[Deleted]

Redwind emerged into the Nursery, the limp body of a mouse dangling from her jaws. The yellow-ginger tabby deputy had caught the prey earlier and though small, it was the freshest prey Redwind could find on the fresh-kill-pile.
She set it down on the mossy nursery floor and took in a deep breath, taking time to admire LightningClan's most well defended part of the camp.
She settled herself, one ear listening for tiny pawsteps. It wouldn't take long for the kits to notice the deputy's presence.
Redwind wanted to get to know some of the younger members of the clan, one of them might even become her apprentice, once old enough of course.
She wrapped her tail around her paws and waited patiently, her gaze wandering around the den. Evidence of kits at play were scattered everywhere; moss balls, shredded leaves and several feathers. The deputy couldn't help but surpress a Mrrrow of amusement, thinking back to her own days as a kit.

[Phoenix]

Icepaw was an apprentice now. What was he doing back in the nursery? Very rarely did an apprentice return to the old haunt so soon after leaving it. But very rarely was there an apprentice quite like Icepaw. While he enjoyed training for curiousity's sake, he had discovered that it was considerably more work than he had originally thought. A newfound respect for warriors and apprentices alike had begun to form inside of him, particularly for Blazestar and Redwind, who also had the responsibilities that came with leading the clan. He could not imagine how a cat could do so much at one time, let alone do it as well as said tom and she-cat. It was just so much work.

And so he had retreated to the nursery for some peace and quiet, which would have made little sense to any other feline. But Icepaw found the sound of playing kits rather soothing, and he knew all the little nooks in crannies where he could hide himself away. Without Frostpaw's shrill cries to rouse him from his sleep, the den seemed quiet in comparison, and it gave him another way to avoid his denmates should their constant chatter begin to overwhelm him.

However, as he emerged from a deeper part of the den, Icepaw discovered that he was not alone. Redwind was there, lingering near the entrance of the nursery with a mouse by her side, and the sight of the deputy herself stopped him in his tracks. What is she doing here? And then another thought struck him: does she want to play? After all, that was what kits did. They slept, played and pestered older cats with questions, though the last had been done mostly by his sister. But he had a hard time picturing the respectable deputy playing like a kit. Perhaps she came to bask in memories and enjoy the relative peace? Smoothing down his white chest fur, Icepaw approached the grown she-cat, a polite greeting leaving his lips. "Hello Redwind. Are you here to reminisce as well?"

[Deleted]

Redwind was a little surprised at first when she was approached by a white apprentice, whom she identified as Icepaw, and it seemed that he was too. That didn't stop a polite greeting leaving his lips though.
"Hello Redwind. Are you here to reminisce as well?"
The yellow-ginger tabby she-cat smiled, her amber eyes gleaming in the low light of the nursery, "I just wanted to meet some of LightningClan's youngest members," she beckoned to the mouse with her tail, "And of course to bring them a mouse."
Her tone was unusually soft. Perhaps it was because the LightningClan deputy had always wanted to have kits. It was too late now though, yes, it was possible, but it would get in the way of her duties as deputy.
Anyway, she didn't have a mate and wasn't really interested in any of the toms in the clan.

[Phoenix]

A small smile ghosted across Icepaw's lips, and his respect for the she-cat grew. Any warrior - or deputy, in this case - who took the time to visit the next generation was deserving of some recognition. All to often, it seemed, once a cat moved out from the nursery, he forgot about it. Not the location or its existence, exactly, for he walked by it every day. Just that he forgot what was important about it. He forgot that there were kits in there who looked up to him with admiring eyes, kits who would give almost anything to have him stop and show them a hunting crouch or two. He forgot that it was in the nursery that some of the strongest bonds formed: the bonds between siblings and life-long friends. He became too caught up in his warrior life to stop and remember the younger cats, and it was only when he had a family of his own that he returned to the nursery. In his quiet observations, Icepaw had seen this happen. He had seen warriors walk by with hardly a glance in his direction. And that had always made him sad.

But Redwind was different, it appeared. She took the time to stop by and meet the two remaining kits, and even though he had moved on to the apprentice's den, the action warmed Icepaw's heart. "That's nice of you," The apprentice meowed pleasantly, voice airy and light. "Ivykit and Toadkit will appreciate it..." Letting his voice trail off, Icepaw glanced around the nursery, which seemed strangely deserted and quiet. "Actually, I don't know where they are." His voice was small as his head swivelled around to look for the clan's youngest members. Perhaps Ivykit convinced Toadkit to leave the shadows of the nursery and go play in the sunlight? Icepaw hoped so; he would rather not see the younger tom with fur as dark as Rookfrost's so early on in life. Icepaw sat down a comfortable distance away from the relaxing deputy. "But maybe, if you wanted to wait for them, I could keep you company. Sometimes it gets a little lonely in here, when it's empty."

[Deleted]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: #0F0F0F; height: 500px; width: 400px; -webkit-border-radius: 4em; -moz-border-radius: 4em ; border-radius: 4em; box-shadow: #1C1B1C 0px 0px 7px;] [style=background: url(http://farm1.static.flickr.com/59/174507599_466cadc9db.jpg); height: 250px; width: 390px; -webkit-border-radius: 4em 4em 0em 0em; -moz-border-radius: 4em 4em 0em 0em; border-radius: 4em 4em 0em 0em; border: #242323 6px solid; padding-top: 25; padding-left: 25; padding-left: 25; padding-bottom: 25; opacity: 0.8;] [/style] [style=width: 420px; margin-top: -10px; padding-top: -2px; font-size: 25px; font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; color: #5E5E5E; text-align: center; text-shadow: #000000 1px 1px 2px; letter-spacing: -2;]Redwind[/style] [style=width: 420px; padding-top: -2px; margin-top: -10px; font-size: 15px; font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; color: #5E5E5E; text-align: center; text-shadow: #000000 5px 4px 2px; letter-spacing: 4px;]LightningClan | Deputy | She-cat[/style] [style=width: 420px; height: 250px; padding-top: -1px; font-size: 10px; font-family: verdana; color: #474747; text-align: justify; overflow: auto; padding: 5px;] The yellow-ginger tabby she-cat smiled, her amber gaze flooding with warmth for the young apprentice. "That's nice of you, Ivykit and Toadkit will appreciate it..." Redwind was still getting used to her duties as Deputy and it was nice to recieve comments such as Icepaw's. Her gaze danced around the seemingly empty den, searching for the small shapes of Ivykit and Toadkit. Where were they? Icepaw too seemed to have noticed the absence of the two kits. It wasn't a surprise that Toadkit hadn't shown his face as the young tom kit had proven himself to be very hard to befriend and usually stuck to the shadows. The LightningClan Deputy had yet to meet Ivykit, though she had heard that the calico she-kit was very curious. Redwind liked that in a cat, curiousity could test your ability and had certainly helped Redwind realise her potential in her apprentice days. "But maybe, if you wanted to wait for them, I could keep you company. Sometimes it gets a little lonely in here, when it's empty." At least she had Icepaw to keep her company. She was interested in getting to know the white tom. After all, he was a future warrior of LightningClan and someday she would have to fight by his side, so knowing him a little better would help. She tried desperately to remember who Icepaw's mentor was, Amberblaze? No, wait. Rapidwind? Yes, Rapidwind. "So, are you enjoying your training so far," she asked, meeting Icepaw's clear blue gaze. This question was mainly out of curiousity, but the apprentice's answer could also help assess how well Rapidwind had taken to being a mentor.[/style] [style=width: 420px; padding-top: -2px; font-size: 10px; font-family: verdana; color: #474747; text-align: justify; text-shadow: #000000 1px 1px 2px; background-color: #171617; padding: 2px;]tag: derp notes: derp[/style] [style=width: 420px; padding-top: -2px; font-size: 15px; font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; color: #5E5E5E; text-align: center; text-shadow: #000000 1px 1px 2px; letter-spacing: 2;]You know The sun must set to rise.[/style] [style=font-family: courier new; font-size: 9px; color: #222222; line-height: 100%; text-align: center; text-transform: uppercase;]table by Keikei @ BTN[/style]

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[Phoenix]

"Oh yes!" The response was instantaneous and spoken with the odd kind of enthusiam that belonged purely to the white tom. Not loud, but rather spoken with an eagerness made apparent by the light that shone in his eyes and the almost hopeful expression that crossed his features. A white head nodded multiple times as he gave Redwind his full attention, blue eyes wide. "I enjoy training, and it's going well," He supplied, elaborating slightly, "It's all very interesting, and Rapidwind's a good warrior." The apprentice paused before adding, "Just like you, only you're the deputy."

Content with his answer, Icepaw allowed his thoughts to wander back to training. He had not lied when he said that he enjoyed it, for the apprentice enjoyed training very much. Everything that Rapidwind showed him came rather easily to the young white tom, but Icepaw found that he lacked the desire to put the information to use. He cared, but he was missing the motivation and energy that drove his sister. He was much more satisfied by sitting around with only his thoughts for company, though he did not mind a pleasant conversation like the one he was currently having with the deputy.

Idly, the tom wondered what it was like being deputy. What did it feel like to carry all of that responsibility? Did she ever feel ready to lead the clan? Of course, that would not happen for a long time; Blazestar still had every one of his lives intact. Was it strange that warrior followed her every order with little hesitation, if any? Icepaw did not think that he would be able to get used to it, but he wondered what Redwind thought about it all. As he had learned, the best way to find out an answer was to ask. "Do you like being deputy?"

[Deleted]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: #0F0F0F; height: 500px; width: 400px; -webkit-border-radius: 4em; -moz-border-radius: 4em ; border-radius: 4em; box-shadow: #1C1B1C 0px 0px 7px;] [style=background: url(http://farm1.static.flickr.com/59/174507599_466cadc9db.jpg); height: 250px; width: 390px; -webkit-border-radius: 4em 4em 0em 0em; -moz-border-radius: 4em 4em 0em 0em; border-radius: 4em 4em 0em 0em; border: #242323 6px solid; padding-top: 25; padding-left: 25; padding-left: 25; padding-bottom: 25; opacity: 0.8;] [/style] [style=width: 420px; margin-top: -10px; padding-top: -2px; font-size: 25px; font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; color: #5E5E5E; text-align: center; text-shadow: #000000 1px 1px 2px; letter-spacing: -2;]Redwind[/style] [style=width: 420px; padding-top: -2px; margin-top: -10px; font-size: 15px; font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; color: #5E5E5E; text-align: center; text-shadow: #000000 5px 4px 2px; letter-spacing: 4px;]LightningClan | Deputy | She-cat[/style] [style=width: 420px; height: 250px; padding-top: -1px; font-size: 10px; font-family: verdana; color: #474747; text-align: justify; overflow: auto; padding: 5px;] Redwind's amber gaze glowed at the young apprentice's enthusiasm. She loved it when they were eager about their training, it seemed Rapidwind was doing a good job; not that the yellow-ginger tabby deputy had ever doubted his mentoring skills. She smiled, he was giving her his full attention as he continued to enthuse about training. He reminded the deputy of her own apprentice days. "It's all very interesting, and Rapidwind's a good warrior." The apprentice paused before adding, "Just like you, only you're the deputy." Redwind shrunk shyly a little at the compliment, "I do my best, just as every one of LightningClan's warriors does." she meowed simply. It was the truth after all. Since the day she had been named deputy, she had dedicated her whole life to LightningClan. With leaf-bare causing prey shortages, she and her clanmates had been forced to work harder and hunting when there was scarcely any prey was increasingly difficult. "Do you like being deputy?" The question came a little out of the blue and Redwind was completely unsure of what to say. She tilted her head to one side, clearly in deep thought. She had never thought much about her new duties, she had just got on with them. "I don't really think about it much," she told Icepaw truthfully, "I guess I do," she meowed after a long pause, "It's been hard getting used to it, but I would do anything for my clan, so I just get on with it really." It had been strange at first when she became deputy, cats would now obey her orders without hesitation, unlike before when she was often questioned. But, like she had told Icepaw, this was just another part of taking care of LightningClan. It was in times like these when they needed a strong leader and deputy to guide them through the dark.[/style] [style=width: 420px; padding-top: -2px; font-size: 10px; font-family: verdana; color: #474747; text-align: justify; text-shadow: #000000 1px 1px 2px; background-color: #171617; padding: 2px;]tag: derp notes: derp[/style] [style=width: 420px; padding-top: -2px; font-size: 15px; font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; color: #5E5E5E; text-align: center; text-shadow: #000000 1px 1px 2px; letter-spacing: 2;]You know The sun must set to rise.[/style] [style=font-family: courier new; font-size: 9px; color: #222222; line-height: 100%; text-align: center; text-transform: uppercase;]table by Keikei @ BTN[/style]

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[Phoenix]

Icepaw nodded in agreement, accepting the comment with a simle, "Of course. That's what makes us the best clan." All of their warriors tried very, very hard and always did the best they could. More often than not, that best was more than enough. But no clan could call them lazy, and even if they did, every cat knew that it was not true. But it was the answer to his question that he sought the most, and figuring that Redwind had not expected his sudden inquiry, Icepaw waited patiently while she gave it some thought. After all, he wouldn't know how to answer a question like that. Especially if he didn't like being deputy. That idea struck him as odd; what if a deputy didn't want to be deputy? Could a cat just turn down their leader? Could he simply say, in front of the whole clan, "No thank you"? Had that ever happened before?

However, a response from the she-cat forced Icepaw to abandon that train of thought, to tuck it away for further investigation. Perhaps Rapidwind would know... In any case, he found Redwind's answer somewhat lacking. Lacking what, he could not say, because she had answered his question; perhaps it just was not what he had been expecting. Icepaw tilted his head slightly to the side as he considered her words. "I guess you're too busy a lot of the time to think about it," He conceded after a moment. Icepaw's tail flicked lightly as he continued quietly, "I think you're very lucky to be deputy."

Without realizing the potential insult, he continued, voice genuine and honest, "You're the right cat for the job. But I think a lot of other cats would love to have your position and power. So I guess you're lucky 'cause you were the one chosen. Kind of weird to think that it could've been anyone, don't you think?" Icepaw paused, struck by a new thought. "How do you think they choose deputies? Since every cat works so hard, then it really could've been anyone."