Post by Fawn on Sept 23, 2016 10:11:50 GMT -5
LIONSTAR
leader of treeclan
Blinded by the light of a new sun
”Lionstar?”
Meadowleaf’s soft voice interrupted his morning wash, and he raised his head to the calico she-cat standing in the entrance to his den.
”Can I speak with you?” There was an urgency in her gaze that made his pelt prickle, but the golden tom quickly straightened, beckoning her inside with a courteous sweep of his tail.
”Of course. Is something the matter?” How do I begin to tell her about the vision? He was torn between utter relief over the news Bluejay had shared with him when she returned from the Moon Tree, and that tight, uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his belly when he knew he had to deliberately hurt someone. Meadowleaf was going to be upset, and she might even refuse to step down; in which case, he would be forced to override her pleas to keep the position of deputy. He didn’t want to watch a grudge form between his very eyes… But he would do what he must for the sake of the Clan.
”I…” Meadowleaf sat down and wrapped her tail curtly around her paws. She hung her head, looking every bit the defeated cat he had never expected her to be. ”I’m sorry, Lionstar. I just don’t think I am cut out to be your deputy.”
The golden tom’s ears pricked forward, amber eyes blazing. Now that he really looked at her, there was a… hauntedness to the calico that he hadn’t noticed before; they had had a prosperous Greenleaf, but Meadowleaf looked as if she hadn’t slept properly in moons. He had assumed she was overworking herself with organizing patrols, stretching herself thin in an effort to live up to his expectations; he’d said a few kind, encouraging words last moon to make sure she knew she didn’t have to overwork herself.
Those words did not seem to have the impact he’d intended…
”Tell me what’s brought you to this point, Meadowleaf. If it’s something we can remedy—”
”Nightmares!” She blurted, her fur standing on end. ”F-For moons I have been having horrible dreams… It’s as if every decision I make, suddenly I’m s-sending a cat to their death, or I didn’t react fast enough, or I couldn’t do anything to help!”
Her distress made his ears pin back with sympathy, and he saw now that she was approaching her breaking point. Great StarClan, if he’d brushed those fears aside, told her that those nightmares would eventually go away… Lionstar, all too accurately, could picture the meadow bursting into flames before his very eyes. It hadn’t been a metaphor for Meadowleaf’s death; it had been a metaphor for her sanity.
The loud scratch of her claws digging into the bark-and-dirt floor of Lionstar’s den drew his attention back to focus.
”I am sorry that’s happening to you, Meadowleaf. When I picked you, I had no idea being deputy would cause you so much stress and misery. You are hereby relieved of your duty as my deputy.” Lionstar met her startled gaze with a calm certainty.
”W-What? But who will—”
”StarClan sent me a sign, concerned the position would… damage you. They have also told Bluejay who your successor should be.” Rising to his full height, Lionstar gave the top of Meadowleaf’s head a brief lick. ”Though I regret you not getting the chance to become Meadowstar, I think you’ll be happier without the weight of leadership weighing on you like rocks. I might have been too hasty, and too optimistic in giving you the position in the first place.” And I’d rather not lose another deputy to tragedy!
Meadowleaf still looked frazzled, but he could already see that the she-cat was close to… close to nervous-giggling out of utter relief over having the burden of deputyship lifted from her shoulders.
Lionstar was immensely grateful StarClan had sent the signs in the first place; perhaps they too, were tired of seeing his spirit broken with every deputy that came and went, expiring or disappearing long before their time. It was a blessing to know that his ancestors cared enough to not let him keep making these mistakes.
”What will you tell the Clan?” Meadowleaf mewed suddenly, looking anxious. ”I don’t want them to think I’ve failed, or been a poor choice.”
Lionstar thought for a moment, and then he smiled slightly. ”I’ve seen you with Finchfeather…” Perhaps he had imagined it, but was there love sparking between the two warriors? If so, that would definitely provide a viable reason for stepping down that would not cause any shame or loss of face for Meadowleaf. He felt responsible for this entire situation; he’d picked her, after all. If there was a neat-and-tidy way of letting her return to the life of a regular Clan cat, Lionstar was willing to accept it.
Meadowleaf flushed under her pelt. ”This means I can have kits!”
Lionstar chuckled through a purr. ”I’ll tell the Clan you’ve decided to resign to start a family.”
”And I’ll tell Finchfeather…” She sighed with so much relief and happiness, Lionstar felt somewhat guilty for the many moons Meadowleaf had spent as his deputy. She had frightened him at first, due to the greencough outbreak (though clearly she was strong, having recovered well enough), but perhaps that had been another sign he’d missed? Lionstar resisted the twinge of guilt in his heart at the idea, but instead smiled at her in approval.
”Thank you for having the courage to speak with me, Meadowleaf. And you have not let me down. You have always been an excellent warrior, and I think your future kits will be very proud to call you ‘mother’.”
Meadowleaf’s eyes shined, and she gave his shoulder a respectful lick before departing, off to find the ginger tom who would be overjoyed at the news.
Lionstar allowed himself a grin of triumph. The Clan was getting a new deputy—StarClan approved, this time—as well as more kits in the nursery at some point. The future was looking far less bleak, even with leafbare looming on the horizon.
All that was left now… was convince Gorsetail he was the right cat for the job.
Meadowleaf’s soft voice interrupted his morning wash, and he raised his head to the calico she-cat standing in the entrance to his den.
”Can I speak with you?” There was an urgency in her gaze that made his pelt prickle, but the golden tom quickly straightened, beckoning her inside with a courteous sweep of his tail.
”Of course. Is something the matter?” How do I begin to tell her about the vision? He was torn between utter relief over the news Bluejay had shared with him when she returned from the Moon Tree, and that tight, uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his belly when he knew he had to deliberately hurt someone. Meadowleaf was going to be upset, and she might even refuse to step down; in which case, he would be forced to override her pleas to keep the position of deputy. He didn’t want to watch a grudge form between his very eyes… But he would do what he must for the sake of the Clan.
”I…” Meadowleaf sat down and wrapped her tail curtly around her paws. She hung her head, looking every bit the defeated cat he had never expected her to be. ”I’m sorry, Lionstar. I just don’t think I am cut out to be your deputy.”
The golden tom’s ears pricked forward, amber eyes blazing. Now that he really looked at her, there was a… hauntedness to the calico that he hadn’t noticed before; they had had a prosperous Greenleaf, but Meadowleaf looked as if she hadn’t slept properly in moons. He had assumed she was overworking herself with organizing patrols, stretching herself thin in an effort to live up to his expectations; he’d said a few kind, encouraging words last moon to make sure she knew she didn’t have to overwork herself.
Those words did not seem to have the impact he’d intended…
”Tell me what’s brought you to this point, Meadowleaf. If it’s something we can remedy—”
”Nightmares!” She blurted, her fur standing on end. ”F-For moons I have been having horrible dreams… It’s as if every decision I make, suddenly I’m s-sending a cat to their death, or I didn’t react fast enough, or I couldn’t do anything to help!”
Her distress made his ears pin back with sympathy, and he saw now that she was approaching her breaking point. Great StarClan, if he’d brushed those fears aside, told her that those nightmares would eventually go away… Lionstar, all too accurately, could picture the meadow bursting into flames before his very eyes. It hadn’t been a metaphor for Meadowleaf’s death; it had been a metaphor for her sanity.
The loud scratch of her claws digging into the bark-and-dirt floor of Lionstar’s den drew his attention back to focus.
”I am sorry that’s happening to you, Meadowleaf. When I picked you, I had no idea being deputy would cause you so much stress and misery. You are hereby relieved of your duty as my deputy.” Lionstar met her startled gaze with a calm certainty.
”W-What? But who will—”
”StarClan sent me a sign, concerned the position would… damage you. They have also told Bluejay who your successor should be.” Rising to his full height, Lionstar gave the top of Meadowleaf’s head a brief lick. ”Though I regret you not getting the chance to become Meadowstar, I think you’ll be happier without the weight of leadership weighing on you like rocks. I might have been too hasty, and too optimistic in giving you the position in the first place.” And I’d rather not lose another deputy to tragedy!
Meadowleaf still looked frazzled, but he could already see that the she-cat was close to… close to nervous-giggling out of utter relief over having the burden of deputyship lifted from her shoulders.
Lionstar was immensely grateful StarClan had sent the signs in the first place; perhaps they too, were tired of seeing his spirit broken with every deputy that came and went, expiring or disappearing long before their time. It was a blessing to know that his ancestors cared enough to not let him keep making these mistakes.
”What will you tell the Clan?” Meadowleaf mewed suddenly, looking anxious. ”I don’t want them to think I’ve failed, or been a poor choice.”
Lionstar thought for a moment, and then he smiled slightly. ”I’ve seen you with Finchfeather…” Perhaps he had imagined it, but was there love sparking between the two warriors? If so, that would definitely provide a viable reason for stepping down that would not cause any shame or loss of face for Meadowleaf. He felt responsible for this entire situation; he’d picked her, after all. If there was a neat-and-tidy way of letting her return to the life of a regular Clan cat, Lionstar was willing to accept it.
Meadowleaf flushed under her pelt. ”This means I can have kits!”
Lionstar chuckled through a purr. ”I’ll tell the Clan you’ve decided to resign to start a family.”
”And I’ll tell Finchfeather…” She sighed with so much relief and happiness, Lionstar felt somewhat guilty for the many moons Meadowleaf had spent as his deputy. She had frightened him at first, due to the greencough outbreak (though clearly she was strong, having recovered well enough), but perhaps that had been another sign he’d missed? Lionstar resisted the twinge of guilt in his heart at the idea, but instead smiled at her in approval.
”Thank you for having the courage to speak with me, Meadowleaf. And you have not let me down. You have always been an excellent warrior, and I think your future kits will be very proud to call you ‘mother’.”
Meadowleaf’s eyes shined, and she gave his shoulder a respectful lick before departing, off to find the ginger tom who would be overjoyed at the news.
Lionstar allowed himself a grin of triumph. The Clan was getting a new deputy—StarClan approved, this time—as well as more kits in the nursery at some point. The future was looking far less bleak, even with leafbare looming on the horizon.
All that was left now… was convince Gorsetail he was the right cat for the job.
Take it to the world, gonna sing it like an anthem