A harsh wind whistled through the trees, making branches creak and the lake turn gray. Stormsong pushed through the undergrowth, eyes squinted against the needling breeze.

Behind him, Plumstar stumbled through the undergrowth. Stormsong hissed as his leader tripped over a bramble bush and crashed into his hind end. She straightened herself up and bounded to his side.

"So Stormsong, what are we going to do? Play chase? Fish in the river? Darkstar makes it look so easy! I'm sure I can do it."

Stormsong took a deep breath and was about to turn to Plumstar when she bolted off, eyes bright with excitement. He flinched away as her ginger tail whipped him in the face.

Stormsong let out a furious hiss and dashed after the tabby she-cat.

"Plumstar!" he yowled. He spotted his leader careening towards the lake, eyes clouded and turned to the sky.

Stormsong sprang off of a rock and tried to pin his leader to the ground. The pair of cats rolled through the bushes, finally coming to a stop on the rocky shore of the lake.

Stormsong scrambled on top of Plumstar and snarled down at her.

"Plumstar! You can't have your head in the clouds all day. You have a Clan to lead!" She just blinked dully at him.

Stormsong could feel the hot rage boiling in his belly. He was sick of Plumstar neglecting her Clan. He knew it was hard for such a young cat to become the leader of a Clan, and he knew she was struggling with the death of her sister Specklewing, but she couldn't live in a made-up world anymore.

His leader could often be found on the SkyClan-ShadowClan border, staring into the pines and pacing in circles, talking to invisible cats. When questioned, she explained that she was pretending that Specklewing was back.

Stormsong dug his claws into her shoulders and narrowed his yellow eyes.

"Plumstar, please." He found himself begging before he even realized what he was doing. "SkyClan can't function without a leader. I know you miss Specklewing. I miss her too. So much. But Specklewing would want us to move on!"

Plumstar shoved Stormsong off of her and sat up. Thunder rumbled in the sky as she nodded.

"I know Stormsong," she whispered. "But I've always been so easily distracted... everything is just so fascinating and I want to know everything! Specklewing was the only one who supported my curiosity and imagination. I miss her! I miss her more than I can say."

"I know," Stormsong said. He closed his eyes for a moment. "How about this? If you ever need to go take some time, let me know first. I need to make sure I can keep control while you're gone. And when Swiftstep's kits are old enough, maybe you could mentor one?"

"Well... Brightkit seems like a clever little she-kit," she admitted. She lowered her head and then looked up shyly at Stormsong.

"Thank you, my friend. I'm glad I chose you as my deputy."