AN: Here's the next chapter for everyone with a short update time. Thanks to those of you who review, and for those who don't, please start! As always thanks to Niah for fixing things up. Now onto the chapter...
Once she had finished speaking, cats in the clearing called an almost reluctant congratulations, Foxheart, Burntleaf and Stormsong pressing their pelts against hers. She was still reeling slightly, never having expected that she would be ThunderClan's deputy. But she couldn't talk to Ashstar now, seeing as he had just laid beside Nightflame's body for the vigil.
As the commotion died down, Tigerpaw bounded up to her, his eyes shining with excitement. "Fawnfire, you're the deputy now!" he meowed, butting his head against her shoulder.
"I noticed, Tigerpaw." the ginger warrior mewed dryly. "Get to your nest, we're still training tomorrow."
He hurriedly dipped his head and scrambled to his den, slipping out of sight.
"I'll take dawn patrol if you'd like." Foxheart meowed from where he still sat beside her. Fawnfire nodded gratefully to him.
"Great Foxheart. Take Birchfur and Silentstep and Adderpaw with you," she meowed hesitantly. The red furred warrior dipped his head to her and turned to go into the warrior's den. Fawnfire froze when she saw the gesture. It just felt wrong to see her former mentor obeying her orders. Slowly, cats drifted into their dens, some ignoring Fawnfire entirely where she still sat with Burntleaf. Once they were as alone as they were going to get with cats sitting for Nightflame's vigil, Burntleaf spoke, her eyes warm with pride for her friend.
"Congratulations, Fawnfire." she mewed, touching noses with her friend.
"You're not angry, are you?" Fawnfire asked carefully. She knew most cats that were older than them would have expected someone else to be deputy.
"Of course not." Burntleaf shook her head, her whiskers twitching. "I wouldn't want the job for all the mice in the forest." Fawnfire purred, swiping her tail across her friend's ears as they padded into their den. She laid heavily in her nest, ready for sleep after the long day.
Fawnfire woke again at dawn just as Foxheart, Birchfur and Silentstep were padding out of the den for the dawn patrol. With a sigh she rolled out of her nest as well, shaking bits of moss and bracken out of her pelt. After a heartbeat of thought, she picked her way around sleeping warriors to Tawnyfeather. She prodded the warrior gently in the side, speaking when she blinked her eyes open groggily.
"Will you take Stormsong and Sunpelt for a hunting patrol?" she asked quietly, and the dark tabby warrior immediately rose to her paws and dipped her head silently, collecting the other two warriors. With both the borders and fresh kill taken care of, Fawnfire padded silently out of the den, stretching as she went. Wolfsong and Cinderclaw were padding wearily over to the den. Fawnfire stepped aside to let them pass before sitting beside the nettle patch and beginning to groom herself. Nightflame's body was gone from the center of the clearing so Fawnfire assumed that Ashstar and the elders had taken her body to bury it.
The gray leader reentered camp behind Dappletail, Raggedpelt and Lostear a few heartbeats later and he padded slowly over to her.
"Good morning Fawnfire." he meowed, yawning widely. "Come to my den, we must talk." The ginger deputy quickly dipped her head.
"Of course." she mewed, just as Tigerpaw bounded up to her.
"Are we going to train today Fawnfire?" he asked excitedly, eyes bright as he looked up at her.
"Later, Tigerpaw. Right now I want you to see to the elders and then go hunting." Looking slightly put out, the light golden apprentice dipped his head and trotted over to the elder's den. Fawnfire turned back to Ashstar once the apprentice was gone and saw that he looked amused. He beckoned her to follow him and padded into his den. Fawnfire pushed aside the curtain of lichen and sat before Ashstar, who had sat beside his nest and started to groom himself.
"Well Fawnfire, as far as I can tell you've done well for your first morning. I've seen a dawn patrol and a hunting patrol leave. But I have a feeling I surprised you last night."
"You did." Fawnfire admitted, ducking her head. "I never expected... There are so many other more experienced warriors besides me that you could have picked to be deputy."
"Experience doesn't necessarily make a good deputy." Ashstar meowed, his whiskers twitching. "All of my warriors may be true and loyal to the warrior code, but that doesn't mean every one of them has the makings to be deputy. You have shown the qualities that I believe might make you a good leader someday. Plus, you are young, with the capability to learn and grow along with your clan and the vitality that comes with youth."
Fawnfire stared at him in shock before shaking her head slowly and speaking.
"Oh... thank you, Ashstar." she meowed bluntly. "I promise I'll do everything in my power to live up to your expectations."
"Good." the gray leader purred, before his eyes hardened slightly. "Now, Fawnfire... what do you say we do about ShadowClan?"
"Well," Fawnfire said slowly, thinking. "The gathering is tonight. You could try to speak with Darkstar then."
"Ah, yes. I almost forgot about the gathering." Ashstar mewed, looking past her as if he was thinking as well. "However, do you think he'll actually listen?"
"No," Fawnfire sighed without hesitation. She had had to deal with the ShadowClan leader many times before and she didn't take him as the kind of cat to listen at a gathering. Or at all.
"Exactly. I want you to have some cats start building up the nursery and camp walls." Ashstar ordered and Fawnfire dipped her head, taking his nonverbal cue to leave.
Out in the clearing, Duststripe was just pulling himself out of the den and Fawnfire padded over to him.
"Duststripe, will you wake up Swiftfoot, Spottedwing and Burntleaf and start building up the nursery and camp walls? I'm going to have the apprentices fetch some twigs and branches."
The dark brown tabby warrior dipped his head and turned to go back into the warriors den.
"Of course, Fawnfire." he meowed and slipped back into the den.
Still unused to giving orders, Fawnfire shook her head slightly before padding over to Tigerpaw, who was dragging old bedding out of the elder's den.
"Tigerpaw, finish with the elder's bedding and then wake up Cedarpaw and go collect as many branches and twigs as you can carry. I'll send Adderpaw to find you when he gets back."
Tigerpaw let go of the bedding and looked up her, narrowing his eyes slightly.
"Aren't we going to train at all today?" he asked, his voice accusing. "You said."
Fawnfire purred sympathetically and touched her tail tip to his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Tigerpaw. I've got to get used to being deputy, and Ashstar wants the camp walls built up. If we don't train today, we will tomorrow."
"You promise?" Tigerpaw asked doubtfully and Fawnfire purred again
"I promise." she assured him, and he dipped his head, satisfied, before picking up the dirty bedding again and dragging it away from the den.
The two apprentices left the camp only a few heartbeats later and Fawnfire went to see how Duststripe, Swiftfoot, Spottedwing and Burntleaf were doing on the camp walls. She started to help them as Tigerpaw and Cedarpaw continually brought back mouthfuls of branches and twigs that they used to weave into the gorse that made up the camp walls. She twined a branch into one Swiftfoot had just placed, and the warrior moved away from her stiffly. Was it because of her newly appointed role in the clan? She cast her eyes down.
When the dawn patrol returned, Fawnfire didn't look up at them, concentrating on helping Burntleaf weave a twig into the gorse and Foxheart sat two mice down in the fresh-kill pile, before padding up to her.
"The borders are secure." he meowed in her ear, his amusement apparent in his voice as his whiskers twitched. Fawnfire's eyes widened slightly and she turned to look at him sheepishly. What kind of deputy was she going to be if she forgot to get reports from the patrols?
"Don't worry about it." the red warrior told her, touching his tail tip to her shoulder. "You've probably got a lot on your mind. We did catch a faint scent of ShadowClan on our side of the border though."
Fawnfire's eyes narrowed and her embarrassment was forgotten. ShadowClan was prey stealing already? "Could you tell how recent it was? How many cats?" she asked, taking a few steps away from the group of working warriors.
"Not too recent, last night at some point, only two or three cats." Foxheart reported, his eyes narrowing as well. "One of the cats was Hawktalon, but I couldn't place the others."
"Ok." Fawnfire meowed, looking at her paws before adding, "I'll have to have the evening patrol keep an eye out for more scents."
Foxheart dipped his head and rose to pad away, only to turn back to her. "I'm proud of you, Fawnfire. I always have been. I can see why Ashstar made you deputy."
The ginger deputy ducked her head, her ears flattening. "Thanks Foxheart." she mewed, and the red furred warrior purred before padding away.
A heartbeat later, she shook her head before padding over to Ashstar's den and poking her muzzle into the curtain of lichen. She opened her mouth to ask if she could come in before realizing that the gray leader was most likely asleep after his vigil last night. Quietly, she backed away, not wanting to wake him. She would just report to him later. Instead, the ginger deputy made to go back over to help with the camp walls.
Around sunhigh, Ashstar emerged from his den, stretching. Fawnfire quickly finished weaving a branch into the gorse before trotting over to him.
"Ashstar," she meowed, dipping her head quickly. "The dawn patrol reported ShadowClan scents on our side of the border. As far as they could tell the scents were from sometime last night from a patrol of two or three cats one of them being Hawktalon."
The dark gray leader growled quietly, flexing his claws into the hard-packed sandy ground of the camp. "I've about had enough of ShadowClan's fox-hearted actions." he spat. "Was the patrol able to tell if the cats hunted on our territory?"
"Foxheart didn't say," Fawnfire meowed uncertainly. "I could go ask him."
"No, if he didn't report it, they probably didn't find anything." Ashstar sighed, letting his fur lie flat. "I will be speaking with Darkstar tonight, for all the good it will do."
Fawnfire dipped her head before asking a question. "Who will you be taking to the gathering?"
"Let's see." Ashstar meowed, looking across the camp at his warriors. "You, Foxheart, Tawnyfeather, Spottedwing, Birchfur, Burntleaf, Stormsong, Swiftfoot and the apprentices."
Fawnfire nodded as the leader continued.
"How has Tigerpaw been doing?"
"Very well." Fawnfire meowed, her eyes brightening. "He did well in the battle yesterday from what I saw and his hunting has improved. He is a bit unhappy that we haven't gotten to train today."
Ashstar purred. "Yes, apprentices can be a bit impatient in that sense. Why don't you get a little training in with him now? Just let the warriors know who is going to the gathering."
"Alright, Ashstar." Fawnfire meowed, dipping her head and backing out of the den. She bumped into Ambertail. "Oh, I'm sorry," she mumbled.
"What?" Ambertail's dull eyes brightened and she looked over at Fawnfire. "Oh, Fawnfire. No, it's fine... I wasn't paying attention." Her mew sounded perturbed and distant. "If you'll excuse me..." She took a pawstep before halting and turning back. "Go on, then." Her eyes glazed over with worry again as she padded into Ashstar's den.
A sudden, unexplainable chill of anxiety ran up Fawnfire's spine, causing her fur to bristle slightly. Before she had a chance to wonder about it, she spotted Foxheart sharing tongues with Leafcloud not far from Ashstar's den.
She quickly let the warriors that were coming to the gathering know, before padding up to the apprentices just returning to camp.
"Adderpaw, Cedarpaw, Tigerpaw," she meowed as she approached. "Ashstar says the three of you are coming to the gathering tonight."
"Really? All of us?" Adderpaw asked excitedly, and Fawnfire nodded with a purr.
"Also, Tigerpaw, we can finally go train now."
"Yes!" Tigerpaw meowed, his pelt fluffing out in excitement. Her whiskers twitched at her apprentice's antics. Fawnfire managed to forget about all the things that had happened that day and the night before while she trained and hunted with her apprentice. Together, the two cats managed to catch a vole, sparrow and two mice despite the cool breeze that foretold a coming leafbare.
They returned to camp just before sunset. Fawnfire dropped her catch in the fresh kill pile before calling Spottedwing over to her. "Will you take the evening patrol?" the ginger deputy asked and the spotted golden warrior nodded.
"Of course." she meowed.
"Great. Take Wolfsong and Sunpelt with you. And be sure to check for ShadowClan scents on our side of the border. The dawn patrol found some stale scents." Spottedwing dipped her head and went to round up her patrol, but before they could leave, Ashstar leapt up onto the high rock and yowled to summon the Clan.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join under the high rock for a Clan meeting."
Fawnfire padded up to sit with the quickly forming group of warriors, her ears pricked in curiosity, not knowing what this meeting was about.
"Cinderclaw," the dark gray leader meowed once her had every cat's attention. "Is it your wish to give up the name of a warrior and join the elder's den?"
"It is." the gray and rust patched tom mewed from where he sat at the base of the high rock.
"Then your Clan honors you for the service you have given us. May StarClan grant you many seasons of rest." Ashstar meowed and the newest elder dipped his head stiffly before padding over to sit beside Lostear, Raggedpelt and Dappletail.
Fawnfire watched surprised. Cinderclaw had fought in the battle yesterday and now he had asked Ashstar to become an elder?
The cats that had gathered slowly dispersed, grabbing fresh kill out of the pile as the evening patrol left. Fawnfire too padded over to the fresh kill pile, pulling out a thrush and starting to go over to where Burntleaf and Stormsong were sitting and eating. Before she could, however, she heard Ashstar's voice call to her.
She turned to see him waving her over to where he sat with Swiftfoot and Foxheart.
She carried her thrush over to them and sat down, slightly hesitantly. She talked with them while she ate, about ShadowClan and the upcoming gathering. Foxheart and Ashstar seemed to not care that Fawnfire didn't have as much experience as they did, but the ginger deputy couldn't help but notice that Swiftfoot seemed to almost ignore her, the tortoiseshell warrior's eyes flashing every time she spoke.
When it was time to leave for the gathering, Ashstar padded to the head of the partially formed patrol, Fawnfire slipping between cats as well to stand at his side as she had seen Nightflame do so many times. She heard a few gossipy mewls behind her, and she flattened her ears to her head in embarassment.
Once all the cats that were coming were gathered, Ashstar flicked his tail and they all streamed out of the gorse tunnel behind him. Fawnfire ran flanking her leader on the right, still not comfortable with the position. She could hear all the cats running behind them, their paws pounding an even rhythm that was whispery on the forest floor.
Ashstar slowed to a stop when he came to the edge of the clearing at FourTrees, his eyes scanning the mass of cats in front of him. Fawnfire noted that WindClan and RiverClan had arrived already, but there wasn't yet a sign of ShadowClan.
After a few long heartbeats, Ashstar bounded down into the clearing, Fawnfire and the rest of the ThunderClan patrol right behind him. The ginger deputy padded up to where she usually sat with Gorsefur, Burntleaf beside her. When they reached the dark brown tabby tom, they stopped, greeting him.
"Hey, Fawnfire, Burntleaf." the WindClan warrior replied. "Hasn't been long."
"No, it hasn't." Fawnfire sighed, shaking her head slightly. "Is everyone alright in WindClan?"
"Yeah, except for Breezepaw and Rabbitfur." Gorsefur mewed, flattening his ears slightly. "Wasn't that ThunderClan cat that was killed, Nightflame, your deputy?"
"Yeah." Burntleaf growled, glaring at a group of ShadowClan cats as they padded past, apparently just having arrived.
"That's horrible." Gorsefur shook his head slowly, before looking past the two ThunderClan cats at the base of the great rock where the deputies usually sat. "Who is the new deputy?"
Fawnfire curled her tail around her paws as Burntleaf purred. "I am." the light ginger she-cat mewed, and she saw Gorsefur's eyes widened.
"Seriously?" he asked and upon seeing her nod he too purred. "That's great, Fawnfire. Congratulations."
"I'm not sure if it's great or not just yet," she admitted, still dipping her head to him in thanks. Featherstar stepped forward to yowl and gain the attention of the mass of cats below the great rock.
Larkstar stepped forward to speak first, her dark brown fur pale in the moonlight. "Prey is running well in WindClan, but we mourn the deaths of Rabbitfur and Breezepaw, who were killed by ShadowClan when they attacked out camp." There were grumbles from RiverClan and WindClan cats before Larkstar continued. "We would also like to thank ThunderClan for their help in the battle."
Fawnfire saw Ashstar dip his head to Larkstar when she turned to look at him before the WindClan leader stepped back and motioned the ThunderClan leader forward. "Prey runs well in ThunderClan territory as well. We mourn for Mistpelt and Nightflame who were both killed by ShadowClan in separate attacks. Fawnfire is ThunderClan's new deputy." The dark gray leader paused and Fawnfire felt the stares of cats from all the Clans burn into her pelt, including Darkstar. A slight murmur rippled across the clan cats before Ashstar continued.
"ThunderClan also has to report that we have found numerous ShadowClan scents on our side of the Thunderpath. This has been going on long enough and we will no longer tolerate it." Ashstar paused to glare at Darkstar.
"Ashstar," Featherstar spoke up, her voice slightly reprimanding, "Perhaps you could have this conversation with Darkstar some other time. This is a peaceful gathering."
"I've tried, Featherstar." the dark gray leader spat, not backing down. "But the last time I went to ShadowClan peacefully with my complaints, he drove me out, keeping the two warriors I had brought with me prisoner and threatening me with their lives."
There were shocked mews from the assembled cats and even Larkstar and Featherstar looked appalled.
"Is this true Darkstar?" Larkstar demanded, but the black and gray tabby tom didn't look troubled.
"If I remember correctly, Ashstar, your warriors arrived home safely."
A loud snarl erupted from Fawnfire's throat without thought, but she heard more of her Clanmates make similar noises and Birchfur spoke up.
"Mistpelt was killed!" the light tabby warrior yowled furiously, and Ashstar allowed a few more outcries of anger before he flicked his tail for silence, turning to Darkstar again. Fawnfire could see his pale blue eyes flashing.
"Darkstar, if any of my patrols scent your warriors on ThunderClan territory again, we will attack without question."
With that, the ThunderClan leader stepped back, stiffly motioning Featherstar forward.
"Looks like now would be a good time to attack ThunderClan anyway." a voice hissed quietly behind Fawnfire.
The ginger deputy spun to glare at the black ShadowClan tom that had spoken.
"With a deputy that's little more than an apprentice and an obviously mouse brained leader it's like territory for the taking," the warrior continued, and Fawnfire felt her ears flatten as the three other warriors he was sitting with purred darkly in agreement.
After a heartbeat, Fawnfire hissed a response, deciding not to let the other warriors see how hard the comment had hit her.
"I bet that's not what you were saying when I sent you running in your own territory."
The warrior only glared in response and Fawnfire snorted before turning her eyes back to the great rock, ignoring Burntleaf's attempts to get her attention.
Featherstar was stepping back, apparently having finished her report, and Darkstar was taking her place. The ShadowClan leader's report was short and Fawnfire rose to her paws once he was done, preparing to say good-bye to Gorsefur. Before she could a group of RiverClan and WindClan warriors padded up, their eyes bright with mirth.
"So Fawnfire, what's it like being the first deputy apprentice?" one RiverClan tom asked and Fawnfire bared her teeth at him.
"I'm not an apprentice." she growled, and one of the WindClan she-cats snorted.
"Might as well be for all the experience you have."
"Leave her alone, Featherwing." Gorsefur meowed stepping up, but Fawnfire turned on him as well, her eyes narrowed.
"I don't need you to defend me." she spat before stalking towards where the ThunderClan patrol was gathering.
She hadn't really meant to snap at her WindClan friend like that, and she knew he was just trying to help, but it seemed that she was now the laughing stock of the whole forest. She didn't need to seem soft, not now. Burntleaf quickly padded up behind her and Fawnfire felt her friend's tail drape across her shoulders.
"Just ignore them Fawnfire." the dark brown warrior mewed, licking her friend's ear as they approached their Clanmates. "Gorsefur says he's sorry."
"He didn't do anything." the ginger deputy sighed, stopping to look at Burntleaf. "I just lost my temper."
Burntleaf purred sympathetically, and Fawnfire looked at her thankfully before bounding up to stand beside Ashstar. The dark gray leader nodded to her before flicking his tail and launching himself forward, back towards camp. Fawnfire ran at his shoulder silently, thinking about what had been said at the gathering. She had missed Featherstar's report so she didn't know what RiverClan had said, and Darkstar's report had given nothing away of his future plans.
It didn't take long to get back to camp and when they arrived, Fawnfire pulled Stormsong aside. "Will you lead the dawn patrol?" she asked and the dark gray warrior dipped his head.
"Sure, who do you want me to take?" Stormsong asked, and Fawnfire faltered a bit before responding.
"Uh, how about Spottedwing, Birchfur and Tigerpaw?"
"Birchfur went this morning, didn't he?" Stormsong asked carefully and Fawnfire flattened her ears.
"Oh, right. Take Duststripe instead."
Stormsong dipped his head and padded into the warrior's den. Just as Fawnfire made to follow, Swiftfoot shouldered by roughly and the ginger deputy stopped, staring after the older tortoiseshell warrior.
"Swiftfoot," she called her back with a slight sigh. She might as well talk to her now, while they were the only ones in the clearing.
"Yes?" Swiftfoot asked coolly, turning to face her with her eyes narrowed.
"Is there something bothering you?" Fawnfire demanded.
"I was the next in line to be deputy." the tortoiseshell she-cat growled. "Not you."
"I didn't ask Ashstar to make me deputy." Fawnfire meowed, shocked. "It's not my fault."
Swiftfoot snorted, turning back to the warriors den. Fawnfire watched her go, eyes wide. She wanted to say something more, but nothing came to her. The camp was completely silent save for the sounds of crickets and wind blowing through the trees. The ginger deputy curled her tail tightly around her paws before tucking them under her.
She could have dealt with other Clans' warriors thinking her unable to be ThunderClan's deputy, but now even her own Clanmates were saying the same. She couldn't help but wonder if they were right.
"Swiftfoot will come around, given time." Ashstar's rumbling voice beside her startled her and she jerked her head up to look at him, eyes wide with surprise, before they dulled and she lowered her gaze again.
"It's not just Swiftfoot. Even the other Clans think I won't make a good deputy." she mewed and Ashstar crouched beside her.
"So prove them wrong." he responded simply. "I wouldn't have named you the deputy if I hadn't believed that you could do it."
Fawnfire looked at him again before rising and shaking out her pelt. "You're right, Ashstar. I really am being mouse brained."
"Not at all." the dark gray leader purred. "If you didn't doubt yourself a little in the beginning, I'd say you were being a bad deputy. Come, I need to speak with you for a moment in my den."
Fawnfire followed her leader behind the curtain of lichen curiously, wondering what was so important that it couldn't be said in the deserted clearing.
"Ambertail doesn't wish for me to tell you this," Ashstar started once they'd sat in his den. "But I'm getting a bit tiered of keeping secrets from you. Ambertail received a prophecy from StarClan a few moons ago. StarClan told her that only fire can light the path that darkness has consumed."
Fawnfire blinked slowly as she took in the words of the prophecy. "What does it mean?" she asked hesitantly a few short heartbeats later.
"What do you think it means?" Ashstar asked.
"The darkness it refers to could mean Darkstar." she meowed carefully and Ashstar nodded.
"That's what we believe. What about the fire?"
Fawnfire felt unease crawl through her pelt. "It's me?" she asked, and Ashstar sighed.
"Ambertail thinks so. So do I."
"So that's why you made me deputy." Fawnfire meowed, disheartened, but Ashstar shook his head.
"Fawnfire, Ambertail told me about the prophecy earlier today. Besides," his eyes glimmered in amusement. "I noticed your strength long ago. Why do you think I gave you the name 'fire' in the first place?" Fawnfire ducked her head as the leader purred before he spoke again. "It's time you got to your nest. Get some rest."
Fawnfire dipped her head and exited the leader's den, padding across the clearing before slipping silently into the warriors den. Her nest was soft and warm and as she curled up to sleep, she thought of the disturbing prophecy. What did StarClan have in store for her destiny? But then another thought came to her mind. Ashstar had said he was getting tiered of keeping secrets from her. Did that mean there was more that he still hadn't told her?
AN: Hope you liked it! The next one will be out shortly and I beg everyone to review!