4 moons later...
"Brokenpaw, I will mentor you. You have gotten into fights in the nursery, so I know you will be a great fighter." Raggedstar said, touching noses with his son- who was now his apprentice. Russetfur felt like shouting at Raggedstar's blatant disregard for the warrior code. Cats don't mentor their kits, no matter if you're leader of the Clan or not. Not to mention that the misguided tom was actually proud of his son for hurting his denmates, and practically encouraged the other kits to follow suit.
The Clan cheered for the apprentices that had been named - Brokenpaw, Dirtpaw, Ratpaw, Gingerpaw, and Sleetpaw. Lizardstripe's kits, Dirtpaw and Ratpaw, had been apprenticed to Wetfoot and Clawface, respectively, while Gingerpaw was apprenticed to Oakfur and Sleetpaw to Rowanclaw. Rowanclaw's previous apprentice, who was now Snaketail, had been made into a warrior several suns earlier. Skypaw, Duskpaw, and Frogpaw had been made warriors the same day; they were now Skyheart, Duskfeather, and Frogclaw. Skyheart even had his own apprentice now; Icepaw. Tallpoppy's kits were apprenticed the day after Duskfeather became a warrior. Cinderpaw was being trained by Poolcloud, Ashpaw by Blackfoot, and, Russetfur was most proud, Tanglepaw was being mentored by Whitewater.
Though the tom couldn't speak, Raggedstar decided he could still train to be a warrior, and if he proved himself, then he would be a warrior. And who better to teach a cat with a disability than Whitewater, having her one eye? Russetfur couldn't deny that she was suspicious of Raggedstar trying to take care of two problems in a single blow - maintaining Whitewater's warrior status without hindering a fully capable apprentice and letting Tanglepaw train without wasting the time of a fully capable mentor - but her sister's kit would prove himself, and Whitewater too.
Lost in thought, Russetfur jerked sharply as she was jostled by some cat going to the freshkill pile. Twitching her tail irritatedly, the dark ginger she-cat saw that it was, naturally, Blackfoot. The warrior narrowed her eyes, and called, "Jerk!" The tom didn't turn, but she knew he heard for the irritated flick of his snow-white ears.
"Russetfur..." Raggedstar's voice chided from behind her. "Don't taunt poor Blackfoot so. He's having enough trouble with you as is."
The she-cat bristled. "What in StarClan do you think you're saying?" she asked hostilely, knowing the answer. Her leader only chuckled.
"Skyheart!" He called to the blue-eyed warrior. "You'll lead the dusk patrol, in place of Lizardfang. Russetfur, Dustpaw, Foxheart, and Nightpelt will be going with you. " The tom nodded, his eyes sparkling at the chance to lead a patrol. "And for StarClan's sake, you lot, if you see Lizardfang while you're out there, tell him to get his furry butt back here. He's been hunting since dawn!"
Russetfur held back a sigh. No matter how hard she tried, Dustpaw still was very reluctant to even speak on friendly terms with her mentor, so it was never exactly a lot of fun to patrol with her. "C'mon, Foxheart." she said to her sister, who had found her way over. " 'We lot' had best get going." she muttered, making fun of Raggedstar's funny little phrases. The bright ginger cat snorted, and they padded over to Skyheart. The young warrior had his chest slightly puffed out with pride, though he had never been as arrogant as Frogclaw, but he still dipped his head when the two senior she-cats came up to him, as if he couldn't help it.
Nightpelt and Dustpaw joined them in a moment, and the five cats set off. Skyheart was in the lead, Foxheart and Dustpaw behind him, and Russetfur and Nightpelt bringing up the rear. "Well hello, former apprentice!" Russetfur said in mock surprise at his being at her side.
"Hello, former mentor!" he replied with equal pretend enthusiasm. "How're things? We haven't spoken much lately."
The ginger cat dipped her head." I miss Archeye. And Greenkit won't leave me alone, but I'm alright. We do need to talk more though. I miss you."
"I miss you too. And Greenkit will be an apprentice eventually and she won't have time to bother you. Besides, I thought Maplekit was the one badgering you yesterday?" Nightpelt inquired.
She let out a sigh. "That was Maplekit. But it's usually Greenkit. I don't understand it really. They're Dawncloud's kits, you'd think they would rather bother Featherstorm or, well, you."
"Does Lilykit bother you as well?" Nightpelt asked, referring to the kit that had stumbled into ShadowClan territory. No cat could figure out where she came from, and the only thing she ever said was her name; Lily. She was too old to nurse, but still a kit. Raggedstar changed her name and took her in.
Russetfur shook her head. "She doesn't really talk. Or play. I don't think she's adjusted from wherever she came from. But she's never tried or even said anything about leaving, either. I wonder if she'll ever really -"
Skyheart cut off the warrior mid-sentence with a cry of despair. Nightpelt and his former mentor's heads snapped up to see what was wrong. The scent of blood reached the ginger warrior's nostrils, and her muscles stiffened. Skyheart ran forward, and Foxheart stumbled forward after him. Finally, the two in the back could see the reason for their fellow warrior's distress. Lizardfang lay several fox-lengths ahead of them, a pool of blood surrounding him.
Russetfur and Nightpelt glanced at each other with wide eyes before running after the younger warrior, leaving Foxheart and Dustpaw to follow. As they neared, the cats saw that deep scratches had ripped through the flesh on his side, but it was the set of clawmarks, deeper than a normal wound, in the old tom's neck that had killed him. The fur on Russetfur's spine lifted. Had WindClan done this? Perhaps in revenge for the death of their previous deputy, killed by ShadowClan so many moons past? The WindClan border wasn't very far; the deputy lay a little ways away from Carrionplace, not four fox-lengths from the border.
Skyheart crouched next to his former mentor, his tail bushy with shock, his eyes shining. The two had been like father and son, even after Skyheart became a warrior. Russetfur came forward and rested her tail on the younger warrior's shoulder comfortingly. "I know this is hard, Skyheart, but you have to get him back to camp. Dustpaw and I will finish the patrol, alright?"
"I'll go with you." Nightpelt volunteered.
Russetfur shook her head. "Help Skyheart." she said.
The said warrior now trembled with anger, his voice dark and furious as he growled slowly, "WindClan." The coldness in his tone sent shivers down her spine; she had no doubt that if a WindClan patrol showed up now, Skyheart would tear them to pieces in a rage of grief for his mentor. The she-cat exchanged a meaningful look with Nightpelt, who started to help Skyheart to lift the fallen deputy.
"Come on, Dustpaw." Russetfur said after a moment, as Skyheart, Nightpelt, and Foxheart left, bearing Lizardfang together. The dark furred apprentice followed silently, her fur standing on end much like Russetfur's. "It'll be okay." Russetfur told her awkwardly, in response to her apprentice being visibly shaken.
Dustpaw shook it off, snapping, "I know that." in her more usual manner. In a softer, wondering tone, she asked, mostly to herself, "Who do you think the next deputy will be?"
"I don't know." Replied the warrior. A small part of Russetfur hoped that it would be her, but she knew it almost definitely wouldn't - there were more experienced, senior warriors to fill the slot. "Featherstorm? Blackfoot? Crowtail?"
Dustpaw dipped her head in agreement. "I was thinking Featherstorm, too. She would make a good leader." After a pause, Dustpaw added, "For a minute there, I thought you might say yourself. I would've clawed your ears off, but I guess you're a more modest cat than I thought."
A small bit of happiness formed in Russetfur's heart, though it faded when she admitted, "I did think it, I'm afraid. But I don't really think it will be me."
"Who wouldn't? StarClan, I even imagined it for a second. Isn't that ridiculous? I'm only an apprentice." Dustpaw kicked a rock, but a sad little smile was still on her muzzle.
Russetfur nudged her apprentice playfully with a shoulder. "You'll be a warrior before you know it." she promised. "And I think you wouldn't do half bad as a deputy even now."
"I could say the same about you." Dustpaw replied mischeviously.
Her mentor snorted. "Because I'm no more qualified than you? Besides, I bet I can still beat you in a fight." She added playfully.
Dustpaw sank into a fighting crouch and was about to pounce when suddenly the fierce grin dropped from her lips. "Why did it take Lizardfang's death to make us friends, Russetfur?" she asked sadly, even worriedly.
"I... I guess something big had to change." she replied slowly. The same question had lingered in the back of her head.
Dustpaw shrugged. "I suppose. But it should stay this way. This mentor thing doesn't work as well when I hate you. " Russetfur smiled, and her apprenticed hastily amended, "I still don't totally forgive you for the Fuzzypelt thing, you know. But we can be civil." Russetfur chuckled at this.
"Yes. Civil. Now Let's get back to camp - nothing looks out of place here." The dark ginger she-cat replied. Dustpaw nodded in reply, and the pair of them padded back to camp. When they were most of the way there, a lizard darted in front of them, and Dustpaw had the good sense to snatch it up and kill it. Russetfur smiled approvingly, but said nothing.
Upon their arrival, Dustpaw dropped the lizard in the fresh-kill pile. Lizardfang had been cleaned up some, and now many cats crouched near him in grief. Greenkit came out of the nursery and sat down at Russetfur's paws, and chirped, "You're gonna be deputy, Russetfur." Dustpaw rolled her eyes and walked off, where Russetfur sat down by the kit.
"Shh, Greenkit, " she whispered admonishingly. "The Clan is grieving for Lizardfang. And no, I don't think I will be deputy, Greenkit. I'm too young."
The kit wrinkled her nose. "Nu-uh. You're plenty old!"
"Thanks." Russetfur muttered. "But there are warriors a lot older than me, okay? Now, I know you probably didn't know Lizardfang, but he was a great warrior and a great deputy. It'll be hard for the Clan to lose him. I am going to share tongues with him. Will you come with me?" she asked. The kit was actually related to him, though only Dawncloud, Russetfur, and a few choice others knew that Lizardfang was the father. Dawncloud had told Russetfur that he didn't want other cats to think he was creeping on younger she-cats, though Dawncloud loved him enough to not care at all.
Greenkit dipped her head, padding behind Russetfur to the crowd of cats surrounding their beloved, slain deputy. Raggedstar, Skyheart, Dawncloud, and Stonetooth were all sharing tongues with the tom already, but the two she-cats squeezed in. "Lizardfang.. I never knew you very well, but you never failed in your duties, and the Clan will miss you. You will be remembered." Russetfur murmured to him. Beside her, Greenkit pushed her tiny nose into his fur.
"I only met you a while ago, but I really liked you. I don't know why, but I feel like crying because you're gone. I hope you find your way to StarClan." Greenkit said, and true to her word, tears were glistening in her eyes. Russetfur licked the top of her head, and the pair of them walked away, letting other cats share tongues with him.
A short time later, Raggedstar summoned the Clan for a meeting. The moon was not at its highest yet, but it was close. Only Skyheart and Dawncloud remained crouched at Lizardfang's body. "ShadowClan. Lizardfang, you were a great deputy. You were my partner in managing you folks, my deputy, and my friend. I will miss you, and all of ShadowClan wishes you easy passage to StarClan. So I say these words before you, in hopes that you hear and approve my choice of ShadowClan's next deputy."
Raggedstar paused, as if wondering if he was doing the right thing. "ShadowClan's next deputy will be Foxheart!"