Cobweb stood at the top of the pipe pile and meowed piercingly, "All cats available, gather here!"
Cats appeared from the pipes and gathered under him. A black cat peeled itself from a shadow which Cobweb had not noticed was occupied. Crow had a very dark pelt, and could disappear when he wanted to.
Cobweb did his best to keep his voice steady and clear as he addressed his comrades. "As we all know, Dreamspeaker, Stick, Thunder, and Leaper have gone to scout out the clan territory. I, being second-in-command, am now filling in her role as leader. Somecat will be doing my duties for next few days. I have spent the night considering and I have decided that Edith will be third-in-command."
"Edith!" cried Red loudly. "The kitty?"
Cobweb glared at the hunter. "You heard me, and you will not question my decision."
"Or what?" sneered the young cat.
Edith, an acorn-colored cat, stepped forward and spoke gently, "I will refrain from the position if it creates controversy."
"It will not," assured Cobweb flatly, sending a pointed gaze to Red. "We will not discriminate against a cat merely because she is a 'kitty.'"
"Oh, no," taunted Red. "But because she is a kitty, she hasn't had to grow up in the real world like us. I challenge this decision- and I have a right to."
Cobweb twitched, but otherwise attempted to stay still. "You have the right to respectfully dispute my word, but you do not have the right to try to undermine my authority without proper cause."
"Proper cause! Have I not just given you my cause?"
"It is not a right one." Cobweb suddenly felt conscious about the other cats listening to the conversation. How were they judging him? Did they think he was weak? Too mean to Red, perhaps? Or maybe they agreed with Red... but many were tired and quiet. Cobweb wished that he was as respected as Dreamspeaker. Just her gaze often shut a cat up who was out of line, though Red had always been a bold one, even to their leader.
He caught Crow's piercing gaze from the corner of his vision. The skinny black cat seemed entertained. Having made eye-contact, Crow spoke up, perhaps feeling obliged. His voice was gravelly and broken, though the cat was not old. "Well it was a challenge: a duel would be a fine way to determine who is right."
"There will be no duel," growled Edith. Then, calmly she meowed, "Cobweb, I am afraid that I cannot accept this position. I would like it, but again, I do not want to cause controversy."
Cobweb dipped his head to her apologetically. "I cannot force you into it. This does leave me with a decision yet to be made."
If Dreamspeaker hadn't brought them along, Thunder and Leaper would have been his higher choices. They often took positions of responsibility, Edith as well. His next choice was Ieyasu, but unfortunately, he too was a kitty. Cobweb scanned the crowd. Many of the rest were younger cats who were too inexperienced, or cats who he simply did not think would fit the role.
His gaze finally landed on Crow. Crow was an odd cat, who even in times of abundant food had never eaten that much. He had always seemed like smart cat to Cobweb. He stayed to the shadows, but he would always appear in front of Cobweb when he was sending out patrols, and so got relegated properly into his duties. Even Thunder and Leaper had shirked a duty or two during Cobweb's time as second. Cobweb seriously considered the strange cat. It would only be for a few days, so perhaps it would be worth it to give him a shot.
"Crow, I would like you to share my duties until Dreamspeaker returns."
The black cat raised a brow, but did not object. He bowed his head to Cobweb.
Before any objections could be raised: "Now all cats, return to your duties. Edith and Splash, lead a hunting patrol each. Fox and Fang, I want you two to scout for dangers anywhere near this location. Crow, I will talk to you."
The cats organized and trickled out of the camp. Crow and Cobweb entered a tube to talk. It was cool inside of the tube, and the air still. Noises echoed.
Crow spoke first: "An interesting choice. I thought you would choose Fox."
"She is young. Sometimes cats trust themselves over someone younger than them, so I decided to avoid that. Besides, she doesn't need the added stress to this journey. I suppose you are up to the task, Crow?"
Crow shrugged. "I had a dream that this would happen. I want to see if it leads somewhere. We will find out if I am up to the task. Now on the subject of dreams, I have been curious about something for some time: Who were the cats that started the Troupe?"
"Why do you ask?"
"I know that when Dreamspeaker joined, it was a small group of elders who told stories. They told wild tales of a powerful clan called Cliffclan. These cats slept in pockets on rock-faces, and descended in the day to fight vicious beasts to prey on. Rats, snakes, lizards, foxes even. They were powerful and elegant cats, and I have to wonder what happened to them."
"Were you there when these elders told their stories?"
"No. They had all died that one spring from a sickness, and their stories were lost to all. A few cats here may have heard the stories. Perhaps they will resurface as they become elders and tell them. Again, this is what I saw and heard in a dream."
"Then how do you know that it is real?"
"I don't, but it is really interesting to think about, isn't it? Do you believe that our ancestors can communicate to us in dreams? I've traveled and heard names like Deadclan and Starclan, even simply The Ancestors. I met a cat in my dream, a light grey cat with an almost shining pelt. He took me to a land of endlessly tall trees, that were gray and lifeless, and no stars could shine through their leaves. The ground was damp, and mist weaved through the grimy trunks. He told me that this was the ideal death. I would not be hungry, and no rules would bind me in the dark forest."
"It doesn't sound like a pleasant place, not how you described it."
"It was not a pleasant place. It smelled of rot and mud and fungus, and I found it curious how clean the cat was compared to his surroundings. He didn't smell of the forest. He smelled of honey and wet grass and oak forest floor... strange tom. He mentioned that I ought to take your place now, but I woke up before he could tell me anything else."
"I'm sure it was nothing more than a dream."
"Perhaps. I do find it most curious. Most curious indeed. I dreamed another dream a long time ago, I was interrupted in a hunting dream by a different cat. This cat is the one who told me about Cliffclan. She was a modest muddy brown, but her pelt also seemed to shine, as if she had adorned herself with stars. She never said anything about a dark forest, and I hadn't at that time thought to ask her about the location that one ended up in at death. I remember these dreams vividly as if they were real, and when I woke up from them I felt tired as if I had not slept at all."
Cobweb had to admit that he felt like Crow was just rambling about something fantastical and not grounded in reality. Still, he took a patient stance. "Well, if you have any more dreams, feel free to tell me. For now, let me remind you of your duties..."