Let's see what happens now with our unlucky rabbit.
9. After the death or retirement of the deputy, a new deputy must be chosen at moonhigh.
To say the Clan was worried was an understatement. Rabbitleap watched as the cats whispered amongst themselves. Not only had Mottlefac-star been a bit lost when he left to get his nine lives, but it was almost a full day since he returned and he had still not named a deputy. Everyone was panicking that he was breaking the code and that StarClan will be displeased by his actions. Even Doetail looked a little worried and he knew his mother's faith in StarClan wasn't that strong. As he sighed, his gaze shifting to the nursery. Hazelear had just moved in there, expecting kits. However, no one really talked about a father. All thought it was Wildtail, even Rabbitleap. The two were close enough to be kin without being related by blood.
"You worried, too?" Rabbitleap was startled to see Hawkwing, who had retired to the elders den after an injury refused to heal correctly, standing next to him. After a heartbeat of recollecting himself, Rabbitleap nodded.
"Yeah. It's hard not to be. What if he doesn't chose a deputy? What happens then?" The brown and cream tom wondered.
"Your guess is as good as mine." The tom awkwardly limped away with those words.
In the blink of an eye another day had passed, soon to be followed by another. Both of them covered in thick, endless rain. Mottlestar had still not named his deputy and the Clan was stirring. Rabbitleap could hear them. They would whisper how Hollowstrike would make a better leader, how Mottlestar was not ready to lead. He even heard plans to overthrow Mottlestar. But Rabbitleap never once agreed with them. He knew the role of the leader was a hard one. The Clan needed the leader to solve their problems. He quietly padded to the leader's den. He could still smell a stale tang of Echostar's scent and he slowly realized how much he missed his leader.
"Yes?" Mottlestar's voice snapped him back to reality.
"I wanted to speak with you."
"About what?" The mottled tabby beckoned the warrior in. Rabbitleap obeyed and took a deep breath.
"I think you should choose a deputy today. The Clan talks of overthrowing you."
"I know what they're talking about." His ears flicked back. "I've heard them too. I just... There are too many good cats to choose from and I was hoping StarClan would give me a sign, but they haven't..."
"Then why not choose the cat you think would be better?" He flinched, but Mottlestar didn't seem to notice. The dark brown tabby pondered for a bit before nodded.
"I think I have a good idea on who I want to be my deputy." With that, Rabbitleap left. Wildtail was the one who met up with him outside.
"What was that about?" The messy-furred tom asked, blinking in curiosity.
"I think Mottlestar finally decided his deputy."
"Who?" But Rabbitleap only shrugged. Wildtail seem to get the hint because the tom nodded in understanding before Hazelear called him over. As Rabbitleap looked at his kit-hood friend he felt a pang of grief. It was obvious the two were growing apart. He and Wildtail had different things that mattered. Wildtail had his normal life while Rabbitleap had to lay in fear of what StarClan was going to do next because of how stupid he had been as an apprentice.
But I won't tell him. If we grow apart, that's that. It'll just be another part of your younger moons you'll never get back. Rabbitleap frowned to himself. He didn't like the sound of what he said, but he knew it was true. He looked up towards the clouds where the rain was falling from and started towards the warrior den.
"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather under hazel branch for a Clan meeting." Mottlestar's voice caught his attention. He turned to see the new leader standing proud on the branch were Echostar once stood. Cats gathered quickly, eager to hear what he had to say. "I have finally decided who to name my deputy. My StarClan approve my choice. My deputy will be Nightfoot!"
"Nightfoot! Nightfoot!" The Clan cheered. The weight that the Clan had carried due to its lack of a deputy was lifted as the black tom looked proud, but also embarrassed to get as much praise as he did. Rabbitleap was glad that it was over. Though it was still raining, he knew StarClan was probably relaxing now too now that Mottlestar had finally made his choice. He had no clue when the storm was going to let up, but he hoped it would be soon.
Alliances
ShadowClan
Leader: Mottlestar- a handsome mottled dark brown tabby tom with patches of white
Deputy: Nightfoot- a black tom with amber eyes
Medicine Cat: Brownwhisker- a solid brown tom with amber eyes
Warriors: Willowshade- a gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes
Hollowstrike- a brown tabby with blue eyes
Longfur- a long-furred black she-cat APPRENTICE: Beepaw
Applestorm- a dark ginger she-cat with dark paws.
Doetail- a pale brown she-cat with white paws APPRENTICE: Pinepaw
Kestrelfang- a dark brown tom with black spots APPRENTICE: Amberpaw
Honeylight- golden and white she-cat with green eyes
Wildpelt- messy-furred brown tom with white tail
Rabbitleap- cream and brown tom with stumpy tail
Apprentices:
Amberpaw- ginger she-cat with blue eyes
Beepaw- tortoiseshell tom
Pinepaw- brown and black she-kit
Queens: Dapplefur- a tortoiseshell she-cat. Has Mintkit (gray and ginger she-cat) and Bramblekit (brown tabby she-cat)
Hazelear- light brown she-cat.
Elders: Oddeye- a white tom with one amber eye and one blue
Littleleaf- an unusually small tabby tom. Former medicine cat.
Hawkwing- a large dark brown tabby with black tail-tip
WindClan
Leader: Gorsestar- A light golden tom with amber eyes
Deputy: Blackfang- black tom with one white paw
Medicine Cat: Yew-whisker- a brown tabby she-cat Apprentice: Onepaw
Warriors: Willowheart- gray she-cat Apprentice: Nightpaw
Nettletail- a plan gray she-cat Apprentice: Darkpaw
Stonefang- a gray and silver tom
Dawnfeather- a ashen gray she-cat with amber eyes Apprentice: Jaypaw
Waspwing- golden tabby with blue eyes Apprentice Bumblepaw
Thorntail- brown tabby tom with black stripes
Bumbleflight- gray tabby with green eyes Apprentice: Shimmerpaw
Darkstrike- black tom
Softface-cream she-cat with white ears
Grass-stripe- tabby tom
Stonecloud- gray tom
Apprentices: Nightpaw- black tom
Shimmerpaw- black she-cat with brown patches
Onepaw- small blue-gray she-cat
Queens: Tallflower- black and white she-cat. Had Rushkit (black and white tom) and Podkit (dappled tom)
Skypelt- a white and blue-gray she-cat. Has Ashkit (gray she-cat with blue-gray muzzle.) and Tinykit (pure white tom with yellow eyes)
Darkflower- a black she-cat with yellow eyes and brown tail.
Elders: Owlwing- brown tom
Tallwhisker- long-legged tabby tom
RiverClan
Leader: Ashstar- thin gray she-cat
Deputy: Snowfern- white she-cat with silver paws
Medicine Cat: Lilypetal- pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with white underbelly Apprentice: Tumblepaw
Warriors: Troutsplash- brown tom with white patches Apprentice: Bluepaw
Stormstrike- dark gray tom with icy blue eyes
Otterheart- grayish-brown tom Apprentice: Smokepaw
Carpbelly- shiny, solid brown tom
Fallowpelt- pale brown she-cat
Grayear- silver tom with gray points Apprentice: Wheatpaw
Beechclaw- brown tom
Splashface- pretty ginger and white she-cat
Fernsky- gray she-cat
Mossytail- black she-cat
Whitefern- white she-cat. Apprentice: Cloudpaw
Duckfeather- brown spotted tom
Reednose- tabby tom
Apprentices:
Cloudpaw- white she-cat
Bluepaw- blue-gray she-cat
Wheatpaw- tan she-cat
Tumblepaw- tan tom
Smokepaw-dusty gray tom
Queens:
Hollyberry- tabby she-cat. Has Jumpkit (solid gray tom)
Ryecloud- black and brown she-cat
Elders:
Weedclaw- gray and brown tom
ThunderClan
Leader: Yellowstar- golden she-cat Apprentice: Leafpaw
Deputy: Vinestripe- tabby she-cat Apprentice: Barkpaw
Medicine Cat: Mothtail- light brown tom
Warriors: Heavyleap- large brown tom
Mousenose- dusty brown tom
Eaglestep- a battle-scarred brown tom Apprentice: Swallowpaw
Flameheart- ginger tom with white paws
Quickfoot- gray tabby
Bluewillow- blue-gray she-cat Apprentice: Birdpaw
Brownclaw- brown tabby tom
Dappleflame- white she-cat with black spots Apprentice: Lightpaw
Apprentices: Birdpaw- black she-cat
Barkpaw- brown tom
Leafpaw- tortoiseshell she-cat
Swallowpaw- pale tabby tom
Lightpaw- light brown she-cat
Queens:
Hazelwhisker- white and silver she-cat. Has Breezekit (silver tabby tom), Lightkit (light gray she-cat), and Wrenkit (brown tom)
Elders: Sandpelt- light ginger she-cat
Lionthroat- golden tom with thick fur around throat.