"Gingertuft, do you have one more opening in your patrol?"
The ginger patched warrior's ears perked at the voice, mossy green eyes meeting the bright, leaf-green of ThunderClan's leader. "Of course, Spiderstar!" he exclaimed in surprise, giving a small bow as the slender black tom made long strides as he approached. "In fact, if you would like, you can lead. We were going to the ShadowClan border."
Spiderstar gave a bob of his head, accepting the head of the small patrol now composed of himself, Gingertuft, his apprentice Robinpaw, and new warrior Rainmist.
With a flick of his noticeably long tail, ThunderClan's leader signaled the rest of his patrol for their patrol to begin. With lengthened strides through the thorn barrier, Spiderstar noticed the eagerly bristling pelt of pale brown beside him. Taking a glance next to him, Spiderstar's gaze landed on the small apprentice who walked with a bounce in his step, his slender crown held erect with a sense of pride. The young leader couldn't hold back a purr.
Noticing he was being watched, Robinpaw shrank back a few steps, looking sheepish.
"No need for that, young one," Spiderstar meowed calmly, loosely swishing his tail as a welcoming sign. Lit up with a grin, Robinpaw scampered forwards, keeping pace with the black tom. "Practicing to be leader one day, hmm?"
"Uh-huh," the amber-eyed apprentice squeaked. "Momma said that if I want to be leader some day that I've got to start acting like one. I figured what better way of doing that would be to imitate you. If that's OK," he added quickly, shying back with worried eyes.
"It's fine with me, Robinpaw. In fact, I think it's a great idea to look up to your clanmates. You can learn a lot from them. Leader or not." The patrol continued in silence with Robinpaw smiling as he walked alongside Spiderstar, nothing but the stray dry twig occasionally snapping beneath their carelessly placed paws. The broad leafed ferns brushed along their pelts, whiskers similarly touching protruding foliage. The long legged black tom remained in the lead at the leisurely pace, Robinpaw clinging to his side like a burr and Gingertuft and Rainmist starting a small conversation in the rear.
"We're nearing the border," Robinpaw announced, wrinkling his nose disdainfully at the close scent of their neighbors. "Spiderstar," he meowed aloud, realizing something. "Is the ShadowClan smell supposed to be this strong?"
Ears twitching once, muscles tense, Spiderstar hesitantly sniffed the air around them, his nose agreeing with Robinpaw's statement. The ShadowClan scent was indeed stronger than it should've been. "Gingertuft, Rainmist, front and center!" he called to the back, the two warriors ending their chat and hurrying to the front with curious eyes.
"What is it?" Gingertuft meowed, already nervous by the way Spiderstar stood.
"Keep close and quiet," Spiderstar ordered, not answering the direct question. "Robinpaw, in the back behind Rainmist." When the apprentice opened his mouth to argue, Spiderstar cut him off. "A leader doesn't argue, do as I say. Please." Looking satisfied with Spiderstar's reasoning, Robinpaw shuffled to the back behind the silver dappled she-cat who clung behind the ginger and white tom. Stepping closer through the undergrowth in a slight crouch, the black tom led his clanmates through the foliage, the unnerving scent growing stronger until the point where all four felines could correctly identify the odor.
" -and if I help you overthrow Twigstar, ShadowClan will aid in the destruction of Spiderstar?" The patrol slowed to a halt, the familiar voice ringing in their ears.
"That is correct," a deeper voice answered, the shifting of dirt and leaves sounding as it gave the illusion that the owner of the vocal chords was now standing.
"And what's going on here?" Spiderstar stepped into view, leaf-green gaze scrutinizing the scheming pair huddled on ThunderClan's side of the border. His narrowed gaze surveyed both cats- one with a thick gray pelt and striking amber eyes, the other- a nimble tawny tom with yellow eyes. "Braveswipe, what is the meaning of this? Why is this ShadowClan scum on our territory?"
The leaves behind the furious leader swished, revealing the rest of the patrol as they joined his side.
The tawny tom met his leader's gaze with hostility. "You're too soft Spiderstar," he spat suddenly, Robinpaw recoiling beside Rainmist as he registered the deputy's harsh tone. "You've let RiverClan warriors on our territory because they claimed they were starving."
"That was during leaf-bare," Spiderstar meowed calmly. "I was willing to share with Pikestar and his warriors. With the streams frozen up, RiverClan has a harder time hunting land prey."
"Useless excuses!" Braveswipe snarled. "Wolfrunner and almost the entirety of ShadowClan thinks you've gone soft and aren't fit to lead. If you're out of the way, I can lead ThunderClan to greatness!"
"That means you're betraying not only Spiderstar, but all of ThunderClan!" Gingertuft exclaimed in horror. "You'd turn your backs on those you care about?"
"Of course not, fool!" the furious deputy hissed. "ThunderClan is my life, I'm simply leading it to a better place in reputation. I can't do that with Spiderstar still living.
"And I suppose Wolfrunner is here to make a deal then," the black tom growled, nodding to the thick pelted gray cat.
"It's already been made," the ShadowClan warrior hissed lowly, lurching forward with claws unsheathed.
"No!" a blur of brown hurled itself on front of Spiderstar, taking the lethal blow. Robinpaw flew to the side, landing on his flank with a bloody gash staining his throat. Spiderstar along with the rest of the cats gasped.
"Robinpaw!" Spiderstar yelped, mortified.
"Spiderstar, watch out!" Gingertuft yowled, tackling Braveswipe before the traitor could strike a clean hit against the black tom. They tussled on the ground for a few seconds until Braveswipe fell still, the jaws of Gingertuft clamped firmly around his throat. Pulling back with a bloodied maw, the ginger patched warrior glanced at his leader who was beside the dying apprentice.
"Robinpaw, why would you do that?" he whispered in a scolding tone. "I could've taken that blow easily. I've got a few lives to spare. Why would you endanger yourself like that?"
"It's a leader's job to protect his clanmates," Robinpaw grunted, the pain inflaming his throat causing his to twitch. "I couldn't even stand to watch you lose a life. I stopped Wolfrunner and Gingertuft stopped Braveswipe in order to protect you. You need to lead ThunderClan, not me. I'm meaningless. Just an insignificant apprentice with a foolish dream." With a sigh, he began closing his eyes.
"No, you're most definitely not an insignificant apprentice, nor are your dreams foolish. Open those eyes," he demanded. "You will not die on my watch."
"Too late," Robinpaw forced a grin, releasing his final breath.
Spiderstar remained still for several minutes, unmoving and scarcely breathing. It was only when a few droplets of rain began hitting their pelts did the tom finally speak.
"Come," he meowed, voice hollow as he reached for Robinpaw's limp form, sliding it onto his back. Gingertuft did likewise with Braveswipe, padding over to the melancholy leader.
"Gingertuft," Spiderstar spoke first. "With recent events I'll need a new deputy. I say these words before Robinpaw as he walks among StarClan, will you be ThunderClan's deputy?"
The breath hitched in Gingertuft's throat. He cleared it away with a cough and meowed, "Yes, of course. In honor of Robinpaw, I accept the position of deputy."
Poor Robinpaw. Yet another one-shot that ends with death. Ah well, this was a Clan of Clouds challenge called Bad Deputy. Eve if it was somewhat sad, hope you enjoyed.
Snarky (Ravendusk of Clan of Clouds)