Surprised murmurings overtook the gathered Clan. Many cats looked to Dawnlight to see what he thought of being skipped over for deputy. Dawnlight had served the Clan for many moons, surely, he felt slighted by Midgestar ignoring his service to name Sharpthunder of all cats, one of the youngest warriors, who had mentored only one apprentice-.

Sharpthunder's whirling thoughts halted as Dawnlight padded up to him, purring, and wound around him affectionately. His pale silver fur pressed against Sharpthunder as he mewed his congratulations and well wishes.

Seeing the senior warrior's acceptance, the rest of the Clan relaxed and begun stepping up to Sharpthunder, flicking him with their tails or pressing their muzzles against his pelt briefly. Sharpthunder didn't move, his claws flexing in the sand as he stared at Midgestar, who was still watching him with an amused twinkle in her cobalt blue eyes.

Sharpthunder was aware of his Clanmates murmuring his name, testing it out again like they had done when he was made warrior only a couple of seasons ago. Pride welled up in his chest and he was struck by the urge to say something.

It took a few tries to get his voice to work, and he mewed, "Thank you, Midgestar, thank you, everyone. I promise I'll be a deputy that WillowClan can be proud of."

Midgestar purred and swished her feather-like tail, the white tip bright against the dusky dawn sky. She beckoned him with a flick of her tail.

Sharpthunder peeled away from the group of cats and sidled up to Midgestar, bowing his head reverently for the second time that morning.

"You seem surprised by my choice," Midgestar purred good-naturedly. She sat down and wrapped her tail around her big black paws.

"I am, Midgestar," Sharpthunder confessed. "I did not expect this."

"Which is another reason I am sure this is the right choice," Midgestar explained. "Do not share this with anyone, as I am not even supposed to share this with you. But I received a sign from StarClan on my way home from the Falls. Dawnlight saw it, too. We were leaving the Falls when there was a clap of thunder. There were no storm clouds anywhere. I did not think too much of it, until we heard it again. Then I understood it was a sign from StarClan."

That explained why Dawnlight wasn't upset that he had not become deputy. He had seen the sign, too, and he dared not question StarClan's will!

Sharpthunder nodded slowly. He was still trying to wrap his mind around all of this. His thoughts returned to Flailpaw, and their conversations in his dream. Perhaps Flailpaw was preparing him to become deputy, ensuring that he would serve Midgestar loyally before StarClan sent her the sign?

"Now, there is much to do," Midgestar declared, standing up. "Please send out patrols, and send Twigpaw to gather herbs with Bugstripe. Make sure someone brings Beachfeather something to eat."

Sharpthunder blinked. Beachfeather was dead. He was about to remind Midgestar, when…

"Oh, I guess that won't be necessary, then, will it?" Midgestar mewed as she remembered. A sadness settled upon her face. "So much loss, so quickly. I pray to StarClan it ends there."

Even as Sharpthunder nodded his agreement, he heard coughing from the throng of cats behind him. His blood ran cold as he wondered which of them would be the next to die.

At least Ravenbloom looked better this morning, he thought, and then chided himself. He should hope equally that all his Clanmates are in good health. Especially now that he was deputy, he could not be distracted by his affection for the she-cat.

Midgestar turned and padded into her den, leaving Sharpthunder at the head of the assembled cats. They all slowly stopped their side conversations and turned their attention to him, waiting expectantly. Dawnlight sat near the front, a twinkle of amusement in his two different-colored eyes. One bronze and one ice-blue eye stared up at Sharpthunder, equally imploring.

Sharpthunder flicked a glance to the prey pile, which was dwindling now that most of the cats had a chance to eat this morning. He must send out a late dawn patrol, and a hunting patrol. As his eyes raked over the cats of his Clan, he felt his chest swell with pride.

"Right, Dawnlight, you must be tired from going with Midgestar to the Falls, so you should rest today and lead the evening patrol. Goldenlion, please take Cinnamonholly and Silverhare to patrol the OakClan border, and hunt on your way back. Make sure OakClan has not been straying onto the Highcliffs." Sharpthunder took a deep breath. Any trouble work OakClan was just what WillowClan didn't need right now. "Twigpaw and Bugstripe are going to gather herbs. I will take Ravenbloom and hunt near the HeatherClan border."

Ravenbloom raised her gray-and-black striped tail. "Silverhare is very ill. Rindlebramble has confined him to her den."

Sharpthunder nodded. "Go without him, then, Cinnamonholly. Dawnlight, you can choose who you want to take for the dusk patrol later tonight."

Dawnlight nodded respectfully. Sharpthunder hoped he noticed that he was trying to show him respect by letting him choose his own patrols. Sign from StarClan or not, Sharpthunder did not want to tread on his tail. He did not need to make an enemy out of that silver tabby tom.

"Let's get going immediately," Sharpthunder said as he leapt down from the stones. "The Clan needs fresh kill so everyone is strong enough to fight off the illness."

The cats around him murmured their agreement and dispersed into the designated patrols. Ravenbloom sidled up to him with a purr and Sharpthunder breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe this deputy thing wouldn't be too hard, after all, if he could keep assigning himself and Ravenbloom to patrol and hunt together!

Bugstripe and Twigpaw were the first to leave, bounding out through the root tunnel and off to wherever the herbs that Rindlebramble needed grew. Sharpthunder admired Bugstripe for so diligently helping his mate now that she was so heavy with kits that she could not do as much as she wanted to.

"Are you gonna stand there all day? Let's get hunting!" Ravenbloom said, flicking her tail tip across his face. He purred and bounded after her.

They travelled quickly across the marshland and through the thicket of willow trees that his Clan was known for. The ground hardened underneath their paws and began sloping upwards as they approached the Midlands, a slightly elevated patch of the moor between the beach and the river separating HeatherClan from WillowClan. The grass was tall and the wind often blew downstream, making the Midlands a great place for hunting unsuspecting rabbits.

As the two cats trotted closer to the Uplands, approaching the end of the willow grove, they fanned out and put a few stride-lengths between them. They treaded lightly, dropping their tails and creeping along through the grass. Sharpthunder parted his mouth, inhaling deeply and letting the scents of the moorland wash over him, trying to pinpoint prey scent.

A flash of dark fur caught his attention and he glanced at Ravenbloom, who was zeroed in on something rustling in the grass. Her dark tail tip was the only thing moving, flicking to signal Sharpthunder to go around and flush the rabbit towards her. The wind prevented it from catching her scent, so when it smelled Sharpthunder, it may run right into Ravenbloom's claws.

Sharpthunder did just as instructed. He circled up a little further beyond the rabbit and then, standing a little taller, rustled the grass. The rabbit popped its brown head up, wiry fur wind-tousled. Sharpthunder stepped on a piece of dried bark and as it crunched under his paw, the rabbit took off directly towards Ravenbloom. The rabbit did not even have time to squeal before Ravenbloom was on top of it, killing it with a quick shake of her head.

She placed the rabbit in a thick clump of grass for them to collect on their way back, and the pair continued on.