Fireclan's New Emotional Leader [1.29.17]

[Sloth]

Aspenstar

Fireclan | Leader

It was too soon, far too soon. Aspenstar climbed the Lookout Rock for the second time in just a few short days. 'Starclan why must you keep testing me.' She thought with scorn, her ears laid back and her tail lashing once or twice before she forced herself to rein in her emotions. Patchstar's sickness had finally taken the she-cat from this world and it was time to announce to the clan Frostsong's leadership. The Emotional Leader's death weighed heavily on Aspenstar's heart and she fought back the sorrow that filled her eyes. Now wasn't the time for her to be emotional, she had a job to do.

Aspenstar sighed and took a deep breath before calling out to her clan, "Cats of Fireclan I have an important announcement to make, I expect all who have ears to open them and hear my words!" Her words echoed in her memory, the same sentence spoken on this perch a few days before. This time her face was stone as she watched her clan gather beneath her. Cinderstar was somewhere near, she was sure; and although she could have left this speech to the new leader this announcement was something she felt she needed to do. She'd worked alongside Patchstar for many moons and was sad the she-cat was now gone, the sorrow mixed with unease and tension.

Frostsong may have been a few moons older than her but with Patchstar gone Aspenstar was now the most experienced leader. The position forced her into a box. It meant she could no longer make mistakes and had to now guide two inexperienced leaders into this new life. 'Get it together. You don't have time for self-pity.' She scolded herself, focusing once more on her current duty.

"It is with a heavy heart that I share with you Patchstar's passing. Her sickness has finally taken her and she now rests with Starclan." Aspenstar took a moment to let the news sink in. They'd known it was coming, the question had only been when. "Her guidance and strength will never be forgotten. In this time of grief we must remember in all endings there are new beginnings." Aspenstar's eyes searched the gathered cats and rested on the bright pelt of a white she-cat, Frostsong standing out among the crowd with ease. "Frostsong is prepared to take Patchstar's place as our Emotional Leader and I look forward to leading with her for moons to come."

Aspenstar paused for a moment, unsure if she should add anything more. She was already questioning her words, her actions; her very tone. She hated it. The she-cat took a deep breath and waited for Frostsong to come forward; deciding to wait and see how the white she-cat would react before adding anything more.

Captain Mal @everyone | 467 words

[Captain]

Frostsong had been keenly aware of her mentor passing. She watched as the sickness grasped Patchstar tighter, and tighter. The former knew what was coming and that her death was only part of it. The soon-to-be Froststar was conflicted about how she felt towards the whole thing. Leadership was now only moments away and she was ready to sink her teeth into it. Yet she would always miss having Patchstar around. The two shared a unique bond and no one else would look at Frostsong with the same mixture of disappointment, guilt, and horror. It was a look she was very fond of.



When Aspenstar gave the call, Frostsong was one of the first to gather. She was near the front of the crowd in a spot where it would be easy to step forward once called. Above her stood the white and orange cat she would be spending a lot of time with. Aspenstar was looking mournful, but she was held together with strength befitting a leader. Cats trickled in to form a nice audience and it wasn’t long before the balanced leader resumed her speech. There was an opening when Aspenstar hesitated at the end and normally Frostsong would have eagerly filled it, but she decided not to. Interrupting could be taken the wrong way. Instead she stepped forward to stand before the crowd, and let her mind savour the words. They tasted bittersweet and had a reminder that Patchstar was gone; however, an ever-present aching let her devour the speech and the attention she was getting with ferocious hunger.



And so Frostsong silently waited for a continuation. She was standing tall with a clean and well groomed pelt that backdropped a sorrowful smile. Even though her expression was modest, her white fur was akin to the colour of the moon. A bright white which casted out all competition

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(OOC: I may have wrote this right before eating)
Tags: Sloth , Mal 

[Maple]

"B lossompaw," Fernheart said softly, "It's almost time for the meeting." She wasn't sure how her new apprentice was feeling, becoming her apprentice at such a hard time for FireClan. To have so many changes in leadership so close to each other... it couldn't be easy on the young cat. Fernheart had only just begun to settle with the idea of herself as FireClan's medicine cat and then this was happening. Patchstar...was it an inevitable or was there something that could have prevented it? Fernheart's steps were heavy as she exited the medicine cat's den following the call of Aspenstar's voice, each step feeling like there was something weighing them down. She had been unable to save Patchstar from her illness and it left Fernheart feeling gutted. Unworthy of her position. Her heart was heavy with grief and with a longing to turn back time to when she was just an apprentice under her mentor's watchful gaze. They were now left with two new and inexperienced leaders alongside an inexperienced medicine cat. How would FireClan cope? Would they be able to cope? Fernheart reached the Lookout Rock and looked up at the most experienced of their leaders, Aspenstar. She commanded a presence and if she was anxious, she did not let it show. Cinderstar had only just been named and now another leader must now be ready to take Patchstar's place. Shaking her head softly, Fernheart looked out at the cats who were now surrounding the Lookout Rock. She wondered just how many here had predicted this meeting today. Patchstar's illness had not been a secret within the clan, far from it. Many saw her death as only a matter of time, Fernheart flinched at the thought that had intruded its way into her mind. Was there anything she could have done to save Patchstar? Would another, more experienced medicine cat been able to achieve what she hadn't? She wanted to let it go but the thought would not leave her. She watched Frostsong, soon to be Froststar, as the short speech was made. The beautiful she-cat looked reserved. Any emotions she had over the passing of her mentor were kept within. Fernheart turned at Aspenstar's paused and wondered if anything more was going to be said. WORDS: 376 TAG:  Demonic

credit to nat of adoxography.

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R osekit was calmly grooming her fur when she heard a voice come from outside the den where she slept safely. She, Wildkit and Lilackit had been playing outside earlier but they had come inside not too long ago to take a quick break. They were hungry after all.  Were meetings called this often normally? She wondered as she jumped to her feet to scramble out of the den. She wanted to be on time of course, all kits who wanted to be apprentices made it to meetings on time. She didn't look back to see if her siblings were following her or not or even if they'd heard their leaders call. "Come on Wildkit! You too Lilackit!" She called out behind her at the last moment, not really wanting either of them to miss out. Rosekit scrambled to a stop as close to the Lookout Rock as she dared. She wanted to get closer but she knew she would just be pushed back by the older warriors. She settle where she was and curled her tail around her paws. Her fur was shining in the sun and she puffed it out to make herself look bigger. Maybe if Aspenstar saw how big she'd grown Rosekit would be made apprentice sooner. She was ready! She watched in awe as Aspenstar gave her speech. She looked amazing up there and Rosekit could only dream of being as beautiful and strong one day. She wanted to be a leader, just like Aspenstar. She had stood before them many times over the last few days and while Rosekit didn't fully understand everything that was being said, she knew that it didn't matter. Aspenstar was demanding respect.  A respect that Rosekit craved. WORDS: 271 TAG: owl @falconflight

credit to nat of adoxography.

[Deleted]

Lilackit eagerly followed her sister until they were in presence of Aspenstar. She gave her shoulder a few quick laps, not wanting to look like a scrap of fur in front of their leaders, especially Froststar, who had just taken Patchstar's place. She wanted the she-cat to be able to look over her clan with pride, and see all of their glossy pelts and powerful muscles. She hadn't known any of the leaders for that long, so she was still in the first impression's phase. She saw how Rosekit puffed up her pelt, enlarging her frame. Lilackit waited for a louder break in the meeting to gently cuff her sister over the ear. "If you think that's going to work," she whispered, "we would all be apprentices already!" Becoming apprentice... The thought sounded distant, like she was trying to hear it through a wall of bracken. She took in another view of her clan. I wonder how I'll be able to assist them! I don't want to be an annoying apprentice who's incapable and just eats precious fresh kill. The kit opened her fragile jaws to propose an idea to her siblings, but quickly shutting it again as the stir in the clan quieted down, and all the attention and respect was on the three powerful leaders. How exciting! They can demand attention just like that! That's a little pushy if you ask me, but that's what a real Fireclan cat is. She glanced between her two siblings.

What will be like by that point?

Maple , Owl

[owl]

"Coming!" Wildkit called, jumping up from his idle game and dashing out after Rosekit. His sister was the first to hear the announcement, as always. She had the best ears, father always said. The ginger tom's fur stuck out every which way, as he had not bothered to groom after the game he and his sisters had played. He bounded over to Rosekit's side with Lilackit trailing behind him. He glanced over at the cream-colored kit to make sure she'd meet them there. I don't want her to be trampled by all these excited cats. Wildkit gazed up at the leaders. Cinderstar, small but proud. Aspenstar, ginger and white but looking tired. She must be sad about Patchstar. He thought, finally looking to the newest leader. Froststar. The pure white she-cat looked unnaturally calm about the whole thing. If I were leader, I would be beaming with happiness! And excitement! And... EVERYTHING! Wildkit thought. "That's going to be us someday." He whispers in Rosekit's ear.

Tags: Maple, @falconflight
Notes: My ambitious little boy

[Demonic]

"Blossompaw, It's almost time for the meeting." Blossompaw looked up from her nest with unease written all over her face. Days. It had only been days since Cinderstar was announced the new strong leader and now another leader was about to be declared. Some part of her was glad she wasn't going to be the centre of attention for this meeting, but that small piece of comfort was nothing compared to the waves of doubt and worry that came crashing over Blossompaw.  Standing up now, the young apprentice hurriedly padded to mentor's side. She offered Fernheart a forced but sincere sympathetic smile. 

StarClan only knows how Fernheart must feel right now. Patchstar... There was nothing anyone could have done. Blossompaw had been made the new MCA when Patchstar's days were severely numbered and even in that short amount of time she had been introduced to the different world, that was the life of a medicine cat, she knew just how hard Fernheart had tried to save her. Yet despite the fact that Blossompaw didn't and couldn't do anything to help, her heart was still heavy with grief and guilt as if could have done something to fight this inevitable outcome. Her feelings and the anguished expression Fernheart wore, only served to make Blossompaw more frightened of the future. How many patients will she lose?  Could she one day be taking care of one of FireClan's leaders? Will she be ready? Right now, Blossompaw felt like she never will. 

Blossompaw followed Fernheart as they made their way out of the Medicine Den, her pawsteps quiet and light. There was an air about them, heavy and sad, Blossompaw wanted nothing more than to touch her tail to Fernheart's and comfort the older molly but she hesitated, felt like she had no right to, what difference could she make? The opportunity to do so passed anyway and the two arrived beneath Lookout Rock. Following her mentor's gaze, Blossompaw timidly looked up at Aspenstar then to... Frostsong? Frostsong was going to be the new leader? Patchstar was Frostsong's mentor, wasn't she? How could I have forgotten... I-I hope she's doing ok.

Something stirred within Blossompaw then, for a moment it overpowered her anxiety and she looked on with curiosity and pride as the beautiful warrior stepped forward. A slight smile played on Blossompaw's lips and she leaned over to Fernheart to gently whisper, "Frostsong was my old mentor before... well before..." Her smile dropped then. Before she had become the Medicine Cat Apprentice. Though a pang of sadness hit her, the feelings of pride she felt, like a parent watching their child receive a certificate, spurred her on. She then whispered, gentle and maternal, "I know you are worried Fernheart for FireClan's future. Many are... B-but we have brave and honourable warriors to lead us... And with Aspenstar here to guide Cinderstar and soon Froststar, I think...-" She turned to meet Fernhearts gaze, her eyes nervous but her smile innocent and sweet. Despite her small size and young appearance the words that escaped her mouth sounded like something an older more life experienced cat would say, "I think FireClan is going to be fine." 

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OOC: Blossompaw is so innocent and naive but she believes! (gosh this is a long post I'm sorry)
Tags: Maple Captain

[Sloth]

Aspenstar

Fireclan | Leader

Aspenstar took in her clan member's reactions silently. She was pleased to see Frostsong seemed to be following her lead. She'd half expected the she-cat to inflate at the opportunity to speak as the clans new leader. Aspenstar immediately felt guilty for thinking such things, after all it was Frostsong who'd been the closest to Patchstar and even if this was a time for celebration it came with an air of sorrow.

Hesitant to say more but feeling the need for closure; Aspenstar pressed on, "I know there have been many changes in our clan and in these times it is all too easy to lose hope. But we are strong." Aspenstar made eye contact with the nearest cats around the Lookout Rock, her brown eyes glinting with determination. "And our strength will guide us through this as it always has."

Aspenstar looked into Frostsong's eyes and gave her a deep nod; respect shinning in her gaze. The she-cat flicked her tail, signalling an end to the meeting and began making her way down the Lookout Rock.

Captain , Maple , @falconflight , owl , Demonic | 180 words