[ti]Private[/ti]He must hold the clan together.

[Miss Tactical]

The large black tom huffed at Eveningstars most recent announcements, he had been retired for quite a few moons now so he wouldn’t DENY the extra company. He tilted his head to the side watching Eveningstars more dark demeanor one event lead to another, Cedarleap called him out saying StarClan would condemn him….perhaps they would, perhaps they wouldn’t StarClan worked in mysterious ways perhaps the prophecy at the gathering was all about this. Right after shadowfalls warning to unite, Eveningstar planned an attack on RootClan, perhaps this was StarClans punishment. Something has happened….that is not the tom I fought with time and time again… With narrowed eyes he walked away without saying much about the toms announcements, instead turned tail to follow his previous apprentice.

”Hey!” He growled tail lashing. ”That is not how I trained you, you do not walk away from your problems you face them like a warrior.” It took awhile for Shadowstorm to catch up to Batstrike, he walked with a severe limp thanks to a bad break from a dog chase many moons ago. He caught up to the black and white warrior eventually, his amber eyes glowing with intent. He wasn’t going to allow Batstrike to show weakness. They weren’t Ivyclan or those fleabags he called RootClan. They were MothClan. They were strong, able, a bit stubborn at times.

”You are acting like a kit and you know it.” He grumbled. He didn’t care if he wasn’t listening to him, he would scold him like he used to when he was an apprentice. Their relationship hadn’t changed. Batstrike would always be his first apprentice. Someone he would always look after. His whiskers twitched slightly as a moment of silence fell between the two, a mouse scurried by and crickets chirped. Before long the black tom sighed he placed a paw on Batstrikes. ”Son look… that is not the same cat who mentored you into the role you were given, something happened tonight. You saw that wound no cat would survive that.” He mewed. He too had seen the dried blood around the black toms throat, the sealed wound looked deep, as if the encounter had been fierce and filled with hatred. Perhaps done with intent, perhaps accidental who knew.

”He lead this patrol knowing that the chances of death were high, that is why he asked you to stay here, not because he doubted you.” He mewed. He had grown up around Eveningstar, fought many battles alongside the tom this was…this was something different. Shadowstorm swiveled his ears trying to gauge batstrikes reaction, but couldn’t see the dark toms eyes. He looked down at the ashy ground, first a fire, and now a darker leader….StarClan was certainly trying to test them now weren’t they?

”This is not the same cat who fights fearlessly, the same cat who came out at the first snow fall to have a snowball fight with the kits and apprentices and warriors, not the same one who coached and guided you because he KNEW you would be leader after him…no something happened and I don’t like it.” The older tom perhaps had a point. He looked to the sky, stars sparkling overhead. ”do not run Batstrike, because StarClan has their path drawn out for you. It will be your duty to hold MothClan together until StarClan gives us the information that we seek…..” He hoped that he was getting through to the tom… this was not the end….it was a test from StarClan…it had to be so.

[Storm]

Batstrike
MothClan | Deputy Demoted Warrior | Tom | 40 Moons | Heterosexual

The black and white toms legs faltered obediently.  Shadowstorm's hiss pierced through the numbness Batstrike felt, he was the only one who could have done it.  He came to a halt, but kept his back turned as his former mentor approached.  Shoulders slumped lazily the tom swallowed with some difficulty.  He's right... I am acting like a kit.  After being put to shame in front of his clan like that though, he didn't know how else to keep it together.  Batstrike's yellow gaze swung around gently, meeting Shadowstorms as pits of swirling turmoil.  He paused for a moment once he faced the tom before sheepishly giving a small nod in acceptance of the remark.  

Batstrike listened, he knew better than not to, but he didn't like the words he was hearing.  He waited for Shadowstorm to finish, but didn't take the time to calculate his words before speaking.  He had too much in his head to organize and sputtered it out as it came to him.  "He's right though, the words he used to speak down on me weren't lies.  I've met him with fear and resistance at every turn.  Anytime he asks me to push the borders I beg him to think of the cats on the other side of the border when he is only thinking of the cats within ours who will be facing difficult times ahead if we don't.  RootClan is a huge threat to us, they've attacked before and they've stolen two of our leaders lives now, but the mouse brain I am thought we could figure this out together."  He cast his gaze down to his paws and shifted his weight uncomfortably as he took a breath.  "I'm sure he still didn't expect to loose a life, clearly he's upset.  Sometimes when were angry the truth pushes up through our filters.  Maybe he's just finally said what he truly feels about me."

That was the worst feeling, to think someone really thought that he was to weak to make the hard decisions for MothClan.  The realization made him pause for a moment, his mind back on the peaceful day the two toms spent up on the green hill overseeing the apprentices training.  "He does care about this clan.  I know it."  He loved the kits and queens, he only knew a prosperous MothClan future.  Eveningstar saw future warriors and queens and their future kits long after he was gone when he looked out on that field.  Where he remembered the warmth on his dark pelt that day instead, his eyes on cats enjoying the best times of their lives, hard and rewarding.  Batstrike loved the present too much, he wouldn't risk the lives of the apprentices and warriors who were willing to defend the clan to the end.  They would suffer later for not preparing before, for not challenging the other clans who he didn't trust but still seemed to always keep in mind.  All in the name of it being MothClans way to be tough and survive.  Eveningstar was right though, why just survive?  That wasn't what was best for the future he saw.  "Eveningstar has just decided it's time to be stronger for his clan in the places I wasn't.  I appreciate the concern, but don't make excuses for me to comfort me when I am the one who failed."  With a hint of venom in his words he shifted away from Shadowstorms paw.  He didn't deserve the kindness.