Decisions Laid Bare

[LupTacco]

Bearstar was sitting on the outreaching stone from where she would soon make another announcement. New warriors and apprentices would certainly help, but the new sickness spreading through the clans was troublesome. So far, symptoms were minor for most, but those that got sick first were rapidly declining, even forcing the former leader and deputy to both step down from duty. And now she was leader, without even having to be deputy. The decision of who to choose as her potential successor had weighed heavily, but ultimately she felt confident in her final choice. 

Well. No sense in delaying the news any further. Hopefully it would be a pleasant surprise without too much upset. "Let all cats old enough to cross the waterfall gather here!" her voice bounced off the walls, ensuring even the most hard of hearing elder would hear her. She sat up straight, curling her tail around her front paws as she waited for the clan to assemble. "Two clan meetings in one day is not a common occurrence, but these are not common times. Left without a standing leader or deputy, quick decisions had to be made, and so quick news must be delivered." She glanced around at the cats, letting her opening statement sink in. 

"The clan suffers from an illness more severe than we have ever faced. Silverfang will do her best, but she cannot rule the clan alone, nor can I. We need the strength and knowledge of three to guide us in hardship. A leader cannot truly act without someone to refine ideas and share the workload with."

"With that, I am glad to announce I have decided who would best help me guide the clan in its greatest time of need since we came to this land." She scanned the crowd, spotting a tabby tom with a pale plume of a tail, and nodded at him. "The new deputy will be Milktail." 

[silverfang218]

The sound of Bearstar's strong voice echoing throughout their cavern home draws Silverfang's attention away from her patients for a moment. The medicine cat had mostly withdrawn to her den since their return from getting Bearstar's nine lives; if she needed things, she either was quick or asked for a warrior or apprentice's assistance. She loathed to leave the sickly cats, though she was beginning to notice a scratchiness to her own throat. That isn't information that she wants to share quite yet.

But the leader's call for a meeting lured the medicine cat to the mouth of her den. The silver she-cat's head peeks out, watching and listening carefully as Bearstar speaks. As she herself is mentioned in Bear's speech, Silver bows her head a bit in recognition, though a spark of doubt hides in her heart. She doesn't... she just doesn't believe that her best is good enough this time. Nothing has been working.... there's just nothing that she can do. But, the she-cat holds her head high as Bear continues to speak. Silverfang will indeed do her best, come what may.

As Milktail is named deputy, Silverfang cheers his name along with the rest of their clanmates. While she doesn't know the new deputy on a personal level, she knows that he is a determined, loyal warrior... even if he is a bit accident prone. The medicine cat smiles, glancing towards the deputy's pale tail then towards Bearstar before turning and vanishing back into her den.