[lone]

Originally Posted by Empress Of Evil

As the tabby she-cat got closer and closer to the tom, she felt her smile drop for a moment and her look of confidence faltered for a moment. "Yes," Lilypelt clarified once she had reached the tom. The warrior dipped her head in respective greeting as the deputy did the same. She took the moment that her head was down to feel a little bit shocked. Shrikecall knew her name? Hardly any cat knew Lilypelt's name. Well, as she thought about, she realized that there were probably more cats than she thought. She shrugged it off. At least the deputy saved her from having to give out an awkward introduction. Not being one to socialise or talk to new cats much, Lilypelt wasn't very good at introducing herself.

The warrior didn't have much confidence in herself. In the past few moons, she had gained a little bit more confidence, but ever since the departure of Sorrelskip and Gorsefeather, her confidence had sagged down to where it was before. Lilypelt hadn't even tried socializing ever since. The she-cat had changed a lot from the cat she was many moons again.
In the past, she was just a shy cat that searched desperately to make friends. She had succeeded a very few amount of times, finding a nice cat named Pricklewhisker, who to this day was now her best friend. Although seemed to rarely see him these days anyway. The only friends she appeared to have, were tears.

"Oh yes, i'm doing quite fine," Lilypelt replied in a soft voice, and the she-cat did her best to stay strong. The statement just seemed to make her emotionally weaker. "How are you yourself? I'm sure deputy duties must be keeping you busy," Lilypelt remarked, trying not to let any emotions show through. How embarrassing would that be if she just suddenly broke down in front of the deputy? Don't let your emotions get the better of you! Lilypelt scolded herself within her thoughts. The light grey tabby looked down at the ground, watching as the grass swayed to the soft breeze.
For all of this time, four words stayed in her mind no matter how hard she tried to push them back.

No. I'm not fine.

Normally Shrikecall would leave it at that. I'm fine. That's all he needed to hear to go, but her voice seemed to say otherwise. Well, Heathertail has kind of a soft voice....his thoughts seemed to be reminding him. But she was unique, and the only cat he'd met who was able to talk like that without him thinking something was wrong. He trusted her to tell him. Unlike you, his thoughts nagged at him again. He hadn't told her his suspicions that he would probably never get to become leader...and Shrikecall sincerely doubted that he would live too much longer. He was older, after all. Seventy moons of age... he'd seen and heard more, and was still learning. Every time he thought he had seen everything in the Clans, something new would always come.
Sometimes it was just an old thing that he hadn't seen in a while, or something that was constantly amazing him, but most of the time? It was new. Like SkyClan-- Shrikecall had been confused about what to do. He'd never heard of a 'SkyClan.' But they were helping to get rid of Singenight, and so he fought alongside them. Or tried to, at least. It hurt when a clanmate would attack him-- and not physically, but emotionally. Which was surprising, seeing the brown and white tom now. He didn't look that old. He looked strong for his advanced age, which was strange... he felt much weaker then he appeared, which definitely bothered the Deputy.
　
Most of the time he would wonder if he really should be doing this. He'd thought about stepping down multiple times, but decided not to-- it was probably a bad idea. No matter how much he would have liked to, Shrikecall knew his job was to serve his Clan. His place was with his Clan. "Hm? Oh...yes. I've been doing alright, little busy... but I don't mind it." He shrugged, trying to think how to get her to tell him if something was wrong. But he didn't know how. Social skills were something that, although Shrikecall was learning to use the little he had, he didn't have much of. They were awkward and not as refined as he would like them to be, but they were there. That was the important thing...wasn't it? To at least have them for when he might need them? It didn't matter that they wouldn't be considered 'perfect,' they had always been good enough.
For Heathertail, but she's...special? He guessed. "So what brings you out here? Just a walk? Or hunting? Maybe patrolling the territory, on your way to the border?" He suggested. His tone hinted that the last two were more important then the first, but he wasn't one to judge... he'd been out for a walk earlier too. It was nice to do that sometimes in the morning, first thing... and although it was already later in the day, Shrikecall was going on another one. He'd find something useful to do a little later, but for now his eyes were fixed directly on the she cat beside him. Sometimes Shrikecall thought him being Deputy wasn't a good idea.
After all, someone who was a little more friendly might have been ideal. But he did have experience and had lived in WindClan for a long time. Maybe that was what Blazingstar wanted... otherwise he wouldn't be Deputy. And he could get friendlier over time! Might take a miracle, but he could do it. It wasn't impossible for him to be friendly now, after all.