Quote:
Originally Posted by Duskflight
Grousestar had wanted to get up for his morning walk before the dawn patrols went out but it seems that his body had other plans, plans that apparently meant he wasn't getting enough sleep. It was unnatural for him to sleep this long into the day, and when Shinefang padded into his den he was still lightly tossed into slumber. Only at the call of his name did he start awake, sitting up in his nest with a drowsy, nearly exhausted look on his face. It took a moment for his vision to clear and he could fully see who had approached him in his den, a moment of confusion before realization. The leader had gotten around to knowing the name and appearance of just about every cat in the clan aside from some of the newest kits to be born; to see the scarred face of the veteran warrior was hardly a challenge for him to place the name. Dipping his head lightly, he responded the greeting with a small smile, still trying to fight off the rest of the drowsiness that tried to plunge him back into sleep. "Shinefang."
This tom never seemed like the type of cat to simply stop in for a chit-chat, he had something serious on his mind that he wished to discuss with the leader and so the brown tabby readied himself for whatever it was that the older cat decided to throw at him. "And no cat would doubt that Shinefang.." Grousestar tilted his head slightly, trying to see at what the tom was getting at. Was he about to request to move to the elders den? A shame that such a great warrior should be retired, but it was something that the leader was always happy to do because warriors of that caliber, of that age, deserved their rest. But he knew better than to jump to conclusions, he learned that earlier on in his leadership. And just like that, the veteran warrior suggested something that had hardly even crossed his mind. A replacement medicine cat. The idea that Ebonyfrost had stepped down and left the clan without a medicine cat was startling to the leader and he was still trying to come to terms with it considering she had yet to take on an apprentice and so left no cat to take her place.
Eyes widening a bit at the toms proposal to step up and become the clan's medicine cat, the leader straightened up fully. Mind no longer muddled with sleepy thoughts, the leader flickered his emerald gaze to the den floor for a moment. What the warrior had said was true; he might not have been as knowledgeable as a medicine cat trained by one before, but he could very well be their best option now, and with Leaf-Bare coming up so soon, Skyclan really was running out of time to find a new medicine cat.. Slowly his gaze was brought back to the medicine cat before he slowly nodded.
"I appreciate you stepping up to take the position, and I do believe you may very well be the best option at the moment.. The fact that Starclan gave you the courage and even idea to come here and ask leads me to believe that you are a strong choice to take the spot. So yes, Shinefang, you may.
You may start immediately because Skyclan can't stand another day without a medicine cat, there needs to be some cat there to care for the sick and injured and I am hardly qualified." Beginning to smile again, Grousestar gave a sharp nod to the tom, a little weight lifted off his shoulders now that he at least had a willing cat to be Skyclan's medicine cat. |
Shinefang listened, his tail twitching as his leader accepted his proposal. The old tom's shoulder's relaxed at first and a small sigh escaped him, until Grousestar began to talk of Starclan and their role in Shinefang's decision. "Understand, Grousetar, Starclan has nothing to do with my decision here." Shinefang lifted a paw to groom the fur behind his ears, trying to disguise the fact that his fur had bristled with the beginnings of anger at the mention of the foxhearts of Silverpelt. "I'm asking to do this because my clan needs me, and I believe this is the best way for me to serve them now. And if I have your blessing to begin, that is precisely what I'll do. After all, unlike some of these younger cats, I have no problem going without a mate. What shecat would want a grizzled old tom like me anyway?" he meowed, his whiskers twitching with amusement at his own self-deprecating joke. Though the truth was, ever since Slatepelt's death, and losing their kits he'd had no interest in trying to have a family again. His life was Skyclan, and Skyclan was his life.
It was all the old cat needed. He didn't need family, or friends, or Starclan. Starclan had done nothing but taken from him. In the old warrior's mind, taking the medicine cat position was a claw to Starclan's collective faces, a resounding yowl of, 'keep your paws off my clan!' During this time when the cold of leafbare crept closer and a medicine cat was most needed and the clan vulnerable without one, he would defend his clan with herbs instead of claws and teeth. Shinefang had made no secret of his anger toward Starclan after his mate's death and had no doubt it would be on Grousestar's mind. "Before you worry that head of yours over Starclan and I, remember that I'm no fool. I know that speaking with and interpreting signs from Starclan comes with the territory of being a medicine cat. Here's a little bit of wisdom for you: even mousebrains can have good ideas, and even foxhearts can save your pelt. I know that, and I know that when Starclan speaks, as much as I'd like to have their glittering pelts to line my nest, they should be listened to. Any cats with with wisdom that can assist Skyclan should be listened to," Shinefang said, resolution in his gaze. "And as long as you're leader, I promise to share with you all that you need to serve Skyclan as best you can."