ThunderClan: Life Before 2020's Fire

[Random Melody]

Originally Posted by Inglewood Binks

Gyrestar sat behind the jutting rock, tilting his head upwards to the rock face that loomed above him like an eclipse. His lungs had a wrenched feeling and his heart drummed, while emotions engulfed him in a storm of bees, swarming the feline with dozens of voices fighting vigorously to be heard over another, to hiss in his ears with honey or with stings.
Get up there!
Don't do it!
It's for your own good.
No, it's for their good! They don't deserve an oblivious, ragtag leader that can never understand their culture.
Get away from the rock! They don't care! They probably don't even know!
No. you must do this, just do it already!
Why did you ever accept deputy in the first place?

You're such a coward.
Gyrestar was on the Highpeak, looking down upon ThunderClan while his body wasn't sure what to do, how to move, how to work. He found himself savouring the moment. To look down on such noble feline and to call them his warriors. For one last time.
"Cats of ThunderClan." The leader meowed, while a grin trained his lips for reasons Gyrestar didn't know.
So you're really doing it.
"This will sound awkward. It may sound cheesy, and maybe I did rehearse some lines when I was alone in a tree. But, I stand in front of you, and thank you. Many moons, I have been blessed with a gift to lead this Clan as deputy, and as leader. For reasons I truly don't know why. And I never have, ever since the very moment a StarClan warrior himself came down in forlorn times just to tell this Clan that I was to become deputy. I've... never known why... So thank you. I am honoured to have been accepted into ThunderClan's culture, though some of you may not know of this. To bring in an uncanny twig-looking cat who doesn't know one bit about your ways of living is one thing, but to accept such to lead you is another. Your trust in me, your loyalty, leaves me... I can't describe it. This Clan has shown me so much, so much unknown that can be so amazing.
"The ageless line of ThunderClan leaders deserves only the best. That is why I think of it as wrong for such an outlandish, oblivious cat such as myself to lead you.
"Cats of ThunderClan, may this sound awkward, and may this sound cheesy. But I stand before you as your leader for the last time. Thank you, for calling me your warrior, your deputy, and your leader." Gyrestar's eyes were closed as his head dipped in a bow, radiating gratitude.

Gyrestar had leaped atop Highpeak, and Gyrewind had leaped off. His lungs and his heart both wrenched, but he had a bitter-sweet feeling.
You know you'll regret that. Coward.
One sting intrigued another, and another. The swarm swallowed his consciousness yet again, honey, sting, honey, sting.

Snowsong watched as her leader made his way onto the Highpeak, a sense of pride overwhelming her as she watched him, smiling. She did wonder what the new announcement was about, and padded forward with pricked ears, ready to listen. As he began, a curious look filled the deputies eyes, and then her ears went back when he continued, realizing what he was getting at.

Gyrestar.. A sharp pain stabbed at her heart as he finished his speech and leaped back down. She was unable to move for a moment, but when she could she quickly padded forward, weaving around the other cats to stand in front of him. Her head tilted softly, and while their was confusion in her eyes, there was also a soft understanding. She dipped her head slightly to him. At the moment, no thoughts that she would be the next leader were in her head at all.

"Gyrestar," She mewed quietly as her head raised again, blinking at the Tom with confusion still in her eyes, but the same warm look she'd always had. She didnt really know what to say, so she said what came to her head. "Thank you for being a great leader."

[zinfranny]

Originally Posted by Dark Melody

Snowsong watched as her leader made his way onto the Highpeak, a sense of pride overwhelming her as she watched him, smiling. She did wonder what the new announcement was about, and padded forward with pricked ears, ready to listen. As he began, a curious look filled the deputies eyes, and then her ears went back when he continued, realizing what he was getting at.

Gyrestar.. A sharp pain stabbed at her heart as he finished his speech and leaped back down. She was unable to move for a moment, but when she could she quickly padded forward, weaving around the other cats to stand in front of him. Her head tilted softly, and while their was confusion in her eyes, there was also a soft understanding. She dipped her head slightly to him. At the moment, no thoughts that she would be the next leader were in her head at all.

"Gyrestar," She mewed quietly as her head raised again, blinking at the Tom with confusion still in her eyes, but the same warm look she'd always had. She didnt really know what to say, so she said what came to her head. "Thank you for being a great leader."

His gaze flicked towards the deputy. He watched her approach, but the tom seemed absent. Like he was listening to something else.
A smile cracked his lips. 'Great leader.' He knew he wasn't hated, but to hear the words physically spoken was something hard to take. Staring at her Siamese face made him think. He never got around to saying something like that to Ashstar when he was his deputy. Did Ashstar ever need reassurance? Was he not a fully-bred ThunderClan leader? They had hardly talked at all. He felt ashamed when he thought that he may have ever neglected his former deputy, yet he knew he never did. What else could make her say such a thing to him?
Gyrewind stepped into her, and although he had to bend down to reach, he wrapped his neck around hers and pressed his cheek into her fur. "Thanks for being a great deputy." He meowed, knowing she couldn't experience what he truly meant or what he was thinking.

[Random Melody]

Originally Posted by Inglewood Binks

His gaze flicked towards the deputy. He watched her approach, but the tom seemed absent. Like he was listening to something else.
A smile cracked his lips. 'Great leader.' He knew he wasn't hated, but to hear the words physically spoken was something hard to take. Staring at her Siamese face made him think. He never got around to saying something like that to Ashstar when he was his deputy. Did Ashstar ever need reassurance? Was he not a fully-bred ThunderClan leader? They had hardly talked at all. He felt ashamed when he thought that he may have ever neglected his former deputy, yet he knew he never did. What else could make her say such a thing to him?
Gyrewind stepped into her, and although he had to bend down to reach, he wrapped his neck around hers and pressed his cheek into her fur. "Thanks for being a great deputy." He meowed, knowing she couldn't experience what he truly meant or what he was thinking.

Snowsong stretched up to press her nose to his shoulder, closing her eyes in content for a moment before she drew back to smile at him. "I did try to be a good deputy....And I learned from the best leader." She said with a smile. "So you're retiring, huh? Going back to being a warrior?" She smiled wistfully. While she would've liked him being leader for much longer, she respected his decision.

And then it suddenly hit her. Her ice blue eyes widened slightly as she realized what this meant. Gyrestar was retiring, and she was deputy, meaning.... Eyes still wide, Snowsong breathed in sharply, so many thoughts running through her head.

Im the leader?

[zinfranny]

Originally Posted by Dark Melody

Snowsong stretched up to press her nose to his shoulder, closing her eyes in content for a moment before she drew back to smile at him. "I did try to be a good deputy....And I learned from the best leader." She said with a smile. "So you're retiring, huh? Going back to being a warrior?" She smiled wistfully. While she would've liked him being leader for much longer, she respected his decision.

And then it suddenly hit her. Her ice blue eyes widened slightly as she realized what this meant. Gyrestar was retiring, and she was deputy, meaning.... Eyes still wide, Snowsong breathed in sharply, so many thoughts running through her head.

Im the leader?

Gyrewind looked away and burned with flattery.
"Well, retiring makes it sound like I'm to old for the job. I like to think of it more as... humbly stepping down." The tom mewed, letting the better of him cover the swarm.
His ear twitched when Snowsong suddenly altered. Facing those two blue moons for eyes would have been a bit daunting, but Gyrewind knew all to well what was running through her head.
"Yeah, that means you're leader." He whispered while his head bent.

[Random Melody]

Originally Posted by Inglewood Binks

Gyrewind looked away and burned with flattery.
"Well, retiring makes it sound like I'm to old for the job. I like to think of it more as... humbly stepping down." The tom mewed, letting the better of him cover the swarm.
His ear twitched when Snowsong suddenly altered. Facing those two blue moons for eyes would have been a bit daunting, but Gyrewind knew all to well what was running through her head.
"Yeah, that means you're leader." He whispered while his head bent.

Snowsong blinked at him, speechless for a long moment. Panic rose inside her, her eyes widening to the size of an owl's. "B-But I dont know anything about being leader!" Her ears swiveled back, flattening against her head. Would she be ready for such a huge responsibility?

Am I ready to lead a Clan? She felt like she had when she'd become deputy, only intensified. Nervous, doubtful, but with the same certainty that she would do her best. Only this time one thought filled her head. What if my best isnt good enough?

[zinfranny]

Originally Posted by Dark Melody

Snowsong blinked at him, speechless for a long moment. Panic rose inside her, her eyes widening to the size of an owl's. "B-But I dont know anything about being leader!" Her ears swiveled back, flattening against her head. Would she be ready for such a huge responsibility?

Am I ready to lead a Clan? She felt like she had when she'd become deputy, only intensified. Nervous, doubtful, but with the same certainty that she would do her best. Only this time one thought filled her head. What if my best isnt good enough?

Gyrewind's head swept back up and he rolled his eyes with a grin.
"Yes you do! You've been deputy, for goodness sake! Not only that, but solely selected from the dozens of worthy warriors. You, my friend, are a special little snowflake." The tom teased, side-gazing Snowsong with one raised brow and flicking her nose with a paw. "In fact, I feel a bit jealous. I was literally told by a dead cat to lead a half-drowned Clan back to prosperity with only myself and my own paws, do not pass go, do not collect a hundred dollars. And I was even younger and more naive! (like that could happen, yes.) You might as well be getting a glittery invitation card and a formal greeting into the gig!"

[Random Melody]

Originally Posted by Inglewood Binks

Gyrewind's head swept back up and he rolled his eyes with a grin.
"Yes you do! You've been deputy, for goodness sake! Not only that, but solely selected from the dozens of worthy warriors. You, my friend, are a special little snowflake." The tom teased, side-gazing Snowsong with one raised brow and flicking her nose with a paw. "In fact, I feel a bit jealous. I was literally told by a dead cat to lead a half-drowned Clan back to prosperity with only myself and my own paws, do not pass go, do not collect a hundred dollars. And I was even younger and more naive! (like that could happen, yes.) You might as well be getting a glittery invitation card and a formal greeting into the gig!"

Snowsong looked surprised, but the surprise faded into amusement, and a grateful look took over her gaze as she giggled slightly. "Im thankful for your faith." She purred, her eyes glimmering as she looked at the Tom, her nose twitching as she grinned. "I guess....I'll do my best. I could never be as good a leader as you, though." She added with a smile, knowing these words were true. Though, she probably wasnt expected to be exactly like Gyrewind. And she was going to make mistakes....But, that was how she would learn, right?

[zinfranny]

Originally Posted by Dark Melody

Snowsong looked surprised, but the surprise faded into amusement, and a grateful look took over her gaze as she giggled slightly. "Im thankful for your faith." She purred, her eyes glimmering as she looked at the Tom, her nose twitching as she grinned. "I guess....I'll do my best. I could never be as good a leader as you, though." She added with a smile, knowing these words were true. Though, she probably wasnt expected to be exactly like Gyrewind. And she was going to make mistakes....But, that was how she would learn, right?

Gyrewind's brow curled, and he looked away while he pushed a cheek with his paw.
"Oh, stop ittt," he meowed, not believing he deserved such praise. Did she really think so?
Great. Just another thing to remind you of how much you shouldn't have stepped down-
Oh hecking- will you stop holy cow
The tom was literally bickering with himself mid conversation, and caught himself almost bobbing his head side to side when he... told himself off. He checked if Snowsong wasn't looking, and at that moment, the perfect opportunity shined its light upon him. The best opportunity, oh goodness, but this cat wasn't his "bestie" or anything. Would she judge him and his... embarrassing humour? At that point, Gyrewind knew he was just trying to downgrade himself and swallowed his discomfort.
The tom leaned far back so his belly brushed the ground and his rear was slightly in the air like a stretch. "What art thou's first commands, oh great leader of ThunderClan?" He declared midst bowing.

[Random Melody]

Originally Posted by Inglewood Binks

Gyrewind's brow curled, and he looked away while he pushed a cheek with his paw.
"Oh, stop ittt," he meowed, not believing he deserved such praise. Did she really think so?
Great. Just another thing to remind you of how much you shouldn't have stepped down-
Oh hecking- will you stop holy cow
The tom was literally bickering with himself mid conversation, and caught himself almost bobbing his head side to side when he... told himself off. He checked if Snowsong wasn't looking, and at that moment, the perfect opportunity shined its light upon him. The best opportunity, oh goodness, but this cat wasn't his "bestie" or anything. Would she judge him and his... embarrassing humour? At that point, Gyrewind knew he was just trying to downgrade himself and swallowed his discomfort.
The tom leaned far back so his belly brushed the ground and his rear was slightly in the air like a stretch. "What art thou's first commands, oh great leader of ThunderClan?" He declared midst bowing.

Snowsong giggled, watching him with amusement and curiosity in her eyes, but she didnt say anything until he did a mock bow. Immediately she snorted, and nudged him, trying to get him to straighten up. "No, no, no, no! Im not leader yet, and none of this 'All hail Snowstar' stuff is happening on my watch!" She declared, laughing slightly as she did. "Especially not from you!"
(Shouuulllddd I start referring to her as Snowstar now o3o)

[zinfranny]

Originally Posted by Dark Melody

Snowsong giggled, watching him with amusement and curiosity in her eyes, but she didnt say anything until he did a mock bow. Immediately she snorted, and nudged him, trying to get him to straighten up. "No, no, no, no! Im not leader yet, and none of this 'All hail Snowstar' stuff is happening on my watch!" She declared, laughing slightly as she did. "Especially not from you!"
(Shouuulllddd I start referring to her as Snowstar now o3o)

When she exclaimed "especially not from you," Gyrewind's heart grew two sizes bigger for a second. But he didn't stop; no harm done in revenge. Revenge for making him feel better about himself and his decisions. Gyrewind hated it when that happened.
"O-oh! I am sorry, Miss! Have I displeased thou? Do not punish me, Miss, please!" The willowy tom cried in a teasing voice, crouching on the ground with fake worry in his eyes.
(nah, after the StarClan ceremony)