RiverClan Leader's Den

[dino.]

[ @BILL. ]

Goosepaw shifted on his paws, glancing at the ground. How was Lionstar so calm about this? At least I didn't get screamed at or smacked. I get that he has to be tough for his Clan, but... Wasn't he the least bit upset? It was hard to lose cats you had grown to know, to like... to love. He flicked an ear, as if dismissing the thought, then turned to leave.
But he paused, hesitating at the edge of the den. The notion of asking for the position, of trying out to replace Shiverpetal, briefly flickered through his mind. It would make Shimmeringpaw proud, wouldn't it? Maybe reassure her, let her know she had someone she could trust in a position of power to make sure everything went right for her. But according to what he had heard, medicine cats couldn't have kits, couldn't raise families. They were restricted for life to watch as they cat they loved change and grow and pull further and further away.
And you know what? It isn't worth it. Because I have unfinished business... and I have Shimmeringpaw. "Yes, Lionstar," he murmured, "that's all." He departed from the den.

[CheetahPelt]

@BILL.


Otterleg strutted into the den, her golden eyes were hard, irritated...
She gazed around the den, this was a dung-show. She could hear screams coming out of Lionsden all day. Cats being shoved in and out, cats dragging things in and out.

Ugh...
She wasn't up for it today.


But she put on a smile, put on her charms (she knew she had them).

She padded in and looked around. A few apprentices scattering before Lionstar, a fish with some berries smushed on top (greeaatee....) and a few other things.


Otterleg padded close to Lionstar, and grinned at him.

"I've been a warrior for thirteen moons, I've gone from losing my leg to climbing my way back to being a great warrior."


She padded around him and back to his front, lighting her tail across his shoulders with a soft smile.



"And now my clan needs someone to heal these sick cats." Her voice hardened with determination. "Dirtfur needs someone to help heal him. He's sick, and even though he can't take care of himself...." She paused, pursing her lips. "The clan cares for all of their cats."

[tye]

"Darlin'," a soft voice echoed from the entry way as the tortie queen walked in. A few words she'd caught but not all of it. When it comes to Palepaw's sweet and pure self its so hard to tell..the cold, honest truth. But, he's an apprentice now and will have to face many misfortune in the future. It's about time he knows the harsh reality of life. "He's right, Palepaw," she stood behind him, brushing her muzzle against his fur to solace him. "Shiverpetal is gone forever. I guess you can see it as a endless sleep.." Flinching from Lionstar's shouting at other cats she gently shoved Palepaw to stand up properly so they can walk out together. "No time for fear or sadness, now. You're in front of leader here!" her voice elevated in hopes to raise up his spirit. A small smile spread across the feline's maw. "Stand up tall, look 'em dead in the eye and tell Lionstar that he's missin' out, oh well for you! And walk out with pride. C'mon, let's see it."
[ @hxneysuckle ]

[BEAR.]

Lionstar twitched his ears at Otterleg's touch, tempted to tuck himself closer together out of discomfort-- not because of her, but because he could still feel the disgusting sneeze on his pelt.

Ugh.. "One moment, dear.."

Lionstar got to his paws to briefly leave his den, using the snow to wipe the grossness from his pelt before he returned, damper but feeling better. "Your Dirt-friend decided to disobey my orders and spread his sickness about like a slob. Once these auditions are over, I'll be calling a new meeting.. for both a new medicine cat and a deputy." Continued disobedience was not something he'd take lightly, and he wanted Dirtfur's crush to know he failed in his duty. "I cannot have him act out any further. I'm sure you understand, even as his friend."

Lionstar was aware this was an act, an attempt to flatter him to alter his decision-- but he wasn't in a rush to jump to picking her. "I hope you have more of a desire to be in the position than just your tom-friend? You know medicine cats aren't supposed to be in a relationship, Otterleg."

[ @CheetahPelt ]

[CheetahPelt]

Originally Posted by BILL.

Lionstar twitched his ears at Otterleg's touch, tempted to tuck himself closer together out of discomfort-- not because of her, but because he could still feel the disgusting sneeze on his pelt.

Ugh.. "One moment, dear.."

Lionstar got to his paws to briefly leave his den, using the snow to wipe the grossness from his pelt before he returned, damper but feeling better. "Your Dirt-friend decided to disobey my orders and spread his sickness about like a slob. Once these auditions are over, I'll be calling a new meeting.. for both a new medicine cat and a deputy." Continued disobedience was not something he'd take lightly, and he wanted Dirtfur's crush to know he failed in his duty. "I cannot have him act out any further. I'm sure you understand, even as his friend."

Lionstar was aware this was an act, an attempt to flatter him to alter his decision-- but he wasn't in a rush to jump to picking her. "I hope you have more of a desire to be in the position than just your tom-friend? You know medicine cats aren't supposed to be in a relationship, Otterleg."

[ @CheetahPelt ]

She looked at Lionstar with her brow slightly furrowed. She sighed slightly. Of course Dirtfur tried to do more and just got Lionstar angry. “You must think ill of me if you think I don’t know that.” She sat up straighter.

His words hadn’t broken her resolve. But maybe they had opened another option up...

“I know that medicine cats need to be strong of will. To not give into temptation. I also know that you wouldn’t have a cat that wasn’t strong by your side. As deputy, or as medicine cat.” She tilted her head to the side, fluffy ears twitching. “This clan can’t have weak cats heading it. Sick cats or emotionally weak. That’s why I had no doubt we would win the battle between us and Shadowclan. We had you to lead us.” She smiled again at the big golden Tom.

[BEAR.]

"No, I wanted you to be aware of his behavior in case he.." Lionstar glanced outside of his den. "Tries, anything. His behavior has been erratic lately and I don't trust him in the slightest." The more of a wedge in place, the better. "After he decided to expel his disgustingness onto me-- Star Cats knows why, I told him to rest and recover, I lashed out at him to get his sorry hide away from me. He seems to have received a larger wound than I intended.."

His gaze was fully on Otterleg. "To not give into temptation means you'll need to be prepared to be unbiased in everything you do. Dirtfur has a facial injury, the severity I don't know. But would you be able to push your emotions for him aside in the event another Clan-mate is in need of more help? To allow him to be in pain longer because the well-being of another Clan-mate is at stake?

"To risk driving a rift between you, in the event he feels like he should be your priority?"

[ @CheetahPelt ]

[CheetahPelt]

Dirtfur, being erratic?
Lionstar didn’t trust him?
But when she had spoke to him in the warriors den, he didn’t even seem like he could get off the floor.

“Thank you for letting me know, Lionstar.” She dipped her head slightly, not breaking eye contact.

Not letting her emotions cause bias...

Now that wasn’t something Otterleg was the best at.

“Every cat has worth in the clan.” She meowed, furrowing her brow. Her determined gaze didn’t break from Lionstars.

It hadn’t been a very long time since Dirtfur and Otterleg has told each other they liked each other.

This might be more difficult then she thought.

[BEAR.]

Lionstar raised his eyebrow at her, noting the look of surprise on her face. "Have you not heard? Dirtfur accosted Fawnsqueak and I, demanded us both to 'get off our asses and do something for once'-- keeping in mind, both Fawn and I have worked our tails off for this Clan.. and to be disrespected out of the blue? Unheard of. I was willing to forgive him with a warning-- after all, being an asshole for no reason? That's not how you get a Clan to listen to you.

"... but then he decided to put himself on a patrol and take a nap. He abandoned his Clan-mates in favor of sleeping in the territory, and had no excuse for his behavior. He gave me some half-assed apology and scampered off. I had hoped, that'd be the last of his unruliness until I heard about the sick kit he found in the nursery. He apparently relocated her to Shiverpetal's den as I instructed, but left her without supervision-- he didn't even tell Shiverpetal she was there! She left the den to mingle with the other kits, potentially infecting them-- before she escaped camp and we caught her at the ThunderClan border. It was Fawn who took her to ShadowClan for treatment, and while she is on the slow road to recovery.. it seems Dirtfur has only become more careless.

"Mingling with our Clan-mates, spreading his sickness after I told him to rest.. he has become a danger to our Clan, and I need a strong-willed medicine cat to put him in his place and make sure he ceases his intolerable behavior. I need to know this, Otterleg: would you be able to handle causing a rift between you and him, to ensure the security of your Clan as a whole?"

[ @CheetahPelt ]

[CheetahPelt]

Originally Posted by BILL.

Lionstar raised his eyebrow at her, noting the look of surprise on her face. "Have you not heard? Dirtfur accosted Fawnsqueak and I, demanded us both to 'get off our asses and do something for once'-- keeping in mind, both Fawn and I have worked our tails off for this Clan.. and to be disrespected out of the blue? Unheard of. I was willing to forgive him with a warning-- after all, being an asshole for no reason? That's not how you get a Clan to listen to you.

"... but then he decided to put himself on a patrol and take a nap. He abandoned his Clan-mates in favor of sleeping in the territory, and had no excuse for his behavior. He gave me some half-assed apology and scampered off. I had hoped, that'd be the last of his unruliness until I heard about the sick kit he found in the nursery. He apparently relocated her to Shiverpetal's den as I instructed, but left her without supervision-- he didn't even tell Shiverpetal she was there! She left the den to mingle with the other kits, potentially infecting them-- before she escaped camp and we caught her at the ThunderClan border. It was Fawn who took her to ShadowClan for treatment, and while she is on the slow road to recovery.. it seems Dirtfur has only become more careless.

"Mingling with our Clan-mates, spreading his sickness after I told him to rest.. he has become a danger to our Clan, and I need a strong-willed medicine cat to put him in his place and make sure he ceases his intolerable behavior. I need to know this, Otterleg: would you be able to handle causing a rift between you and him, to ensure the security of your Clan as a whole?"

[ @CheetahPelt ]

She froze up.

Dirtfur?

The sweet Tom she had admitted she liked?

She knew he was irresponsible about his own health, wheezing in the warriors den.

But this was different...

He had broken her calm exterior. She squinted up at him, ears lowered. “Dirtfur did all that?” She asked, tone disbelieving. “That’s so reckless and lazy...”

And she did what she did best.

And started to pace, or more, shift from paw to paw to paw.

“I can’t believe he would do things like that.”

But he was sick, couldn’t that have messed up his brain? It was a chest sickness though.

She reverted to what she had been taught even as a kit.

She stopped. Stock still, and her head shot up. Her glimmering gold eyes met his.

“The clan always comes first.”

[BEAR.]

"It is reckless, terribly so.." Lionstar gave Otterleg a sympathetic smile. "I had high expectations for him, but he single-pawedly ruined everything I hoped for. I wish things could have been different.. I thought he was a better tom than he showed me he was.

"Alas, it's best he showed these colors before much time in the position has passed. I am glad.. this was revealed within a couple moons of his position.. and not many moons along.

"I appreciate your honesty, Otterleg. I know it's difficult to put aside your personal feelings, and I would understand if you found yourself ever in a wavering position. I have not made up my mind yet on who will take the position of medicine cat.. and I will leave auditions open for a bit longer, but know that you have had one of the best ones so far.

"I don't need personality traits preached to me. A conversation about intent goes a long way.. and it's nice to know there's a level headed but firm cat out there, prepared to sacrifice a relationship for the greater good."

Lionstar nodded to her, wrapping his tail around his paws as he took a seat near the center of his den. "You are dismissed. It may be in your best interest to see what Dirtfur is up to.. keep an eye on him for me, while I'm dealing with these lame audition attempts?"

[ @CheetahPelt ]