[taillow]

Fawnpaw
As Snowleap concluded that she would be going with him - that he wanted her to come with - Fawnpaw felt a little better. Still, anxiety coursed through her from where she sat next to Beansprout, ear twitching here and there. She didn't dare say out loud that she hadn't the faintest idea where the Starcave was for fear of more of her Clanmates doubting her.

The meeting continued as Snowleap answered a question about Skystar's death. Thinking that StarClan had a paw in his death... it made Fawnpaw freeze up a little. Did StarClan have the power to do that? They had sent Mistypaw back from being dead, so maybe they could also just take lives away like that, too. It was a rather terrifying thought - because Skystar had been nothing but a good leader in her eyes (despite a few missteps here and there), and yet StarClan had reached down to take all of his nine lives from him.

Next Snowleap addressed Lilycreek, and Fawnpaw froze yet again. So a warrior would be coming with them? She tried her best to hide the guilt she felt - why did StarClan have to choose her? She had no experience, no knowledge of the territory aside from the WindClan border and Haven Springs (but only because she had followed Snakeheart's scent there once). She was too young... too anxious... too... too Fawnpaw.

Dejected was a weird emotion, and though she didn't know that's what it was Fawnpaw felt her heart fall into her paws. RiverClan was suppose to have a bright future, and yet StarClan gave an important rank to an apprentice who knew absolutely nothing. She tried hard to keep her whiskers from trembling, attempting to stop the tremor before it started, but it was difficult. Her desire to look on the bright side and see the best in every situation was clouded by the sheer amount of doubt. Not many of her Clanmates had chanted her name, and she knew why: they didn't agree with StarClan's choice. And Fawnpaw was finding that she didn't either.

Locked away within her own little world of despair, she almost missed Snowleap moving on to new shields and the deputy. Blizzardwind. Bluebellcrack. Gingerfrost. Wait, Bluebellcrackle? It was enough to make the young cat lift her head and shove aside her own problems (she could always sit in their dark depths later) and search for the she-cat. She had to congratulate her!

She didn't quite see her yet, but her ears listened as Snowleap also named the new deputy; Slatewhisker. Head turning again to observe the she-cat, Fawnpaw recognized her as one of the cats who had been at Skystar's burial. She seemed like a good choice, and it made the young cat smile. All around her the Clan was chanting the new names of the deputy and shields. Biting back the dark ooze of doubt that threatened to spill out in the form of tears, Fawnpaw added her voice to the mixture. "Mr. Blizzardwind! Ms. Bluebellcrackle! Mr. Gingerfrost!" she chanted, then dipped her head towards Slatewhisker. "Congratulations Ms. Slatewhisker!"

[ @~Fierce~ - For the direct congratulations to Slatewhisker! ]