High Rank Announcement [#hrannouncement]
Bumblestar would have gone with the suffix requested. She would not have questioned the reasoning, and would have carried on, unaware of his plans, and completed the ceremony with the smallest of smiles tossed Crowpaw’s way, had it not been for Redhawk’s sudden announcement. For a split second, all Bumblestar felt was irritation that she had been interrupted. And then the words sunk in, and her thoughts were sent reeling.
He was leaving. He was going to make that oath, take that name, and then leave as if it all meant nothing. He was considering RiverClan. And the worst part was the fact he’d clearly been willing to lie straight to her face about devoting himself to ThunderClan and ThunderClan alone, and then abandon them as soon as he was given his full rank.
Bumblestar’s hackles rose. It was one thing to consider that path with moons of experience under one’s pelt, and the true understanding of what it would mean to leave one’s home for another after having served their Clan. It was entirely another to use one’s Clan for their own personal gain and then leave for the ones who had poisoned, mauled, slaughtered them, and stolen precious landmarks for no reason other than the fact they simply thought they had the right.
Was she irritated with Redhawk for not coming forward with this information prior to this meeting? Yes. But Redhawk also had just had her paw smashed to bits by a magic boulder that formed from thin air, and she had come forward at probably the next best time possible. So Bumblestar would give her a pass this once. And although Crowpaw had not yet confirmed it, at this moment, she was far more inclined to listen to Redhawk than anything that came out of the snake’s mouth.
“How dare you.” Her words, previously light-hearted and even proud, darkened to a venomous snarl as she took a step forward, fangs flashing in the dying evening light. Redhawk was ignored, poor Bluepaw too. The others around her became a blur of crimson as her vision narrowed in on Crowpaw, fury surging through her veins like fire. “You, so clearly prepared to lie to me about the oath you’re about to make, all so you can ditch us the first chance you get for the cats who dedicated moons to making our lives a living hell? To try to name yourself after the warrior you’ve apparently been sneakin’ around with behind everyone’s backs? Are you out of your STARSDAMNED mind?!” The gall. Bluepaw's outburst was not missed, and her anger darkened until it was blacker than the blackest, most starless night. He was just as despicable as they were - oh, he’d fit right in.
“I oughtta gut you like a fish given you seem to feel just like one. If you’d opted to speak to me about this before your ceremony, I might’ve given you the green light ‘n let you go on your way. But since you’re so determined to play the part of the deceiver, I’ll make it real official for you: You are Thrushkit. You are no different than your failed leader of a father in choosin’ to abandon your sister for them after that whole spiel you've just spun her, fillin’ her with hope just to tear it away again as if it’s your claws that’ve been tainted with poison, your claws that gave her those scars! You're worth nothing more than the dirt beneath your paws or the maggots that squirm within it, ‘n as you've made it quite clear to yourself already, ThunderClan is no longer your home. It will never be your home. You’re to turn around, walk yourself outta this camp ‘n straight to their river, ‘n not even consider lookin’ back. If this little excursion of yours fails, I better not see hide nor hair of you across my borders because I’ll send you right into those waters myself ‘n make sure you don't come back out. Get the hell outta my sight before I change my mind ‘n decide it’s a better use of my time to put my claws to your throat instead of allowin’ you to leave with your pelt intact!”
And if any of her Clanmates decided to chase him down once he was beyond the camp’s walls, well, she would have no qualms with that. Thrushkit had so clearly been prepared to deceive the entirety of her Clan for a motive as tainted as their lands had once been. Poison was to be eradicated. She’d leave it as an open invitation for any of her Clanmates, a lash of her tail and a second baring of her teeth making such an offer clear as day for anyone looking on.
[ Crowpaw has been renamed to Thrushkit, demoted to Kit rank and EXILED from ThunderClan. If he doesn’t leave by his next post, he is at risk of being attacked and/or killed. Any onlookers have permission from Bumblestar to chase after him and attack as they please once he leaves. His allegiances thread will be edited to reflect these changes. ]
#tcmeeting
