RiverClan Leader's Den

[pidgeon]

"Right, uh, sorry." Eagleflight felt silly for asking permission to come in. He was deputy, for StarClan's sake. Or, he was as of this moment. Perhaps not for much longer. He'd never really felt like he settled into the position. He didn't feel like he was capable of ever following in Lionstar's pawsteps. He decided to just get on with it. He took in a deep breath and looked the leader in the eyes.

"Lionstar, I...I don't think I can keep being deputy." The words felt strange in his mouth, even though he hadn't been deputy for very long. "It's just that I, well, I don't feel qualified for this, and I never feel like I'm doing things right, and it's...I don't know. I don't think I can handle the responsibility. I'm so sorry to let you down." His eyes cast down at the floor as he rambled on, aimlessly making excuses for himself.

[BEAR.]

Lionstar's ears twitched at Eagleflight's words. If this was a resignation, Lionstar was expecting.. more? It seemed very lack-luster, not very.. entertaining. And to say he wasn't disappointed would be untrue! He liked this one more than the other.. though he'd agree on the scale of uselessness they were both pretty close. Very little patrols, Eagleflight hadn't been around in some time.. Frostfall straight up died like an idiot.

It was actually kind of tiring. "Alright," he said. "Oh, shush, Eagleflight-- you don't need to apologize." Perhaps this was Lionstar's only mistake: placing Eagleflight in a position he was clearly uncomfortable in. Always uncertain, a lack of motivation.. hardly a cat to keep Frostfall on his toes. At least he got to insult that jerk..

"So you're not deputy material. Who cares!" he twitched his ears as he leaned toward Eagleflight, muzzle twisting into a smile. "I still have some use for you, deputy or not. You'll be a warrior but as long as you're interested, I do have a special task I'd love to delegate to you."

@Casper

[pidgeon]

A special task?

"You...you do? You're not, uh, upset with me or anything?" Eagleflight was so conflicted at the present moment. He'd expected a Frostfall-level lecture from the leader. He thought he'd call him all sorts of names. But no, he was still trusting him. And that was all the warrior could have asked for.

[BEAR.]

"Eagle," he let out a small chuckle. "Look, if you were Frostfall I would totally have ripped you a new one. But you're not him.. and that, I'm glad about." Eagleflight resigning was nothing in Lionstar's grand scheme of things. It was one small obstacle he already knew how to knock over.

"So, what do you say? Are you interested?"

@Casper

[pidgeon]

"Of course!" The russet tom piped up, his tail swishing into the air. He doesn't hate me! He felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He wouldn't have to be ordering cats around, doing things he felt he didn't deserve to be doing. And after deputy comes leader, and that was something he couldn't ever see himself as.

"What's this task? Just say the word and I'll get right on it."

[BEAR.]

"Do you remember when I mentioned that elite.. training exercise I wanted you to manage?" This was more of a opening reminder than a question-- Lionstar already figured it was only a brief familiarity. He had thought Eagleflight could handle anything and everything he threw on him and he recognized that, in fact, he was incorrect with that assumption.

No matter.

"I still would like that to be done. With the frog-faces and the Flint-brains in an alliance, I want to make sure we have warriors-- and perhaps some older apprentices-- ready for anything that's thrown at them. An elite class, hardened by intense training and merciless combat sessions. I know this might sound.. absurd, but the final assessment to pass this I believe should be an actual battle simulation among Clan-mates-- claws unsheathed, teeth ready to sink into each other's flesh.

"These should be cats made to dominate the battle field, and the last thing we need is for them to flinch back in pain. For this, I believe we should start with volunteers at first.. but if no one wants to prove their worth as a powerful combatant, we could look into other options."

Lionstar didn't desire to force this on anyone. It was the last thing he wanted. That's why he preferred volunteers-- cats wanting and willing to be the best of the best in RiverClan. But.. this seemed like a necessity, and he wouldn't let lazy cats stop them.

@Casper

[pidgeon]

Mouse-dung, I was already supposed to be doing that! The memory of Lionstar initially telling him this plan came flooding back. His pelt grew hot with embarrassment from his mistake. It wasn't his fault he had the attention span of a brook trout and the memory of a flea. Either way, it sounded like an intensive idea, but ultimately one that he knew would make the clan even stronger.

"We're already basically untouchable. This will ensure our spot at the top!" His amber eyes lit up, nodding excitedly to his leader. "You're sure you want me to lead all that? I mean...do you trust that I'm capable of such a thing? How would the training differ from any other battle training initially?"

[BEAR.]

"I'd hate to take any chances," Lionstar told him. "We have a Clan and a half out for our blood because they can't handle how great we are, and the other Clan has not only been.. dead, but the cats I have seen are either seeking refuge or cannibals. Things aren't looking up for our enemies in this forest, but that'll make them desperate.

"I know you can do this. You have always been a solid warrior and I can already see you're motivated enough to handle this assignment. I was thinking we could not only hone skills our warriors know know, but adapt new battle moves that will be efficient against the other Clans and be useful in any situation." Lionstar's mind was racing with thoughts. If everyone worked as a team to be trained, it would make everything go smoother instead of forcing one cat to try to learn and teach everyone.

"We can call cats who were previously from the other Clans to volunteer and meet you at the training area. They can be the beginning of the Elites-- they can teach you and others what the other Clans taught them, and we can steal those techniques and if needed, morph them to fit our needs. Imagine RiverClan, taking ShadowClan down with their own fighting abilities. Iceslug would be livid."

@Casper

[pidgeon]

Eagleflight could sense the confidence, the ambition radiating from the clan leader. If they could pull this off, if he could do this, RiverClan would be even more formidable.

"This is a brilliant idea. I promise I won't let you down again, Lionstar," Eagleflight nodded, his feathery tail swishing in the drifted snow. "Even if I'm not your deputy, you can always count on me to stay by your side."

[BEAR.]

"Come," Lionstar was heading out of his den as he brushed his tail at Eagleflight's flank. "If you want, we can do a spar after the Clan meeting to get you warmed up. I know it's been a while since you've seen some action."
@Casper