New Leadership

[Magicheart]

Eclipsedstar sat under the Shadowclan pines, gazing up at the moon and the stars. Even though he had been granted 9 lives by his ancestors, he wasn't sure he had their complete approval. Many of the cats that had given him lives had been from long ago, cats he had never heard of while he had grown up. There seemed to be two sides to Shadowclan, one of ambition, greed, and violence, and another, secretive, restrained unless necessary, and mysterious.

Was one just as strong as another? Eclipsedstar had heard more about Shadowclan's dark, power-hungry rulers more than any that had led during more peaceful times. Shadowclan was also known for making accusations at other clans...but was it necessary for Shadowclan to seem so mysterious, defensive, and hostile?

"Who do my clanmates need me to be?" he called softly to the stars.

[shiningheart]

"For now, just their leader." The voice seemed to come from the very shadows themselves, until the gray form of Cinderblaze slid from the darkness. The moon above them was wide enough to turn his fur to silver fire, and his eyes glowed from the light of the sky until he seemed to be from StarClan itself.

This was the cat that was now the deputy. He was full of wisdom beyond his years, and now was the time to show it. "StarClan would not have chosen you if you were not the right cat for the job. Remember in the olden days, when Nightstar didn't receive his nine lives because Tigerstar was the true leader of ShadowClan at the time?

Cinderblaze stepped forward until he was in front of Eclipsedstar. "You have only just begun your leadership and already the Clan is thriving. We have queens, kits, apprentices, and warriors that would lay down their lives to protect their Clan. You still have a while until you need to prove yourself to our Clanmates, and I will be behind you when that time comes. You have my word as a warrior and a ShadowClan cat."

[Magicheart]

Eclipsedstar was startled by the voice of another cat, but he relaxed when he recognized the voice of his deputy. Deep down, Cinderblaze was the most difficult cat to prove himself to, especially because he knew that his deputy would be a more adequate and experienced leader than himself.

Eclipsedstar was equally comforted and disturbed by Cinderblaze's comment about Starclan. Yes, but Tigerstar was a monster, a blight that Shadowclan has been ashamed of for countless moons. Was he worth the restoration of power? Why would Starclan choose such a cat? Eclipsedstar shook his head to clear it, his long, mane-like fur cascading down his large, muscular frame.

Eclipsedstar felt strengthened by his deputy's pledge of support, which he knew to be critical to his leadership. "Cinderblaze...I just don't feel the hostility towards the other clans as much as some of our clanmates. I feel that I have to put on a front at gatherings. I am torn between how I feel I should lead and how my clanmates feel I should lead." He confessed openly.