Warriors: The Deadliest Challenge

Chapter Two

The Clan was in turmoil; everyone was yelling over each other, all freaking out.

"Who will be the next leader?!"

"How will the next leader be chosen?!"

"Why, StarClan?!"

Ambertail's thoughts raced. What was the Clan going to do without a leader or a deputy? Ambertail's head started to hurt with all of the yelling around her.

I think I need to go to the medicine den, she thought. Wait...medicine!

"Everyone quiet!" she screamed over the commotion.

The voices died down quickly, and everyone turned to face Ambertail with expectant looks.

"Streamswirl should be in charge of choosing the new leader," Ambertail stated firmly. "She has the strongest connection with StarClan out of all of us, and as a medicine cat, she has more authority than we do as warriors."

"Ambertail is right," Appleblossom meowed over the whispers. "Streamswirl should be in charge until we have a leader."

Fishpatch stepped forward, his grey fur bristling. "It sounds like Ambertail thinks she's in charge now just because Splashfall was her father, why should we have to listen to her?"

Ambertail's tail flicked in annoyance. She didn't think she was in charge, nor did she want to be in charge.

"That's not true!" she defended herself, keeping her fur flat.

"Well what do you think, Streamswirl?" Appleblossom asked the medicine cat.

Ambertail turned to look at Streamswirl; the medicine cat looked very uncomfortable with everyone arguing, and gave Ambertail a pleading look.

"I-I don't know," Streamswirl mewed, looking down at her paws.

"This is ridiculous!" Waterheart growled. "Of course Streamswirl should be in charge for now! You can be our temporary leader until you choose a leader. If that's okay with you, that is."

Ambertail could see the panic flooding Streamswirl's green eyes. She wished she had never said anything. Streamswirl was one of her best friends, and she knew that the medicine cat hated conflict. Ambertail quickly padded over to her, and wrapped her tail around the medicine cat.

"I'm sorry I said anything, it's up to you," she told her friend. Streamswirl hesitated for a moment, before looking out over her Clanmates.

"No," she meowed determinedly. "You're right. I accept this honour and will serve as RiverClan's temporary leader until I choose one."

As soon as the medicine cat had finished speaking, the Clan erupted into shouts again. A couple of warriors declared that they would make great leaders, others saying that the Clan was doomed.

Ambertail could feel the panic of all of RiverClan rising.

"How can we protect our kits if we have no leader?" Sweetmoss called out from the entrance of the nursery.

"We will have a leader!" Streamswirl called over everyone.

The noise stopped instantly and everyone faced the medicine cat, who was standing on the Great Stump, where the leader would stand to make an announcement.

"I promise you all, we will have a leader, you all just need to trust me," Streamswirl growled.

"But the warrior code says that a new deputy must be appointed by moonhigh if the previous one dies!" Pebbletooth called out anxiously, his eyes widened with worry.