Wolfsoul was awake the whole night. He couldn't eat, either; he was continuously reliving everything in his past, wondering if he could've changed it. If he hadn't made a deal with rogues, he would still be in ShadowClan, perhaps even with new kits of his own. But now he felt almost like a prisoner, banished from his own birth Clan. Mangy, half-clan foxdung... He inwardly cursed himself as he dug his claws into the ground, his face contorted with anguish and regret. He still didn't even know what his dream meant, but he figured it was unimportant. Now Azureflame was going to become leader and he strongly doubted she'd choose him as deputy after always yelling at him.
Light had already begun to pour through the dens. Wolfsoul sighed as he realized how long he'd stayed up. He shook his pelt and trod out of the den rather unsteadily.
The brown tabby's lithe figure plodded into the clearing, twitching his whiskers as he identified the fresh kill pile. His stomach churned with queasiness as he took in the aroma of prey that used to be enticing. Turning his gaze to the fiery horizon, he tucked his tail around his paws. News of Wavestar's death had broken the day before, but Azureflame hadn't appointed a deputy yet.
Could the dream have been a prophecy? Wolfsoul reminded himself of the shining water cascading down into a pool. What if I need to find the falls? What should I tell Azureflame?
"You're up early." A voice rang around him. Frantically glancing around, he spotted the unusually soft blue eyes of Azureflame, somewhere high above him. An uncomfortable feeling sprang up in him like an ivy twisting on itself, but he did his best not to let it show. "Hi," he managed. As the dark gray she-cat shifted her weight, light sprawled over her frame like a sea of flames. Wolfsoul could see her more clearly as sunlight washed over her, and he noticed that below her was a sturdy tree branch.
"How long have you been up?" He queried curtly as the she-cat gave her ears a twitch. Drawing her small paw over her head, she began to bathe herself. "Not very long," she admitted. "I've been thinking about who to take on the journey to the Moonstone," she murmured, half to herself, "and who to choose for deputy."
Wolfsoul just glanced up at her and shrugged. "Your decision." He rasped monotonously. The tabby averted his gaze to the rising sun that cast a scarlet luster over the sky. The wind blew mystically through his fur, dispersing a colder breeze within him. Letting the wind claim him, he felt his eyes close. A moment's peace filled him with strength as he felt darkness encase his vision, allowing him time and space to think.
A sudden stir in the atmosphere made him flinch. Blinking his eyes open, he saw a leaf sitting on his nose. Giving a small huff, he glared at it as though it would melt under his sharp gaze.
Shaking the leaf off, he glanced around to see an amused Azureflame. Something about that set him off. Wolfsoul managed to suppress an outburst through clenched teeth, settling for an agitated twitch of his whiskers.
As blazing light splashed over the camp, cats began to rouse in their dens. Wolfsoul's ears perked as he listened to Azureflame call a Clan meeting.
The awakening cats gathered below the Highrock. Swiping his tail over his paws, Wolfsoul sank his claws into the ground anxiously as he waited for the overdue ceremony.
"I say these words before StarClan, that the spirits of our ancestors may hear and approve my choice," she mewed loud enough for the Clan to hear. It felt like time had frozen as she lifted her head to stare up at the bright sky, as though it was shedding light over her decision. Wolfsoul found himself surprised to hear this ceremony twice already. His paws tingled with a sensation he hadn't felt before. "Wolfsoul will be the new deputy of RiverClan."
Instead of murmurs of agreement or yowls of defiance, a morbid and dreadful silence hung over the cats like a thick, impenetrable fog. Every cat rigidly stared on in shock at her choice, looking as though they'd seen their Clan fall directly into a trap they couldn't pry themselves out of. Wolfsoul was mystified.
How?
"Why should I be deputy?" He queried, much louder than he intended to.
Suddenly the near black she-cat's eyes softened as her gaze fell upon him, almost affectionately. "You are brave and trustworthy, Wolfsoul. I learned that when you saved me without a second thought, and I apologize for not seeing that before." She commented soothingly. "I know you will be a fine deputy."
Warmth flooded Wolfsoul to the tip of his tail. He even heard a few murmurs of agreement, which greatly comforted him. For the first time in forever, he felt accepted.
"Wolfsoul! Wolfsoul!" A single voice chanted. Glancing around, he noticed it came from a large, long-furred gray tom with extraterrestrial yellow eyes. Wolfsoul spent just enough time in the Clan to know his name: Graydusk.
Suddenly the whole clearing was filled with cheering and yowling. The dark brown tabby felt strangely light on his paws as though he were being lifted up. Pride coursed through him like light filling a dark room. Maybe this really was his home.
