Cinder

Chapter 22

     Cindercloud sat in a sunny spot enjoying herself. Splashtail sat beside her, with Hawktalon by her. She felt awkward with the tom sitting with them, but he and Splashtail had become good friends.
    "One day, we can all sit and not worry about Mudstar. Ah yes." Splashtail mewed.
   "That'll be the day!" Hawktalon agreed. Cindercloud frowned. The gruff, cold tom was light and happy around the gray she cat. She scowled.
    "Maybe you will be leader then!" Splashtail mewed.
    "Ah no, more like deptuy. Heronwing will be leader." Hawktalon meowed.
   "Oh yes, that will be good huh? But that would mean Falconstar would be in StarClab." Splashtail pointed out.
   "Yes." Hawktalon said sadly. "That would be upsetting to lose him, but no cat lives forever." He meowed. Cindercloud wondered if he knew his father was on his final life.
   "Imagine one day, being Hawkstar. I could see it!" Splashtail mewed.
    "Yes. And you could be my deptuy and be Splashstar one day!" He added.
   "Doubtful. What about you Cindercloud? How does the name Cinderstar sound to you?" Splashtail asked.
   "That will never happen!" Hawktalon snapped. "She's to soft."
    "Huh, I am not soft. I want to shred Mudstar and his cruel warriors just as much as you!" Cindercloud retorted.
    "Oh sure" Hawktalon grumbled.
    "Lighten up! We can all be friends here." Splashtail mewed.
    "Not with Hawktalon. He has always hated me." Cindercloud grumbled.
"Don't throw a pity party." Hawktalon growled. Cindercloud was about to retort when a howl sounded from the entrance to the camp. She sprang to her paws, fur on end. Hawktalon looked angry, while Splashtail looked worried.

Creekpelt and Tigertail made their way slowly into camp. Leaning on both of them was Heronwing. The deputy could not put down his forepaw, and a huge gash tore at his shoulder where deep teeth had torn flesh. Snowfall and Amberpaw burst out of the den, and Falconstar raced toward his deputy, fur spiking.
"What's happened?" He growled as Heronwing lay down, groaning.
"Fox attack." Creekpelt mewed tightly. She had a slash down her flank, but it wasn't deep. Tigertail's back leg had a bite mark. Heronwing experienced the worst of the attack.
Snowfall inspected the deputy carefully.
"He'll live." She mewed. "But his shoulder may be perminatly damaged. I don't know if he will be able to continue his duties." She said sadly.
Morningsun shot out of the warriors den and crouched beside her mate, Shellspot and Bluefang at her heals.
"Father..." Shellspot croaked.
"I'll be okay." He rasped, breaching hard.
"Oh Heronwing." Tigertail looked down, and Nightsong went to stand beside her mate. Falconstar looked down.

"The muscle is badly torn, and the wound goes almost to the bone." Snowfall said sadly. "He will recover, but his front leg and shoulder will be perminatly damaged." She observed.
"But he is our deputy!" Woodclaw exclaimed.
   "What are we gonna do?" Briarthorn fretted. But Falconstar didn't reply.
    "He was supposed to leader after me." He whispered wretchedly before crouching beside his deputy. He followed the medicine cats as they escorted Heronwing into their den. Cindercloud stared after them, saddened.
   "Who do you think will be the best deputy?" Graystep asked.
    "Surly Briarthorn. He's a great warrior!" Ashcloud meowed.
   "No Patchfur! He is a senior warrior!"
   "Thistlewing is a great and loyal cat! He'd be a good deputy!"
    "No Hawktalon!"
    "He's never had an apprentice mouse brain!" Cindercloud's head spun as her clanmates fretted over the next deputy. Their own deputy was injured and that is all they cared about! She sighed and lay her head on her paws. Would she be deputy? Falconstar mentioned she would be a good deputy. But she was too young, and there were other warriors who deserved the deputyship more than her.

Time passed, and soon the sun was starting to set, setting the moor to scarlet. Creekpelt and Cindercloud sat together. Falconstar had not emerged from the den since Heronwing returned. Morningsun and her kits sat outside of the medicine den, looking sad and worried. As the moon started to rise, Falconstar emerged. His fur was ruffled and his eyes sad. Every eye turned to him as he stood to address the clan.
"Snowfall tells me Heronwing's shoulder is badly damaged and will not heal properly. He can still do his warrior duties when he gets better but he will be unable to be deputy further." Sad mews spread through the clan. "I wish this were not the case. Heronwing should have become leader after me. He would have done a great job. But StarClan has a different choice as the next leader, and I believe the cat I choose will do a good job." He looked down.