Post by xvinn on Jun 18, 2024 0:53:58 GMT
sparrowclaw (he/him) | galeclan
There was a weight that existed within GaleClan. It sat on the shoulders of cats who were mourning and searching for answers. It sat on the shoulders of the cats who saw something on the horizon. It sat on the shoulders of the cats who were just waiting for something to break under the weight of all the pressure. Perhaps it shouldn't have been so heavy, but when cats were searching for answers and coming up empty, it was becoming more and more inevitable that eventually, something would give way.
Sparrowclaw was taking on more than he could handle, but the stubborn deputy would never admit it. He was taking on new responsibilities as deputy, but they shouldn't have been such a heavy burden on him. Since the day he'd graduated and gained his warrior name, he was always training in order to keep up his skills - and to add that onto his fellow warriors was barely stretching him. To take on the task of assigning daily patrols wasn't too difficult, especially as the tom was normally up early most days anyways. Truly the hardest thing about that was simply keeping track of who had done what the day prior in order to make sure that cats didn't get bored stuck on hunting patrol for a full quarter-moon straight.
Yet, assisting Wapatostar in his tasks was proving more and more difficult by the day. For it had never once since his leadership ceremony been just a simple assisting in duties, but it had been partially making sure the leader was alive at all. Working with Frozenkingdom to make sure that he ate and drank water by bringing him fresh-kill and water-soaked moss, it made Sparrowclaw sick to his stomach to watch. He knew Wapatostar - and this was not who he was. He would have never accepted the position of deputy under a leader who he thought was weak-willed and frail, unless he harboured some ulterior motive. And even still, there was a pang in the tabby's chest knowing that he could never have an ulterior motive against his leader, no matter who the cat might have been. His loyalty towards GaleClan was unwavering, and to harbour some hidden agenda that might break what his ancestor once created was wrong. End of story.
On top of making sure his leader was alive, and perhaps taking on some of the leader's duties when he couldn't get himself out of his nest, Sparrowclaw spent most nights heading out of camp in order to search for Nutriafang. It had been some time since her disappearance, but something panged the warrior to think that she wasn't still out there somewhere. Wapatostar had sworn that she had just returned to ShoreClan - but it hurt him (something he would never admit) to think she would simply up and leave without telling anyone. Besides, no one at the Gathering reported that ShoreClan had gained a new returning warrior. And why would they hide that? If anything, it was great fodder to rub into the Clan's face if they couldn't keep their own cats in check. So for Sparrowclaw, that was only more reason to believe that Nutriafang was still out there, and while he would get over the idea that she simply did not want to be part of GaleClan anymore, he would never forgive himself if she was out there injured, waiting to be helped and he gave up on her.
These late night search parties meant that he was getting less and less sleep each day. So when that sunrise had arrived and the tom was putting together the daily patrols, he'd originally put himself in charge of dawn patrol before Cavernpelt had stepped up and took the spot instead. It had originally rubbed the deputy poorly, feeling as though the senior warrior felt he could not handle it, but not searching to make a scene in front of his fellow warriors, Sparrowclaw eventually conceded. He did not want the day off, but even Martenfang, his old mentor, had insisted that rest was often necessary.
Sparrowclaw wasn't sure of the last time he'd truly taken a day off.
In all likelihood, it was after he'd been injured in a fox attack. Frozenkingdom had forced the tom into a nest, which had made him restless, but he could only fight back against the medicine cat so much. When Rabbitchirp had also insisted that he take the time off to heal, it finally started to settle in that he needed the rest. Since then, he hated taking days off. Even if he wasn't on patrol, he was busy doing something. Sparring, mentoring, guard duty, anything to keep him sharp and ready. So to be forced into a day off by warriors when he was deputy seemed almost insulting in a way. He didn't need a day off. He needed to keep moving.
If he stopped moving, he might fall.
The deputy had perched himself on a low branch of a tree near the outside of the thicket which created the natural barrier of GaleClan's camp. Despite the insistence of a rest day, Sparrowclaw still took himself to at least take some basic guard duty. It took minimal work to simply keep an eye out over the moors and wait for dawn patrol to return with any news. He knew sitting in the warrior's den would leave him restless, but this was a half-way point that the senior warriors couldn't reprimand him for. He had taken a quick catnap after the dawn patrol set off, but once the sun was finally up, he wasn't going to be able to sleep. He needed to be available. He needed to be ready.
At the sign of cats in the distance making their way towards camp from the direction of OrchidClan - specifically where he'd sent the dawn patrol to - Sparrowclaw lifted his head and stretched out his body, preparing himself to welcome the patrol back and hear of any news.
Sparrowclaw was taking on more than he could handle, but the stubborn deputy would never admit it. He was taking on new responsibilities as deputy, but they shouldn't have been such a heavy burden on him. Since the day he'd graduated and gained his warrior name, he was always training in order to keep up his skills - and to add that onto his fellow warriors was barely stretching him. To take on the task of assigning daily patrols wasn't too difficult, especially as the tom was normally up early most days anyways. Truly the hardest thing about that was simply keeping track of who had done what the day prior in order to make sure that cats didn't get bored stuck on hunting patrol for a full quarter-moon straight.
Yet, assisting Wapatostar in his tasks was proving more and more difficult by the day. For it had never once since his leadership ceremony been just a simple assisting in duties, but it had been partially making sure the leader was alive at all. Working with Frozenkingdom to make sure that he ate and drank water by bringing him fresh-kill and water-soaked moss, it made Sparrowclaw sick to his stomach to watch. He knew Wapatostar - and this was not who he was. He would have never accepted the position of deputy under a leader who he thought was weak-willed and frail, unless he harboured some ulterior motive. And even still, there was a pang in the tabby's chest knowing that he could never have an ulterior motive against his leader, no matter who the cat might have been. His loyalty towards GaleClan was unwavering, and to harbour some hidden agenda that might break what his ancestor once created was wrong. End of story.
On top of making sure his leader was alive, and perhaps taking on some of the leader's duties when he couldn't get himself out of his nest, Sparrowclaw spent most nights heading out of camp in order to search for Nutriafang. It had been some time since her disappearance, but something panged the warrior to think that she wasn't still out there somewhere. Wapatostar had sworn that she had just returned to ShoreClan - but it hurt him (something he would never admit) to think she would simply up and leave without telling anyone. Besides, no one at the Gathering reported that ShoreClan had gained a new returning warrior. And why would they hide that? If anything, it was great fodder to rub into the Clan's face if they couldn't keep their own cats in check. So for Sparrowclaw, that was only more reason to believe that Nutriafang was still out there, and while he would get over the idea that she simply did not want to be part of GaleClan anymore, he would never forgive himself if she was out there injured, waiting to be helped and he gave up on her.
These late night search parties meant that he was getting less and less sleep each day. So when that sunrise had arrived and the tom was putting together the daily patrols, he'd originally put himself in charge of dawn patrol before Cavernpelt had stepped up and took the spot instead. It had originally rubbed the deputy poorly, feeling as though the senior warrior felt he could not handle it, but not searching to make a scene in front of his fellow warriors, Sparrowclaw eventually conceded. He did not want the day off, but even Martenfang, his old mentor, had insisted that rest was often necessary.
Sparrowclaw wasn't sure of the last time he'd truly taken a day off.
In all likelihood, it was after he'd been injured in a fox attack. Frozenkingdom had forced the tom into a nest, which had made him restless, but he could only fight back against the medicine cat so much. When Rabbitchirp had also insisted that he take the time off to heal, it finally started to settle in that he needed the rest. Since then, he hated taking days off. Even if he wasn't on patrol, he was busy doing something. Sparring, mentoring, guard duty, anything to keep him sharp and ready. So to be forced into a day off by warriors when he was deputy seemed almost insulting in a way. He didn't need a day off. He needed to keep moving.
If he stopped moving, he might fall.
The deputy had perched himself on a low branch of a tree near the outside of the thicket which created the natural barrier of GaleClan's camp. Despite the insistence of a rest day, Sparrowclaw still took himself to at least take some basic guard duty. It took minimal work to simply keep an eye out over the moors and wait for dawn patrol to return with any news. He knew sitting in the warrior's den would leave him restless, but this was a half-way point that the senior warriors couldn't reprimand him for. He had taken a quick catnap after the dawn patrol set off, but once the sun was finally up, he wasn't going to be able to sleep. He needed to be available. He needed to be ready.
At the sign of cats in the distance making their way towards camp from the direction of OrchidClan - specifically where he'd sent the dawn patrol to - Sparrowclaw lifted his head and stretched out his body, preparing himself to welcome the patrol back and hear of any news.
moss ● 1000 words
