Chapter 1 - Deputy

“Redknuckle, look out!” Sonicstar called as a huge claw belonging to a tabby cat threatened to rake across Redknuckle’s left ear. He quickly jumped away and scored the tabby across the flank who shrieked in pain and quickly skirted out of the mud tunnel.
“Thanks Sonicstar, but I would have noticed myself.” Redknuckle snorted as he quickly lunged himself at a ginger she-cat who was attacking Longtooth. Sonicstar shook his head, Redknuckle was too headstrong for his own good. Suddenly, a silver tom leapt onto Sonicstar’s back, raking his claws across his thighs and ripping chunks of fur from Sonicstar’s neck with his teeth. Sonicstar fell flat on his back, crushing the silver cat underneath him who struggled for breath. Sonicstar tore a clump of fur from the cat’s pelt before he hissed and ran out of the dirt tunnel where the tabby had fled.
“Retreat!” A large calico tom shouted at his warriors before they all sped out of the dirt tunnel, hissing at SonicClan warriors as they passed. The calico went out last and gave Sonicstar a menacing glance before bolting out of the SonicClan camp. Sonicstar panted as he rasped his tongue over his bleeding shoulder. Peaceheart, the medicine cat was rushing around with her apprentice, checking the rest of the warriors for wounds. Sonicstar’s eyes turned to shock when he noticed his mate, Pinkrose burying her nose into the pelt of a dark silver tom. Many other Warriors were gathered around the jutted bundle sprawled across the ground, dirt matted in with his almost always smooth fur and blood sprawling from a number of open wounds.
“What’s happened?” Sonicstar gasped as he limped over to the scene. Pinkrose was too distraught to talk and all that came out were distressed whimpers.
“It’s Metalbird, he’s been killed!” Longtooth gasped. Sonicstar bowed his head.
“He was a loyal Warrior. May StarClan guide you Metalbird.” Sonicstar chanted to the body of Metalbird as Pinkrose buried her face deeper into his matted fur. Pinkrose had been a very close friend of Metalbird’s and Sonicstar felt sadness for her loss as well as his own. “Jethawk, Invisiblepelt, bring Metalbird’s body to the centre of the camp and we shall sit vigil for him.” Sonicstar ordered. The two cats lifted Metalbird’s body up and carried it over to the centre of the camp and placed it on the ground. Most cats went off to help clean up the camp but those closest to Metalbird lay beside him to sit vigil. Sonicstar sat down next to Pinkrose and nuzzled his mates cheek in comfort and after placed his head on Metalbird’s back. He sat vigil with Pinkrose and a few other Warriors until sundown.


“Again Sonicstar?” A voice called out. Sonicstar whipped around to see a purple she-cat sitting in front of him, her head cocked to one side and a some-what angry expression spread across her face.
“What do you mean Blazeflame?” Sonicstar asked curiously although he half knew what to expect the answer to be.
“Sonicstar, that’s the second time this moon that our camp has been attacked by an enemy clan and this time we even lost a Warrior.” Blazeflame pointed out. Sonicstar pressed his ears against his head in sadness at the rough tone Blazeflame was using. His former deputy, Twotail had been taken hostage by BloodClan along with his mate, Greenleaf and they hadn’t been seen for three moons now. Blazeflame’s eyes showed sorrow and compassion for her leader as she walked up to him and pressed her muzzle to his flank. “I’m sorry Sonicstar, I know how much you miss Twotail but until his return, you need to name a new deputy or else we will be seen as weak and these attacks will keep happening.” Blazeflame explained half-heartedly. Sonicstar knew that she believed both Twotail and Greenleaf were dead by now, even he had started to lose faith that they would someday return. He slowly stared at his paws as thoughts flooded his head. He knew that Blazeflame was right. He needed to choose a new deputy by sundown but the only question was, who?
“I understand Blazeflame, I shall choose one by sundown.” Sonicstar said as he chocked on his own words. Blazeflame rubbed her head against Sonicstar’s cheek.
“I know you’ll make a great choice.” She smiled before walking off to join her mate, Silverfur in the Warriors den. Sonicstar pressed his ears against his head once again in sadness. How was he to choose a new deputy when he felt so strongly that Twotail would return? But he had to do what was best for the Clan.

He peered around the camp to see all of the Warriors working hard to clean up the camp. Who would make the right deputy? Sonicstar raked his mind, begging to StarClan for the answer but he got nothing. He sighed, maybe he should talk it over with Peaceheart to see what she though. He scanned the camp for Peaceheart and spotted her tending to a cut on Lionmane’s thigh. He waited for her to finish and then walked over to her.
“Peaceheart, a word if you please.” Sonicstar whispered to the Medicine Cat. She looked at him and blinked before nodding and leading him into her den.
“What seems to be on your mind Sonicstar?” Peaceheart asked curiously whilst licking a paw and twining her whiskers gently.
“Blazeflame has opened my eyes to the fact that we need a new deputy but I’m not sure who to choose.” Sonicstar started. “Do you have any ideas?” Peaceheart closed her eyes and thought but as she opened them, she only smiled.
“Sonicstar, it’s your choice, only you can choose a deputy, I’m but a medicine cat, not a leader!” Peaceheart almost giggled at Sonicstar’s request. He flushed hot under his fur and realized that she was right. He nodded in acceptance and thanked her before wandering out of the den.

He was lucky to have such a loyal Clan, not a single warrior had betrayed him. Yet…He shook the thought out of his head, no way would SonicClan fall from betrayal! His warriors were brave and loyal and there was nothing bad about a single one! Metalbird had died in honor of his Clan because he was loyal, just like all of his other warriors would! But he pushed that to the back of his mind, the most important thing now was finding a deputy. What about his brother, Greenspike? Surely he’d be loyal to him and he was a great Warrior as well. He kept the thought in his mind as he strolled into the clearing and weaved in between the Warriors. He spotted Redknuckle yelling at everyone, telling them what to do.

Redknuckle could make a good deputy but then Sonicstar changed his mind. He was far too gullible and headstrong and always resulted in fighting if he believed that he was right. What good would a deputy be that only wanted to fight? And even worse, a leader? Sonicstar shook his head, he remembered when crowfood was left in SonicClan that wreaked of WindClan. Redknuckle had instantly accused WindClan of doing it but Sonicstar had forbidden him from attacking WindClan before they had answers. Redknuckle had taken no notice and had gathered together some Warriors that also thought that it was WindClan and had rushed off to attack their camp. When Sonicstar found out, he rushed over to the battlefield where he stopped his Warriors and spoken to Onestar to find out what had happened. Onestar had told him that Twolegs had found crowfood on WindClan’s territory when they were eating Twoleg food on the moors and to prevent their kits from picking it up, they had taken it into SonicClan’s territory and left it there. Redknuckle was completely ashamed and was punished to searching the elders for ticks for a moon. Quite frankly, he wasn’t happy at all.

Sonicstar laughed at the thought but kept on walking across the camp. He spotted Blazeflame helping the apprentices move a fallen thorn bush from the camp entrance. Her muscular body rippled in the sunlight as she heaved the bush away from the entrance, new hope shining in her eyes as she smiled and helped the apprentices pick thorns from their paws. Sonicstar’s eyes lit up. Blazeflame! She would make a perfect deputy. She was young, strong and a born leader. Sonicstar nodded in congratulation to himself. He would name Blazeflame the new deputy at sundown.

“Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, join here at Pride Rock for a Clan meeting!” Sonicstar bellowed across the camp as his busy Warriors looked towards him, some flicked their ears in confusion whilst others instantly bounded over to Pride Rock. A sea of eyes glared at Sonicstar as they waited for the news. “As you know, Twotail and Greenleaf were taken hostage by BloodClan many moons ago and have shown no sign in returning.” He started, sorrow threatening to take over his voice. He coughed slightly before continuing. “I have decided that I must name a new deputy.” His eyes filled with sorrow and his Warriors could tell that it hurt him to accept that Twotail wasn’t coming back. “I say these words in memory of Twotail, so that his spirit may hear and approve my choice.” He wasn’t convinced by these words but he continued anyway. “Blazeflame will be the new deputy of SonicClan.” Some Warriors gasped in confusion whilst others just stared in shock at Sonicstar. Blazeflame almost fell over from shock and had to lean against Silverfur for support.
“What? Why me?” Blazeflame asked.
“Because you opened my eyes to Twotail’s loss and I know you will succeed me someday.” Sonicstar replied shortly. Blazeflame didn’t know what to say and it looked as if some of the other Warriors didn’t either. Blazeflame was known for being bossy and grumpy. The shock seemed to wear off as Warriors went over to congratulate her.
“Blazeflame, Blazeflame, Blazeflame!” They chanted out loud. A smile spread across Blazeflame’s face as she nuzzled Silverfur passionately.
“Thank you Sonicstar.” Blazeflame smiled shortly whilst the Warriors crowded around her. Sonicstar instantly stared up to the first cat of StarClan, perhaps it was Twotail. He smiled warmly. “If you’re up there Twotail, thank you for being my deputy.”

You are not authorized to comment here. Your must be registered and logged in to comment