☾ ShadowClan ☾ The Wily and Proud |☾ ☼ ϟ ≈ ☁|

"I suppose so. Ready as I'll ever be by now." Brittlefoot nodded, glancing over to where Cardinalblaze seemed ready to explode out of his fluffed out fur. Scoffing once with a laugh, he asked Shortcloud as they padded closer. "Did something happen? He looks more embarrassed than an apprentice stuck in a mud hole."

“Kinkfire, apparently.” Cardinalblaze sighed lightly as Brittlefoot and Shortcloud approached. He gave a faintly cowed look, tired and a bit sheepish. “I tried to say she wasn’t feeling well, she looked like she wasn’t, and well.” He sighed, before mumbling a bit. “She was totally sick, but. Forget it.” Straightening up, he mewed. “If you want a patrol, I’d like you to do some hunting in the marshes close to camp. Border patrols are all set, and the far hunting is good. Something closer to camp and central territory should work.” He nodded.

Shortcloud blinked in surprised acknowledgement. By totally sick, he meant kits? Never thought I'd see Kinkfire with kits at her paws. "Ha... I understand completely. As if Kinkfire already wouldn't have clawed your nose." She looked to Brittlefoot with a nod. "We'll make your life easy and be on our way. Right?"

Vipertooth gave him a look of sympathy and dropped her paws as he completed the work. She shifted to face him and nodded. "That is true. But, I suppose Snowdance nor Cedarstar could have stopped him, even if they tried. It was either let him go with an escort, or risk prey-maulers attacking him and the SkyClan cats on their trek back to SkyClan. With only one good warrior on that patrol, it could have ended quite badly." she said, sweeping her tail over to lay over her front paws. 

“You’d be lifesavers if so.” Cardinalblaze sighed with gratitude, before he nodded the mates off. The deputy now turned to make his way over to where Tigerfury was sitting, greeting Littlemoon with a perk of his ears. Her presence seemed to soothe the knot in his belly from Kinkfire’s fiery words. He mewed simply. “Once Closesky comes back, we’ll speak with him. Littlemoon probably told you, Tigerfury, but I want to start some Clan Battle Training. For all of us. There’s no better cat to get on board with it than Closesky, and his apprentices, of course.”

Brittlefoot nudged Shortcloud lightly as he moved to get started on their hunting patrol. “I feel bad for him sometimes. There’s no training guide for deputies. And coming after Cloudscar, that’s bound to be rough.” He sighed, inwardly wondering if it was a good idea to name the anxious tom deputy when such difficult times crossed the Clan. He reminded himself though that it was because of Cardinalblaze’s quick orders that so much of the Clan survived the flood.

“That could be it.” Brittlefoot mused, before he glanced around carefully for any signs of prey. “If not that, then he likely chose a deputy who knew him well. What better than the very same apprentice you trained to serve as your deputy?” He mused, inwardly wondering if there was a sort of nepotism involved. He ignored the thought. It wasn’t if he would ever qualify as a deputy with his frail body, so he didn’t care much who got the position so long as they did their job.

"You faced an enemy that even your father and Bumbleskip had trouble fighting. You were very brave to even consider going up against them. You did your best and I'm so proud of you for it. But I'm also proud that you knew when to step back. I don't know what I would have done if I had lost you Palepaw." Starrylight mewed, her eyes shining with tears. 

(Spottedpaw is gonna be with Smokestorm and Lynxdapple at the Skyclan border, and Thistlestalk is with Goldberry and Tumblefoot at Carrionplace :3 )

Tigerfury sat a little taller. Littlemoon had told him about the training, but he didn't know Closesky was going to be involved. "I'm honored and happy to assist with this, Cardinalblaze." He twitched his whiskers in amusement. "If you want Closesky's help with this, though, you better be ready for a lot of sore warriors. I'm used to his training styles, but the others aren't. You aren't even with Cedarstar being your mentor." He stuck his chin up and smirked down at the deputy. "I can see it now. Closesky will be hardest on you, deputy. He's gotta make sure our leader doesn't train weak warriors." 

Littlemoon rolled her eyes. She was glad her brother was in a good enough mood to tease Cardinalblaze. "You'll do fine," she reassured the deputy calmly. 

"He's certainly got stronger morals than I do." Brittlefoot half-joked, seeming to refer to his own moments of snark and dark humor, but inwardly knowing exactly what he meant. Cardinalblaze had no blood on his paws like Brittlefoot did, and he certainly wouldn't have liked it if he did, like Brittlefoot did. The frail tom shook his head lightly. "I still think you had a really good shot at the spot. You, Shortcloud? Oh, I would have swooned and cheered for my beautiful mate being Shadowclan's most dutiful deputy." He flirted playfully, though he was genuine in that he felt she would have been great.

"You think? I'd give it all I have, for sure, but would the Clan be prepared for me?" Shortcloud bragged with humor and a twitch of her whiskers. She could picture herself clearly at Fourtrees on the night of a Gathering, short and an odd cat out among the larger, white-furred deputies of the other Clans. "I know you'd be there for me, so all would be well."

Shortcloud purred in affection and appreciation for his compliments, stopping as they reached a marshy spot. She knew Brittlefoot was as honest as he could be, and she didn't care what the Clan thought of their likely odd-looking relationship. "And you know I'd say the exact same thing. You have one of the strongest hearts I've ever seen, and you care so passionately for everyone... even if they still need to come around." she mewed, thinking of Longpaw and his troublesome attitude. "That's what drew me to you. And if nobody else in ShadowClan sees it, then... I suppose what I have is quite a keen eye." she teased.

"You're on." Shortcloud flexed her claws in readiness for a successful hunt. Before she took action, however, she looked back at Brittlefoot with warmth. "I think what you just said is exactly why we work so well together. The compliments and the bringing back prey." She looked back at the marsh that awaited them and scented the air, focusing on finding a frog hopping among the shallow water.

Shortcloud ran her tongue across her paw as she caught scent of the same frog. "I'll see how far my stubby legs can take me." she joked, though the look in her gaze was serious. Now was the perfect time to bring as much prey as they could find back to their mourning Clan.