Post by 𝓣𝓲𝓷𝓾𝓿𝓲𝓮𝓵 on Jan 17, 2022 19:02:55 GMT -5
So, since discussion on Mudclaw has started up again, I decided to compile his major appearances in the first two arcs, prior to his demotion. Do you think he would've been suited for leadership had Tallstar not demoted him? I encourage everyone to actually take the time and read through these scenes carefully.
His first appearance is actually in RS, when he and the rest of his patrol stop Fireheart and Bluestar from going to the Moonstone.
In ADP, he's eager to defend his Clan against ThunderClan.
In TDH, he comes begging Firestar for help.
In Moonrise, Mudclaw is one of the cats to attack Leafpaw in Sorreltail.
Later, after WindClan cats are spotted on ThunderClan land, Firestar goes to confront Tallstar about it.
Then there's Dawn, where he refuses to listen to Crowpaw:
And in Starlight, he's shown to already be taking charge before Tallstar dies, but he's being disrespectful about it.
Personally, of the two, I still prefer Onewhisker.
His first appearance is actually in RS, when he and the rest of his patrol stop Fireheart and Bluestar from going to the Moonstone.
“Intruders. Why are you here?” hissed a mottled dark brown tabby. Fireheart recognized Mudclaw, one of the senior warriors. A gray tabby warrior called Tornear was beside him, his back arched and his claws unsheathed. Fireheart had grown to know and respect these cats when he had escorted WindClan back from their exile in Twoleg territory, but all traces of their former alliance had vanished now. He didn’t recognize the smallest cat—an apprentice, perhaps, but every bit as fierce-looking and wiry as his Clanmates.
The fur rose along Fireheart’s spine and his heart began to pound, but he tried to stay calm. “We’re just traveling through—” he began.
“You are on our land,” spat Mudclaw. His eyes shone angrily as he stared at Fireheart.
Where was Bluestar? Fireheart thought desperately, half wanting her support, half hoping she hadn’t heard Mudclaw’s yowl and was heading safely through the gorse toward Twoleg territory.
A snarl at his side told him she had returned for him. He glanced quickly to see Bluestar standing at the edge of the gorse with her head held high and her eyes blazing with fury. “We are traveling to Highstones. StarClan grants us safe passage. You have no right to stop us!”
Mudclaw didn’t flinch. “You gave up your rights to StarClan’s protection when you took Brokentail into your Clan!” he retorted.
Fireheart could understand the WindClan cats’ anger. He had seen for himself the misery they had endured when they were driven out by Brokentail’s Clan warriors. With a surge of pity he remembered the tiny WindClan kit he’d helped to carry home—it had been the only one of its litter to survive. The former ShadowClan leader had nearly destroyed the Clan with his cruelty.
Fireheart stared into Mudclaw’s fierce gaze. “Brokentail is dead,” he told him.
Mudclaw’s eyes glittered. “You killed him?” he demanded.
As Fireheart hesitated, Bluestar growled menacingly from his side. “Of course we didn’t kill him. ThunderClan aren’t murderers.”
“No,” Mudclaw spat back. “You just protect them!” The WindClan warrior arched his back aggressively.
Disappointed, Fireheart felt his mind whirl as he tried to think of another way to convince WindClan.
“You will let us pass!” Bluestar hissed. Fireheart froze as he saw his leader flexing her claws and raising her hackles, ready to attack.
“StarClan grants us safe passage,” Bluestar repeated stubbornly.
“Go home!” snarled Mudclaw.
Fireheart’s paws tingled as he sized up their opponents. Three stro
ng cats against him and the unfit ThunderClan leader. They would not escape a fight without serious injury, and there was no way he could risk Bluestar’s losing a life—not when he knew that she was on the last of her nine lives, which were granted by StarClan to all Clan leaders.
“We should go home,” Fireheart hissed at Bluestar. The she-cat swung her head around and stared at him in disbelief. “We’re too far from safety and this isn’t a battle we can fight,” he urged her.
“But I must speak with StarClan!” meowed Bluestar.
“Another time,” Fireheart insisted. Bluestar’s eyes clouded with indecision and he added, “We’d not win this battle.”
He twitched with relief as Bluestar retracted her claws and let the fur on her shoulders relax. The ThunderClan leader turned back to Mudclaw and meowed, “Very well, we’ll go home. But we will return. You cannot cut us off from StarClan forever!”
Mudclaw flattened his back and replied, “You’ve made a wise decision.”
Fireheart growled at Mudclaw. “Did you hear what Bluestar said?” Mudclaw narrowed his eyes threateningly, but Fireheart went on: “We will leave this time, but you will never again stop us from traveling to the Moonstone.”
Mudclaw turned away. “We’ll escort you back to Fourtrees.”
The fur rose along Fireheart’s spine and his heart began to pound, but he tried to stay calm. “We’re just traveling through—” he began.
“You are on our land,” spat Mudclaw. His eyes shone angrily as he stared at Fireheart.
Where was Bluestar? Fireheart thought desperately, half wanting her support, half hoping she hadn’t heard Mudclaw’s yowl and was heading safely through the gorse toward Twoleg territory.
A snarl at his side told him she had returned for him. He glanced quickly to see Bluestar standing at the edge of the gorse with her head held high and her eyes blazing with fury. “We are traveling to Highstones. StarClan grants us safe passage. You have no right to stop us!”
Mudclaw didn’t flinch. “You gave up your rights to StarClan’s protection when you took Brokentail into your Clan!” he retorted.
Fireheart could understand the WindClan cats’ anger. He had seen for himself the misery they had endured when they were driven out by Brokentail’s Clan warriors. With a surge of pity he remembered the tiny WindClan kit he’d helped to carry home—it had been the only one of its litter to survive. The former ShadowClan leader had nearly destroyed the Clan with his cruelty.
Fireheart stared into Mudclaw’s fierce gaze. “Brokentail is dead,” he told him.
Mudclaw’s eyes glittered. “You killed him?” he demanded.
As Fireheart hesitated, Bluestar growled menacingly from his side. “Of course we didn’t kill him. ThunderClan aren’t murderers.”
“No,” Mudclaw spat back. “You just protect them!” The WindClan warrior arched his back aggressively.
Disappointed, Fireheart felt his mind whirl as he tried to think of another way to convince WindClan.
“You will let us pass!” Bluestar hissed. Fireheart froze as he saw his leader flexing her claws and raising her hackles, ready to attack.
“StarClan grants us safe passage,” Bluestar repeated stubbornly.
“Go home!” snarled Mudclaw.
Fireheart’s paws tingled as he sized up their opponents. Three stro
ng cats against him and the unfit ThunderClan leader. They would not escape a fight without serious injury, and there was no way he could risk Bluestar’s losing a life—not when he knew that she was on the last of her nine lives, which were granted by StarClan to all Clan leaders.
“We should go home,” Fireheart hissed at Bluestar. The she-cat swung her head around and stared at him in disbelief. “We’re too far from safety and this isn’t a battle we can fight,” he urged her.
“But I must speak with StarClan!” meowed Bluestar.
“Another time,” Fireheart insisted. Bluestar’s eyes clouded with indecision and he added, “We’d not win this battle.”
He twitched with relief as Bluestar retracted her claws and let the fur on her shoulders relax. The ThunderClan leader turned back to Mudclaw and meowed, “Very well, we’ll go home. But we will return. You cannot cut us off from StarClan forever!”
Mudclaw flattened his back and replied, “You’ve made a wise decision.”
Fireheart growled at Mudclaw. “Did you hear what Bluestar said?” Mudclaw narrowed his eyes threateningly, but Fireheart went on: “We will leave this time, but you will never again stop us from traveling to the Moonstone.”
Mudclaw turned away. “We’ll escort you back to Fourtrees.”
In ADP, he's eager to defend his Clan against ThunderClan.
“No cat is to move,” Tallstar ordered his warriors at last, his voice carrying easily in the still air.
“You must be mad!” That was Mudclaw, padding to Tallstar’s side. “That’s a fighting force she’s brought with her. We’ve got to attack!”
“No.” Tallstar took another pace forward, flicking his tail to summon Deadfoot, his deputy, to his side. Looking directly at Bluestar, he dipped his head. “No battle will be fought here today. I said that I would come here to talk, and that’s what I intend to do.”
Bluestar did not respond. She crouched on the ground, her fur bristling and her teeth bared in a snarl of defiance. Fireheart was suddenly afraid that she had changed her mind, and wondered what would happen if she launched herself at the WindClan leader. He sent up a fervent prayer to StarClan that she would not order her warriors to attack.
Meanwhile, Onewhisker came up to Mudclaw and nudged him roughly back into line. For a moment that seemed to Fireheart to last several moons, the two lines of cats faced each other, their fur blowing in the wind, their eyes gleaming with a tension that teetered on the brink of breaking out into squalling, biting rage.
“Bluestar,” Tallstar spoke again. “Will you come here to me, between our warriors? Bring your deputy with you, and let us see if we can make peace.”
“Peace?” Bluestar spat. “How can I make peace with prey stealers and rogues?”
Yowls of protest rose from the WindClan cats. Mudclaw sprang forward, but Onewhisker leaped after him and bowled him over, holding him writhing on the turf. Fireheart saw Darkstripe lashing his tail to and fro; if Mudclaw attacked, Darkstripe would meet him, and all hope of peace would be over.
“You must be mad!” That was Mudclaw, padding to Tallstar’s side. “That’s a fighting force she’s brought with her. We’ve got to attack!”
“No.” Tallstar took another pace forward, flicking his tail to summon Deadfoot, his deputy, to his side. Looking directly at Bluestar, he dipped his head. “No battle will be fought here today. I said that I would come here to talk, and that’s what I intend to do.”
Bluestar did not respond. She crouched on the ground, her fur bristling and her teeth bared in a snarl of defiance. Fireheart was suddenly afraid that she had changed her mind, and wondered what would happen if she launched herself at the WindClan leader. He sent up a fervent prayer to StarClan that she would not order her warriors to attack.
Meanwhile, Onewhisker came up to Mudclaw and nudged him roughly back into line. For a moment that seemed to Fireheart to last several moons, the two lines of cats faced each other, their fur blowing in the wind, their eyes gleaming with a tension that teetered on the brink of breaking out into squalling, biting rage.
“Bluestar,” Tallstar spoke again. “Will you come here to me, between our warriors? Bring your deputy with you, and let us see if we can make peace.”
“Peace?” Bluestar spat. “How can I make peace with prey stealers and rogues?”
Yowls of protest rose from the WindClan cats. Mudclaw sprang forward, but Onewhisker leaped after him and bowled him over, holding him writhing on the turf. Fireheart saw Darkstripe lashing his tail to and fro; if Mudclaw attacked, Darkstripe would meet him, and all hope of peace would be over.
In TDH, he comes begging Firestar for help.
Thrusting his way through his warriors, Firestar reached the entrance. Limping out of the tunnel was a cat that was almost wounded beyond recognition. Blood dripped from a long gash in his flank. His fur was matted with sand and dust, and one eye was closed.
Then Firestar made out the mottled dark pelt under the dirt and managed to distinguish the scent of WindClan. The newcomer was Mudclaw, barely able to stand from pain and exhaustion.
“Mudclaw!” Firestar exclaimed. “What happened?”
Mudclaw staggered toward him. “You’ve got to help us, Firestar!” he rasped. “TigerClan is attacking our camp!”
Then Firestar made out the mottled dark pelt under the dirt and managed to distinguish the scent of WindClan. The newcomer was Mudclaw, barely able to stand from pain and exhaustion.
“Mudclaw!” Firestar exclaimed. “What happened?”
Mudclaw staggered toward him. “You’ve got to help us, Firestar!” he rasped. “TigerClan is attacking our camp!”
In Moonrise, Mudclaw is one of the cats to attack Leafpaw in Sorreltail.
Before Leafpaw could decide whether to run or stay to talk, the WindClan cats had surrounded them. With a sinking heart she recognised the aggressive deputy Mudclaw, with the tabby warrior Tornear and another tabby tom she did not know. She would rather have dealt with the Clan leader, Tallstar, or Firestar’s friend Onewhisker, who were both more likely to listen to her explanations.
“Why are you trespassing on our territory?” the WindClan deputy demanded.
“I’m a medicine cat apprentice,” Leafpaw pointed out, bowing her head respectfully. “I came to—”
“To spy!” That was Tornear, his eyes blazing with anger. “Don’t think we don’t know what you’re up to!”
Now that the WindClan cats were up close, Leafpaw could see how thin they were. Their bristling pelts hardly covered their ribs. Fear-scent came off them in waves, almost drowning the scent of their fury. They were obviously short of food, but that didn’t explain why they were so much more hostile than ShadowClan had been.
“I’m sorry, we were only—” she began.
Mudclaw interrupted with a frenzied shriek. “Attack!”
Tornear hurled himself at Leafpaw. The ThunderClan cats were outnumbered and outclassed; besides, she and Sorreltail had not come to fight.
“Run!” Leafpaw yowled.
She leaped back from Tornear’s outstretched claws. Spinning round, she fled for the border, her belly close to the ground and her tail streaming out behind her. Sorreltail raced along at her side. Leafpaw dared not look over her shoulder, but she could hear the shrieks of the pursuing cats hard on their paws.
The border was in sight, but she barely had time to realise that they were bearing too far towards the river when scent markers flooded over her, WindClan and RiverClan scents mixed together.
“Oh, no!” she exclaimed. “We’re in RiverClan territory now.”
“Keep going,” Sorreltail panted. “It’s only a narrow strip between here and ThunderClan territory.”
Leafpaw risked a glance to see if the WindClan patrol was still pursuing them. They were—they must be so furious that they hadn’t noticed the border, or did not care.
“They’re gaining on us!” she gasped. “We’ll have to fight. We can’t lead them on to our territory.”
She and Sorreltail whirled to face their attackers. Leafpaw braced herself, wishing desperately that she had never thought of entering WindClan territory, and especially that she had not brought Sorreltail into danger with her.
As Mudclaw leaped at her, Leafpaw saw a streak of golden fur shoot out from a nearby bush. It was Mothwing, the medicine cat apprentice from RiverClan. Then Mudclaw’s body crashed against her and she was rolling on the ground, squirming to escape the flurry of raking claws. She tried to twist round and sink her teeth into his neck, but there was a wiry strength in the deputy’s lean body that trapped her helplessly like a piece of prey. Leafpaw felt his claws rake across her side and bury themselves in her shoulder. With a massive effort she shook him off, trying to bring her hind paws up to attack his belly.
Suddenly the weight lifted and Mudclaw was scrabbling for a foothold beside her. Leafpaw staggered to her paws to see Mothwing cuffing him hard over both ears. “Get off our territory!” she spat. “And take your mangy friends with you.”
Mudclaw aimed a final blow at her, but he was already backing away. Sorreltail sprang up from where she had Tornear pinned down and bit hard on his tail before releasing him. He fled, yowling after the Clan deputy; the other tabby warrior had already vanished.
“Why are you trespassing on our territory?” the WindClan deputy demanded.
“I’m a medicine cat apprentice,” Leafpaw pointed out, bowing her head respectfully. “I came to—”
“To spy!” That was Tornear, his eyes blazing with anger. “Don’t think we don’t know what you’re up to!”
Now that the WindClan cats were up close, Leafpaw could see how thin they were. Their bristling pelts hardly covered their ribs. Fear-scent came off them in waves, almost drowning the scent of their fury. They were obviously short of food, but that didn’t explain why they were so much more hostile than ShadowClan had been.
“I’m sorry, we were only—” she began.
Mudclaw interrupted with a frenzied shriek. “Attack!”
Tornear hurled himself at Leafpaw. The ThunderClan cats were outnumbered and outclassed; besides, she and Sorreltail had not come to fight.
“Run!” Leafpaw yowled.
She leaped back from Tornear’s outstretched claws. Spinning round, she fled for the border, her belly close to the ground and her tail streaming out behind her. Sorreltail raced along at her side. Leafpaw dared not look over her shoulder, but she could hear the shrieks of the pursuing cats hard on their paws.
The border was in sight, but she barely had time to realise that they were bearing too far towards the river when scent markers flooded over her, WindClan and RiverClan scents mixed together.
“Oh, no!” she exclaimed. “We’re in RiverClan territory now.”
“Keep going,” Sorreltail panted. “It’s only a narrow strip between here and ThunderClan territory.”
Leafpaw risked a glance to see if the WindClan patrol was still pursuing them. They were—they must be so furious that they hadn’t noticed the border, or did not care.
“They’re gaining on us!” she gasped. “We’ll have to fight. We can’t lead them on to our territory.”
She and Sorreltail whirled to face their attackers. Leafpaw braced herself, wishing desperately that she had never thought of entering WindClan territory, and especially that she had not brought Sorreltail into danger with her.
As Mudclaw leaped at her, Leafpaw saw a streak of golden fur shoot out from a nearby bush. It was Mothwing, the medicine cat apprentice from RiverClan. Then Mudclaw’s body crashed against her and she was rolling on the ground, squirming to escape the flurry of raking claws. She tried to twist round and sink her teeth into his neck, but there was a wiry strength in the deputy’s lean body that trapped her helplessly like a piece of prey. Leafpaw felt his claws rake across her side and bury themselves in her shoulder. With a massive effort she shook him off, trying to bring her hind paws up to attack his belly.
Suddenly the weight lifted and Mudclaw was scrabbling for a foothold beside her. Leafpaw staggered to her paws to see Mothwing cuffing him hard over both ears. “Get off our territory!” she spat. “And take your mangy friends with you.”
Mudclaw aimed a final blow at her, but he was already backing away. Sorreltail sprang up from where she had Tornear pinned down and bit hard on his tail before releasing him. He fled, yowling after the Clan deputy; the other tabby warrior had already vanished.
Later, after WindClan cats are spotted on ThunderClan land, Firestar goes to confront Tallstar about it.
“Don’t be absurd, Tallstar,” Firestar growled. “I haven’t enough warriors to take on your whole Clan. We want to talk to you, that’s all. WindClan have been stealing prey from ThunderClan territory, and you know as well as I do that that’s against the warrior code.”
Tallstar looked taken aback, as if he genuinely hadn’t known what his warriors were up to. Before he could reply, his deputy Mudclaw called out, “Prove it! Prove that WindClan has stolen so much as a sniff of prey!”
“What?” Leafpaw saw Greystripe’s whole body stiffen. “We saw you ourselves just now! And we found prey bones reeking of WindClan scent.”
“So you say,” Mudclaw sneered. “If you ask me, it’s just an excuse to attack us.”
Tallstar looked taken aback, as if he genuinely hadn’t known what his warriors were up to. Before he could reply, his deputy Mudclaw called out, “Prove it! Prove that WindClan has stolen so much as a sniff of prey!”
“What?” Leafpaw saw Greystripe’s whole body stiffen. “We saw you ourselves just now! And we found prey bones reeking of WindClan scent.”
“So you say,” Mudclaw sneered. “If you ask me, it’s just an excuse to attack us.”
Then there's Dawn, where he refuses to listen to Crowpaw:
“We should get the kits across first.” Firestar led the way into the narrow gully. Leafpaw jumped down beside Sorreltail, her paws slipping on the greasy grass. Monsters roared past in both directions, and she flinched as the earth shook beneath her paws.
“Each Clan should take its own chances,” Mudclaw insisted.
“RiverClan will cross first,” Hawkfrost declared.
“Not all the warriors are as strong as RiverClan’s,” Leopardstar pointed out. “Firestar is right; we should help the weaker Clans.”
“My Clan doesn’t need your help!” hissed Mudclaw. “Besides, it would be chaos! No cat would know whose orders to follow!”
“Then why don’t you command us all?” Firestar spat.
“No cat commands ShadowClan warriors except me!” Blackstar growled.
Brambleclaw pushed through the crowd to stand beside Firestar. Leafpaw was close enough to scent the fear in him. “Cats will get killed while you’re all bickering! Surely it doesn’t matter who is in charge until every cat is safely on the other side?”
Blackstar flattened his ears and Hawkfrost lashed his tail.
“Let him continue,” Firestar warned.
“I’ll lead ThunderClan,” Brambleclaw meowed. “Crowpaw can lead WindClan. Tawnypelt can take ShadowClan, and Stormfur, you guide RiverClan.”
“Crowpaw can’t lead WindClan,” Mudclaw argued. “He’s only an apprentice.”
“Have you crossed this path before?” Brambleclaw demanded.
“No,” Mudclaw spat. “But I have commanded my Clan before!”
“Crowpaw will lead!” Brambleclaw hissed.
Ignoring them both, Stormfur flicked his tail and led his Clanmates to the edge of the Thunderpath, where he crouched, waiting to give the signal. A monster roared past, its pelt glinting in the sunlight. As soon as it had gone, Stormfur yowled and the RiverClan cats surged up and over the Thunderpath. Leafpaw searched for Dawnflower, quickly spotting her pale grey coat and feeling a rush of relief when she saw that two RiverClan warriors were helping to carry her kits.
As the cats bundled on to the verge on the other side, Leafpaw heard the menacing rumble of another monster. Thanking StarClan that RiverClan had all made it safely, she looked up to see how far away it was. Her heart flipped over. Mudclaw had told his Clan to start crossing without waiting for Crowpaw to give the command!
“Each Clan should take its own chances,” Mudclaw insisted.
“RiverClan will cross first,” Hawkfrost declared.
“Not all the warriors are as strong as RiverClan’s,” Leopardstar pointed out. “Firestar is right; we should help the weaker Clans.”
“My Clan doesn’t need your help!” hissed Mudclaw. “Besides, it would be chaos! No cat would know whose orders to follow!”
“Then why don’t you command us all?” Firestar spat.
“No cat commands ShadowClan warriors except me!” Blackstar growled.
Brambleclaw pushed through the crowd to stand beside Firestar. Leafpaw was close enough to scent the fear in him. “Cats will get killed while you’re all bickering! Surely it doesn’t matter who is in charge until every cat is safely on the other side?”
Blackstar flattened his ears and Hawkfrost lashed his tail.
“Let him continue,” Firestar warned.
“I’ll lead ThunderClan,” Brambleclaw meowed. “Crowpaw can lead WindClan. Tawnypelt can take ShadowClan, and Stormfur, you guide RiverClan.”
“Crowpaw can’t lead WindClan,” Mudclaw argued. “He’s only an apprentice.”
“Have you crossed this path before?” Brambleclaw demanded.
“No,” Mudclaw spat. “But I have commanded my Clan before!”
“Crowpaw will lead!” Brambleclaw hissed.
Ignoring them both, Stormfur flicked his tail and led his Clanmates to the edge of the Thunderpath, where he crouched, waiting to give the signal. A monster roared past, its pelt glinting in the sunlight. As soon as it had gone, Stormfur yowled and the RiverClan cats surged up and over the Thunderpath. Leafpaw searched for Dawnflower, quickly spotting her pale grey coat and feeling a rush of relief when she saw that two RiverClan warriors were helping to carry her kits.
As the cats bundled on to the verge on the other side, Leafpaw heard the menacing rumble of another monster. Thanking StarClan that RiverClan had all made it safely, she looked up to see how far away it was. Her heart flipped over. Mudclaw had told his Clan to start crossing without waiting for Crowpaw to give the command!
And in Starlight, he's shown to already be taking charge before Tallstar dies, but he's being disrespectful about it.
“Cats of all Clans,” Firestar was announcing as Brambleclaw reached his Clanmates. “Today there are decisions to be made and tasks to be carried out—”
“Hunting patrols will go out right away,” Mudclaw interrupted, shouldering Firestar aside. “WindClan will take the hills and RiverClan can fish in the lake. ThunderClan—”
His Clanmate Onewhisker sprang to his paws with a hiss of anger. “Mudclaw, what are you doing, giving orders like this?” he growled. “The last time I looked, Tallstar was still leader of WindClan.”
“Not for much longer.”
Brambleclaw blinked in surprise at the deputy’s cold voice. He hoped Tallstar hadn’t heard, and, craning his neck, he was relieved to see that the old cat was still asleep in his grassy nest with Barkface beside him.
“Some cat has to take charge,” Mudclaw went on. “Or do you want the other Clans to divide the territory among themselves and leave WindClan out?”
“As if we would!” Squirrelpaw mewed indignantly.
Onewhisker glared at Mudclaw, his fur bristling and his eyes blazing with fury. “Show a bit of respect!” he spat. “Tallstar was the leader of our Clan when you were a kit mewling in the nursery.”
“I’m not a kit now,” Mudclaw retorted. “I’m the deputy. And Tallstar hasn’t done much to lead us since we left the forest.”
“That’s enough.” Firestar silenced the WindClan deputy with a wave of his tail. “Onewhisker, I know you’re worried about Tallstar. Mudclaw is only doing his duty.”
“He needn’t act like he’s leader already,” Onewhisker growled. He sat down with a sharp glance from side to side, as if he were challenging any other cat to make a comment.
“Onewhisker has a fair point,” Firestar went on to Mudclaw. “It’s difficult for a deputy to stand in for their leader—difficult for the rest of the Clan as well as for the deputy.”
Mudclaw, who had raised his head arrogantly when Firestar seemed to be backing him up, looked furious. His jaws parted, but before he could speak he was forestalled by Blackstar.
“If WindClan has a problem over their leadership, let them discuss it in private. We’re wasting time.”
Mudclaw let out an angry hiss and pointedly turned his back. Brambleclaw flexed his claws, ready to spring if the WindClan deputy caused more trouble. Mudclaw was one of the most aggressive cats in all four Clans, and he had never liked Firestar or ThunderClan. Brambleclaw could foresee trouble when he became WindClan’s leader, especially now, when new Clan boundaries had to be established.
“Hunting patrols will go out right away,” Mudclaw interrupted, shouldering Firestar aside. “WindClan will take the hills and RiverClan can fish in the lake. ThunderClan—”
His Clanmate Onewhisker sprang to his paws with a hiss of anger. “Mudclaw, what are you doing, giving orders like this?” he growled. “The last time I looked, Tallstar was still leader of WindClan.”
“Not for much longer.”
Brambleclaw blinked in surprise at the deputy’s cold voice. He hoped Tallstar hadn’t heard, and, craning his neck, he was relieved to see that the old cat was still asleep in his grassy nest with Barkface beside him.
“Some cat has to take charge,” Mudclaw went on. “Or do you want the other Clans to divide the territory among themselves and leave WindClan out?”
“As if we would!” Squirrelpaw mewed indignantly.
Onewhisker glared at Mudclaw, his fur bristling and his eyes blazing with fury. “Show a bit of respect!” he spat. “Tallstar was the leader of our Clan when you were a kit mewling in the nursery.”
“I’m not a kit now,” Mudclaw retorted. “I’m the deputy. And Tallstar hasn’t done much to lead us since we left the forest.”
“That’s enough.” Firestar silenced the WindClan deputy with a wave of his tail. “Onewhisker, I know you’re worried about Tallstar. Mudclaw is only doing his duty.”
“He needn’t act like he’s leader already,” Onewhisker growled. He sat down with a sharp glance from side to side, as if he were challenging any other cat to make a comment.
“Onewhisker has a fair point,” Firestar went on to Mudclaw. “It’s difficult for a deputy to stand in for their leader—difficult for the rest of the Clan as well as for the deputy.”
Mudclaw, who had raised his head arrogantly when Firestar seemed to be backing him up, looked furious. His jaws parted, but before he could speak he was forestalled by Blackstar.
“If WindClan has a problem over their leadership, let them discuss it in private. We’re wasting time.”
Mudclaw let out an angry hiss and pointedly turned his back. Brambleclaw flexed his claws, ready to spring if the WindClan deputy caused more trouble. Mudclaw was one of the most aggressive cats in all four Clans, and he had never liked Firestar or ThunderClan. Brambleclaw could foresee trouble when he became WindClan’s leader, especially now, when new Clan boundaries had to be established.
Personally, of the two, I still prefer Onewhisker.