Warriors: Rising Tide

Chapter 69: Sagelight

Applestar dropped some news, and very big news it is.

"I am sorry to tell you all, but I plan to step down as leader of Thunderclan!" He bellowed our sadly.

"What?" Whiteleaf asked.

"Why?" Smokefoot asked earnestly.

"You just can't step down Applestar!" Coppernose yelled.

"Give me a second to explain" Applestar smiled awkwardly. "To be completely honest I don't feel as if I am fit to be Thunderclans leader! And I am doing this for our clans safety! Tinystar thinks it was my fault for Mapleclaw and she is right! It was my fault and I can't help the guilt in my heart!"

"Don't step down!" Springtail protested.

"It wasn't your fault!" Silverfeather added.

"I am not changing my mind about this!" Applestar advised.

"If your stepping down, does this mean Puddlesplash will be stepping up as leader?" Branchtail asked.

"Yes! I asked him if he felt he was ready for it and he is willing to be your leader"

"Good!" Ravenclaw cheered. "Puddlesplash has got to be the best choice!"

"When will you be traveling to the moonpool to have your lives taken away?" Moonwater asked.

"I plan on doing it the day after tomorrow! However tonight Flickerleaf and I are going to the moonpool to receive kits!"

"Congrats you two!" Orchidfrost said cheerfully.

"Are you sure you want to step down from leadership Applestar?" Smokefoot asked. I could see Applestar smile contently.

"I am completely sure. And I am handing leadership to no better cat but Puddlesplash"

"If that is what you want than we support you Applestar" I said loudly. It is his choice...

"Thank you all! This concludes this meeting!"

"I can't believe Applestar is going to step down" Eaglepaw said with surprise.

"Guys my mentor is gonna be leader!" Screechpaw bounced up in the air.

"Who do you think Puddlesplash will choose as deputy?"

"If only I was a warrior now... Puddlesplash could choose me" Screechpaw complained.

"You would still need to mentor an apprentice Screechpaw" I reminded cheerfully.

"Oh yeah..." she looked up at the sky with a sad look.

"I bet Puddlesplash will chose his mate Rushfire" Eaglepaw pipped up.

"You think?" Beepaw perked up.

"Of course he would! Puddlesplash and Rushfire work well together!" Screechpaw actually made a good point.

"What if he picked your mom?" Beepaw looked up at me. I couldn't help but laugh.

"Sorry but no, I haven't trained an apprentice yet"

"What?! That can't be true!" Beepaw sounded really upset. "You're so nice and stuff!"

"The timing was never right" I shrugged. Maybe I should ask for an apprentice. Foxhop enjoyed training Petalclaw.

"Who else would be a great deputy that Puddlesplash would choose?" Eaglepaw asked our little group.

"What about Darkcloud? Or Smokefoot?" Beepaw named.

"Smokefoot doesn't want to lead, at least that is what my father said that when he was asked by Wishstar once"

"And Darkcloud?" Beepaw asked.

"I really wouldn't want him as deputy..." Screechpaw humfed.

"Why not? Is it cause he always tells you to stop being so loud?" Eaglepaw teased.

"Yeah! He is no fun!"

"What do you mean I am no fun?" Darkcloud grumbled behind them. The three apprentices jumped at his sudden mew and turned around.

"Yo-you heard me wrong Darkcloud!" Screechpaw lied. "I-I said-"

"Don't you guys have duties?" Darkcloud interrupted. The three apprentices nodded before running off to only Starclan knows where. I burst out laughing as Darkcloud chuckled.

"You do have a reputation with the apprentices Darkcloud" I said through my giggles.

"Heh yeah, I am like our generations Ravenclaw"

"I heard that Darkcloud!" Ravenclaw yelled from the other side of the clearing. The two of us couldn't help but laugh even harder. We calmed down and I could hear a question pop up in my head.

"Do you hope Puddlesplash will chose you as deputy?"

"I would enjoy being deputy, but I highly doubt he would choose me" Darkcloud shrugged. "If you remember I bullied him when we were young"

"We are still young!" I protested.

"With the amount of apprentices I have trained I don't feel young" I laughed a little at that comment. "I am surprised you haven't trained one yet"

"Maybe I should ask if I could train Elmkit or Heatkit when they get older"

"Or from the looks of it Applestar and Flickerleaf's kits". The two of us went quiet as we watched the clearing. It was relaxing watching our clans day to day activities. It was awhile before either of us spoke. "I wish Luckwish was still here" Darkcloud muttered sadly. I felt his pain on a personal level as I remembered Foxhop.

"I know how you feel" I sighed, "Eaglepaw and Screechpaw remind me so much of Foxhop".

"Blizzardskip asks me all the time what Luckywish was like... I can never answer him" Darkcloud chuckled with heartache, "I don't even remember his scent anymore".

"I can't even remember what their voices sounded like, I just have Eaglepaws voice coming out of Foxhops mouth when I try to remember..."

"Do you think they're waiting for us? Waiting in Starclan?" Darkcloud looked up. I looked up too at the crystal blue sky. Fluffy white clouds were lazily rolling by.

"I bet they are" I smiled softly. "I bet they are watching us right now, us and our kits keeping their memories alive as well as we can".

"I bet they are both surprised that Puddlesplash is gonna become leader"

"No cat could imagine him becoming leader back in the day" I laughed. "Puddlesplash was such a nervous reck. He used to constantly apologize for every little thing"

"And Luckywish would apologize with him cause he didn't really pay attention!" Darkcloud smiled.

"Remember when Foxhop started smacking Puddlesplash upside the head every time he said sorry for no apparent reason?" I laughed

"Puddlesplash got so annoyed" we both started laughing. Darkcloud smiled distantly past me. "we really should talk more Sagelight"

"Yeah, we should" I said with a stretch. Everything seems so much calmer now with no Mapleclaw. It's nice...