Longstar AU — Chapter Thirteen
“How do they feel, Longtail?” Leafpaw meowed, padding up to him. “And how’s your eyesight?”
Longtail took a glance around, blinking. His surroundings weren’t as clear as they used to be, but well enough he could see Leafpaw and Cinderpath and the edge of the den.
“They feel fine, thanks to you,” He sat himself upward. “Your a well medicine cat already, Leafpaw.”
“Thank you,” The small she-cat dipped her head.
“And my eyesight is good enough,” He flicked Leafpaw's ear with his tail. “Thank you, both of you.”
“That’s our job,” Cinderpath padded over, “Let me know if anything gets worse. Oh, and keep and eye on Blizzardspots. Now that she’s expecting kits she’s needs to be careful with herself.. and well, you know how she is.”
“I will,” He dipped his head. He brushed past the two medicine cats, slipping out of the den into the bright daylight.
“Longtail! You're healed!” Squirrelpaw rushed up to him, her paws skidding in the sand. “Look at those scars! So cool!”
“Thank StarClan,” Dustpelt padded up to the pair, his ears flattened tight to his skull. “She is a nightmare! I have no idea how you put up with her.”
Longtail's whiskers twitched, “She can be a pawful,” He flicked the apprentices ear with his tail. “But she has the drive and strength to be a good warrior.”
“C'mon, Longtail, let’s do some battle practice! Show me those moves you used on my dad all those moons ago,” Squirrelpaw's paws twitched with excitement before taking off out of the camp.
Longtail bid goodbye to Dustpelt with a flick of his tail, following the she-cat out of the camp, by sight and scent. He was going to need to get used to using scent more often, one day he would most likely loose his full sight—so he would take what he had for now, and thank StarClan for it.
“Oh. Brambleclaw.” Squirrelpaw flattened her ears, “What are you doing here?”
“.. I’m on patrol,” The large dark brown tabby hissed. “And what are you doing? Running away from your mentor again?”
“No!” She growled.
“The two of you cut it out,” Longtail hissed, barring his teeth at the warrior, “You are a warrior, Brambleclaw. You have no business fighting with an apprentice. If you truly want to be a respected warrior, and maybe be deputy one day, you need to start acting like it. Come on, Squirrelpaw.”
The mentor and apprentice pair turned tail deeper into the forest, Squirrelpaw pressing closer to her mentors side.
“Thank you for that.” She murmured. “He’s such a bother.”
“I know that,” Longtail hissed. “Trust me, he bothers me as well. He’s full of himself,” He glanced at her. “But you need to conduct yourself better, too, okay? Don’t bother arguing with him, and be the bigger cat.”
“.. Okay.” Squirrelpaw whispered, “I'll try.”
“Good,” Longtail smiled.
“Oh, and is Dustpelt gonna have to mentor me again?” She questioned.
“Uh—for what?”
“When Blizzardspots kits come!”
His whiskers twitched, “Maybe for a little,” He brushed his tail across her flank. “They’re my kits too, of course, so I’ll probably stay with her for a few days.. but I’m deputy and your mentor. I can’t stay in camp forever. I’ve done that long enough.”
“Heh, good.” Squirrelpaw meowed, “Now let’s get on with this training!”
“Brambleclaw, Ashfur, Dustpelt, Sandstorm, Graystripe, Pearlheart, Squirrelpaw and Birchpaw,” Firestar listed, “As well as Cinderpath and Leafpaw are coming to the gathering. Let us set out.” He jumped down from the High Rock, taking his place at the head of the group. Longtail padded beside his leader.
“How are you feeling, Longtail?” Firestar meowed, glancing at his deputy, “Also, send Blizzardspots my congratulations when you see her later.”
“Much better,” He purred. “And I will.”
“Good,” Firestar flicked his tail. “Squirrelpaw was excited that you were taking over her training again.”
Longtail nodded, “I know,” He gave a small smile. “I’m happy to be out of the medicine den.”
“I’m happy to have you out of the den,” Firestar brushed his tail across his flank. “To have my deputy back.”
With those last words, they padded over the fourtrees boundary.
“Longtail. Happy to see you recovered,” Tallstar dipped his head. “Still deputy, I presume?”
“Of course he is,” Firestar replied, glancing at him.
“Good.” Tallstar flicked his tail, “Let’s let the gathering commence than, shall we?”
One by one, the leaders and deputies took their spots on the Great Rock.
“Welcome,” Tallstar rose his voice to the whole hollow, “And welcome to the gathering. ThunderClan, would you like to start?”
“Sure,” Firestar padded forward. “I have many a good news to share. For one, my deputy, Longtail, has recovered from the injury he suffered to his eyes. He is strong as ever.” He purred
“A blind deputy, Firestar?” Leopardstar padded up the rock, “Do you have bees in your brain?”
“He isn’t completely blind,” His eyes narrowed back at the she-cat. “And plus, even if he was, what does it matter, Leopardstar? He’s still a strong warrior even with his weakened eyesight.”
The she-cat huffed, stepping back on the Great Rock. Firestar cleared his throat, beginning to speak once more.
“Prey is well in our part of the forest,” He continued. “And we have a new apprentice, Birchpaw,” He gazed at the small tan speckled tom. “And one of our warriors, Blizzardspots, is expecting kits with Longtail.” Firestar glanced at Tallstar, “That is all.”
After all the leaders shared their news, they ended the gathering, jumping down from the rock. Firestar gathered ThunderClan, padding out of fourtrees.
Maybe some of his clanmates saw him as weak deputy. Thought he wasn’t able to hold his position as well as an able bodied cat, but that didn’t matter. He didn’t care what they thought; and definitely didn’t care what the other clan leaders thought of him. He would be the best deputy that ThunderClan had ever seen.
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