Rainysky shouldered his way briskly out of the Leader’s den. A light drizzle was bespeckling the campgrounds in an army of darkened spots that dried before they had a chance to fill in the spaces between each other. He shivered as a few raindrops fell on his nape, cold as a winter’s morn.
“Copperstar is resting, I believe he will recover finely. He has received his lives, but he was feeling ill even on the journey. He simply needs rest, for now. Venomrose is with him.” Rainysky said at the questioning glances that met his arrival. He personally did not grap how StarClan could imbue an individual with nine defiances of death and yet still leave them with a cold– but it was no matter. Full recovery was inevitable. And he preferred to choose his battles wisely.
Next, to the surprise of every cat watching, Rainysky ascended the highrock. The winds were stronger so far above the camp, and he was able to cast his gaze just over the reed-woven walls. He could recall standing up here just once before when they had addressed the Clan about the oil sickness. He closed his eyes, letting the memory flow over and past him before he spoke.
“Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the highrock for a Clan meeting!”
The response was swifter than usual. With many curious gazes and mutterings of ‘why is Rainysky up there? Is Coppercloud okay?’. But his Clanmates gathered as he had asked. Rainysky himself took a moment to gaze at each of their faces, as though memorizing every detail in case he did not see them for a very long time.
“Copperstar has received his nine lives,” He began, doing his damnedest to project his voice. Public speaking had never been his strength. “But he has taken ill. It is just a cold, but he has journeyed far on it and will need to rest a few days in his new den. I would ask no visitors until the morrow.”
Nods and amicable murmurings went up around the crowd.
“He has asked me to deliver a message, for he has named his Deputy.” A hush fell over the Clan. Not a whisker or tail stirred as the cats of RiverClan waited with bated breath to learn who Copperstar would honor with the trusted role of his second-in-command.
“Lavendermoon, would you step forward?”
Rainysky smiled down at his Clanmate. In his opinion, there was no finer Warrior for the job. Lavendrmoon was dedicated, level-headed and kind. And young, but too young either. Though they had many older Warriors with more experience, the position was also about grooming a future Leader as well. Something he could picture her becoming in the not-too-distant future.
I wish that I could be there to see that, he lamented.
Muscles coiling, he leapt down with two bounds to land featherlight before them, stepping forward and stretching his neck to rest his chin between their ears as he spoke.
“Lavendermoon of RiverClan, your Leader calls upon you to serve at his side. Do you accept?”