warrior cats blog

“Fernfur, would you be my deputy?”

Fernfur froze, jaw dropping open, and the moss ball he had gathered for the kits fell onto the ground by his paws. “...Sorry, Borageblossom, what? Did I hear you right?” His ear twitched nervously, eyes glued to the light ginger tom who had stopped him on his way. Borageblossom smiled faintly, tilting his head. 

“You don’t think you’d make a good deputy? You even have an apprentice.”

Fernfur tried to gather his words, still ruffled from the sudden question. “Wouldn’t, uh, someone with more experience be better? Like Ravenleaf or Thistlepelt?”

“It’s true that they’re older, more experienced,” Borageblossom replied, gaze distant as he almost seemed to look past Fernfur. “But you aren’t a worse choice. You are stronger, less frail... if we have two old warriors as leader and deputy again, who’s to say that it won’t end like it did...” His voice trailed off, and he coughed quietly as if clearing his throat. “Like before? With us all without leadership again? No.” He fixed Fernfur with a determined look. “No, you’re the one I want by my side as we help the Clan flourish again.”

“Borageblossom, I...” Fernfur started, but Borageblossom flicked his tail against the ground with a thump, as if saying he wasn’t done yet. 

“Besides, Ravenleaf is going to step in as our medicine cat. And Thistlepelt isn’t afraid to take a risk; an ordinarily good trait, really, but you have always been cautious. You have scouted ahead and made sure your Clanmates will be safe when heading to gatherings.” Borageblossom stepped forward, touching his nose to Fernfur’s head. Fernfur swallowed, nerves and awe and humility burning like the river in summer within his stomach. “Won’t you join me, Fernfur?”

“I will,” Fernfur whispered, closing his eyes and feeling the older warrior’s rumbling purr vibrate along his fur. “I will.”

The two stepped apart, and Fernfur looked back at the poor abandoned moss ball, falling apart at the edges. “But first...” He grinned a bit sheepishly. “Can I bring this to the kits? They’ve been bothering me about being bored.”

Borageblossom let out a quiet laugh, sparkle in his eyes that hadn’t been there in what felt like moons, and nodded. “Of course. Keep being yourself, and I’m sure you’ll be an excellent leader for FrostClan someday.”

“Well, I’ll do my best to serve by your side for as long as I can before then,” Fernfur replied, heart still hammering in his chest, and picked up the moss ball. 

He could still feel Borageblossom’s gaze on him as he turned around to head to the nursery, and his paws felt like they’d sink into the earth beneath him.

Brightpelt snarled, shoving his face uncomfortably close to Fernfur’s. “What do you mean Ravenleaf is going to be Fuzzypaw’s mentor now? Who’s been working to train him the past two moons despite everything!?”

Fernfur leaned back, face neutral despite the aggression being pointed his way. “You know why, Brightpelt. We need two medicine cats available so we aren’t left without a medicine cat again, and Fuzzypaw has shown an interest in herbs.”

Brightpelt snorted, lashing his tail. “Yeah, right. You think I didn’t notice that the other two apprentices in the Clan are conveniently yours and Borageb—Boragestar’s, but you think giving my apprentice away is fine?” He narrowed his eyes, leaning in again. “Besides, obviously Fuzzypaw’s going to want to help Ravenleaf; they’re brothers!”

Fernfur’s fur was ruffled, his tail swishing from side to side, but he still tried to maintain his calm, claws just barely sinking into the ground beneath him. “Just as you say you’ve been training Fuzzypaw for two moons, I’ve been training Shadepaw for four,” he replied smoothly, “and Boragestar’s worked with Lakepaw for three. And I don’t see those two miraculously gaining any interest in herbs.”

Brightpelt flattened his ears, a hiss bubbling at the back of his throat, but he lowered his head, eyes still smoldering. “Fine. I acknowledge your logic. But I’m not happy about this, Fernfur,” he threatened, growl rumbling along the edges of his voice.

Fernfur stepped over to him, laying a tail over his back and smoothing some of the spiked up fur. “You know I wouldn’t do this if it wasn’t necessary, Brightpelt. Besides, there are still two kits in the Clan; we’ll see if you can train one of them.”

Brightpelt nudged his tail off, stepping back, and muttered a “fine” under his breath before turning and stalking towards the warrior’s den. Fernfur watched him leave, sighing. 

Boragestar padded into camp with a heavy heart and several more lives swirling in his mind than there had been when he had left. His remaining Clanmates were huddled in groups, pressed into each other’s sides, and some could be found still crouched where the bodies of fallen Clanmates had lay the nights before. Boragestar felt his stomach churn. So much death, and no one to blame save for the illness that no one could stop. Featherlily had fallen first; the old medicine cat hadn’t the strength to take care of the entire Clan single-pawedly while also sick, and the apprentice he had been training had already died unexpectedly due to a fox attack the previous moon. 

And here Boragestar was now, leader of a Clan thoroughly destroyed and defeated. He hadn’t ever expected to be leader—for StarClan’s sake, he hadn’t even been deputy! But if the other cats thought him worthy... 

And now he was back, empowered by StarClan but still weak from the recent events, struggling to think about how to comfort his Clan. Fernfur was doing his best at suddenly-appointed-deputy, it seemed; the tom was seemingly watching over their remaining Clanmates and seeing if anyone needed help that moment. Good; it was what Boragestar had chosen him for. His deputy’s attentiveness and caution would hopefully do some good in soothing what Boragestar knew was a sharp temper he had, and he hoped he could lean on Fernfur in the coming moons as they rebuilt.

...He really, really hoped he could. If Fernfur fell too... 

Boragestar shook his head, grimacing. No, Fernfur was much younger, stronger; he could keep hanging on, more than Boragestar knew he could. His own age might make him experienced, but Fernfur’s youth would hopefully aid him in staying by his Clanmates’ sides for moons to come.