When I saw Longtail was wotw on Twitter I had to do some art for my andย @scara94โs PO3/OOTS Re-Write AU. Longtail is deputy in our re-write, and serves as an authority figure thatโs always in camp who is easy to find in an emergency but is also just great at keeping everything running.
Pheasantpaw stared at the entrance to camp, letting out a long sigh. It'd been exactly 2 moons since her littermates, mother and Brambleclaw had left for the Tribe and they still weren't back.
Had something happened? What if the Tribe hadn't been as welcoming as they'd hoped...
Not for the first time she wished she'd been allowed to go with them. Maybe she didn't have any amazing StarClan given powers but at least she'd know what was happening - anything had to be better than this nervous waiting! She kneaded her claws into the soft sand beneath her paws in frustration, so lost in thought she didn't notice ThunderClan's deputy approaching until his pale tabby pelt was at his side.
She jumped, alarmed and a little guilty to have been caught sitting around, "L-Longtail! I-I-"
"I could hear you sighing from the other side of camp," the blind tom gave her a playful nudge before taking a seat at her side. He gave her a pitying look, "Still missing your littermates huh?"
"Yes, sorry Longtail I know I should be doing something more-"
"That's not why I came over," Longtail cut over her apology with a wave of his tail,ย "You have nothing to apologize for. The Clan is well fed, our borders are patrolled and Sandstorm can finally spend a minute in camp. I thought she was going to collapse you've been working her so hard."
Pheasantpaw gave him a small smirk, whiskers twitching as she relaxed, "I think she knew what she was getting herself into when Firestar made her my mentor."
Longtail let out a purr of amusement, "I supposes she did, yes." He sat up straigher, taking a deep breath.
"All joking aside," he took on a more serious tone that made Pheasantpaw nervous, "I noticed you've been...keeping busier than usual lately. And for someone who works as hard as you that's saying a lot. If something's wrong I want to make sure you know you can always speak to me in confidence."
Pheasantpaw shrunk backwards a little, curling her tail around herself. She knew her father had noticed how hard she was trying to make herself useful, but she hasn't realized she'd made it so obvious even the Clan's deputy was worried.
"I just...I guess want to make sure everyone knows I'm just as good as my littermates," she mewed vaguely, lowering her voice, "I don't want them thinking they're better than me just because they got to go on this
cool journey."
A dark expression crossed his face before it was taken over by a somber sadness Pheasantpaw couldn't understand, "I know what it's like to have friends you want to impress. Don't lose yourself trying to make other's happy, Pheasantpaw."
Pheasantpaw froze, the fur on her hackles raising with surprise. It felt like his blind gaze was penetrating every corner of her mind, unravelling all her secrets. But that was impossible, not even Weaselpaw could read cat's that easily.
"Promise?" he mewed when she didn't answer and she was glad he couldn't see the way her paws shock.
"I promise, Longtail," she hated how much her voice shook but if he noticed he didn't comment on it. Immediately he dipped his head and the tension cleared, a smile lighting his features.
"Good, now come, I think I can hear Mousefur complaining. Leafpool's had her paws full since Larchpaw left with the others, why don't we go and see what she's grumbling about?"
