The Lion's Roar

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She was fishing. He could tell. One by one she spoke to warriors within her clan and while he wondered if she was trying to soothe them, he also knew that moon high was coming and she would have to choose someone soon. Amber eyes lifted up to the moon and watched as the stars in the sky blanketed the sky around the white glow of the moon. She would probably speak to him soon enough and in that case he decided it was best to wait for her to call him.

Leopardstar's demise was a sad one. She'd led the clan through many moons and many wars. Even though she'd made the choice to follow after Tigerstar's ambitions, it was still a strong reign that she'd had. And yet...

He lowered his eyes only to fall onto those of Loondusk... well Loonstar soon-to-be. The large tom dipped his head with respect and meowed his congratulations softly with his deep voice. "You're already taking on the job well. I appreciate your idea of giving everyone a chance to lead beside you." His tail twitched beside him to show his respect and his eyes went back up to the moon. "Although I fear that time is not your friend in this circumstance."

A gentle smile played on his maw and he lowered his gaze once more. "How can I assist you?"

@loondusk

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Loonstar [break]
Our tainted history, is playing on repeat...
[break]But we could change it if we stand up strong and take the lead

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As the moon began to rise into the sky, Loondusk was well aware there was little time left. However, she had made much progress over the day, with only one more warrior to assess. Over the many meetings, she had whittled down the potentials to a mere pawful, but she got the sense this next warrior would be among those harder to strike from the list. Perhaps he would not be stricken off at all - time would tell, no matter how brief.
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A tilt of her ears caught the warrior's pawsteps as he approached, but Loondusk did not turn her head at first. After her more recent conversations nearer the sea, Loondusk had returned close to camp, settling not far from the oak that guarded many of their dens. Not uncommonly, her gaze was trained upon the water, watching the stars shimmer on the surface. Despite the situation, she looked surprisingly relaxed.
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Finally drawing her gaze from the shallows, Loondusk lifted her head in time to meet the gaze of her warrior. Where his congratulations earned little more than a subtle flick of her ear, his next words garnered a slight tilt of her head. He was not among the oblivious ones. "It is not," she agreed finally, gaze lifting toward the rising moon. "But the decision will be made on time." There was no doubt in her tone, no fear or hesitation - but whether or not she felt any of those, well, her tone would rarely tell.
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Beside her, Loondusk's tail flickered.
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"You were among my loudest supporters this morning," she meowed, gaze still observing the moon as a thin veil of clouds swept over it. "What drives you to support me? What do you desire for our clan, that you think I might deliver?" Finally, her eyes fell from the sky, settling upon the tom. Her expression was calm, inscrutable.

[attr="class","loonextras"]

@quasar[break]
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[Deleted]

Lionthroat's tail twitched lightly at his side as he watched the tortoiseshell molly speak. Why did he support her? Because he knew she could bring a calm and logical approach to clan life. He dipped his head slightly and spoke in return, his voice rumbling in his throat.

"Because I believe Riverclan's strength should not come from emotional insecurity or impulsive reactions. Calm and calculating make a great leader. One who can bring in a new perspective and a creative mind. I've seen you lead and I can say that your intelligence and understanding of the clan will be beneficial to us all. There will be no purposeless battles or deaths with you as leader, and I am confident that your heart is for your clan. Even as you give each member of the clan a chance to advocate for themselves to lead beside you. I respect a cat who takes the individual's thoughts into consideration. And I've always admired you from afar."

He may have been a loud tom, and a big one at that, but he was not one to start a fight where one wasn't needed. He may feel suspicious of the other clans, but that didn't mean he thought of them as evil entities. "Deputy or not, I will follow you and support your leadership."

There were very few that Lionthroat actively respected. And one of those cats just happened to be Loondusk. And he wasn't an impulsive cat. Strategy was everything and a clear and strong mind would bring strength and clarity to those who followed her.

@loondusk

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Loonstar [break]
Our tainted history, is playing on repeat...
[break]But we could change it if we stand up strong and take the lead

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Loondusk blinked. Admittedly, part of her was somewhat surprised. It occurred to her that perhaps the tom was merely saying what he thought she wanted to hear...but his beliefs seemed to align so similarly to hers that it was as though he had hopped into her mind. However, she had asked why he supported her, not what his true beliefs were. Perhaps hers were merely acceptable, or they aligned enough that to him it all meant the same.
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But was similar truly better?
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Quietly, Loondusk took in what Lionthroat said, eventually offering him a slight nod. His last comment struck her as a little odd, but not in a way that unnerved her. Admiration could mean many things, almost all of which seemed to be good. If a cat admired her, that likely meant they respected her and were loyal to her. That was all she needed - a clan held together by faith and loyalty. She was done with the distrust of the past.
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"You seem content with my beliefs, Lionthroat," she acknowledged, paws tucking beneath her chest as she lay. "But my thoughts are not your own. So tell me, what makes you different?" Loondusk had been told she needed balance, and that was not something she disagreed with. So what could this warrior offer her clan, that she could not? That was an intriguing question, certainly.

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At her words, Lionthroat thought for a moment. Not because he was hesitant or unsure of himself, but because he wanted to make sure he got his thoughts in order before responding. "I admit I've had my eye on the deputy position for a long time now. I'm confident in my abilities to protect and defend the clan and I'm not ashamed of my beliefs. I will continue to offer my voice to inspire and advocate for them. My passion and ambition are to uplift the clan. And my heart is to build up each individual to the best of my abilities."

He paused and looked back up to the sky, his heart racing at the idea of the deputy position so close in his grasp. He took a deep breath to calm his pounding heart and his clouded head. There was an understanding that although it was within reach, it wasn't necessarily for him. And maybe he wasn't even ready. He had a lot to learn and a lot to say and maybe his voice would be his downfall, his overconfidence taking him down a notch. He knew his greatest struggle was with humility. Being bigger, stronger, and louder meant that he felt like he was on top of the world.

"There would be no greater honor than to work by your side. But I know I still have a lot to learn. Humility is not my strong suit, and is something I know I need to grow in."

@loondusk