Frustration Grows!

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The latest news had met up with him. Tanglestar had gone too far this time! Conversations from the Shadowclan patrol had infuriated him. A leader should never consider allowing a kit from another can to join and even standing for its defense in a gathering and patrol.

Thunderclan was already looked to to be a too friendly clan and now they could be called kit stealers behind their backs. Riddlehawk had done nothing to his knowledge to prevent this. He couldn't even keep his leadership from a wimpy leader like Tangelstar. Don't get him wrong, he loved his leader and all but...

Under the great tree he pushed his claws in and out from his paws. He didn't like feeling insecure in his own territory. It was making him mad that his word wasn't even taken into account anymore by his deputy and leader.

A hiss of frustration escaped out of him as his claws kneaded the ground.

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The dark tabby tom knew how FoxFlight felt. He knew. So, he made sure GoldenFur didn't follow him on this one. Instead, he told her something, and said that he had to go out for a while, and then he set off to follow this other tom.

"I know how you feel."


The tabby growled, almost sounding like TigerStar, the TigerStar that got killed in one swipe.

ScarShadow padded out, his amber-eyes aflare. It looked as if he would slash out at his fellow companion, but no, he didn't. He just sat down right infront of him.

"TangleStar needs to go. She has caused too many problems. She is a traitor, you know that? She left her clan, without a word, leaving everyone worried at first. RiddleHawk made no new Deputy since then, and it was long since MoonHigh, but he got his lives."

His tail was lashing back and forth behind him, while his ears flickered.

"You do understand, right? I sure hope so."

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When he heard a voice, he instantly whirled around ready to attack. Scarshadow then appeared with eyes aflame and looked as if he would attack as well. Foxflight's eyes dared him to, but then narrowed as he listened to what the tom had to say.

At the prompting question, he hissed,"Of course I know Scarshadow!" Now his tail was lashing as well, but how the Dark Forest had this tom guessed what he was thinking?

"Our clan was and is looking weak. It seems the whole clan is divided! This new kit joining our ranks who isn't even part of Thunderclan doesn't help either," he growled in annoyance.

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ScarShadow wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"Along with DirtFur, the one who killed two of our warriors, and attacked TangleStar. TangleStar says he's a prisoner, but he looks happy. Just like a clam, or a bee buzzing around."

His claws unsheathed and sheathed, doing that multiple times. TangleStar needed to get swiped out. Once and for all.

"TangleStar has to go. She isn't the best leader. And I can tell RiddleHawk wouldn't do much good either. Have you seen his looks lately?"

He looked over at FoxFlight with a rather serious look.

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"I'd do a heck of a lot better than any of you mangy scraps." Riddlehawk said, padding towards them. The tom had his limp but it was barely noticeable. All the better for being underestimated. "And if you were to get rid of her, you'd need my help. Play your cards right once she's gone and you might secure yourself a top spot." The tom said, leaping up onto the stump of a young tree that had tried to grow up around the giant tree but had been struck down by lightning. "Don't underestimate Tanglestar. It'll get you nowhere." He finished, looking at the other two toms. "Now what are your ideas."

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It was surprising to see RiddleHawk come over all of a sudden, but even MORE surprising to see how he was talking. His ears were flickering, and his whiskers quivered. What did Riddlehawk mean? Did he really want his leader-ship spot?

"How can I trust you? You've changed. You aren't like RiddleHawk no more."

ScarShadow's eyes were stern, and stared right at RiddleHawk dead on.

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"I've changed. There's no doubt about that. But I change to fit the times. Give yourself the appearance of the insane and they all label you harmless. Not a threat." he said, flicking his tail. Riddlehawk's gave settled to ScarShadow. "You need to adapt to the changing times. Things aren't as....easy to manuever as they used to be. You notice how things have gotten...more tense in Thunderclan? They'd have only gotten worse if I had fought openly towards Tanglestar." He chuckled. "I'd probably be roaming the loner lands if I had. "

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Foxflight merely nodded with an irrated expression upon his face at Scarshadow's words. Thunderclan was falling apart...not just their clan actually, but the entire forest. A sudden trickle started to seap through his mind at that thought. He couldn't put what it was showing him yet. His whiskers quivered as he thought about everything.

Suddenly, the sound of Riddlehawk met his ears and he looked around with burning eyes. Was his 'deputy' going to call him on an act of treason? If he did, he better be ready for a fight. Foxflight's eyes saw that the tom had a limp as he came up to them.

What then came out of the tom's mouth made him narrow his eyes. What is your motive Riddlehawk? If you haven't done anything yet, why would you do this now?

He listened to the exchange between Scarshadow and Riddlehawk. Suddenly, the trickle turned into a raging river of information and thoughts. Riddlehawk's last statement had triggered it. We need to adapt....

"I agree with you Riddlehawk, we do need to adapt to chaning times and the way to save Thunderclan from this unease is to only make more of it." His eyes looked at both Scarshadow and Riddlehawk with an intensity that only could show that he had a plan. All he needed now was these cats to listen to him very carefully. Part of it he wouldn't tell his deputy though. Just because he's near power and Tangelstar doesn't mean we need to keep him informed on everything. Scarshadow was right, Riddlehawk needs to be ridden of as well, but not the same way. His expression did not show any of his inner thoughts, but his plan.

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"I know that look, What's your idea?" Riddlehawk asked the tom. Ah, this tom had some plans of his own that he wouldn't tell them yet. Yes, this tom was as treacherous as the two he spoke to. It seemed the only way a 'pirate' could make a living these days was by betraying other 'pirates'. Pirates they were, expert in hijacking clans like a pirate hijacks a ship. Bits of his past were swirling in his mind. After all, his last clan hadn't had such a nice end now had it? Of course, it wasn't of his doing. But it had been his father's doing and his father had discussed things with him hadn't he? Or was it all just a false memory?

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Foxflight looked at Riddlehawk and smiled. "We need to take control of Windclan and stop all this."

He began to pace and flick his tail back and forth without a pause. "We need to create more unease to start taking down the wall that holds the leadership of Windclan...perhaps even all the clans! Bad leaders cause bad relations with Starclan and the rest of the clan so if we got rid of the corrupt leadership we could prosper again. "

His eyes traveled to both cats to see if they understood what he was talking about.

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ScarShadow said nothing through this whole conversation now. I mean, what could he say? He was no mastermind. He didn't have the good brains. The best that he could be was just a warrior with pure strength and bravery.

This tom wasn't one to put up the ideas or be a leader. Don't get me wrong, he wants to be a leader, but not because of orders, because of the power. That's what he really craved. He would make the deputy come up with the ideas.

Yet, with what FoxFlight said next, made no sense to him at all. He thought they were only dealing with Tanglestar, no other leader. What was the point of messing with WindClan, RiverClan, or ShadowClan? Those clans mattered none to him. They shouldn't matter to any other cat either. Only ThunderClan mattered.

"Why? There is no point. We need to take down TangleStar, not WindClan. Not RiverClan. Not ShadowClan," he spoke, making sure his eyes glared right in the fur of FoxFlight, "Explain it to me, FoxFlight. Sure, unease, but that would give TangleStar a reason to, well, get in a defensive mode and be more overcautious. Don't you think?"

His ringed tabby tail swished side to side, while his ears flickered a bit as well. He figured that RiddleStar understood. Ah, he would always see RiddleHawk as RiddleStar. After all, he had the lives, didn't he? You can't get rid of lives no matter.

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At the voice of Scarshadow, Foxflight gave him a quizzical look. The tom had a point! Many cats had tried to take over all the clans and failed. Also, why try to take leadership of all clans if they just wanted to correct Windclan? Well, it seemed he hadn't been very clear in his description.

Foxflight didn't show any irratation, but rather a smile. No use in getting so worked up. If a cat didn't understand it was his fault for not being clearer. He was the one that had it in his mind and it was hard to communicate it perfectly the first time. So, the tom tried again.

"Scarshadow, I understand your point. Excuse me for not being clearer," he apologized full heartedly. "You are right how Tanglestar will over react. You also have a point about taking over all the clans. No, I didn't mean taking over them and ruling them at all. I'm just making a point that all the clans at the moment are losing touch with our ancestors and perhaps new leadership will correct this."

If any cat was listening to this tom who didn't know the corrupted side of his tale, they would have thought him a cat with worries for the four clans and that he'd do nothing to harm any cat. Unfortunatly, he was pretty sure there would be harm, but he'd restrain from casulties. He didn't like killing in the least and he wasn't a cat for gore at all. Foxflight's mentor had done wonders to change him and he still kept to those ideas passed onto him.

Foxflight looked at Scarshadow after he made sure Riddlehawk was still listening. "With Tanglestar I agree with you completely. It would make her more defensive, but she already is with Riddlehawk and all. The clan isn't going to take her literally if they just think its about the deputy, not to be rude Riddlehawk." He glanced at the tom next to Scarshadow as he put his tail upon his paws as he sat.

"I also said nothing about 'us' taking down the other clans. What about having 'them', the other clans, see this problem, this castrophe for themselves and right it with us."

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The tom stared at him, not sure how to speak. Was it a good idea to begin with? He didn't know. He was no leader. He had almost no sense anyways.

His tail tip twitched, and he didn't make a noise. All he did was stare. All he did was twitch his tail and ears. He felt utterly confused. He sighed softly, and just stared still, with unblinking eyes. He was trying to think on what to say. What was there to say?

"I guess that sounds reasonable," he finally spoke, trying to make that the only thing that he had to say. He didn't want to say anything else; he figured that was enough to begin with.

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"No offense taken, Foxflight. Actually. You have a point. I'm liked by almost the entire clan. Everyone considers me a very loyal, intelligent and trustworthy cat. They feel safe with me as deputy. A strong deputy gives them the security and sort of comfort they need to know that should their leader fall they have another strong leader to take their place. One that they already know well." Riddlehawk said, flicking his tail. His words came out in a gravely purr. Oh how this tom knew how to string his words together well. "The only real threat to the whole plan, the only person who would really take Tanglestar's suspiscions seriously is that gold tabby you see following her around. Sunflash. And he's also the thing we could use to help tip her from the den. If Sunflash weren't around you see, she would be distraught. Depressed. Maddened and crazed for blood. She would be unstable. And that is just what would make her accusations that much more unbelieveable. After all, an unstable leader is what brought Riverclan crashing down. Now that they have a stable leader they're growing a bit stronger. Don't you see a pattern here?"

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ScarShadow smiled at RiddleHawk. Maybe he could get SunFlash away, maybe he could do some damage. Maybe, just maybe...

He didn't want to ask his question aloud exactly, so he moved closer to RiddleHawk, and mewed softly.

"Could I possibly get SunFlash away?" he mewed softly, soon backing off afterward.

He sat there, his ears flickering around a bit. Oh, how he would love to shred that golden pelt. He would hang it up in the den. He would put it in his bedding. Soon after, he was starting to think about GoldenFur, does she feel the same? Does she want to get in this mess?

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