Pacing

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The massive tabby paced back and forth on the rock that was where Tanglestar usually gave meetings. Why hadn't Tanglestar been around recently? Where in Starclan's name was that she-cat?! He grumbled, pacing some more in his limping gait. His ruined paw scraped the stone beneath it as he paced further. He was getting aggitated! Why was it Tanglestar could keep disappearing and coming back?! Didn't she know the tension it created among the warriors?! About all the uncertainty?

He grumbled yet again, his torn and scarred ears pricked for sign of pawsteps. His thick tail lashed back and forth. WHERE WAS SHE?!?! He whirled on the massive tree that rose out of the dirt behind the stone. His paw racked deep furrows into it's bark, sap spilling from the gouges. This grisly looking tom was the size of a small toddler....in terms of height. He was truly a leviathan. His thick, fluffy coat was covered in black stripes, and the occasional white stripe where he had a scar beneath hair, the fur having grown back in pure white.

His single gold eye peered out across camp as he went and sat back down, his tail lashing back and forth to show his agitation. If that she-cat disappeared for much longer he would go to Starclan himself and just get his lives already. A low growl rumbled from his chest. This usually good-nature'd tom was getting tired of having to run a clan so full of uncertainty and deceit. One that he wasn't even technically leader of. His eyes alighted on a cat approaching, and he purred slightly in welcome. "Hello."

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Mousekit blushed when his father called out a greeting, and smiled in shy embarrassment. The small grey-brown tom had poked his head out of the nursery to take advantage of the sunshine that was falling across the floor of the camp's earth floor. He hadn't been expecting to see his father. But he wasn't upset by the occurance. The young tom loved his father dearly, as any kit would. The call was just a bit much, somehow, for such a reclusive kit.

"Hi, Daddy," he purred back, making his way over to the large tabby's form with a tall, happy tail. But as he approached, he couldn't help but detect a bit of anxiety in his father's one gold eye. "Is somethin' wrong?" he asked, blinking in concern for Riddlehawk.

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Riddlehawk smiled at his son. "Mousekit." He said with a nod. "I'm just kind of aggitated is all, little bear." he said quietly, using an affectionate term for his son. He would grow to be big, and Riddlehawk knew that he would be a good warrior, though kind. Another piece of inheritance from the kit's father. "This is the second or third time Tanglestar has disappeared without a word to myself or anyone else in the clan. It's just trying as a deputy to try and handle it."

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Mousekit grinned sheepishly at the name, and continued to pad closer to the large tabby until he was right beside him. There he was able to sit down and look up at his father with wondering eyes. What could his father be agitated about? Nothing should bother his daddy. Surely Riddlehawk was tough enough to deal with anything that crossed his path. There wasn't a doubt in the small tom's mind that his daddy could beat up just about an cat who was making trouble for him. And was there really such a thing as a situation that could bother him so much? Riddlehawk hadn't said that it was a big deal, but the way he'd acted before said otherwise.

He listened attentively when Riddlehawk continued to speak. The little tom felt his eyes widen as his father explained. "What? Tanglestar's gone missing?" His jaw hung open as he stared up at the tabby's gold eye. Mousekit spent most of his time in the nursery, where it was warm and safe, and hadn't heard anything about Tanglestar's disappearance. "And nobody knows where she is? What are we gonna do?" The idea of the Clan being without a leader suddenly made him feel exposed and endangered. He edged a little closer to Riddlehawk. "Do you think that she's hurt somewheres? Or dead?"

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Words flicked across the clearing towards Foxflight's ears. His eyes opened wide as the words began to be clear. The tom had been taking a nap after mulling over his thoughts. Everything was just coming so easily, but the battle hadn't even started yet. Tanglestar's absence was finally being seen by the one cat it truly mattered to, Riddlehawk.

Foxflight's eyes turned towards the pacing tom as he got onto his paws and stretched. Mousekit was talking with his father and a smirk appeared on the tom's face. It seemed funny that such a cute kit was learning through his father just what Tanglestar was doing. The leader of Thunderclan needed to step up soon or she'd loose her battle with Riddlehawk. The clan was funny that way, it needed the constant attention of a leader and when one wasn't there it called for a new one or they would all fall apart.

He walked over to the two cats that were conversing and his eyes glittered. Catching what the kit was saying, he smoothly entered the conversation with a laugh. "I highly doubt we should concern ourselves over Tanglestar, she's a great warrior and can take care of herself. Of course, looking for her wouldn't be a bad idea Mousekit, but that is for Riddlehawk to decide," he meowed with a friendly purr towards the kit. The tom was careful to appear no more than a light-hearted tom, which he was, but what he had said had dared the Deputy to take action in this time. It was a test, if he didn't take it then it would further prove Tanglestar's leadership was right and, or, continue to tear apart Riddlehawk's position...at least what was left after their leader had shunned the Deputy off his post. More than anything, Foxflight was just kidding around with Riddlehawk about what to do, but then again it was for the listener to interpret.