Stressful things (MID)

[Clemintine]

Midnight

Pebblestar had requested to see Briarclaw in her den, this would be the first, full conversation, and serious, very serious, conversation they would have. Pebblestar paced back and forth her green eyes locked onto the next spot her paw would step, her ears twitched rapidly as her tail thrashed back and forth. Memories of what she would talk about flashed through her mind

 ^{"They're my kits," he declared strongly, his voice, as ever, the hot growl of one inviting challenge. "The rogue she-cat was my mate and bore my kits. Duskflame happened to find us as she was kitting." He lowered his voice, taking on a more solemn tone so as not to betray his detachment from the situation.}

Mossthorn, a brave warrior, a brave stupid warrior, had stepped forward in order to save Duskflames own stupid life.

Pebblestar wasn't stupid, she could smell the milk! She how large Duskflame was! How she looked at the kits and was so quick to defend them and say it was wrong for Pebblestar to take them on. Pebblestar stopped and glared down at the ground, Duskflame was going too long without being punished. Something had to be done. 

_{"Mossthorn.. as StarClan as my witness... I banish you from TalonClan."}

[Midnight]

For several moons, Briarclaw'sd ay consisted of getting up, organizing patrols, training her apprentice, going on patrols, setting up more patrols, and then sleeping, with few meals inbetween. As a result, Briarclaw was the skinniest she'd ever been, and all of this had started in leafbare and it was now greenleaf. Her eyes, once a bright green, were now very dull, and her coat followed suit, messier than ever.

Briarclaw had been called upon by Pebblestar for a private meeting, their first as leader and deputy. Briarclaw hadn't gotten much of a chance to know Pebblestar (at least, as much as a deputy should know their leader), and Pebblestar hadn't confided in Briarclaw regarding Clan matters yet. So far, Briarclaw's deputyship felt like a more hard-packed warriorhood than anything else.

"Hello, Pebblestar. I'm sorry I got here so late, there were issues regarding patrols." Briarclaw mewed, sitting down in Pebblestar's den. The floor was of a moderate temperature, but it could've felt like ice and Briarclaw would've felt just as relieved. Sitting was such a rare activity nowadays that Briarclaw wondered just how her butt could've been sore when she was younger from too much sitting. How did she have so much free time? "It's nice being able to have a meeting after all this time, but you look very anxious." Briarclaw commented, ears perked in wait for what Pebblestar would tell her. The she-cat was pacing, and the tension in the air was something easy to sense. Was Pebblestar going to demote Briarclaw, but didn't know how to say it? Briarclaw felt the fur on her neck rise in fear, but she didn't speak again.

[Clemintine]

"Hello Briarclaw, I know we haven't talked much since you becoming deputy, but I feel as though I have a lot to tell you." the leader sat tall her stomach slightly enlarged "First off, I want to tell you I am pregnant again and that you will be taking over as leader again." Pebblestar eyes never left the deputy "I want to talk to you, about being leader, as you might have guessed I don't have very many lives left and I am getting older. I want you to understand why I do certain things and that when you become leader, TalonClan will need you more than it ever needed me."

What Pebblestar was saying was all true, TalonClan wasn't very liked and it would be harder on Briarclaw when Pebblestar was dead. She didn't want to make the deputy think she was dieing but things happened and by how the other Clans hated TalonClan it was a good possibility she would be targeted. "When I die, the Clan will look to you, You know how much the other Clans hate TalonClan, and just cause I die won't change that, which is why I stopped allowing outsiders, to make sure kit's born in TalonClan would be one hundred percent TalonClan kits. We need to start our own breed of cats instead of taking other Clans." Her green eyes soften as she began to share her thoughts with the deputy.

"The way you handle things will never be easy, even if it makes many cats upset with you, you must think of the Clan." she inhaled slowly and continued "With Duskflame, I should have kicked her out right away but what she says isn't true, Mossthorn deserved to be banished, any warrior who lies to a leaders face can not be trusted. Duskflame needs to be watched closely." Pebblestar smiled slightly "When I do leave, we will no longer have to look to Midnightstar, I will be there when you need me."

OCC:

Midnight I kinda changed this up a bit cause plots are so far along,

[Midnight]

Briarclaw inwardly moaned, her eyes widening in misery at the thought of having leader duties dumped on top of her deputy work again. She was finally starting to get a bit more sleep at night. but things had to be done and Pebblestar couldn't undo her pregnancy. As Pebblestar continued, she mentioned the fact that she was aging, and Briarclaw bristled slightly. The deputy opened her mouth to speak, but thought better of it and waited until she was completely sure that the leader was finished speaking.

Pebblestar stopped talking and Briarclaw nodded slowly, a bit numb to all of this. She never really expected to make it as far as leadership, so the thought that it was so close was a bit... horrifying to say the least. Briarclaw stayed quiet for a few minutes, looking to a few inches left of Pebblestar's shoulder, unable to look directly at her.

Finally, Briarclaw spoke, "I am ready for whatever I have to do as a leader. In a way, I've been prepared for moons, considering I've had to do double my job - I'm glad I had the opportunity to gain experience and better myself with this extreme challenge. I don't think... I don't believe that anyone in this Clan will ever be ready for your death, though, Pebblestar. You've been an excellent leader, and it's going to be difficult for me to be as good a leader as you are. I can only hope that my decisions in the future will help keep TalonClan on a good path." Briarclaw was relieved at the thought that Pebblestar would still be able to guide her with signs and dreams when she lived in StarClan. She also remembered that she would have a deputy to lean on when she needed it. Just knowing that Briarclaw wouldn't have to keep doing both her own job and a leader's job pulled a lot of weight off the she-cat's shoulders, but there was still a pit of worry in the pit of Briarclaw's stomach.