Wrong, is what this is: Sharpshadow pushing her way to the Clan's helm at the crack of dawn. She definitely doesn't manage to walk with the acute purpose Smogstar had accrued over all those moons... Hell, she probably couldn't even live up to Mirepurr's, weird mimicry that it was. For all they lacked in experience, they almost sort-of made up for with that glimmer of sincerity in their eyes. And of course Smogstar had cared... he had to, to stay here for so long. Even still, his eyes had lacked that... brightness, she supposes.
It wouldn't be fair to either of them to ever compare himself to them, honestly. Sharpshadow looks like he'd wandered into the clearing by complete accident, and in a way, he kind of has. This was never meant for him, after all. Smogstar had certainly thought the same.
By the virtue of being a replacement's replacement, she stands before Clanrock. Just how was she meant to garner attention the way Smogstar had? It flocked to him easily, despite his unassuming face and flea-ridden back. It was in the dark-wood eyes, in the caterwaul, in, somehow, the low drone... Was it a recipe for success, or something just for him? ...Sharpshadow knows he would make a fool of himself if he tried the same things.
So... " Um, " an amazing start, already. Her head passes around the clearing, a pallid gaze hoping desperately that the routine of it all would be enough to pull cats in. " I'm doing patrols today. " The next issue: how exactly did someone go about this?
A few sunrises later, Smogstar's absence is still looming above them all. Search parties. They need search parties. It's all her mind can insist, even though they've done those already; even though they had all been fruitless, somehow, hardly tethering onto a scent. Sharpshadow refuses to believe that's it. There had to be something else to it - something that they're missing. A set of fangs peek just over her lip. She had to push back the haze of panic, so they could pretend things are... normal. Then again - maybe ShadowClan was such a disaster that the guise of normalcy would be abnormal in itself.
A swear is hissed beneath her breath. Nerves goad out a rare swing of her tail. Were they all thinking about how terrible her posture was? They better not be, with Smogstar's horrible slouch - but then, he pulled everything off better than he ever would... " Okay, um. " StarClan, could she just relax? " ThunderClan. I'll go, and I'll take... Scalejaw and... " Her ears flatten to her skull as she overlooks the crowd... Her gaze catches onto double shades of blue, a half - toned face that surely, was freaking out as much as he was? Not like - not like that was her problem, but, ah... " Halfsun, you come too. "
Her face furrows. " ...WindClan. " Was it stupid to wonder if they somehow played a part in Smogstar's disappearance? With their track record, surely not. But... No offense to Smogstar, he wouldn't be as easy to move around as a kit... " Forestshade, could you, y'know, investigate? I mean- mark the border and stuff, but... " She'd... get it, wouldn't she? " Take F-flintwish and Applejaw, and um, your guys' apprentices. Obviously. " Did she even have to say that? She probably didn't.
" It's Leaf-bare now so... We should stay fed while we can, I guess. " It felt weird to boss around someone that's kind of her superior, but it's what Mirepurr and Smogstar have done. Plus, could she even call something like this bossing? " Um, Mirepurr, maybe you could go hunting? Take, um... Sparrowheart and Shriketalon with you. Yeah. " His frown goes deeper still - which is apparently possible - when her gaze crosses Smogstar's apprentice... They should have been a warrior by now, too... " You can go too, Bloodpaw. " Something like sympathy maybe, briefly flashes across her gaze. If Sharpshadow had still been an apprentice now... " Later tonight, Batchaser, maybe you could take Willowburn and Haretooth with you for some night hunting? " Maybe being out at nighttime could somehow provide them with some additional information... " Watch each other's backs. " Not to be a stick in the mud, but, " I'm serious. "
And now... what else? Another look for Smogstar patrol was probably a bit extra, with three that would already be roaming the territory. Could one more really hurt, though? Maybe he could just pretend its something else? Uh, kill two birds with one stone. " Starlingheart - maybe you could go... looking for herbs or whatever? Uh, yeah. " It couldn't hurt. Who knows what might happen with Smogstar gone, anyways... " Wormwatcher and Laurelgrin- could you look after her and Marblepaw? Thanks. "
Unease prickles along her pelt. Who knew where Smogstar could possibly be- and who knows who may somehow catch wind of that fact. ShadowClan has had a spy before; it isn't... complete nonsense. " Let's... strengthen camp's defenses, " he says. A brief glance of is that okay? is cast to Mirepurr. His gaze would find Ferndance then, someone who he knew had... concerns about camp's safety. If she took anything seriously, it would be this, right? " Ferndance, Snowlark, and Salamandersnap... but also um, anyone else that wants to would be nice. Patch up any holes in the barrier or strengthen the dens or... " She frowns in the direction of the nursery. He didn't wanna shout, like, what if we get attacked? but... " Maybe... even the kits could use some... schooling? Just- take care of camp please. Make sure we're o-okay. " At least one of them ought to understand.
And so... she desperately hopes that she hadn't terribly screwed something up. " All of you... " he breathes. " Regardless of what you're doing - where you're going... please... please look for Smogstar. "
It wouldn't be fair to either of them to ever compare himself to them, honestly. Sharpshadow looks like he'd wandered into the clearing by complete accident, and in a way, he kind of has. This was never meant for him, after all. Smogstar had certainly thought the same.
By the virtue of being a replacement's replacement, she stands before Clanrock. Just how was she meant to garner attention the way Smogstar had? It flocked to him easily, despite his unassuming face and flea-ridden back. It was in the dark-wood eyes, in the caterwaul, in, somehow, the low drone... Was it a recipe for success, or something just for him? ...Sharpshadow knows he would make a fool of himself if he tried the same things.
So... " Um, " an amazing start, already. Her head passes around the clearing, a pallid gaze hoping desperately that the routine of it all would be enough to pull cats in. " I'm doing patrols today. " The next issue: how exactly did someone go about this?
A few sunrises later, Smogstar's absence is still looming above them all. Search parties. They need search parties. It's all her mind can insist, even though they've done those already; even though they had all been fruitless, somehow, hardly tethering onto a scent. Sharpshadow refuses to believe that's it. There had to be something else to it - something that they're missing. A set of fangs peek just over her lip. She had to push back the haze of panic, so they could pretend things are... normal. Then again - maybe ShadowClan was such a disaster that the guise of normalcy would be abnormal in itself.
A swear is hissed beneath her breath. Nerves goad out a rare swing of her tail. Were they all thinking about how terrible her posture was? They better not be, with Smogstar's horrible slouch - but then, he pulled everything off better than he ever would... " Okay, um. " StarClan, could she just relax? " ThunderClan. I'll go, and I'll take... Scalejaw and... " Her ears flatten to her skull as she overlooks the crowd... Her gaze catches onto double shades of blue, a half - toned face that surely, was freaking out as much as he was? Not like - not like that was her problem, but, ah... " Halfsun, you come too. "
Her face furrows. " ...WindClan. " Was it stupid to wonder if they somehow played a part in Smogstar's disappearance? With their track record, surely not. But... No offense to Smogstar, he wouldn't be as easy to move around as a kit... " Forestshade, could you, y'know, investigate? I mean- mark the border and stuff, but... " She'd... get it, wouldn't she? " Take F-flintwish and Applejaw, and um, your guys' apprentices. Obviously. " Did she even have to say that? She probably didn't.
" It's Leaf-bare now so... We should stay fed while we can, I guess. " It felt weird to boss around someone that's kind of her superior, but it's what Mirepurr and Smogstar have done. Plus, could she even call something like this bossing? " Um, Mirepurr, maybe you could go hunting? Take, um... Sparrowheart and Shriketalon with you. Yeah. " His frown goes deeper still - which is apparently possible - when her gaze crosses Smogstar's apprentice... They should have been a warrior by now, too... " You can go too, Bloodpaw. " Something like sympathy maybe, briefly flashes across her gaze. If Sharpshadow had still been an apprentice now... " Later tonight, Batchaser, maybe you could take Willowburn and Haretooth with you for some night hunting? " Maybe being out at nighttime could somehow provide them with some additional information... " Watch each other's backs. " Not to be a stick in the mud, but, " I'm serious. "
And now... what else? Another look for Smogstar patrol was probably a bit extra, with three that would already be roaming the territory. Could one more really hurt, though? Maybe he could just pretend its something else? Uh, kill two birds with one stone. " Starlingheart - maybe you could go... looking for herbs or whatever? Uh, yeah. " It couldn't hurt. Who knows what might happen with Smogstar gone, anyways... " Wormwatcher and Laurelgrin- could you look after her and Marblepaw? Thanks. "
Unease prickles along her pelt. Who knew where Smogstar could possibly be- and who knows who may somehow catch wind of that fact. ShadowClan has had a spy before; it isn't... complete nonsense. " Let's... strengthen camp's defenses, " he says. A brief glance of is that okay? is cast to Mirepurr. His gaze would find Ferndance then, someone who he knew had... concerns about camp's safety. If she took anything seriously, it would be this, right? " Ferndance, Snowlark, and Salamandersnap... but also um, anyone else that wants to would be nice. Patch up any holes in the barrier or strengthen the dens or... " She frowns in the direction of the nursery. He didn't wanna shout, like, what if we get attacked? but... " Maybe... even the kits could use some... schooling? Just- take care of camp please. Make sure we're o-okay. " At least one of them ought to understand.
And so... she desperately hopes that she hadn't terribly screwed something up. " All of you... " he breathes. " Regardless of what you're doing - where you're going... please... please look for Smogstar. "
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