It Will Be Ours [Ame]

They're all around me,
Circling like vultures
They wanna break me and wash away my colors
Wash away my colors


Hazelclaw had never been particularly concerned with Clan politics as a warrior. She did what her leader and deputy told her. If SkyClan and ThunderClan were on good terms, so be it. If they were on bad terms, so be it. Hazelclaw wished for peace above all else, of course, but she would never hesitate to act in defense of her own Clan. ThunderClan came first above all else.

But now that she was deputy, she had to consider these things. If two other Clans started fighting, how would ThunderClan be affected? Would they get dragged in, would it be worth it? What if another Clan with allies made a move against them; could they count on their own allies to help them in their time of need? The complicated relationships made her head swim. Hazelclaw couldn’t help but doubt Falconstar’s faith in her- he was the diplomatic one, not her. She couldn’t figure it all out.

It’s only been a moon. You will learn. The thought echoed in her head as she padded alongside the river, their border with RiverClan. Hazelclaw certainly hoped so- she’d have to, if nothing else.

The sight of a cat further up the river on the other site of the border caught her gaze, a blue she-cat that she was unfamiliar with. But the RiverClan cat was staring at Sunningrocks, and that made her anxious. What are you planning….? She thought to herself, picking up her pace to reach the disputed territory in a timely manner.

She reached the Sunningrocks just as the other she-cat stooped to drink from the river. A quick sniff of the air informed the deputy that no RiverClan cats had actually crossed the border, a fact that gave her some relief.

Hazelclaw positioned herself strategically on one of the wider, more central rocks. She may not be the most diplomatic, but strategy and battle was a strong point of hers, and she had full confidence in her abilities in that regard- particularly on territory that she knew was rightfully theirs. A cautious warning couldn’t hurt as well, so long as she was able to attempt to be diplomatic. What would Falconstar do in the situation?

“You’d do well to stay on your side of the border,” Hazelclaw commented, her tone as neutral as she could make it. She knew what she saw, and in her mind there was absolutely no reason for the RiverClan cat to be staring over at this side of the border unless she intended something.

They're all around me,
Circling like vultures
They wanna break me and wash away my colors
Wash away my colors


Hazelclaw watched as the RiverClan cat spun to face her with narrowed amber eyes. "Says the one on the territory that is not rightfully theirs," the other she-cat spat. Great StarClan, Hazelclaw thought; she’d never encountered such a spiteful Clan cat. The only one who could compare was her sister Diana, but in Hazelclaw’s mind it made a little more sense for rogues and loners to be so angry. She felt like she was being tested- as if she hadn’t gotten enough of that as a warrior, too.

Her irritation was growing, but she grit her teeth. It would be unbecoming of a deputy to have an outburst, wouldn’t it? Leaving would be the best option, but Hazelclaw feared what would happen if she left now. She made a mental note to check Sunningrocks more frequently on her patrols.

Diplomacy. Be diplomatic, she reminded herself. But that didn’t mean she had to be a pushover, right? The she-cat didn’t think she could ever bring herself to do that. “What need does RiverClan have of crossing the river?” She asked. Maybe if it had been leafbare, she would have been a little more understanding- she would still defend the territory of course- but she would understand. But it was newleaf, and as far as she knew, all of the clans were flourishing. “Isn’t the prey swimming well?”

They're all around me,
Circling like vultures
They wanna break me and wash away my colors
Wash away my colors


The longer the she-cat stood there, defending ThunderClan’s territory, the more she wanted to retch. The scent of fish and RiverClan hung thick in the air; neither scent was pleasant to her nose. It only made the deputy more ancy as her patience faded, and Hazelclaw lashed her tail once. Great StarClan, it would be a wonder if anyone had the patience to put up with the RiverClan she-cat, she thought to herself.

"With Shadowclan testing the borders and you being so friendly in giving land away. You might as well share your land with the both of Riverclan and Shadowclan. You can't protect your land forever with your soft so called warriors."

“Enough!” Hazelclaw yowled. “Last I checked, Magpiestar was your leader, and Whitewater was your deputy. It is their decision what happens, not yours; if they want to risk the lives of their clan mates for this land then so be it. But your words mean nothing.” The deputy spat the last word, green eyes narrowing, as if daring the RiverClan cat to make something of it. “And your actions mean even less.” All bark and no bite, she though; Hazelclaw's least favorite combination.

She sniffed, tail curling behind her with every thought. If the RiverClan cat was so eager to flaunt her clan’s eagerness to take back Sunningrocks, then surely that meant Magpiestar had no recent plans to do so. After all, no warrior, not even a mouse-brained one, would give away a clan’s plans so readily. Hazelclaw was confident of this reasoning.