Just Like Any Other Day

So-Called Deputy

"D-Daisystem?" Emma stuttered, still tranced by the recently fresh revelation of her being a cat.

"Who- is that my name?" She mentally cursed for making herself seem suspicious so easily.

The kit's eyes widened in alarm. "You can't remember?" "O-oh, no, I can!" Emma, or Daisystem, depending on how you viewed the context of the situation blurted out. "I was just messing around!" She gave the kit the most convincing...mew.

"Oh!" The kit's expression returned to normal in a heartbeat, prompting Emma to inhale a much-needed breath of relief.

"Can I mess around too?" It cried not a moment later, meeting Emma's eyes with a hopeful expression that she couldn't deny. "Oh, well I, see..." Her voice trailed off. Of course, she could always resort to being frank and admitting, "Thank you very much for the offer, but I am afraid that I have to deny, because I have just found out that I am a cat, and not only that, but a warrior in an unknown Clan, have no idea where my family is, don't even know if I'm on Earth anymore, have to acknowledge the fact that my best friend may have placed an unintentional curse on me, and have to live with the horrendous possibility that I may be trapped here forever. No pressure."

Instead, she replied, her mouth feeling dry, "Of course. Why don't you start?" "Great!" The kit squealed. "Okay, so I don't know who I am, and you have to come up with a backstory for me!" The kit's whiskers twitched in anticipation. "Wait! Let me go outside and come back in. I want to act it out!" "Okay!" Emma/Daisystem replied, attempting to feign interest. After all, it was an innocent kit. It was the least she could do. But, audaciously, in the back of her mind, she was counting the seconds before she was given the truth of why she was here, out of all places. Naturally, the first thing she'd do when she'd get back would be to kill Elena for jinxing her. But by the looks of the situation, that wouldn't be happening anytime soon.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the crashing sound of the kit tumbling into the den. Its eyes turned to her, and Emma/Daisystem instantly realized that it was her turn. "Oh! Well, uh," She began, trying not to let her worries get the best of her. "Your name is-" She was interrupted by a fire-red she-cat storming into the room. "Treekit!" The she-cat, whom Emma assumed to be the kit's mother, exclaimed. "Out of all times, why are you disturbing her-" She broke off her voice, nudging Treekit sternly, and instantaneously diverted her attention to Emma.

"I'm so sorry Daisystem! Out of all times this must be the hardest for you, after the war with RiverClan, Froststar and all..." Her voice trailed off, evidently mourning.

Emma was speechless.

Froststar, huh? Pretty chill name for a leader, if I must say so. It brought a feeling of warmth to Emma's chest, and, if not only for a moment, it took her attention off her family and Elena.

However, Emma was aware, thanks to having read all the Warriors books for years, that this Froststar must have meant a lot to the she-cat. As if on cue, the nostalgia of waiting in lines for the Erin Hunters to autograph her copies of the newest arcs revived freshly in her mind.

Would she ever get that chance again?

She bit back a pitiful yowl, and turned her attention back to the cat, trying her best to overrule the thoughts looming through her mind.

How did she get here in the first place?

Perhaps this was all a dream. A very realistic dream for sure, along the lines of a nightmare, but a dream nonetheless. Perhaps...

"I just wanted to say, I know you've been facing a lot of criticism, but I'm on your side." The she-cat blinked, instantaneously arousing Emma from her slumber.

"You're the youngest deputy SkyClan's ever had, you know. You're doing a great job." She paused. "You'll make a great leader one day." She finished, purring.

Daisystem gave the she-cat a curt nod, aware that it might've not come off as genuine as she had intended. She heard the she-cat dragging Treekit from the scruff back to the nursery, dramatically in the background, but that was the least of her concerns.

Warrior. Deputy. Warrior. Deputy. Warrior. Deputy.

Emma wasn't just a warrior in SkyClan. She was their deputy.

And... based on how much she knew...she could very well be their acting leader.