Deputy

A deputy is a warrior who is second in command to the leader, aiding them in their tasks and replacing them immediately after their death or retirement. Also, when the leader is ill, injured, or unable to perform their duties for another reason, the deputy will take the leader's place until they recover, and they will take their place at Gatherings if the leader is absent and cannot attend.

Description

Deputies are second in command of a Clan. A deputy is chosen by the leader to be their successor. Deputies sleep in the warriors' den; they do not have their own den like leaders do. Deputies are responsible for organizing daily patrols for the Clan, such as hunting patrols and border patrols. If a Clan leader is unable to lead a Clan temporarily due to sickness, being away from the Clan, etc., then the deputy would take over for that time. If a deputy is sick or injured, then a warrior will temporarily take their place, or senior warriors will distribute the tasks among themselves. If the leader dies, the deputy would travel to Moonstone, or Moonpool with the medicine cat to share tongues with StarClan and receive their nine lives. If a deputy dies, the leader must appoint a new deputy before moonhigh. The deputy will still keep their warrior name, at least until they become leader.

Qualifications

• Must be a warrior.
• Trained at least one apprentice (part of warrior code).
• Must be chosen by the Clan leader.

Appointment

The leader of a Clan must decide on a new deputy before moonhigh on the night that the old deputy has died, retired, been banished, or become leader, and also must state his or her name before the body of the old deputy (if the previous deputy was deceased - if not, they say the new deputy's name before StarClan) so the spirit of the old deputy or other regular spirits will hear and approve of the leader's choice of the new deputy. One exception to this rule is Fireheart, as Bluestar did not follow through with the ceremony right away, making him deputy after moonhigh. This lead to widespread rumors that Fireheart was unfit to be deputy.

When the leader dies or retires, the current deputy will become the new leader, unless a rebellion starts (like the one Mudclaw started) or the leader changes the deputy before death (Ex: Tallstar making Onewhisker deputy instead of Mudclaw, the current deputy).

A warrior may not become deputy unless they have mentored at least one apprentice. This is not always followed, as StarClan may give the leader or medicine cat an omen to choose a warrior who has not had an apprentice, such as Leafpool having a dream from Starclan that caused Firestar to appoint Bramblestar, although he had not ever been a mentor at the time. The main law's condition of being a mentor first was added to the warrior code after Acorntail of WindClan was appointed deputy under Featherstar. However, he was convinced he was the wrong cat and Featherstar suggested that he should mentor an apprentice to get used to giving orders and having authority. She later proposed this to add to the warrior code and the rest of the Clans gave their agreement.

Deputy ceremony

Usually, when a leader appoints a new deputy, it is because of the death of their previous deputy. If this is the case, this is how the ceremony words usually go:

Leader: "I say these words before the body of (name of former deputy), that the spirits of our warrior ancestors may hear and approve of my choice. The new deputy of (name of Clan) will be (warrior's name)!"

Retirement

A deputy can resign from their position if they wish to do so, for instance to retire as an elder (depending on age), or an injury that doesn't heal well (Ex: Tawnyspots of Thunderclan, who retired from constant bouts of sickness). They can also be deposed by the leader if considered unfit for the position. In either of the cases, a new deputy will be named before moonhigh. A deputy can also be banished (Ex: Tigerclaw, who was banished from Thunderclan after an attempt to take Bluestar's life).

Tasks

Tasks of a Clan deputy include:

• Assisting the leader in their tasks; they are a sort of "apprentice leader"
• Assigning border patrols, listening to their reports and assigning hunting patrols
• Organizing warrior trainings to keep up their skills (like Brambleclaw did in Twilight)
• Making reports to the Clan leader
• Substitute for the Clan leader on Gatherings and in battles if they are unavailable (like Fireheart did for Bluestar after the fire that blazed through the forest in Rising Storm)
• As a deputy is also a warrior, they are expected to carry out warrior tasks as well (patrolling, hunting, mentoring etc.). They do not have a den of their own, but sleep with the other warriors.

If the deputy is unavailable for a span of time, the senior warriors will distribute the deputy's tasks between them (like the ThunderClan senior warriors did when Graystripe was captured or when Tawnyspots was sick during Bluestar's Prophecy).

History of ranks

ThunderClan

Deputies

Name Gained rank in... Left rank in... Lightning Tail "The Dawn of the Clans" Thunderstar's Echo Owl Eyes Thunderstar's Echo Before "The Beginning of the Warrior Code" Vinetail Before "The Beginning of the Warrior Code" Before "The Vanishing Moon" Daisyheart Before "The Vanishing Moon" Before "Poppycloud's Rule" Greeneyes Before "Poppycloud's Rule" Before "The Leader Who Sought Peace" Leafstorm Before "The Leader Who Sought Peace" "The Leader Who Sought Peace" Seedpelt Before "The Victorious Clan" Before Mapleshade's Vengeance Beetail Before Mapleshade's Vengeance Before Goosefeather's Curse Doefeather Before Pinestar's Choice Before Pinestar's Choice Pineheart Before Pinestar's Choice Pinestar's Choice Mumblefoot Pinestar's Choice Before Bluestar's Prophecy Sunfall Before Bluestar's Prophecy Bluestar's Prophecy Tawnyspots Bluestar's Prophecy Bluestar's Prophecy Adderfang Bluestar's Prophecy Bluestar's Prophecy Bluefur Bluestar's Prophecy Bluestar's Prophecy Redtail Bluestar's Prophecy Into the Wild Lionheart Into the Wild Into the Wild Tigerclaw Into the Wild Forest of Secrets Fireheart Forest of Secrets A Dangerous Path Whitestorm The Darkest Hour The Darkest Hour Graystripe The Darkest Hour Sunset Brambleclaw Sunset The Last Hope Squirrelflight The Last Hope -

WindClan

Deputies

Name Gained rank in... Left rank in... Gorse Fur Moth Flight's Vision Before "Webfoot Speaks: The Story of the Lost Tunneler" Stonetail Before "The Beginning of the Warrior Code" Before "Finders Keepers" Mudpuddle Before "Finders Keepers" Before "Second in Command" Pebblefur Before "Second in Command" Before "Second in Command" Acorntail "Second in Command" Before Mapleshade's Vengeance Milkfur Before Mapleshade's Vengeance Before Mapleshade's Vengeance Heatherstar Before Goosefeather's Curse Before Tallstar's Revenge Gorsefoot Before Goosefeather's Curse Before Tallstar's Revenge Reedfeather Before Mapleshade's Vengeance Tallstar's Revenge Deadfoot Bluestar's Prophecy The Darkest Hour Mudclaw Firestar's Quest Starlight Onewhisker Starlight Starlight Ashfoot Starlight Before Crowfeather's Trial Harespring Before Bramblestar's Storm Shattered Sky Crowfeather Tigerheart's Shadow -

RiverClan

Deputy	Later Name	Entered Rank In	Left Rank In
Night	None	Thunderstar's Echo	Before Mapleshade's Vengeance
Sloefur	None	Before Mapleshade's Vengeance	Before Mapleshade's Vengeance
Hailstep	Hailstar	Before Goosefeather's Curse	Before Tallstar's Revenge
Shellheart	None	Before Mapleshade's Vengeance	Bluestar's Prophecy
Crookedjaw	Crookedstar	Bluestar's Prophecy	Bluestar's Prophecy
Timberfur	None	Bluestar's Prophecy	Bluestar's Prophecy
Oakheart	None	Bluestar's Prophecy	Into the Wild
Leopardfur	Leopardstar	Into the Wild	A Dangerous Path
Stonefur	None	A Dangerous Path	The Darkest Hour
Mistyfoot	Mistystar	The Darkest Hour	Moonrise
Hawkfrost (temporary)	None	Moonrise	Dawn
Mistyfoot	Mistystar	Dawn	Fading Echoes
Reedwhisker	None	Fading Echoes	---

ShadowClan

Deputy	Later Name	Entered Rank In	Left Rank In
Sun Shadow	Unknown	Before Thunderstar's Echo	Shadowstar's Life
Raven Pelt	Unknown	Shadowstar's Life	Shadowstar's Life
Lakestorm	Unknown	Before Mapleshade's Vengeance	Before Mapleshade's Vengeance
Sunnytail	Unknown	Before Mapleshade's Vengeance	Before Mapleshade's Vengeance
Brightwhisker	None	Before Mapleshade's Vengeance	Before Mapleshade's Vengeance
Marshscar	Unknown	Before Mapleshade's Vengeance	Before Mapleshade's Vengeance
Silvermask	Unknown	Before Mapleshade's Vengeance	Before Mapleshade's Vengeance
Snaketail	Unknown	Before Mapleshade's Vengeance	Before Mapleshade's Vengeance
Cedarpelt	Cedarstar	Before Goosefeather's Curse	Before Bluestar's Prophecy
Stonetooth	None	Before Yellowfang's Secret	Yellowfang's Secret
Raggedpelt	Raggedstar	Yellowfang's Secret	Yellowfang's Secret
Foxheart	None	Yellowfang's Secret	Yellowfang's Secret
Cloudpelt	None	Yellowfang's Secret	Yellowfang's Secret
Brokentail	Brokenstar	Yellowfang's Secret	Into the Wild
Blackfoot	None	Bluestar's Prophecy	Into the Wild
Cinderfur	None	Fire and Ice	Rising Storm
Blackfoot	Blackstar	Rising Storm	The Darkest Hour
Russetfur	None	Before Firestar's Quest	Fading Echoes
Rowanclaw	Rowanstar	Night Whispers	Bramblestar's Storm
Crowfrost	None	Bramblestar's Storm	Thunder and Shadow
Tigerheart	Tigerstar	Thunder and Shadow	Darkest Night
Tawnypelt	None	Darkest Night	Darkest Night
Tawnypelt	None	River of Fire	The Raging Storm
Juniperclaw	None	The Raging Storm	The Raging Storm
Cloverfoot	None	The Raging Storm	---

SkyClan

Deputy	Later Name	Entered Rank In	Left Rank In
Sparrow Fur	Unknown	Before Thunderstar's Echo	Before Mapleshade's Vengeance
Maplewhisker	Maplestar	Before Cloudstar's Journey	Before Cloudstar's Journey
Raincloud	Unknown	Before Cloudstar's Journey	Before Cloudstar's Journey
Petalfall	None	Before Cloudstar's Journey	Before Cloudstar's Journey
Cloudstorm	Cloudstar	Before Cloudstar's Journey	Before Cloudstar's Journey
Buzzardtail	Buzzardstar	Before Mapleshade's Vengeance	Before Mapleshade's Vengeance
Honeyleaf	None	Before SkyClan's Destiny (prologue)	SkyClan's Destiny (prologue)
Sharpclaw	None	Firestar's Quest	Hawkwing's Journey
Waspwhisker	None	Hawkwing's Journey	Hawkwing's Journey
Hawkwing	None	Hawkwing's Journey	---

Trivia

• Before the eighth rule of the warrior code came into existence, Clan leaders were originally chosen by their blood relation to the previous leader and not the deputy.

See also

• List of deputies
• Deputy ceremony