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 the 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 previous deputy has died, retired, been banished, or become leader, and also must state their 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.
*Substituting for the Clan leader at 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==
Temporary deputies are hidden; please toggle to enable them.
ThunderClan (toggle temporary)	ThunderClan (toggle temporary) 	ThunderClan (toggle temporary)
Name 	Gained rank in... 	Left rank in...
Lightning Tail 	Path of Stars 	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 Pinestar's Choice
Doefeather 	Before Pinestar's Choice 	Pinestar's Choice
Pineheart 	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
Graystripe 	Outcast 	Eclipse
Graystripe 	Sunrise 	Sunrise
Squirrelflight 	The Last Hope 	Lost Stars
Squirrelflight 	Lost Stars 	The Silent Thaw
Berrynose 	The Silent Thaw 	Veil of Shadows
Bristlefrost 	Veil of Shadows 	Veil of Shadows
Lionblaze 	Veil of Shadows 	Darkness Within
Lionblaze 	The Place of No Stars 	A Light in the Mist
Squirrelflight 	A Light in the Mist 	Thunder
Ivypool 	Thunder 	-
Cinderheart 	Ivypool's Heart 	-
:
ShadowClan (toggle temporary)	ShadowClan (toggle temporary) 	ShadowClan (toggle temporary)
Name 	Gained rank in... 	Left rank in...
Sun Shadow 	Before Thunderstar's Echo 	Shadowstar's Life
Raven Pelt 	Shadowstar's Life 	Shadowstar's Life
Lakestorm 	Before "Finders Keepers" 	Before "Mouse Games"
Sunnytail 	Before "Mouse Games" 	Before "A Sign from StarClan"
Brightwhisker 	Before "A Sign from StarClan" 	Before "A Sign from StarClan"
Marshscar 	Before "The Vanishing Moon" 	Before "Darkstar's Law"
Silvermask 	Before "The Medicine Cats Decide"	Before Cloudstar's Journey
Snaketail 	Before Cloudstar's Journey 	Before Goosefeather's Curse
Cedarpelt 	Before Goosefeather's Curse 	Before Yellowfang's Secret
Stonetooth 	Before Yellowfang's Secret 	Yellowfang's Secret
Raggedpelt 	Yellowfang's Secret 	Yellowfang's Secret
Foxheart 	Yellowfang's Secret 	Yellowfang's Secret
Cloudpelt 	Yellowfang's Secret 	Yellowfang's Secret
Brokentail 	Yellowfang's Secret 	Yellowfang's Secret
Blackfoot 	Yellowfang's Secret 	Into the Wild
Cinderfur 	Fire and Ice 	Rising Storm
Runningnose 	Tigerclaw's Fury 	Tigerclaw's Fury
Blackfoot 	Rising Storm 	The Darkest Hour
Russetfur 	Before Firestar's Quest 	Fading Echoes
Rowanclaw 	Night Whispers 	Bramblestar's Storm
Crowfrost 	Bramblestar's Storm 	Thunder and Shadow
Tigerheart 	Thunder and Shadow 	Tigerheart's Shadow
Tawnypelt 	Darkest Night 	Darkest Night
Tawnypelt 	River of Fire 	The Raging Storm
Juniperclaw 	The Raging Storm 	The Raging Storm
Cloverfoot 	The Raging Storm 	-
:
WindClan 	WindClan 	WindClan
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 Cloudstar's Journey
Milkfur 	Before Cloudstar's Journey 	Before Goosefeather's Curse
Heatherstar 	Before Goosefeather's Curse 	Before Goosefeather's Curse
Gorsefoot 	Before Goosefeather's Curse 	Before Tallstar's Revenge
Reedfeather 	Before Tallstar's Revenge 	Tallstar's Revenge
Talltail 	Tallstar's Revenge 	Tallstar's Revenge
Deadfoot 	Before Bluestar's Prophecy 	Before Firestar's Quest
Mudclaw 	Before Firestar's Quest 	Starlight
Onewhisker 	Starlight 	Starlight
Ashfoot 	Starlight 	Before Crowfeather's Trial
Harespring 	Before Crowfeather's Trial 	Shattered Sky
Crowfeather 	Before Tigerheart's Shadow 	Veil of Shadows
Unnamed cat''	Veil of Shadows 	Veil of Shadows
Crowfeather 	Veil of Shadows 	-
:
RiverClan (toggle temporary)	RiverClan (toggle temporary) 	RiverClan (toggle temporary)
Name 	Gained rank in... 	Left rank in...
Night 	Riverstar's Home 	Before Cloudstar's Journey
Sloefur 	Before Cloudstar's Journey 	Before Mapleshade's Vengeance
Spiketail 	Before Mapleshade's Vengeance	Before Goosefeather's Curse
Hailstep 	Before Goosefeather's Curse 	Before Tallstar's Revenge
Shellheart 	Before Tallstar's Revenge 	Crookedstar's Promise
Crookedjaw 	Crookedstar's Promise 	Crookedstar's Promise
Timberfur 	Crookedstar's Promise 	Before Into the Wild
Oakheart 	Before Into the Wild 	Into the Wild
Leopardfur 	Into the Wild 	A Dangerous Path
Stonefur 	A Dangerous Path 	The Darkest Hour
Mistyfoot 	The Darkest Hour 	Moonrise
Hawkfrost 	Moonrise 	Dawn
Mistyfoot 	Dawn 	Fading Echoes
Reedwhisker 	Fading Echoes 	River
Splashtail 	Sky 	Shadow
Splashtail 	Thunder 	Thunder
Harelight 	Wind 	Wind
Berryheart 	Wind 	Star
Owlnose 	Star 	-
:
SkyClan 	SkyClan 	SkyClan
Name 	Gained rank in... 	Left rank in...
Sparrow Fur 	Before Thunderstar's Echo 	Before "Finders Keepers"
Rainsplash 	Before "Finders Keepers" 	Before "Follow My Leader"
Maplewhisker	Before "Follow My Leader" 	"Follow My Leader"
Nightmask 	Before "Poppycloud's Rule" 	Before "Darkstar's Law"
Raincloud 	Before "Darkstar's Law" 	Before "A Lesson to Kittypet Thieves"
Petalfall 	Before "A Lesson to Kittypet Thieves"	Before Cloudstar's Journey
Cloudstorm 	Before Cloudstar's Journey 	Before Cloudstar's Journey
Buzzardtail 	Before Cloudstar's Journey 	Before Firestar's Quest
Honeyleaf 	Before Firestar's Quest 	Before Firestar's Quest
Sharpclaw 	Firestar's Quest 	Hawkwing's Journey
Waspwhisker 	Hawkwing's Journey 	Hawkwing's Journey
Hawkwing 	Hawkwing's Journey 	-
:
WarriorClan	WarriorClan 	WarriorClan
Name 	Gained rank in...	Left rank in...
Fang 	Graystripe's Vow 	-
==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.
**However, before this was even established, Thunderstar had picked Owl Eyes to be his deputy and Shadowstar had picked Raven Pelt despite neither pairs having no blood relation. Though it can be argued that Thunderstar's kin were too young to fill the role, and Shadowstar had no family in ShadowClan with the death of Sun Shadow.
==See also==
*List of deputies
*Deputy ceremony
==External links==
* 
==Notes and references==
de:Zweiter Anführeres:Lugartenientefi:Varapäällikköfr:Lieutenantit:Vicelt:Ginklanešysnl:Commandantpl:Zastępcaru:Глашатайsv:Förstekrigareuk:Воєводаko:부지도자
Category:Clan hierarchy