Creamkit's Apprentice Ceremony

Creamkit tumbled out of the nursery, ruffling her groomed fur. She gave her pelt a few long strokes with her tongue, smoothing the rumpled tufts of fur. When she was sure her pelt was as glossy as needed, Creamkit padded over to sit beneath the willow branch, looking up at Fishstar with big round eyes, excitement making her bristle. Anticipation made her tremble, and enthusiasm made her stiff and tense. She was engulfed with a wave of eagerness as more cats emerging from the dens, showing that the meeting was on the brink of its start. Though Creamkit had to admit, she was more excited for the end of the meeting, when she would fully be an apprentice.

She looked around the clearing for the last time as a kit. Her gaze paused for a few extra heartbeats when it rested on the apprentices den. Creamkit longed to sleep in there with the other apprentices, and she was thrilled that that time was only about a day away.

Her tail twitching with impatience, Creamkit looked up at her leader, willing Fishstar to begin the meeting without some of the other warriors. It seemed like moons away before all the cats will be gathered comfortably in the clearing. She sighed, telling herself, Every apprentice has to wait. If I've waited six moons already, I can wait for a few more minutes!

Creamkit forced her fur to lie flat again, and curled her tail over her paws, reminding herself how she had always wanted to be daintily perfect. She neatly tucked her paws under her, and flicked her ears up straight. She tipped her head back, and lifted her chin up, proudly watching as more cats gathered around her.

Eagerly, but determined not to wiggle with excitement, Creamkit padded forward as Fishstar had asked. She looked up at her leader, trying to show respect in her eyes instead of impatience. She didn't want to become and/or know as 'that silly apprentice that has no patience'.

Creamkit reached the foot of the willow branch, and sat with her tail curled around her paws. She fought the urge to lick a paw and draw it over her right ear, which was becoming itchy at the moment. Instead, she forced herself to sit still and ignore the nagging itch. Lightly, hoping that no cat, especially Fishstar, could see her, she gave her head a small shake to release the itch a bit. But it only made it itchier, and she suppressed a hiss of annoyance.

Creampaw! Creampaw! Creampaw loved her new name, even though she had known what it would be. "Creampaw! Creampaw!" all the cats chanted, like in the way Creampaw was chanting in her mind.

She dipped her head at Fishstar, and looked around her, looking for Larchleap. She spotted her, and suppressed herself from bounding over. Instead, she forced her bristling fur to lay flat, and calmly padded up to Larchleap to touch noses. She reached up and touched her new mentor's nose, forcing herself not to purr out loud.

"What should I do now, Larchleap?" she asked her mentor calmly, her voice a completely different tone from her mind's excited bursts of happiness. "Are we going training right now?" she added eagerly, her fur starting to bristle again.

Creampaw was slightly disappointed at first, but at Larchleap's promise for a patrol she brightened up. "Okay, Larchleap! Where do I find moss?" Creampaw asked, suddenly realizing she didn't know where the bedding could be found.