Halfkit's Apprentice Ceremony

Life was slow. The heat of Greenleaf was lessening its hold on the forest, signaling the beginning of Leaffall. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather under the Highrock for a clan meeting!" Having only one kit in a cremony was strange, but it seemed no one else was ready.

Blacktwig stretched in the morning sun, jaws parting lazily in a yawn. He blinked the sleep out of his vibrant violaceous eyes. He padded out, to see Darkstar atop her rocky perch. He gave a sleepy smile, as he took a seat below her, mind swimming with thoughts. His gaze flickered about indecisively. He wondered what the ceremony would be. Perhaps another warrior ceremony, he thought.

His gaze whirled around in an attempt to spot any more gathering cats. As he did, he spotted a calico she-cat; the spitting image of Dapplecloud. It was Halfkit, Stormstrike's daughter, and his cousin. She must've been deathly worried when the blue-grey tom didn't show up one day. Blacktwig would search for him, if it weren't for the Twolegs populating Twolegplace. His attention returned to Darkstar, however, the she-cat's ginger-and-black face was split in half perfectly. That might draw more curious eyes to her at her ceremony.

More paws thundered on the ground to gather. He might see other faces he didn't know, or knew from previous events. Clouds billowed above his speckled black skull, and the breeze's temperature was getting harshly colder. Frost lay on the leaves sprouting from the grounds, and polychromatic leaves hung loosely from trees' attenuated branches. They lay upon the ground in scanty amounts, yet the tom believed there were more to come.

Hollows' spacious areas provided comfort for ThunderClan, and they would be quite useful when the arrival of Leaf-bare was finally upon them. Despite being born in the solacing warmth of Greenleaf, Blacktwig had heard many tales of the chill of Leaf-bare. A twinge of pity struck him for the kits born at this time, for they would have to undergo this freezing cold season.

Smokepaw sat down near Blacktwig he liked seeing the new cat's excitement.

Halfkit had been more than worried the day that Stormstrike had left camp and not come back. Where had he gone? Luckily, she still had Dapplecloud, her littermates, Blacktwig, Meadowlight, and Stormstrike's littermates. The first cat she recognized was Morningshine, Stormstrike's older sister, and she eagerly padded over to sit by the warrior. She looked up at the she-cat her eyes wide with curiosity, and her half black and half ginger face evident.
"Hi, Morningshine!" She said, putting a smile on her face, "How are you?" Halfkit asked, tilting her head.

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Morningshine had been devastated when Stormstrike hadn't returned. Yes, she had Coldbreeze and Mistywater, but she felt closest to Stormstrike. Yet, she tried to keep her head up and a smile on her muzzle like usual all the time for the sake of the kits and the others, and she knew Dapplecloud was just as devastated as she was, and yet here she was, here to honor the soon-to-be-named Halfpaw's ceremony. Now, she was only a kit. When the guest of honor sat down beside her and began speaking, she purred warmly. Whenever she saw one of Stormstrike's kits, she saw him through them.
"Hello, Halfkit," Morningshine said, "I'm good, and I suppose you are too! You'll be a great apprentice, I know it."


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Swanpaw sat towards the back, looking up at Darkstar. She was curious to find out who's ceremony this would be.

Blacktwig's tail waved in greeting towards Halfkit, unsurprised that this was her ceremony. "Hello, Halfkit," he purred with a smile donned on his face, speckles like a streak of fire and snow down his slope of a nose. The she-kit had proven herself to be an obedient kit, and her ceremony was well earned. He gave a reserved nod towards Morningshine, the immutable feeling of Stormstrike's absence nagging at his heart and thoughts as well.

"Halfkit. You have reached the age of six moons and it is time that you become apprenticed. From now until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Halfpaw. Your mentor will be Blacktwig. I hope he teaches you all he knows." Darkstar leaped down gracefully to finish the ceremony.

Blacktwig padded forwards to touch noses with Halfpaw. My first apprentice! He thought with disbelief. The black tom awaited her reaction with awe. Yet he concealed all the excitement within him. He hadn't particularly been waiting for this moment; it had come completely unexpected to him. Mentoring Stormstrike's daughter was such an honour, he couldn't believe it. His rich blue eyes stared into her own, sharp yet finely-rounded amber ones.

Her new welcome as an apprentice would be effusive, yet she would have to train hard. There would be no restrictions on Blacktwig's watch.