Rushkit's Apprentice Ceremony

"Let all cats old enough to catch their prey, gather beneath the willow branch for a clan meeting." Ivyfall yowled out for an apprentice ceremony to begin. Another of Flowerpetal's litter was ready, oh, it was heartbreaking to think that the queen never got a chance to see her kits become apprentices. But Ivyfall swore that these kits wouldn't join her in StarClan any time soon, they would leave their mark in history and live on.

Rushkit left the nursery, his eyes somewhat distant. He sat at the edge of the nursery, unsure of what the meeting was about. He was relatively disinterested as he watched a small beetle crawl across his paws.

"Rushkit, step forward." She meowed, tail flicking up high.

Foampaw emerged through the camp entrance just in time to hear his brother's name being called by Ivyfall. Her smiled and slipped within the crowd of cats, peering over pairs of ears to get a better view of his brother. He was larger than him, and the tomkit could only picture the largest of the litter all alone, apprentice sized, struggling to fit in the nursery. He giggled and shook the image away, returning his attention to Rushkit.

Rushkit's ears pricked as he heard his name called. By Ivyfall. It was his apprentice ceremony? The tom flicked the beetle halfway across the camp before bounding with his small legs over to his deputy. He skidded to a stop, not sure whether to face the crowd of cats watching or to face Ivyfall. He tried to lock eyes with his mother in the crowd, but a painful stab in the chest reminded him that it would never happen again. Feeling defeated, the tom turned to Ivyfall, standing above him.

"Rushkit, it has come to my attention that you have reached the age of six moons, and are now ready to be apprenticed. From this day forth, you shall be known as Rushpaw. As for your mentor, I name Tinytip as she is an experienced warrior who will teach you much." The deputy glanced over to the warrior and flicked with her tail for her to come closer. Then she spoke solemnly to the rather short-tempered warrior. "Tinytip, you have been excellently mentored by Whitestream before you, and I know you will pass on your dedication to our clan and bravery to this apprentice. I trust you will protect and teach him to be a true RiverClanner. May StarClan guide your path."

Rushpaw nodded slowly, looking to Tinytip. Really? he thought to himself, she seems... so... small. The tom was dumbfounded. There's no way she isn't an apprentice. Right? He was almost at her size already. The tom shook away his prejudgments and walked over to his new mentor and touched noses. She probably had moons of experience and would make him a great warrior.