Lilacpaw's Warrior Ceremony

Magpiestar cleared his throat and called out to the clan. "L-Let all cats old e-enough to capture their o-own p-prey gather underneath Jaggedrock f-for a clan meeting!"

Lilacpaw exited the apprentice's den at the leader's call, wondering what the meeting could possibly be about. An apprentice ceremony, most likely. Or maybe a warrior ceremony for one of the older apprentices. Her thoughts, however, didn't think to remind her that she was one of the older apprentices as she ran through whose ceremony it might be in her mind - her friend Curlypaw, perhaps? Or her brother's kits' apprentice ceremony? She waited patiently for Magpiestar to continue the Clan meeting.

Crowfur walked out of the warrior's den with a smile. 'Another ceremony?' he thought. He looked over at Lilacpaw and tilted his head. Maybe it was her warrior ceremony. She was one of the eldest apprentices. He sure hoped it was hers. She was the one to deserve it the most. He sat next to his sister. He gave her a smile as a greeting.

Lilacpaw returned her brother's smile with one of her own, but quickly fixed her eyes on Magpiestar once more. The presence of her older brother reminded her that he wasn't that much older than she was, and that her training had made progress - her moonstone journey hadn't been long ago at all, really. Still, she was reluctant to assume this was her ceremony over all the other possibilities. But part of her hoped that it was - that she could finally leave the apprentice's den and serve her Clan as a proper warrior.

Rowantalon stepped out of the nursery with a small smile, casting a hazel eye around camp and trying (but failing) to count his brood of kits, apprentices and warriors. He flicked his spotted tail as Magpiestar called a clan meeting and trotted towards the Jaggedrock curiously. Who's ceremony could it be today? Perhaps he'd be getting an apprentice.

"Tonight we gather to make this apprentice a warrior. L-Lilacpaw, please step forward." the tom called. "I, Magpiestar, l-leader of ShadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. S-She has trained hard to understand the ways of y-your noble code, and I commend her to you as a w-warrior in her turn. Lilacpaw, d-do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to p-protect and defend your Clan, e-even at the cost of your life?"

Lilacpaw stepped forward when her name was called, shocked that this was, in fact, not a dream. "I do," she declared, her usually hesitant voice clear on this night. Her destiny was clear to her now - to serve her Clan as a loyal warrior, the once-distant dream now so close to being her reality.

The tom nodded, and rose his head to speak once more. "Then, by the p-powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Lilacpaw, f-from this day forward you shall be k-known as L-Lilacfall. ShadowClan h-honours your perseverance a-and l-loyalty. Congratulations."

Owlpaw jumped up and chanted his big sister's name. "Lilacfall, Lilacfall!!" He ran up to her with glowing eyes. "Can you take me hunting one day with you being a warrior now?" he asked excitedly.

The newly named Lilacfall was a little overwhelmed, but nodded to her younger brother. "Of course," she told him with a purr. "What kind of sister would I be if I didn't?"

Crowfur stood up and chanted along with the rest of the clan. "Congratulations Lilacfall! I'm so proud of you little sister!" he purred. He gave her a gentle smile then his eyes traveled to Owlpaw. "Maybe we can all go on a hunting patrol? As a family of course!" he suggested.