Featherpaw's Medicine Cat Ceremony

The calls of her name that greeted her made her wonder if newly named warriors felt anything like this. She supposed it must be similar, but not at all the same. But before her thoughts could wander off-track, one of the cats stepped forward.

"Sageleaf!" Featherlight exclaimed, happiness the only emotion on her face. "I... Thank you." There were a lot of things she wanted to say, but those two words would have to convey all of them.

"It is my pleasure to be able to watch over such a talented young medicine cat. You make me proud, you make your clan proud..." Sageleaf meowed softly. She had nodded at Featherlight's words, or lack thereof, being fully aware of what they meant. The grey and white she-cat had once wished that she would receive the same praise, but upon becoming a warrior. However, that was not the destiny laid out for her. Featherlight would be the one to fulfill her true purpose in a way her former mentor never had. After a moment, the she-cat spoke up again, "There will be many trails in the future ahead, Featherlight. Just remember to never lose faith in yourself and faith in Starclan." As she finished speaking her head butted gently up against the new medicine cat's cheek in a sign of affection.

"I'll try," Featherlight promised. "I will always do my best. Being here, right now... It seemed so distant for so long, but here we are. I don't want to disappoint you... All of you, but you especially, Sageleaf. I don't know what happened, what led StarClan to have you take me as your apprentice... But I will always be grateful."

"As will I, Featherpaw. I will always wish our time together was longer, but I will continue to watch over you as you progress. Now and forever." Sageleaf pressed her head to Featherpaw's affectionately and lightly butted their foreheads together. The young she-cat had become like the kit she would never bear herself. Even in her dissatisfaction as a medicine cat, getting to be Featherpaw's mentor, briefly, and now as a spiritual guide had been one of the greatest things she had ever done. She stepped back to look at the new medicine cat and smiled once more.

"You should get back to your clan, Featherlight. They will be eager to see their new medicine cat, and I'm sure will be as thrilled to greet you as I was." The former medicine cat waved her tail as if gesturing her back to Windclan. It would be exciting to see her welcomed as a full medicine cat back into her clan. There was no doubt Sageleaf would be watching.

Featherlight smiled back, and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, she was once more with her nose to the moonstone and that small smile on her face. "Mottleheart?" she called out. "I think we can go home now."