Brightkit's Apprentice Ceremony

With a purr of delight, Jaystream stepped over the branch of the announcements and he looked down at his clan, with bright green eyes. Another of his sons was now ready to become a warrior, the one who looked more like his mother. Although the strange behaviour he showed he was younger, it seemed that he changed and was now ready to join his clanmates in the apprentice den. Today, Brightkit would be an apprentice. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the willow branch for a clan meeting!"

Brightkit had been hiding out in his nest in the nursery, getting in precious moments when he didn’t have to put on a show for his clanmates when he heard his father call for a clan meeting. His interest peaked, Brightkit rose and enthusiastically bounded over to the nursery entrance, pocking his head out to see what was going on. Though he was past due to be an apprentice he still didn’t know if he was allowed to go out for gatherings, still being a kit. Sitting down in the entryway, he decided to stay there rather than possibly do something wrong by padding out into the center of camp.

The tom noticed his son far away in the distance and he looked at him, trying to show him that he was going to talk to me."Brightkit, please step forward." He purred with a fatherly smile as he tried to remain on his serious tone of the deputy he should be.

One the young tom was in front of him, he continued the ceremony, with his decision made. "Brightkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Brightpaw and your mentor will be Ravenflight. She had done a perfect job as a teacher to both Fogcloud and Nightshade, so I trust she will teach you everything you need and more. I hope Starclan lights the path of both of you." The tom leapt from the branch to give his son a loving nudge after he touched noses with his new mentor. The deputy then turned his sight to the she-cat and nodded at her, with a respectful smile. She might be young but Ravenflight had proven her abilities as a mentor and as a warrior. For Jaystream, she was a valuable warrior of Riverclan and he trusted his son's life on her shoulders.

Birghtkit's eyes widened as his father spoke to him and he rushed forward excitedly. Scrambling to a stop a few tail-lengths away from his father Brightkit sported the biggest smile he could muster, bowing his head in respect as his father went through the ceremony. Once the words were spoken Brightkit looked around for his new mentor and, remembering the greetings his siblings had given their new mentors, Brightkit bounded over to excitedly touch noses with the she-cat.

Ravenflight glowed with pride. Another apprentice! She was thankful that Jaystream trusted her with such an important task. "Congratulations, Brightpaw," she mewed to her apprentice, bending down to touch his nose to her own. "I'll be expecting a lot from you. We're going to train very hard, but I know you'll be a great warrior." She nodded in affirmation, encouraging the young tom. "We'll start training tomorrow."

Brightkit beamed with pride at Ravenflight's confidence in him, for once not needed to fake his way through a conversation. "I promise to live up to your expectations!" The calico tom looked back up at high rock to his father, eyes bright with excitement.

"Congratulations!" Stormpaw bounced forward, a look of genuine happiness on his face. "You'll make a great warrior someday, I know it!" The dark-furred tom nudged his younger brother playfully, his summer-yellow eyes shining with pride.

Hearing Stormpaw behind him, Brightpaw turned and looked over at the other tom. "Thanks Stormpaw! I can't wait to go hunting! I'm gonna be the best warrior Riverclan has ever seen!!!" Brightpaw's calico chest puffed up as he raised his head high with pride.