Bonekit's Apprentice Ceremony

The warm weather felt nice on Marshstorm's dark pelt as he padded towards highrock for his second official ceremony. As he looked around the clan, he felt a sense of comfort and peace. Times had been tough lately, but he felt an odd sense of peace about it all. Most of it, stemmed from the future generation. He smiled as he glanced a couple of kits from the nursery, soon they would be apprentices themselves. One of them, was already past the time to become an apprentice. He leapt onto Highrock, a soft smile on his muzzle as he readied himself for the familiar gathering cry.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock for a clan meeting!" He yowled, keeping his calm tone and watching as cats suddenly diverted their attention towards him. A prickle of unease ran down his pelt at being watched, but he focused on looking at young Bonekit, then at the gathering cats.

Bonekit was napping under the warm sun of Newleaf right outside the nursery, sticking out as a sore thumb between the kits that played around him because of his age. He probably was at least one or two moons overdue for his apprentice ceremony. Several times queens and the occasional warrior that visited him told him that he shouldn’t be in the nursery anymore…but in all honesty he couldn’t care less about warrior training, he preferred the simple and easy life of a kit.

When Marshstorm called for the gathering, his eyes drowsily opened as he turned his head to look at him without really attempting to join the growing crowd. While he was interested on whatever the deputy could say, he had done his best to lay low and so far it had worked wonders to avoid a ceremony, so unless his mother had finally grown tired from his lack of action and talked to the deputy herself to get his ceremony done, there was no way this could be it.

Marshstorm watched as Bonekit seemed fairly unexcited about the ceremony. He wondered for a moment if the kit had lost track of time, or if it was simply a lack of enthusiasm. He hoped for the former, but then, enthusiasm could come in time... he hoped. He watched as Featherheart and a few stragglers joined in the meeting before he resumed, beckoning Bonekit with his tail.

"Bonekit, step forward." He urged. His amber eyes watching the kit closely, analyzing him as he waited for the little tom's response.

Bonekit’s ears suddenly raised as his name was called. For a couple seconds he waited, thinking this was nothing but a mistake on the deputy’s part, but when no correction was made he got on his paws and walked from his comfortable patch of grass to right beneath the Highrock, having to push some warriors and apprentices aside to be able to make it through the crowd.

As he took his spot on the front of the crowd he couldn’t help but look around. While his posture and gaze reflected some disinterest, only somewhat hidden by his usual carefree smile, deep inside he couldn’t help but feel a spark of nervousness. If this was what he thought it was…who he was going to be stuck with for the next couple moons?

When the kit pushed his way through, Marshstorm was relieved to see him smile. He turned his attention to another cat in the crowd and smiled fondly at the tabby she-cat as he waved her forward with his tail. Confident in his decision that she would aide this young apprentice in learning what he needed.

"Bonekit, you have passed the age of six moons." He turned his attention back to the kit. "I apologise for not have noticing this earlier, no doubt you are eager to get to your training. From this day on, until you recieve your warrior name, you will be known as Bonepaw. Your mentor will be Dustcloud." He smiled softly at each of them. "I hope that her courage and strength will pass down to you." He added, before finally waving his tail in the dismissal of the ceremony.