Stonekit's Apprentice Ceremony

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the willow branch for a clan meeting!" Scorchclaw called from atop his perch on the Willow Branch. The large tabby tom wrapped his fluffy tail loosely around his dark paws as he waited for his clanmates to assemble. It was time for another of Swanpetal's kits to be made an apprentice.

Stonekit left the nursery with annoyed eyes and his ears flattened. Inside, he was sad that he still didn’t have his ceremony like the rest of his siblings but he couldn’t show. Sadness, kindness and gentleness were weak feelings. If he was weak, the rest would attack him. He sat down proud, his tail flicking impatiently as he fixed his blue eyes on the deputy.

Before too long, all of his clanmates who had met the requirement had arrived, and it was time to proceed with the ceremony. Not wanting to waste any time, Scorchclaw went ahead. "Stonekit, step forward." The young tom was the last of Swanpetal's litter to receive his apprentice name. Flicking one tufted ear, the fluffy deputy regarded him with a serious expression. "Stonekit, 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 Stonepaw and your mentor will be Robinpatch." As the words left his mouth, Scorchclaw shifted his gaze to the calico warrior in the crowd, and he nodded slightly.