Batkit's apprentice ceremony

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath High-rock for a clan meeting!" The yowl cut through the dim grey sky as Marshstorm waited on High-rock. His brown tabby pelt a dark splash of colour in a grey and white world as the older tom waited patiently for all cats to gather. His amber gaze settled on the small black form of Batkit. One that Leopardstar had surprised him with. Yet, it was what he loved about ThunderClan.

A quality he would have scorned in his native ShadowClan, he had grown to love and embrace this, his true clan, with all his heart. He could scarcely imagine being in any other. Large paws kneaded the slippery stone beneath him. A far cry from the marshy lands he had once traversed. A welcome change. Soft mist clouded the air on an exhale as he waited for cats to gather before resuming his announcement.

Batkit wandered towards the gathering cats at the call of a Clan meeting. What would this one be? There seemed to be so many types of meetings and ceremonies, she couldn't keep count of them. Not that she was actually trying to. Still, the smallish she-cat looked up at the High-rock, as it was called, and waited to hear what this meeting was for.

"Batkit, step forward." Marshstorm's voice cut through the murmurings of the gathered clan cats. The whispers about the cold and snow. The quiet groanings about how leaf fall was too short, how they couldn't wait for green leaf already. Good murmers. Marshstorm took such mutterings with relief and gratitude that those were the clan's only problems these last couple moons as he called for silence with a flick of his tail.

"Batkit, you have reached the age of six moons. It is now time for you to become an apprentice. From this day on, until you recieve your warrior name, you will be known as Batpaw." He began, a soft smile on his white muzzle as he looked through the crowd of cats... but he already knew what he was going to do. This apprentice was Leopardstar's kin, adopted or not, and he couldn't see any reason for himself to not have an apprentice. His current ones were nearly warriors, on the cusp of getting their names. "I will be your mentor." He meowed as he looked directly down at Batpaw's black form. His amber eyes meeting her green with gentleness. "I promise to train you to be the best warrior you can." He added, before leaping down to complete the ceremony and celebrate with the clan. "We'll begin at dawn." He concluded. "I hope you're ready."

"Congratuations!" Lynxpaw jumped forward as soon as the ceremony ended. "You'll be an amazing warrior, i'm sure of it." A small twinge of doubt made the little tom pause. His sister was going to be leaving camp daily. She'd be fighting and hunting... and he wouldn't be there to make sure she stayed safe.
Still- she'd be with Marshstorm. Lynxpaw didn't know too much about the cat, but he did know that Leopardstar trusted him. "Be careful, okay?" He couldn't help squeaking out a warning.

Batkit -- no, Batpaw -- purred in acknowledgement. "I'll be fine, Lynxpaw. I promise! But you have to stay safe too, alright?" The smaller-than-average apprentice was pretty sure she'd be alright by now, at least: Leopardstar trusted Marshstorm, and she trusted Leopardstar, so she would extend that trust to Marshstorm until she was given a reason not to.