Slatepaw's Warrior Ceremony

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath Jaggedrock for a Clan meeting!" Scorchstar called from the peak of the highest point in the camp.

Having returned from a patrol, Slatepaw made his way towards the growing crowd, his large form brushing against cats' pelts as he made his way to the front. It seemed as though he'd been an apprentice and knew that we was more than ready to become a warrior, seeing as though he was already warrior sized and had the strength of the leader himself. Not bothering to sit down, the hefty jawed tom locked gazes with Scorchstar, waiting for him to continue speaking.

"Today we gather to give an apprentice his warrior name. Slatepaw, step forward." Scorchstar looked down at Slatepaw with a smile that radiated with pride, happy to see another one of his apprentices become a warrior. Not many of the apprentices he's had over the years ever lived long enough to reach this far, after all. "I, Scorchstar, leader of ShadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn. Slatepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Listening to the leader, Slatepaw stepped forward, his head and tail held tall. As Scorchstar spoke, the apprentice became more and more hesitant as to what he was agreeing to, and while not wanting to pledge his allegiance to dead cats, he replied the usual saying, seeing as though he wouldn't become a warrior otherwise. "I do," the deep voiced brute mewed, in a calm, eerie, sort of way.

Scorchstar wasn't sure why he felt the fur along his back rise a little at the tone of voice Slatepaw spoke with, but he quickly forced it back down. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Slatepaw, from this moment on you shall be known as Slatestrike. StarClan honors your strength and skills in battle, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ShadowClan." He leaped down from the Jaggedrock and placed his muzzle on the newly appointed warrior's head.

Chest fur puffed out, the newly named Slatestrike soaked in the chants, which only fed his ego even more. He was finally a warrior, which meant he could leave camp alone and without someone chasing after him, which was something he'd yearned to do. Now, he wouldn't constantly be stuck in the stuffy camp with all the goody-two-shoes warriors and apprentices.

Morningpaw had been observing the warrior ceremony with a genuine smile. She felt joyous for her clan-mate and his well-earned achivement. He clearly deserved his bestowed warrior name. It also suited him well. The medicine cat joined the others in chanting the tom's name.