Stormkit's Apprentice Ceremony

With her head held low, Ivybrook stood on the ground, staring up at the Willow Branch. She knew that Stormkit was growing too large to stay in the nursery, and she was of age- but she resented the idea of hopping onto the branch and speaking the ceremonial words that she had heard so many times in her short lifespan. She'd already practiced them, for she knew eventually she would have no choice, but speaking them was foreign to her, and she hated the idea of it. Shaking her head, she bunched up her legs and leaped gracefully to the branch, sinking her claws into it as she swallowed her fears and summoned her Clan. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Willow Branch for a clan meeting!" The words felt odd on her tongue, and she lowered her eyes to the nursery for when the young she-cat would come running out.

Hopefully, she wouldn't mess this up.

Stormkit knew it would be her ceremony today. It just had to be. She had seen the ceremony enough and had watched the older kits get their ceremony, and now she was the oldest one in the nursery. She had seen the other mothers clean their kits for their ceremony but her mother was gone so she did her best to clean herself up. She wanted to rush out and sit right under the branch but she had to make her parents proud. With her tail held high the blue gray kit walked out of the nursery and joined the gathering cats.

Every second that the she-kit stayed inside the nursery caused tension to build stronger inside her chest, her instincts screaming at her that she didn't belong, that she should go to Scorchclaw and tell him that she just couldn't do it- but she breathed a deep sigh of relief when she spotted the little grey kit walking out of the nursery slowly. When most of the cats around her had settled, she nodded to Stormkit with a gentle smile. "Stormkit, please step forward." When she did as Ivybrook asked, she lifted her gaze to the sky for a moment before setting it upon Stormkit once again. "Stormkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day forward until you become a warrior, you will be known as Stormpaw. Dappleshine will be your mentor. I trust that she will guide you well in the ways of the Warrior Code." Giving Dappleshine a quick glance to make sure that she had heard what she'd said, Ivybrook leaped off of the Willow Branch and approached the newly named apprentice, touching noses with her gently before walking towards the warrior's den.

Stormpaw... Stormpaw.. She liked the sound of it. It was right for her. At least for right now until she earned her named. Stormpaw turned to face her mentor. She couldn't wait to start training. She had to make her parents proud. She needed to, and she wasn't going to stop until she did.

Dappleshine blinked in surprise as she heard her name, snapping out of her thoughts as she looked up to Ivybrook before her attention turned to the newly named Stormpaw. She stepped forward, greeting her new apprentice with a gentle nose touch and pulled back, with a small smile. "Congratulations, Stormpaw. You can relax and get your new nest straightened today, but tomorrow at sunrise we will go for the tour of the territory, and then if there is no storm brewing we'll try our paws at some fishing. Okay?" Her voice sounded so hollow to herself, but hopefully the veil she put up would be okay, for now. She would throw herself into Stormpaw's training, maybe that would distract her from everything else going on. Meeting her apprentice's eyes once more, she nodded. "I promise to work hard and help you be the best warrior you can be."