Softpaw's Medicine Cat Ceremony

The day before had wrought a storm, intense, wet, and warm, just around sunhigh. The cats of WindClan took cover in the sparse cover they had, whether it was the already crowded nursery, the medicine den, or the large tunnels known colloquially as the gorse circle. Aspenheart remembered resting his head on Morningdove's flank, Softpaw nearby, with a handful of warriors around them as they held their breaths, waiting, for the roof of the nursery was whipping perilously in the wind and seemed as though it may fall. Another catastrophe in a time rife with sorrows. Aspenheart had shut his eyes, brow furrowed with anticipation, the mist warm on his sweaty, anxious muzzle, while thunder clapped and lightning split the sky.

When they emerged, the sun hung low, and the clouds had spent their energy; they drifted, empty, down the moor towards Twolegplace. The nursery had been spared, and besides the soggy ground and rampant puddles, there had been no lasting damage to camp. Kits came out to splash and play, wrestling in the shallow water as RiverClan and WindClan warriors (much to the dismay of their mothers). As warriors circled around camp to inspect tunnels and dens, Aspenheart found his mind was elsewhere. Thick air filled his lungs, scented with rainwater and humidity, as he hobbled up the slope where the camp entrance lay. How could such a violent storm deal no damage?

As he squeezed his face into the gorse tunnel, a wispy gust tickled his whiskers, and he was forced to blink and shuffle backward. He peered curiously into the tunnel, head cocked. The zephyr returned, light as kitten-breath, rising under his thin fur and cooling his chest. Aspenheart felt his heart begin to stir and turned to follow the direction of the wind. When he lifted his eyes, he felt weakness in his old knees. A prismatic rainbow had settled over the northern sky, the arc stretching from a cloudy expanse to Highstones. The gentle breeze returned, lifting up from under his belly, stronger and stronger, but never exceeding that same breathy softness it had begun with. Aspenheart lowered his eyes from the rainbow and found Softpaw in the crowd. Aspenheart smiled.

---

Now it was morning, bright and warm, signs of the storm mostly gone other than Greenleaf humidity. Aspenheart lifted his head and spotted Softpaw, still slumbering across the clearing from him. He hobbled to the medicine den, struggling to step over sleepy clanmates, to fetch the two bundles he had made the night before. He told Softpaw that they were for apprentices. She believed him, thankfully. He retrieved them and found her again, nudging her gently awake before setting the familiar traveling herbs beside her head. "StarClan doesn't wait for late risers," he whispered, smirk rising on his face as he nudged her twice more. "Let's go, Softpaw. Today is important."

At the first nudge, Softpaw grumbled some sort of complaint too quite to hear. A familiar scent of herbs-- most likely the sorrel, in which Softpaw was known to have quite a fancy for-- caused her to blink open a single eye. "Aspenheaaaaart, it's too early!" Was the reply he recieved from the small, rather sleepy, she-cat. Once more, she rolled over before considering his words carefully.

Curiosity overcoming sleepiness, she wearily rolled back over to face him. "Important? StarClan? I thought you were taking an apprentice to the Moonstone. Heatherpaw is too young... Eaglepaw or Sweetpaw, maybe."

Stretching her forelegs, she added with a sly grin, "Or are you too old to do Moonstone journeys?"

Aspenheart poked the herbs meant for her as she lifted her head, gesturing for her to eat. Hearing her muse over apprentices made the excitement almost too much to bear... he had wanted to keep it a surprise, but it was getting less and less fun to not shout it from the heavens.

He flicked his ears playfully as Softpaw commented on his age, grumbling in an only half-serious manner. "I am by no means too old for it," he said, leading her out of camp a few paces. "But it is time you start pulling your weight. Of course... only fully named medicine cats can facilitate a journey to the Moonstone. Such a shame, really." Aspenheart gave his apprentice a wink. "Guess we'd better go ask StarClan for your name today! How's that sound? Do you think you're ready?"

Clearly, Aspenheart was in a mood for quips and didn't explain himself, which did little to ease her confusion. Nonetheless, Softpaw dutifully lapped up the burnet, chamomile, and daisy, letting the flavor leave her mouth before delighting in the sorrel. She followed him out, throwing a cheeky, "are you sure about that?" To him after his first statement. Then he mentioned fully named medicine cats and her heart practically stopped. The wink got it beating again.

"You're... Serious? No joke? I- is this? I-I don't... I don't know what to say, I.. I need to sit down. This is...For real? Wow, okay, uh, no warning? Just gonna, toss her over the gorge and see if she flies? This is. I don't, I don't know what to say, wow, just, j-just. Wow." She replied breathlessly, eyes wide as saucers as she flopped her tail down on the ground.

After a couple heartbeats, the reality of this fully set in, and her eyes widened more (if this was even possible) "I-I- what if? I'm not... I'm not ready! There's... there's gotta be more I have to learn, right? Right? I'm not- I can't be- it's too early- what if...?" Softpaw turned to look at him, deer in headlights style, shaking her head, ears down. "...what if I fail? What if- what if I trip, or- or say something wrong, or- or- or-" Taking a deep breath, she looked Aspenheart in the eyes.

Aspenheart paused in his ambling pawsteps when he realized Softpaw had begun to falter. He watched her, in her ramblings, resisting the urge to twitch his whiskers with his bemusement. He let her tire herself out, and after she had cycled through all the worries and anxieties that were plaguing her, he waddled ungracefully forward. The silver tom lifted a shaky paw to her head and bopped it playfully, ruffling the fur so it stuck up in places. "You've done everything you're supposed to do the last few seasons, and you didn't die," he said. "I'll still be here, at least for a little while. And when I'm not, you'll already know what to do. You've learned everything. You've accomplished all of the tasks you needed to. You're ready... whether you like it or not, furrball."

He tapped his tail across her back legs, nudging her back into motion as he propelled himself forward. "You're finally grown, in the eyes of StarClan and WindClan. Be proud of yourself, for all you went through and all you'll do after. Change is good; it's in our nature. Embrace the newness as something you can dive straight into. Everyone is so proud of you, Softpaw. Let's go."

---

The Moonstone's iridescent glow consumed the cavern in which it took center stage, casting shadows behind both Aspenheart and Softpaw as they slid silently onto the holy ground. He prayed for Graybrair and Barleytuft to look upon their child, before approaching the stone and turning to face Softpaw once more. "Well," he murmured, "If you actually want to be a warrior instead, now's the time to tell me. Are you ready?"

Upon his apprentice's expected affirmation, Aspenheart cleared his throat, eyes shifting nervously across the cavern. It had been many moons since he had taken this same sacred oath. He hoped he said it correctly. "I, Aspenheart, medicine cat of WindClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice." He glanced up at the stars one more time, as if they might nod back at him to continue. He swallowed hard. The next era of WindClan was being molded right before his eyes, and he wondered if Finchstar felt this way, watching Ravenstar ascend to leadership. He smiled, and continued. "She has trained hard to understand the ways of a medicine cat, and with your help, she will serve her beloved Clan for many moons."

He felt excitement take the place of his apprehension. It was time, and he was no longer afraid. He grinned. "Softpaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from rivalry between Clan and Clan and to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?"

Deep breathes, deep breathes. Just breathe. Everything was fine, right? Following Aspenheart down the long, dark tunnel was normal, but the words he spoke sent shivers down her spine.

Was she really ready? Did she deserve her name? ....Yes. After a long moment of thought, she reached a verdict. She did deserve this. It was finally her time. "Yes, I do."

OOC: wifi at home has cut out for a while, have a quick post from a Walmart phone <3

Aspenheart smiled, allowing his eyes to shift to and fro across the cave floor. He felt that he might be more nervous than his apprentice, so fraught with nerves. He had the utmost confidence in her... it was his confidence in himself that he was worried about. Hopefully, he had learned well enough to shut his mouth and let her do her job. She didn't need his help or guidance. All she needed now was her name.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your true name as a medicine cat. Softpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Softbreeze." It was as easy to say out loud as it was to think it. There were many names he had considered: branch, pelt, cloud, even heart, for a moment, before retching at the idea of naming her after himself. No, no... breeze was perfect. Aspenheart continued: "May your name be a reminder of your spirit... as light as the morning gale, and as steadfast as the evening zephyr. You embody all that I know WindClan to be. From this moment on, you will be their breeze. StarClan honors your patience and strong heart."

Aspenheart hobbled forward, touching his nose to his apprentice's, purring loudly and clearly. "Go, and meet your ancestors," he whispered. "You're a medicine cat now. May you serve your clan for seasons to come."