Ospreykit's Apprentice Ceremony

Another one of Cedarheart's kits was ready. Minkstream's paws padded over the grass of the clearing, cool in the shadow the High Rock cast over the early evening of another day. Usually they would be held as early as possible, but he was having trouble finding mentors who didn't already have apprentices, and it was starting to make things a little harder.... Might have to take on another one myself with all the new kits in the Clan, He mused, bunching his muscles and leaping to the top of the rock.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the High Rock for a Clan meeting!"

Ospreykit skidded out of the nursery with her usual enthusiasm, planting herself near the front of the crowd. She loved watching ceremonies, and tried to attend most of them in hopes it might be the day she became an apprentice. Most of her siblings already had their names. Briefly she looked around for her mother, but, failing to see her, turned back to the rock.

It seemed the calls for apprentice ceremonies happened every other minute! Cedarheart gathered at the base of the rock. She had a large litter, and this was Ospreykit’s ceremony. Her playful daughter would be joining quite a few of her siblings in the apprentice den. All of her kits had gotten wonderful mentors so far, and she had no doubt that Minkstream would assign the perfect one for yet another one of Cedarheart’s brood.

It seemed he was perfect for the deputy role. She hadn’t been quite sure right when he had been selected, but now it made sense. Nettlestar clearly knew what she was doing. Thinking of the high ranks in her clan brought a feeling of guilt to the queen’s stomach. They didn’t know her secret, and she felt like she should tell them.

His eyes caught the little ginger and brown kit skidding out of the nursery, her pelt like fallen autumn leaves, blazing in full leaf-fall glory. Or maybe that was just the impending season coming making him think that, with all of the new challenges it would bring.... He shook the thoughts off and opened his maw, catching sight of Cedarheart sitting there, too. "Ospreykit, step forward!"

A hint of a smile curled up the side of his maw as she did so, and he continued, the words practically beaten into his mind by now coming out with an ease he couldn't have imagined when he first stood at the base of the High Rock, gazing up in trepidation. "Ospreykit, you have reached the age of six moons, and you're ready to learn the ways of the Clan as an apprentice. From this moment until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Ospreypaw. Your mentor will be Cedarheart."

He leapt back down again, watching the nose-to-nose touch for a moment and calling with the rest of the Clan, his paws meeting with the cool of the grass. There was certainly a creeping chill there, the first hint that the heat had broken. Cedarheart might already have his own son as an apprentice, but Daris was almost ready to become a warrior. Perhaps he could even help the younger apprentice - good practice for when he inevitably had to take his own.

A smile grew on Ospreypaw’s face as she turned to Cedarheart. “Mom! You’re gonna be my mentor!” Eagerly bounding forward, she touched noses with her mother, tail held high in exuberance. Suddenly she tilted her head, thrilled gaze turning expectant. “What’re we gonna do first?”

Cedarheart grinned as her daughter was made an apprentice. So happy that she skipped over the part of her mentoring Ospreypaw, for a moment. With a sudden realization she turned towards her new apprnetice, bumping noses with a motherly, content expression. ”Whatever you want.” she promised, ”But it’ll have to wait until tomorrow. Now is time to celebrate with your new den mates.”