Finkit's Apprentice Ceremony

Finkit was a ferocious little cat. For all Loonwhisper tried, he could not convince himself that he would be a good mentor to the tom... though he hated to give such a challenge to one of his warriors, with so much on their plate already. Loonwhisper's curious ways and unorthodox lecturing would make no impact on a cat with more bite than an adder's fangs. What Finkit needed was a steady paw. He knew just the cat.

"Hooooo... all cats gather beneath the Willow Branch," he swooned.

Over the past two moons, Finkit had grown much more petulant and bratty, often antagonizing the younger kits simply because he could, and he found himself doing the unthinkable; arguing with his father. Finkit had often been kept on a short leash, being told when and what to do, until the tom had merely had enough. He'd snapped at Bumblestrike - his father, nearly two moons ago, and since then the little kit had been as prickly as a thorn bush to all except Flypaw.

Flypaw was his first and only friend, and he liked stars, so Finkit felt it only fair to spare the tom his barbed tongue. An owl-like call from the willow branch made the kit look up, and Finkit's nose wrinkled. Why does the deputy speak like a bird? That's weird! The cream tom thought, uninterested in whatever the meeting was about.

Loonwhisper's eyes lit up like a pair of twin moons, leering at Finkit with a few dozen unspoken queries. He did not make his judgements quickly, and he did not make exceptions on that rule, so he did not fault the tomkit's unceremonious posture or unkind expression. He let his objections float down his mind's river, forgotten. Then, he straightened up his gaze and started the ceremony.

"Hooo... Oooooh... Finkit has reached the age of six moons, and today becomes an apprentice. Finkit, from this day, until you have proven yourself a worthy warrior, we will call you the name Finpaw," Loonwhisper's voice undulated and crooned like the waterfowl for which he was named. It warbled over the gathering cats, almost giving away his subtle apprehensions. "Shimmerdust, you will be Finpaw's mentor. We learn from Leafbare... hooo... Ice cannot be melted by sun alone. It is melted with patience. Patience, time. Lots of it. Good luck to both ice and ice-watcher. That will be it."

As he descended, he gave Shimmerdust a low dip of his head. Finpaw would be a challenge, but not an impossible one for a trusted, respected warrior such as herself.