Featherkit's Apprentice Ceremony

Scarletriver prepared for another ceremony.  The second time seemed easier then the first, but her stomach still ached a little at the thought of speaking in front of many cats.  She did not know the kit who she was making an apprentice today super well, but she was sure that the kit would make a fine apprentice.  Scarletriver made her way towards the willow branch, happy about the unusual warmth that there was today.  It was the perfect temperature.  Recently, she had noticed that it would either be too hot or too cold, no medium, but today was nice.

She climbed up the willow branch and looked out at all the cats there were busily walking around or talking to one another.  "All cats that can, uh," she thought for a moment, feeling horrible for forgetting what was after.  "Swim in the river, please gather for a clan meeting!"  She called after remembering the rest.  Well I'm doing great at this, she thought sarcastically.

Featherkit's ears perked up when she heard Scarletriver's words, exiting the nursery immediately knowing that today was her day to begin training. Featherkit couldn't wait to be able to leave the walls of the camp and begin her training. She sat near the Willowbranch and waited for the rest of the clan to gather.

She looked around when the cats joined, looking for the kit in question.  By the way the kit held herself, Scarletriver was pretty sure that Featherkit knew that it was her ceremony.  She smiled at the excited kit.  After the clan gathered, Scarletriver began the ceremony.  "Featherkit, please step forward."

After the kit stepped up, the deputy raised her voice again.  "You are six moons old and are ready to start training as an apprentice.  From today until you become a warrior you shall be known as Featherpaw."  She spotted that warrior she had chosen to mentor the newly named apprentice.  "Swanmist will be your mentor.  She's a very talented warrior who will teach you well, I'm sure."  She knew that for Swanmist having an apprentice might be hard, but she hoped that this would be a good experience for both cats.

It hadn't been very long since Scarletriver had become the deputy of Riverclan. Swanmist decided that not questioning Ivystar would be the best thing, Scarletriver had been a good apprentice so she assumed she'd be a better deputy. Swanmist sat down as the meeting was called, she stared up at the deputy, was a kit being made an apprentice? She glanced around and spotted a cat she hadn't seen much, what was her name...? Feather...kit? Maybe it was her ceremony. She looked back up at Scarletriver, confirming what she had thought. She was fully prepared to go off on her own after the meeting, but what the deputy had said next made her freeze.

The she-cat on the branch said that Swanmist would be the mentor of Featherpaw.

She stared, wide-eyed at the deputy, Swanmist was confused, giving her a look of 'are you sure?' and looked over at her new apprentice. A grey tabby. There were a lot of grey tabbies in Riverclan. She padded over, nervously. She gave Featherpaw a smile, not actually sure what else to do, she wasn't going to tell her when to start training. She just, sat there, looking somewhat uncomfortable.

Why did Scarletriver think this was a good idea?

Featherpaw bounced with joy and walked swiftly over to her mentor. She was excited and hoped to begin her training very soon and said to Swanmist "Yay! what are we going to do first? Hunt? Explore? Learn to fight?"