Redpaw's Warrior Ceremony

Nightstar would be making an apprentice a warrior tonight, and typically it would be a joyous occasion, and still sort of was. But this tom he knew or heard, would often cackle in the most inopportune times. Nightstar didn't particularly care too much about this apprentice's bouts of laughter at his clanmates misfortunes - at least someone was getting a kick out of it - but he digressed. Jumping onto a slightly taller than everywhere else rock, Nightstar called for his clan.

"All cats old enough to silently stalk in the shadows, gather in the shadow of Jaggedrock for a clan meeting!"

Stepping out from the shadows, Redpaw silently made his way to where Nightstar had called the clan meeting. He watched with interested, unblinking eyes, but his face was expressionless. It wasn't the brutish, stoic expression of a certain former Skyclan leader, but actually blank and cold like a snake. Redpaw learned to control his outbursts of late and had become much better at picking up on these social queues on how to behave... but the privacy of one's own mind was still his.

"Today we are all to witness the naming of a new warrior. Redpaw, please step forward." The tom sat silently as his apprentice did so. "I call upon all those present and watching to gaze upon this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of our noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn. Redpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Redpaw's ears perked up at his name. There was a careful, calculating look in his eyes, almost as if he was debating stepping forward or not. Eventually, he did. He listened to the words that he'd heard other warriors to be listen to and accept with a simple two words. So long as Shadowclan suited his desires, he could uphold this.... promise, as it were.

"I do."

The words fell from his lips like the last snowflakes after a harsh winter storm. Redpaw's voice hadn't deepened very much, but it had become far scratchier as an adult as if he'd had moons after moons of harsh use. It was comparable to glaciers cracking and screeching off of one another as one slid by and fell into a freezing ocean.

There was no joy on the apprentice's face. There was no excitement. This was simply a natural and logical progression of his life. One step forward rather than a giant leap.

"Then it is my honor to name you a warrior before all witnesses present. Redpaw, from this day forward you will be known as Redice. ShadowClan honors your ferocity and ambition, and we are proud to welcome you as a warrior in our ranks." Nightstar called, looking down a bit proudly but a bit stoic as well at the apprentice before him who he was nearly sharing his expression with. Nightstar leaped from the rock, landing strongly in front of Redice, now warrior, and touched his nose to Redice's head. "Do not be afraid to speak your thoughts with me." He meowed, wondering if he could perhaps help the young tom in some way that would also benefit his clan. Nodding sternly, the Shadowclan leader pulled away, and dismissed the new warrior.

Redice. That was a name he could get used to. He nodded once in approval, a sliver of a smile on his face now. Nightstar landed in front of him and Redice accepted the touch on his head. Traditions and all. At Nightstar's remark to him, Redice tilted his head very slightly to one side. His eyes never blinked.

"Oh, most certainly," He answered back. Finally looking away, Redice fixed his eyes on the clan around him. They were all chanting his name now, but it did little to make Redice feel much of anything other than restlessness. He would go complete his vigil, as was tradition, but then he had work to do.

Lighttail watched the ceremony from the shadows. Something about the way Redpaw, now Redice, behaved had always made her nervous, made her fur stand on end and her skin crawl. His gaze was cold, like a snake. She flicked her white tail once as she watched, truly hoping she was overreacting and there was nothing wrong with the tom.