sagepaw's mentor reassignment ceremony

A ground still marred from falling debris and long-settled snow had been a welcome sight for the molly, finding the aching knot of anxiety slowly unravelling and allowing her a sense of freedom and stability once more. Breathing in the cold air softly, exhaling it out into a puff of visible air, the deputy made her way to the top of the rock she had not stood upon in moons, beaming with slight excitement. Today's ceremony was odd, it was a concept she had barely begun to learn just the past day, a necessity she never thought she'd have to cater for. With that, Thistlemask called out the first ever summons she had learned, "All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the Highrock for a clan meeting!"

Sagepaw padded to join the meeting, a cloud of worry settling over her. Dayquill’s return had been welcome, and his new kits were cute, but he couldn’t train her anymore since he went blind. One back leg twitching, the fluffy tabby made a few chirping sounds at the back of her throat to self-soothe as she waited for whatever the announcement would be.

It only took a few moments for a crowd to gather, eager eyes gazing up at the deputy, her twitching tail-tip betraying that the molly may have had the capacity for feeling anything but neutrality. Taking in a deep breath, she sought out the focus of today's ceremony by sight, moving forward on the stone as she did so. "Sagepaw, step forward." The deputy allowed the apprentice a moment, thinking on her next words. "With Dayquill's unfortunate retirement to the elder's den, there is the task of appointing you a new mentor to help complete your ascension to warriorhood. Your new mentor will be Specklewish. I believe that he is more than capable of assisting you and picking up where Dayquill left off." She bowed her head to the tom - one of her extended kin, oddly enough - and allowed the two to become acquainted as she dismissed the meeting.

Sagepaw’s eyes lifted only long enough to find the other cat in the crowd before lowering back to her paws. She made no attempt at eye contact and simply mewed, “Hi, I’m Sagepaw. Nice to meet you.”

Ah, Specklewish. A great warrior, one of her first apprentices. It hurt to have seen Dayquill be eldered, but she understood that time would take the best away from the forest. Her tail twitched as she watched the apprentice's reaction, and made note to eventually speak to the apprentice. She saw much of herself in that shyness, but knew Sagepaw would make a great warrior soon.