The future's in your paws. Shape it well.Roleplay in a cat Clan of warriors. Based off the Warriors series by Erin Hunter. Takes place in an AU before the cats in the books existed.
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Subject: Sorrelpaw's Warrior Ceremony Tue Feb 27, 2024 4:49 pm
The hour was late, but there were patrols to organize, clanmates to speak with... And a ceremony to do. Wolfblossom had spoken with several of her warriors as part of her usual check-ins on apprentice training, and it seemed that one was ready to move up in the ranks and join the warriors at last. The idea was a painful one, given all that had happened recently, but Wolfblossom hoped this might help lift at least a few spirits as she stood on the tallbranch.
"All cats old enough to climb a tree, gather beneath the tallbranch for a clan meeting!"
Another clan meeting. Sorrelpaw had taken to quiet walks since they had returned to their homelands, like the ones she had taken when searching for Ploverpaw. They gave her a moment’s peace, away from the often tumultuous camp - particularly now, away from her father’s rage, half siblings and grief. She had been halfway slipping out of camp when she heard her grandmother’s voice ring out, turning around slowly.
As Sorrelpaw found a place beneath the Tallbranch she could not help but worry what Wolfblossom would reveal to them, if something else had happened in the few tender days since the she-cat’s loss. Since the war had ended. A pointless war. She thought silently how the past moons had been unrelenting, bringing disease, death and destruction, silently recounting her early apprenticeship. Listen.
The blue-grey apprentice took a soft breath without word, awaiting whatever her grandmother had to announce.
The blue-gray apprentice had been making her way toward the camp entrance, but she abandoned her course to sit below the tallbranch for the meeting. Wolfblossom couldn't imagine that many of the apprentices were in a cheery mood lately, and certainly not Sunfire's kits. It seemed as though so many events had converged at once, stripping the joy that they had once held from them. She needed to talk to them, spend more time with them, instead of wallowing in her own thoughts. And she would. Now, though...
"Sorrelpaw, step forward." Wolfblossom offered her granddaughter a soft smile, hoping desperately that the sadness she felt did not show on her face. Her ceremony did not deserve to be marked with it. She had earned this in her own right.
"I call upon our warrior ancestors to look down on our apprentice. Sorrelpaw has trained hard to understand the ways of your code, and I commend her to you was a warrior in her turn." She began, once the apprentice had stepped forward. "Sorrelpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend your clan, even at the cost of your life?" The words burned in her throat. So many cats had made that promise, two cats had been killed for it - in defense of family, of greed. Honeydew had been injured for it, and so had Sunfire and Falconmoon and too many others. She hoped that Sorrelpaw would never have to face such, and yet also knew that she couldn't promise that.
Bubblebeam had been wandering around in a haze recently, trying to fight through the mixed sensations of confusion and fear and feeling upset at the cats she loved. At Mintglade, at Sunfire, at Gramma Wolfblossom even. But all of those concerns dissipated when, like the sun breaking through clouds, she heard her sister's name. Sorrel?... Wait, it's her ceremony? For the first time in a little while, there was a real energy in her paws as she joined the crowds beneath the Tallbranch. Sure enough--Sorrelpaw stood there, in pride of place. It was her ceremony. It was her ceremony! Joy--when was the last time she'd felt joy?--momentarily broke through the daze of cloudy sensations around her. But it was dampened still by trepidation. Sorrel would have to take the vow, too. The one she'd taken, the one Honeydew had taken. To protect and defend. Even at the cost of your life. The vow that honestly, if Bubblebeam weren't lying to herself for once, she regretted taking. But this was what they all wanted, right? Wasn't it? So with wide pale-green eyes, she watched to see what her sister would say.
All the worries had amounted to nothing - it was her warrior ceremony. Hers. Sorrelpaw’s heart sank as Wolfblossom called out her name; though her grandmother’s voice was warm and inviting, the apprentice could not help but shrink back. If only for a moment, as she gave her chest a brief lick.
You worked hard for this. The voice in her ear whispered, the voice that had so often berated her, driven her further into the depths. If her conscience could take a moment to appreciate her achievements, she could too.
Sorrelpaw got to her paws immediately, straightening her posture as she made her way up the Tallbranch. Funny, it seemed so high as a kit when she, Ploverkit and Bubblekit had climbed up the platform, yet now she leapt effortlessly. So much had changed.
The grey-blue apprentice stepped before her grandmother, glancing over the she-cat’s face. Though she had done her best to disguise the anguish that no doubt stirred beneath the surface, Sorrelpaw was no stranger to disguising her feelings. She recognised the same mask, quietly hoping Wolfblossom would be able to wade through the grief. Sorrelpaw would be there to keep her from falling in too deep.
Grief could wait, however. She was finally worthy of a new title - of her suffix she had worked tirelessly towards. She was finally going to join Bubblebeam in the warrior den, blinking away the other names that she would come across. Sorrelpaw listened as Wolfblossom recited the old speech, taking in every moment. Even though her heart beat like it was her last, with SkyClan’s eyes on her, her chest swelled with pride. Few faces brought her comfort, particularly now - one that did was staring back at her. Bubblebeam’s presence was enough to put a small smile on Sorrelpaw’s face, her tail waving. Though their family had been splintering for moons, their sisterly bond had withstood the tests thrown their way. She couldn’t wait to share a den once more.
The cost of your life. Despite it all, she had survived to hear those words. Did she? It was her calling. To protect her Clan - her family. Most of whom were family, and the others close enough to.
“I do,” the she-cat nodded, feeling the weight of her words in her throat, “I did as an apprentice and will as a warrior.” She returned a smile, slowly turning into a grin. There was no turning back.
For a moment it seemed as though Sorrelpaw might shrink back, perhaps stage-fright, perhaps embarrassment. It was hard to tell. Recent events had been harrowing enough, too. Wolfblossom didn't know what she would do if the apprentice refused. There had been so very much wrong lately...
Sorrelpaw leaping up to the tallbranch brought a genuine smile to Wolfblossom's face. Sorrelpaw's eyes met hers, searching. It seemed as though their family was in a constant state of chaos, no matter how hard Wolfblossom wanted to deny it. Their mother's constant illness, their father... The chaos the clan had been in since even before the start of leafbare. Sorrelpaw's answer was sure and confident, though, and pride swelled within Wolfblossom as she heard her granddaughter's response.
"Then it is my joy to bestow upon you your warrior name." Wolfblossom began, "Sorrelpaw, from today you will be known to all as Sorrelmist." Wolfblossom reached forward, gently nuzzling the top of the newly-named warrior's head. "This ceremony has been a long time coming, Sorrelmist. I am proud of you. Go and celebrate with your sisters, though you'll sit vigil tonight. May it be a peaceful one."
As opposed to Bubblebeam and Honeydew, Sorrel seemed to experience very little hesitation when it finally came time to make the vow. It brought a spark of warmth to Bubblebeam's heart as she looked on, her smile only growing. My sister is so strong. When the new name was announced, her pride grew almost too much to bear, so she called out as loud as she could in rejoicing. "Sorrelmist! Sorrelmist!" What a wonderful name. Her sister had finally made it! Now once Plover caught up, they could all sleep together again. Well... most of them. But not even the thought of Hemlockfox and Thymelight being so far away was enough to dampen her mood.
Smiling widely, the blue-gray she-cat ran up the moment that Gramma Wolfblossom moved away. "Sorrelmist! Congratulations, Sorrel!" Bubblebeam purred, allowing the rare sensation of joy to rumble through her completely. It felt so nice to be so happy for her sister. She wouldn't think about the war--she wouldn't--she wouldn't. It was over. This was a moment to be happy. Still purring, she bonked her sister's forehead with her own. "We can sleep together again! I'm so happy for you!"
Ceremonies were not a thing that Sunfire made a point of attending. Today, however, he happened to be in the clearing when Wolfblossom's call rang out, and there was nothing particular demanding his attention... so, quickly finishing the remainder of the sparrow he'd been eating, he pushed himself to his paws and wandered several steps towards the Tallbranch. Normally, he would sit towards the outer edge, if he were to attend any sort of ceremony, but when Wolfblossom called out Sorrelpaw's name, Sunfire's ears perked up a bit. This was hers? It was about time!
There was a brief thought that he should go closer, should make his presence known, and he started to, but his eyes snagged on another form pushing through the crowd, and it stalled his paws. Bubblebeam.
Recalling the terror in her eyes when she saw him return from war, when he'd begged the clan to put themselves first rather than the code, Sunfire slicked his ears backward, holding them there. She hadn't looked the same at him since, had hardly looked at him at all, actually. It was a rush of conflicting emotion that to put it truthfully, the warrior had no idea how to deal with.
So he stayed where he was, falling to his haunches near the back of the crowd, instead, where he could watch, but stay out of their way.
verychuu
Characters : bubblenose, thymelight, smallfawn, pantherpounce, cardinalkit Clan/Rank : rc warrior, skc mc, skc permaqueen, wc warrior, sc kit Number of posts : 982 Gender : she/they Age : 21
No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing.
Thymelight usually tried to at least poke her head out of the medicine den during ceremonies because she wanted to somewhat take part in the celebration of a new name. However, when she heard that it was Sorrelpaw who would be earning her new rank today, the she-cat found herself padding out to join the rest of her Clanmates. She had always known that she was filled with immense pride and love for the sisters that had graciously accepted her as one of their own, but watching them achieve such greatness in front of her eyes only brought those emotions to the forefront of her mind. Love was always stronger than hate or fear, and it was easy for her to feel a genuine happiness in that moment that she hadn’t felt since the war.
When Sorrelmist received her new name, Thymelight smiled and quickly headed over to greet SkyClan’s newest warrior. “Sorrelmist… what a beautiful name! Congratulations!” The she-cat purred as she reached Bubblebeam and Sorrelmist’s side. She was grateful for the happy moments in life, and she wasn’t quite sure what she would do without them.
