Leafkit's Medicine Cat Apprentice Ceremony

He had been given a sign by Starclan before they had all disappeared, before the gathering with the bloody moon. Emberleaf had known for a while who the new Medicine Cat Apprentice should be, but he had been holding off on the ceremony until he knew it was time. Now, with Starclan's presence eerily gone, Emberleaf felt like it was time for Leafkit to become his apprentice, just in case if something were to happen to Emberleaf in a time like this. The dream had gone like this:

Emberleaf woke up in an open, grassy field. The moon glimmered down from above, casting bright rays all around and lighting up the plains in a sea of silver. There, before the ginger tom, was a vibrant gorse bush, flourishing in golden yellow flowers. Right before his vary own eyes, the bush started to wither and become old. It's beautiful flowers drooped and fell off, and out of the sky drifted down a leaf. It was young and healthy and green, and as it gracefully came downwards, it caught on fire. The blazing leaf landed on the old bush, and it's flames danced as they licked it up in a bright explosion. Soon, though, the bush burned down into coals and was gone, but the leaf still remained among the hot embers. Slowly, the young leaf began to grow old and wither, and soon it was just like the old gorse bush. But then, out of the sky, fell a new leaf. This one was healthy and flawless. The leaf glided downwards through the air, until it had landed on the first leaf, and once the two met, the world around Emberleaf exploded into thick blackness, and through the dark Emberleaf could see bright blue eyes blinking open. He knew then who was to be his apprentice.

"Leafkit, wake up, I have a surprise for you," Emberleaf purred as he nudged her with his nose. She was long ready to become an apprentice, so she looked out of place in the nursery. He stared down at her, eager to see her bright blue eyes open and stand out against her thick blackness of fur.

Leafkit scrunched her face and stretched out, letting out a small groan. She shook her head and looked up at Emberleaf surprised but happily, "A surprise? Oh you didn't have to, thank you!" She said unaware of what the surprise was. Leafkit was hoping it was a lesson on herbs or something of that matter, she would often peer into the medicine cat den to see the cats doing their job and patching up other clan members, it warmed her heart to see them helping others and some days, maybe she could do the same, but she often shook her head at the thought, 'Starclan would never want me to be a medicine cat.' She thought to herself as she tried to figure out what the surprise was.

Emberleaf smiled down at her, then cleared his throat. "Leafkit, as you may know, I am not getting any younger. It is about time I have taken on an apprentice to train up as a Medicine Cat. Starclan has shown me who it is to be, and that is you, Leafkit. However, there are some exceptions with this gift. You must not ever have kits or a mate, and there are other things you will be left out in. But, you get the special present of caring for the clan and having a close relationship with Starclan. So, Leafkit, is it your wish to follow in my footsteps and become a medicine cat like Gorsefeather and those before me?" Everyone had their own path, and Emberleaf was sure that this was Leafkit's path.

Leafkit froze as the happiness filled her body, Starclan did want her. "I understand Emberleaf, I just can not believe, are you sure i'm the one? Oh thank you so much! Thank Starclan!" She cried, as much as she wanted a family of her own she was sure she could put that behind her for the good of her clan.

Emberleaf chuckled as he smiled at the happy kit. "Shh, shh, calm down now," he purred as he nudged her with his paw. "It is hardly dawn, the others are still asleep. Now, we must go to the Moonstone for Starclan to conduct your ceremony, but I am afraid that Starclan is....having some troubles. Let's go anyway, and see what we can find out, okay? It may be scary, in the dream you fall into, but I will be right there next to you the whole time, understand?" Without waiting for a reply, the ginger tom turned away and headed to his den, where he fetched a couple of herb mixtures to help along the way. Once he brought them back, Emberleaf placed one down in front of Leafkit. "Now, eat this, it will give you strength for your journey." The herb mixture was foul and had a horrible taste, but Emberleaf had grown callous toward the taste of them from his many years of being a Medicine Cat.

Leafkit covered her mouth with her paw and smiled, nodding at what Emberleaf was saying. As leafkit but the mixture in her mouth her first thought was to spit it out but she knew it was essential for the journey, "Yuck." She whispered but her thoughts started to trail. She had heard bits and pieces about Starclan supposedly disappearing but she always shook off the thought.

Emberleaf laughed as he watched Leafkit try herbs for the first time. He could remember when he had to eat them for his ceremony with Gorsefeather, and he pinched up his face in disgust. "Okay, we'd better hurry before everyone wakes up. They'll all be curious as to whom I picked as my apprentice and it'll wast too much time. You can brag about it when we get back." He chuckled, then batted Leafkit playfully over the head before jogging to the exit of camp. A sinking feeling was planted in his chest as he thought more and more about how Starclan could conduct the ceremony if they were gone.

Leafkit chuckled along, following Emberleaf ou of the camp. After they had walked for a while Leafkit decided to ask about Starclan, despite her knowing that it would be tricky to answer. "Emberleaf, is it true that Starclan are gone? I just heard some cats talking about it in the nursery but well, I don't know..." She question looking up into the sky.

Emberleaf sighed as they padded toward the Moonstone. It was a long and tiring journey, but he knew that the two would make it there. "Well....honestly, I don't know either. It all started last gathering when the moon turned red and only us Medicine Cats could hear the sound of wailing. I believe it was Starclan's cries we heard, but I can't say for sure what is going on. We will find out tonight, when we try and visit Starclan to conduct your ceremony." He was quiet for a moment, before he spoke again. "And if Starclan isn't there for your ceremony, then....I don't know. You will still be my apprentice, and when Starclan comes back, you can have your official ceremony. We just have to wait and see what happens."

Leafkit's stomach dropped at the realisation that Starclan may be well and truely gone but tried to stay optimistic. "Well, with or without Starclan I would be honoured to be your apprentice and help the clan, if it true that Starclan is truely gone I promise we will get them back no matter what." She nudged Emberleaf softly, no matter the circumstances she would help the clan and always believe in Starclan.

Emberleaf laughed at Leafkit. "Leafkit, Medicine Cats are not trained to fight other cats, let alone a whole army of evil dead ones," he purred, referring to the Dark Forest. He flicked her with his fluffy ginger tail that was a tangled mess, like the rest of his fur. "But, I don't see why you couldn't try. Any way, I just want to ask one thing of you before you become my apprentice. Many Medicine Cats are falling away from Starclan's rules for us; they are having kits, mates, probably even mates from other clans! If you ever did that, Leafkit, I would be very disappointed in you. It would be hard to forgive you of betraying what I teach you about Starclan and their rules." He frowned at her, but only briefly. They were almost at the Mothermouth, and Emberleaf's legs were getting tired. Not only that, but they still had to find their way through the dark tunnels of the Mothermouth to get to the Moonstone!

Leafkit dropped her head for a moment but looked up again, her black fur shining, "I understand Emberleaf, I would be disappointed in myself as well, it is forbidden." She replied in a monotone voice, she would love to have a family but she wanted to be a medicine cat much more.

Emberleaf nodded in approval, then smiled brightly at her. "You are very smart, Leafkit. I see great things in you." After a half an hour or so of more walking, the duo finally reached the Mothermouth. The messy-furred and grey-eyed ginger tom peered deep into the cave's depths of darkness before a shiver ran down his spine. They hadn't even gotten to the Moonstone yet and Emberleaf could feel the presence of evil. He took a few deep breaths before he swallowed hard and looked over his shoulder at his soon-to-be apprentice. "Leafkit, do not be scared. It is pitch black in there, but follow my scent and the sound of my pawsteps. If you get lost, I will come back and find you, I promise. I won't let you get hurt, no matter what we see or do trying to visit Starclan. If the Dark Forest takes over our dreams, I will be right beside you and I will protect you with my life." He then turned back towards the entrance and slowly ducked inside. Leafkit was like the daughter Emberleaf never had or could have, for that matter. He was looking forward to training her.

Leafkit peered into the pitch black cave but Emberleaf's words reassured her, "O-okay Emberleaf, I am ready. Thank you so very much." She nuzzled his leg before following him warily.

The tom nodded as he crawled through the tunnels, following only his memory and faint scent trails to help him get to the moonstone. His legs shook with each step from fear and his tail lashed out behind him anxiously. After a long time, Emberleaf saw a faint glow from up ahead. "Here we are," he purred to Leafkit quietly as he picked up his pace. Soon, he had entered into the small room with the glowing stone in the center. The stone shimmered with a bright light that was tinted a blueish color, and as it dazzled on Emberleaf's fur, it made him look like his pelt was burning with blue fire. The view was breathtaking. "Come, we must not waste any time. Lay down and press your nose against the Moonstone; you will fall asleep almost instantly and we will be in Starclan....I hope." He collapsed into a laying position and crawled forward, then gently pressed his pink nose against the stone's cold surface.