Gingerpaw and Firepaw's Warrior Ceremony

Leopardstar leaped atop the Jaggedrock to begin a ceremony, pleased with the growing strength of ShadowClan. "Let all cats old enough to capture their own prey join here beneath the Jaggedrock for a clan meeting!"

Was this his ceremony? Gingerpaw hoped to StarClan that it was. The orange tabby apprentice strolled out from the apprentices' den, where his nest had grown too small for him. The small apprentice had grown into a tall, long-limbed warrior, with eyes like his father and a determined expression like his mother. He had been training with Swiftclaw for ages now, and he was so ready to get his warrior name. Face shining with anticipation, he sat beneath the Jaggedrock and blinked up at Leopardstar.

Firepaw left the comfort of the apprentice den following the voice of the leader, after his brother. time had passed very fast and he was now a stocky, well-muscled tom with the same fiery energy that he had as a kit.
He sat down close to Gingerpaw, looking at the top of the Jaggedrock with hopeful eyes full of strong determination. The flame colored cat really wished that this was his ceremony. He had learn so much from his father, from the basic skills to be a warrior to the history of his family. His eyes glanced away a bit to search for Littlebrook and Flamestrike, hoping that they would be here if it was what he thought.

Flamestrike settled down near his sons, only slightly closer to Firepaw. While he loved them both equally, Firepaw had been his apprentice, and the flame orange tom already knew what was to come. He flashed his kit a knowing smile. Eyes shining with anticipation, he looked up at Leopardstar on the great rock. It was as if he were receiving his own warrior name for the second time. Pride welled up in his chest. The warrior knew his mate, the golden medicine cat, was settled somewhere in the crowd as well, waiting for their sons to be named warrior. However, he didn't dare settle down next to her this time. Instead, his tail wrapped neatly over his paws and he watched on eagerly.

The leader peered down at the trio of red cats, seeing the resemblance between the apprentices and their father as clear as day. The warrior looked proud, and for a moment Leopardstar's mind wandered to his own kits. His gaze grew distant and distracted as thoughts of his missing daughter, Olivepaw, crowded his mind. His eyes refocused and he returned to the task at hand, ignoring the slight sting of pain in his chest."Tonight we gather to make these apprentices warriors." Leopardstar announced when the clan had gathered around the Jaggedrock.

"Gingerpaw and Firepaw, step forward." He paused to let them do as they were commanded. "I, Leopardstar, leader of ShadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices.They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Gingerpaw, Firepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" The leader asked gravely.

Gingerpaw stepped up obediently, feeling hot blood course through him as he stared up at the leader atop the Jaggedrock. "I do!" he meowed emphatically.

The heart of the apprentice started beating fast as he stood up along with his brother. It was like a dream. Finally, he could a warrior... a warrior that could make his father and mother proud of him. With a last glance to the ginger warrior that was his mentor, Firepaw finally stayed still right by the side of Gingerpaw, looking at the Jaggedrock which remembered him the time he and his brother climbed to it because of the fire. His green eyes looked at Leopardstar, serious and showing the strength of the young tomcat. "I do!" He said with a loud voice so everyone could hear him in the day that he would be named a warrior of Shadowclan. No matter his origins, Firepaw would show every cat that his not-pure blood didn't mean a thing about what was his worth in the clan.

Gingerstripe's eyes opened wide at his new name, sitting up a little taller as Leopardstar finished the ceremony. Gingerstripe. I love it! It's perfect! He tried to retain some dignity, but it was too hard to keep his face from breaking out into an ear-splitting grin. The orange tabby warrior nudged his brother, Firestone. "We're finally warriors! Can you believe it?" A deep purr rumbled from his throat as he looked at his brother and his father- his family. They would be the greatest warriors that ShadowClan had ever seen!

Firestone chest puffed up as his heart was beating as fast as it could. Finally... this was the start of his path to becoming one of the greatest warriors in all Shadowclan's history. The newly appointed warrior laughed, happily as his brother nudging him. Pushing back with his shoulder, the flame dappled tom looked at Gingerstripe with bright green eyes. "It's like a dream, right?
It's so awesome and your name is so cool now, Gingerstripe. You and I will be the coolest warriors that clan had ever met!" He meowed with a loud voice full of proud for him and his brother.

Then, the warrior searched with his sight for his former mentor and he approached him, calmer. "Thank you, father. Without you, I wouldn't be here calling myself the warrior that I always wanted to be. I swear that you will be proud of me."

"I will always be proud of you, Firestone." The ginger warrior purred at the sound of his son's new name on his lips. It felt like just yesterday the young tom had been nothing more than a scrap of fur at his mother's belly. Today, he stood a warrior, almost as big as his father. Flamestrike felt like so many moons had passed as the wave of nostalgia hit him. A crooked grin appeared on his maw. Green eyes darted in between both of his sons. Even if they had not trained together, Gingerstripe was still a pride of his as well. Both were a magnificent result of his and Honeydrop's love. He turned to the other newly appointed warrior and meowed, "Congratulations, Gingerstripe. I cannot wait to see what you accomplish as a warrior."