Scorch's Elder Ceremony

Crowstar didn't remember the tom to well, but he did at the same time. He was very young when he last saw the tom and it took a while for his memory to come back. So of course he would honor the old tom's wish to retire among his clan. "Let all cats old enough to climb a tree gather here for a clan meeting!"

The season was unforgiving to the mostly bare tom, but Scorch felt warmed by the fact that SkyClan had been so kind to him upon his return, despite how few of his new Clanmates had known that he had even existed. He could only wish that he would remain here for the last moons of his life, and he would not spend one more sunrise in Twolegplace. His ragged ears perked at Crowstar's call. It was always so strange to see a cat other than Breezestar up there, but he respected the black tom nonetheless. His joints creaked as he rose to his paws and came closer so as to see and hear his leader better. He was happy to be home after all this time.


Firpaw wasn't sure of what to make of the ugly tom as she sat by the camp's entrance, waiting to join a patrol. He seemed as old as the forest itself. His burns reminded her of how dangerous the fire she'd seen as a kit could have been, and was grateful to the mist that had smothered it, whatever it had been. The details about that were still unclear to her, given she had to eavesdrop to obtain the information she had. Could it even be called eavesdropping if it wasn't a secret? Or if she couldn't hear anyway? She wasn't sure about all that either. A dark form in the corner of her eye caught her attention, and she watched as Crowstar leaped up to call a meeting. Curious as to what was going on, she trotted closer.

Mintpaw skipped into camp, carrying a thrush proudly in her jaws. She made a show of strutting over and placing it carefully on the Fresh-Kill Pile before dancing around to see if anyone was watching her.
Nobody was.
The small apprentice sighed but smiled, spotting Firpaw and some... creature, along with a few other Skyclanners. Mintpaw trotted over curiously, her bright eyes trained on the stranger. She nudged Firpaw with her elbow -Thanks to Firpaw, Mintpaw only spoke when needed- and gestured to the ugly thing with raised eyebrows. What is that thing?

"Tonight we are gathered to welcome a long lost clanmate back to the clan, and honor the service he had given us a long time ago." The leader said looking down at the disfigured cat. The tom didn't care that he was burned up, it was nice to have the old tom back. "Scorch is it your wish to retire from your old life and join the elders' den?" Crowstar asked.

The old tom's head raised, his honey-colored eyes meeting the leader's yellow ones. His legs stretched until he was no longer slouched. The stance of a disciplined warrior. He took a deep breath, which no longer rattled in his throat due to the medicine cats' care, and spoke clearly for the first time in moons. "It is."


Firpaw jolted in surprise, having not seen Mintpaw approach her. The deaf she-cat was still uncomfortable around the younger apprentice and her sister, as she was still in grief over the death of their mother, her mentor, Pansyface. Still, her denmate was not to blame for what happened. The peach-patched apprentice made a few motions and expressions in reply. 'Our new Clanmate?'

Mintpaw's ears twitched and she tilted her head as Crowstar began to speak. 'Long-lost clanmate?' Her murky green eyes widened in confusion. "What?" She muttered, forgetting for just a moment that Firpaw couldn't speak nor hear. She raised her eyebrows and tilted her head, motioning towards the Elder's den with a slight frown. 'A new elder?' It was possible that this 'Scorch' character was a former elder, but why would the ancient tom choose to join Skyclan again? Why not Thunderclan or Windclan? It was common knowledge that those two were more accepting of strangers.

Crowstar nodded. "Your Clan honors you and all the service you have given to us. I call upon StarClan to give you many moons of rest, and a new name. You will be known as Scorchbranch." The leader said, welcoming the tom back to the clan for the last time.