Swoopkit's Apprentice Ceremony

Blizzardstar leaped onto the Highrock, ready for another ceremony “All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather under the Highrock for a clan meeting!”.

Swoopkit burst out of the nursery with a hopeful smile on his face. Could this be his apprentice ceremony? He looked with hopeful and eager eyes at Blizzardstar. And then he realized something. If he became an apprentice before all of his siblings, he wouldn't be able to share a den with them anymore! Well, this wasn't necessarily his apprentice ceremony. And apprentices could still talk to kits, right?

RobinKit left the nursery. She had an idea what this ceremony would be about. She sat down next to her brother, shooting him a comforting smile. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"she said, her voice low in volume as she followed his gaze, her eyes focused on Blizzardstar. She was happy for her brother, really, and thought she knew what would come next.

Once enough cats were gathered beneath the Highrock, the white leader finally decided to go on "Swoopkit, please, step forward”.

Specklefang padded out coolly, her paw steps taking her to sit around the kits next to her clan-mates. She wouldn't miss her step-daughters kits ceremonies for the world! After a moon of rest, she moved back to the warrior's den, her tail significantly healed enough and her balance improving with every passing day. Specklefang hadn't felt this good since well... since her kit-hood.

Cherryfang padded from the nursery quietly right behind her kits as she sat down beside Robinkit listening quietly as Blizzardstar called her son Swoopkit forward. She gave a quiet purr but was proud as he would become an apprentice. Her ear flicked a bit as she moved looking to her step mother,Specklefang.

Leafstorm was there, albeit grudgingly. He didn't resent his daughter's children- far from it -but he at least wished he had gotten to know their father. He knew that if a queen didn't want to say who the father was, she didn't have to, but any one of the young toms sitting around him could be his stepson, and he had no idea who.
He shifted ever so slightly as Blizzardstar called Swoopkit's name, and he smiled faintly. The boisterous young tom reminded him of Sunpaw when she had been younger. He and his siblings would go far.

Swoopkit turned excitedly to Robinkit and nodded, grinning. She must think that it was his apprentice ceremony too! All doubts were vanquished as Blizzardstar called his name. With a smile, the young tom stepped forward, a twinge of doubt still in the back of his mind. Hopefully his siblings would make it to the apprentice's den soon enough.

(Ink isn't feeling well, so I'm taking over ceremonies for a while; pretend Leopardclaw was there the whole time C:)

The edges of Leopardclaw's mouth twisted upward in an amused smile as he watched the excited young tom step forward.  “Swoopkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to become an apprentice. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Swooppaw.  Your mentor will be Specklefang."  His hazel eyes shifted over to the now fully healed warrior for a moment as he continued.  "She is a bold, powerful warrior, and I hope she passes down all she knows on to you”  He cheered the new apprentice's name along with the rest of the clan, before jumping off the Highrock with a flick of his tail, dismissing the crowd.

The newly named Swooppaw smiled with pride. He was an apprentice. Hopefully his siblings would join him in the next day or two. He recognized his mentor's name, Leafstorm had talked about her, but he had no idea what she was like. Just that his mother wasn't mad at her anymore. Stepping up, he waited for Specklefang to do the same. Maybe they would become best friends!