Heatherpaw's Warrior Ceremony

Blizzardstar smiled as she hoped onto the Highrock, finally another apprentice was ready to become a warrior “All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather under the Highrock for a clan meeting!”.

Heatherpaw heard the leader's traditional call to the Clan and blinked curiously from where she sat with her best friend Emberpaw. She rose to her paws and padded towards the Highrock, wondering what Blizzardstar wanted to say.

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

Heatherpaw audibly gasped, sitting straight up. This was her ceremony? She didn't even keep track with the progress she was making -- she knew Reedheart did that for her as he was her mentor -- but she didn't expect today to be the day she got her warrior name. Now she would finally be able to leave her past -- and her mother -- behind her. Now she would finally become a true ThunderClan cat!

Trembling from head to tail-tip in nervous excitement, she slowly padded towards her leader, looking up expectantly at her.

(Ink is sick, so I'm taking over ceremonies for a while; pretend Leopardclaw was here the whole time C:)

Leopardclaw was so proud of his adopted daughter; he knew how she had struggled to find her place in the clan, and grow confident in her abilities.  He also had gone through the same when he was an apprentice...but like himself, she had been able to leave those days behind.  Taking a deep breath, the golden tom raised his eyes to the sky above.  “I, Leopardclaw, deputy of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn”  He turned his gaze down towards the pale ginger she-cat, looking her straight in the eye as he meowed; “Heatherpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?”.

(OOC: Oh, no! I hope she feels better soon! :c Also, you saw my preferred warrior name for Heatherpaw, right?)

Heatherpaw lifted her head up high, her tail raised and her amber eyes shining. She felt like she was stuck in a dream, almost unable to believe she had finally completed her apprentice training. She nodded, her voice so clear and confident any cat would think the cat she once was and the cat she is now were never the same. "I do."

(Yep! :D)

Leopardclaw nodded approvingly, his greenish-hazel eyes glowing with barely hidden pride.  “Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Heatherpaw, from this moment you will be known as Heatherpetal. StarClan honors your skill in battle and your determination, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan”  The deputy leaped off of the Highrock and rested his chin on top of Heatherpetal's head in the customary gesture to complete the ceremony.  Under his breath though, the tom purred happily; "I'm so proud of you, my daughter."

The newly named Heatherpetal purred happily, giving her adopted father a respectful lick on his shoulder. "Thank you for everything, father," she meowed softly.

Birdflight ran up to her little sister with a grin. "Heatherpetal! Congrats! I'm very happy for you! Maybe we can go on a patrol together as warriors?~" Birdflight suggested. The calico she-cat was purring loudly. She began to chant her adopted sister's name with the rest of the clan.

Heatherpetal waved her tail happily in the air. "I would love that. Thank you."

And thank you, Flowerpetal, Heatherpetal thought, tilting her head up to the sky where the warriors of StarClan were still hidden from sight. She would never forget what the former RiverClan warrior had done for her. Even if it wasn't much in the eyes of others, the she-cat's encouragement meant everything to her, and it was what helped her begin building her confidence. And she was honored to be named after the very cat who helped her through her darker thoughts, even if the naming was nothing but mere coincidence to Leopardclaw and the rest of the Clan -- it would always be a tribute to Flowerpetal to her.

She may not be the best hunter in the Clan at all, but she could fight off and slay an owl. She would forever be loyal to ThunderClan until her last dying breath, and once she joined the ranks of StarClan as well, she would continue watching over her beloved Clan and help any journeying apprentices with their own problems of self-doubt, just as Flowerpetal had done for her.

She was finally free from Buttercup and her past. She was finally a ThunderClan warrior.