Lionkit's Apprentice Ceremony

Ashstar leapt onto the Tallrock. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather underneath the Tallrock for a Clan meeting!" she yowled commandingly.

Lionkit positively glowed, his mother had freshly groomed his golden pelt until it shone, his darker "mane" standing out in stark contrast to the rich yellow of his body. The young cat walked out of the nursery tail and head high as he headed to his first Clan meeting. He looked nervously at Ashstar, he still didn't know everyone in the clan so the sight of them all gathered was intimidating to say the least.

Ashstar nodded approvingly at the young kit. "Lionkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Lionpaw. Your mentor will be Quailfeather. I hope she will pass down all she knows on to you."

Quailfeather blinked as her name was called to be a mentor once again. It seemed like not too long ago Fernfeather had been promoted- she even had an adopted kit now, for StarClan's sake- and now here she was with another apprentice. She had always loved apprentices, and this young tom seemed to be no exception. Lionpaw looked kind of like how Hollowbranch had, actually- nervous, but determined. She liked that in a cat. The senior warrior touched her nose to the tom's and smiled, her frosty blue eyes looking into his. "I can't wait to train with you, Lionpaw," she purred.

Lionpaw tried not to quiver in nervousness and anticipation as the Clan Leader spoke, he smiled broadly at his new mentor as she approached. He touched noses with her as was tradition and his amber eyes glowed as she used his new name; Lionpaw, he was an apprentice now, the thought thrilled him and nervous energy coursed through his veins as his black claws flexed in the dirt visions of battles and hunting his own prey filled his mind. Careful not to lose himself to day dreams the big young Tom cat bowed his head respectfully to Quailfeather, "It will be an honour to learn from you." The reverence didn't hold for long as an excited, "When can we start?" broke through his lips in a slightly higher register of mew than the deep baritone he'd been cultivating the last few weeks.

Quailfeather grinned at the young tom's eagerness- it was reminiscent of her own apprentice days. "First thing tomorrow morning," she responded, touching her nose to his, blue eyes bright. "I'll teach you how to hunt. For now, why don't you get some rest? Tomorrow will be a big day, and you'll be getting up at dawn's first light." She gestured with her long, white-tipped tail towards where the apprentices slept. "Go ahead and make yourself a nest over there. You're officially an apprentice now!"

Lionpaw smiled gratefully as the tension of the day flooded out of him and left his body feeling exhausted. "Dawn it is." He mewed determinedly before padding over to the Apprentices den to find himself a nest.