Shrikekit's Apprentice Ceremony

Ever since the horrific fight against dogs in camp, he found himself avoiding a kit. It wasn't intentional. Rippedstar had never meant to actively avoid a clanmate. But, it was happening. The little black and white kit, whose long fur was reminiscent of the leader he once followed, reminded him of Crowstar. Everyone had marveled at the fact that his sickness had been miraculously cured after that night. It wasn't that he wasn't pleased that the kit lived, no, he would never want to see a young cat suffer, but a weird feeling had settled in his chest on the matter. He tried not to see Shrikekit as the reason Crowstar died. Ultimately, it was the damned dogs that had ripped apart their camp walls and tore into his clanmates. But, something about the situation caused him to turn away whenever Shrikekit was near. Guilt was buried somewhere deep inside, unfortunately too deep for him to acknowledge it.

However, on this particular evening, it was his duty to pay full attention to the kit whose training had been long delayed. One of the warriors had remarked on it, in fact, most of the clan was waiting for it. With the sickness long gone, there was no reason to refuse. Rippedstar agreed to do the ceremony as soon as they could. This was the reason he was now leaping up onto the tallbranch where he would be able to stand over the clan once more and sit under the burning gaze of their eyes. He wondered how long it would take for him to ignore that strange feeling. After inhaling sharply, the black and white leader yowled, "Let all cats old enough to climb a tree join beneath the tallbranch for a clan meeting!"

Shrikekit had been sitting out in front of the nursery. The kits he was born with became warriors long ago. It was a bit upsetting. The tom let out a small sigh as the clan was called for a meeting. He was pretty sure that another kit would be getting their apprentice name while he was left behind again. It wouldn't surprise him if that was the case. It seemed everyone in the camp was avoiding him.

"A kit has proven himself ready to join the ranks of the apprentices. His time is well overdue. Shrikekit, please step forward." Rippedstar glanced behind the young kit, not wanting to look at him too much due to a deeply buried fear it would stir some emotion in him. Instead, he found solice in the monotony of the ceremony words, "Shrikekit, from today until you gain your warrior name, you shall be know as Shrikepaw. Swiftflight is a new warrior, bur he has already proven to be wise and skillful. I expect he will train you well." He stared on as they cheered before disappearing into his den.

Ooc: mobile srry