Swanpaw's Warrior Ceremony

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the willow branch for a clan meeting!" He mewed happily from the top of the branch. Finally, Swanpaw, the she-cat who left her clan for so long, was going to be a warrior after moons of training. She was old enough to become a warrior since moons before but her interrupted training delayed her training for too long. But the apprentice's wait was finally over and the deputy was happy to be the one to give her a new rank.

Swanpaw, who was by far old enough to catch her own prey despite her apprentice name, joined her Clanmates for the meeting. Perhaps, after all this time, she would leave that name behind, like the past she so desperately wanted to move on from. After her Moonstone trip, she dared to hope, just a little bit - partially because it officially concluded her training, and partially because of the feelings she had been carrying since meeting with her mother in StarClan.

Lilytail sat down when the deputy called for the meeting. She gave Swanpaw a smile before focusing back to the deputy. She wondered what this could be about. Jaystream seemed real happy. This must be a great thing!

Jaystream watched his clanmates gathering around but he only saw one of them... the apprentice who was going to be a warrior after so many moons of hardships and training. "Swanpaw, Snailbelly has confirmed that you are ready to undertake your warrior ceremony. If you believe this to be true, step forward now for it to begin." He mewed, lifting his tail as he called for her with a proud expression.

The words were different from the traditional apprentice-call Swanpaw had grown accustomed to over the course of her life, and it took her a moment to register her name being spoken as she pondered the different phrasing. She paused for another moment, considering that - did she believe it to be true? She had learned and re-learned her way of life in RiverClan, and... Yes, she finally felt that she was ready to stand alongside her fellow warriors. She stepped forward, trying to fight the smile that crossed her face - it was a serious situation, after all.

The tom could see through her serious expression that she was probably excited for this moment. After all, she had waited long enough for her ceremony. It was time for her to be a Riverclan warrior, just like him. "I, Jaystream, deputy of Riverclan, 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, Swanpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" He mewed, expecting an affirmative answer from her.

"I do," Swanpaw declared, her voice ringing clear.

"Then, by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. From this day forth, you will be known to all as Swanpetal. RiverClan honours your loyalty and determination." He had decided her name from a long time ago. In honour of his dead mother and fellow clanmate, Flowerpetal, the she-cat got her warrior rank, the one that she was so determined to get since she re-joined the clan. His green eyes looked at her, happy and proud of finally seeing her joining the warrior's den.

"As per tradition, tonight you will hold a silent vigil and watch over the clan and your clanmates as they sleep. I trust you will guard over all of us well during our sleep, Swanpetal. I pray Starclan always light your path, young warrior."

Swanpetal, newly named, took her place to sit her silent vigil. She had come so far, both figuratively and literally. This was what she had worked toward for all of her life. She may have strayed from that path once or twice, but she had found her way back, and dedicated herself to her Clan. She would do it a hundred times over if she had to, learn the lessons she hadn't quite grasped before over and over again. But she was here now, a warrior in her own right, and even in her name she heard the echoes of her past. If she let herself imagine, she could almost hear the voices of the family she had lost calling out her new name, but that was nothing more than wishful thinking. Still, she would carry a small piece of them with her, wherever she went.

For the first time in a long time, Swanpetal felt joy without a tinge of sadness, and hoped it would stay.