Daykit's apprentice ceremony

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath High-rock for a clan meeting!" Marshstorm's yowl cut through the morning air. The relief that tinged it was palpable as he stood on High-rock calmly. His amber gaze rested on the entrance of the nursery, a sure sign of the ceremony that was to come. A day to greet two new apprentices was good. Well-needed and welcomed. He watched as cats milled for a few moments before they began to gather beneath High-rock. Some curious, some worried, but he had no news to give them of Leopardstar, only of the new apprentices who would be welcomed into apprenticehood right in the morning.

He waited patiently for the sight of the kit's eyes to appear from the nursery and for them to perhaps come out into the day. If the didn't, he mused, they probably would upon hearing their names, or perhaps their parents rousing them.

Daykit was settled in the nursery, paws tucked over her muzzle. She was dozing quietly when she heard Marshstorm's sharp yowl. She poked her head from the nursery, watching the deputy with pleading eyes. Her sister had been apprenticed earlier that day. Was it her time as well? The brown tabby crept quietly around the nursery walls, watching from afar.

Marshstorm watched the light brown she-kit with amusement as he watched her slowly creep around. Perhaps she thought this wasn't her ceremony day after all, though her sister had just been apprenticed. He thought about it for a moment, before he decided on the more direct course of action.
"Daykit, come. Step forward." He called, then waited for the little she-kit to come to the High-rock as the older cats made space for her to get through them without having to go the long way.

Daykit nearly tumbled over her own paws as her name was called. Yes! She wasn't forgotten about after all! She was foolish for believing that Marshstorm had overlooked her. She stopped beneath the Highrock and gazed up at him with anticipation.

He waited for the kit to settle beneath High-rock before he continued the ceremony. His eyes catching a silver tom who had just recently become a warrior himself. His amber eyes went back to the tabby kit.
"Daykit, you have reached the age of six moons. Like your sister, it is time for you to become an apprentice. From this day on, until you recieve your warrior name, you will be known as Daypaw." His head swivelled back to the silver tom briefly, as he gestured towards him with his tail. "Your mentor will be Palestripe. He earned his warrior name through his bravery and kindness. May he pass those lessons on to you." He concluded the ceremony with a calm nod of his head before he leapt off of High-rock.

Palestripe purred and made his way out of the crowd of cats that were watching the ceremony, until he stood right besides Daypaw. It was surprising that Marshstorm had entrusted him so soon with his very own apprentice, but the silver tabby gave the older warrior a confident nod before turning to face the creamy-brown she-cat, bending his head to touch noses with her. "Go enjoy today, but tomorrow we're training." the tom mewed, retreating as congratulations from their Clanmates began to sound through camp, drowning out the other sounds of the forest in celebration.