Brookkit's Apprentice Ceremony

Swiftstep hopped up onto the Tallrock with a proud smile on his muzzle. Brookkit was leaving the nursery behind to become an apprentice, the next step of her journey to reaching warrior-hood. The deputy's face was fixed to a serious expression before he began. Although, he couldn't help but feel excitement for the kit. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather underneath the Tallrock for a Clan meeting!" Swiftstep called with an authoritative tone.

As the deputy's cry reached her ears, the russet-furred kit's ear flicked in an immediate acknowledgment. Almost instantaneously, there were the hints of a soft smile at the edge of her maw. Brookkit was no stranger to what it meant when Swiftstep was calling a meeting. In her short life, there had never been any other reason for him to stand in Brindlestar's place. This only meant one thing, she was about to join the ranks of the apprentices. Over the course of the past few moons, the young she-cat had matured both in size and agility. The sleekness of her fur no longer portrayed the fluffy disarray of a kit. Her coat had always been unnaturally beautiful but now she seemed to hold the appearance of a cat quite older than herself.

Holding her chin high, Brookkit's petite pads picked their way carefully over the softened moor earth that comprised Windclan's camp. Each step carried her closer to the next part of her path to becoming a warrior. There was something about the honor that had appealed to her since a young age. Although she could not quite place a claw on it, the kit had been intrigued with following the pawsteps of her father, and of the leader that she had grown to idolize. Sparing a glance to the side of the clearing for Finchkit, the she-kit settled down near the center of the gathering cats where it as only proper for someone who was about to be named to sit. After scanning the camp, she settled down and wrapped her tail neatly over her paws as he head craned to look up at Swiftstep. There was determination there among a mixture of many other emotions. This was her moment.

The brown tom looked down at Brookkit with a pleased gaze before continuing, "We all gather here today to make one of our kits an apprentice. Brookkit, please step forward." Once the she-kit did, the deputy nodded approvingly with a tiny smile and then began to speak again, "Brookkit, 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 Brookpaw. Barleytuft will be your mentor. He's a very skilled warrior despite his young age. I know that he will pass down everything he knows on to you."

It was just as she thought. Brookkit stood on command and padded to stand before the deputy. Her tail flicked briefly before settling behind her and the ceremony was continued. Hearing her name declared before the clan pleased the young she-cat. As she briefly closed her eyes she could almost picture Brindlestar standing before the clan and declaring her a warrior. That day would come soon enough. As a new name, one befitting an apprentice was called and her mentor declared, the former kit opened her eyes. She glanced around for Barleytuft, eyes alight when she finally settled upon the tom whose name had been called. As the clan cheered her new name, Brookpaw padded towards Barleytuft and touched her nose to his, as was tradition, "Do we train tomorrow?" She prodded curiously. The russet-coated young cat offered him a bright grin as she waited for a response.

Barleytuft had arrived swiftly at his deputy and former mentor's call, having just been grooming himself in the clearing of camp after a small meal. The sandy warrior looked eagerly up at the Tallrock, his pelt prickling. Who is the lucky kit becoming an apprentice today? Barleytuft wondered, remembering when he had gotten to experience his own. He watched the red she-kit move proudly through the gathering crowd. She looked calm - much more calm than he'd been.

The tom settled and looked up to Swiftstep as he began to speak. He listened to the words he'd heard a hundred times already, it seemed, but then they took a surprising turn: "Barleytuft will be your mentor." His heart stopped for a moment, then soared as he leaped to his feet, speechless and stunned both at his deputy's praise and at the realization that he was a mentor now. Barleytuft met Brookpaw's eyes as she found him, and he eagerly stepped forward to meet her, pressing his nose to hers.

Barleytuft stepped away from her, ears perking as she asked a question. He laughed. "Oh, yes," he promised. "Don't you worry, Brookepaw - we'll be doing plenty of training. By the end of your apprenticeship you'll be sick of it." Barleytuft nudged her playfully, and purred, "Hopefully it won't be because of me, though." With that, he called her name along with the rest of the Clan, his soft amber eyes gleaming with pride.