Fallowpaws Medicine Cat Naming Ceremony

With the star and moon returned to its full glory, the blood-red atmosphere of the world seemed but a distant memory. But the smell of blood was still strong, it seemed as she would never be rid of the taste of rust on her tongue. The screeches and cries of war were loud in her ears, the constant white-noise that once had disappeared returned with a passion, louder than ever. Goldeneye drew in a deep breath and released it with a controlled exhale, slow and long as she tried to calm her nerves. Goldeneye had eaten her traveling herbs, her stock low with the war having ended but there were plenty of injuries to treat. She was scared, petrified, beyond reason for her clan-mates, for Windclan and yet she could not let it show, for Fallowpaw.

The bundle sat in front of her paws, she was waiting for her apprentice to clean up before taking her to see their ancestors. She wanted her presentable before she tore into their miserable hides, they didn't scare her anymore. She had to be warned by a cat so ancient she was disappearing! Those cowards deserved to hear what she had to say, they were up there hiding away like cowards as they fought their wars for them, wars they caused. Goldeneye's claws unsheathed, the only thing betraying her inner anger and turmoil. She may have feared what was coming each and every time she was close to the moonstone, but she had grown, it was her they should now fear.

But perhaps she should be a little gentler on them? After all, she could not strain their relationship when she had another apprentice to train once Fallowpaw received her name. Goldeneye realized that she did not know which kit that Brindlestar had her eye on, but she would find out in due time, she had to train her quick for, without a medicine cat apprentice, Windclan would succumb to injury.

"I'm ready when you are, Goldeneye." Fallowpaw had quickly swallowed down the herbs that her mentor had laid out in front of her, nervous about what was to come. This would be the first time she'd meet with StarClan since Lichenmask pulled his stunts, and she wasn't exactly sure how to feel about it. She was definitely upset- Why in the name of Silverpelt would StarClan send such a... a beast down to the forest, and for such a ridiculous reason! But perhaps Lichenmask was just wayward, and had strayed from his true purpose? To assume StarClan's reasons would only lead Fallowpaw to nowhere good. With a sigh, she accepted that she'd have to wait to see what her ancestors would say about it.

As for her mentor's stance on the situation... That was another mystery to the young she-cat, but she knew for sure that she was angry. Perhaps they could discuss it on the way to Highstones? Or maybe it was better that they didn't. It was up to Goldeneye in the end, she'd leave it to her to decide.

"Right." Goldeneye meowed with a curt dip of her head before rising to her paws. Whisking out of camp, she pushed through the water and brushed by the reeds. She did not wait for Fallowpaw, for she knew that she could keep up at this point. "Fallowpaw." She meowed, her voice hard, "I hope with all my heart that you will approve of the name I will be giving you tonight. I have thought long and hard about it, so know that what I will give you has not been an easy decision for me to make. Just know that you have been the best apprentice I could have been given-" She tried her best to ignore the thoughts of her first apprentice, just barely starting his apprenticeship under her but quickly passing away afterward. "- and I have taught you as much as I can, but be aware that you'll still be learning under me, and that there are still plenty of things to be taught." Goldeneye meowed, leaping across the stepping stones.

Dipping her head as she followed Goldeneye through the exit of camp, Fallowpaw's small paws followed directly behind her Mentor's. Shouldering past the reeds and avoiding the water to the best of her ability to stay just slightly warmer, the petite she-cat was lost in her own thoughts. Not for long, however, as her eyes snapped up to meet her Mentor's as she spoke, voice filled with emotion. She made a conscious effort to make longer strides to keep up with Goldeneye, while also hanging on to each of her words as they parted her maw. Shudders ran down her spine at the mention of her new name, something that she hadn't thought of recently in light of all the chaos. It had been so long since she'd even visited the Moonstone- That in itself would be a major comfort to the little she-cat, even if they'd seemingly abandoned them before.


Nodding her head when Goldeneye finished speaking, she drew in a shaky breath. Just a name change, no biggie. "Thank you, Goldeneye." A slight grin had grown on her features at the mention of her being the best apprentice Goldeneye had could've been given, a remark that she hadn't been expecting from the older she-cat. "Understood." Crossing over each stepping stone with ease, she still followed closely behind her Mentor.

"You are like a daughter that I could never have. You must also understand that I wish that these past moons you have seen my mistakes and have learned from them. I have strayed once, I don't know if anyone knows that but me, you, Jaystar, and Starlord, and I will like to keep it that way. You must stay on the path of a medicine cat, don't let your feelings shake your rationality. I've been doing too much of that as of late." Goldeneye stopped by the gnarled teeth of Mother-mouth and turned to Fallowpaw, "When I one day leave my position as Medicine cat, whether that is at Starclans will, or my own, you must remember to not let your feelings get in the way. Stomp on them, bury them, shove them into the darkest pits of your mind as you possibly can because a good medicine cat is one that cannot feel." Goldeneye meowed sternly, her gaze narrowing as she searched her apprentice's eyes.

"Now, I'm sure that you're waiting for it, as am I. Once you leave this ceremony, with your name, I want you to do just what I asked, okay?" Without waiting for a response she padded down into the winding tunnels, well-known paths leading her with ease into the open space. The moon was already hitting the moonstone, it's vibrant blues bleaching her fur silver. Stepping aside to let her apprentice through she waited for just a moment before beginning, "I, Goldeneye, Medicine Cat of RiverClan, call upon our warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice, she has trained hard to understand the ways of the medicine cat, and with your help she will serve RiverClan for many moons." Goldeneye looked ahead, her eyes beginning to shimmer with grief, the words she was speaking now was once spoken by her mentor. "Fallowpaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of the medicine cat, to stand apart from rivalry between clan and clan, and to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?" She turned to meet her apprentice's eyes once more, waiting.

Fallowpaw's heart swelled when the pair finally reached the mother mouth, and she made sure to soak in every word that parted Goldeneye's lips. The horrifying thought of Goldeneye someday leaving her position as Medicine Cat was something that Fallowpaw had pondered on multiple occasions before, and she'd assured herself that a time where such a thing would happen was nowhere near her. But, as the days drug on and half-moons became full, she realized that despite her deepest wishes for Goldeneye to remain her mentor and overseer forever couldn't possibly come true. Whether it be through death or the wishes of StarClan, or even Jaystar or herself, she was going to leave the position eventually. Fallowpaw had tried her best to accustom herself to the idea of it, to get used to the fact that it would happen eventually no matter what. She half wished that her mentor would outlive her, but she quickly pushed the thought away.

She had to bite her lip to prevent herself from protesting Goldeneye's instructions to stop herself from feeling, something that she had attempted to do before but was disappointed when it did nothing but leave her feeling hollow and empty. She kept her gaze clear as she stared into her mentor's golden eyes, and nodded before she ducked into the tunnel. She stayed several fox-lengths behind her mentor, unsure if she really wanted to go through with this. 'But what choice do you have, anyway? You've already committed yourself to this job. Get it together.' Stepping into the soft blue light given off by the Moonstone, she nodded to her mentor. She let out a shaky breath as she started the ceremony. "I do." 'No going back now, Fallowpaw.'

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your full name as a medicine cat. Fallowpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Fallowlight. Starclan honours your ability to persevere and your determination. You're now welcomed as a full medicine cat of Riverclan. And may you give the light that these cats need in dark times just as you had done to me." Goldeneye pressed her nose to her apprentice's forehead and tuckered down against the stone, letting her eyes slip shut.