Minkkit's Apprentice Ceremony

Starlord hadn't been satisfied with simply being allowed to stay in RiverClan. He had to leave a little souvenir behind for all to remember him. To this day, Scorchclaw still could not figure out why any cat would want to bear the loner's kits. Of all cats, Jaystar's daughter Littlestream was the mother. Whenever he thought about the mess that Starlord had caused, he felt like groaning out loud. If he were to ever meet the loner again, the two of them would need to have a very serious conversation. The kits were not to blame, of course. They had not chosen their parents. Still, did they have to bear such a resemblance to Starlord?

The sun was steadily climbing its way up in the sky. The time was sometime in the morning. RiverClan had roused itself, cats of all ranks milling about in the central clearing as they prepared for another busy day. In the middle of this scene, Scorchclaw leaped unto the Willow Branch. Lashing his tail once, he called out clearly, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Willow Branch for a clan meeting!" Said kits of Starlord and Littlestream had already reached the age of six moons. Just a day ago, he had apprenticed the first of the litter. It was Minkkit's turn now.

Minkkit wandered out of the nursery, blinking slightly as the bright leaf-bare sun hit his dark ginger and white pelt. What's going on? He blinked up at the Willow Branch, watching Scorchclaw as the tabby deputy waited for... something.

His clanmates seemed to gather at an agonizingly slow pace. Perhaps they had not yet fully awakened, or perhaps they were simply taking their time. Scorchclaw twitched his whiskers, trying to be patient as cat after cat took their time to find a seat before the willow tree. It was too early in the morning for him to be irritated. When, at last, the crowd looked large enough for the ceremony to start, he swished his tail for silence. "Minkkit," He called, gaze alighting on the young tom at the edges of the crowd, "step forward."

When Minkkit had done so, the fluffy deputy continued, "You have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day onward until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Minkpaw, and Mottledspark will be your mentor. He will teach you the ways of a RiverClan warrior." The last thing he needed was for one of Starlord's kits to start sharing the same views the rogue did. He doubted that it would happen, but one would never know. While Mottledspark had a few rough edges, he was an earnest, hardworking tom. Scorchclaw would leave Minkpaw's training in his paws.

As the ceremony drew to a close, he leaped off the Willow Branch.

My ceremony? Yes! He stepped forwards eagerly, looking up at the deputy's stern expression with a cocky grin. Did Scorchclaw look even more stony than usual? Minkpaw shook it off, reining in his grin as he stepped solemnly up to his new mentor, Mottledspark

Mottledspark trudged out of the warrior's den, his jaws parting in an enormous yawn as he moved into the sunlight, disappointed by how cool the light usually felt. He spent a moment grooming his thick coat, thinking about what he hoped to find on the fresh-kill pile this morning. Suddenly Scorchclaw's voice rang out and the RiverClan warrior looked up, already feeling a little more awake than he had a moment ago. Quickly Mottledspark followed the summon and sat in front of the Branch, but when he realized whose ceremony was being conducted he only let out a grunt.

Mottledspark had been glad when Starlord had left, and although part of him was happy that RiverClan had new kits he also wished that they weren't half loner. After all, their father had shown a complete inability and lack of desire to adapt to Clan life. Instead he wanted to just laze about and mooch off the kindness of others. Everyone here just let it happen, too, Mottledspark wanted to shout, especially Littlestream. She brought a bunch of possible traitors and loners-at-heart into our Clan.

When his deputy announed he would be mentoring one of these kits, then, Mottledspark had to reign back his initial exclamation of indignation. I'm pure RiverClan! he thought irritably. Why do they keep pairing me with half-Clan cats and traitors? Still, the flicker of hope and determination in his belly kept him quiet. After all, if he was the one to mentor the little tom, then surely he could train him to be loyal and to scorn the ways of any life but that in RiverClan. Right?

So with that, Mottledspark stood, his thick tortoiseshell fur shimmering as he padded to meet his apprentice. "Minkpaw." His greeting was cool, but he pressed his nose firmly to his new apprentice's. He stepped back and meowed, "We'll begin training today; it's early, and you have a lot to learn."

Minkpaw's grin reappeared and widened as his mentor mentioned training. Yes! "Are we starting now?" He grinned even wider at the thought, if that was possible, his paws almost kneading the ground in anticipation of seeing the whole territory for the first time.

Mottledspark nodded once in reply to his apprentice's question and meowed, "But first, get something to eat. I have a lot to show you and I don't want you falling asleep on your paws." The warrior padded away to wait, and even though he was disappointed that his apprentice wasn't fully RiverClan he was still proud and excited for the opportunity to do some training.

ooc: I suppose that's all we need in this ceremony; we've already got another thread up for us, Chicken :)