Dawnkit's and Duskkit's Apprentice ceremony

The light of the sun lined the scarce leaves of Thunderclan's camp. Hard shadows on the empty branches that tangled together over the heads of the cats that milled about camp. Marshstorm purred softly as he watched the interactions between clanmates with relaxed muscles and a sound mind. The young kits he had brought back had grown, and he was proud to claim at least a little responsibility for that. He had held true to his word, the young kits were as much his own kin as his biological kits had been. More importantly, they were stronger now. Far from the small helpless bundles who roughed it out on a walk to camp. Now they were strong enough to run through the forest, keep up with the apprentices.

His heart lurched at the thought of them getting into danger. Along with the positives of their new strengths and growth, came the negatives. Lich-Duskkit, still looked far too much like his father for comfort. It was unsettling sometimes to see his father in the kit's gaze, but he refused to treat him any less. Every spare moment he had, he spent between Dustcloud and the kits. Helping her with her injuries, and them with their needs for entertainment. Still, he shoved the unpleasant thoughts aside.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath High-rock for a clan meeting!" He yowled, breaking the peaceful tranquility. This was supposed to be a good day for them. The one where the clan would officially recognise them as soon-to-be warriors. He knew holding them back for the sake of his own fears would do them no favours. He smiled comfortingly at Dawnkit as he glimpsed her orange and black pelt. His posture straight on high-rock, but still relaxed as it usually was when it came to good news.

The significance of an event such as an Apprentice Ceremony still did not weigh too heavily upon Duskkit's mind, hardly holding more than a mere shred of importance within his limited attention span- it was just like everything else experienced in ThunderClan up to this day, overshadowed by the occasional odd glance tossed in his direction. Shaking away the scraps of downy debris that clung heavily to his richly colored coat, the young tabby's deep gaze was frothing under the weight of faint curiosity as to Marshstorm's summons. Whatever transpired, he did not care much for, so long as Dawnkit was alongside him to witness whatever occurred.

There had been much talk in camp, mostly in hushed voices and in muted conversations on the other side of the clearing. Dawnkit decided she didn't care as long as no one mistreated her brother or herself, and was surprisingly pleased by the acceptance of Dustcloud and Marshstorm as a makeshift family. It was new and unexpected to be handled so gently, and inside Dawnkit felt relieved that she didn't have to worry about riddles or punishments anymore. Still, she was reluctant to let herself relax. These cats were still strangers, and she resolved to stay close by Duskkit's side once more during this event. She had heard these words called before and ignored them, but now they seemed relevant. Dawnkit caught Marshstorm's kind glance, but ever wary, the she-kit merely looked at him quizzically as though he would answer her right then and there about what was happening.

Marshstorm watched as cats gathered beneath high rock. The curious and wary expressions on the kits made him long to explain to them that there was nothing to fear. This was a simple ceremony... nothing unfair would be asked of them here. He waited, held his tongue from speaking out of line with what needed to be said. Finally, the words emerged.

"Dawnkit, Dustkit. Step forward." He ordered, his gaze hopeful on the small pelted kits that they would understand that there was nothing to fear. Not right now, not from him. Never from him. His heart felt full with pride. This was their big day, and he wasn't sure anything could sour it as he began the next words once the kits were in front of him. A quick glance of pride at his mate as he began.

"Dawnkit, Duskkit." He began with a nod to each of them. "You have reached the age of six moons. It is now time for both of you to become apprentices. From this day on, until you recieve your warrior name, you will be known as Dawnpaw and Duskpaw."

He paused for only a moment. His gaze turned out towards the gathered crowd for the two cats he trusted the most to mentor the young kits. His closest friends and family who were able. His gaze settled on Beartooth with a nod "Dawnpaw, Beartooth will be your mentor. He is a brave and honorable warrior, who will train you well.
" Then his gaze turned to the golden pelt of Leopardstar himself.

Anticipation crept into his throat as he thought over it carefully. He had no doubts of Duskpaw's loyalty, and forced himself through. "Duskpaw, your mentor will be Leopardstar. He is brave and Noble. You will be able to learn a lot from him." He finished with a firm nod to end his decision as he smiled down at them. "Make me proud you two" He meowed, though it'd be hard to make him much prouder as he changed their new names with the clan.

Although the wound across his face had begun to heal, it was still painful and every twitch of his maw caused it to burn furiously. Beartooth was no stranger to physical wounds but this was something that cut like claws into his psyche. Questioning Pricklepaw had done nothing but did the invisible needles deeper into his chest. It wore him out more than any fight before, perhaps even as much as the one against Lichenmask's band of exiles. Even padding over to join the rest of the clan seemed like the most arduous thing he had ever done. His massive paws scuffed up the earth but did little more than stir up the dust as his leaden footfalls found their way underneath the clan's deputy. He looked up at his former mentor with dull eyes, expecting little more than another apprentice ceremony. As he settled down his shoulders hunched forward and his maw twisted ever so slightly as an indication of his unhappiness.

Usually, the massive tabby warrior was expressionless but now he was drained. If one looked at him for more than a hair of a second, they would likely see how much of a shell of his former self he was. Beartooth allowed his gaze to drift slowly up towards Marshstorm out of respect for the tom who trained him. It wasn't a surprise to see Lichenmask's kits called to the front. They were of age now. While some cats might have curled their lip at the offspring of the late tom, Beartooth found himself largely unaffected. Marshstorm trusted them and that meant he did too. With little more than a mild flick of his ear, he waited for this to be over. He already had several apprentices to train, whose sessions had been put off far too long. The knowledge was a weight on his already heavy shoulders. So it was a shock when the deputy spoke his name aloud.

Beartooth stood involuntarily. His eyes found Dawnpaw, the cat that was set to train. From what he remembered, she looked little like her father, unlike her unfortunate brother. But he thought nothing of these things as padded slowly towards the she-cat. Four apprentices. One had been more than enough. It hadn't quite stirred excitement in his heart as it did for other warriors. This was merely one of his warrior duties. Staring at the younger cat caused his chest to tighten with a barrage of emotions that he couldn't quite describe. His speech was delayed despite the slight parting of his maw. For a moment, he merely looked at Dawnpaw. And when he finally spoke, his low meow crackled slightly, "Tomorrow, we will train. And congratulations, Dawnpaw." The warrior dipped his head and turned towards the warrior's den, craving the embrace of the world deadening sleep.

Leopardstar had spent the duration of the ceremony sitting at the front of the crowd, watching in a daze of thoughtful silence as the two kits of Lichenmask stepped forward to begin their journey towards warriorhood.  Their pelts shining in the pale leaf-bare sunshine, the young tom's resemblance once again struck him; that brown tabby and white pelt had once stood before him at the top of the ravine, threatening the lives and happiness of his clan...and his family.  His father's war had brought about so much pain and destruction, not only for the clans.  The sight of almost every Exile lying dead on the ground still haunted his memory...as did Birdflight's hollow eye socket.  Emotions raged like a storm in his chest, but he knew despite all his ill feelings, these kits were innocent and deserved a chance to prove themselves as such.  Under the right mentors, they were sure to blossom into great ThunderClan warriors; mentors like Beartooth and...himself?

A bit surprised despite himself, Leopardstar's hazel gaze briefly drifted up to meet Marshstorm's, before lowering to rest on his new charge; Duskpaw.  The little tom's eyes were still much too familiar for comfort, but the ThunderClan leader walked forward confidently and bent his head to touch noses with the newly named apprentice.  "Congratulations, training will start tomorrow.  Go meet your new denmates and get settled."  His voice emerged as a husky, stern rumble before the golden spotted tabby tom turned away to greet a returning patrol.

She was hesitant at first but Dawnkit eventually did as she was commanded. It was Marshstorm's right to order her and her duty to obey, so she took the step forward and kept her expression neutral. The gathering cats that watched the siblings seemed familiar with this event, and the deputy seemed at ease, so the she-kit felt no threat by the sudden attention. She merely watched as he spoke and followed his gaze to this Beartooth that he spoke of. Dawnpaw, as she was now to be called, was a bit... underwhelmed. His size and obvious strength were impressive, as well as the wounds he carried and the strange paws he walked on. The teeth were a bit silly, though. Despite his fierce appearance, his demeanor seemed less so. Careless, even. It was infuriating when Marshstorm called out Duskpaw's mentor.

Dawnpaw resisted the urge to sneer as the warrior approached after the ceremony, instead keeping her features as neutral as she could manage. The fact that her brother had the leader for his mentor and she got some washed-up, deformed storm cloud of a tom made her livid beyond words. He didn't even speak for a heartbeat, which slightly broke her concentration and caused her brows to furrow in agitation. Dawnpaw's face, however, returned to its expressionless mask when Beartooth finally spoke to her. The new apprentice said nothing to her mentor, only returned his nod in acceptance of his orders and then turned to watch Leopardstar and Duskpaw presumably talk about training as well. Her yellow eyes glinted with an unreadable emotion.