Graykit's Apprentice Ceremony

Marshstorm leapt to the top of Highrock. His dark pelt soaking in the warmth of newleaf sunlight as he looked down at the clan with a pleasant expression on his muzzle.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath High-rock for a clan meeting!" He called out. His voice carried throughout the camp as he settled down to wait patiently for the cats to gather. His gaze fell mostly to the nursery, where there were young kits who were.... not so young now.

It was strange to think about how small the kits were when they were born, or in some cases brought, to the clan. Young Graykit was the oldest, at least by his memory, but the small she-kit was quiet and passive... he chuckled to himself. It was time for her to enter the world, and to see things with a new point of view. He had full faith in the abundance of warriors that could make good mentors, but his eyes settled on one particular golden tabby.

Graykit hurried over to the high rock. It was finally time for her ceremony! She absolutely could not have been more excited than she finally was. It felt like seasons ago she was a young kit listening to stories other apprentices told of their training, and now she would tell stories of her own! She gave her pelt a quick grooming before rushing to sit down, her tail lashing as a way to release her bundled up energy. Her smile could not have been any bigger than it was in that moment.

He watched as the young kit eagerly bounded over from the nursery. He could tell from her excitement that she must have realised exactly what this was, or guessed very accurately. Though the way he had been watching the kits certainly never hid it. He looked down at the young cream and grey she-cat.
"Graykit, step forward." The command was gentle. Since she seemed to have a delicate demeanour, he chose to keep things simple and straight forward. It wouldn't be good to intimidate her as he flicked his tail to urge her forward.

"Graykit, you have reached the age of six moons. It is now time for you to become an apprentice. From this day on, until you recieve your warrior name, you will be known as Graypaw." He announced, his gaze turned towards a large gold and brown tabby tom. He smiled at the other cat with meaning. "Lynxtail will be your mentor. He is a cat of great strength and courage." His gaze returned to Graypaw. "I hope that you will learn much from him." With a nod of his head, the chanting of cats shouting Graypaw's name began, and he leapt down to join them.

It was true,Graypaw knew about the ceremony,but not from the way Marshstorm had acted. Her mother told her the deputy called meetings for apprentice ceremonies and,as far as she knew,she was the only kit ready. So yeah,it was an easy guess for her to make. The world seemed to spin with the realization of what this all meant,however. No longer would she sleep by her mothers side. She no longer even had the same name. It was a lot to take in. Then she remembered one thing. Her mentor. She looked around for Lynxtail,spotting him among the crowd. She quietly reached up,touching noses with the warrior.

Lynxtail smiled back at Marshstorm and stepped forward, purring loudly. He bowed his head to meet the she-cat's nose with his own. "I look forward to training with you," He mewed, nudging her before taking a small step back and turning towards his clanmates.
His outward appearance was joyful, but inside, he was panicking. He couldn't be trusted to have an apprentice. What if he taught her the wrong things at the wrong time? What if he was too harsh, or too soft? What if she didn't want to become a warrior? What if some of the Wrongness that caused his mother to abandon him and his siblings rubbed off on her?
He looked around wildly for Marshstorm, his forest green eyes full of terror, his smile growing into a grin. He couldn't afford to raise suspicion now that he had someone relying on him... Starclan, what was the deputy thinking?

Once Graypaw and Lynxtail had touched noses, Mosspaw waited patiently for the crowd to move through. Graypaw had visited her as a kit, and she was excited for the new step towards becoming a warrior that the young apprentice was taking. And if she was correct, this would be Lynxtail's first apprentice too. Once she stood before the pair, she gently laid her tail tip on Lynxtail's shoulder, looking at Graypaw. "Congratulations Graypaw, I'm so excited for you!" She purred. "You'll do wonderful, and with Lynxtail to guide your paws you'll be a warrior in no time." Her gaze shifted to Lynxtail, noting what seemed like nervousness. "You'll do great, she's a wonderful listener. Don't worry." Smiling between the pair one last time, she stepped off to the side to let the others coming forward have their turn, and gradually made her way back to the medicine den.