Sparkkit's Apprentice Ceremony

Redwing braced herself and leapt atop the tall, jutting rock, hoping it would feel less strange than it had last time... no. No, it was still weird. This just didn't suit her. Why had Thornbriar chosen her for this again? Why not Poppyheart, why not Daisyflame or- or anyone, honestly? Letting out a tiny, inaudible sigh, the russet-furred deputy chased her nagging thoughts away. There was no time for this. There was no time for her to doubt anything. She just had to lose herself in service to her Clan, and she'd been given the perfect opportunity. It still seemed so odd. But rules were rules, deputies were deputies and ceremonies were ceremonies. It was time for the leader's kit to become an apprentice... Sparkkit, daughter of her former best friend Asterspark and the leader herself. She definitely wasn't sure what to think of the blue tom who had returned to ShadowClan. They'd been friends, once. But after "StagClan" and Scorchstar's many deaths and all the things that had happened? She didn't know anymore. A younger Redwing would have jumped at the chance to forgive her old friend and spend time with him once more. But this Redwing had seen things, felt things- she wasn't innocent anymore. She wasn't the pure, bubbly she-cat Poppyheart had fallen in love with. She was this broken, pieced-together, flattened out version. And they would all have to deal with that. And she would have to deal with that.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather under the Jaggedrock for a Clan meeting," she called out, hearing her voice echo in the clearing of camp. Time to put on her loyalty.

Rowanpaw followed behind the kits, unaware of the tumultuous relationship shared between Sparkkit and the clan. She, like most her age, was oblivious to such difficulties that haunted her mother, seeing only the veneer of calm that Redwing shrouded herself with. She knew her parents weren't as lovey-dovey lately, but the whole clan had been tense after the attacks. Easily shrugging off the concerns, she sat down beneath the Jaggedrock.

Sparkkit padded out of the nursery, following after her father, who had told her she was to be apprenticed today. Frankly, she was glad to be finally getting out of that stuffy den with all her obnoxious littermates -- although, they were set to become apprentices very soon as well, so it didn't seem like she'd be able to really escape them. At the very least, she would be able to finally get out of camp and be productive.

She sat down next to Sans, who tried to nuzzle her ears. Learning from her mother that this was not okay, she jerked her head away with a hiss, her tail flicking. Her father seemed not to mind, but his voice did suddenly murmur into her ear, "Make sure to keep your thoughts to yourself during the ceremony." This only made her feel more annoyed. She was entitled to her own thoughts and emotions, wasn't she? She wasn't about to bottle them up like Sans did on a daily basis. If she felt some way, she was going to make it well known to those around her, whether or not it was acceptable behavior.

Seeing Asterspark speak in a fatherly way to his cat made Redwing feel... something. She wasn't sure what. Some strange mix of feelings and emotions that she really didn't like. Ignoring them completely, she braced herself, trying with every fiber of her body to remember the words that she'd heard a hundred times. "We gather here today to make a kit into an apprentice. Sparkkit, please step forward." Her voice was so strange, and formal... not like herself. Once the small kit had jumped up, reminding the deputy painfully of the stillborn kit she'd given the same name, she continued the ceremony. "Sparkkit, you have reached the age of six moons and you are ready to be apprenticed. From this day forward, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Sparkpaw. Your mentor will be-" she cast her eyes around, then they landed on the tom she'd thought would be deputy- "Daisyflame. He is a capable warrior, and I trust he will pass everything he has learned down to you." The words having been said, Redwing wished she could leap down from the rock and walk straight past her former friend into the forest... she needed to clear her head. However, they hadn't only had one kit. There were still more. Instead, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and mentally prepared herself to do another one. Seeing her living daughter sitting beneath the Jaggedrock gave her strength to do this. There was at least one cat in the forest who still needed her.

Daisyflame. Sparkpaw didn’t really know much about one of the most experienced warriors of the Clan, other than the fact that he was, well, one of the most experienced warriors of the Clan. It seemed her training was going to be left in very capable paws. She was interested in seeing how this would turn out for the both of them.

Having been taught the formalities of apprentice ceremonies by her father, the newly-named apprentice approached the ginger-and-white tom, touching her nose to his. Her expression was unreadable, and she spoke in an almost deadpan tone. ”I look forward to training with you.”

Hearing his name called, Daisyflame padded up to the young she-cat and touched noses with his new apprentice. "As do I. We'll start training as soon as possible," the older warrior purred with a smile.