Sagelight's Medicine Cat Ceremony

The dark sky hanging over the SkyClan camp glittered with distant stars, their light so far unbroken by the rays of the dawning sun. The last half moon had been long, terribly long, but today would be a happier day. A day to celebrate, and to welcome a new fully-named medicine cat. Yes, today would be the day that Sagelight would go to StarClan and take his vows, the same ones she herself had taken not that long ago. Mossbloom had traveled to SkyClan the night before, to ensure the two cats left on time and that she would be well-rested. She would miss seeing the tom as often, but she knew he would do a fantastic job. Hopefully he wouldn't have his paws full training another apprentice too soon. That would be then, however, and this was now.

Rising from the makeshift nest she had used occasionally since taking him on as her apprentice, she padded over to Sagelight's nest. Gently prodding him with a white paw, she smiled as his eyes blinked open. "Good morning, Sagelight. Are you ready for your last test as a medicine cat apprentice?" She purred, eyes twinkling in the starlight. "Would you gather two bundles of traveling herbs? We have a long journey to make today, a journey that we both know well."

Just as he had been for his first Moonstone journey and the night before he took his vows as a medicine cat apprentice, Sagelight had slept fitfully, pent-up excitement thrumming in his muscles. He frequently woke up during the night just thinking about what was to come. Today, he would receive his full status as a medicine cat. He had enjoyed Mossbloom's company, both as a mentor and a friend, so he was a little sad to see her go but now it was his time to step into Mintwhisker's paws. The tom stirred awake at Mossbloom's touch, blinking open blurry eyes to squint at her. "Good morning. Gather travelling herbs, right. I'm on it."

He rose to his paws, stretching for a moment before he padded over to the storage of herbs by the wall and began picking out the herbs needed for two bundles. He made a mental note to pre-make the travelling herb bundles, it would make things go faster in the long run. Once he was done and certain he had added everything, he ate his bundle with ease and pushed the other towards Mossbloom. He had eaten enough of these bundles to grow accustomed to the bitter taste. "Are you ready to let me go?" he meowed, looking up at the she-cat with a twinkle in his eye. "I think I'm ready. I feel ready. Thank you for everything, Mossbloom, I appreciate your knowledge and friendship."

Sagelight smiled warmly at her and moved to butt his head against her affectionately, a soft purr escaping his chest. "Since it's between you and me, I'm glad you were my mentor in the end and not Mintwhisker. I never liked her much to begin with. Anyway, I'm ready when you are!"

It didn't take long for Sagelight to get to his paws, mewing a good morning before heading to the herb stores. The she-cat wrapped her tail around her paws neatly as she watched him pull together the herb bundles carefully. He neatly piled them together, and seemed to double-check his work, and Mossbloom purred. He pushed the other bundle towards her, and she quickly chewed them as well. The taste didn't phase either of them anymore, it seemed, something that Mossbloom noted with a smile. Looking up as the tom spoke, she recognized the twinkle in his eye and flicked his shoulder with her tail.

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be, and I know you're ready, Sagelight. You've worked hard, and learned so much. I'm very proud of you, you faced a lot of difficulties and challenges that most do not, and yet here you stand. Not many can claim the same accomplishments. Also, Sagelight, this isn't a goodbye, it never will be. Only until next time. Should you ever find yourself in need of assistance or guidance, I will always be there, as your friend."

As the tom butt his head against her, she pressed her chin to the top of his head. Her eyes softened further at his words, and glistened with emotion. "It has been an honor and a privilege to mentor you, Sagelight, and I look forward to continuing to heal and guide our clans over the moons together." A quick lick to his ear followed her words before he pulled away, and she stood to motion to the den entrance. "Lead the way then, Sagelight. I'll go at your pace." She purred, anticipating the ceremony to come.

A purr rumbled in the tom's chest at Mossbloom's kind words and he gave her a warm smile. "Of course. What would I do without my favorite mentor?" he joked, his smile widening into a grin. "Alright, let's go. I'm ready." His skin tingling with anticipation, he set off on the long journey to the Moonstone once again. Hopefully no cat would need him while he was out. Despite the weather getting colder as Leaf-bare crept closer and closer, Mossbloom was good company and his short fur hardly felt the chilling breeze. As they walked, he thought of Mintwhisker. Sagelight was still bitter about her disappearance and attack but slowly his feelings about her were dulling to neutrality. There was no use wasting energy thinking about her. Besides, he would be a better medicine cat than Mintwhisker ever was, that murderer.

The pair of cats found their way to the Mothermouth in due time, their trip having been largely uneventful. He stopped outside the entrance and looked back at the calico she-cat, smiling. "I know I've spoken to StarClan several times before but I can't help but feel nervous this time around. This is a big step...but I've trained hard and I know I'm ready. I can do this!"

Pressing her nose against the tom's shoulder, she purred. "I'll just be a little bit aways, don't worry. I'll always be around." With those final words, his smile widened and he set off, leading the way to the Moonstone. Hopefully they would meet up for medicine cat meetings in the future, making the trek together again. This time was different though, excitement and anticipation hanging in the air. Once she looked over, and his eyes seemed focused on something else, and she wondered briefly what he was thinking about. He would be a marvelous medicine cat, perhaps the best SkyClan had ever seen. Maybe the best of any of the clans, she thought with a small smile. She wouldn't make that easy for him though.

The trip was quiet, easy-going. He stopped outside of the entrance and Mossbloom followed suit, returning his smile. "I felt the same way, when I earned my name. It is a very big step, one that most do not understand. You've done very well though, and you're definitely right - you are ready. I'll take the lead from here, we'll have your ceremony before the Moonstone and you will dream with the ancestors following it." Her green eyes seemed to shimmer with the stars already, her tail tip trembling in joy.

Mossbloom led the way through the tunnel system, gradually descending into the depths of the earth until the familiar cavern opened around the two. Soon the Moonstone would glow in it's brilliance, and Sagelight would become a full medicine cat in it's light. Sitting with her back to the Moonstone, her figure outlined by the faded cold of it, she gazed towards her apprentice. A tom not of her clan, but one she cherished all the same. He would do amazing things, especially with StarClan's guidance. Sending another reassuring smile his way, she took a deep breath before speaking.

"I, Mossbloom, medicine cat of ThunderClan, call upon my ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of a medicine cat, and with your help, he will serve his clan for many moons." She straightened as the Moonstone burst into brilliant light behind, as if the very sign that StarClan was listening and had heard her summons. The timing could not have been more wonderful, and she could not think of a cat who deserved it more. After allowing a moment for their eyes to adjust, she met Sagelight's gaze, the Moonstone radiating light behind her.

"Sagelight, 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?" The words were firm, but internally Mossbloom begged the stars. Please, please let him live a good, long, fulfilled life. Let him guide his clans into his old age, leading the generations to come into greatness.

Sagelight followed dutifully behind Mossbloom and finally they entered the cavern holding the Moonstone. She turned to face him and he sat down where he stood, sitting up as straight as possible with his tail tucked around his paws. The Moonstone burst into light and he looked away for a moment while his eyes adjusted, then turned back to stare steadfastly as his mentor. She spoke the sacred ceremonial words, intoning, "Sagelight, 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?"

The tom took a deep breath and let it out slowly before he responded, his chest swelling with pride. He responded solemnly, "I do. I promise." His eyes met Mossbloom's and a spark of excitement filled his gaze, although he dared not smile until the ceremony was over. He would not show any weakness, not in front of StarClan.

Mossbloom hadn't even realized she'd been holding her breath, but as Sagelight spoke it released, catching her off-guard. Smiling at her apprentice, eyes soft and warm, she nodded. "Then by the power that StarClan has placed in me as your mentor, I present you to them as a full medicine cat. You will continue to keep your name, Sagelight, as a memento for the accomplishments of your past, and a reminder to be a light through your clan's darkest hours. StarClan honors your optimism and perseverance, and I honor your resilience and dedication." She stepped forward, touching her nose to the tom's head before moving to touch noses with him. She had to change the words of the ceremony slightly, but she stood by her choice. To continue to carry the name he had received at the completion of his warrior training was something that Mossbloom would stand by, unless Sagelight spoke otherwise.

Pride welled in her chest as she stepped back after the more personal gesture, and motioned towards the Moonstone. "It's time for you to meet with StarClan, as a full-fledged medicine cat. I'm so proud of you, Sagelight, and I'm sure that they are too. I'll be here when you wake." She stood to the side as he took up his spot, and waited until he had touched his nose to the Moonstone before she sat, then laid down upon the stone, waiting in anticipation for his time in StarClan to come to a close. When he opened his eyes next, the tom would be a fully-named medicine cat, in the eyes of the clans and StarClan, finally matching her own vision of him. He had earned this long ago.

Sagelight bowed his head as they touched noses, purring. "Thanks again for everything, Mossbloom," he meowed, his voice thick with reverence. "I'll see you in a bit." With a final warm smile towards the calico, he stepped forward and touched his nose to the stone with no hesitation. He was eager to see what this StarClan meeting would have in store for him.

The tom awoke in a clearing in a forest of tall pines, very reminiscent of back home. He had done this enough times before to know that a cat would come to him quickly, so he sat down on the pine needle-strewn ground and tucked his tail around his paws. He opened his mouth, calling into the air, "StarClan, I am ready for your wisdom."

"Always so eager for answers, Sagelight." Rippedstar mused, allowing himself a soft smile as he stepped from the soft glow of Starclan, "I remember not long ago you were pressing me for answers to your path, and now you have found it. What do you think?" The former leader had grown in his hope. Even with a dark cloud over the horizon for Skyclan, there was a hope that things would heal within the clan. War and dispute was unavoidable, but clans could still yet thrive through the hunger of leafbare. He peered down at his kin with a curiousness in his gaze. For the first time in moons, the storm of his own mind had been temporarily quelled. Cherrymist would be surprised to see such a joyous and youthful version of him once more. Such eagerness and perseverance hadn't been seen in the black and white leader since Sedgestrike's death.

The tom's face lit up as his grandfather's black and white form came into view. "Rippedstar!" he cried, stepping forward to greet him with a purr. "It's wonderful to see you again. You're right, I was very confused then..." He chuckled at the memory, his tail flicking. "I'm very glad StarClan has allowed me to follow this path. It was a hard path to walk on but I feel...good. It feels good. This is the right path for me, I'm sure of it." Sagelight peered up at Rippedstar's blurry shape in front of him, grinning. "StarClan knows best, as always. I'm ready to continue my journey as a medicine cat!"

The joy of his kin was something to behold. It caused his own rusty purr to rumble, a feat that shocked the old leader himself. Rippedstar was also proud to see such youthful ambitions in Sagelight. It would carry him through the more difficult tasks associated with the rank bestowed upon him. At the thought, the black and white tom dipped his head and meowed, "Starclan is honored to welcome you as a full medicine cat. But you must remember that your journey is far from over. It is more than herbs but also, guidance. There will be many times in which you have to make tough decisions and speak into your leader. My own medicine cats had guided me many times." Thinking of Mintwhisker, he had to glance away for a moment as a lump formed in his throat. It was painful to consider either of Pansyface's kits. He had often wondered if things had been different if their mother had lived, if he had lived. Conflict crossed his brilliant blue gaze and for a moment he said nothing. But there was only so long he could keep the new medicine cat waiting. Skyclan needed to move on, it always would. There was no place for a long-dead ancestor's dwellings. With a glance back to his kin and a soft smile, he offered something else, "Even with the great burden you carry, it is not entirely your own. Starclan will always guide your paws when the path is too dark to see."