Ferretkit's Apprentice Ceremony

The Tallrock had never been home before. As Raventail stood atop it under a gray, cloudy sky, he decided it still wasn’t quite that, but the climb had been comfortable in a way it usually wasn’t. This part of deputyship, he knew—enjoyed, really, despite the stuffy, ceremonial nature of it all. He’d never known a kit to be anything less than ecstatic about their apprenticeship. Better yet, if the past half moon was anything to go by, they weren’t at war anymore. WindClan’s apprentices, even the youngest ones, had fought like warriors, but the words came easier when he knew they wouldn’t be leading someone into a beast’s jaws.

For now, this was his place. After seeing what awaited him, he was more than happy to take it. Giving a swish of his fluffy tail, he let out a slow breath. Then he raised his head to shout across the camp: ”Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Tallrock!” Raventail leaned back with a hint of a smile on his face, searching the crowd as it gathered.

It felt like he'd been waiting forever, which was fair because as far back as Ferretkit could remember he'd been dreaming of becoming a warrior apprentice. Six moons was a long time to wait when that was your entire time on earth.

The ruddy colored tom felt like he could take off and fly around the camp just based on his bubbly excitement and good mood. He had groomed himself as well as he could, having seen other kits be groomed incredibly well by their mothers before their ceremony. He didn't have a mother, so this would have to do.

He tried to sit still below the Tallrock, but couldn't help that his paws kept shuffling in front of him, stirring up dust and getting his front legs less than pristine clean.

These days, Raventail made a point of learning his Clanmates’ names and faces. Even when he didn’t know the kit in question, though, picking them out before their ceremony started was always so easy. Today’s apprentice-to-be, fidgeting furiously enough to be noticeable from the top of the Tallrock, proved no different. Not that Raventail could blame him. The dark-furred tom’s grin colored his tone as he said, ”Ferretkit, step forward,” and it remained firmly in place as he waited for Ferretkit to do so.

Then came the matter of the ceremony itself. ”You’ve reached the age of six moons,” Raventail meowed, settling into something bordering on serious, ”and it’s time for you to be apprenticed. From this day until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Ferretpaw. Your mentor will be Lightfang.” Of the three former SkyClanners, Lightfang had made the least significant impression. Honestly, they were an odd bunch in general. With WindClan’s battles and recovery taking priority, the true reason they’d come here was still a mystery. But for half a season, they had fought with WindClan and hunted for WindClan, and as far as Raventail was concerned, they were WindClan. The moor was a world of hills and tunnels rather than trees; still, he hoped what Lightfang had learned in his first home might be useful, if only for keeping Ferretpaw’s interest. ”May he pass everything he knows down to you.” Raventail’s eyes brightened once more as he peered down at Ferretpaw. He vanished behind the Tallrock in a flurry of dark fur to reappear amidst his Clanmates, cheering for the new apprentice with the rest of them.

---

Lightfang had lifted his head at the first shout. Whether it was a true meeting (likely not, seeing as Raventail, not Finchstar, was on the Tallrock) or a ceremony, answering when WindClan called was part of his duty. If he could go to a Gathering, he could certainly be present here. He’d thought briefly of tracking down Clovertwist in the mass of WindClanners, only to think better of it and plant himself at the back of the crowd. As he’d guessed, it was a ceremony—an older kit, Ferretkit. Lightfang could hardly see him over the other warriors’ heads.

Shock and confusion flitted across his face, one after the other, at the sound of his name from the Tallrock. Still, force of habit pulled him to his feet. An apprentice. WindClan had asked so much of him already: hunting, fighting, making his nest beside theirs as if maybe, just maybe he belonged here…but never anything he truly had no experience with. Then again, he thought, even SkyClan’s territory had been unfamiliar once.

His ears stood straight as he eased past the others to join the russet-furred tom below the Tallrock. It had been some time since he’d thought of Mistyrain; now, he recalled near-perfectly how his own apprentice ceremony had gone. It was difficult to think of anything else. After a moment’s hesitance, he leaned down to touch noses with Ferretpaw. Though WindClanners were tall as a rule, Lightfang was a full-grown warrior next to a cat who had been in the nursery a few heartbeats prior. He imagined Ferretpaw would grow into it. ”We’ll start at dawn tomorrow,” he said, moving back a pawstep.

Ferretpaw's excited bounce came at just the wrong moment, making the nose touch a little bit more forceful than it should have been.

"Whoops," he mumbled, looking slightly abashed even though his eyes still gleamed with excitement. "Sounds good!" Although he really wanted to argue that they start now, he figured it would be a better idea to get off on the right paw with his mentor. At least he could pick out his new nest in the apprentice's den!