Coniferkit's Apprentice Ceremony

Houndheart's paws lead him to the rock in the center of camp. Up there, Beartooth and Oakstar had addressed the clan since he was a kit. Perhaps when he was younger and filled with kitish dreams, he had coveted a leadership position for himself. However, as he grew, he had only seen the value in what others felt about the honor of the position. How often had he bragged on his father, the one who seldom glanced he way, was deputy? No more would he have to use someone else's title. No, now it was his for the taking. A smirk crossed his maw as he leaped upwards to stare down over the clearing. It made him feel so powerful and so small all at once to stand here. The twisting and knotting in his chest found itself shoved down as he leaned into the responsibility that had been bestowed upon him. He was deputy now. He was deputy. He was deputy. At the gathering, every cat would know his name. Stormbringer and any other enemy cat who had dared to cross him would hear it. And that was all that mattered, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own gather beneath the highrock for a clan meeting."

Coniferkit, as he had found himself doing more and more in these past few days, poked his head out of the nursery to see what the commotion was about. Seeing that their new deputy was calling a meeting, he ambled towards the outskirts of the gathering crowd. Perhaps a warrior ceremony of some sort? Whatever it was, he wanted to see how it all worked.

Being a warrior changed nothing here: Dacedream loved ceremonies. If anything, she loved them even more now that Houndheart was deputy. It was a bit saddening that she would no longer get to sit beside him and listen to his quick-witted comments during them, but now everybody got to hear his confident speech as he sat on the Highrock looking down at everybody like he was always destined to. The tortoiseshell warrior, only a few days named, sat below, beaming up at Houndheart encouragingly. She couldn't wait to see what was happening!

Oakstar watched as Houndheart took his place on the rock. A smile on his muzzle. Days had passed since Beartooth’s unfortunate death, and while the tom still held grief, he knew that he couldn’t continue to do so forever. He’d see Beartooth in StarClan one day. When it was his own time, but for now, he purred. There was only one reason for Houndheart to be on the rock, and he watched as one of his son’s came out of the nursery. His pelt… was a mess. He couldn’t let his son be apprenticed looking like that!

Silently, the large dark tom padded around the gathering crowd towards Coniferkit. His amber gaze filled with pride as he began to groom bits of moss and twigs from the dark kit’s pelt.
"Stand tall, be good and clear." He murmured as he removed another piece of moss from Conifer kit’s back. "Make me proud, son." Finally, after that quick dust off, Oakstar stepped back. Allowed Coniferkit a moment to piece it together as he sat himself next to him.

Below, Oakstar sat next to his son, grooming the kit's coat for the ceremony. It was strange to look down on his leader after so long of glancing up at the dark-coated tabby. Even so, he could not deny the power and pride he felt standing before the clan and commanding their attention with his position. His gaze drifted to Dacedream, whose enthusiasm had only fueled his own for the role he now filled. Without noticing, he blinked gratefully towards her before turning to the rest of the clan. Houndheart realized he had paused for a moment and quickly called for the to-be named apprentice to come forward, "Coniferkit, come forward. You're old enough to become an apprentice now, so you will be known as Coniferpaw. I have decided that Nettlefire will be your mentor. Congratulations." Perhaps he was not as formal or traditional as the deputy they were used to, but he did it. This had been his decision. From now on, he would make sure not kits ended up with mentor's like Beartooth. They would be trained and raised properly, like Harefoot had done for him. If nothing else, that was one thing he had to offer to the clan.

Stormpaw watched her brother's ceremony with a wide grin, dashing over to the newly named apprenticed, she licked him and purred. "I've already made a cozy nest for you; it's lined with wren feathers! I'll make Leopardkit one when he becomes an apprentice, if he can be good for once! Your nest is right next to mind, baby brother!" She mewed, whiskers quivering teasingly at the mention of Leopardkit. She purred, thrilled at the thought of sharing a den with her brother.

Coniferkit let his father groom him, though he didn't really understand why. It wasn't his ceremony yet, unless...? Make me proud son. Coniferkit's eyes grew wide and he stared up at his father as he realised. This was his apprentice ceremony. His head snapped towards Houndheart as he said his name, the moment almost surreal. He was Coniferpaw now. It seemed like it was someone else's name, someone older and more experienced. But it was his now. His mentor was... Nettlefire? He looked around for his mentor in the crowd, but then he felt someone lick the top of his head. Turning around, he saw it was Stormpaw. A hardly noticeable purr sounded in his chest, audible only to his sister and any other cats very near to him. "Thank you, Stormpaw!" He turned to his father next, "I'll make you proud dad, I promise!"

As Houndheart started to speak again, it became clear immediately that is was an apprentice ceremony for Coniferkit - Oakstar's son! Dacedream beamed slightly. What an honor it must be for Houndheart to name his leader's son as an apprentice for one of his first ceremonies as deputy. The pretty warrior listened intently, looking away from Houndheart to see the dark, fluffy tabby kit gazing with awe and excitement at his deputy above. As his name was changed and his mentor was declared, the joy on Coniferpaw's face was clear and contagious. Dacedream immediately grinned with delight, calling out, "Congratulations, Coniferpaw!" Then Dacedream looked up to Houndheart on the Highrock, catching his eye and nodding encouragingly. It might not have been as traditional as some ceremonies, but the Clan had a new apprentice to celebrate nonetheless!

My first apprentice! Nettlefire thought, smiling. She had been excited about the idea of being a mentor since she got her warrior name-- being able to train another young cat to be the best warrior they could, to share with them ideals of duty and hard-work.

Nettlefire waited a moment, as others congratulated the new apprentice, then approached him herself, giving a quick nod to her father as she did. She would make sure she made him proud as a mentor, and would help Coniferpaw make him proud, too.

"Congratulations, Coniferpaw," the scarred gray she-cat said, with a slightly warmer tone than usual "I'm sure you'll do great things. And I'll do my best to guide you along the way,"