Tanglekit's Apprentice Ceremony

"ShadowClan! Gather beneath the shadow of the Jaggedrock!" The familiar words rang through the camp as Flintshard leapt onto the Jaggedrock, standing proud up there as he fixed his eyes toward the nursery. It was time for a young Tanglekit to become an apprentice - knowing that trying to find a mentor that would do well with the rambunctious she-cat would be a...Problem. But he had an idea in mind, it would just be curious to see if it would pan out. He settled down on the rock, waiting for the Clan to gather so he could get this over with.

Shadestrike had finished Tanglekit's clean when Flintshard called out. "Oh, Tanglekit!" She mewed, nudging her grey kit forwards. "Your Apprentice ceremony!" She felt pride flood over her. Her kits were beginning to turn 6 moons and Tanglekit happened to be the first- of course she knew this because Shadestrike was talking to Fintshard about Tanglekit's mentor. Surely it'll be smart to do the cats you know about first?

"Mother!!" Tanglekit yowled, half teasing, as she was nudged gently forward. "I'm only a kit for ten more seconds, so get it out of your system while you can!"

The flat-faced she-cat snorted another laugh as she waited for Shadestrike's reaction. Then, she pulled a tuft of tangled, wiry fur forward across her forehead with a set of needle-like claws. Finally, she set herself up with a high chin and trotted to the base of the Jaggedrock with as much elegance as a kit of six moons could muster.

Flintshard watched as Tanglekit was groomed by her mother, watching as the young kit escaped Shadestrike's grasp and headed toward the gathered cats. "I've called you all here today for a new apprentice to be named - Tanglekit, please step forward," he said as he turned his attention onto Shadestrike, giving the she-cat a slight nod. As Tanglekit took her place, he took in a deep breath and continued with the ceremony. "Tanglekit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Tanglepaw. Your mentor will be...Shadestrike," he said, raising his head as he looked down at the young apprentice. She wasn't going to escape her mother's grasp yet - he knew that the young kit was a pawful and while he would have perhaps taken her as his own, he had enough apprentices. Who knew better how to deal with Tanglepaw then her own mother? The apprentice would have to deal with her mother's attention for a couple more moons.

Shadestrike padded up to her kit, looking up at Flintshard for approval before she let the tangle-furred kit forward. She sat, although she was listening she could never look away from her kit about to become an apprentice. The only time she looked up was when he was announcing Tanglepaw's mentor. She wanted to see who it was and tell them how she dealt with her kit and everything a very normal mother would do. Her ears flicked up as she heard the beginning of her name and her eyes gleamed with satisfaction as she heard the end of it.

Shadestrike looked down at her kit- apprentice- her kit-apprentice? She understood Flintshard's decision, although she never thought about being her kit's mentor. Her eyes filled with more love as she stared down at her troublesome kit who she loved very very very very very very very very very very very much. "Tanglepaw, you know what to do. I've taught you this along with your littermates!" She bent down, hoping the kit would remember her saying to touch her mentor's nose 1000 times.
(OOC: Mama loves her babies very very very very very very very very very very very very very much)