Briarkit’s Apprentice Ceremony

Ravenmist padded to the top of the rock, feeling like a live mouse had somehow gotten into her stomach and was pattering around. This was the first ceremony she was conducting, and it would be an important day for Briarkit. She just hoped she would remember the words.

”Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Jaggedrock for a Clan meeting.”

She used the ceremonial words of her father, the ones he had used for her own apprentice, then warrior ceremony. In Thornstar’s time, the tradition had gone unused, but she figured that there was no reason for it not to rise again. ShadowClan was rebuilding itself after devastation, and a new apprentice would help it along.

Disinterested and dismayed, the large, fluffy kit's ears drew forward at the sound of Ravenmist's call.

Ever since her mother's death, she hadn't felt the need to get up and leave her nest, much less the nursery or even attempt to leave camp, despite the attempts of other warriors and apprentices to stop her. She didn't even know quite how she felt... Her mother, no matter how many times she'd bopped her on the head with sheathed claws, or stepped on her tail to temper her anger, was the only cat who'd ever shown her any semblance of love. Her siblings and herself - leeches, as Thornstar had referred to them- were all that she knew; all that she cared for. With a grunt, she forced herself to her large paws and simply laid down at the exit of the nursery, resting her head on her paws with a huff. She was sure that this had to be some warrior ceremony, or perhaps one of the older kits was to move up to the apprentice's den. She'd lost count of her own age- forgotten that now, she was six moons old.

“Briarkit, come forward.”

As fierce as she had been, Thornstar’s sudden death had rattled the entire Clan, and the blind deputy was sure her kits had been more devastated than anybody. She wanted to be careful in assigning a mentor, someone who could guide her and keep her active and on the right path. Her nose told her that Briarkit was rather far away, and she figured she’d take a bit of extra time to make sure the molly was able to reach the rock. “Briarkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day forward until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Briarpaw.” She paused for a moment, scanning over the warriors in her Clan mentally. She and Daisyflame were both currently training apprentices. Tulipfang was young, but capable, as was Freckleface.

Idiot. She hadn’t taken the time to choose a mentor before she called the ceremony. She just hoped that no cat would notice as she made a desicion.

Briarkit's ears perked forward at the sound of her own name, her expression unreadable as she looked at the blind deputy from afar. It couldn't possibly be her time, could it? Ravenmist seemed sure of herself as she carried on the ceremony, and Briarkit got to her paws and padded over slowly. Briarpaw. She could hardly believe it as she looked up to the deputy with apprehension- did she not receive a mentor, as the rest of the apprentices did? Confusion fell upon her as she simply sat beneath the Jagged Rock, waiting to see what would happen.

Finally she made her decision. It seemed like Briarpaw, at least, noticed. StarClan, she hoped she wouldn’t make that mistake again. “Your mentor will be Shadestrike. I trust that she will be a good mentor to you.” The blind deputy sighed, half in embarrassment, half in relief, as she padded down from the rock. She was new to this, but not so new that she should have made such a stupid mistake.