Ebonypaw's Warrior Ceremony

"Let all of ShadowClan gather beneath the Jaggedrock!" Flintstar sat tall and proud on the top of the Jaggedrock, gaze sweeping over the clearing as he waited for his Clan to heed his call. This was the first of many ceremonies he would have to do, he was sure. So many apprentices had proven themselves during the battle at Fourtrees, they had fought bravely for their freedom, their lives. They would all do well as ShadowClan warriors...Yes, Ebonypaw becoming a warrior would be the first of many and it was a long time coming - it had seemed quite a while since he had been given the...Honor to do ceremonies. It would be nice to empty out the apprentice den some.

Ebonypaw swooped out of the apprentice’s den in a hurry, sitting under the Jaggedrock. She was going to be a warrior soon! She forced herself to calm down, knowing that it wouldn’t do her much good to leap up and start prancing around in excitement. Instead, her icy-blue eyes stared up at Flintstar, waiting for him to continue.

Flintstar dipped his head in acknowledgement as he saw Ebonypaw dart to join the crowd. He waited a couple more heartbeats to let everybody settle in before he raised his head to address them all. "I've call you all here to bear witness to a new warrior joining our ranks. Ebonypaw, please step forward," he said with a swish of his tail, giving her a slight nod as he turned his gaze onto her. It had been a while since he had last done a ceremony...It felt nice to see his Clan grow, they always needed more warriors.

"I, Flintstar, leader of ShadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice," he started. The words were meant to be honorable to StarClan as a whole but in truth, Flintstar only cared for his warrior ancestors - his family. Thornstar, Sootstrike, Poppyheart, Scorchstar - those who had proven themselves to be loyal to the ideals that he held accountable. Not all of StarClan could be trusted, recent events had shown him that much...So perhaps it was better to pay attention to those who he knew would be on his side.

"She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn. Ebonypaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Ebonypaw nodded at Flintstar. “I do.” Her heart beat so fast that she thought it would explode. This was the moment. She was finally going to become a warrior. All the training had finally proved to be useful. She wondered what her warrior name would be.

With the two words needed to continue the ceremony uttered, Flintstar gave a nod of his head. "Then by the powers granted to me, I give you your warrior name. Ebonypaw, from this moment you will be known as Ebonysong. We honor your bravery and kindness, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ShadowClan." With that, he jumped down from the rock and rested his muzzle on her head as per tradition. Al thought he didn't linger long before he drew back, whiskers twitching as he greatly disliked the contact but...It felt right to do it. "Congratulations," he meowed with another dip of his head to the newly named Ebonysong.

Emberpaw sat, watching. His fur was neatly groomed (although this wasn't his ceremony, he wanted to look good for Ebonypaw) and he sat placidly, tail wrapped around his paws. He was happy for Ebonysong. He was! He liked her, as a friend, and in the past few days he'd realized as maybe more than a friend. But there was still a part of him that longed to be better than her. She'd been apprenticed almost a moon before him.

Come to think of it, so had Smokepaw...

Well, there wasn't any time to dwell on that. Emberpaw figured he'd ask Ravenmist for some additional training and become a warrior faster than Smokepaw. He stood up, amber eyes warm, and padded towards Ebonysong, purring, "Congrats, Ebonysong."

Ebonysong grinned as the chants filled the air. She padded towards Emberpaw. As her friend congratulated her, Ebonysong grinned, and nudged him playfully. “You’ll be a warrior soon, too. Maybe you’ll be even better than me!” She laughed, feeling unusually happy and light. “I have to sit vigil for tonight, though. I’ll be half-asleep in the morning!”

Really, he hadn't been shocked. Smokepaw had suspected that she would be promoted soon – she deserved it. It felt good to live in the present. Right here, right now, before his eyes, the proceedings commenced. Smokepaw remained elusively alert, instead of droning off as he usually did during a ritual he considered monotonous. A call for a promise was met with a fervent vow. The charm that her intonation possessed brought him serenity. It was so euphorious and silvery; so angelic. And yet, it was powerful, and adrent. A soft smile tugged at his lips as her name was declared. Ebonysong. For one with such a celestial voice... undeniably, it was fitting.




His chants, which amplified with each breath, faltered only as another tom strode out of place. Emberpaw darted forward without a second of hesitation. Acidity, of origin unknown to him, simmered stubbornly. Wisps of their exchange registered in his mind, and he found himself involuntarily tensing. He wasted no time, did he? Accompanied by a keen headbob, the tom treaded up to her too. He pointedly lifted his chin up in Emberpaw's presence, fleetingly offering Flintstar a placid smile, before the she-cat absorbed his attention once more. Two gazes interconnected, jade and frost. Stunned. He blinked, numbly staring into her depths for a few heartbeats... unable to comprehend himself. Aching to split the silence, the words eagerly burbled from his throat, "Ebonysong... well done." Although characteristically somber, they held a resonating trill. His eye glistened with genuinity, tinged with a spark of earnest pride. He had witnessed how dedicated the she-cat was to her training; he had witnessed how devoted she was to rising. And, risen she had. Immensely. Smokepaw had observed that from their assigned patrols that she was skilled. It seemed, Ebonypaw-- no, Ebonysong-- had never once failed to awe him with how talented she was. Tone muffled somewhat, lowered in hushed delight, he purred, "...You worked so hard."


With those well-deserved congratulations, his focus swivelled to the other subject of ackowledgement. His eyes narrowed in palpable distaste. Emberpaw was so hasty to beat him at everything. Just maybe, Smokepaw would return the favour. Witnessing his friend ascend up the ranks, flourishing in the spotlight, subconsciously magnified his competitive spirit. It provoked... determination? Passion? Whatever the sensation was, it was by no means dwindling. This occasion marked the race between them both – and he was compelled to win it.

Ebonypaw—song. It sounded good. She turned around as Smokepaw greeted her and congratulated her with obvious excitement. Dipping her head in slight thanks, her frosty-blue yes met his murky- green ones, and she smiled. A small nudge and a purr was her thanks to Smokepaw. Turning her gaze towards Emberpaw again, she smiled, not concealing her happiness at all. “I guess...if I can be a warrior...so can you two. Soon. I’ll be there. I promise.”