Darkkit's Apprentice Ceremony

Minkstream leapt to the top of the High Rock for what was beginning to become an incredibly familiar ceremony. One he was almost getting used to. His eyes flicked over the camp, cats lolling in the warm midday sun, sharing tongues - or playing, in the case of the kits. Drawn to them, his gaze watched for the focus of this particular ceremony as he opened his maw to yowl, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the High Rock for a Clan meeting!"

Darkkit has been lounging near her mother’s den, the sound of Minkstrram’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts. She gave a small huff as she pushed herself to her paws and went to join the gathering clan. She figured it was time for another litter of kits to become apprentices, and a small flicker of worry fluttered in her chest. Had the Thunderclan deputy forgotten her like she had feared? She was the correct age but still looked as if she belonged in the Nursery with the queens and kits. She looked up at the Tom, her ember eyes flickering with worry and annoyance.

It hadn't been so long ago that apprentice ceremonies had been her job, and it still felt a little strange for Nettlestar to be watching them instead of speaking the words herself. But Minkstream had been doing an admirable job, especially considering the high amount of kits ready to become apprentices the clan had. She looked up at her deputy as he stood on the Highrock, feeling she had chosen well.

Being the clan's leader, all ceremonies were important to her, but this one was more than most. As she sat next to her adoptive daughter, her green eyes still focused on the Highrock, she knew it was time. Her eyes slid over to the kit for a moment, and she smiled, a little bittersweetly. She knew Darkkit was more than ready to become an apprentice, and that she'd make a great warrior someday. Still, it was strange-- time really did pass so quickly, didn't it?

A smile passed over his maw as the kit joined the crowd, a brief clench of nerves stirring in his stomach at Nettlestar's eyes watching from beside her. Somehow, doing the ceremony for his own leader's kit didn't help make it any easier, but... I have a feeling the mentor I've chosen will do fine. Even if she's young. He couldn't help a flicker of pride flaming to life in his chest, the warm feeling chasing the nervousness down to the bottom of his stomach again, and opened his mouth. "Darkkit, step forward."

With her eyes attentively on him, he continued, "You have reached the age of six moons, and are ready to start learning the ways of the Clan as an apprentice. From this moment until you earn your warrior name, you will be Darkpaw. Your mentor-" He couldn't help a smile flickering onto his maw - "will be Thrushnose."

He leapt back down to the grass, cooler than the surface of the rock, and watched his daughter come forward to touch noses with her new apprentice. Yes, some might have said it was too soon, that she was too young, but he had a feeling she could handle it. She's strong, just like her mother. And besides, her friend Pinefrost hadn't been a warrior for much longer when he'd taken his. She'll do great.

Thrushnose had been dozing in the camp’s quiet patches in an effort to catch up on the rest she’d missed during her night-long vigil. Fortunately, the meeting had caught her between naps. She joined her Clanmates near the Highrock, blinking sleep out of her eyes. A young calico she-cat, so small Thrushnose didn’t immediately realize this ceremony was hers, stepped forward at Minkstream’s instruction. Darkkit. Wasn’t that her mentor’s kit? The striped warrior leaned forward with renewed interest—just as Minkstream called her own name.

Her, a mentor? This soon after her ceremony? Her head continued to spin as she gingerly shouldered past her Clanmates to join the newly-named Darkpaw in front of the crowd, eyes on her father as he leaped down from the Highrock. An undersized apprentice and an untested warrior. They already made quite a pair, and they hadn’t exchanged so much as a hello yet. Then again, she’d done all right that day hunting with Pebblepaw... How much harder could this be? At the first spark of something like a lesson plan, the clamoring doubts in her ears quieted. ”We’ll start tomorrow,” she said, lowering her nose for Darkpaw to touch, ”at dawn.”