Graykit's Apprentice Ceremony

This was it.... it was time for Bloodstrike to name his first apprentice as deputy of Skyclan. What an honor this was! He was actually beginning to help Skyclan grow in more ways than just having more kits with Smokefeather. A mix of excitement as well as anxiety waged war within his head as he strode toward the leader's den. He checked briefly to make sure Wolfstar wasn't sleeping before he started yelling. It was empty.... so that was good. Bloodstrike took in a deep breath and his toes clenched the earth below him.

"Let every SkyClan cat old enough to climb a tree gather before me for a clan meeting," As the words left his mouth, his heart raced. This was the moment where being Skyclan's deputy had finally felt real. He thought it would have been when he was organizing patrols, but no, naming apprentices was strictly unique to the deputy's role. Bloodstrike then waited for everyone to gather, especially Graykit.

Wolfstar remembered the first time he named an apprentice, the anxiety he'd felt, the exhilaration... gazing upon Bloodstrike now, he knew exactly what his son was feeling. Padding from the kill pile, where he'd been in the process of selecting something to eat, the leader sat near the back of the gathering, a faint smile playing at his muzzle. He'd ways loved doing these... it was a bittersweet change. Glancing around, he looked for Graykit.

Graykit had been waiting for this day to come since she had first learned what an apprentice even was. Becoming an apprentice meant that access to the vast world outside of the camp was unlocked and open for her. The kit wasted no time as she poked her head out of the nursery for the last time and made her way towards the Tallbranch. It was difficult to tell what she was thinking by just glancing at her currently stoic expression, but Graykit's mind was spinning. After today, she could finally start working towards her goals. The soon-to-be apprentice sat herself amongst the crowd, yellow eyes fixated on Bloodstrike, and waited for the ceremony to begin.

Wrenspring padded to his kit's side, a broad smile across his maw. He hardly had the time to process her was a father and here Graykit was, about to begin her training. The warrior was excited to see who would become her mentor. Regardless, he looked forward to showing her around the territory. Crooked tail flickered and rested upon her back as he offered her a warm grin.

Bloodstrike watched those that gathered before him and it was almost surreal. He called and they came. He spotted Graykit and barely prevented a smile from spreading across his face. He waited a few more moments, pleased to see Wrenspring among them.

"Graykit, step forward."

Now, he allowed himself to smile.

"Graykit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to become an apprentice. From this day forward, until the day you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Graypaw. Your mentor will be Primroselight, my daughter. I trust her to train you well in the ways of Skyclan and the warrior code."

With that, Bloodstrike took a breath and his eyes fell on Primroselight. You can do this Prim...

Primroselight, just like any free warrior, was attending an apprentice ceremony. Even though she now spent more time in the nursery with her younger siblings, the sheer amount of kits in the clan meant she only vaguely knew most of them. What did she now about Graykit? Well, she was Wrenspring's one and only kit, and that was about it. But at her father's words, she was abruptly dragged from her thoughts. A mentor? Her? Already?

There was no mistaking the deputy's words though. She padded forward to touch noses with Graypaw, trying to get first impressions from the young she-cat. As she leant down, she felt her apprentice's nose on hers, and let out a small sigh of relief at the realisation that she had correctly judged her height. The last thing she wanted to do now was embarrass herself. "So when do you want to start?" she said smiling, unsure of what else she was meant to say. She would probably start with quite relaxed training, letting Graypaw decide things. Maybe she would make adjustments once she better figured out her new apprentice's personality. I hope you can see me now Silentwhisper, she thought, definitely not for the first time, and I hope that I can become as good a mentor as Mallowbrook was.

[I'll pm you the training topic soon!]

Graykit lifted her head to return her father's smile as he joined her at her side. A glimmer of anticipation began to flicker in her eyes when Bloodstrike officially began the ceremony. Her ears stood at attention to listen to the deputy as he went over the words to conduct an apprentice ceremony. She couldn't help but let a tiny grin appear on her maw. Graypaw finally had a new name. The she-cat wasn't very familiar with Primroselight. Considering the fact that observing the camp from outside of the nursery had been one of her hobbies, she knew exactly what the warrior looked like, but Graypaw didn't know her personally.

"As soon as possible." Graypaw responded as she lifted her nose up so it met her mentor's.
There was plenty to see and learn, and the newly-appointed apprentice didn't want to miss a moment of it.

"Ok," she said, smiling at her apprentice's clear enthusiasm. She was about to lead Graypaw out of camp for their first training session when a cool breeze blew across camp. It not only made her shiver a little, but also reminded her of the fast-approaching evening. Days were growing much shorter, and, (even though Primroselight didn't really need the light to help her hunt) darkness was already falling on the forest. She paused. It would be a bad idea to take Graypaw out for the first time in low light: the trees held their own dangers whenever night fell. "We'll start first thing tomorrow." With that, she turned to do find Smokefeather - she desperately needed her old mentor's help.

"Graypaw! Graypaw!" Wrenspring's voice echoed, as he hung back, allowing his kit to relish in the glow of her new title and name. Primroselight, though young, would make a fine mentor and he was sure of that. After mentor and apprentice had their moment together, he padded forward and butted his head into her shoulder affectionately, "You're an apprentice! Do you feel any different yet? I bet you will as soon as we patrol together for the first time." He drew back and studied the younger cat's features. This was vastly different from having an apprentice. Despite the fierce devotion he possessed for all of his clanmates, their bond ran deeper. With the way his paws buzzed excitedly, one might have thought it was his ceremony. After another moment, the warrior piped up once more, "We could go out, just beyond the camp walls for a moment or two, to celebrate. I can't wait to show you the whole forest, you'll love it."

"Thank you." Graypaw nodded before her mentor headed off on her own.
Hearing the Clan chant her new name made her heart swell with pride and determination. It was still hard to believe that she was an apprentice. What was she supposed to do with herself now? She turned to her father upon feeling his head meet her shoulder. An uncontrollable smile managed to escape and spread across her jaws.
"I don't know. Excited, I guess? I can't wait to learn as much as I can. I'm finally gonna get to catch as much prey as I want."
Her whiskers twitched with elation, "Yes! I want to see everything. When can we go?"

The elation across his kit's maw made his smile broaden further. Wrenspring hadn't pictured his life could twist into such an unruly thing, in the most wonderful of ways. After everything he had endured, the many scars that marred his pelt and the various weights that had settled across his back, the warrior had found his joy in a cat other than himself. She was his blood, his kin. He dipped his head slightly to answer her question in an excited whisper.

"We can go now, and tomorrow, and forever, my kit."