Ashkit's Apprentice Ceremony

Bloodstrike had given his next decision some thought. This match up had been a little more difficult to decide upon, but once he rolled a few ideas around in his head, he eventually settled on a mentor for Ashkit. He trotted over to stand near the leader's den, again checking to make sure his father was not in there before he started yowling, and then spoke the words again. It was time to make one of his own kits an apprentice. "Let every SkyClan cat old enough to climb a tree gather before me for a clan meeting." He called out for the second time. It was just as exciting as the first time. The clan would gather before him at his call... and he would relish his new position that much more. His eyes scanned around for Ashkit and the mentor he had in mind for her.

As soon as Ashkit heard her father's call, she beamed up. She was so excited to be an apprentice, as everyone probably noticed by how she gleefully trotted towards the Tallbranch. She walked among the crowd until she found a good place to sit and wait. She was very curious as she surveyed the crowd, wondering who her new mentor might be.

Bloodstrike waited for them all to gather. His eyes fell on Ashkit and he smiled at his daughter. He could tell by the look in her eyes that she knew it would be her day today.

"Ashkit, step forward. You have reached the age of six moons and it is time for you to become an apprentice. From this day, until the day you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Ashpaw. Your mentor will be Dawnhawk. As your older brother I'm sure he will teach you the ways of Skyclan and the warrior code to the best of his ability." Bloodstrike's eyes settled on his oldest son and waited.

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Dawnhawk had actually wandered over because he'd had something he wanted to say to Bloodstrike. He had no intention of picking up an apprentice today, but then his name was called. Dawnhawk stared at his father, confused and... less than thrilled, but he wiped his expression clean quickly and offered a small half smile to his younger sister. He padded up to her and bent down to touch noses with his first apprentice.

"I patrol early in the morning. You'll be coming with me tomorrow." He wasn't asking a question. The irritation of having to play babysitter itched just under his pelt, but he suppressed all tell-tale signs and instead, nodded once at his deputy.

"Ashpaw will be in good paws," He spoke fairly proudly and he realized just how good he was becoming at hiding his real emotions and portraying the fake ones. His apprentice would realize soon that she was lucky enough to get the smartest mentor in all of Skyclan. She would also learn that she was misfortunate enough to be assigned the harshest and least forgiving cat in all of Skyclan as well.

Ashkit stepped forward when she was called. She could feel her excitement coursing through her body from ear to paw and she knew that trying to hide it was useless. Her tail twitched happily through the chilly morning breeze. A smile spread across her face. Ashpaw! Her mind repeated. Her father continued to speak and she was told her mentor was Dawnhawk, her older brother. Her brother came up and touched noses with her. He told her that her training would begin tomorrow morning. "Oh. Okay!" She responded. She expected to be asked when she was ready to train, but it did not matter to her, she wanted to do it as early as possible anyway.

Ashpaw had not seen Dawnhawk as much as her other older siblings, but was excited to get to know him. She thought this was a perfect mentor for her. Because of course he would be a kind, sweet, and easy going mentor, considering it was her brother. Tomorrow She thought with such overflowing excitement. I'll be able to learn what being an apprentice is like! And not only that, I'll be able to learn a little bit more about my brother!