Vulturekit's Apprentice Ceremony

It seemed like nearly every day Bloodstrike was calling for clan meetings. Maybe the rest of the clan would get bored with it, but he wouldn't. His position was one that he took very seriously, and if no one else liked it, so be it. The deputy padded over to the leader's den and stood beside it. If cats were already beginning to gather at this point, he couldn't blame them. He would not stop until all of the kits had been named apprentices and mentors had been assigned. "Let all cats old enough to climb a tree gather before me for a clan meeting!" He called out, then waited for everyone to arrive. Vulturekit was to be made an apprentice today. Her mentor should be among the crowd as well. Once he at least saw those two, he would begin the meeting.

Unkempt fur dragged softly against the upturned earth of the camp floor, Vulturekit couldn't help but idly skip forward- newfound resonance in the muscles, an assurance overwrought with newfound comfortability slipping through the veins. The soft fur that framed the delicate ridges and curves of her round face remained wild and bristly, thick coat marbled and illustrious under the early afternoon sun. Hardly making a sound atop the soft earth of the camp, the young she-cat’s pale paws seemed to glide across the soft bed of upturned earth as she carefully settled himself in the center of the unfolding commotion.

Angular point of the chin easily lifting skyward as she cast a curious, yet eager, glance in the direction of her father, it became undeniable that the little she-cat was likely going to be the center of attention for the next few heartbeats.

"Vulturekit, 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 Vulturepaw. Your mentor will be Adderflare. She is your aunt and has proved to be tough even in the most difficult times."

Bloodstrike nodded at Adderflare, though there was a part of him that found her hard to look at. He had saved her from burning to death, but at what cost? She had survived her injuries and had recovered, but she was forever scarred. Part of Bloodstrike wished he had been faster, but the more logical side of him reminded him that he absolutely had done everything that he could.

Adderflare hadn't been paying attention until her name was said. What? An apprentice? Surely this was some kind of sick joke. Narrowing her eyes at her brother, she found that her glare was only met with a guilty look and a formal nod. Oh stars. She slunk up to the puny thing she'd be mentoring for the next several moons. She could already tell by the look of her that neither of them was going to enjoy this, though Vulturepaw probably didn't know it yet. She hesitantly pressed her nose to the other cat's.

Thinly-veined tendrils of excitement, faintly interspersed with chilly undercurrents of nerves, crept through the newly-named Vulturepaw's system, big gaze remaining fixed upon the looming outline of her father throughout the duration of the formal proceedings. Following the unspoken command that loomed in the aftermath of the naming of her mentor, the young molly was quick to turn a curious gaze upon her newly-named mentor. There was a certain absence of Bloodstrike's hastiness in avoiding direct eye-contact with Adderflare; after all, all of Vulturepaw's extremely limited memories of the strange molly had only existed in the aftermath of the fire. In her mind, this was simply how Adderflare had always looked.

Mirroring none of the burnt molly's reluctance, Vulturepaw was quick to return the ceremonial greeting, soft gaze summer sweet and eager.