Deerkit's Apprentice Ceremony

The takeover had happened. Skyclan was cooperating. Dawnhawk's endeavors were finally bearing fruit. He stepped out into the clearing and inhaled the crisp air deeply. There was a new energy in the air, and while a lot of it was tension for most other cats, it gave Dawnhawk a thrill that he hadn't experienced not once in his entire life. He had done it. He had taken a leap forward in the line of Skyclan leadership. He would allow Wolfstar to keep his leadership position for now, as the loss of Skyclan's deputy and leader might start a desperate rebellion. He'd let them cling to their feeble hope for now and completely snatch it from them further down the line of time. It was time to establish himself as Skyclan's new deputy, since Bloodstrike had been mouse-brained enough to fight and get himself... put away.

With two other nightstrikers following the pale tom obediently, Dawnhawk stood beside the leader den where Bloodstrike typically would. Eyes of other warriors around camp were already on him. The tnesion in their bodies and apprehension in their eyes nearly made him smile. What a treat this was... why climb the ranks through bowing, scraping and worshipping when you could just take it? Let this be a lesson to all of you fools... He thought with a satisfied tail twitch.

"Let all cats old enough to climb a tree gather for a clan meeting!" He announced, projecting his voice with skilled practice from when he learned to sing. If anyone dared resist or not obey his order, the asylum cats were ready to drag the unwilling stragglers to the clearing and force them to attend, as it should be.

Deerkit heard the summons and peeked out of the nursery curiously. He was six moons old now and realized Dawnhawk might be calling the clan to his apprentice ceremony. The kit licked down a stray tuft of fur and walked to where the rest of the clan was gathering. Dark figures lurked near the edges of the clearing but he tried to ignore them. The Asylum cats may have taken over Skyclan for now but Deerkit desperately wanted to believe it was temporarily.

He nervously smoothed a stray tuft of fur and walked towards the leaders den. Sitting among his clanmates he tried not to think about the traitorous Dawnhawk or Bloodstrike's injuries. Instead he focused on his own excitement. He was going to be an apprentice!

The crowd gathered. Grudgingly and some afraid, they gathered at his call. A few warriors had to be "convinced" by the asylum cats nearby to attend, but in the end all of them came to him and sat obediently. Dawnhawk's eyes fell on Deerkit and he smiled.

I have your children's future in my claws, Skyclan. What a great way to make you realize it. Dawnhawk sucked in a deep breath before continuing his announcement.

"Deerkit, step forward. You have reached the age of six moons and are ready to become an apprentice. From this day forward, you will be known as Deerpaw. Your mentor will be Willowdance."

Dawnhawk set his eyes on Willowdance in the crowd. This was one of many apprentice ceremonies to come. In time, they would all accept his new authority in Skyclan, or they would suffer the consequences.

When she was called by Dawnhawk, Willowdance glanced up to him. Her teeth clenched. Fire danced in her eyes as she glared at the white tom cat. You still have the decency to call out in your father’s place? Do you not have basic respect for your father?

Taking a deep breath, Willowdance reminded herself that she had an Apprentice now. If she trains Deerpaw up, he would become another Warrior for the Clan. Willowdance could guess that it was on some cats’ minds to train up all Apprentices as quickly as possible so they have a chance of rioting. Someone said that as a joke at some point of time, she recalled.

Stepping up to Deerpaw, Willowdance forced herself to focus on him and gave a smile. “I’ll do my best.” She whispered to him and gently touched noses with him. “I’ll be bringing you on a hunt as soon as possible, with someone accompanying, of course.” She added, loud enough for everyone to hear, adding a fierce emphasis on the second half of the sentence. She may be forced to do it, but she doesn’t like it at all.

Though, why did Dawnhawk choose her of all cats? She was a fairly new Warrior, and had shown herself to despise the Asylum. Maybe he was picking at random, but she highly doubted that.

Deerpaw didn't know Willowdance very well but he had heard she was a young warrior with a sensitive and compassionate personality. The fury he saw in her eyes showed she had a fiercer side though, and hated Dawnhawk as much as the rest of Skyclan did.

As he touched noses with his new mentor's Deerpaw tried to sort through the jumble of thought in his head. He was excited and proud to be an apprentice, but still angry about the Asylum cats taking over. Willowdance's pointed comment only made it worse.

The apprentice wistfully imagined how his apprentice ceremony would have been if the Asylum hadn't taken over. His clanmates should be looking at him with joy instead of glaring hatefully at the traitor pretending to be deputy. He should feel nothing but excitement, instead of the apprehension and worry that wormed through his stomach. With a heavy sigh Deerpaw turned towards the apprentice den to find a new nest, and be alone with his thoughts.