Mistykit's Apprentice Ceremony

Dawnhawk decided that it was finally time he stop playing hard ball with his clan, even if he was starting to not exactly enjoy the antic of a few. Flowerthorn's final kit would receive their apprentice name, though he had purposely hung it in the air for awhile. He padded over to beside the leader's den once more and let his voice be heared. "Let all cats old enough to climb a tree gather around me for a clan meeting." It was at this point he wondered how Bloodstrike had the stamina to deal with all of this. He was even further surprised that Wolfstar hadn't named a new deputy, even if only temporarily. If he was content to let Dawnhawk name the apprentices, then he would do so in his father's stead. It wasn't like Bloodstrike was ever coming back probably. The incidents of him lashing out and injuring other asylum cats, even the ones that cared for him, were becoming less and less as time went on. Maybe the Asylum really did have ways of calming even the most ferocious of rebels. He hadn't asked what they were doing yet, nor would he for a time. He had other matters that he needed to attend to, one of which was this apprentice ceremony for Mistykit.

Mistykit emerged from the nursery gloomy and quiet. Her calico and white pelt was much brighter than how she felt, it didn't matter what the so-called dawnhawk had in store for the clan, it didn't matter if she was finally becoming an apprentice. Her siblings were already far ahead from her, and that was a gap she couldn't ever make up with the clan conventions. Maybe I don't even need a clan... flickered in her mind for a moment before she looked up to him with a blank face.

Sitting in the clearing away from others, she awaited his next words. Feeling almost as a shell of her former self, although it hadn't been that long.

The clan gathered, much quieter than they had been before. The Asylum's presence was finally taking it's toll and the cats were beginning to accept the way things were now. As they should. His eyes landed on Mistykit and noted her posture and expression. There was a tiny twinge of guilt as he stared at her and the crowd gathered. It wasn't her fault that her mother was a fool, and her father should be a stronger authority in their family than he was.

"Mistykit step forward. You have reached the age of six moons and it is time for you to become an apprentice. From today until the day you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Mistypaw. Your mentor will be Ashstorm." His eyes landed on his sister and he gave her a nod. She had showed the most promise of accepting the Asylum's presence and was smart enough to take his advice when he gave it. She was worthy of an apprentice, more than most.

Ashstorm wandered into the crowd to see who the clan meeting was for, as she did with all other apprentices.  She liked to watch a young kit or apprentice become an apprentice or warrior and congratulate them afterwards on their hard work.  She did not expect to become a mentor today, especially so soon after becoming a warrior, although she was excited for multiple reasons.  One of which was that she could see if she was ready to be a warrior or not herself yet and the other reason was that her mentor was the one who gave her the position.  She walked up and met the new apprentice's eyes, then touched noses with her.

"Hello, Mistykit," she meowed kindly, then smiled.  "We can start training tomorrow if you would like."

Ashstorm turned to her mentor and smiled.  "Mistykit will be in good paws," she exclaimed, trying to say what Dawnhawk had said to Bloodstrike when he became her mentor.  She walked slightly closer to Dawnhawk and lowered her voice so only he could hear her.  "Thank you for giving me this opportunity."

Dawnhawk hadn't expected the reaction he got from Ashstorm. She stepped close to him, though he didn't flinch away. He saw in the edges of his vision that the nightstrikers were already making their way to her. A flick of his tail made them halt in place and they stared. Ashstorm whispered. Dawnhawk blinked in surprise, but then his eyes softened and he gave her a nod. "I'm sure you'll train her well."