Muddythorn's Medicine Cat Apprentice Ceremony

"Muddythorn," Beechface gently nudged the soon-to-be medicine cat with a forepaw. She still couldn't quite wrap her head around him volunteering to help... And then asking to be her apprentice. It was a blessing, she thought, a lucky break at last.

When the tom pulled himself out of his nest, she nudged the bundle of traveling herbs towards him, having already eaten her own portion.

"Eat these, we've got a long walk ahead of us." She'd taken him to the moonstone before, but that had been as a warrior apprentice to speak with Starclan.

Once he'd eaten the herbs, Beechface turned toward the camp entrance. The sun hadn't yet risen, but it would be soon enough, and they needed to get a move on. During the journey she intended to point out herbs as they passed them. Muddythorn was familiar with a few of them already, but it was a good opportunity to show him herbs that didn't readily grow in Skyclan's rocky territory.

---

The sun was setting as the pair of cats scrambled up the last slope to mothermouth. The entrance to the caves was a dark smudge in the surroundings as Beechface turned towards Muddythorn.

"This is your last chance to bow out." She told him, whiskers twitching. She hoped he wouldn't, but the opportunity was there. "After the ceremony is complete, you'll speak to Starclan."

Even though Muddythorn had steadily grew more eager for his new position, there was one aspect of the job he truly wasn't looking forward to, and that was the messed-up sleep schedule that came with visiting the Moonstone. When he felt Beechface's paw nudge his side, for a second he thought that it was Primroselight trying to wake him up for dawn patrol, like she had done so many times when he was an apprentice. Well, he guessed he was going to be an apprentice again now. Instead of grumbling, rolling over and drifting off again, he slowly got to his feet, hoping that the walk would wake him up. It wouldn't be a great start to his medicine cat apprenticeship if he was so exhausted he couldn't even remember the ceremony.

Once the pair had arrived at Highstones, Muddythorn took a deep breath. It felt strange to be back here again so soon, knowing full well that most normal warriors only came here once in their life, and it also didn't help that he was met with a bout of nerves that were rare for the tom. He better get used to it though. Too busy psyching himself up, he barely heard Beechface's offer. Almost a little too late he replied, but his voice was weaker than he had expected. "No, let's do this." And before the nerves could get the best of him, he took a bold step into the cavern of Mouthermouth.

Beechface lightly brushed her tail over Muddythorn's flank in sympathy. She was familiar with the nerves upon being faced with the tunnel and the impending ceremony. Still, he looked far more ready than she had when Saagelight had brought her here seasons ago.

She slipped in front of him, leading the fluffy tom down the narrow passages that led to the moonstone, and finally stopped once they reached the cavern. The moonstone, dark, lit up brilliantly as the moon became visible through the hole in the cavern's roof far above, and Beechface turned to face Muddythorn.

"Muddythorn, is it your wish to enter the mysteries of StarClan as a medicine cat apprentice?

When Beechface started the ceremony, he had another wave of nervousness. What was he supposed to say? Everyone knew how warrior ceremonies worked, as even most kits had witnessed one, but for this ceremony, it was only him, the medicine cat and Starclan. Means you actually have to think about it, mouse brain. "It is." He finally said, hoping his long pause wouldn't make Beechface doubt his decision.

There was no going back now.

There was a pause before Muddythorn replied, and a feeling of dread worked it's way through Beechface's stomach before she realized that she... Probably could have gone over the ceremony beforehand. Recalling Sagelight's words was difficult, but the medicine cat thought she had them correct as she spoke again.

"
"Ancestors of StarClan, I present to you this apprentice. He has chosen the path of a medicine cat. Grant him your infinite wisdom and insight so that he may understand your ways and serve his clan for many moons to come, even after I have joined your ranks." May he understand their ways better than she did, at the very least.

Ceremony concluded, Beechface offered her nephew a small smile. "
"It's done. Touch your nose to the moonstone, I'll be here when you wake."

Muddythorn crouched down beside the Moonstone, just like he had recently, except he was now here for quite a different reason. This wasn't just another step towards warrior hood anymore, but instead the start of a completely different and new path. The shining rock was cool when he pressed his nose to it, yet he fell into darkness almost instantly. When he opened his eyes, trees surrounded him, but they looked slightly different to the forest he had been in with Silentwhisper. Here it more reminded him of their border with Thunderclan. His confusion was quickly solved, however, when an unfamiliar cat appeared, who (although it was faint) carried the scent of the neighbouring clan.

"Hello Muddythorn, I am Dappleleaf, once a Thunderclan warrior and elder." The small brown-and-gold tortoiseshell cat finally spoke. If he looked closely, he noticed a slight limp in her walk as she made her way over to him. That surprised him: he had always assumed that all your injuries heal when you went to Starclan. And also hoped that his mother might be able to see after her death. 

"Your choice to become a medicine cat so soon after earning your warrior name is... interesting to say the least. Many cats either know or accept their future path quick into their apprenticeship, and yet here you are, no -paw connected to your name. There's a reason you're here, having this ceremony and not enjoying your early warriorhood. The clan is certainly well-looked after by Beechface: she knows all there is to know, but what she lacks in... empathy, you are there for comfort."

Dappleleaf paused, unsure of how much she should share. She missed the forest, but being in Starclan with her mate and family gave her a feeling of freedom and elation she had lack for seasons whilst alive. "When I was injured, I spent long moons recovering in the medicine den. I don't think I would've survived without someone to talk to - as well as physical help, medicine cats like yourself should be able to help their clanmates work through the injury mentally, something many cats forget about. As I once said to my leader, cats need love, whatever form it may be in, to keep them going." She decided firmly against sharing the second half of her story, knowing that her personal distaste for healing might discourage Muddythorn. He probably got enough of the sort from his mentor.

"Keep your eyes set on your path Muddythorn: it's the right one for you, and it starts right now."

And all of a sudden, once again the darkness was creeping in, the luscious hunting grounds of StarClan turning into the inky black of a night sky. He barely had time to whisper, "Thank you," to Dappleleaf before she too was fading.

It was a lot to think about, but he would have moons in the future to mull over it. Be supportive and do your best. He could do that, right?