Starlingkit's Apprentice Ceremony

Watching Waterlily’s litter grow up had sparked within Thrushnose a new appreciation for her own kits. Raising them had been complicated enough already. She couldn’t imagine wrangling five furballs at once—especially those five furballs, individual troublemakers who made for a collective disaster whether they joined forces or butted heads. How apprenticeship would change them was anyone’s guess. Most cats grew up a bit by the end of their training…but there were always exceptions.

Behind the Highrock, Thrushnose stopped pacing to glance upward. Two ceremonies today; a storm on the horizon. Though she didn’t mind rain, she couldn’t speak for her Clanmates. The sooner she finished this, the better. She sprang, finding her grip where the Highrock flattened out. “Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!”

At Thrushnose's call Starlingkit sprinted out of the nursery. Today was the day, he made sure he was groomed well even if that was a little odd for a kit his age. He was the star of the show, of course he had to make sure he looked good. Quickly he settled down in a spot, yellow eyes looking up at the deputy, silently wondering if he would be first or Harrierkit?

Before the last words had left her mouth, a fluffy, pale-furred tom bolted out from the nursery. Thrushnose squinted at him. Harrierkit…no, Starlingkit? Without a scent to pick up on, she couldn’t tell which of the twins this was. The tomkit’s excitement wasn’t much of a clue, either; both Harrierkit and Starlingkit were due to become apprentices before sundown. She stared a moment longer, then with a shake of her head redirected her attention to the crowd as a whole. “One of our kits has reached the age of six moons; today, he will become an apprentice. Starlingkit, step forward.”

This, she could be certain of: the kit who approached the Highrock was Starlingkit. “From this moment on, until the day you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Starlingpaw.” She paused, then, gaze shifting to a brown-and-white tabby pelt among the warriors. Two rambunctious apprentices in less than half a moon. She didn’t doubt Kestrel could handle it, but from what she’d heard, Starlingpaw was one of the nursery's biggest pawfuls. “Kestrelswoop will be your mentor. I trust him to pass everything he knows on to you.” With that done, she began the careful climb down to the sandy earth below.

Having resigned himself to his fate the moment the tom's name was called as Starling's mentor, Kestrelswoop walked over to his new apprentice with a good amount of dignity in his posture and expression. At this point, everyone was well aware of the chaos that trailed behind every step Waterlily's kits took. He was nervous, for sure, but he still had hope that his time with the troubled young tom wouldn't be a total disaster.

Kerath offered the youngster as friendly of a smile he could muster as he bent down to touch noses with him. Despite his worries of how this training would go, he didn't want Starlingpaw to think that he didn't want him as an apprentice. That wasn't it at all. He was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and as much patience as he could muster. However, he'll have to switch up how he'd be teaching this particular apprentice. He couldn't cave in to whatever he wanted unless he truly deserved it as a reward. He'd have to be more stern and blunt yet not be a total stick-in-the-mud. They could have fun but with proper precautions. He truly cared for this tom and he wanted him to succeed.

"Well, Starlingpaw, guess you're stuck with me as your mentor huh?" he began, teasingly, "Training will start early tomorrow. I'll come get you from the apprentice's den unless you're able to be ready before then. It's better to head out early so we won't have to experience too much of the heat out in the territory and so you'll have more time to do as you please once we're finished. Don't do anything dangerous with your free time, though." He eyed the younger with a stern gaze before offering a relaxed smile. "For now, enjoy the attention you're getting as a newly-named apprentice." He nudged Starlingpaw with gentle paw before taking his leave.

Harrier visibly pouted and huffed as Thrushnose revealed that this was Starling's ceremony. Darn! He was so hoping that he'd be first before his twin. They were both going to be apprenticed this same day but only one at a time. Now, he was going to suffer through Starlingpaw's teasing and taunts about being the first until the deputy would begin his ceremony. He grumbled and shot a narrow-eyed glare at his twin's back as he refused to make any sort of eye contact. Maybe if he didn't look at him in the eyes, he wouldn't be noticed.