Heronkit's Apprentice Ceremony

"Let all cats old enough to swim gather beneath the Willow Branch!" cooed a familiar voice, raspy with the thick mucus of a headcold. Loonwhisper was a terrible patient when ill. His eyelids hung heavy with fatigue and he was more easily disgruntled than usual. He took no pleasure in his usual activities. If he were able, he'd spend the whole time wallowing, eating, and rolling rocks across the medicine den. But he did not have that option. He sniffled a bit and continued, tail twisting hypnotically.

Heronkit padded out of the RiverClan nursery. Though she was only a kit, she was old enough to sit down in ceremonies. It was something that she enjoyed, and she knew that one of these days, her apprentice ceremony would happen, and she would be given a mentor to train her. Of course, it could just as easily be another kit in the nursery who would be apprenticed. With that thought process, the silver she-cat chose to not get her hopes up until she was called to step forward by the RiverClan deputy.

Sniffling a little, Loonwhisper began, "Kitefire's kits have reached the age of six moons. Today, these two will be apprenticed. Heronkit, step forward."

The deputy craned his neck down to approach the she-kit at a closer level, eyes unblinking. For a moment, his head tilted to one side, curiously examining the little one for signs of an unusual upbringing. He looked for the scruffy, long-muzzled appearance of a wild ThunderClan warrior, but he found no such indication. It was a bit disappointing, really. "Heronkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and you will now be an apprentice. Until you are a warrior, you will be known as Heronpaw."

Loonwhisper sought out the warrior he had selected. "Nightwolf, come forward," he mewed. "You will mentor Heronpaw. You were my brother's mentor. You are a fine warrior, and you have endured. See that this apprentice does not forget the strength of the river, and that she grows to honor the course of the river flowing within her. We all must do so."

He leaned back onto the Willow Branch and allowed the pair, mentor and apprentice, to have their moment of meeting. He hoped they were both satisfied.

Nightwolf sat within the audience, watching the apprentice ceremony. He wasn't expecting to become a mentor, but it was still welcome. He had trained many apprentices before after all. He skipped over to Heronpaw, a smile on his face. "Hiya! I'll be training you! We'll begin tomorrow!" Nightwolf meowed, friendliness apparant on his face.