Henpaw's Medicine Cat Apprentice Ceremony

The sun now hanging much lower in the sky, Smallbean stood outside of the medicine den, jaws clamped around two herb wraps. He hadn't intended for this to be so abrupt, but the way Henpaw immediately answered yes urged him to make the journey tonight. Bending over to place the herb wraps on the ground, he searched the camp for Henpaw, eyes eventually catching the apprentice's tri-colored pelt. "Henpaw! We've got to get ready to leave!" He called out to the apprentice, beckoning her with a flick of his tail. When she approached him, he pushed the stack of herbs toward her. "You'll probably hate their taste, but trust me, you'll need them." He quickly explained before chewing and swallowing his own herbs, having eaten them enough to have grown used to their bitter taste. "Are you ready to go?" He asked after the she-cat had eaten her herbs. After receiving a response, he turned toward the camp entrance, leading Henpaw out onto the moors.

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It was a relatively easy journey- at least for Smallbean. The tom had traveled to highstones so many times that the journey seemed like a walk around the territory, although his muscles thought differently. The pair now stood before the moonstone, shimmering in all it's glory. Clearing his throat, he tried his best to recall the words Softbreeze had spoken to him all those moons ago. After coming up with nothing, he decided that he would use his own words. "Alright Henpaw. This is your one chance to turn back." He said, looking the apprentice in the eyes. When he got an answer of some kind, he continued.

"Henpaw, do you wish to become a medicine cat apprentice? To learn the mysteries and secrets of Starclan?"

Henpaw pricked her ears at Smallbean’s call. That was fast. She padded over and swallowed her herbs in one gulp, grimacing at the taste. She nodded at his question and followed the tom out onto the moor. She’d made her decision, and, by StarClan, she was going to stick to it. She’d told her family. There was no going back now- even if she wanted to. The climb was a welcome reprieve from her thoughts. She had to admit the sight was beautiful, but her legs longed for the open moor.

At Smallbean’s question she gave him a flat look. “I don’t turn tail.” But…the dark opening of Mothermouth yawned before her, ready to swallow her whole. Henpaw gulped, then forced her bristling fur flat. No true WindClan cat ran from something… but in front of this all-consuming darkness, her father and the moor seemed awfully far away. Steeling herself, she followed Smallbean into the unnerving darkness. It was a relief to spy light around a corner… and as they turned it, she saw. The Moonstone. Glittering, shining, awe-inspiring stone. Her paws trembled and a few tears shone in her eyes at the sheer beauty of it. This, this was where medicine cats had met with StarClan for eons. It was like the medicine den in a way, full of history, making her feel small but safe- but also in awe. This was where StarClan met with the medicine cats of the Clans, and tonight, she would join them.

“Yes,” she replied, in awe. Her own reasons for becoming a medicine cat seemed awfully far away, small, insignificant. She would learn the mysteries of StarClan, aye, and commune with the stars. Only a few cats in all the Clans held such… power in their paws. The Moonstone held her gaze captive, glittering towers of shining stone. This might be an everyday experience for Smallbean, but for her, it would always hold the same mystery, even moons and seasons from now. She blinked away her tears and sat back on her haunches. This… this was awesome, in the true meaning of the word.

Smallbean nodded. "Ancestors of StarClan, I present to you this apprentice. She has chosen the path of a medicine cat. Grant her your infinite wisdom and insight so that she may understand your ways and serve his clan for many moons to come, even after I have joined your ranks." The words just seemed to come to him despite having never heard them before. "You may now touch your nose to the moonstone. You'll talk to Starclan then. I'll be here." The medicine cat explained as if it were just a normal moonstone journey. Like he always would, he stepped backwards and found a place to rest along the cavern wall, making sure he was in a spot where he could see the night sky through the hole in the cave ceiling.

Infinite wisdom would be nice, Henpaw thought wryly as she stepped forwards. With a final deep breath, she laid down and touched her nose to the Moonstone. The cold surface startled her, but she fell asleep almost instantly, faster than she ever had before.

It took her a few moments to realize she was awake. When she opened her eyes, she was on a starry moor, the wind whistling in her fur and calling her to run, run, run. "Wait a bit, young chick," an unfamiliar voice said. Henpaw whirled around to see a silver molly, calmly sitting as ethereal fireflies danced around her head. "Flarehawk." The molly dipped her head and Henpaw did the same, mind whirling. She was in StarClan. She was in StarClan. "I know who you are, Henpaw. You will be WindClan's next medicine cat." With a flick of her tail, she beckoned Henpaw to follow. As they walked, the wind seemed to condense into blurry forms of cats, indistinct but somehow solid. "You will walk among the stars in your dreams. You will follow StarClan's code." Henpaw nodded, agape. With a satisfied sigh, Flarehawk flicked her tail, and the blurry forms dissipated into the wind. "Any questions, chick?" "This is the right choice." It was a statement, not a question- how could anycat question the starry scene before her? "Of course. Run now, run as long and as far as you want, let the wind blow in your fur. Remember- as long as you live, you are tied to WindClan. Run. Feel the wind in your fur, and... say hello to my little kit for me." Henpaw flicked her tail in affirmation. That was who Flarehawk had reminded her of- Thrushflight. For now, though, tethered by nothing but the wind, Henpaw ran, letting the breeze carry her wherever it wished. She would wake as WindClan's medicine cat apprentice. Just as the stars had said.