Dandelionkit's Apprentice Ceremony

Bloodstrike hauled his massive form up the tree and carefully walked across Tallbranch. Once he thought it was a reasonable time for the clan to be awake, he called out across the camp. "Let all cats old enough to climb a tree gather under the Tallbranch for a clan meeting!" And it was there he sat and watched as the clan approached. Another apprentice would be made into Skyclan today. The clan needed some good news and a sense of normalcy after all that had happened. He waited and watched for Dandelion kit to appear from the nursery, as well as her prospective mentor.

Dandelionkit had been sleeping when a call for a clan meeting had brought her back to consciousness. Sleepily blinking her eyes, she thought, I wonder what that’s about, oh wait, didn’t mother say I would be an apprentice soon! She immediately sat up and ran outside, kicking moss everywhere, and skidded to a halt in front of the gathering cats. Looking up at the tallbranch, she saw a massive, scarred tom, who she assumed to be Bloodstrike.

Once the clan had sufficiently gathered beneath the Tallbranch, Bloodstrike's eyes went to Dandelionkit. "Dandelionkit, 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 called Dandelionpaw. Your mentor will be Ravenclaw." Bloodstrike's gaze switched over to his daughter and he gave her an encouraging nod.

"Ravenclaw is a dedicated and fearless warrior. I know she will teach you well." And with that, the clan meeting had ended. He dismissed the clan and jumped down from the Tallbranch, allowing the mentor and apprentice time to introduce themselves and arrange when training would begin.

Ravenclaw had been in some sort of a trance since the Gathering. It took her a moment to snap out of it and realize that she was a mentor again. At least she didn't have to pretend to be a mother this time. She was full of dread, but she refused to let that seep down to the new apprentice. That wouldn't be fair. Instead, she put on as much confidence as she could, heading for the newly-named Dandelionpaw. "Congratulations," she murmured, touching noses with the new apprentice. "Ready to begin your training?"

Dandelionkit took a few steps forward, as bloodstrike instructed, and watched as he began her apprentice ceremony. Excitement was building up in her as he called out her new name and mentor. Following Bloodstrike’s gaze, she saw a black she-cat. Ravenclaw started padding towards her, and Dandelionpaw bounded up to meet her, too. She reached up to touch noses with her mentor. Hearing Ravenclaw’s question, she replied, ”Yes! What will we do first?”