Cloverpaw's Medicine Cat Ceremony

Dennis wasn't asleep, in fact he wasn't even tired. Jitters kept him awake and active, pacing the medicine den like he was counting steps. Today was the day. He didn't know what possessed him to make the call, but sometime after comforting Cloverpaw about what had happened to her he decided that it was finally time for her to grow up.

Thornpaw never got a ceremony, and Dennis' was quite unorthodox, so he honestly had no idea how to approach this. He hadn't even brought it up with his apprentice. What if she said no? He doubted she would, but the fear was still there. How does ask a question like that? "Hey, Cloverpaw, do you want a full name? Come on, we're going hiking!" See? It was weird. But he had to ask one way or another, and the night was only so long. It was time.

He sighed. Here goes nothing. "Hey, Cloverpaw, you awake? Let's go for a walk, come on. You may want to take some chamomile and burnet first." He whispered. Great, avoiding the question entirely. Well, she'd probably be tipped off by the travelling herb comment anyway.

Ears twitching, Cloverpaw slowly lifted her head, blinking sleep out of her eyes. "A walk...?" She murmured blearily, fighting back a yawn. It wasn't odd, the walk itself, but the mention of traveling herbs woke her up a little quicker.

After poking through the herbs, setting the ones he'd noted aside and swallowing them down quickly, Cloverpaw turned to rejoin Dennis, hovering just at his side.

"So... where are we going, then?" She had already come to a conclusion but... there wasn't any reason to go, not tonight, right? Tail twitching, she spared her legs a glance before refocusing on her mentor. She was healing well, and she felt... okay, today. Cloverpaw offered a tired grin, tipping her head to the side and watching him expectantly.

Dennis followed suit in eating the herbs before answering. In all honesty, he had no idea how to respond. How does one tell their apprentice that they just now decided to propel them into adulthood? But he had to answer somehow. He took a deep breath and began to speak as they walked. "Well, Cloverpaw... To be honest, I don't think I'll be able to heal for much longer. Leafbare is approaching fast and- well, I don't exactly have the best insulation. Sorry for being morbid, just- I don't want to leave you or RiverClan unprepared when I... when it happens." He took a deep breath and stopped to look at her. "I think it's time for you to recieve your name. You've learned so much, and grown so fast, and suffered more than any cat your age should... You deserve to be a full medicine cat, after everything. T-that is, if you want."

It seemed that he was capable only of saying nothing at all or everything all at once. He looked into Cloverpaw's eyes, dreading what he might find. She'd probably decline. It was unfair of him in the first place, to just dump this on her in the middle of the night. Still, a little glimmer of hope rested behind his eyes as he waited for a response.

"You're not dying on me." Cloverpaw's snort was sharp and sudden, and she stopped for a second to turn a steely glare towards Dennis. There was no real hostility in her words, in her expression, just the ferocity of caring too much. She let her words hang for a moment, ears lowered as she stared at her mentor before her expression softened and she picked up the walk again. "I– I won't let you. You can retire any day you want, but you are not dying." She refused to let him go too, no matter what. No marching passage of time or biting cold would change her mind. Cloverpaw went quiet again, listening to the soft sounds of their paws as they went along. Her ear twitched when she noticed Dennis stopped, and when she turned to look at him he was looking right at her.

For a while, she said nothing. She only stared back, searching his face as if waiting for him to take it back, to change his mind. She focused on the sounds of the nighttime bugs, of the gentle, warm breeze stirring the rushes. She stared, and she took in a deep breath before speaking again. "I figured," Cloverpaw started, huffing a laugh. "Traveling herbs are only a little obvious, Dennis. But... I'm not going to say no. Of course I want this." Then she jerked her head, a little glimmer of light reaching her eyes. "We've got a long walk, don't we? And I don't think either of us are looking forward to it." Another snicker, dry and quiet. "So... lead the way. I'm ready."

Dennis was a bit taken aback by her sharp response, though his surprise was soon followed by a chuckle. Of course she wouldn't let him die. This was the exact reason he was doing this, after all: her care for other cats. "Well, I see I'm in capable paws. If anyone could find the key to immortality, it'd be you." Of course, time and StarClan stopped for no cat. But he left that unsaid, she didn't need that on her mind on a night like this.

The long moment of silence was agonising. What was she thinking about? How best to refuse? He expelled the idea from his mind. She would accept, he knew she would. His hopes were confirmed and his face broke into a grin as she answered. Yes! He knew it! He knew he'd picked the right cat. "I was hoping you wouldn't notice the herbs," He answered playfully, "But I suppose you're right. We should hurry while the moon is high." With a final smile, he set off in the direction of Highstones feeling like a boulder had been lifted off of him.

Seemingly an eternity later, Dennis limped up the steep climb to Highstones. He made sure to keep an eye on Cloverpaw, though with his missing leg and tiny frame there wasn't much he could do if her front legs acted up. He stopped to catch his breath at the top of the hill, turning back towards his apprentice. "Are you -huff- ready?" He suspected he was more nervous than she was, his heart hammered like a jackrabbit's. He hoped he'd remember the words.

The rest of the trek to Highstones was uneventful and, thankfully, comfortable. Even when they were quiet, there was little tension, and Cloverpaw appreciated the peace of their journey.

Up Highstones was a different matter. Setting her jaw, she started the climb upwards. More than a few times, she had to pause and wait for the pain to subside and her breathing to steady before she could continue upwards. With every break she took, a look of frustration clouded her expression, but Cloverpaw beamed when she reached the top. She was eager to get to lay down next to the Moonstone, and far less excited to make the trip back home. She trembled slightly where she stood, but she had learned to expect a bit of shakiness the longer she stood. In spite of the pain, she had healed well, and even if she had to rely on pure determination and strength of will, she refused to falter. Especially not here, not on the night of her ceremony.

At Dennis' question, Cloverpaw nodded slowly, glancing towards the mouth of the cave. "We should probably go before I panic and back out," she laughed, looking back towards her mentor. "But I'm ready, Dennis. I'm–" A breath, and she lowered her voice as if to keep StarClan from hearing, "–a little scared, but... I'm ready. We're ready, yeah?"

Dennis looked at Cloverpaw with a little bit of panic, scared that she was backing out, before realising that she was in fact still set on going. He gave a firm nod, smiled, and quickly led her through the tunnel. Though he was practically running in his extitement (with regard for Cloverpaw, of course, he could tell her legs were sore), the journey seemed to take infinitely longer than usual.

Once he was finally out of the dark, vision flooded with that ever-familiar blue, he beamed at his apprentice. Okay. Okay. He could do this. He just had to remember the words. "I, D- Spiderquill, medicine cat of RiverClan, call upon Starclan to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of a medicine cat, and will serve her Clan for many moons under your guidance. Cloverpaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from rivalry between Clan and Clan and to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?" He looked at her with eyes brimming with emotion, barely holding in the pride swelling in his chest.

Cloverpaw couldn't help but grin as she followed Dennis through the tunnel, watching her mentor take a few hurrying steps ahead before pausing to search for her, repeating that until they reached the Moonstone. No matter how many times she came here, the glow always dazzled her, and she gave it a long look before Dennis' voice caught her attention.

Oh. Oh. This is really happening. I'm really becoming a medicine cat. Nerves tightened in her chest, and her ears burned under the attention of the ceremonial words. This was her life– stuck in the medicine den, doing everything she could to keep her Clan. It hit her, really, for the first time now that she would never be a warrior: there was no hunting, no border patrols... she would spend her life alone. But one look at the joy on Dennis' face, and a quick flash of thought to the aftermath of the war, and she nodded.

There was nothing she wanted more than this. Straightening herself out, Cloverpaw nodded, her pale eyes sharp and focused. "I do," she replied, surprised her voice didn't shake. There was nowhere she would rather be. This was what she was meant for, even if anxiety had started to gnaw at her; she would shake it away, and she would move forward on certain paws.

Dennis purred, prouder of his apprentice than he could've thought possible. He took a deep, shaky breath, a second or two passing before he uttered the all-important words. "Then, by the powers of StarClan, I give you your true name as a medicine cat." The name was a no-brainer, a cat as kind and diligent as she was really had one obvious choice. "Cloverpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Cloverheart. StarClan honours your bravery and compassion, and welcomes you as a full medicine cat of RiverClan."

He gently rested his muzzle on Cloverpaw's forehead, feeling only a bit awkward due to his small size, and pulled back wordlessly. There were no words that could do his emotions justice. Instead, he nodded towards the Moonstone. "Go on. I'll be waiting here for you."

Her heart was pounding in her ears so hard she almost didn't hear what Dennis said, but it was hard not to catch it through the echo of the cavern. Cloverheart held herself taller, blinking away the welling tears as her mentor went on to note her bravery, her compassion. She dipped her head, pushing against his chin slightly and whispering a "Thank you," before stepping closer to the Moonstone. Settling beside it had gotten a deal more awkward than the first few times she'd come her, but she laid down quick enough, pressing her nose to the rock and letting that familiar cold wash over her.


Admittedly, when she opened her eyes, she already knew exactly who she wanted to see. Yarrowpaw should have been here– he would've wanted to talk to her, and as Cloverheart rose to stand, she found no sign of that familiar pelt. There was a cat she recognized, though: that massive, dark tabby that spoke to her before.

"Hi, Bearsnap," she mewed warmly as she trotted over, realizing with a rush of joy that her legs didn't hurt here. The tom turned his head, as if he hadn't been expecting her, and offered a kind smile.

"Well, well. Look at you!" Bearsnap purred warmly, roughly bumping his head against hers. "I knew you were a good choice. I was right when I said you've got a wild heart, huh?" Cloverheart's ears burned a little at that, but she hummed her acknowledgment as she settled beside him.

"You've been excellent, Cloverheart. You care about everyone with every breath in your chest, and we can see it in the way you work. Keep that." The tabby tipped his head, regarding her for a moment before continuing, "But keep your head on, kid. The forest doesn't stop for anyone, and it won't stop for you." Bearsnap blinked slowly, and Cloverheart stared up at him, waiting for him to say more, but nothing came.

She opened her mouth to respond, but with no words in mind, she quickly closed it again. For a while, they sat there quietly, not a word between them as they stared out over the dusky, starry fields. Tail twitching, Cloverheart considered speaking again, but she was swiftly interrupted by her companion's rumbling voice.

"You know how much your Clan needs you– will need you. Don't be stupid, now," and he laughed at that, shouldering her like they were siblings. Cloverheart snorted, staggering a bit against his weight, and looked at him fiercely before replying.

"I love RiverClan, and I'm more than proud to be their medicine cat. I–" Her thoughts drifted, and her expression noticeably soured before she cleared the dark cloud away– "I'll give my life for them."

Bearsnap regarded her for a long while, as if he was waiting for her to take it back, but soon enough he nodded. "Don't disappoint me, Cloverheart. Trust yourself, and us, that you've earned this." He touched his nose to her head, and a chill ran through her. [i]Always so cold with them.[i] She thought with a snort as she closed her eyes, letting herself be pulled away from StarClan.


When she woke again, the warm glow of dawn flooded the cave, and Cloverheart took a moment to stretch, groaning at how sore and stiff she felt. The journey back home would be exhausting, and she was looking forward to collapsing in her nest when they returned. Slowly pushing herself to her paws, she took the liberty of another long stretch that made her wince, before looking for her mentor. "Dennis? Dennis, I think I'm ready when you are."