Pricklekit's Apprentice Ceremony

ThunderClan’s nursery ran on extremes, swinging from quiet as leaf-bare to so noisy Thrushnose could hear kittens squawking at each other before she’d even stepped into camp. Honestly, it made for a nice change of pace. A greenleaf litter was never unwelcome, and between the last moon’s losses and the inevitable tension, maybe even war, with SkyClan looming ahead, no distraction could’ve been better than the troubles of kits. Now—right now, in fact—the first of those kits was due to become an apprentice. About time, Thrushnose thought as she climbed. ThunderClan needed something to look forward to. “Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!” she called, stepping forward, gaze sweeping across her Clanmates as they gathered.

Pricklekit sat by the nursery, carefully grooming his tabby pelt. It had to look better than Sagekit’s. He was well on his way to accomplishing this, and then the deputy just had to call a Clan meeting. Pricklekit considered finishing up his grooming session, but the chance that it was his apprentice ceremony was just enough to send him scampering over to sit near the Highrock. If it was his apprentice ceremony, he had to look and act his best… surely it was his apprentice ceremony? He was moons ahead of the other kits. He was big, too- not as big as Tumblekit, but Tumblekit was all flab, not muscle. The tabby kit gave his pelt a last few licks before turning his attention to the deputy… Thrushnose. This better be his apprentice ceremony, or he’d- no, no he wouldn’t. He’d be patient, and then she’d give him a good mentor.

Still, this better be his ceremony.

ThunderClan approached the Highrock in waves, then spread out to find seats near their friends and family. One blotchy tabby pelt stood out in the shifting mass of cats—Pricklekit, early, astonishingly well-groomed, and staring up at her. Thrushnose blinked right back. Maybe he knew. Kits seemed to have an instinct for these things, even when their parents didn’t let them in on the surprise. “One of our kits has reached the age of six moons; today, he will become an apprentice. Pricklekit, step forward,” she meowed, and gave a flick of her tail.

“From this moment on, until the day you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Pricklepaw. Stoatfur will be your mentor. I trust him to pass everything he knows on to you.” As she stepped back from the Highrock’s edge, wrapping up the day’s first ceremony, Thrushnose’s eyes lingered on Stoatfur. Her son had always been eager to learn, something she took more pride in with every passing moon. Hopefully he’d be just as excited to share that knowledge.

Pricklekit had been right (of course he had been right). It was his ceremony. He was becoming an apprentice today. With head held high, he scampered to the front of the crowd. Thrushnose was giving him a mentor. Maybe even… the leader? Or her? After all, Pricklekit did deserve special treatment.

Oh. Oh well. Maybe the deputy and leader were too busy. After all, they didn’t have apprentices. Stoatfur… he didn’t think he really knew Stoatfur. Pricklepaw stood in place, glancing around for his new mentor. He better be a good mentor… but for the moment Pricklepaw was satisfied. He was the first of his siblings to become an apprentice. And he looked way better than Sagekit.

Pheasantkit had been watching from the nursery, but when she realized it was Pricklekit's ceremony she became far more attentive. She liked Pricklekit, he was easy to please, compliments could go a long way with him. And she could see he knew how to mess with his enemies, perhaps this would escalate with age. Either way, he was a valuable asset. And she knew this would be a perfect opportunity to butter him up. The kit padded over to her brother just as Trushnose finished, greeting him with a quick congratulations. "It makes sense you were apprenticed first, Trushnose understands priorities," she praised, brushing her tail with his. She lowered her voice a bit before adding, "You know, your pelt looks very nice, Pricklepaw." Pheasantkit knew exactly what to say to the apprentice.

Hearing his name called from the highrock was surprising - in some sense. Stoatfur knew his skills and abilities had gotten him quickly through his own warrior training and that it would only be a matter of time before he had been deemed worthy of training his own apprentice; but hearing the voice of Thrushnose call out to him during a ceremony was strange nonetheless. The little tom straightened up and padded forward to touch noses with his apprentice. Thunderclan's newest kits seemed like a pawful but he was determined to raise this younger cat into a great asset, assuming Pricklepaw knew how to listen.

"Congratulations, Pricklepaw. We will start your training tomorrow, after sunrise. Both of us will be sharper if we sleep in. You're going to learn a lot but only if you're willing to take in what I teach you." With that, the little warrior turned and flicked his tail in a dismissive manner. Getting to know each other could happen later, during training.