Scarletpaw's Warrior Ceremony

What a special day.

Loonwhisper quite liked a warrior ceremony. There was an intrigue to every one of Ivystar's choices... choices he might one day make himself. With her paws full with other matters, this opportunity now fell to him, and she whispered to her deputy the name she had decided for Scarletpaw. Loonwhisper bristled with excitement for her. She'd surely be pleased with it. Though, as he scaled the Willow Branch, some other, darker shadow touched the cloudless morning. Ivystar had a few moments to spare, didn't she? So why was this responsibility suddenly his? Why was he conducting a warrior ceremony now? What was she worried about happening?

Silver linings to storm clouds.

"Hoo-oo! All cats old enough to catch their fish and swim the river, gather beneath the Willow Branch for a Clan meeting!"

Scarletpaw simply walked around camp.  There were so many bugs out, that Scarletpaw was wrapped up in just staring at them and watching as they soared through the air.  Greenleaf brought a lot of interesting things with it that she wanted to explorer, even if her normal curious nature had been one of the things that she had hated about herself.  She was one to use brain more than anything, which lead to much disappointment from her parents.  She was too mild mannered to say anything back to them.

Anyway, she watched the bugs and decided that it would be nice to try to catch one in her paws.  She watched and attempted once.  Her attempt failed.  So, she was about to try again when she heard the deputy called for all the cats to gather.

She strode up to where he said, keeping to the side so she would not be crowded on both sides with cats.  She sat, wrapping her long tall around herself and waiting to see what the meeting was about.

"We gather today to witness RiverClan's newest warrior," he crooned gently, "If she should want it."

Ruffling his tendrilled fur and flicking away a few pesky gnats (whose attention was also drawn, apparently), Loonwhisper continued, "Scarletpaw, if you share our belief that you have trained to the fullest extent possible and have earned your warrior name, step closer. You will receive your name."

Scarletpaw's ears stuck up in surprise at the sound of her name.  She had been trained for a while, but she did not realize that she could be a warrior.  She stood still a minute, but eventually carried herself forward towards the front.  She ducked her head.  She was excited, but it could not be noticed much except for the small smile she had on her face.

(it's been far long enough since the last post in this topic, so I'll just have ivy take over as if she were performing the ceremony the entire time. so sorry for the wait!)

"Very well, then. I, Ivystar, leader of RiverClan, call upon our ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of a warrior, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn. Scarletpaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a warrior and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Once Scarletpaw made that life-changing vow, Ivystar nodded gently and continued with the final part of the ceremony. "Then from this day onward, you shall be known to all as Scarletriver. As per tradition, you will hold a silent vigil tonight while the rest of the Clan sleeps. Until then, however, we will celebrate the rise of a new warrior." Leaping from the branch, Ivystar met Scarletriver and gently rested her chin upon the newly-named warrior's head before backing away to allow the rest of the Clan to congratulate her on this milestone.

Scarletpaw listened to the words of the leader with all her power.  She took a deep breath in and out.  "I do," she vowed.  A long smile came across Scarletpaw's maw and as soon as the leader was finished.  Scarletriver... I like it!  The newly-named thought.  Now that I'm a warrior I can fulfil my purpose before I join Starclan.  If only I knew what it was...

When Ivystar rested her head on Scarletriver's head, she felt like ducking away, but instead she just stayed.  She closed her eye for a moment and thought about the new adventures that could come about now.