Duskpaw's Warrior Ceremony

Murkystar's heart raced in excitement. She had spoken with Emberleap just the other day, and he had reported that he felt Duskpaw was ready to become a warrior. She had turned her focus to the apprentice, watching his patrols and speaking to the warriors he was with, and came to the same conclusion. Duskpaw was ready to become a warrior. Her heart swelled with pride as she scaled Jaggedrock, looking down over her clan in the moonlight. "ShadowClan! Gather in the shadow of Jaggedrock." Her yowl rang out over the camp, a summons to those within hearing distance. This would be the first warrior ceremony she ever performed... The words of the ceremony had been ingrained into her over the moons though. It wouldn't be too difficult to remember.

Emberleap was rarely content to relax in camp; he hadn’t been given a nest among ShadowClan’s warriors for taking naps under the moonlight. Tonight’s work took a different shape. He’d groomed his pelt to perfection, scrubbing out every last bit of mud until his skin ached and his eyes crossed when he strained them searching for more, and lingered around the Jaggedrock long before Murkystar made her approach. Maybe he was making things too obvious—but how could he not? Even if he’d tried to go about his normal routine, he was certain the buzzing in his limbs would have given him away to every living thing in the marsh.

Some part of him realized he looked ridiculous. Mentorship and warriorhood went paw in paw; like hunting, patrolling, fighting, it was just a job. But Duskpaw was alive and well (more a testament to his own strength than Emberleap’s lessons, really) and a warrior in all but name. A name he’d be getting tonight. If being excited for him was foolish, so be it.

At last, the call went out. Emberleap sat down right where he’d been standing and struggled to press his expression into relative neutrality. His tail flicked steadily beside him.

As Murkystar's voice rang out, Duskpaw got up from where he originally sat, steadily making his way over to Emberleap. He had noticed the warrior's unusual pacing from just a while ago, and felt curious on what it was; though he didn't dare to ask and sat down. With his head raised high, the tom blinked, then suddenly beamed in realization. With his unchanging attitude from his apprentice ceremony, the tom purred in excitement. This was his own warrior ceremony! Duskpaw took a glance over to Emberleap, and he felt his heart pounding more than it ever has in his chest. He felt estatic. Pride, joy, and thankfulness— those feelings overwhelmed him in this very moment; and he could've sworn he heard his own blood pulsing in his ears.

He grinned, then looked back up to Murkystar. His tail flicked with delight, and his ears were perked higher than ever. Soon, his name as an apprentice would be no more, and instead— would be his warrior name in replace of it.

The clan had gathered, and Murkystar picked out Emberleap and Duskpaw among them. She looked back to the clan as a whole, a smile on her face. This was good news for the clan, something to celebrate, and celebrate they would. "ShadowClan, I've called you all here to witness one of our apprentices reach the rank of warrior. Duskpaw, please step forward," she mewed, pausing to wait while he did so. She had been the one to name him as an apprentice as well... So much had changed in the past several moons. "I, Murkystar, leader of ShadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn. Duskpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" She asked, looking down at him as she waited for his answer.

As the tom heard his name being called out, he smiled again, taking a step forward. The excitement still rung through his veins, and he forced himself to calm down. He wouldn't need to be so exhilarated, knowing how kit-like that might've looked to the others. Then as Murkystar waited for an answer from him, he took in a deep breath— and opened his maw to reveal such two simple words exiting from it. "I do." He spoke, meeting the gaze of Murkystar's eyes from above. His heart raced with excitement still, yet he managed to keep it hidden. Though barely, at most.

After this— just after this, he'd finally; officially have his warrior name.

Duskpaw confirmed his vow, and Murkystar nodded to him, acknowledging his agreement. "Then by the powers granted to me, I give you your warrior name. Duskpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Duskflight. ShadowClan honors your liveliness and selflessness, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ShadowClan." She finished, leaping down from Jaggedrock and striding forward to rest her chin lightly on the new warrior's head. "Congratulations, Duskflight. You've worked hard for this, and you've made us all proud. Don't forget, you have to keep a silent vigil while the rest of us sleep." She explained before pulling away to let any others come up to the newly named warrior.

Ratpaw gathered quietly to listen, arriving too late to weave through the cats at the beginning to find his friend, but settling down to listen regardless. It came as a surprise when he realized that this was for him — Duskpaw! — and in his chest, he felt warm and happy for his friend. Duskpaw — Duskflight — had been training for a long time, and he deserved it. Even if Ratpaw would miss his friendly presence, in the apprentice’s den, Ratpaw’s ears perked in the joy of it as he called, ”Duskflight! Duskflight!”

With a small smile, he approached and gently butt his head on Duskflight’s shoulder in congratulations. And that’s when Ratpaw realized that his older friend, who had helped guide him and a kit and befriended him as a young apprentice, truly looked like a warrior: tall, with that dark, sweeping fur and excitement shining in his eyes. ”Congratulations, Duskflight! I’ll miss you, but you do belong in the warrior’s den now.”

Duskflight.

His new name. He officially became a warrior, and the jubliant feeling parctically ran in his course of veins. His smile grew wider than ever, and once again, he had forced himself to remain seated until Murkystar finally leaped down. She proudly strode foward, coming in the direction towards him, then placed her chin on his head. "Don't forget, you have to keep a silent vigil while the rest of us sleep." The tom nodded, and he beamed widely— only to close his maw again. He'd be able to speak again after moonhigh; and he'd assume that that shouldn't be so hard. He nodded and kept his mouth to a small grin. Then that was until Ratpaw's voice rang across from behind. The presence of him made the warrior lit up in joy, and he rose to his paws, whipping his head back until he was able to spot the familiar dark-pelted apprentice.

He smiled again— and even his eyes seemed to beam as his friend congratulated him. He wanted to speak up, though for now, body gestures would do. Duskflight nodded in agreement. He brang his tail over and stepped foward, lightly brushing against the apprentice's shoulder as a sign of reassurance to him. He had worked hard to finally reach the role of a warrior, though he surely would miss Ratpaw's apperance in the warrior's den as well. The nights that they ventured out together was unforgettable, exciting, yet also dangerous. Though as a warrior now, he felt confident that he'd be able to guide other cats through it, just as he'd guide Ratpaw through the basics before. The tom purred, and he rested his tail down in delight.

From the gathered crowd, Shypaw opened her mouth to call her friend's new name and though no sound came out, she felt it from her heart. She came up beside Ratpaw, bumping her shoulder to Duskflight's and nodding fervently as Ratpaw spoke. She was proud and excited for her friend, he had worked hard and his name was beautiful. She would miss him in the apprentice's den as well.