Tinypaw's Warrior Ceremony

Thick rivulets of silky snow curled downwards from the bleak afternoon sky, rich ribbons of irrefutable cleanliness that bleached the sad and somber winter riverlands; sprawling blankets of alabaster heaped on further by the perpetually lingering dusting of snow, disrupted only by the occasional tracking of muddied ice and churned sands. The stifling stillness of the dwindling grey afternoon light was interrupted only by the insistent, yet terribly faint, collision of snow landing upon starkly frigid ice, a backdrop of virtually unknowable hissing lost to the chatter of a burdened river. Tender ears and nose aflame with the scorching brush of lingering frigid dampness, Jaystar's sharp features creased softly as he peered down from his newly-raised seat atop the ceremonial willow tree, heralded only by generations of kin and forbearers. A deeply-wound blood tie into the unmovable, history well-worn into the proudly worn scars against the old tree. Idling as though he was nothing more than a ghostly outline against the snowy backdrop of the late hour, the newly-christened leader shifted restlessly atop the frost kissed willow branch.

"All cats old enough to catch their own fish, gather beneath the Willow Branch for a Clan meeting!"

This is it... Tinypaw emerged from the apprentice's den with her fur just groomed after a long morning of cleaning herself. After the journey, the young apprentice felt more confident in her achievements and how much she has grown since her training with Perchfall has started. Thanks to the Starclan warrior, Tinytip... the dark molly now truly believed that this is what she wanted to be and it was what she deserved after so much effort. However... facing the leader was another challenge.

Keeping her composure and trying to hide her nervousness, Tinypaw approached the old willow branch and waited, immobile. Anytime now the leader would call her name and she will be welcome as a new warrior of Riverclan. What would her name be was trivial to her. All that mattered was to show her own strength and hide her insecurities in front of Jaystar so he wouldn't change his mind about her.

Smooth jut of the shoulder roiling sharply under the wild mane of his unkempt coat and idly brushing off a faint dusting of snow, Jaystar's slow movements atop the weight perch of the forked tree-limb were liquid and silky, fluent with the seemingly innate grace of a shadow, gentle movements twisting and writhing against the cold backdrop of the evening. Pointed chin lifting a casual, calloused invitation to all of the gradually collecting onlookers currently peering on with mirrored expressions of apt interest, the young molly standing before him had an expression of resolute interest, an outcry of carefully concealed emotion seething low in her collected and casual movements. Though he held a slim clawful of experience at the tedious endeavor of hosting an official ceremony, his discomfort was an ever apparent streak of awareness coiling hot and low within his promptly frigid veins; the promise of a joyful celebration always watered down with the thin oils of a reminder of the ever-changing world, the absolute difference in where he was.

"Today, we have gathered here to witness the naming of yet another Warrior. Perchfall has spoken nothing but highly of her apprentice Tinypaw, and has assured me that she is ready for such a transition. Tinypaw, if you believe this to be true, step forward now and your ceremony will commence."

As the warrior ceremony began, Perchfall sidled to the back of the crowd, not wanting to steal the spotlight from her apprentice's big day. Becoming warrior was an important event-- possibly the most important in any apprentice's life so far. But Tinypaw had more than earned it. Memories of the small black she-cat catching fish, learning quickly, and continuing to be optimistic once she stopped letting her insecurities get in the way flashed in front of her vision as Jaystar began speaking the traditional words. Perchfall had almost wanted to ask if she would be allowed to do her own apprentice's ceremony... but she supposed that would not be appropriate, so she had not even ventured the question. Instead, she would watch with a warm, burning sort of pride from the sidelines, and would offer sincere congratulations once the ceremony had concluded.

A shiver ran through her spine as the leader spoke about her. It was her time. A new stage of her clan life. However, before stepping forward towards the leader, the she-cat took a second to turn her gaze to Perchfall, who was watching her from behind. To be honest, the dark molly would have loved for her to hold her ceremony, just like that time she made Tinypaw her apprentice. She wondered... what kind of name would Perchfall give her? Was she proud of her after all this time? The stoic deputy didn't let out much emotion, unlike her who was so easy to read. Despite the grey molly's serious attitude and manners... the apprentice somehow knew she cared and she was grateful for all her encouragement during these last moons. A smile drew on the apprentice face and with a slow nod she told her without words: Thank you... for everything...

At last, the dark she-cat stepped forward with more confidence. Though Jaystar intimidated her, she still held her chin up and kept under control her trembling paws.

Softly ghosted with the silky remnants of a faint crusting of ice and frost, gossamer and web-like against the unkempt mane of his dark coat, Jaystar swallowed down the fiery pinprick of familiarity and remembrance blossoming low and deep at the ceremonial summons- forever a permanent reminder of those once spoken to him, though the ghosts were long gone. Asylum, Ivystar, Kitefire. Dark eyes observing the nonverbal display of intimacy evident between Tinypaw and Perchfall, the dark-furred tom was nothing but a passive observer to the pride and affection that hung heavily in the bleary afternoon sun. Countless eyes, shaded unfamiliar and harsh under the reflective gleam hanging heavily in the absence of proper light, quickly drifted into the general direction of which Tinypaw stood, curiosity and faint touches of amusement blatant in the cool stares of the uninvolved. Hard lines awash with the delicate similarities to his disreputable kin, the young dark-furred tom remained motionless for several long heartbeats- carefully assessing the unfolding situation before him, keen gaze fixed upon the younger cat below.

"I call to our ancestors to look down upon this Apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your code, and I commend her to you as a Warrior in return. Tinypaw, do you promise to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Tinypaw listened quietly to the leader's ominous speech, waiting for her moment to answer his words. Despite her nervousness and how intimidating Jaystar was, she kept her blue gaze fixed on the dark-furred tom and spoke with a quiet but decisive mew: "I do"

Silky dark edges of wispy fur catching sharply against the wan light of the terse evening, gentle ripples of pale light heavily framed the occasional movements of Jaystar; a familiar mimicry to the dark riverwater flashing under the bright illumination of the pallid moonlight. Hard cut lines of the cheekbone ridging sharply against the delicate curve of his face, the gaunt tom continuously fronted a calloused expression, unwilling to divulge a fractional emotion while in the presence of the young cat before him- the faintest touches of nerves evident within the lean lines of her little body. Navigating the treacherously thin ices of selecting an apt new name was certainly difficult enough without the remembrance of all the strange events that had proceeded these backwards happenings; how things had changed just as much as they had remained the same.

"In that case, I shall grant you your new name. From this day forth, you will be known as Tinypool. RiverClan honors your perceptiveness and loyalty. Tonight, you will hold a silent vigil while the rest of the Clan sleeps. Until then, we celebrate the naming of a new RiverClan Warrior." Sending forth a chilly flurry of crystalline ice and downy snows, Jaystar was quick and fluid in his movements to abandon his high-above perch and instead join the blossoming congregation thronging about the newly-named young Warrior.

Tinypool. The name suited her. As Perchfall's eyes temporarily met her former apprentice's, she returned the nod, though no similar smile made its way onto her face. However, there was an obvious pride in her gaze-- or, obvious if one had spent any real time around her. Once the ceremony had been completed, the deputy was the first one to raise her voice with the rest of the Clan in chanting her new name. "Tinypool! Tinypool!" she called, while not loudly, emphatically enough to be heard. Once the cries died down, Perchfall approached her. "Congratulations," she meowed softly, "you should be proud. You will be a great warrior."