heronkit's apprentice ceremony

Another one of the kits was ready for apprenticehood. Stoatfur was beginning to worry more about their ability to handle to so many apprentices with so few warriors. He had to push himself to consider that in a few moons, their clan would be in a better place. Well, assuming the lot of them made it through leafbare. He made his way to the highrock, looking forward to the fact that at least more paws would be put to work for the clan and less batting at his tail for attention. Leaping onto the stone, he let out the usual, simple, call, "Let all cats gather beneath the highrock."

Reedpaw ran into the center of the clearing. he didn't need to be told that his siblings were turning into apprentices. they were old enough. he watched his father with keen blue eyes, waiting for the flow of magical words that always seemed to come so effortlessly from him.

Heronkit lets out a shriveled ghost of a cough as she clambers onto the Highrock, the light wind almost enough to blow her over. She was still weak, having to wait an extra moon for apprentice-hood, but she could manage, and that was more than enough for her. Icy blue eyes watered from the gust but still shone with glee as she makes it to stand, shaking, at her fathers' side; truly, she believed neither of them thought she would make it this far. But, if Heronkit was anything, she was a fighter, worthy of being a warrior. Another deep cough racked her body, but she gave a swift and playful nudge to her fathers flank, a wordless "I'm just fine!"

"Heronkit, you're old enough to train as an apprentice and will now be known as Heronpaw until you receive your warrior name. Waterlily will be your mentor." It felt odd to assign his old mentor an apprentice. Times had surely changed. Stoatfur flicked his tail to dismiss the meeting and leaped down to pad away.

Waterlily heard Stoatfur call out her name to the apprentice, letting her know this was a new cat to train.  She was proud of Stoatfur.  She always knew that her apprentice would do great things.  And now he was deputy and would one day lead the clan.

Now she had another apprentice, one she would mentor and be proud of the same way.  She walked up to Heronpaw and briefly touched noses with the new apprentice.  "We can start training tomorrow.  For now, I suggest you go celebrate.  Congratulations!" She exclaimed with a small smile.