Poppykit's Apprentice Ceremony

Though the air still held the same frigid chill that it had for the past few moons, the sun actually shone this morning with a semblance of warmth. The sunbeams' apricity made Perchfall feel less dreary than normal as she leapt onto the Willow Branch. Frost flaked off of the leafless branch where her paws touched it, but the slight heat from the rising sun's glow on the back of her pelt made the cold less oppressive. Leaf-bare was still around them, but it was slowly fading away. With any luck, newleaf would approach soon, and better times with it. She supposed she spoke for everyone when she thought that this season had gone on for far too long. But life continued, and with life came more kits, and with kits came more apprentice ceremonies. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own fish gather for a Clan meeting," the deputy called out in her low voice. It was time to lend another set of paws to their hunting efforts.

Poppykit, though she did not technically count as old enough, still poked her head out of the nursery. Six months had come and gone since she'd been born, and now that she was old enough, she always anxiously watched from the entrance to the nursery, hoping that one of these meetings would be her apprentice ceremony.

Her mind had been swimming for days now, wondering who her mentor was going to be when she finally earned her apprentice name. She wondered what it would be like to leave the camp and snatch fish from the river. As excited as she was to grow older, she knew that she would miss the cozy nursery and being able to watch over her fellow kits day in and out.

Once Perchfall saw the little dappled kit peek out of the nursery, she nodded approvingly. The influx of new kits had slowed down somewhat after Swanmist's... exodus, but it was nice that there were still some new apprentices coming in. With a slight wave of her white-tipped tail, the deputy invited Poppykit forward, blinking in an almost-friendly fashion. Her face certainly didn't invite much warm emotion, given the constant expression of neutrality she kept, but it was at least not unwelcoming.

"Poppykit," she began once the little she-kit had arrived under the Branch, "you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day forward, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Poppypaw." Not usually customary to this part of the ceremony, Perchfall leapt down from the branch. The face of another apprentice briefly crossed her mind as she did so, but she shook it off, keeping her face somewhat blank. "I will be your mentor. I will do my best to pass all my knowledge onto you." Without missing a beat, she bent down and touched her nose to the newly named apprentice. "We will begin training tomorrow. I look forward to getting to know you." That last part wasn't something she had said before... but despite the death of Beetlepaw, Tinypool's success made her hopeful that she could be a good mentor after all.

At the invitation of Perchfall's tail, Poppykit all but scrambled to the usual place beneath the willow branch. Her whiskers stood on end and her tail vibrated as she allowed herself to stand tall before her her fellow cats. She spotted a few people in the crowd that she had met before, including Mallowpaw. Poppykit flashed her a bright grin, excited for the next chapter of her life in RiverClan.

Now Poppypaw, she looked up with wide eyes of surprise as Perchfall joined her on the ground. She was struck with such surprise at the reveal of their deputy being her mentor that the simple tap to the nose nearly toppled her. She steadied her footing before she could do something so embarrassing, but her eyes still remained locked on Perchfall with shock. She was going to be taught by the deputy of her clan! Was she really worth such an honor? Poppypaw now definitely had to put her best effort--more than her best effort, now--into becoming a worthy warrior for RiverClan.

"Thank you, Perchfall," meowed Poppypaw as she tried to find her words again. "It is an honor! I will make you proud."