Leopardkit's Apprentice Ceremony

Another apprentice was to be named amidst the darkness, both literally and figuratively, that had enveloped the clans. Frostgaze could only hope, though he hated that word, that things for the apprentices of Shadowclan could stay relatively normal. Everything was just harder, what with Webshadow being in the Medicine Cat's Den, and the awoken dead that plagued the territories... He could not dwell on that however, as he leaped up onto the Jaggedrock. "All cats old enough to silently stalk in the shadows, gather in the shadow of Jaggedrock for a clan meeting!"

Leopardkit's curiosity was as insatiable as any kit's, so when Frostgaze called the clan to meet her own soft pawsteps followed the warriors. She didn't stumble over her own long legs quite as often anymore, time and practice helping her to grow into her own frame; though she wondered if she would ever be quite so skilled at shadow-stalking as the majority of her clanmates. It wasn't a kit's concern, really, but she was six moons already and wouldn't be considered a kit for much longer, so she thought it worth wondering.

Even as she joined the rest of ShadowClan she kept close to the nursery, unsure of where or how she should stand, and kept her eyes fixed on the Jaggedrock.

Deerleap watched Lepaordkit's eyes glance towards the jaggedrock with a sense of pride. "Go on, they'll be waiting!" she urged the small kit, who she had grown to love as a daughter.

"Waiting? Waiting for me? Okay...!" Leopardkit replied, suddenly even more anxious. She didn't want to ask why they might be waiting for her in particular. What if she was already supposed to know? She took a few bounding steps forward, joining the rest of ShadowClan at Deerleap's urging. She didn't want to disappoint the cat who was most like a mother to her, after all.

She shouldn't show that she was nervous, right? "Let's go, I don't want to keep anyone waiting! Are you coming, too?"

As Leopardkit approached the Jaggedrock, Frostgaze began the ceremony. "Shadowclan! I have gathered you here to witness the naming of a new apprentice. Leopardkit, step forward." Frostgaze watched as Leopardkit approached before he continued. "Leopardkit, you have reached the age of six moons and are ready to become an apprentice. From this day forward, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Leopardpaw. I will be your mentor, and I will do whatever I can to pass down all of my knowledge to you." Frostgaze leapt down from the rock as Shadowclan chanted Leopardpaw's new name, touching noses with the apprentice.

"You would do well to find a nest quickly. I will be starting training at dusk." With a short nod, the white tom moved away, allowing anyone else to speak to Leopardpaw.

"leopardpaw! Leopardpaw!" Deerleap cheered out the she-cat's new name. she was just as excited for Leopardpaw as she might have been at her own apprentice ceremony. "It's a privilege for an experienced and respected cat like Frostgaze to be your mentor," she added to the small apprentice.

Sootwhisker cheered happily for the young cat.

"Leopardpaw! Leopardpaw!" She'd grown so much from the tiny kit peeking her head out of the nursery for the first time, and couldn't be prouder of her. He looked on as she received her apprentice name and her mentor, his excitement only growing when Frostgaze assigned himself as her mentor. Frostgaze had taken Sootwhisker in as a kit when he felt like he had no one else, and he couldn't have chosen a better warrior to mentor Leopardpaw. He nodded in agreement to Deerleap's words.

"Frostgaze is one of the clan's best, I'm sure you'll become a fine warrior under his guidance."