Lavenderpaw's Warrior Ceremony

Oh, the irony. As Fawnsong made his way up to the Tallrock, he recalled his own dream of warriorhood, taken away by the claws of some rogue. Now, there he was, a medicine cat in training making others take the path he couldn't continue. The tom would be lying if he said he wasn't jealous... yet, he was also happy for all these apprentices. Maybe he would never be a warrior again, but the youth had a chance to make things better. And as a spiritual guide for this clan, he was determined to be there for all of them. "Let all cats old enough to run the moor join beneath the Tallrock for a Clan meeting!"

He clung to the edge of the clearing like usual but his ears perked up at the call. Fawnsong was standing on the Tallrock again like he had a pawful of times before. Lavenderpaw watched curiously before his eyes darted to assess the camp. Would this be another ceremony? Or were there other things to announce? A shutter went through him at the second thought, Windclan couldn't take much more.

Though he had plentiful of ceremonies by now, it was no surprise that his clanmates were still curious about the medicine cat's motives to stand on the leader's rock. Fawnsong didn't take it personally. If he was in their place, he would be curious too. The tom coughed to clear up his throat and started the ceremony when his eyes found Lavenderpaw among the crowd. "I call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. He has worked hard to learn the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in return. Lavenderpaw, do you promise to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your own life?" After he responds, Lavenderpaw would no longer be an apprentice, but a brand new warrior of Windclan.

Maplespring lifted her head towards the call of the medicine cat. Yet again, he was upon the rock. It was devastating to hear the news of Goldenstar's passing, and it weighed just as heavily upon her chest as the passing of Mistysky. She'd never interacted with the leader personally, but, it was still a great loss to the Clan. Sweeping the clearing, she found the familiar, pale-pelted tom, opting to go sit by him. Sure, she had ranked up to the warrior's den, but, the familiarity of her friend was comforting. With a dip of her head, she watched with curiosity.

It was upon hearing that the ceremony would be for him that a smile broke out upon her maw, and she offered a reassuring nuzzle to his shoulder. She knew the tom was shy, but, had all the faith in him that he would be just fine.

Lavenderpaw was stunned for a moment, slowly blinking as he digested his name being called. There was no way this was real - was he day dreaming again? It was Maplespring's touch that finally broke him from his stupor. He padded forward with his ears lowered ever so slightly. The whole clan was watching. Would Ashfal finally be proud of him? Did this officially make him a good cat? So many questions swirled about in his mind until subconsciously, in a soft and dreamy voice, the tom meowed, "I do." He hadn't even considered the watchful eye of the ancestors being invoked but he hoped that somewhere out there, they too were watching.

Lavenderdrop's affirmative answer made the scarred tom smile briefly. With his tail lifted to the sky and a puffed up chest, the medicine cat continued the ceremony. He didn't know the apprentice personally, but he knew his mentor. His brother Scorchtalon had talked about the young tom, giving him compliments and showing his high hopes for Lavenderpaw's future. "Then from this moment on, you will be known as Lavenderdrop. Windclan recognizes your kind nature and willingness to keep learning. Your efforts had not gone unnoticed. As tradition demands, you will sit a silent vigil tonight, by yourself. Until then, as a clan, we celebrate and welcome a new warrior into our ranks." With a final nod of his head, Fawnsong finished the ceremony. He tried his best to ignore the eyes of the undead, hoping to not let his worried thoughts worry his clanmates on this day of celebration. They all deserved rest from the nightmare that was the Dark Forest's invasion.

Ryepaw was a little jealous of his sibling...his shy sibling had gotten to warriorhood before he had. Although that was not his fault because his mentor had been Goldenstar because she had passed in her own dorm. Although Goldenstar was a great warrior, she had neglected her duties as a leader, warrior and mentor and therefore didn't deserve to be within the clan; or if she did it would've been as an elder.

The silver tabby padded up to his sibling. "Congratulations Lavenderdrop, you beat me to warriorhood." he purred. "Our mother much be so proud to finally have a warrior now within the litter. I promise you that i will not be far behind you." he teased playfully. Although he was a little jealous, he was genuinlly happy that his shy younger sibling had gotten his warrior name.

Maplespring watched the tom move forward, only to be given his warrior name. Lavenderdrop. It was fitting for him, and a rather beautiful name to match the handsome tom. "Lavenderdrop! Lavenderdrop!"

He was shocked, baffled, surely this had to be some sort of magnificent daydream. And Ryepaw was there to congratulate him. Blinking slowly, the new warrior almost thought that he would soon wake up. But he could feel the trodden earth underneath his pads. With a soft huh, Lavenderdrop craned his neck to see Maplespring before finding Ryepaw's expression once more, "You deserve it more than I do but thank you, Ryepaw." There was a brief smile as he remembered being in the nursery alongside the other tom only a few short moons ago. He hardly felt like a warrior. Could he truly make Ashfall proud with just a new title? While there were glimmers of insecurity deep within his pelt, the newly named warrior was content enough to push such thoughts away for now, even if still in disbelieving awe.

Ryepaw flicked his tail. "Although that might be true, you are a warrior now and should feel pride. And besides, sometimes being an apprentice isn't so bad. I can now annoy you and you have more duties than I do." he teased his brother. Ryepaw didn't see their mother around, she must be doing something or she must be taking a nap. "Even though mother isn't here yet, I am sure that she is proud of you and all of the progress that you have made since you were a kit. Remember the time that mother had to almost shove you out of the nursery because you didn't want to go out?" he purred with laughter.

Ryepaw said he should be pride, but did he? The new warrior's ear flicked as he thought. There was something there but not much, he was far from a prideful creature. And while other cats coveted warriorhood, he was content to indulge himself in fanciful whimsies and enjoy the company of others. Was that wrong? Lavenderdrop wondered if he was truly deserved it. If other cats thought so, specifically Ashfall and Ryepaw, that was enough for him for the time being. He drew forward to butt his head into Ryepaw's shoulder with a contented smile. A warmth heated his pelt as he found some form of self-assurance. For as much as he'd worried about the overburdening opinions of his kin, to have them support him now meant a lot, even if it was because he'd followed the path they wanted, "I do. And now it's hard to keep me in camp." Lavenderdrop laughed softly, eyes darting nervously to the nearest Dark Forest cat.