Myrtleturtle's Medicine Cat Ceremony

Muddythorn never ceased to be impressed with his apprentice's progress, and each day Myrtleturtle seemed more and more happy with his role. It was good to see how much happier the young tom was, not unlike his own experience with warriorhood and the tribulations of it. After all those moons of convincing, his mother had certainly been right in saying an apprentice would help him out. The job had not yet had the chance to wear him down with strain as it had with his predecessor, and hopefully now it never would.

Unfortunately, there would be no visit to highstones. The ceremony would still take place, and Muddythorn would try his best to replicate his own ceremony within their current limitations. And maybe, just maybe, Starclan would try hard enough to escape whatever dark plane they were banished to to welcome a new medicine cat. Instead of the middle of the night, Muddythorn had instead decided to do the ceremony just after the sun had set, and the first few stars began to appear. It wasn't quite the same conditions as it usually would, but it didn't seem necessary to be up in the middle of the night. On the other paw, it just felt wrong to do something like this with the sun still high in the sky, so now was when he settled for.

Unsurprisingly, he found the other tom in the medicine den. "Myrtleturtle, I need to speak to you." Once Muddythorn had his attention, he continued. "As my apprentice, you have done nothing but impress me over these last few moons. And I think it's time for you to become a full medicine cat - you've already more than earned it. Of course the normal ceremony would be at highstones, but if you believe you're ready, I'd like to do it now."

It truly felt that this was where he was destined to be. His paws carried his frame with much more confidence than he had ever shown in his time as an apprentice or warrior, and a smile often resided upon his maw. Even with the Dark Forest continuing to loom inside of their walls, even with Starclan being unable to connect with them... He had found his joy. Even the most mundane of tasks, like sorting herbs, was a source of joy for the fluffy tom. It was a surprise to him just how easily it all came, and he often would mutter different things under his breath to ensure he wouldn't ever forget.

But even then, the mutterings slowed the longer he spent time with Muddythorn. The tom had been an amazing mentor, helping him with all of his questions and uncertainties. It seemed that just simply being exposed to the atmosphere that Muddythorn had shaped was all he needed to truly feel he knew what he was doing. Myrtleturtle had gotten to the point of being able to walk around the medicine den and name every herb with only a second or two of thought at most. He had never thought in a thousand moons that he would feel as happy as he did now.

At the call of his mentor's voice, he quickly spun around, pausing his sorting to listen. A bashful feeling warmed his chest, and he dipped his head in gratitude at the compliments that his mentor had offered. After all, he'd only simply ever followed what it was that Muddythorn asked of him. His shy feelings were quickly replaced by surprise at the notion of him earning his full medicine name. His jaw fell open, and for the first time since he'd been under the medicine cat's guidance, he felt at a true loss for words. Did he think he was ready? If Muddythorn did... surely, he would be? Letting the thoughts turn over in his mind for a moment, he finally gave a firm nod. "I think I'm ready... If you believe I'm ready Muddythorn, I would be honored to be a full medicine cat."

Muddythorn smiled at his apprentice's new found confidence, remembering when he himself had been in this position. At the time, he'd needed Beechfang to convince him he was ready. There was no moonstone, so the pair of cats could only stand in the den, the formal words of the ceremony feeling strange in such a familiar setting. But they had to get by with what they had. "I, Muddythorn, medicine cat of Skyclan, call upon our ancestors - wherever they may be - to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard and found his place in healing, and with your help will continue to serve his clan for many moons to come." He tried his best to remember the words of the ceremony, but was sure it wasn't perfect. It still, however, carried the same meaning. This was a life-long promise, one that was only broken in the rarest of circumstance.

"Myrtleturtle, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from rivalry between clan and clan and to protect all cats' lives equally, even at the cost of your life?" In many ways it was similar to the pledge made by new warriors, but it was a promise to all clans rather than just your own. To disregard clan rivalries after a lifetime of training to fight could be hard, but it was necessary to do.

It felt much like his apprentice and warrior ceremonies, in a way - sitting before the position of authority, breathing to calm his nerves of excitement and slight fear of the unknown future. But this was also different in so many ways. He wanted the future that was being offered to him with every fibre of his being. Listening intently, when it was time for him to respond, there was almost no hesitation from the younger tom. "I do." There was so much to the world of being a medicine cat he had fallen deeply in love with. The tom hoped StarClan would accept him whenever their passage to them once more opened up.

Morningstar had been passing by, intending to just ignore what was going on around him as he often did. At the mention of Starclan however, his attention was suddenly on Muddythorn and Myrtleturtle. There was a flash of something in his eyes, a mix of annoyance with a certain amount of... excitement? Skyclan had folded over so easily... so boringly easy upon his arrival. A bit of defiance was what he'd needed apparently. Still, he didn't have quite the motivation he once had to crush rebellion with lethal force. That would be too easy. Morningstar changed direction and closed the distance between himself and the medicine cat. Myrtleturtle... no. He would call him something not so annoyingly rhyme-y.

"Then by the powers of the Dark Forest, the only thing left in this world even remotely resembling the dead Starclan, I give you your Medicine Cat name, Myrtledove." He sneered his words, but there was danger in his eyes too. Muddythorn better not dare to overstep his authority. Morningstar waited to see what would happen next, tail twitching.