Wolfkit's Apprentice Ceremony

The grey she-cat walked towards Tallbranch as the sun began to rise over the land.  The day was warm, much to Ashstorm's disliking, with her long coat making the heat nearly unbearable.  The worst as that she knew that the days would continue to get warmer.  She slowly made her way over and climbed the tree.

"Let all cats gather at Tallbranch for a clan meeting, please!" She exclaimed.

Wolfkit was all but vibrating with excitement as Beechfang held her still with a paw. Her aunt, the deputy, was calling a clan meeting, and Wolfkit had heard the talk even as the queens thought she wasn't listening. She was excited for the ceremony that just had to be hers, and was refusing to acknowledge the flutter of nervousness in her chest as she gazed up at the tallbranch. Beechfang briskly smoothed a strand of unruly flyaway fuzz at the top of Wolfkit's head. Her kits were going to look presentable for their apprentice ceremonies whether they wanted to or not. Wolfkit ducked, giving the queen an impatient glare, though reluctantly forced her paws to stay still. If the older cats could delay her ceremony for misbehaving, she didn't want to find out.

"Wolfkit, please step forward." She called out to the kit.

"You have reached the age of six moons and are now ready to become an apprentice.  From today until the day you finish your training and become a warrior you will be known as Wolfpaw.  Your mentor will be Ravenclaw." She nodded towards her sister.  "She is a strong, talented warrior who I'm sure will train you well."

She nodded congratulations to the new apprentice and then hopped down from Tallbranch.

Ravenclaw hadn't trained an apprentice in quite awhile, but she still remembered when she got her first apprentice: Birdpaw. A pang went through her heart for the children that hadn't been hers. They were gone now, for so long that sometimes she forgot they were even there. She remembered now, though, and it hurt. Shaking it off, she came over and gently touched her muzzle to Wolfpaw's head. "I'm sure you'll make SkyClan proud, Wolfpaw."

Wolfkit stepped forward as her name was called, her tail twitching in excitement. The ceremony was over in the blink of an eye, Wolfkit was now Wolfpaw, and a dark she-cat was stepping out of the crowd of gathered cats and padding over. Ravenclaw was her aunt, she knew, though she hadn't seen much of the older warrior before. There was something in Ravenclaw's eyes that Wolfpaw couldn't place, but then she spoke, touching her nose with Wolfpaw's in greeting, and Wolfpaw dismissed it. "I hope so," She mewed in response. She was excited to finally start training rather than sitting around the nursery all day.

---

Beechfang offered mentor and new apprentice a small smile. Ravenclaw had trained Birdsong too, when Beechfang had failed her. Failed them both. She knew her sister would teach Wolfpaw well. Don't let her make the same mistakes I did, she thought.