Fuzzkit's Apprentice Ceremony

Fourtrees felt suffocating as the deputy traversed it, keeping his head low as he weaved back and forth through the crowds. Smallbean was on his way to the base of the Great Rock for an apprentice ceremony. He couldn't help but feel bad for the kits who were robbed of a ceremony in their own camp, who were forced to become apprentices in the company of all five clans. An anger toward the twolegs bubbled up through his paranoia, then shrunk again with a sigh. At least this could be something for Windclan to celebrate in their situation.

Taking his place at the base of the rock, he prepared to summon his clan. He missed the view he had from the Tallrock. "All of Windclan, gather below the Great Rock for a clan meeting."

Seeing as though he hadn't been able to experience WindClan's original camp yet, he could only imagine what it looked like. Some of the other apprentices had been downcast about not being able to rank up in their true home, but to him he didn't mind at all, since this had technically been his home since day one.

Munching on a rabbit from the freshkill pile that sat near the Great Rock, Fuzzkit's ears perked at the sound of Smallbean's voice. As he grew, he'd been getting more acquainted with who was who as far as WindClan went, and was personally glad that he wasn't required to remember the rest of the clan's cats. There were just too many in one place right now and he didn't really care who anyone else was, especially if he didn't need to know.

Taking another bite, he kept his gaze towards the deputy. Part of him was curious as to what the news might be today, but he also wasn't that interested. As long as he got to keep eating, everything was right in the world.

For the moment, Silverwing was still in Windclan's care, the least she could do was attend the meeting that Smallbean had called. Maybe it would be bad news, that would be lovely to get out of the way immediately. Silverwing sat near the back of the crowd, trying to keep her distance as much as possible in case... What was that? A tiny, er, massively tiny kit? He was a kit, that much was clear, but he was absolutely packing that rabbit back, actually he looked like the size of three rabbits (maybe more?), was that normal? He wasn't nearly as cute as Russetpaw or Sleepypaw, but a single thought came to her, the same one that came every time she saw a kit. No! Don't do it, you won't be here long anyways, no point in getting attached to another kit! Even as she thought it, Silverwing's paws had lead her to the oversized kit. Big, stars he was big for a kit! Her thoughts continued to force her paws, and Silverwing reached out to squash the little ball of fat. So squishy! Ah, she could almost feel the mass of negative thoughts retreat as she squished the kit. He was sitting with Windclan, did that mean he was part of the clan? She had never seen him around camp before though, and she knew every kit in Windclan. "Hey there little- um, big one?" How did you talk to a kit of this size?

"Fuzzkit?" Smallbean paused, frantically looking back and forth, eyes eventually landing on the kit. It was much more difficult to find cats in a crowd from ground view, especially considering his height. "Fuzzkit, please step forward." He waited until the kit had separated from Silverwing - which was strangely coincidental, considering that Silverwing was the cat he had in mind for Fuzzkit's mentor. At least he knew they were getting along well so far.

From this point on, he didn't have to improvise words, he could use the same lines he'd used back at camp.  "You have now reached the age of six moons and are ready to become an apprentice. From now until you become a warrior, you will be known as Fuzzpaw. Your mentor will be Silverwing. I trust that she will pass down all she knows to you. " Awkwardly stepping forward, he quietly cheered for Fuzzpaw. Something just felt so off about celebrating a new apprentice in the presence of every other clan.

Russetpaw, having ascertained that Fuzzkit was not trying to steal prey from some other Clan’s prey pile (even though that wasn’t her job and she doubted it was strictly necessary, she didn’t want to get Sleepypaw in trouble), came over and sat near Smallbean. Near-ish- she knew this wasn’t her ceremony, Shrikestar would do that! And maybe, maybe a little part of her thought that she maaaaaybe wasn’t quite ready yet…

Oh wait, it was Fuzzbutt’s ceremony! With a giggle that she didn’t quite keep to herself, Russetpaw listened to Smallbean- who seemed to have lost the kit for a moment, heh. He was a funny deputy- were deputies supposed to be this funny? She doubted it- but hey, at least he wasn’t Nightstar-levels of scariness.

Wait, what?

Russetpaw’s jaw dropped in a frankly amusing manner. What?!? Silverwing was her mentor, not Fuzzkit’s! She- no- this wasn’t supposed to happen! She looked up at Smallbean, utter betrayal writ large across her face. What- why??? Was she not good enough- no, that couldn’t be it, there was no way she was worse than Fuzzkit. Her pelt stood on end as she looked at the grey kit.

No.

She was not going to let this ‘kit take her mentor.

The russet-pelted apprentice turned and stalked off. She’d talk to Sleepypaw, later, maybe she’d have some ideas- but no. No, no no no no no. This was not how this worked.

Oblivious to the current happenings around him, he didn't even notice the she-cat come up to him until she poked his side. Turning his gaze to her with too large of a bite of rabbit in his mouth, he worked on swallowing it down so that he could say hello, but before he could do so, his name was called. Perking his fuzzy grey ears, he looked back up to the deputy. He wanted him? So much for eating in peace, he supposed.

Grabbing what was left of his meal, he did his best to drag it up with him, not willing to leave it for some other cat to possibly snatch. Finishing the bite that he'd been working on, he turned and looked up to Smallbean. So this was his apprentice ceremony, that made more sense now. Silverwing... wasn't that the she-cat that had just prodded him?

Looking back to his new mentor as the gathering cats cheered his name, he tilted his head and blinked before opening his maw to speak. "Got snacks?" the plump apprentice asked simply. Being an apprentice would be lots of work for himself, but hopefully she had what it took to be his mentor...