Bare Necessities of Life [open]

The fluffy Tom was a chatty thing on the way home from the Moonstone. He had a new name and had while he had woken up crying, he felt euphoric. He had done it! He was a medicine cat! He couldn’t help but put a skip in his step on their way back and before he knew it he was pushing himself through the bramble tunnel that led to camp, “Comfreyheart! Acornstem! I got my name!” He cheered, waving his tail, nearly jumping with excitement as he called his loved ones to him.

The same feeling he had felt with Pricklebush returned, the happiness, the kind that made your head dizzy and your limbs numb - like nothing could stop you. “I’m Echosong!” Happy tears pricked at the corners of his eyes.

Cats had always said that apprenticeship was the time for you to grow into your pelt, become who you were meant to be. During his own apprenticeship he had never felt that way. Yet when he stood in the center of camp with his clan that he called his family - he felt like he had truly found himself.

The first to greet him was Thrushnose, the tom congratulated him and while he hadn't spoken often to the warrior, he was very appreciative. Then his dear friend Sageroot came over and he returned the gesture, "Thank you guys!" he purred. Just as he stepped away from them, looking at the crowd around him and murmuring his thank yous, he heard his dearest and closest friend and he just about burst into tears.

The tom chuckled, "I finally caught up." he mused, thinking of the same thing she was. Their divergence of paths had caused them to gain their full names at different paths and now the two friends had finally caught up to each other. Deputy and medicine cat. Echosong often thought about their new ranks within the clan. It was amusing how the friends had grown up to be the deputy and a medicine cat. While he never would've guessed they would become anything beyond warriors, Echosong hoped he would be at Acornstem's side from now if she became leader and beyond. As a forever friend and as a colleague the tom could see them sharing tongues in Starclan and guiding future generations of Thunderclanners. "Thank you, Acornstem."

Before he could say anything more his mother's voice cut through the crowd and he raced towards her, nearly tackling the dark-furred molly, "Momma. I did it.." he cried happily. He had come a long way from the paint-covered kitten brought into camp by Comfreyheart. Who would've known that the small, scruffy-looking kitten with the strange dialogue would become the strong and skilled medicine cat that he was today? In truth, even he was impressed.