Turtlekit's Apprentice Ceremony

"Let all of those old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath Highrock for a clan meeting!"

A soft sigh escaped Acornstem as the words left her mouth, tail swishing in uncertainty of the task ahead of her. The large cats that ThunderClan had brought into their midst so many moons ago had finally brought about kits - large kits. More mouths to feed, but it would be more paws in the future once they were all apprentices and trained but... They...They were losing cats - the death of Cedarstalk being only the most recent and they already had their fair share of apprentices... It was going to be a challenge, finding mentors for all of them. But...That was all business for later when it was time for the others to be named apprentices - for now, she only had to worry about Turtlekit and she already had an answer in mind for his mentor.

Turtlekit had familiarized himself with the ceremonies of the Clan cats like any normal kit. The cats of ThunderClan had gotten used to their new, large Clanmates - well, some of them - and Turtlekit felt like he was settling into kithood well. He knew he’d become an apprentice at six moons, and he was pretty sure that was about now, but this ceremony could be for any of his siblings as well. The kit was starting to grow into his large paws, and managed not to stumble on his way to join the group of cats gathering before Acornstem.

As Turtlekit approached the gathering crowd, Acornstem couldn't help feel her nervousness settle into joy - for as strange as these...Rather large kits were, she knew they could easily be a blessing upon the Clan. It wouldn't do her any good to treat them any differently - they were cats after all. So she cleared her throat, straightening up as she let her gaze sweep across her Clanmates. "I've called you all here to celebrate and honor a kit who is ready to become an apprentice - Turtlekit, please step forward."

She waited a few heartbeats to let Turtlekit step to the front of the crowd before she continued on. "Turtlekit, you have reached the age of six moons and it is time for you to become an apprentice. From today until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Turtlepaw," she meowed - before her gaze landed on Curlyfluff.  "Your mentor will be Curlyfluff - I am assured he will teach you everything you will have to know," she meowed, giving the tom a nod. It wasn't going to be easy to be the first cat to mentor one of the larger apprentices but he was a thoughtful tom - careful with his words and actions. She hoped he would be a good guiding paw for Turtlepaw.

Aurelia's ear twitched at the now-familiar summons for a clan meeting. Acornstem had been observing the nursery, and she could almost feel the trepidation of the deputy at the prospect of finding mentors for all of the kits that had been born into the Thunderclan nursery recently. Turtlekit was the first of the wild cat's kits to be beckoned forward for an apprentice ceremony.

Turtlekit wasn't her own kit, but he was Hank's, and so Aurelia watched quietly from the sidelines. Were it up to her, she'd take her kits, Hank and Sleet's, and bring them far from the influence of the clan who seemed to find trouble around every other corner. But there was safety in numbers here, and she knew that Thunderclan's warriors would treat them well enough. Turtlekit became Turtlepaw, and Aurelia's eyes narrowed slightly at the unfamiliar name and face of the young cat's new mentor. She would be keeping an eye on all of them, her blood kits or not.