Brightkit's Apprentice Ceremony

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

The standard call that marked the starting of a ceremony was one tinged with a wince of pain - Acornstem's stomach clawing at itself in protest at how little food she had managed to eat the last few sunrises. It was all by her choice of course - the Clan was ever growing. New kits, apprentices gaining their warrior names... More mouths to feed and mouths that needed more food so she was willing to give up what she could to see her Clanmates thrive in this harsh season...But her body wasn't so accepting of the sacrifice that she was willing to make. But she had to carry on - she wasn't the only one of her Clanmates who was making these hard choices and she had her responsibilities to focus on. Like now - it was time for young Brightkit to finally become an apprentice.

There was guilt prickling at her pelt, wishing that Brightkit was growing up in a better season - the lack of food would mean his apprenticeship would be far from easy and more predators seemed to lurk in the territory as they also were forced to desperate measures for their next meal... She shook her head - no it wasn't time to focus on what could be but instead to focus on what was in front of her now. Her job - a ceremony that was to be done.

Brightkit was snoring away in the nursery, but his ears perked up at the sound of his name, and he skidded out of the nursery, his face one of joy. He felt the usual sunlight shine against his fur as he mewed, "Coming!" He trotted towards the Highrock and jumped atop it, sitting near Acornstem, smiling. It was a bright, sunny day, one perfect for an important ceremony like this. But he noticed Acornstem's troubled expression. Trying to calm himself down a bit (after all, it was leaf-fall, and the clan was half-starving), he definitely wasn't eager for leaf-fall.

It was just a few minutes of awkward silence before he stared up at her, waiting for her to tell him who his new mentor would be. His golden pelt puffed in excitement. It was the big moment, and his new mentor was about to be chosen! He couldn't keep the calmness he usually held, and felt his tail rise up while waiting for the answer to his question: who would his mentor be? Finally, the query tugging at his fur would be off his chest.

Bluepaw grinned a bit and settled in quickly after the call of a meeting came and watched eagerly also very curious to see who would become Brightkit's mentor. He wondered if they could soon get to be able to train with one another.

Bluepaw really liked hunting a lot but he always dreaded any spars or fighting. He still hadn't really managed to catch anything beside practice leaves that Goldenfern had set up for him but he hoped that soon he would be able to get another shot, perhaps this time Brightpaw and him could both get their real first catches together on the same hunt! That would be a great story he thought to himself.

His mind shifted back to the present as he watched eagerly to see what the deputy would say next.

Brightkit having so much energy despite everything... Acornstem couldn't help but purr at the sight as he came bounding across the clearing, taking his seat as he waited. She watched as the Clan gathered, before she raised her head. "I have called you all here today because despite our recent hardships, we have a reason to celebrate - another kit has reached the age of six moons," she meowed, doing her best to keep her voice strong as she spared a glance down at Brightkit with a smile.

"Brightkit, please step forward." Waiting the few heartbeats for him to do so, she spared a glance around the gathered cat. It hadn't been easy to make the choice of who would mentor the young kit - their apprentices still rivaled their warriors in sheer numbers but... "Brightkit, you have reached the age of six moons and are old enough to become an apprentice," she said, smiling softly. "From this moment on, you will be known as Brightpaw. Your mentor will be Vinecrawler - he might be a newly named warrior but I have no doubt he will be an excellent mentor," she finished as she glanced towards the young warrior.

She felt bad - it was unfair for her to give such a new warrior an apprentice like this but she saw little other recourse. Many of their warriors had apprentices of their own or had recently had one...And with the dangers that the forest now held with the increase of predators...She felt the safety place that Brightpaw could be was under the watchful eyes of their first... feral warrior, thought she still felt unsure on that 'name.' Vinecrawler was a new warrior, but his size and bloodline meant that he would be a threat to anything that lurked within their territory. He would do an excellent job at teaching Brightpaw but also keeping her safe in this uncertain time, she was sure.

Even Brightkit—now Brightpaw—knew Vinecrawler was a fairly new warrior. Even an unknowing kit was surprised at the deputy's choice. He merely nodded and leaped off the rock in search of Vinecrawler, his eyes still showing his shock. He gave a warm smile to Bluepaw as he searched for his new mentor, his golden pelt still shining as always. Well, at least he got a mentor, the scrawny tom thought.

Mother Tongue
Forest Tongue

The lack of proper food may have made the tom skinnier than he should have been, but it hadn't hindered his growth: the feral tom stood well above his peers as he made his way to greet Brightpaw. He was just as surprised as any other cat in the crowd that not even a sunrise had passed and he was given an apprentice of his own. A scrawny one, at that. "We will start training immediately." Was all he said before touching noses with golden tom.

He would make sure this cat fought like a feral and not weakly as a forest cat.