Berrykit's Apprentice Ceremony

This wasn't camp, and the low-hanging branch she stood on was no tallbranch, but it would do for now. They had set up a temporary shelter the night before, the clan huddled close for warmth under these unfamiliar skies. The pale light of dawn was slowly pushing back the darkness that shrouded them, and Wolfblossom had been determined to get this ceremony started early, to allow mentor and apprentice to have a little time before the day's travel began.

"Let all Skyclan cats old enough to climb a tree gather before me for a clan meeting!" She called, the modification of her usual call made her remember those first few ceremonies she had conducted when the clan lived in fourtrees... She dearly hoped that Skyclan would be back among their own forest sooner rather than later, but for now, this was what they had.

Berrykit realized this was her ceremony. She plastered a smile across her face and sprung herself onto the temporary tallbranch. This branch may have not been as sturdy nor as tall as the usual one, but it would work. She dipped her head in respect to the deputy before facing the bunch of cats in front of her, waiting for her mentor to be revealed. She was quite unsure how often she could train, judging how they were travelling in a group. Though, she was sure they might have stopped to rest at some point so they could send out hunting patrols or for other important stuff. She was lost in thought herself, but still focusing on the ceremony. After all, it was her ceremony

The deputy smiled softly as the kit leapt onto the makeshift tallbranch with her. She was glad to be doing a ceremony, glad to see their clan growing despite the recent famine and the journey they were now on, though worry also clouded her normally warm expression.

"I guess I don't have to tell you to step forward, Berrykit." Forcing the worry aside, Wolfblossom began to speak, "You have reached the age of six moons, and it is time you become an apprentice. Until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Berrypaw. Your mentor will be Mintglade. She is a newer warrior, but I trust her to teach you everything she knows despite the unusual circumstances we are in." She had noticed that Beechfang had taken an interest in the newly-named apprentice as well, and among the crowd spotted her mother's scarred face watching. She seemed pleased by Berrypaw's mentor being her former apprentice, and Wolfblossom thought the young apprentice would be in good paws with Mintglade to train her.

Berrykit blinked in joy! She got a mentor! She quickly leaped down from the makeshift tallbranch and into the huddle of cats, the joy ruffling her fur. She would be sure to train as much and as hard as she could to become a warrior and make Mintglade proud. She searched across the territory, mostly unknown to her, in an attempt to find her new mentor. Then they could keep walking in pursuit of their quest to find proper shelter to be able to hunt again.

Mintglade had been exhausted by the journey. What cat wouldn't be? The announcement of reprieve to rest had certainly come in her favor, and she had been more than thrilled to take the time to rest. Her paws ached, her joints yowled their distaste, her stomach continued to rumble. But there was hope. Hope of finding something better, new, and peaceful for Leafbare.

Her ear flicked at Wolfblossom's call, forcing herself to rise with a small wince as she moved. Senior warriors didn't show their pain as easily as Mintglade did, but she had always wore her emotions and feelings on her fur. It took minimal effort to know how she felt. Stars, she volunteered it most of the time. Blinking a couple of times as she listened, it took a moment to realize it was a ceremony. Part of her felt bad. Such ceremonies were sacred and should have been conducted in camp. But on the other paw... imagine being able to tell your future kin that your ceremony was in such a unique place! It was that specialty that Mintglade decided to focus on as she listened.

Berrykit, now Berrypaw, who was apprenticed to-wait. Apprenticed to her? Gawking for just a moment in surprise, her features quickly changed as it was nervousness that replaced them. Was she even qualified to be a mentor? Could she do right by Berrypaw, when she felt she was still learning things from Beechfang? Instinctively, she looked for her former mentor out of need for guidance. But that wouldn't matter or help her now. Forcing the excitement to be her focus, she moved through the crowd to her new apprentice, and reached her head down to touch her nose to Berrypaw's. "Congratulations, Berrypaw. Usually... you would start training in the morning. But as we are journeying now, we will begin soon, and I will teach you along the way. For now, we should celebrate, yes?" She purred. At the same time, though, the question ran through her mind.

Beechfang... How in the stars-blasting name do I be a mentor? Can I even do this?