Crakepaw's Warrior Ceremony

Tigerstar wasn't happy, especially not with the news he received from his deputy regarding a certain apprentice's situation. It wasn't obvious what happened to the rest of the clan, but it was clear that one of their own got hurt, and that wasn't acceptable. The leader pushed his anger aside, and focused on what he was trying to accomplish on the Tall Rock today. Crakepaw had recovered enough for this moment. So the tom called out to his clan. "Let all cats old enough to run the moor gather underneath Tall Rock for a clan meeting!"

Something in Crakepaw had changed since that encounter on the border. Perhaps it was simply the fatigue of needing to heal, but she'd become much more reserved and to-herself. Even her siblings' promptings on what had actually happened were simply met with a, "I'm not ready to talk about it yet," but she still attended all her trainings. Did her duties. ... Of course, that was only once she'd been released to do so.

Hearing Tigerstar's call, the apprentice made her way among the crowd. She was extra careful not to let her still-tender shoulder brush against anything, lest the nerves sting with their wrath. Hope rippled beneath her pelt, but she was still quiet in her overall mannerisms as she looked to see just what the subject of his call was.

Tigerstar waited a moment for everyone to gather in their usual meeting spot. Green eyes scanning over every cat that approached making sure they aren't damaged in another mysterious case of border crossing. Eventually he spotted the star of the show, looking rather reserved this time. The pink of her scar still fresh and obvious to those who saw her. Stars.. How he wished to tear into Shadowclan's deputy for doing such a thing, but this wasn't the time or the place for it.

The striped tom let out a silence sigh, recollecting himself once again. "Today we are gathered to name a warrior. This she-cat did well to honor Windclan, and protect us even at the cost of a major injury." Tigerstar stated, looking over the crowd, before turning to look over to Crakepaw. "Crakepaw please come forward." Tigerstar sat down draping his tail over his paws before continuing.

"I, Tigerstar, leader of Windclan call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand your ways and I commend her to you was a warrior in turn. Crakepaw do you promise to uphold the code, and to defend and honor Windclan even at the cost of your life?" The leader waited her answer, but he was already certain he knew how she would respond.

Rapidpaw had done her best to try and be there for her sister after what looked to be a bad shoulder wound. However she wasn’t sure what being there for her meant. Perhaps giving her some room? She really didn’t know. At the meeting announcement she made a quiet mental note that daddy looked very angry as did Tigerstar. Whatever had happened clearly was an ongoing issue which made her shift nervously on her paws

Though she typically was at the back of the crowd playing games with her siblings as to whose ceremony it was, this time, the only eyes she found were that of her father. The set of green that matched the singular one of her own, and she blinked long and slow in greeting to him. She would return to her fiery passion at some point, but it was still hard for her to process such a drastic wound so young. Her promise had come upon the first time she'd stepped paw into Windclan's territory that she would defend it with her life, even going so far as to die for the lands... that was a promise she was still going to keep. No matter how many scars would litter her pelt and disturb the multiple splotches of tabby that she had been decorated with in an unpredictable array. Windclan was worth it.

As Tigerstar announced the purpose of the meeting, her folded ears twitched in hope. Her stomach was almost roiling at the mention of her actions, and for a moment, Crakepaw was almost bracing herself to be disappointed by another being called forward. She hadn't been as close to the other apprentices as she would have liked, but... then he said her name. It was her ceremony.

Taking careful strides forward, she at least looked to be moving normally, if not for the care that was required as she gently placed the paw connected to the otherwise easily-angered limb. Once in front of the crowd, she mimicked the leader's position, sitting and bringing her tail around her paws. Every single ceremonious word, she listened with intent ears, perked and turned right towards him. There was a warmth that prickled down her fur as she listened, and for just a heartbeat, she faltered into doubt. What about Heatherpaw, who was training just as hard as she was? What about Rapidpaw, who was right there alongside her in that mock battle? What about... what about Stoatpaw, her brother, who had just earned his apprentice name? Did she truly deserve her name at this point?

The moment his question was delivered to her, that doubt was shattered. No, she had shown through her actions that she would be a strong warrior for Windclan. "With every breath I take. I do." The molly declared, a glimmer of the wildfire-like conviction that she otherwise permanently exuded reaching her eyes for the first time in days.

Despite expecting her answer, the leader was still surprised by the she-cats conviction. They were raising a good generation of warriors. Dedicated to their clan and Tigerstar couldn't ask for more. They would do the best they could for the clan. "Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior name. Crakepaw from this moment on you will be known as Crakeburn. Windclan honors your tenacity, battle prowess, and passion you have shown your clan."

After he finished the ceremony, Tigerstar jumped down, resting his head on the she-cats. "Congratulations, and thank you for defending our borders." He told her quietly, getting in his own words before stepping back and letting others congratulate the new warrior.

Rapidpaw purred happily when her sister was called forward. She watched with eager eyes as Crakepaw took the oath. Moments later she was Crakeburn. The words of her mentor caught her ear... defending the border?

She shuffled again on her paws unsure of what all had happened but this was a clue... but which border? She tried her best not to think about all that and instead purred happily and ran over to be by her sisters side.

She gently nuzzled next to Soot as well in joining the congratulations to Crakeburn.

"good job sis!"

Upon finding out what had happened at the border, Heatherpaw's stomach had burned with an unusual fire. Anger was first. The injustice and cowardice of cats outside of Windcan was appalling. They seemed keen on keeping up wormbellied tactics. Second, came an odd jealously that made her pelt prickle. Every cat had their eyes on Crakepaw, the apprentice who had been tested in a border battle. Heatherpaw found herself wishing she was in her sister's paws, without the wounds, since her nearly pristine coat did not need to be marred. Egotistically so, the apprentice thought that if it was her, maybe she would have escaped with less.

The desire to press her sister about the incident was overwhelming but had been deflected at every turn. It bothered her to think that they were growing apart, especially since they had been sharing everything since kithood. All of their litter had remained close. Why change that now? At Tigerstar's call, the pale-furred molly padded towards the center of camp and settled down not too far off from Crakepaw. She didn't want to intrude, they could talk later. Instead, her icy blue gaze focused on the leader in anticipation of the news he was about to share with the clan. Her tail tip stopped twitching as the words came from his maw.

This was Crakepaw's warrior ceremony.

She froze in place and watched silently, slowly digesting what was happening. Her sister was becoming a warrior before she was, purely because of the fact she'd happened to stumbled into an enemy at the border. Frustration filled her up from her paws to the tip of her tail. Why didn't Tigerstar see that Heatherpaw was every bit as talented as Crakepaw? Without injuries, surely she was in better shape to fight as a warrior too. It dawned on the she-cat that perhaps she should have been like the rest of the kin, immediately joining in with jovial calls. Her throat was dry and her expression more neutral than anything.

Choking back the jealousy as the new warrior name rang in the air, Heatherpaw finally found enough grounding to joing in on the chorus of yowls, "Crakeburn!" She hated the sensation that had wormed itself into her stomach, one that only jabbed sharper as she proclaimed the reality that Crakeburn was now a warrior.

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Cloudypetal wasn't among the closest cats to Crakepaw, but she knew how much this meant to the little apprentice - well... Not so little anymore. She has been working hard, nonstop - even, to be something impressive. I guess you have a lot to live up to when your dad is the deputy. Cloudypetal thought, her whiskers twitching.

She failed to notice that Crakepaw acted differently at all, having assumed that anything off was hurt pride or domestic drama that she wouldn't understand. She knew she had to spend time with Daisyfang in the medicine den - but it seemed like a rite of passage for apprentices at this point. Crakepaw was outrageously reckless, hyper, and outgoing. When you consider that, it could have been anything, like getting snagged on a rock or failing to jump over the fence.

Regardless, Cloudypetal couldn't be happier to celebrate the apprentice's new name today! She yowled Crakepaw's new name to the sky.

Crakeburn! Crakeburn! Crakeburn!