The future's in your paws. Shape it well.Roleplay in a cat Clan of warriors. Based off the Warriors series by Erin Hunter. Takes place in an AU before the cats in the books existed.
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Subject: Mothpaw's Warrior Ceremony Tue 27 Feb 2024 - 11:22
Perchstar ascended the branch again for another ceremony. These were easier duties than the ones that weighed down her every pawstep, but they did require her to be in the public eye. They required her to appear strong. So she had to remain neutral and calm as she began, hoping that the joy of another warrior would take pressure off of her for even a brief minute. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own fish gather for a Clan meeting," she called, allowing the familiar leaderly tone to slip over her like a camouflage.
Perchstar’s voice rang out, a break from the mindless chatter in camp. Mothpaw did not care for the war the she-cat had started - though her loyalties were untested, she did not understand. Or well, she had not until she thought about…If it had been a SkyClan cat that had taken her mentor. It was as though every waking moment spent without anything to keep herself busy with was spent replaying the same few moments. If she kept busy, there was no time to think - in doing so she had slowly started to wear herself out. In her tired and too quiet moments, Perchstar’s anger and grief had slowly begun to make more sense.
The tortoiseshell slowly emerged from the apprentice den with a sniff, finding her place beneath the Willow branch. A quiet greeting to familiar faces, though no excited chirps or gossip fell from her mouth. Instead her plumed draped tail over her paws, avoiding the eyes of her clanmates.
Perchstar's eyes caught hold of the apprentice when she joined the crowd. The last of Egretswoop's pair of apprentices. It was easy to see the shadows in her eyes and the mantle that hung tired around her shoulders. Certainly, Mothpaw hadn't had an easy time of it, especially recently. Hopefully with the war gone, and with this ceremony... that would change. "We gather to advance another apprentice to the rank of warrior. Mothpaw, please step forward." Once the apprentice did, she continued. “I, Perchstar, leader of RiverClan, call upon my Clanmates to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of the warrior code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn. Mothpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?”
Dovetail found his way to the crowd of cats, and blinked in welcome surprise when he saw that his fellow apprentice was finally getting her name. He'd been shocked, honestly, to have gotten his before her. She deserved it! Had she gotten to see Egretswoop at her Moonstone visit, too? In case she hadn't, he probably oughtn't to bring it up. But as the ceremony continued, an idea struck him. He went back into the warrior's den and grabbed the fox pelt from where it currently lined his nest. It no longer really smelled like Egretswoop, a fact that saddened him slightly, but it had begun to fit him better these days. He slipped it on and walked out to rejoin the crowds, anticipating the new name that would be given. If their mentor wasn't here to congratulate her... he'd just have to do it in her place.
Mothpaw. That was her name— oh, it was finally her time! Mothpaw’s ears perked at her name, unaware she gathered herself and started to approach Perchstar until she blinked, finding herself standing before the leader. So many words came out of her mouth at once - words she had heard countless times over, each slowly increasing the she-cat’s excitement. She rasped a quick tongue over her chest, trying to flatten a tuft of fur that wouldn’t quite sit right. Though her heart sat heavy, she had dreamt about her warrior ceremony for moons. About how it would be when it was finally her turn, anticipating her new name. How many cats had come into her life and left. Her mother, Drizzlepool, Egretswoop. Were they all watching, now? She hoped they were. Her paws began to tremble slightly in her excitement, her eyes straying for only a moment into the crowd as faces came to her mind.
As she did, a quiet gasp caught in the back of the tortoiseshell’s throat. A familiar pelt had caught her eyes; it made her grow cold, frozen. Her heart thud dully in her chest, staring out into the crowd.
It wasn’t her. She knew it wasn’t - she’d seen her…With her own eyes. It wasn’t possible to come back from that. Yet in a haze of shock and excitement with adrenaline pumping through her veins, it had taken her off guard. The paws and face were familiar underneath the fox. A sense of calm slowly washed over her as she realised it was Iron, the tom she had held in high regard, the closest she had to a brother figure. The last she had of their mentor. As she found comfort in the familiar presence, it was as though she had woken up from an awful dream. A slight weight had been lifted from her shoulders - and at that moment, she understood. Mothpaw knew who she would fight for. Her maw split into a genuine smile, slowly settling her attention back on Perchstar. Staring into the blue eyes of her leader, the tortoiseshell nodded tightly, with words that forever would seal her fate.
From her vantage point, Perchstar could also spot the fox pelt among the crowd of cats. She remembered with a pang how Egretswoop had worn it to her own ceremony, and almost caused the leader to jump out of her skin in shock. She was more used to the strange tradition now. But it appeared that even if the mentor couldn't be here in the flesh for her apprentice's ceremony, she was there in spirit. It soothed her aching heart momentarily, before she locked away the emotion so that it would not enable others. The sight at least appeared to give Mothpaw strength and, eyes burning, she made her vow. Perchstar gave a slow blink of approval. “Then I give you your warrior name. Mothpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Mothcloud. Your Clanmates honor your commitment and resilience, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan.” With that she leapt down, ending the ceremony by resting her muzzle on top of the newly named warrior's head. Then, with a nod of respect, she stepped back to allow others to celebrate.
Dovetail locked eyes with Mothpaw, noticing her moment of shock--as if she'd seen a ghost. Maybe he shouldn't have worn it? But it seemed he'd made the right decision after all. He answered her smile with one of his own, and a small nod. Toffee had made it. Egretswoop would be here if she could--and, in spirit, she was. She had earned her name. And when it was given, he called it out as loud as he had for his own siblings. "Mothcloud! Mothcloud!" He made his way forward and brushed against her shoulder with his own, allowing all three of their furs--Toffee's, Iron's, and Milk's fox pelt--to mesh together briefly. "You deserve it, Toffee," he said seriously. "She'd be proud of you, I know it."
