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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Characters : [P]oppyshine; [Pi]neblossom; [L]arkspring; [Wi]llowwisp; [R]ashoumon; [B]lazekit Clan/Rank : RC T5 Deputy; SC T5; RC T5; RC T5; Rogue T1; WC App Number of posts : 3162 Gender : Any Pronouns Age : 26
Subject: Duckpaw's Warrior Ceremony Tue 4 Jun 2024 - 15:35
POPPYSTAR
Just stop your crying...
Poppystar knew that Duckpaw had struggled for a long time. They always had trouble with their energy and then their problems only continued with trouble in the forest, their mentor’s passing, Littlesplash’s death…It was a lot, and they had been an apprentice for longer than most. Poppystar did not want to keep them there. Even though they struggled with their fatigue, they were a wonderful apprentice and would make a wonderful warrior too. Perchstar had thought so too, and mentioned their idea for Duckpaw’s warrior name in passing before she had died. Poppystar figured that was as much of a sign as any.
She jumped up onto the Willow Branch and turned out to face her clan. Her ears buzzed. While there was not much difference in performing these ceremonies compared to when she was still a deputy, it still left her feeling tingly all over.
“Let all cats old enough to catch their own fish gather for a Clan meeting.” Her eyes swept through the crowd and caught Duckpaw’s eye when she saw them.
Duckpaw had been sleeping - not by choice, mind you, but from another random dose of exhaustion. It had come out of nowhere, sending them to pad into the shade of some reeds for their nap... Before they slowly stirred just in time to hear Poppystar's call. They blinked a few times, raising their head as they spared a glance at the sky. The sun had barely moved from when sleep had taken them and yet...They felt as good as new. Another vexing part of their situation...
They shook their head as they pushed themselves to their paws, padding towards the gathering crowd of cats as they took stock of who was there. A ceremony? Likely, nothing notable had happened to call a normal Clan Meeting as far as they were aware unless they had slept through something terrible in the last sunrise or two... But as their gaze swept around the crowd, they froze as they found a pair of eyes staring straight at them. Poppystar herself. A ceremony, it had to be a ceremony and if she was looking at him...?
What should have been excitement was instead dread as they stared at the leader, mouth parting before they swallowed. No, this had to be wrong - maybe she had just...Just seen them wake up from their nap or something. It couldn't be for them! They....
But it was for them. Poppystar dipped her head for Duckpaw to move forward, and she lifted her head up high again. “Duckpaw, you have been an apprentice for many moons. You have learned and grown greatly. Perchstar thought so too. I am in agreement with her notion before her passing that you are ready to take your first steps as a warrior.”
She thought Duckpaw looked a little nervous before her. She was confident in them, though. Even if they were nervous or had less confidence, Poppystar would show that she believed in them. “I, Poppystar, leader of RiverClan, call upon the stars and warriors before us to look on this apprentice. They have trained hard to learn the ways of our clan and the Warrior Code, and I commend them to the stars as a warrior.” She focused in on Duckpaw again and her expression softened from the face of a leader giving a ceremony to more of a clanmate; a friend. “Duckpaw. Do you promise to uphold the code and defend and honor RiverClan, even at the cost of your life?”
Oh no. At the mention of their name, Duckpaw had to hold back from visibility wincing. No, no, this was wrong. They weren't ready to become a warrior - but of course Poppystar didn't know that, the truth of their shame was well-hidden. It was impossible to hide their notion for naps, but they could only hope it came off as just a standard exhaustion and not...Not something that they couldn't control, that vexed them every day. Them? A warrior? They would be RiverClan's weakest link, a reason for the other Clans to upturn their noses at them...
They...They...
They wanted this. Oh how they wanted this. To lean into the idea that they were normal, even for a day - to be more than an eternal apprentice after all of these moons. To get to be okay, for how little it lasted. Their stomach was a pit, torn in two by their despair of being the center of the Clan's attention and their joy that all of this time had finally meant something. They took a few more nervous steps forward as Poppystar went on, before the question was asked - were they ready to give everything to the Clan?
The answer came out quicker than they could have expected - "I...I do," they uttered, before blinking in their own surprise. While was torn as they were, they felt certain in that statement. With everything they had, they would do what they could to protect their Clan. But if their body would allow it...It was a different question - but that wasn't what was asked. They would do everything, even if a poorly timed exhaustion spell meant... The flicker of hope was smothered with that thought, fear clawing at their throat but it was too late - the words had been spoken.
They had begged hope from Littlesplash for numerous reasons, but the biggest one was...They didn't want this Star-forsaken exhaustion being the death of them. A-At this point they would rather die awake and aware than during a nap that they couldn't control, even if it would be easier. Doubt was pricking at their pelt, their brief certainty in giving the answer all but gone as everything that they had been fighting the last moon or two was rising in their throat like bile. But there was nothing that could be done now, they just had to wait for their warrior name to be uttered...
Poppystar smiled at Duckpaw when their answer was given. It had been a long time coming, but finally, Duckpaw would earn their warrior name and join the ranks. She understood if there were nerves or uncertainty in Duckpaw’s response. It had been a long time coming, but the obstacles in that path had made it a difficult journey, and she knew that Duckpaw still struggled with bouts of exhaustion. It sometimes felt like they were pulled along without their choice, to whatever place their body had chosen for them. Poppystar had only spoken to Littlesplash once and he had theorized that it was something out of their control. That would be no reason to hold them back.
“Then I grant your warrior name. Duckpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Duckfeather.” So too could a bird’s feather be tossed in any which way depending on where the breeze chose to blow. It was hard to control, to a frightening degree sometimes. But a feather as still beautiful. And just as in a bird, a feather is one of many that work together to shield and make up a bird’s wings. Duckfeather would not be alone in their journey as a warrior. They had so many cats to help support them, and they in turn would support the clan. It was a beautiful name that Perchstar had suggested, and Poppystar was more than happy to carry it on to the warrior themself. “Your clanmates honor your perseverance and flexibility, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan.”
Poppystar moved down from the Willow Branch and rested her muzzle on Duckfeather’s head. She pulled back and smiled at them. Under the voice of cheers from their clanmates, she murmured, “The first step into warriorhood can be frightening. If you ever need anything, I am here.”
