Creampaw's Warrior Ceremony

Tigerstar had jumped up onto the Tall Rock, the call of his voice following shortly after. "Let all cats old enough to run the moor gather here for a clan meeting!" The tall striped leader didn't have a fur out of place this evening, his tail laid neatly around his paws. Today was important, and he wanted to look as such.

Viperpaw sat beneath the Tall Rock, fluffy tail draped lazily over her paws like she’d known there was about to be a meeting. She hadn’t of course, but the golden apprentice loved to look as clever as she felt. Sitting around, proud and tall, proved that she belonged in WindClan. That WindClan was hers, she knew everyone saw it. When her father spoke, her eyes were upon him, bright with admiration and hope that this could be her ceremony. She didn’t doubt it, Leopardwind was a warrior now, surely she was next. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Creampaw slither into the gathering cats. A look of disdain fell upon Viperpaw, and she was quick to make her way over to her denmate.

It was odd, she was finally given the choice to be away from the most loathsome cat in the entire forest and yet her paws were dragging her towards her. She truly didn’t want anything to do with Creampaw, but the way she was sat, the way she looked, the way she acted, the way she thought… [colour=#bcb300]ugh![/color] Viperpaw had to say something. She stood over the other apprentice, blocking both the sun and Tigerstar from her view, silhouetting herself in the sun’s rays. ”Do try and have some respect, Creampaw. Maybe sit up a little, look like you want to serve our noble clan. Imagine if today you became a warrior and you looked like… this.” laughed Viperpaw, gesturing to the entirety of Creampaw. She shook her head, and then did something even more unthinkable, she actually sat beside her. ”Obviously, it is not your warrior ceremony, but imagine it. So embarrassing. When i’m leader I won’t stand for behaviour like yours.”

Tigerstar watched as the crowd below him grew, noting one of his children in particular among the crowd. He flashed Vioerpaw a quick loving smile before turning to address the crowd. "Today we are gathered to name a warrior. After much discussion with the apprentices mentor, it is with honor that I ask this apprentice to step forward. Creampaw please come up to the Tall Rock." The striped leader stated, green eyes falling on said apprentice, who he was certain, was regretting her slight attitude right about now. No matter, she would still get her name if she agreed with the next words that he was about to speak.

"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 present her to you as a warrior in turn. Creampaw, do you promise to uphold the code, defend and honor Windclan even at the cost of your life?" It was a question he repeated often but that didn't mean it weighed any less. It was perhaps one of those most important questions he would ever ask anyone, and he looked forward to the answer every time regardless of repeated words.

Tigerstar gave a firm nod in response to the apprentice's answer, noting the exchange between the two apprentices. He couldn't hear what it was about but he was certain words were exchanged. Whatever it was, it wasn't important right now. "Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior name. Creampaw from this moment on you will be known as Creamlily. Windclan honors your tenacity. We welcome you as a full warrior of Windclan, congratulations."

With the words spoken, the leader jumped down to approach the new warrior, resting his head atop hers. A quiet "Congratulations," following shortly after. With that the striped tom stepped back so others could come congratulate the new warrior.

Creampaw’s voice had Viperpaw rolling her eyes as she began waffling foxdung. Obviously, it was nothing intelligent, she was hardly capable of stringing together anything thoughtful. ”Keep telling your-“ Without warning, the other she-cat was in her face, their foreheads pressed together. Electricity shot through Viperpaw, no one had ever stood to her like this, acted like they were equal to her or her siblings. Her blood ran hot, levelling her gaze with Creampaw as her chest expanded erratically. The golden molly’s lips curled back at her words, biting back a growl. For once, she couldn’t find her voice, and if she did she wasn’t sure what she would say. A meek, pathetic “That’s not true!” or something just as cruel as what Creampaw had uttered? If she could just find her voice, she’d take her apart, strip the insufferable apprentice of her ego and fire in front of the whole clan.

Just as she felt the thumping of her heart stabilise, and the jittering in her legs cease, her father called out for Creampaw. Of all the noises to make, a strangled cry escaped her throat. She broke away from Creampaw’s stare first to look at her father, his gaze was soft and loving upon her, yet hers was full of betrayal and hurt. How could he embarrass her like this? Did everyone feel the same as Creampaw? Was she useless and ill fit to be leader? Was that why she’d stayed behind while everyone else had charged ahead? She could feel tears pricking at the corner of her eyes, daring to fall and seal Creampaw’s victory. It was the brush of said cat’s tail under her chin that pulled her back to the dirt beneath her paws and the ceremony that was taking place. Viperpaw’s green eyes bored into Creampaw as she sauntered forward. The petty part of her, the one that wanted revenge and to put her where she belonged, was nagging her to lunge forward. To take Creampaw’s tail in her mouth and drag her back, having her fall tail over head in front of the whole clan.

But she didn’t move. The part of her that clung desperately to the fact Creampaw was wrong kept her rooted to the spot. She would be leader someday, she wasn’t useless and unlike her she actually had a shred of dignity. What would Tigerstar think if she did any of the things she longed to do? She couldn’t, she had to prove herself. Viperpaw swallowed thickly and resolved herself to silence letting the ceremony fold out, while she crushed the internal turmoil within her. The words of a nobody meant nothing, and she would not let them fester. As the clan began to chant Creamlily’s name she too joined in, before approaching the warrior. This was so far from over. ”Congrats on your name, Creamlily. It suits you because you’re as delicate and fragile as a flower and that’s why Auburnrain gave up on training you. She wasn’t going to say anything, because well she can’t, but she knew you were untrainable and there was just no point wasting anymore time on you.” mewed Viperpaw lowly her voice cool and even ”Don’t be surprised when you never receive an apprentice of your own, or remain in camp while the rest of us are called upon for important duties. WindClan only needs one flower, and we don’t want our beautiful flower getting trampled on during a border skirmish or torn apart by a predator, they care so little for pretty fragile things.” She smiled, and then gave herself over to being petty, letting her tail trail over Creamlily as she swiftly departed the growing crowd.

Rapidfire joined the ceremony at Tigerstar's call. She watched her daughter get called up for her warrior name.

A tinge of sadness passed over her- her kit had grown so fast and was now a warrior. She fully realized she had been so busy with deputy things that she had missed a lot of Cream's younger days.

Well.... welcome to being kit of the deputy she supposed, her father was the same way over-working himself to an early grave.

She glanced momentarly at her paws, was she any better? Here her kit was becoming a warrior and the two of them had hardly had any time together since Cream had been a kitten.

IT was what it was and that was that. She smiled a bit at the new name Tigerstar picked out, Creamlily had a nice sound to it.

She cheered on her daughter -

"Creamlily! YEAHHH!"

as she approached to go see her, Viperpaw and Creamlily seemed to be engaged in some sort of banter but even with tilted ears she couldnt pick out any of what was going on over the sound of the meeting.

By the time she had gotten over to Creamlily Viperpaw had gone away, it was probably nothing, appretnices seemed to always race to become warrior.

The all were running to the warrior rank as fast as they could she just hoped they got to live a bit as apprentices as well

"Congrats my daughter... I'm sorry we havent had as much time as I would have liked, perhaps a hunt soon in celebration of your new name"

Rapidfire's curled ears flicked a bit and she gazed at her daughter unsure of how to deal with that snarky reply exactly.

Well... I ended up just like you dad, distant from my kits bound by duty... are you proud of me?
she thought just as snarkily about her father Soot.

was he watching over her now? Did he roll in his grave seeing the same fits of destiny play out on her like it had on him?

Even though she was distant from him due to how much time he had overworked himself she hadnt ever remmebered feelign bitter towards him, at least not like what Cream held towards her apperently.

It was her own fault she knew and she gave a slight nod

"I suppose you are right" was all she said in response.

She would be putting herself on Cream's hunting, she vowed it to herself. She would do everything she could to be there now for Cream even if it was late - She would be better for her kits than her father was for her... at least she would try to be, so far it seemed duty had bound both her and her father in chains