Apprentice Ceremonies

[Snowstar]

The dark clouds hanging low on the horizon made for a rather dreary air about the day. The only good side to the weather, it seemed, was that it wasn't utterly freezing and wasn't raining. On the other hand, Snowstar thought gloomily, it didn't seem that it would be long until water came pouring from the sky, not with the clouds looking as they did.

The one good thing about the horrible weather was that most Thunderclanners had chosen to stay in or near camp. Scanning the camp, he silently deduced that enough cats were in camp to make the meeting he planned on calling worthwhile. Silently he turned his head towards the nursary, a somewhat warm look crossing his face and he wondered what the kits were doing now, as well as if the kit was ready yet. This would be his first ceremony, as leader, where he would name Starkit -- soon to be Starpaw. The leader could help but be a little exited and a happy expression flashed across his face for a mere moment.

The leader jumped atop the Highrock, gaze sweeping the clearing once more. Satisfied, he yowled, "All cats old enough to catch their own prey please gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" He still wasn't quite used to the call, as he hadn't been Leader for more more then a few sunrises.

Sitting back on his haunches, the tom waited for his Clan to gather, silently pairing up soon-to-be apprentice and mentors, as if unsure that his choice was the right one.

[Moonstorm]

Starkit padded back with Slagar, focusing solely on the mouse she was carrying back and the warmth of the warrior beside her. Above her, the rays of luminous sun were diluted; grey clouds covered the mist that had enveloped the Great Sycamore. The last few tendrils of milky ivory curled around her strong, almost elegant legs, urging her on, whispering that something great was about to occur.

Shooting a glance up at the warrior, a smile passed over her maw. He was again lost in thought, his paws carrying him the distance his mind was not aware of. She gave him a slight nudge, jolting him back into his body just as he was about to paw straight into a stocky birch. With an amused shake of her head, she padded a few pawsteps, and then stopped and looked back to make sure he was still with her. He was.

They walked on in silence, contemplating the morning as well as what had just occurred. Silence was its own sound, and both cats were grateful to hear it.

When the camp came into view, it became apparent that cats were beginning to gather for a meeting. Starkit’s heart jolted. Had she counted wrong? Could today possible be the day? Thoughts urged her into a sudden sprint, tilting her head slightly in a command to hurry.

She arrived in camp abruptly, breath coming in strangled gasps. She dropped her mouse in the fresh-kill pile, and then joined the gathering of cats. She gazed up at their leader, hope pooling in her eyes. A rustle at her side indicated a presence next to her, but her eyes were completely riveted on Snowstar, who stood warily above them. She waited, waited for him to say the words she’d been hoping to hear her entire life.

[Flintpelt [Spideh]]

A slim warrior was the one who had come to sit himself down beside the growing kit. His stormy gray pelt was streaked with whites and blacks of such a wide range that anyone watching could have thought he was made entirely out of simple stripes, excepting his belly, which was instead of a grayscale hue a soft creamy color blotched with dark, earthy brown. He, like Starkit, the young feline beside him, was also excited, though for different reasons. He knew that today was the day when either the Deputy would be chosen or apprentices would be made, and he was eager to know the answer to his tumbling questions. Who were the kits who would become apprentices this day? Who was going to mentor them? Since he had arrived inside the Clan and witnessed an apprenticeship ceremony, he had been wishing to get one of these playful felines as an apprentice, but the occasion had never presented itself. But now... now worries were appearing. Wouldn't his love in Firen get in the way of the tiny kit's apprenticeship? And his dreams... wouldn't those bother the lessons? Now he wasn't so sure about it, but something deep in his heart, he knew, kept on desiring this honor... to become a mentor and teach a young cat all it needed to know to become a full warrior, one that all would respect. A dream, however simple or strange it may be, could always be realized, and he was intent on taking that particular thought out. He may have been born a rogue, and lied that he was a loner, but it didn't mean in the least that he wasn't loyal to his Clan. He may have been an outsider, no one could say he had betrayed the others, insulted them, scorned them in any way possible. It was quite the opposite, actually. What a strange world. The cats who chased off rogues and loners because these made fun of them and hated them gave exactly the same treatment to any cat who had come from the outside and been accepted by the leader. And he was not the only example. Firen was also one from out there, except that all knew she was a rogue, the one difference between himself and her. Maybe if no one had found out... she wouldn't be the same. But that would be worse, no? He loved her just as she was, no questions asked.
Seeing he was coming off on a different train of thought, he gathered his attention back together nad stared upwards again, towards Snowstar, the new leader.

[Shadepelt]

[[Gah, I had almost finished then my computer froze! Gotta start again now.]]

Paw over paw, padded through the bramble tunnel that was the entrance to ThunderClan camp, pheasent clamped tightly in his strong jaws. As he emerged from the brambles, his golden orbs widened slightly as he took in the sight of his clan gathering below the Highrock, Snowstar perched upon the great stone. Cursing quietly underbreath, the tom quickened his pace to a hurried trot toward the fresh-kill pile, deposited his catch, then rushed toward the growing mass of cats. Muscles tenced at the number in one spot, he quickly picked his way toward where he had spotted Starkit.
As he settled in beside his young friend, he slightly moved his head toward his left, to see who else he was sitting by. It was a tom, and his pelt seemed to be a foundation of grey, but with all the black and white stripes, it was hard to tell. The flame-pelted warrior was sure his name was Flintpelt, one warrior he had hardly ever saw. Well, Slagar hardly saw any warrior, as he was afraid what they would do to him after Autumnpaw. He bowed his head quickly as a polite and friendly gesture, and meowed a greeting to his clanmate.
"Hello Flintpelt, lovely day isn't it?"
The warrior almost winced at the small-talk, but he really didn't have much else to say, for he didn't talk that much.
Ears pointed toward the grey tom, waiting for a reply, while his oculars were directed toward his leader, waiting for his announcment.

[Flintpelt [Spideh]]

The tensed feline jumped in surprise as Slagar's words reached his pricked audits, cranium swivelling with a speed close to that of a descending hawk [and thankfully not cracking loudly this particular time, as it always seemed to do] to face the cat who had spoken. He hadn't yet met the tom who had decided to sit on the other side of the kit ready to be apprenticed beside him, but could still recognize the orange tabby hues from somewhere deep in his memory, and so concluded that he had seen the male around the camp, or perhaps glimpsed him hunting, and just retained the information that he had a flame-hued coat and deep yellow oculars. Or maybe it was a simple illusion from being around Firen and her own blazing pelt for three fourths of his time, the last fourth being of the time when he hadn't even met her yet.
"Umm... yes?"
His reply, as always to a question as simple as the one the tabby had asked, was awkward and not truly ready [as well as sounding questioning itself, since he knew that the 'beautiful' part of the day wouldn't last long with the Green-leaf storms closing in on the lands], and his miscolored orbs flickered this way and that, almost as if he was looking for a way of escape. Though he wasn't shy, he didn't particularly enjoy talking to any cat about small-talk unless another feline was there, mainly because he felt that these matters were always based on opinion [and that his was nearly never the same as another's]. And there was also his attention span. Though, because he had begun caring with a love that had no equal for the firey rogue she-cat who had not yet found her place inside the Clan [in other words, Firen], it had grown longer, he still wasn't able to stay on one particular topic until it retained his total attention. Like the apprenticeship. Or the upcoming Gathering. Or any other Clan meeting, for that matter. But otherwise... storms were the only other things that fascinated him. After that, it became very difficult to make him converse with you.
While a silence began weighing on his mind, he desperately tried to find a new subject [and preferably one that wouldn't need him to say 'yes' or 'no']. A bright illumination made him smile inwardly, though all he did on his outward side was suddenly look blank and at a loss for words. He didn't know the cat, right? Well, might as well start, then.
"Anyway, I never caught your name."

[Snowstar]

[[ Sorry If I'm interupting, but I thought I should post know that both of you are here ]]

The tom scanned the crowd for the pairs that he had chosen for that particular kit, soon to be apprentice. It was a strange thing how it all had worked out, but he had chosen them particularly as he thought they would be the best. A warm smile appearing on his maw, he decided to speak now as most of the cat of Thunderclan had arrived.

" I believe that Starkit has reached the age of 6 moons in which she will enter apprenticeship. Until she becomes a warrior she will be known as Starpaw. Flintpelt and Slager please come up. "

The leader paused, giving the two felines to come up, as they were called. He was a bit worried, that this wouldn't work out for he hadn't seen this be done by Flamingstar ever before or any other leader.
Snowstar shook off the foreboding, reminding himself that this was a cheerful day - and indeed it was, for all of the still-waiting kits were clearly eager to receive their names and mentors. Despite the fact that it could start raining at any moment, everyone would be in a good mood to greet the new apprentice on her special day.

" Now, I'm sure you're all wondering who will be her mentor. Her official mentor will be none other then Flintpelt, as he has shown himself worthy numerous times and Starpaw will need a responsible warrior to train her in to a capable one. However, seeing as he is in the care of Rippedbelly - being situated within the Medicine cat's den -, and Flintpelt, at this moment, is unable to train his new apprentice. Slager, you haven't yet proven his responsibilities as one to fully receive an apprentice. Since Flamingstar is dead - Snowstar, winced slightly at that statement since he was uncomfortable with speaking about such things - - and her anger with you is gone, I am going to give you one last chance and be a 'co-mentor' with Flintpelt. When Flintpelt is unable to train young Starpaw , then Slager will be in charge of her training. "

Now finished, he swept his gaze over the cat of his clan to see their expressions. They surly would be a bit surprised, but he knew it had to be done. Uncertainity flickered in his eyes and he looked down at the crowd once again.

[[ I hope I did that right. ]]

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[Flintpelt [Spideh]]

[-shrieks in joy- EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP @_@]

The slim tom's cranium snapped to the side as the leader's voice once more filled the air, unfortunately giving out a loud and particularly painful crack to make up for its recent absence, twitched slightly at the shock of white-hot agony searing through his neck, and then concentrated the vision of the male's miscolored oculars onto the ivory-hued feline standing high above their heads. Snowstar had begun saying the rest of the ceremony, and Flintpelt wouldn't miss it for the best mouse in the world. Anyway, at that precise moment, he felt suddenly devoid of hunger and thirst as his full attention became riveted onto the cat up there on the Highrock, yowling into the silence that had only been disturbed by the snappy complaint of Flintpelt's neck.
His eyes seemed to widen more and more, though they stopped growing in size at some point, unable to go any farther than the width they had already reached. Stormy gray ears were pricked forwards at a nearly impossible degree, straining to advance and catch the leader's phrase more easily, practically dragging the feline possessing their pointed forms forward in an absurd attempt to take in any information that might be spoken to the gathered ThunderClan cats.
But an expression of extreme surprise and puzzlement melted into the attentive warrior's features. Two cats? Slagar and... and himself? But... but that didn't make sense. A kit couldn't have two mentors, could it? Only one was possible. As his muddled mind desperately tried to grasp the meaning of this strange and new announcement, one that had seemingly never been said in all the history of the cats there around him according to the looks so similar to his own that most of them were leaving on their faces, he unconsciously got to his feet, legs already beginning to swing back and forth, bringing him closer to the base of the stone he would have to go up to get to Snowstar's side as he kept that slightly stupid face he always seemed to have when something made absolutely, utterly no sense to him. Pad, pad, pad, jump, land, stand. And there he was, high up above the others [and not for the first time], looking over the assembled cats and trying to regain control of his features. He managed to do this last, an amazing feat it seemed to him, and then switched his gaze to Snowstar, waiting for an explanation.
And, as always, it came. Now that things were cleared, the mist clogging his mind was disappearing, and he had total control over his body. A sigh of relief slipped past his maw, and he looked around again, searching for the young feline he would be the full-time mentor of. Starkit. Starpaw. How things seemed to go so fast.

[Tehe... he hasn't even realized the kit he was sitting next to was Starpaw ; Ignorant Flinteh.]

[Shadepelt]

[[Heh, I do that sometimes And also, YEAH! WHOOT! -huggles Spideh and Frosteh-]]

After several moments Slagar realized he had been dumbly staring up at nothing, when Flintpelt had asked him the question he hadn't wanted to answer.
Right, my name.
Swallowing nervously, the flame-pelted tome quickly flicked his gaze into the tom's miss-coloured oculars, before replying quietly.
"It's Slagar." He felt he had a right to not want to tell his name, most cat's hated him after what had happened to his previous apprentice.
The ginger tom scuffed his black paws in the dust, before raising his eyes to look up at the ivory figure of Snowstar. As his name was mentioned, his strong jaw dropped. Snapping it shut quickly, he quickly padded after the striped tom, and leaped up onto the Highrock. The warrior was so in shock he had even gotten to be a part-time mentor, he didn't hear much of the leader's words. Execpt when he was mentioned. Wincing visibly, Slagar had to control his breaths to calm himself.
After the white tom had finished, amber eyes searched the croud for little Starpaw, which at the thought of her brought a smile to his face. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad. After all, you like and know Starpaw, and Flintpelt seemed like a nice cat.
You can do this. The tom thought to himself, of which his mind replied,
Autumnpaw would be proud.

[Moonstorm]

[EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!! Starpaw, Starpaw, Starpaw! *huggles Shadeh and Spideh* Liddle Starpaw is so lucky to have such great mentors. *huggles again*]

Starkit shuffled from paw to paw, her temper beginning once again to flare. Could the toms talking over her hurry it up already? All this small talk was making her mind spin. Her dark sapphire gaze returned to her leader, who stood warily up on Highrock. Could he just say what he wanted to say already? A cold breeze ruffled through the young calico’s fur and a crackle sounded from above. If their snow-pelted leader didn’t hurry this up, all cats were going to be caught in a downpour!

“I believe that Starkit has reached the age of six moons in which she’ll enter apprenticeship. Until she becomes a warrior, she’ll be known as Starpaw.”

Starkit’s small jowl dropped open, revealing a set of serrated fangs. Her oculars were blank and she stared dumbfounded at her leader. He had said her name. He had actually said her name! Oh StarClan, she was going to be apprenticed! Her audits pricked listening for the name of her mentor.

Oh….StarClan….Snowstar had just said….he had just said she was to have two mentors! Flintpelt, the new Clan Deputy and Slagar! Oh StarClan! Excitement thrummed through her blood and her eyes were brighter than a young kit’s, but still she could not seem to command her paws to move. She just stood there, a seemingly stone statue as her mentors bunched their muscles and leaped onto Highrock to stand by Snowstar. Though her audits were pricked, carefully recording every word of Snowstar’s explanation, her mind was elsewhere. It was skimming through the forest, catching a vole or a pheasant with a mentor by her side to guide her. It was taking its first step onto the Thunderpath, sharing tongues with Fernpaw, and meeting her mentors for the first time. It was dancing through the seasons and learning how to use her temper in battle. Starkit’s- Starpaw’s - mind was so far away that she was barely aware of the myriad of eyes that was now locked upon her.

Suddenly jolted back to reality, she grew warm with embarrassment as she realized that all these cats were waiting for her to take her first jump up to Highrock. At last finding the strength to stand up, she padded forward on shaky paws. Trembles wracked her body, though inwardly, excitement was pulsing through her soul. Her oculars gazed up at the three cats above her, all of whom were expecting her to join them.

In the nursery on particularly boring days, Starkit had always played through exactly how her apprenticeship ceremony was going to progress. It would be a beautiful day with a clear azure sky, a day when the grass was greener than anycat’s eyes. She would be called up and all cats would watch in reverence as the leader herself (these fantasies had taken place when Flamingstar was still alive) would claim her as her own apprentice. All cats would chant her name and she would feel nothing but excitement and pride.

Now, when it was actually occurring on a dreary day with the Clan Deputy and Slagar waiting above for her, she found that nothing she had fantasized about would have made her happy. It was this stormy day, these two mentors above her that caused the joy of apprenticeship to stir in her heart. This was the best day of her entire life.

It was also apparently true that the emotions she thought she would feel were not the only ones felt. Fear counteracted excitement, pride balanced with shock. She had thought she would feel nothing but contempt when her day came, but she had been dreadfully wrong. Looking up at Highrock jutting above her, she wondered if she could even make the jump.

Gazing at the rain-scudded sky above, she let her limpid pools of icy blue hover over the horizon.

Mother…I wish you were here to see me today. You would be so proud. Give me strength…help me become who was I was destined to be.

A startlingly familiar scent reached her sensitive nostrils, caressing her mind with a calmness she had not known since kithood. The reeds blew in a sudden gust of wind, whispering a reply that only seemed to reach Starkit’s audits.

I’m here, my child. Go on…StarClan will guide your path. I am so proud of you, my Starpaw.”

Reassured by the whisper that she wasn’t all too sure was only in her mind, she bunched her muscles and took a flying leap upwards, praying that she wouldn’t miss her mark.

All four paws touched the cold stone at the same time. Relief flooded through her as, to her amazement, her mentors were smiling at her. She gazed downwards at the cats below, squinting at the blurry shapes below.

She gazed up at her two mentors, who both looked shocked and pleased. With a jolt, she realized that both toms had been sitting on either side of her. She almost laughed.

She reached upwards to touch noses with Flintpelt, than shrank back, remembering. Snowstar first had to say something to both of her mentors, such as “I expect you to pass on all your wisdom….” or something like that. Then both Slagar and Flintpelt had to agree. Then she could touch noses with them.

Unable to bear the horrible wait, she gazed at Snowstar, waiting for the meow that would truly begin her apprenticeship.

[Snowstar]

Watching the two warriors bound up to the rock, his faintly twitched in amusement at seeing Flintpelt and Slager's surprised expressions. He had to smile at that. Of course, he could completly understand what they were feeling. After all, it was his fault that he hadn't even told them that they were going to receive an apprentice today. No one had known and he guessed, that he had just made a split decision without anyone to consult. But, he had done it already and nothing could be helped.

His gaze swam above the crowd, searching for young Starkit - no Starpaw withing the depths of the cats below him. Finally spotting the feline, he followed her with his sight and gaze softening. Giving her an encouraging look, when he noticed her hestitaion he patiently waited and gave a happy smile - almost a grin - when she reached her destination. Taking a deep breath, he looked down at all three and began to speak, regaining his composture. His voice calm and strong - yet with the loudness he needed as it echoed through the clearing.

" Flintpelt, you have have proven yourself to all of Thunderclan to be loyal - as well as ready to receive an apprentice. Even if you , Slager has made mistakes in your past, you have certainly corrected them and have gained the trust of mine and Thunderclan enough to receive an apprentice. Both of you have proven to be fit and worthy enough to train one of the youngest recruits of Thunderclan soon into a full-fledged warrior. Together, I trust you to pass on your wisdom and knowledge on to this apprentice. I'm sure that you will do your best as mentors for young Starpaw. "

Snowstar let out breath, releived that he was finished now and he paused again, waiting for the pairs to greet each other before bounding off the rock. A smile crept across his muzzle as he Reminisced the days as a Care-free apprentice. When he didn't have any worries and when he could share the peaceful life with his brother Skyshine - then Skypaw. But, he wasn't Snowpaw anymore, he was Snowstar and he couldn't go back to those days - no matter how much he wanted to correct everything. Shaking his head silently inside, he hoped that the pairs would get along and wouldn't make any big mistakes like he had. Because they would never be corrected.

[Flintpelt [Spideh]]

In the silence that preceeded the next events, Fintpelt's mind began working on another matter altogether. Slagar. The name of the ginger tabby cat now standing on firm black-hued paws beside his own striped gray form. Where had he heard that word before? Not with the elders, he was quite sure of that. Those ancient felines mostly talked about the past, how much better or worse it was, and told story upon story to the young growing kits inside the nursery. It couldn't have been from the nursing or expecting queens, either... he didn't visit them much, anyway. The warriors' den, perhaps? Well, wherever it was, he knew that it was connected with something important. Shrugging it away, he shoved it off into a corner of his mind, deciding to check it out more closely later on.
He returned his attention to present matters, gaze once more roving around to seek out the apprentice he and Slagar would be in charge of. Confused for a moment, not being able to find the she-cat in the tight crowd of felines sitting below the three of them, he checked closer to the Highrock's base, wondering if the soon to be newly-named apprentice had already begun her approach of the great, towering stone. As he did this, he noticed a flash of stone-colored fur low to the ground in the corner of his eye, and his head craned to see what was there.
Feeling extremely stupid, he realized that this was the kit Snowstar was talking about. Swiftly shaking away his culpability, he directed a warm smile at the tiny female, and then also turned towards his leader, impatiently waiting for the desired words. Ebony audits pricked forwards, an eager glint appearing inside the tom's widening miscolored orbs as he gazed at the ivory feline who stood above all others in the ranks of the Clan hierarchy. His simple dream, one imagined by any and all warriors that were present there, was going to turn into reality. Had already turned into reality. And he couldn't help feeling smuggishly please about it all.
A huge - and comically toothy - grin appeared on Flintpelt's face like some growing plant at he heard the ceremonial words spoken by the leader, and it took all of his efforts to stop him from jumping up and down in excitement. However, his emotion being too much to handle, he began changing his weight from side to side, looking quite nervous up there as he continued grinning and tipping to the left, then back to the right, and then right back to the left again. He couldn't help it all. Being clumsy and thoroughly confused did not make matters much easier when you were supposed to be a Clan deputy and one of the two mentors of a very special apprentice.
As soon as Snowstar's words finished, he once again began looking around for Starpaw, completely forgetting that she was right there beside him on the Highrock. Suddenly realizing his mistake, he shook his head hard, and looked downwards at the she-cat, still grinning. Lessening this slightly concerning expression into an amiable smile, he lowered his muzzle, offering the mosist tip of his nose to the female. He had watched many apprenticeships, and this particular event had always marked their ending, which probably meant that he would also be expected to do it. Still worrying about it, he began the wait.

[Shadepelt]

Slagar could feel his mind and soul begin to shrink back, trying to protect themselves from the hurt and pain of losing an apprentice. His brain practicly screamed at him, 'Don't get attached to another one!'. But, dispite the pain he had gone through, the large warrior couldn't help it. The male marveled at the young kittens, doing everything they can to impress their mentors, and learn the ways of the warrior code. His own apprenticehood memories were painful and full of hardship, and he wasn't going to let that happen to his close [and maybe only] friend, Starpaw. Using that goal, the ginger tom lured himself out of his inner shell, and stood stronger, and a bit taller on his ebon-hued paws.
Out of the corner of his intense, tawny orbs, he saw a wide toothy grin appear on Flintpelt's face, and he couldn't help letting his grin grow wider as well. The stone-toned tom seemed pleasent, a bit easy to distract, but who was he to judge?
Beams of new-found joy radidiated from his facial expressions, and kept his warmly glowing orbs fixed on the little kitten. As she leapt onto the Highrock, he almost stepped forward to touch her nose with his. Black rimmed eyes widened slightly with emberessment, and he quickly slid back to his place. Flintpelt was, after all, Starpaw's official mentor, and he should go through the cerimony first.
Black-tipped tail twitching with excitment, his orange fur felt electric with all the happenings. The emberessment quickly melted from his eyes as his heartbeat quickened with anticipation.
This was it.
Slagar's second change had finally arrived.