Rockkit's Apprentice Ceremony

Soft sunlight cast subtle shadows across the clearing, and the mottled she-cat was glad to find no cold winds whipped through the air and pierced deep into her thick pelt. The scent of new growth was abundant, and for the first time in moons there was enough on the fresh-kill pile for every cat to go to their nests comfortably full tonight. A light purr escaped the deputy as she stretched out, before ascending to the top of Tallrock in a single bound. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather underneath Tallrock for a clan meeting!" Heronfeather called, waiting for the clan to assemble.

Rockkit's blue-gray eyes widened slightly as the deputy's call rang out in the clearing. His dark tail gave a twitch of uncertainty mixed with happiness, and he glanced down, giving his pelt a final hasty grooming, before taking a deep breath and stepping out, into the open. He took a small breath. This is what you've wanted. So get on with it. The time between kit and apprentice had seemed to fly by, despite wanting to become an apprentice. And he was hopeful that the time between apprentice and warrior would go by just as quickly. Little did he know he'd regret how time seemed to fly by, later, wishing he'd stopped and enjoyed life as it had been, time when he was young. But he said nothing, and his blue eyes tilted up to meet Heronfeather's, both hopeful and anxious. I'll make you proud, Mom and Dad. His eyes flickered back to the ground, and he took a seat beneath the Tallrock, glancing out at the camp once more before his eager gaze met Heronfeather's once more.

Fernstep padded to the meeting behind her newest son, rockkit. Even though she loved having him around in the nursery she was glad she could get back to training her other kits, Eaglepaw and Bunnypaw. Fernstep sat down and smiled up at her dear friend as heronfeather was making yet another one of fernstep’s kits into an apprentice.

She took in a deep breath, brow furrowing as she noticed the way anxiety seemed to flicker behind Rockkit's eyes, something she had been very guilty of as a young cat herself. "Rockkit, please step forward," Heronfeather called, voice ringing out across the clearing. "You have reached the age of 6 moons and as such are ready to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you become a warrior, your new name will be Rockpaw. Your mentor shall be..." The molly paused for a brief moment, initially she had planned to mentor the kit herself, but she knew another cat that would certainly help him more- much in the way she had helped her. Nodding her head to confirm her own thoughts, she continued on, "Brindlestar, I'm confident she will pass on everything she learned from her mentor and more," There was a warm smile on the deputy's face as she descended the rock to congratulate them both, and hoped her former mentor would approve.

There was in involuntary intake of air from Rockkit- well, it was Rockpaw now, that'd take some getting used to- as Heronfeather announced his mentor. Brindlestar? The leader? Rockpaw's eyes flickered to Heronfeather's, confirming he wasn't dreaming, before exhaling through his nose and walking towards his new mentor. The leader. He had not expected that.

...Yep, still felt like a dream.

Rockpaw sought out Brindlestar and tapped her nose, glancing back at his mother a last time, before facing his new mentor. "I, uh, will do my best. I'll work hard, I promise." He grinned hopefully. He didn't ask when training started, assuming it'd be the next day. He blew out a puff of air and nodded. This is starting to feel a bit more normal already. That's nice.

Traditional seat atop the Tallrock vacated so that Heronfeather could finalize the Clan's latest ceremony, Brindlestar's lean shape was speckled in a multitude of yawning shadows- her usually pale outline dwindling down to a ghostly outline of grey fur and warm shade. A faint spark of curiosity blossomed in her sharp gaze at Heronfeather's slight pause and sudden decision, a slight flick of her whiskers the only outward acknowledgement of her Deputy's reevaluation of what they had briefly discussed the night prior. It wasn't like she didn't trust Heronfeather's ability in terms of mentoring - the fact that she had given Shrikepaw over to be trained by her former Apprentice should be evidence enough - but she was a tad bit surprised. Perhaps Shrikepaw was proving too difficult for her Deputy to think of taking on multiple Apprentices.

Perhaps she would need to speak to Shrikepaw.

Striding towards the evidently startled young Rockpaw, Brindlestar lowered her head to return the traditional first greeting between Mentor and Apprentice. Features twisted into a playful grin that revealed her elongated canines, the pale-furred Leader's thick tail brushed softly against Rockpaw's flank, "I have no doubt that you will. Your new denmates will help you get settled, but don't stay up too late- we'll need to head out with the dawn patrol to avoid the worst heat of the day."