Lilackit's Apprentice Ceremony

The murky shadows cast by the sloping cavern walls, disingenuous and ever shifting under the waning light of the late afternoon sun, bathed the soft sand-speckled earth of the collapsed structure's floor- twisted up and bizarre under the steady movements that often disrupted their leisurely casting. Absent onlookers occasionally drifted into close proximity of the gradually unfolding ceremony, reflective gazes colored by the faintest flavors of faint amusement or casual interest. Slender tail easily sweeping away pestering stones, which somehow always ended up underpaw during moments when she needed to be focusing on matters other than her sore paw, Acornpetal shifted atop the ceremonial seat for a heartbeat or two.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather here beneath the High Ledge for a Clan meeting!"

Lilackit had reached the age of six moons, and he had observed enough around the camp in that time to understand that he would soon become an apprentice. The thought of hunting and training for battle...was rather scary to him, in all honesty. But it was what everyone else did, right? And he supposed if they could do it, he could do it too. At Acornpetal's call, Lilackit exited the nursery and sat on the edge of the gathering group of cats, shuffling his paws in the dirt as he waited for the deputy to continue.

Neatly winding her tail around her paws in hopes of further concealing her anxious shifting, Acornpetal turned a careful eye down upon the visibly apprehensive young Lilackit- subtle movements belaying his obvious nerves. It felt like only a few sunrises ago whenever she had her ceremony, back before the nonsense with the rogues and ShadowClan. Only when the last stragglers made their way to the loosely formed ring of cats did she finally raise her voice once more. "Lilackit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to find your place among the Clan." She began, voice carrying a sharp and determined undercurrent that was so unlike her emotional state, ”From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Lilacpaw. Breezebranch shall be your mentor and I am confident that she'll pass down everything she has learned."

Leaping off of the looming stone, the Deputy was quick to congratulation her mother and the latest young apprentice bestowed to her care.