Driftkit's MCA Ceremony

White paws scraped through the steaming marshlands, a frown twisting the maw of the cat they belonged to. It sickened Mistedsong how short of a time it had been since he'd been making this trip every few sunrises... and again, here he was. StarClan seemed to have a very sick sense of humor when it came to his apprentices.

It was admittedly quite fortunate that he was already rather comfortable in ShadowClan's territory, and that he was already cordial with most of their warriors. Admittedly, though, he was going to miss Firestar-- Magpiestar unnerved him even more than the cold she-cat had. He carried himself a lot more easily than he had the last time he'd been to their camp for this reason, but that very reason made his pelt feel heavier than it usually did in the greenleaf haze.

After a brief exchange with Magpiestar, Mistedsong made his way towards the nursery, no longer needing the directions of the other ShadowClan cats, most of which didn't even flinch at his presence. He ducked his white muzzle into the entrance of the nursery, nodding to a queen he'd chatted with a few times before. "Driftkit?" he called softly, hoping not to disturb any other cats.

Driftkit was curled up tightly into a ball, his nose tucked beneath his fluffy tail. It had been a pawful of moons since his fateful wander into the medicine cat's den and there had been murmurs that he would be the next medicine cat... At first, he hadn't been certain of that path as all he had been taught was what being a warrior was like but with everything he learned, the more he felt...Content with it. But that was as far as the talks had gone...And he blinked open his eyes in tired confusion as he heard his name being spoken by an unfamiliar voice. He raised his head to see a tom he didn't recognize at all, a strange scent rolling from him along with the sweet smell of...Herbs?

His muzzle scrunched up in confusion, almost surprised by how potent the scent was - it was far different from the herbs that had been resting in the medicine cat's den, being far richer and...Fresher. But that was when it hit him, that this stranger had to be a medicine cat. ...A cat he didn't know. A small squeak escaped him, ears slicking back as he slowly pushed himself to his paws and approached, body held low as he wasn't...The greatest with strangers, mostly when this cat clearly wasn't of ShadowClan. "H-Hello," he chirped, trying to keep his voice light and hide his worries. "I-I'm Driftkit," he said, shifting on his paws. "...W-Who are you?"

The medicine cat gestured the kit out of the nursery so as not to wake any other cats before settling back on his haunches to address the fluffy kit properly. Upon actually seeing him better outside, Mistedsong was briefly taken aback by how much fur the tomkit actually had, idly wondering just how much of him was fur compared to actual body.

"My name is Mistedsong. I'm the medicine cat of SkyClan," he meowed, his voice friendly. "I don't know if you were at all familiar with Blackclaw before he passed, but he was ShadowClan's previous medicine cat. I trained him when his predecessor got sick before he could take an apprentice, and StarClan asked me once again to aid your Clan in Blackclaw's stead," the tom explained, his voice wavering a little at his first mention of his apprentice.

"I spoke with Magpiestar, and he suggested you. Does that sound like something you would be interested in? Do you want to be ShadowClan's next medicine cat?" Mistedsong figured his approach with Blackclaw would be fine a second time, given that when Blackclaw was a kit he was way more anxious looking than the massive pile of fur in front of him at the moment.

Oh, so he was a medicine cat...Of SkyClan. He blinked as the tom explained his history with training the previous ShadowClan medicine cat and the reason he was here. Then, the offer was put out to him - would he want to be the next medicine cat. "Y-Yes!" he chirped, bouncing on his toes before he blinked and drew back a little, a little surprised and timid about his little outburst. "I...Uh, I didn't know Blackclaw but...I-I had stumbled into the medicine cat den a while back. I was curious why it was empty and I found the herbs and...I-I've been interested in it all since I was told about Blackclaw and what a medicine cat does and..." he drifted off for a few heartbeats, before he straightened up and took in a deep breath. "Yes, I-I want to be ShadowClan's next medicine cat. I think...I think its how I want to help my Clanmates." Then, another pause. ...W-What now?" he questioned, eyes flickering up to the older tom.

Mistedsong smiled warmly at the kit's enthusiasm, nodding as he explained. "We will head for the Moonstone at once. StarClan will grant you your new position," he meowed, leading Driftkit to where he'd left traveling herbs near the entrance to the ShadowClan camp. This time he knew better-- in the absence of a trained medicine cat, the herb stores of a Clan are abysmally kept.

"I brought traveling herbs myself, since it's been a while since... they've been readily available here," he settled upon, nosing open the bundle for the kit. He'd eaten his own before he left his own camp, since he didn't think he could carry both bundles at once. "I'll help you gather some more before I return to SkyClan."

He pulled a couple of cloud-shaped leaves away from the grouped herbs. "This is burnet, which is eaten for strength. It's also given to queens," A few small white flowers were added on top. "Chamomile is soothing and strengthening." Small rounded leaves and pointed curly leaves were the last. "Finally, sorrel and daisy leaves help to curb appetite. Eat these, and we can be on our way," Mistedsong mewed.

Driftkit blinked as Mistedsong explained that they were to leave at once, mouth opening and closing a few times as the words suddenly failed him. He...He did suppose he was six moons old, his apprentice ceremony was suppose to be any day now - was that why Mistedsong had arrived when he had? His heart sank a little with fear at the thought of leaving the camp for the first time with a stranger - and to go so far! He had heard stories about the Moonstone, of how it laid past WindClan's territory. That was...That was far. But as the SkyClan cat padded toward the entrance, he found he couldn't deny the pull to follow after him despite his fears.

He quietly took a spot next to Mistedsong as the older tom explained the bundle of herbs that had been resting at the entrance, carefully explaining each of the different herbs that sat before him. "Burnet... Chamomile...Sorrel and daisy..." he murmured, trying to put all of the herbs to his memory as the bundle was pulled apart and each was pointed out. That...Was going to be his job now, wasn't it? Learning the herbs, their uses, how to use them...It seemed like a lot as he repeated the explained uses in his head but...He suppose the job wasn't suppose to be an easy one and he would hopefully get it down in time. Finally he leaned forward to eat the different herbs, muttering to himself each of their uses as he went. "...Alright, I-I think I am ready," he murmured, pushing himself to his paws once he had finished. He glanced toward the medicine cat, taking in a deep breath to soothe the terror and fear of the journey that was suddenly before him. "L-Lead the way."

The grey medicine cat nodded appreciatively as the small fluffy tom repeated after him and ate the herbs without complaint. "If you can stomach those herbs, you'll do just fine," Mistedsong meowed as he started into the marsh, sensing the kit's waves of anxiety. "I feel like I spend half of my time eating traveling herbs." He chuckled at that. "You're lucky, though. ShadowClan is much closer to Highstones than SkyClan, and we spend a good amount of time here."

---

Mistedsong was thankful as always that he'd had the time to rest in ShadowClan's territory, as it made the journey to Highstones seem far less arduous, at least for him. "Be careful now, Driftkit," he meowed. "The rocks here can be slick or sharp, you'd do well to watch your step. There's not a whole lot more to see here than rocks until we get to the Moonstone."

The medicine cat padded forward, closer and closer to the looming Mothermouth. "Once we're inside the Mothermouth, it will be nearly impossible to see, so either follow my scent or stay close to my tail and stay as close as possible," he told the kit. "We still have a ways to go." The darkness of the cave swallowed the two cats quickly, as it was already well past dusk. The walls narrowed around them as they went deeper, and Mistedsong instinctively took the path to the right. "The path splits here. Make sure that you always go into the right-side tunnel. The left is dangerous and the path unstable."

The damp, smooth walls of the cave brushed against the tom's whiskers as he headed ever deeper into the cave. He could feel the fur on the back of his neck rising as they came closer to the Moonstone. After a few more moments, Mistedsong saw a growing light signifying the end of the path. "We've arrived," the medicine cat mewed, starlight glinting off of his green eyes in a mischievous twinkle as they entered the vast cave that housed the Moonstone.

The Moonstone shone spectacularly with the light of the moon that entered through the hole at the top of the cave. It bathed the two cats in a bright white light, and within it Mistedsong could feel the cold but comforting presence of their ancestors. He briefly reminisced on his anxiety the last time he'd done this, and his paws ached familiarly. "Driftkit, is it your wish to enter the mysteries of StarClan and return to ShadowClan as a medicine cat?"

Driftkit spent most of the entire walk in silence, soaking in whatever the older medicine cat would say. Avoid the rocks, stick close, follow the right-side of the tunnel... All important information that he could barely find the words to respond to as he slowly soak in such a big reasonability he had agreed to. He only knew so much about what it meant to be a medicine cat, about the healing aspect and that sounded nice but slowly he started to recall the other details his mother had told him when she had been explaining the different ranks - about how Driftkit actually spoke to StarClan and acted as a go-between and suddenly... Suddenly it was starting to feel like he was in over his head.

But he couldn't let Magpiestar - or ShadowClan in general - down. They needed a medicine cat, he understood that much and he was truly interested in the path that now laid before him. He wasn't sure if he was the best - or maybe even right - cat for the job but...Well, he was willing to give it a try and that was what counted, right? His ears twitched as his eyes narrowed against a bright light - having gotten so lost in his thoughts in the darkness of the Mothermouth tunnels. He stumbled to a stop as the two entered the cavern, mouth falling open at the sight of the glowing stone that rose toward the night sky and the moon that hung peacefully above. This...This was the Moonstone.

He stood there in awe, fur prickling at the cold but strangely comfortable presence that charged the air around them. His attention snapped toward Mistedsong as his name was mentioned, eyes widening as he realized that it was time for his ceremony now. "I do!" he said quickly, before he paused in hesitation. That...Didn't sound right as he repeated the words that the SkyClan medicine cat had said. 'I do' was for a warrior ceremony. What...What was he suppose to say for his ceremony. "...Er...Yes? It is?"

Mistedsong smiled softly at the kit, and fixed his gaze vaguely upwards, looking to his ancestors. "Warriors of StarClan, I present you with this apprentice. He has chosen the path of a medicine cat. Grant him your wisdom and insight so that he may understand your ways and heal his Clan in accordance with your will."

"Come forward, Driftkit, and press your nose to the Moonstone. It's time to visit StarClan," he meowed with an air of finality, waiting for the kit to follow his instruction before pressing his nose to the stone himself. Sleep quickly overtook him, anxious to see what awaited them in their dreams.

A warm, blissful sigh left Mistedsong's muzzle as he stretched his legs, the pain that usually knotted the base of his spine absent and his mind refreshed. He never tired of the energy that the fields of StarClan gave him. "Come, Driftkit, we're being expected," he mewed, padding over the hill they woke up on the other side of to meet the sea of cats with stars in their pelts. He bonked into a calico at the front with unbridled affection.  

"I suppose it's a good thing I get to see you this often, Spottednose," he mewed when he stepped back. The she-cat chuckled. "It is one of the best parts about being a medicine cat," she replied.

Spottednose turned to Driftkit with a warm expression. "Try not to run my apprentice ragged, young one. From this day forth, you shall be known as Driftpaw. May the stars guide your paws in learning everything Mistedsong has to share with you."

The crowd of starry cats burst with life, seemingly endless cheers of "Driftpaw! Driftpaw!" erupting with no end in sight. The cacophony of voices was the last the medicine cats heard before they awoke once again in the cold cave of the Moonstone, the first light of dawn beginning to stream into the cavern.

Driftkit waited for...Something. Anything. He wasn't sure what he had been expecting, but as Mistedsong spoke toward StarClan and nothing happened...For a second, he was almost disappointed until the medicine cat stepped forward and ushered him to touch his nose to the stone so that they could visit StarClan. His eyes widen, suddenly feeling a little foolish for his expectations or something to happen - he had heard all types of stories about how StarClan talked in dreams. Of course things would just...Erm, happen. Slowly, he approached and took his place at Mistedsong's side, waiting for the older tom to do it...Before he did so upon the awkward realization that Mistedsong was waiting for him.

His fur fluffed at the sudden chilliness that ran down his spine at the touch of the cold stone, before it was replaced with a gentle, odd warmness that reminded him of when he was curled at his mother's belly. He found himself quickly relaxing, eyes falling shut as he was pulled oh-so gently into the abyss of sleep... And then they were in a clearing, grass stretching out and a hill in front of him. He blinked, giving his pelt a shake as Mistedsong padded forward, loping after him as they crossed the cusp of the hill and were welcomed by a sea of star-dotted pelts. He slide to a stop next to the older tom, pulling his head back as if he was trying to hide it in his fluff as his eyed the crowd of strangers - only a little at ease by the knowledge that they were StarClan.

Mistedsong exchanged words with one - a she-cat named Spottednose. He straightened up a little as her star-filled eyes turned onto him, giving her a quick, sheepish nod. "I-I'll be a great apprentice to him!" he chirped as his new name was given to him. Driftpaw... He...He was a medicine cat apprentice. The sudden awe of the new world that had opened at his paws flooded through him as his name was cheered and chanted, becoming a wave of noise that still rang in his ears as he suddenly found himself stirring awake. "I...I'm a medicine cat," he murmured softly, a soft smile on his face as he raised his head towards the faint rays of the sun that were peaking into the cavern. He let his face warm for a couple heartbeats in the sunlight before he turned to look at his new mentor. "I won't let you down, Mistedsong, I promise."