Lionkit's Apprentice Ceremony

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather underneath High Ledge for a clan meeting!" This was Sorrelwing's first ceremony. She made sure to memorize the words that she had heard so many times. She puffed out her chest as she waited for the gathering.

Oh Starclan, he was so nervous he thought his racing heart would burst right out of his small chest. Receiving a few licks from his adoptive mother, the young tom mustered every part of his confidence and sauntered into the crowd slowly forming. His cream paws carried him forward, craning his head up towards the deputy, admiring the way her voice had carried across the whole camp, and he could imagine himself up there one day, like all kits do. Lionkit was so ready, and so very excited.

Looking down at Lionkit approach, she flicked her tail in excitement. "We gather today to make this kit an apprentice. Lionkit, please step forward!" Sorrelwing meowed.

He quivered from nose to tail-tip as the deputy called his name and asked him to step forward, and he readily obliged. Tilting his head up towards where Sorrelwing proudly stood, Lionkit purred with pure excitement and elation. All those moons of prowling the camp walls, sniffing all the fresh kill and other scents brought in by other warriors and apprentices, and now he finally had the ability to explore all of it for himself. The long-furred cream tom could only hope his mentor would take him out of camp as soon as possible.

"Lionkit, from now until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Lionpaw. Your mentor will be uh..." she paused, glancing around the crowd. How had she forgotten to think of a mentor? She didnt want to do it. She had her own duties. Looking at each warrior, she tried to remember who was already mentoring who. Honeytooth? No... Softbreeze still needed some time as a warrior. Finally, she saw Breezebranch. "Breezebranch! Your mentor is Breezebranch. May she teach you everything she knows!" Embarrassed by her hiccup, Sorrelwing quickly hopped down and padded off. "That's it. Gathering over!"

Breezebranch's green eyes widened in surprise. Apparently, it had seemed, Sorrelwing had forgotten to choose a mentor for Lionpaw. Part of her felt offended, as he was her son and Sorrelwing had forhotten about him. The other part felt happy, being mentor to her son. "Oh, Lionpaw! Congratulations!" She mewed, licking the top of his head.

The deputy stuttered over her words, and her eyes momentarily glazed over as she pretty obviously did not know who to assign to him. Of course, he felt a little bit of hurt rise in his chest - the deputy of his own clan had forgotten about him! How was he meant to feel about an incident like that? As soon as Sorrelwing eventually called his mentors name, it rang in his ears for a few seconds before he realised who. Breezebranch! A loud purr broke out from the tom, and in a few bounds he was pressing his nose to hers like he had seen so many apprentices do in the past. "Breeze!" Lionpaw purred, butting his head against the pretty she-cats shoulder in affection. "I'm going to be the best apprentice ever, I promise!"