Post by Phoenix on Sept 4, 2013 18:55:51 GMT -5
Sandstar & Bravebird
When one imagined their apprentice ceremony, one pictured a beautiful, perfect day, where the sun shone bright in a brilliant blue sky with not a single cloud in sight, not a slightly dreary, overcast day that foreshadowed the harsher weather to come. Deep yellow eyes flicked to the sky as he reentered camp, each paw step leaving a trail of water droplets behind him, and part of him worried that that would not be the only water to wet the ground that day; even though the air did not have that pre-rain smell to it, the clouds had the appearance of ones almost ready to burst and let loose a downfall. His pace quickened, and he directed his strides toward the pile of prey toward the middle of camp. After his freshly caught fish took its place as the newest addition to the unusually large stash, he cast a cursory glance around camp – out of habit more than any suspicion of wrong-doing – and turned away, muscles uncoiling as he leapt in a fluid motion to the top of River Stone.
Golden paws had barely touched the surface before the call left his maw and he drew the clan to attention. As always, part of him was fascinated by the sight of the felines who were RainClan in more than just numbers – the varying relationships with each other, familial ties and trust of friendship, the teamwork and cooperation that clan life required – all of it, and more made up the clan he was proud to lead. ”Today, three young cats will take their first steps toward becoming warriors,” Sandstar began, his gaze finding the kits with little difficulty. They were, after all, the youngest felines attending the meeting, and their fur was more well-groomed than most. ”Whitekit, Dawnkit, and Dark-kit, please step forward.” He was not oblivious to the less-than-ideal family situation from which the two siblings, Whitekit and Dawnkit, came, and he hoped that both of the mentors he had chosen for them would help make up for what they had lacked.
”Whitekit, Dawnkit, and Dark-kit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed.” His voice echoed through camp as he continued the ceremony. ”From this day on, until you receive your warrior names, you will be known as Whitepaw, Dawnpaw, and Darkpaw. Whitepaw, your mentor will be Speckledleaf, and Dawnpaw, yours will be Creamtail.” Yellow eyes glanced over the two new apprentices he had named before coming to rest on the final one. ”Darkpaw, your mentor will be Bravebird.” Addressing the three as a whole, he continued, ”I hope they will pass down all they know on to you.”
Bravebird froze upon hearing his name, blue eyes wide with shock. He had been given an apprentice? While he had always considered the fact that it might happen, very rarely did he truly think of receiving the honor of mentoring an apprentice seriously. That was a duty for older warriors, more experienced warriors who knew what they were doing, not ones who felt like they had left the very same den that these new cats were joining only a few days ago. Numbly, he climbed to his paws as Sandstar continued – ”Speckledleaf, Creamtail, and Bravebird, you three are ready to take on apprentices” – casting a glance in Russethawk’s direction as the topic of their most recent conversation crossed his mind.
”You have each received excellent training from your own mentors, and you have shown yourselves to be commendable warriors.” Up on the stone, Sandstar seemed oblivious to the surprise that had flooded the young tom. ”You will mentor Whitepaw, Dawnpaw, and Darkpaw, respectively, and I expect that each of you will pass on all you know to your apprentices.” Despite his surprise, a please smile had found its way onto Bravebird’s face, and he grinned at Darkpaw as he lowered his head, touching noses with his new apprentice. Surely he had never been that small, he told himself, feeling simultaneously old – compared to the younger cat before him – and painfully inexperienced – compared to the ranks of warriors behind him – and not quite sure what to make of it.
As the clan chanted the names of their newest apprentices, the tall leader dismounted, leaping from River Stone with ease. Pride in both the felines who had taken part in the ceremony and his clan as a whole warmed his heart.
- - -
When one imagined their apprentice ceremony, one pictured a beautiful, perfect day, where the sun shone bright in a brilliant blue sky with not a single cloud in sight, not a slightly dreary, overcast day that foreshadowed the harsher weather to come. Deep yellow eyes flicked to the sky as he reentered camp, each paw step leaving a trail of water droplets behind him, and part of him worried that that would not be the only water to wet the ground that day; even though the air did not have that pre-rain smell to it, the clouds had the appearance of ones almost ready to burst and let loose a downfall. His pace quickened, and he directed his strides toward the pile of prey toward the middle of camp. After his freshly caught fish took its place as the newest addition to the unusually large stash, he cast a cursory glance around camp – out of habit more than any suspicion of wrong-doing – and turned away, muscles uncoiling as he leapt in a fluid motion to the top of River Stone.
Golden paws had barely touched the surface before the call left his maw and he drew the clan to attention. As always, part of him was fascinated by the sight of the felines who were RainClan in more than just numbers – the varying relationships with each other, familial ties and trust of friendship, the teamwork and cooperation that clan life required – all of it, and more made up the clan he was proud to lead. ”Today, three young cats will take their first steps toward becoming warriors,” Sandstar began, his gaze finding the kits with little difficulty. They were, after all, the youngest felines attending the meeting, and their fur was more well-groomed than most. ”Whitekit, Dawnkit, and Dark-kit, please step forward.” He was not oblivious to the less-than-ideal family situation from which the two siblings, Whitekit and Dawnkit, came, and he hoped that both of the mentors he had chosen for them would help make up for what they had lacked.
”Whitekit, Dawnkit, and Dark-kit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed.” His voice echoed through camp as he continued the ceremony. ”From this day on, until you receive your warrior names, you will be known as Whitepaw, Dawnpaw, and Darkpaw. Whitepaw, your mentor will be Speckledleaf, and Dawnpaw, yours will be Creamtail.” Yellow eyes glanced over the two new apprentices he had named before coming to rest on the final one. ”Darkpaw, your mentor will be Bravebird.” Addressing the three as a whole, he continued, ”I hope they will pass down all they know on to you.”
Bravebird froze upon hearing his name, blue eyes wide with shock. He had been given an apprentice? While he had always considered the fact that it might happen, very rarely did he truly think of receiving the honor of mentoring an apprentice seriously. That was a duty for older warriors, more experienced warriors who knew what they were doing, not ones who felt like they had left the very same den that these new cats were joining only a few days ago. Numbly, he climbed to his paws as Sandstar continued – ”Speckledleaf, Creamtail, and Bravebird, you three are ready to take on apprentices” – casting a glance in Russethawk’s direction as the topic of their most recent conversation crossed his mind.
”You have each received excellent training from your own mentors, and you have shown yourselves to be commendable warriors.” Up on the stone, Sandstar seemed oblivious to the surprise that had flooded the young tom. ”You will mentor Whitepaw, Dawnpaw, and Darkpaw, respectively, and I expect that each of you will pass on all you know to your apprentices.” Despite his surprise, a please smile had found its way onto Bravebird’s face, and he grinned at Darkpaw as he lowered his head, touching noses with his new apprentice. Surely he had never been that small, he told himself, feeling simultaneously old – compared to the younger cat before him – and painfully inexperienced – compared to the ranks of warriors behind him – and not quite sure what to make of it.
As the clan chanted the names of their newest apprentices, the tall leader dismounted, leaping from River Stone with ease. Pride in both the felines who had taken part in the ceremony and his clan as a whole warmed his heart.
- - -
