Post by Abyss on Aug 3, 2022 18:50:57 GMT -5
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A heavy sigh fell from his maw, a breath held in so deep and for so long it could've been from moons ago. The last…how long had it even been? 9? 10 moons? Maybe even a little more? From the moment Brackenstride and himself led the newly formed Gorgeclan to their new home, things had been hectic. Not a moon passed by where something wasn't going on. Moving into the new camp, reinforcing it, building up prey and herb stocks, reuniting with Starclan, the Greencough outbreak, and only a week ago a snake infestation. On top of him becoming Leader and having to carry out all of these new duties and hold so many ceremonies that were long overdue from the quake. It was a lot, and he was tired. But there was still a lot to do and a lot to tell the clan. And today was the day for all of that.
Most of the day had been spent planning, organizing, confirming, discussing. He had been on his feet for days, working out details of everything he had to tell the clan, and he deeply hoped that everything he was going to tell them would be approved of.
He sat next to the entrance of the Leader’s den, watching silently as cats began to return from their dusk patrols. Many approached the fresh-kill pile, getting themselves a meal to end the day with. He wanted as much of the clan to be present as possible, and as far as he could tell, nearly everyone was here, whether out in camp or in the dens. He let out a huff of determination, standing from where he sat and padding forward.
Whitestar leapt atop the large jumble of roots that formed the Leader’s perch and he peered out over those who were present, a few eyes turning to take notice of him.
“All cats old enough to scale the gorge gather here at the Tangled Roots.” His voice echoed in the camp and many figures began to emerge from nearly all of the dens. He waited patiently for everyone to gather, taking note of the presence of multiple cats in the crowd, some of whom were never apart of these meetings. Until now.
“Everyone. I have a lot of announcements to make, so all I ask for is patience. Our clan is going through quite a few changes, and I am ready to announce them all tonight.” He spotted a few faces contorting with confusion, unsure of what he meant by changes, but he flicked his tail, reassuring that obviously he would explain.
“The first announcement I need to make is one that I have been thinking on for moons now, and I have gotten input from many of our older and wiser clanmates. I have spoken with Brackenstride, and he has chosen to step back from his position as temporary Deputy.” He peered over at the ruddy tom, nodding his head in acknowledgement and respect. “Thank you for all that you have done. I know that we wouldn’t have gotten this far and made so much progress in forming Gorgeclan without you. I will forever be grateful to have had you by my side.” He let his gaze linger on the tom for a moment, warm pride swelling in his chest, before he turned to look back to the clan. “With that said, I say these words before StarClan, so that the spirits of our Ancestors may hear and approve of my choice. The new Deputy of Gorgeclan will be Cloudtail.” He sought out the white tom in the crowd, watching him step forward to the front. “I know that you are a dedicated and firm tom, and I have seen you come so far over the moons. And, if you accept, I believe that you will be a great Deputy.” He waited for him to respond before he looked back and forth between Cloudtail and Brackenstride, nodding to them both.
He turned forward again, seeking out certain faces in the crowd. “We also have many Apprentices who have been working very hard and have come a long way. Wrenpaw, Harepaw, Elderpaw, Bonepaw, and Wisteriapaw, please step forward.” He waited for the five Apprentices to step forward beneath the roots before he continued.
“All of you have proven yourselves to be very capable and talented cats, each in your own ways, and I have been extremely honored to have watched all of you grow here in Gorgeclan. So, I, Whitestar, call upon our ancestors once more to look down on these five Apprentices. All five of them have trained hard to understand the way of the clans and the code. And I commend each of them to you not as Apprentices, but Warriors. Do the five of you promise to uphold the Warrior Code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?” As each of them spoke the words ‘I do’, his eyes found the dark molly of the group.
“Wrenpaw. From this night on your name will be Wrenbelly. StarClan and Gorgeclan honor your passion in all that you do, your bravery in defending your clan, and your independent nature, when it isn't getting you in trouble.” He chuckled slightly at the last comment, giving the she-cat a half firm half playful glance. He nodded his head to her before turning to Harepaw.
“Harepaw. From this night on your name will be Hareskip. Starclan and Gorgeclan honor your willpower and your kind heart, and your ability to brighten anyone’s day. You are a wonderful cat and I know that you will make a wonderful Warrior.” He offered the tom a warm smile, nodding his head to the new Warrior before turning his head next to Elderpaw.
"Elderpaw. From this night on your name will be Elderhollow. Starclan and Gorgeclan honor all of your self-control, your keen senses in interacting with others, and the proper and nobleness in the way you hold yourself. You are a smart cat, and you can often see things that others do not. I think that you will be a great addition to our Warriors.” Admittedly, there were times when Whitestar looked at Elder and wondered if there was something else there, something that he could not see. But, hopefully, if he was right, it was something that would not impede on his abilities and duties as a Warrior. He turned his sight to the next Apprentice over, the large black and white tom returning his gaze.
"Bonepaw. From this night on your name will be Bonebreaker. Starclan and Gorgeclan honor your kindness and your energy, and recognize you as the very sweet and lovable cat that you are. While this name may not seem fitting with your personality, I have seen the sheer amount of strength that you carry with you, and I have seen what you are capable of when you put your body into it. You are a large cat with a large heart, and I know with full certainty that you will also be an amazing addition to the rank of a full Warrior."
"Wisteriapaw.” He paused for just a moment, looking down at the white she-cat who had spent many moons by his side as his Apprentice. He remembered the day that she was promoted so vividly, and now she stood before him, waiting to receive her name. If he would have been told back when that one day this young molly and himself would have such a close bond, or that one day he would be the one giving her her Warrior name, he would have been at a loss for words. “From this night on your name will be Wisteriabloom. Starclan and Gorgeclan both recognize all of the effort and dedication you have put in to get here, and we honor your strength, your commitment to never giving up, and your limitless wisdom beyond your years.” He swallowed down the lump in his throat, allowing pride to flourish throughout his whole body. “I have seen you come so far. No matter what forces tried to set you back, you overcame them all, and you continue to even now. I am beyond honored to have been your mentor, and I know in my whole heart that you will do everything in your power to be the best Warrior you can be.”
Had it not been for the fact that there was still much more to do and say, Whitestar would have leapt down from the Tangled Roots right then and embraced his now former Apprentice. But he had to remain where he stood, still giving a nod of respect to her just as he had done the others. Though there were now five new Warriors amongst the ranks, as well as a new Deputy, even then there were still more promotions in order. It was a lot, but it was a massive sign of progress on Gorgeclan’s part, and the one-eyed Leader couldn’t have been more proud of that.
“These five newly-named Warriors are not the only ones receiving new names today.” His eyes found the sidelines of the gathered cats, where he spotted the gray and white form of Icefang and the dark red form of Foxfire, six smaller figures gathered around them. “Emberkit, Coyotekit, Todkit, Cardinalkit, Puffinkit, and Jaykit, please step forward.” As the kits all moved forward to stand in a slightly curved line beneath him, he turned his head just slightly, peering over towards where the kits had approached from, where a black form watched silently behind Foxfire and Icefang. He turned back to the kits, keeping as much negative emotion as he could off of his face, though he still felt an ache in his chest. “All of you have reached the age of 7 moons and are ready to become Apprentices. From this day on, until you receive your Warrior names, you will be known as Emberpaw, Coyotepaw, Todpaw, Cardinalpaw, Puffinpaw, and Jaypaw.
Emberpaw, your mentor will be Spiderbite. Spiderbite, please step forward.” He waited for the black tom to come forward before he continued. “In the time that we have been clanmates, I have seen you work your tail off to prove yourself and provide for Gorgeclan. And your efforts have not and will not go unnoticed. You are a very smart and kind tom, and I fully believe that you will make a great mentor to Emberpaw and will teach her all that you know.” He allowed the pairing to come together, Emberpaw ever the energetic ball of fire that she was practically leaping up to touch noses with her new mentor.
“Coyotepaw, your mentor will be Cloudtail.” His gaze turned to the side where Cloudtail was still present amidst the front of the crowd. “Cloudtail, you have always been a strict Warrior who works for what you have and then some, and you expect others to put in this same effort. That alone is admirable, on top of your loyalty to your clan. I think that, of all cats, if anyone can shape Coyotepaw into a capable and responsible Warrior, it would be you. Pass down all that you know on to him.” He waited for the pair to come together, a tiny twinge of concern building in his mind.
“Todpaw, your mentor will be Summitwatcher.” He set his sight on the large brown and white tom and waited for him to step forward. “Summitwatcher, you continuously go above and beyond in everything that you do, and I have seen what you are like when you put your mind to something. It is with that knowledge that I believe you will pass down all of your skill and your ambition on to Todpaw.” I hope.
“Cardinalpaw, your mentor will be Lionheart.” As the large golden tom padded forward, a part of Whitestar internally hoped that, with all of these larger cats becoming the mentors of these seemingly lankier and more lithe Apprentices, that by the time the six of them became Warriors that they would have a large balance of skills and capabilities. “Lionheart, you have always seemed to be someone who sticks to the sidelines, someone who may be stoic, but you work hard and don’t require words to get your job done. You are remarkably observant, and this is why I feel that you will be a good mentor for Cardinalpaw. I trust that you will pass down all that you know on to her.“
He hesitated for just a moment, his eye turning to the short-tailed gray tom who came next, a spark in his eyes. A small pang of guilt poked at his chest. He knew what he wished he could say and do. But he couldn’t. “Puffinpaw, your mentor will be Brackenstride.” He turned his gaze to the amber-furred tom who also remained near the front of the crowd, a tom he was more than confident could handle this. “Bracken, you have been through much in your life, and you have never been one to give up or let yourself fall. You don’t hold back in thoughts or actions, and your dedication is unmatched. I believe that your nature and his will balance each other out, and I know that you will make an amazing mentor for him.” The ache in his chest grew.
“Finally, Jaypaw, your mentor will be Herondive.” He sought out the pretty orange and white she-cat in the crowd and watched as she padded forward. In that moment, a portion of the ache in his chest from before faded, replaced by a warm sense of pride. He knew Heron, knew who she was and what she had been through, and, out of all of the pairings, this one was one he had the utmost confidence in. “Herondive, I have known you for a large majority of my life. You have always been a cat with more drive and tenacity than I could ever describe in words. No matter what has come your way, you have always made it through in any way you could. You are strong in so many ways, and out of all cats, I believe that you are the most capable and worthy cat to train Jaypaw. I hope you will pass down all of your wisdom and heart to him.”
He took a deep breath, releasing it slowly to catch his breath. A new Deputy, five brand new Warriors, six brand new Apprentices, and six new mentors. And yet he still was not done. Though, the final announcement he had to make was….definitely different….something he had no example or experience to base it off of. He had to do this on his own, in his own way.
“Like I said before, there were many changes to be announced to everyone, and I congratulate our five new Warriors, our six new Apprentices, and our six new mentors. But, even after all of that excitement, there is still something else that I must bring to everyone’s attention. Something very important.”
A change of pace compared to the average promotion ceremonies, he found that multiple eyes snapped to him, unsure of what else could be happening.
“Newleaf has been rough for all of us. First the spread of sickness. And then a snake infestation that we luckily took care of quickly. While the constant threat of snakes is gone now, after all that happened, I did a lot of thinking on my own. Our territory is unique. Not only do we have a whole forest at ground level, but we also have a deep and cavernous gorge. I may not have truly seen all of what the other territories hold, but I know that our gorge is a whole other beast compared to anything any of us, or any of the other clans, have experienced before. In my eye, we have two whole separate lands that belong to us, both with their own unique terrain and dangers.” He paused, letting his eyes scan over the faces of many older members of the clan of whom he had been conversing with a lot lately, Cloudtail, Brackenstride, and someone else in particular among them. “I have done a lot of discussing with our older clanmates, Cloudtail and Brackenstride included, and all of us have come to an agreement on the idea that I presented to them, and am now bringing to you.” He took a deep breath, a portion of words spoken from Hawkstar’s spirit returning to him. Every cat and Leader is unique. “Alongside those that we have known our whole lives and have been a part of the clans for generations, I am adding something new to Gorgeclan, something unique to us. A brand new rank.”
Whispers reached his ears, some of confusion, some of curiosity, some of shock. “This new rank will center almost entirely around the gorge. Cats of this rank will spend most of their time in the gorge doing tasks relatively similar to that of regular Warriors. Patrolling, marking our border with Galeclan that is found inside of the gorge, hunting, keeping an eye out for predators that try to hide in the darkness below our paws. But, with those duties, those of this rank will also be in charge of exploring the gorge, finding new caves or locations that could be worth noting and keeping an eye on, and finding new ways for yourselves and others of the clan to scale the gorge walls safely. Also, as an addition, should something ever go wrong in the gorge, like someone being stuck on a ledge, or any other dangerous situation, cats of this rank would be the ones called to help resolve whatever is happening, or even save lives, if it came down to that.”
He stopped for a moment, allowing the clan to take in and assess his proposition, before he continued his explanation. “The gorge is dangerous, and one wrong move down there could put any one of us in danger if we are not careful. That landscape requires precision, a careful paw, a watchful eye, balance, strength, stamina. So many things go into being down there even as a regular Warrior. But this rank, their whole job will revolve around that land, those qualities, their own abilities. That is why, something that me and all of the others were in agreement with, cats of this new rank will go through more training than the average Warrior. In the future, any young cats who wish to join this rank will go through the whole of their Warrior training, and once they become a Warrior, if they wish to join this new rank, they will go through a set of trials to test their skills and see if they would be a good fit. If they are, then they will have some additional moons of extra training centered in the gorge where their future duties would be held.”
He paused again, taking a breath. It was difficult to tell what the reactions of those in the crowd were in that moment, he just had to hope that everyone understood and would also be in agreement.
“But, that will apply later, hopefully when this rank is fully established and has experienced members already. That is why, in the meantime, the way that we will be organizing this new rank will be both volunteer and assessment based. If any Warriors would be interested in pursuing this rank, you may inform us after this meeting. And on the flip side, if we think that any of you could possibly be a good fit for it, we may ask you personally if you would be interested, which you are fully welcome to decline if you don’t think this would be for you.”
He began scanning through the faces in the crowd, seeking out one cat in particular. “I have two final things to address, with this new rank. Firstly, for right now at least, the name for this new rank that myself and the others have brainstormed will be called Gorgerunners. Or even Runners for short.
And finally, my last announcement of this meeting. In organizing this new rank, of course I consulted with Cloudtail, as he will be helping me with all of this. But, besides him and myself, like I said, the gorge is a whole different land, and this new rank is unique from regular Warriors. That is why, to help organize and keep things under control, and handle current and future training and duties of this new rank, I will be appointing one cat who will serve as the lead in the rank.
With that said, I am speaking now to announce that the very first Head Gorgerunner,” he found a certain familiar gray tabby face in the crowd, a small smile pulling at his jaw. “Will be Cinderstream.”
He waited for the molly to come to the front of the crowd and stand before him. “When I first began brainstorming the idea of this new rank, I knew what sort of cat I believed would be good for this role. Someone who myself and Cloudtail can work closely with in harmony, and someone who would put everything that they have into this rank. I brought this whole idea to her as well as the others, and she helped me figure out a good system for this rank and its training in the future. Already she has helped in forming this new rank. This is why I have chosen you, Cinderstream, for this role. I know that you will excel in it, and I know that you will help others do the same.”
He lifted his gaze to the clan. With Cloudtail on one side of the Tangled Roots and Cinderstream on the other, he knew that they could do this.
“Thank you to everyone for being patient. It was a lot, but all of it was very important and could not be held back any longer. For now, once again, my sincerest congratulations to all of our newest promotions within the clan. And, beginning now, should any Warriors take interest in becoming a Gorgerunner, you can approach Cinderstream, Cloudtail, and myself, and we will start getting all of the pieces together to officially create the Gorgeclan Runners.”
