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Post by Fate Admin on Jun 28, 2013 22:59:13 GMT -5
Her deputy’s kits, all five of them, were crowding up the nursery. This fact had not at all gone unnoticed by Ravenstar. She had spoken briefly with Gracklefire earlier that morning about them. Now it was sunhigh and time for NightClan to gain five new apprentices. She may have held the ceremony sooner, but she knew mothers often liked to have their kits cleaned up nicely before their apprentice ceremony and StarClan knows how hard it would be to get five kits clean and how long that might take. Ravenstar was just glad she wasn’t Gracklefire at the moment.
Without any further hesitation, Ravenstar trotted to the boulder NightClan’s leaders had used since coming to the valley to address their Clan from and leapt nimbly onto it, turning to let out her familiar call, “Let all cats able to walk on their own four paws gather beneath the Boulder Ledge for a Clan meeting!” She settled into a comfortable sitting position as she waited for her Clan to assemble, curling her fluffy tail over her small white forepaws and enjoying the thin rays of light that found their way through the dark pines above to fall upon her black coat. The day was pleasant, even with the light, chilly breeze. It carried none of the malice of leaf-bare, not yet. It was too early in the season.
When the majority of the Clan had settled around her, she stood once more, tail raised proudly. Naming new apprentices had to be one of the best things about being a leader, that and naming new warriors. She was sure every leader of every Clan could agree on that fact except Lionstar, fuck Lionstar. “Today we make some room in the nursery,” she purred, amused as her gaze sought out the five kits who were becoming ‘paws, “Five kits have quite outgrown their current den.” She gave them all a small nod, “Palekit, Starlingkit, Cedarkit, Juncokit, Mothkit… step forward.” She waited until they had before speaking once more.
“You have all reached six moons and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day, until you receive your warriors names, you will be known as Palepaw,” she paused briefly between each new apprentices’ name to let them sink in and give them each their own moment in the spotlight, her pale amber gaze moving slowly from one to the next as she called their new names, “Starlingpaw… Cedarpaw… Juncopaw… Mothpaw.” She paused once more after she had named them all as she sought out the cats she had chosen as mentors for them.
“Halfmask! You have proven yourself a capable warrior and are more than ready for your first apprentice. You will mentor Juncopaw and I trust you will pass on all you know to him,” she gave the younger she-cat a brief nod and waited for the two cats, mentor and apprentice, to touch noses as was tradition, and for the Clan to greet Juncopaw by his new name. |
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Post by Hellion on Jun 29, 2013 0:42:55 GMT -5
Starlingpaw You can't take away my strength
There's nothing left to fight, Live free or let me die
You can't take away my pride, I won't be denied.
"Don't you dare Mothkit, your paws are not to touch that mud. Juncokit keep your tail up, Starlingkit wash behind Palekit's ears for me please. Palekit hold still, Cederkit keep away from the dirty moss." For the better part of the morning, Gracklefire had kept her brood of five kits close and groomed them since Ravenestar had confirmed that today they'd be made apprentices. While for excited kits they were doing fairly well remaining clean, Gracklefire was putting the finishing touches on their glossy pelts. It was tiring work but at her last ditch effort as a queen, she wanted to ensure they were perfect kits.
No doubt in her mind had their growing up scared her, no longer would she be able to watch them and take care of them, they'd be on the path to warrior hood and at risk but they would honor their clan. Starlingkit which had finished taking care of Palekit, she looked toward her mother and smiled. Standing up she nuzzled the matching ebony she-cat before waiting at the entrance of the nursery, the rest of the siblings said goodbye to their nursery days and waited.
A flick of the senior queen's tail had her brood out side and toward the center of the camp clearing, in full view of Ranvestar. Nodding to her leader she licked each of their foreheads before going to sit behind them a few tail lengths away.
~~~~
Ravenstar's words and announcement of their new names had Starlingpaw bouncing internally of course, didn't want to embarrass herself by being a fool. Instead her black tail flicked back and worth her ears twitched she as thought of all the warriors that might be her mentor. She didn't know many warriors aside from the few her father talked about, Blackwolf and his brother Shadefang were seen often and Starlingkit had heard a few cats talk of the tom cat. At the announcement of Juncopaw being given to Halfmask to be trained, while Starlingkit didn't know of the warrior, she quickly glanced her blue eyes back toward her mother and the ebony queen's nod of approval put her at ease, if her mother trusted the warrior then Starlingkit wouldn't worry herself. Returning her attention back to Ravenstar she waited to be called and given a mentor.
Insects walk below, I'm on a wire
Fire will burn below, but I am higher
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Post by Fawn on Jun 29, 2013 3:18:14 GMT -5
JUNCOPAW
6 Moons || NightClan || Tom
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Post by Deleted on Jun 29, 2013 13:45:22 GMT -5
 There was a slight draft of chilled air as Halfmask walked briskly through the camp. Suddenly, a flurry of black fluff moved its way atop the Boulder Ledge. Halfmask knew that this tiny flutter of movement could only be the NightClan leader preparing to address the clan. Let all cats able to walk on their own four paws gather beneath the Boulder Ledge for a Clan meeting! Indeed, Halfmask was right on target. She positioned herself comfortable as the rest of the clan gathered around their tiny leader atop her giant rock.
Ravenstar spoke of the plethora of kits that had made the nursery their home. This immediately signalled to Halfmask that this was not just a clan meeting. Rather, it would be an apprentice ceremony. The tortie listened intently as her leader named off the kits, and then gave them their new suffixes, each in their own turn.
Halfmask! You have proven yourself a capable warrior and are more than ready for your first apprentice. You will mentor Juncopaw and I trust you will pass on all you know to him.
The young she-cat was beaming. She gracefully stood up from her haunched position and trotted her way towards the newly christened Juncopaw. Halfmask touched her own nose to Juncopaw's, the orange in her fur glistening slightly in the light that fell from above. She had an apprentice now. Things were begining to move along quite nicely.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 30, 2013 16:14:48 GMT -5
 Mothkit had begun this day like any other. Of course she was excited, but the ceremony wasn't until later that day. She didn't see why she couldn't play a little bit. She could groom herself before the ceremony, after all. Instead, she and her four siblings were herded around by their anxious mother. It felt as if the ceremony would never come, and she spent most of the morning plopped down on her nest, staring longingly to the camp's center, where she just knew beetles and adventures awaited her. As the ceremony approached, she groomed her own downy fur with surprising thoroughness.
The she-kit's amber eyes sparkled as Gracklefire led them before the great boulder. She watched in silent wonder as Ravenstar leaped up the boulder. The opening words were spoken and Mothkit felt excitement well up in her belly. She was about to embark on the first step of becoming a warrior. She glanced over to her siblings, who seemed equally as thrilled. Ravenstar addressed each of them. When her gaze fell upon Mothkit she stared up in awe into the she-cat's amber eyes. Mothpaw. A quiver of excitement ran down her spine.
She watched as Halfmask was named Juncopaw's mentor, growing ever more excited to learn who hers would be. Through all her exuberance, she remained silent and still. What mentor would want an apprentice who couldn't even sit still through their own ceremony?
Word count; 236
Character; Mothkitpaw
Notes; |
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Post by Fate Admin on Jul 6, 2013 21:38:33 GMT -5
As Halfmask and Juncopaw moved off and the calls of Juncopaw died down, Ravenstar’s pale gaze found the next mentor to be named in the crowd, “Blackwolf! You are an experienced warrior and have mentored many apprentices already. Clawstorm and Grimjaw are both testaments to your mentoring abilities, fine warriors in their own right.” She couldn’t help the slight swell of pride as her gaze momentarily flickered to her younger brother and back to Blackwolf, “You will mentor Starlingpaw.” Still uneasy and unsure about the whole ordeal with Applewhisker, she chose not to say anything at all about the tom turned queen that had previously been mentored by the dark tom.
She stood at the edge of the Boulder Ledge, watching the proceedings with some interest. These were her deputy’s kits, after all…. She sought out the tom in question and for a moment was confused as her mind got lost in the past. The stormy grey tom her gaze came to rest upon was not the deputy she had originally searched for. Her pelt flushed hot with embarrassment and she was glad of her long fur, for once in her life, which would conceal any hint of it. Why was she thinking about Boneshadow now of all times? She had always planned to mentor one of Boneshadow’s kits herself, had he ever settled down with a mate. Perhaps that was why…. |
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Post by Fawn on Jul 6, 2013 21:59:32 GMT -5
Blackwolf wholly understood his leader's reasons for not mentoring Applewhisker - the apprentice-turned-queen an embarrassing mark upon the black tom's teaching record that he would rather have ignored if it couldn't be scrubbed clean entirely. At the announcement that he was to mentor Starlingpaw - that feeling of anticipation in his chest since yesterday having justly been rewarded - the warrior with the mismatched eyes stepped forward to greet his newest apprentice. She's the first born of that litter, and the most ambitious from what I've been hearing.
Interestingly enough, Blackwolf's opinion of Gracklefire wasn't particularly positive, but it wasn't weighing too much against her daughter, not when there was likely enough of Roughthroat in there somewhere that training the young ambitious she-kitten would to be both a breeze and a joy. Pleased with Ravenstar's decision, the senior warrior had to almost stoop down to touch noses with the fluffy she-kitten who matched him color scheme, his sense of arrogance growing as he remarked just how similar they really did look. It was almost like getting a preview of what his own kits would look like - not that Ravenstar would let him train one of his own, and not that they would have long fur like Roughthroat, considering Ghostlight was - wait, what? Blackwolf's whiskers twitched, surprised at the name that had cropped up in his mind, perplexed by it's irrelevance. Those were three things that did not belong in the same sentence together; Ghostlight, Blackwolf and kits?
Nope.
Standing to the side to allow Starlingpaw to bask in the glow of her new name and the chants of her Clanmates, Blackwolf stole a glance in the direction of his posse, feeling a low chuckle of pity towards Ratfur, whose apprentice was almost as big a failure as he was - Poisonleaf still occupied with her own pupil as well. And yet here he was, on apprentice number...3? Yes, he'd say three. He had no real intention of bringing up Applewhisker's training if he could help it; it wasn't that he outright hated or loathed the tom, he'd reached a welcomed state of complete and total lack of care on the subject, it was that Blackwolf loathed the idea of Applewhisker's weird life choices painting him in a strange light. Resolving to start fresh with a clean black slate in the form of Starlingpaw, blue and gold oculars returned to the pint-sized form of Ravenstar, ready to listen to the rest of the apprenticing ceremony, likely to tune most of it out now that he'd gotten what he wanted.
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Post by Hellion on Jul 12, 2013 22:06:40 GMT -5
Starlingpaw You can't take away my strength
Fix these broken veins
There's nothing left to fight Live free or let me die
You can't take away my pride, I won't be denied.
Blackwolf!
That was the only word heard by the black she-cat as the rest of her ceremony was concluded. Turning her head quickly she picked out the black pelt and mix matched eyes of Blackwolf. Up on her paws, she crossed the distance in order to respectfully greet him as her new mentor, nose to shoulder it was a proud moment.
The bird-named she-cat was ready to run around the camp with joy, the famous Blackwolf was going to train her! They shared a similar ambitious spirit and that made Starlingpaw even more in sync with her mentor. Sitting down beside him, she stole a glanced to her ebony colored mother who gave her a dignified nod before flicking her tail for her daughter to return her attention to Ravenstar.
Presenting herself with nobility that was self proclaimed, the deputy's daughter kept her pelt clean and tail neatly tucked over her paws, attention given solely to Ravenstar, but ears rotating back and forth with the murmurs from other clanmates about Blackwolf training another cat so soon after the Applewhisker incident but nothing could ruin her moment.
Insects walk below, I'm on a wire
Fire will burn below, but I am higher
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Post by Fate Admin on Aug 11, 2013 17:48:28 GMT -5
Ravenstar’s claws flexed in anticipation of her next announcement. Waiting for Blackwolf and Starlingpaw to greet each other as mentor and apprentice and to retake their places among the Clan seemed to take longer than it should. She seemed to stand a little straighter, her tail raised behind her, as she called out the name of the next new mentor, “Grimjaw! You trained under Blackwolf and have become a fine warrior. You are ready for your first apprentice. You will train Mothpaw, and I know she will become a great warrior under your tutelage.” Her pale amber gaze shown with pride as she gave her brother his first apprentice, eager to watch him progress through this very important stage of warriorhood. She suppressed a purr as she watched the two approach each other and waited to give the next new apprentice their mentor.
She could hardly tear her gaze away from her brother. She thought it would get easier to keep her relationship with the young tom secret from him with time, but it was only growing harder. With each new milestone he reached in his life she wished to tell him she was proud of him and that she knew their parents would be too, but she could not… for the sake of his foster mother, and for his own sake. She did not want him to blame himself in any way for their mother’s death. It was better this way…. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2013 21:56:07 GMT -5
GRIMJAWSilence, as usual, consumed the dark features of the dark-minded tom as he sat under the Boulder Ledge for the NightClan meeting. Grimjaw's presence, as usual, was not needed in this routine ceremony. Rather than having some strange interest in the mundane ceremony, The young warrior was merely hanging around camp by coincidence. After a long day of both successful and unsuccessful hunting, the gray and white tom had just returned to camp to drop of his afternoon catches in the fresh kill pile. Had it not seemed intensely rude of the NightClanner, Grimjaw would've liked to leave. His bright yellow orbs were glowing with yearning towards the entrance to camp as Ravenstar rambled on. Everyone seems so excited for the kits' naming ceremony. It's nothing special. As every cat gets closer to death, they must change their name from -kit to -paw to better serve their clan. It's not like these kits are anything special. The apprentice ceremony shouldn't be a big 'to-do'. It should be a private event so full-fledged warriors like myself can do our job, the warrior thought with frustration simmering just beneath his skin.
Though the gray and white tomcat wasn't ready to admit it, his particularly foul mood was merely stemming from his feelings of inadequacy. As a new warrior and a NightClan-loyal one at that, Grimjaw was constantly wishing for new ways to prove himself to his clan and to himself. With every kit-to-apprentice ceremony that passed, the more his negativity told himself that he wasn't good enough to mentor an apprentice. As his negativity towards himself mounted, it radiated outwards to the concept of apprenticehood as a whole.
The grayscale tomcat pressed his tail to his pelt uncomfortably as Ravenstar called out the name of the first kit in Roughthroat's litter, Juncopaw. Despite his resentment of the tomcat's excitement, his young heart sped up a few clicks in tempo. After Halfmask was named his mentor, his heart instantly sunk and he spun his small head away from the ongoing ceremony. Golden eyes closed into slits, Grimjaw did his best from now on to lessen his disappointment by ignoring the ceremony all together.
After a good solid moments of playing the "I'm not listening to you" game, Grimjaw's eyes opened up wide enough to get an eyeful of the discombobulated NightClan deputy sitting just a few pawsteps away from him. Since when did he get here? Grimjaw asked himself with a small flick of his tattered ear. The warrior could not remember seeing him around before, and judging by the tom's mussed up pelt and heaving chest, Roughthroat hadn't been here for long. He must've missed the first two ceremonies! Lucky! Grimjaw thought with a twist of his maw. Recognizing that Roughthroat had missed part of his own kitten's apprentice ceremony and desiring to move the focus of his negativity from him to the deputy, Grimjaw opened his mouth to call him out. Ravenstar's voice saved the deputy from embarrassment.
'Grimjaw! You trained under Blackwolf and have become a fine warrior. You are ready for your first apprentice. You will train Mothpaw, and I know she will become a great warrior under your tutelage.'
The dark tom turned to face his leader with a start, golden eyes filling with unknown emotions of excitement. Grmjaw could hardly think about the circumstance despite his initial joy, and could only manage on trembling limbs to amble over to his newfound apprentice. For a moment, Grimjaw was perfectly happy. His failure in saving Boneshadow in apprenticehood was left in the dust behind him. Grimjaw didn't feel like a failure for once.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 12, 2013 1:54:30 GMT -5
Mothpaw couldn't help but feel a tiny twinge of jealousy in spite of herself as each of her littermates were given mentors. Her heartbeat speeding up a little each time her leader called out a name, she was finally gratified as Ravenstar called out her name. Grimjaw. Mothpaw stood, stepping forward, her amber eyes seeking out the tom. Her eyes fell upon the gray-and-white cat, and, upon his arrival before her, reached up to touch his nose with her own. Proud and excited, and also a little nervous, the gray she-kit's fur prickled as the clan chanted her name. Mothpaw! Mothpaw!
Stepping to the side with her mentor, she sought out her father, shyly searching the crowd to find him. Her eyes falling upon him sitting to the side of the great boulder. She tried to read his expression, but could not, and looked away, instead glancing up to her mentor at her side, then back to her siblings whose mentors had yet to be named.
Character; Mothpaw
Word count; 166
Notes; ~ |
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Post by Fate Admin on Sept 4, 2013 19:27:59 GMT -5
Ravenstar purred in satisfaction as her little brother met his first apprentice and two stepped back into the crowd to allow her to finish the ceremony. Two new apprentices were left waiting without mentors. She sought out Cedarpaw’s mentor from within her Clan’s ranks, “Slatenose! As a senior warrior I know you have a wealth of knowledge to pass on. You shall mentor Cedarpaw.” She waited, small claws scraping the boulder beneath her as she mulled over her final choice in mentors for her deputy’s kits.
She had never meant to take another apprentice, not unless Boneshadow had kits. She had taken over Frogpaw’s training as a final favor to her lost friend, but she had intended Frogpaw to be the last apprentice she ever taught. How this small grey tom waiting below her to begin his path to warriorhood had changed a mind that was nigh on impossible to change was a mystery to Ravenstar. She did not make mentor decisions blindly. She paid attention to the kits in the nursery, albeit normally from afar. Something about the pale grey tom kit reminded her… reminded her of Boneshadow. She had witnessed his maddening calm in the face of insults and taunts and been struck by the resemblance in personality between the kit and her old friend.
So she would give this another shot in the hopes of finding within this apprentice multiple lost friendships. She and Boneshadow had balanced each other… perhaps Palepaw would be similar. If both cats grow for the better due to a relationship then why not take the chance? And with that final thought and the dying down of congratulations for Slatenose and Cedarpaw, she leapt from the boulder ledge with an easy grace and padded toward Palepaw, speaking as she went, “I… have not been named a mentor in many moons.” Indeed that was true, though her gaze flashed to Frogsplash briefly. She had never held an official ceremony for a change in mentorship for the young she-cat after Boneshadow’s death. She had simply taken over where Boneshadow had left off and left it well enough alone. It would have been too painful to hold another ceremony over his death.
She came to a stop before Palepaw, “I shall mentor Palepaw,” and dipped her head to touch noses with the apprentice that was still, thankfully, smaller than she was. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 7, 2013 17:54:26 GMT -5
you had my heart, at least for the most part
Palekit remained mostly still while Gracklefire attacked them with her tongue, but as soon as she was with another kit, he began to groom himself, just in case. His mother was doing everything she could trying to reign in five squirming balls of fur, but he, for the most part, held a mask of calm. Inside, though, he was burning with excitement. He didn't know who his mentor would be, or if he would even know them. All he knew was that he was growing older, and moving into a new chapter of his life.
The five kits were herded out of the nursery. Palekit floated behind, his long legs and smaller frame carrying him across the camp. He moved with a delicate grace, one that came naturally to him, though took others years to develop. He sat beside his siblings as Ravenstar called the Clan. He listened in silence, amber-brown eyes gazing up at NightClan's leader.
He felt a small burst of pride that she had called his name first, knowing that Starlingkit, now Starlingpaw, always wanted to be first in every way. In turn, his siblings were all given mentors; Juncopaw, Starlingpaw, Mothpaw, Cedarpaw. He was the only one left, and so there was a moment of surprise when Ravenstar bounded down from her ledge.
She didn't forget about me, did she??
The black and white leader spoke then, and his mind relaxed. She hadn't forgotten. "I... have not been named a mentor in many moons. I shall mentor Palepaw." Palepaw's eyes widened. She was going to mentor him? But why?
For now, the silver-grey tom didn't question Ravenstar's motives. Instead, he just leaned forward and lifted his head, touching noses with his mentor. He smiled as the Clan began to shout their names, the calls soon becoming chaotic as everyone called five different names at once. He glanced around at his siblings, all showing the same pride as he felt, and he smiled even more. Finally, he was an apprentice.
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