Post by KARAZHAL on May 25, 2020 22:12:16 GMT -5
He had long known about this day coming, but Birdstar would have never thought that it'd be him making the announcement. StoneClan's medicine cat, Sandblaze, had held his post for almost as long as Smokestar had been a deputy. He had put moons of service into his Clan, and Birdstar was proud of him for continuing his duties despite his growing deafness. However, his disability was now too much for Birdstar to ignore. He was already vulnerable because of his small size--he still looked like an apprentice after all these years--and he didn't seem to understand all of the dangers that could kill him out in the wilderness. Ebonyheart had tolerated all of her mentor's quirks. This was for Sandblaze's own good now.
To his relief, Birdstar did not have to fight his own medicine cat to see reason. When he strode into the medicine cat den, Sandblaze was already waiting for him, standing beside Ebonyheart. Birdstar purred warmly at the sight of them, and he stepped forward to rub cheeks with the tom.
"You've already discussed it, I take it?" he asked, and then repeated himself when Sandblaze's eyes squinted in confusion. He hadn't heard correctly the first time. The tiny tom's ears bent back sadly. Birdstar inwardly promised to project his voice for the upcoming ceremony that would name Sandblaze an elder, to live a healthy life being taken care of personally by his leader and the apprentices. Birdstar looked at Ebonyheart but didn't say anything for a while, merely flicking his tail to beckon them out and saying "Let's do this" with his back to them. Birdstar loped out first, leaping to the middle part of the Rock Pile in three jumps.
Birdstar sucked in a breath, steadying himself. This was his first ceremony, but he feared he wouldn't remember the words. He looked at all the cats milling around camp, their eyes turning on him when he'd leapt upon the Rock Pile. As he swallowed and stood on the ledge, Birdstar suddenly felt the spirits of StarClan settle on either side of him, although he could not see them. He felt their warmth and comforting touch. In his mind were all the words he'd need, as if he'd known them his whole life.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own pray gather around the pile for a clan meeting!" The booming yowl rang out throughout the boulders.
Sandblaze stood in front of everyone. Birdstar met his eyes and addressed him loudly, so that all could hear and he would not embarrass the tom. "Is it your wish to give up the name of a medicine cat and join the elders?"
"It is," the ginger tabby replied.
Birdstar suddenly saw himself through the eyes of Hawkstar, staring down at Nightpetal instead of Sandblaze. His voice was not his own, but rather combined with the leaders before him. "Your Clan honors you and all the service you have given to us. I call upon StarClan to give you many moons of rest."
Sandblaze turned to Ebonyheart and pressed his forehead against the fluffy she-cat, giving her his blessing. Slowly, he pulled away and walked over to join Rabbitfur and Nightpetal's section. The Clan's chants were met with a wan smile from the deaf tom, for he felt the vibrations echoing in their cave home and saw all eyes on him. When the Clan finished calling out his name, Birdstar gestured to the beautiful longhair left alone. "Sandblaze's apprentice has already been chosen by StarClan and given her true name. I recognize Ebonyheart as full medicine cat of StoneClan." He invited them to gaze upon her and acknowledge her authority.
To his relief, Birdstar did not have to fight his own medicine cat to see reason. When he strode into the medicine cat den, Sandblaze was already waiting for him, standing beside Ebonyheart. Birdstar purred warmly at the sight of them, and he stepped forward to rub cheeks with the tom.
"You've already discussed it, I take it?" he asked, and then repeated himself when Sandblaze's eyes squinted in confusion. He hadn't heard correctly the first time. The tiny tom's ears bent back sadly. Birdstar inwardly promised to project his voice for the upcoming ceremony that would name Sandblaze an elder, to live a healthy life being taken care of personally by his leader and the apprentices. Birdstar looked at Ebonyheart but didn't say anything for a while, merely flicking his tail to beckon them out and saying "Let's do this" with his back to them. Birdstar loped out first, leaping to the middle part of the Rock Pile in three jumps.
Birdstar sucked in a breath, steadying himself. This was his first ceremony, but he feared he wouldn't remember the words. He looked at all the cats milling around camp, their eyes turning on him when he'd leapt upon the Rock Pile. As he swallowed and stood on the ledge, Birdstar suddenly felt the spirits of StarClan settle on either side of him, although he could not see them. He felt their warmth and comforting touch. In his mind were all the words he'd need, as if he'd known them his whole life.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own pray gather around the pile for a clan meeting!" The booming yowl rang out throughout the boulders.
Sandblaze stood in front of everyone. Birdstar met his eyes and addressed him loudly, so that all could hear and he would not embarrass the tom. "Is it your wish to give up the name of a medicine cat and join the elders?"
"It is," the ginger tabby replied.
Birdstar suddenly saw himself through the eyes of Hawkstar, staring down at Nightpetal instead of Sandblaze. His voice was not his own, but rather combined with the leaders before him. "Your Clan honors you and all the service you have given to us. I call upon StarClan to give you many moons of rest."
Sandblaze turned to Ebonyheart and pressed his forehead against the fluffy she-cat, giving her his blessing. Slowly, he pulled away and walked over to join Rabbitfur and Nightpetal's section. The Clan's chants were met with a wan smile from the deaf tom, for he felt the vibrations echoing in their cave home and saw all eyes on him. When the Clan finished calling out his name, Birdstar gestured to the beautiful longhair left alone. "Sandblaze's apprentice has already been chosen by StarClan and given her true name. I recognize Ebonyheart as full medicine cat of StoneClan." He invited them to gaze upon her and acknowledge her authority.
TAGGED FOR Ghost the Undead Goddess Silver
OOC sandblaze will be well pampered in the elder's den <3
OOC sandblaze will be well pampered in the elder's den <3
