[KARAZHAL]

His heart was pounding by the time the eagle thrashed its very last. Birdstar's eyes blazed as the creature stopped flopping and he smote his enemy upon the rocks, standing on the hill with his bib drenched in blood. The gray tom looked possessed with his lenses gleaming in the dim light. The cats had seemingly fought for hours. In the aftermath, Birdstar was pleased to gaze upon his Clanmates still standing with minor injuries. A few nicks and tears here and there, but hopefully nothing that lingered.

The eagles had fed the Clan for weeks and as Greenleaf began to come to a close, Birdstar felt that all assessments were completed for his apprentices and he could give his young lads their names. Although it had made him seem weaker at the Gathering, he was not a man ruled by pride. He could hold off on naming an apprentice if it meant shaping them the way they needed to be. Slatepaw had clearly proved himself worthy after helping fight the eagle, but it was his brother Flintpaw that needed more discipline. His new deputy, Sorrelclaw, had been put to the test with him, but she'd proven herself not only a worthy deputy candidate but also a skilled mentor.

So with this in mind, Birdstar called out the yowl that summoned the Clan: "May all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around the pile for a Clan Meeting!" As all the cats milled before him, he called up Squirrelpaw, Slatepaw and Flintpaw forward. He gave Squirrelpaw a doting glance. The high-strung tom had done even better than Slatepaw on the eagle so he had no doubt the apprentice was looking forward to this.

Birdstar turned to Slatepaw with a serious expression. "I, Birdstar, leader of StoneClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors." He nodded to the longhair tom. "Slatepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Stepping away from Orioleflight's side, Slatepaw lifted up his chin with pride, meeting Birdstar's eyes. "I do."

Birdstar's expression softened into a smile. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Slatepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Slatewing. StarClan honors your loyalty and ambition, and we welcome you as a full warrior of StoneClan."

He indicated for Squirrelpaw to step up. "Squirrelpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Birdstar hardly had to wait for a reply, and he beamed at Squirrelpaw' answer. Like Slatepaw, he would be receiving a warrior name that honored the success against the eagles, but this name held particular importance, for it had been Birdstar's own name once. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Squirrelpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Squirreltalon. StarClan honors your resolve and boldness, and we welcome you as a full warrior of StoneClan."

His eyes shifted to Flintpaw, who met him with a dogged stare. Birdstar was almost unnerved. For a brief instant, he held regret in his paws. Did this tom feel like he deserved this or earned this? Birdstar exhaled through his nostrils.

"Flintpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I guess," the brown tabby replied flippantly. The entire ceremony screeched to a halt, as heads turned and an angry buzzing of bees seemed to vibrate within the hill. Flintpaw was smirking as if this was all very funny.

"You guess? Well then I guess we'll hold off on your name until you figure it out," Birdstar retorted coolly, intolerant of Flintpaw's teenage antics. He jumped off the Rock Pile to the ledge beneath.

Flintpaw's eyes widened. Clearly he must've expected Birdstar to be thrown and just continue with his name to save face, but now that it seemed the ceremony was over, his head jerked side to side at all the disgusted, disappointed faces staring directly at him. It wasn't the same as bullying some dweeb apprentice younger than him. "Wuh-wait! I do! I do!" he burst out, rushing forward trying to cut Birdstar off from leaping of the way.

Birdstar stared down at him with a pitying look, but he tilted his head. "Do you? Because I don't need warriors who wouldn't defend their Clan without a second thought." His tail lashed although his expression showed no anger. Even under his gaze, Flintpaw couldn't seem to swallow his ego long enough to apologize. Birdstar tsked and raised his voice. "Flintpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Flintheart. May StarClan grant you an open mind about what it means to be a warrior of StoneClan from now on."

Stiffly, he removed himself from the Pile and left for the rarely-occupied Leader's Den, leaving the others to cheer for Slatewing, Squirreltalon, and even Flintheart if they so chose. He hoped that after the warriors' vigil was said and done, Flintheart would have a new outlook.

TAGGED FOR ♛ 𝔽𝕒𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟
OOC this takes place like a week after the eagle duo fight

[Jos]

Squirreltalon

The eagle attack had been a quarter of a moon ago.



Squirrelpaw had managed to walk away from that encounter with minimal injuries and pawfuls of experience—the best kind of outcome for a battle. This had been his first battle, after all, and Squirrelpaw had no idea what it would be like when he joined the patrol. Of course other warriors had spoken to the adrenaline, the rush of fighting, of feeling claws rip through flesh as both parties struggled to stay alive. It had not appealed to Squirrelpaw then and, if you asked him now, he would have to say his feelings did not change. But nothing any cat could say to him would have truly prepared him for the real thing.



At least the eagles fed the clan for many days. Feathers and down lined their nests, making them soft and cozy, and Squirrelpaw managed to pick a talon from the bottom of the prey-pile. He cleaned it up and set it outside the warriors den as a memento of the great eagle battle. A memento of his own bravery and ferocity in overcoming his own fear and helping his clanmates take down a threat. A memento of pride.



The eagle attack had been a quarter of a moon ago, and now Squirrelpaw was about to receive his warrior name. Defending his clan against the monster birds was enough of an assessment for Beetlejaw, apparently, because when Squirrelpaw woke up that morning he was told to groom and prepare himself for his last day as a ‘paw.



The entire morning rushed past him like a gust of wind. Waking up, grooming, going on patrol and sharing tongues with Beetlejaw (as had become their habit) were distant memories to the young tom as he stood shoulder to shoulder with his littermates. He cast Slatepaw an excited glance but gave Flintpaw only a courteous nod. Flintpaw rubbed Squirrelpaw’s fur the wrong way. They had never gotten along, not even as kits.



Slatepaw went first. Squirrelpaw yowled his name loudly along with his clanmates, his green eyes sparkling with joy and pride for his littermate. They had made it!



Then Birdstar called his apprentice name for the last time, “Squirrelpaw”, the young tom stepped forward, and Birdstar said the sacred words, “do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"



Squirrelpaw lifted his head and said loudly for all to hear, “I do.”



"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Squirrelpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Squirreltalon. StarClan honors your resolve and boldness, and we welcome you as a full warrior of StoneClan."



Squirreltalon erupted into a barely contained purr as he bowed his head and stepped back to make room for Flintpaw. Flintpaw’s answer to Birdstar’s sacred question shocked the clan, Squirreltalon included. How could any cat be so blasé about the safety of their clan? He felt a heaviness in his heart, shame and disappointment and sorrow, to share blood with Flintheart. Squirreltalon did not even shout his brother’s name, only Slatewing’s.


When the other warriors began retreating to their nightly routines, Squirreltalon gave his pelt a shake to release some of the irritation and tension created by Flintheart’s scandalous response. He caught the eye of CLoudtail, the grumpy warrior that all apprentices seemed to fear.. Squirretalon had felt bad that Ashpaw had been stuck with the crotchety tom, but instead of a snide remark, Cloudtail gave Squirreltalon and Beetlejaw a stiff nod of approval. "Congratulations." muttered the white tom as he passed.



Squirreltalon dipped his head in gratitude. 'That was...unexpected.' he thought to himself, before searching the crowd for a particular three-legged friend of his. The first cat he went to was Beetlejaw, butting heads with his former mentor so firmly that Squirreltalon nearly slipped. “Thank you for everything, Beetlejaw. You were the best mentor I could have ever hoped for.” He said, his voice thick with emotion, still rumbling with an enthusiastic purr.

Ain't nothin' gonna break-a my stride

Nobody gonna slow me down

679 .:.Fawn  KARAZHAL

[Amber]

[googlefont=Parisienne][googlefont=Jost]

Orioleflight

Seven suns had passed since the eagles that had hunted StoneClan became prey themselves. Wounds inflicted by hooked talons were healing, sure to leave more than one scar in their wake. Orioleflight’s own flank was scabbed over, the deep talon-gashes still clearly visible. The nick on her cheekbone was nearly healed; only time would tell if fur would cover it again. Even so, the orange and black warrior was immensely proud of what the patrol had accomplished. Not only had they slain the eagles without losses, but Squirrelpaw and Slatepaw had proved their mettle as warriors. After the battle, Orioleflight, Beetlejaw, and Sorrelclaw had met with Birdstar about the three toms. Slatepaw and Squirrelpaw were ready, and Sorrelclaw planned to complete Flintpaw’s assessment within the next few suns. For the other two, however, it was just a matter of waiting.

It was just this morning that Sorrelclaw had approached her, informing her that Birdstar had the warrior ceremony planned for later in the day. Orioleflight thanked the deputy for the notice, and went off to find her apprentice. He was lounging in the apprentices’ den, but popped up out of his nest when she poked her head in. “Slatepaw, come, walk with me.” The silver tabby was immediately beside her, and she led him out of camp and walked a short distance away. She wanted to remain close, but also wanted a few moments alone with the young tom. Settling into a sit, she curled her mottled tail over her paws and smiled at him.

“Slatepaw. You’ve grown so much over the last few moons, and I am honored that I got to experience that with you. I am so proud of how far you’ve come, and I cannot wait to see how much you flourish as a warrior. You did really well in the battle against the eagles, and because of that, we feel there is no need for further assessment. Today will be your last day in the apprentices’ den, and your last day as a ‘paw. Take time to relax and groom yourself; it shouldn’t be long now.”

Her apprentice smiled at her. He’d grown into a fine young warrior, and had already proved his worth to the Clan. Orioleflight was earnestly excited for what the future held for him. “Thank you, Orioleflight. For everything.” He eyed the still-healing wounds in her flank, the ones she’d taken in his stead. The warrior’s tail moved to flick against his cheek, drawing his eyes back to her face. “Hey,” she began, firmly but kindly. “That is not your fault. Everyone has fear when they enter battle, especially the first time. Part of the promise we make in our vows as a warrior is to protect and defend, even if it costs us our own. In the grand scope of things, something as minor as this wound is nothing compared to if that eagle had taken you. I took a vow many moons ago, one that you will take today, and with every fiber of my being, I will uphold that promise.”

“Even if it costs you your life?” It had been a while since Slatepaw’s eyes had been so wide and awestruck, and Orioleflight nodded solemnly. “Even if it costs me my life. Nothing is more valuable than family, and StoneClan is family. Besides, I have my parents waiting for me in StarClan, so even if I die defending my Clan, I know there is a place waiting for me. But, enough of the existential stuff. You have a ceremony to prepare for!” Orioleflight laughed lightly, rising to return to camp. Slatepaw followed, and they spent the morning sharing tongues, grooming Slatepaw’s long coat to perfection and sharing stories and memories. The air was much lighter between them by the time Birdstar’s call rang out, and Orioleflight watched his pride swelling in her chest as her apprentice became Slatewing, a fully-fledged warrior of StoneClan.

Sometimes.. The world finds it necessary to remind you of the good that it can hold, even when the bad seems to be taking hold all around you.

[Fawn]

BeetlejaW

Will you be my breath through the deep, deep water

For a moment, nothing felt real. Beetlejaw couldn't help his stomach from tying itself into knots so complicated, he thought he'd never eat again. Squirrelpaw stood before Birdstar, and Beetlejaw could see the gray tom's mouth moving, but he was having trouble processing the words. Instead, he could only hear the sound of his own heart beating in his ears.

Suddenly he was jostled, head whipping around to see Cicadasong looking at him intently. Snap out of it, brother! She urged with her eyes, and Beetlejaw gave himself a hard shake. What was that feeling, though? That breathlessness? That... weight? He should be full of joy and pride at Squirrelpaw's accomplishments. And he was, but those emotions felt out of reach, as if this heavy, thorny weight in his breast were keeping them at bay.

Oh, he realized. I wanted to be his mentor a little longer.

Beetlejaw suddenly exhaled, as if released of a great pressure that prevented him from moving forward.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Squirrelpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Squirreltalon. StarClan honors your resolve and boldness, and we welcome you as a full warrior of StoneClan."

Beetlejaw, who had already been standing and had already positioned himself near the front of the crowd, cheered for Squirreltalon. It was a strong, brave name. The charcoal black-spotted tom pushed his voice to go louder, wanting to make sure the new warrior could hear him.

He briefly lost Squirreltalon in the crowd, but then the tall ginger form reappeared, eyes shining with gratitude. As soon as Sauirreltalon began to thank him, Beetlejaw glanced around as if he could find a hole somewhere to hide in. Embarrassment made his ears burn, but his heart ached harder with a fierce sense of friendship and fondness. "You earned this, Squirreltalon. Twice over. I… thought I would hold you back, but you surprised me. Maybe I even surprised myself just a little." Beetlejaw smiled, the expression small but no less warm. "You've got a long night ahead of you. But when you're done, I'll see about getting you a nest next to mine."

Beetlejaw almost felt like he should be sitting vigil beside him, as if this somehow wasn't the end of their apprenticeship. But it was, it so clearly was, and a wistful heart tried to play catch up to the cool logic telling him he had lost a 'paw (in more ways than one) and gained a friend.

Can't stay in the shallows, please tell me I won't wash away

Jos || 33 Moons || StoneClan || 419 Words

[Jos]

Squirreltalon

Squirreltalon purred so loudly that he had to wait for a moment before responding to his mentor. 

"You didn't hold me back. Whoever gets you as their apprentice next will be a lucky cat." he assured the dark gray tom. Squirreltalon's long, bushy tail flicked happily, "I don't think I could have slept at all tonight anyways. I'm just too excited! Do you think it will take me long to get used to my new name? It sounds weird now after all these moons of being called Squirrelpaw." 

He noticed his littermate Slatewing speaking Orioleflight, another Stoneclan warrior. The brothers had not spent much time together since they had left the nursery but they had fought the Eagles together, and would be doing vigil tonight as well. "I'm going to go congratulate Slatewing," Squirreltalon said, "Let's go say hi!" 


He stalked towards his brother and Orioleflight, tail held high in friendly greeting. "Congratulations Slatewing. Orioleflight." he dipped his head respectfully, "Are you ready for our Warrior's vigil? Hopefully it's not any more exciting than watching the moon cross the sky." But if there was trouble, Stoneclan's newest warriors would be able to handle for sure. "What was your vigil like, Beetlejaw? Any tips?"

Ain't nothin' gonna break-a my stride
Nobody gonna slow me down

203.:.Fawn  Amber