The New Apprentices
The sun shone bright overhead as the clan gathered around the ledge that Thistlestar has chosen to use for his ceremonies, chattering among themselves as they wait. The forest was quiet, with no sign of any intruders. Thistlestar waited quietly for the quick patrol he sent out to return, to reassure that nothing will disturb them.
As the patrol returned, joining the back of the crowd, nodding reassuringly at Thistlestar, the leader turned to his kits who would begin their warrior training. They appeared to be nervous, moving around. “We are about to begin; you all need to calm down. You will be fine,” Thistlestar says, trying to reassure his kits, and while it seemed to work with Cricketkit and Petalkit, Tinykit still didn’t seem relaxed.
Thistlestar went up to each kit, pressing his head against theirs, before turning away. “Come stand next to me when I call your name,” Thistlestar says as he walks closer to the edge, beginning to address the clan.
“Thank you for your patience, the ceremony for Thornclan’s newest apprentices will begin momentarily.”
Thistlestar waited as the cats that had been selected as the newest mentors stepped up. Once the mentors were up, Thistlestar spoke loudly, beginning the ceremony. “Cricketkit, now that you are six moons old, you are ready to become a warrior apprentice. From today, you will be known as Cricketpaw. Your mentor will be Swallownest. I hope Swallownest will pass down all he knows on to you.”
At the mention of his name, Cricketpaw had walked up, sitting next to his father as he waited on his mentor to approach him. Cricketpaw touches foreheads with his new mentor, excitedly, accidentally hitting his head in the process.
“Swallownest-” Thistlestar continues, “you are ready to take on an apprentice. Your mentor, Eagleclaw, taught you everything that she knows and you have proven yourself to be a strong and reliable warrior. Now, it is your turn to teach Cricketpaw everything that you know.”
Thistlestar turns away from the duo to continue with the ceremony. “Petalkit, now that you are six moons old, you are ready to become a warrior apprentice. From today, you will be known as Petalpaw. Your mentor will be Robinsong. I hope Robinsong will pass down all that she knows on to you.”
Petalpaw skips up, looking at the short cat in front of her, the deputy, her new mentor. She raises her forehead, as Robinsong presses her head against the apprentice. “Be ready for training as soon as the ceremony is over,” Robinsong whispers.
“Robinsong, you are ready to take on an apprentice. Your mentor, Kestrelflame, taught you everything she knew and you have proven to be a tactical and logical warrior, putting your head first before fighting. Now, it is your turn to teach Petalpaw everything you know.”
Thistlestar didn’t wait before continuing. “Tinykit, now that you are six moons old, you are ready to become a warrior apprentice. You will be known as Tinypaw from today. Your mental shall be Briargrove. I hope Briargrove will pass down all that she knows to you.”
Tinypaw looked up surprised, before turning to her adoptive mother grinning as she trotted over, carefully pressing her head against Briargrove’s. “I’m not going to go easy on you just because I’m your mother,” Briargrove whispers to the apprentice in front of her
“Briargrove, you are ready to take on an apprentice. Your mentor, Falconwind, taught you everything he knows and you have proven to be a courageous and agile warrior. Now, it is your turn to teach Tinypaw everything that you know,” Thistlestar finishes, looking at his three kits proudly as he gave a small smile.
The clan began to chant the name of the new apprentices. “Tinypaw! Petalpaw! Cricketpaw! Tinypaw! Petalpaw! Cricketpaw!”
As the patrol returned, joining the back of the crowd, nodding reassuringly at Thistlestar, the leader turned to his kits who would begin their warrior training. They appeared to be nervous, moving around. “We are about to begin; you all need to calm down. You will be fine,” Thistlestar says, trying to reassure his kits, and while it seemed to work with Cricketkit and Petalkit, Tinykit still didn’t seem relaxed.
Thistlestar went up to each kit, pressing his head against theirs, before turning away. “Come stand next to me when I call your name,” Thistlestar says as he walks closer to the edge, beginning to address the clan.
“Thank you for your patience, the ceremony for Thornclan’s newest apprentices will begin momentarily.”
Thistlestar waited as the cats that had been selected as the newest mentors stepped up. Once the mentors were up, Thistlestar spoke loudly, beginning the ceremony. “Cricketkit, now that you are six moons old, you are ready to become a warrior apprentice. From today, you will be known as Cricketpaw. Your mentor will be Swallownest. I hope Swallownest will pass down all he knows on to you.”
At the mention of his name, Cricketpaw had walked up, sitting next to his father as he waited on his mentor to approach him. Cricketpaw touches foreheads with his new mentor, excitedly, accidentally hitting his head in the process.
“Swallownest-” Thistlestar continues, “you are ready to take on an apprentice. Your mentor, Eagleclaw, taught you everything that she knows and you have proven yourself to be a strong and reliable warrior. Now, it is your turn to teach Cricketpaw everything that you know.”
Thistlestar turns away from the duo to continue with the ceremony. “Petalkit, now that you are six moons old, you are ready to become a warrior apprentice. From today, you will be known as Petalpaw. Your mentor will be Robinsong. I hope Robinsong will pass down all that she knows on to you.”
Petalpaw skips up, looking at the short cat in front of her, the deputy, her new mentor. She raises her forehead, as Robinsong presses her head against the apprentice. “Be ready for training as soon as the ceremony is over,” Robinsong whispers.
“Robinsong, you are ready to take on an apprentice. Your mentor, Kestrelflame, taught you everything she knew and you have proven to be a tactical and logical warrior, putting your head first before fighting. Now, it is your turn to teach Petalpaw everything you know.”
Thistlestar didn’t wait before continuing. “Tinykit, now that you are six moons old, you are ready to become a warrior apprentice. You will be known as Tinypaw from today. Your mental shall be Briargrove. I hope Briargrove will pass down all that she knows to you.”
Tinypaw looked up surprised, before turning to her adoptive mother grinning as she trotted over, carefully pressing her head against Briargrove’s. “I’m not going to go easy on you just because I’m your mother,” Briargrove whispers to the apprentice in front of her
“Briargrove, you are ready to take on an apprentice. Your mentor, Falconwind, taught you everything he knows and you have proven to be a courageous and agile warrior. Now, it is your turn to teach Tinypaw everything that you know,” Thistlestar finishes, looking at his three kits proudly as he gave a small smile.
The clan began to chant the name of the new apprentices. “Tinypaw! Petalpaw! Cricketpaw! Tinypaw! Petalpaw! Cricketpaw!”