MADE OF SOMETHING NEW — prompt &. warrior ceremonies

[GILLSIGHT]

"Gill decides to lighten the tension in the clan by pretending to be the leader and assigning his fellow apprentices their warrior names and some warriors different ones. Maybe even the kittens can get warrior names too!"

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Things have been... difficult, lately.

A new home, the loss of collections, the risk of death around every corner. Though Gillpaw puts on a brave face and tries his best to help everyone where he can - collecting trinkets for others' collections in his free time, mostly - sunshine eyes seem to only dim more with each day that passes.

He's not the only one, of course. RiverClan needs some happiness, these days.

And it's quite evident, in the solemn looks of the kits he's tasked with watching - in the irritated face of the apprentice stuck with the same task - that something needs to be done.

"H-How about we play a g-game?" he suggests. Some of the kits light up at that, and Gillpaw thinks he's headed in the right track. But what? Mossball was too dangerous right now - anything with too much movement could risk a kit's misstep, could lead to their demise. No, they needed something with less movement.

Oh! He knows what they can do!

He hops up on a rock to gain a bit of height, before calling out: "Th-Those who are old enough to swim, g-gather around!" He sees the kits hesitate, but motions for them to gather. Begrudgingly, the apprentice who'd been tasked to watch over them with Gillpaw nudges them forward. He waits for his audience to gather, before speaking.

"W-We have w-warriors to name!" he declares, before taking a deep breath, yellow gaze seeking out the first pair of kits to name warriors, as well as his task-partner for the day, "T-Tadpolekit, Beetlekit, and Crowpaw, step forward, p-please." As he waits for the trio, he tries his best to remember the words Cicadastar recites to new warriors.

"I, Gillstar, leader of... FloodClan, call upon m-my warrior ancestors, to look down on o-our kits and apprentices. They... They've trained hard to learn the ways of FloodClan, and I b-bring them to you as warriors in return." That sounded about right. "Tadpolekit, B-Beetlekit, Crowpaw, you have proven yourselves to be strong enough t-to become warriors, do... do you promise to protect FloodClan with y-your life?"

An enthusiastic "I do!" from the kits follows. His game must be working! Even if Crowpaw's own answer doesn't sound too enthusiastic.

"Then, f-from this day on you will hold these warrior names. T-Tadpolekit, you will be Tadpoletail, for... for your striped tail and agility. Beetlekit, you will be Beetlewing, f-for your swiftness. Crowpaw, you will be Crowshade, for your dark fur a-and stealth. M-May the stars lead you to greatness."

The kits thank him for their names, before settling back into the audience. Crowpaw - or... Crowshade, rather - looks grateful too, Gillpaw notices, as he searches for his next group to name. This was kind of fun!
​

 

[RAVENSONG]

Ravenpaw lounged not to far off, his paws kneading at a large, thick, clump of moss to use later to craft into nesting material. His eyes were half-closed, using the rhythm of his paws to lull him into a sense of security and peace. Their living situation was not ideal, and he often thought back to the soft home he had left behind with his father.

His eyes snapped open at Gillpaw's announcement and he twisted his head around to see his fellow apprentice standing on a rock and dictating new warrior names to a trio of kittens. For a moment, Ravenpaw watched. He was nearing warrior age himself, and he dreaded his assessment. He had been believing he would never earn his name.

Maybe Gillstar would give him one.

"Tadpoletail! Beetlewing! Crowshade!" He mewed, in order to make the ceremonies feel all the more real.

​

 

[CLAYFUR]

Clayfur, sunbathing lazily a few fox-lengths away, blinks a tired hazel eye open when he hears Gillpaw’s enthusiastic voice. Clay admittedly has a soft spot for the apprentice—and not only because he’s Clearsight’s apprentice. The black and white RiverClanner is friendly and outgoing in a way that reminds Clay of himself.

With a huff and a grunt, the lethargic tom drags himself to his full height. White paws carry him haltingly over to where his clanmates stand. He cheers the kits and apprentice’s new names along with Ravenpaw, then cocks his head at Gillpaw. "Oh, we got new warriors? Thank you, oh great Gillstar." He then gestures to the pitch-black apprentice beside him with a paw, hoping to shift Gillpaw’s attention. "Will Ravenpaw receive his warrior name today as well?"
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[ WHAT'S MY AGE AGAIN? ]​

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[FERNGILL]

FloodClan was an... odd choice of name. Held bitter connotations for some, but- in the whip of the moment Fernpaw soon forgot about it. The little gathering of kittens seems approving (to varying degrees) of Gillpaw- Gillstar's judgement, the FloodClan leader's voice thrumming with the sweet touch of a smile. A grin crescent Fernpaw's disproportionate eyes, as void-black pupils flickered about to each face. Oversized paws carried him to the side of Ravenpaw, someone he knew fairly well- offering the sooty tom a quick smile, and his uncle Clayfur a similar affordance, Fernpaw's attention at last settled upon the main event.

Joining in the mock cheers, his voice skipped with glee as all of the commotion from the last moon went forgotten. "Tadpoletail! Beetlewing! Crowshade!" They were good names- rolled off the tongue well, sounded almost as if Cicadastar could've given them. "You're good at this, Gill- star!" Almost stumbled, there- ruined the illusion. Ever-genuine, he beamed up at the black-and-white apprentice.​

✦ penned by pin ✦​

 

[Catfishleap]

❝ where the angels sing ✧°.☀ ———————————— Catfishpaw had only been named a paw a moon before, but really it seemed like she had already been too long and the prospects of a warrior name was like a trophy. So as she heard the cheer and found herself joining into the small crowd of kits and apprentices. She became almost too excited at nature of Clayfur's question. This game wasn't just for the kits!

She quickly went and gave Ravenpaw a goodnatured paw to the back "Well we better get our names. It would be like a real shame if we didn't step up to help Floodclan with these other capable warriors," she motioned to the kits before taking a place in front of Gillpaw.

[penned by user - [tags☀]]

———————————— ☀.°✧ we're mixing up milk and honey ❞ ​

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[willowroot]

( ☾ ) smoke fur soaks up the watery sun like parched earth, warming the lanky body of the lead warrior as they relax beside clayfur. verdant optics flick open at the sound of the familiar call, and for a moment, half-asleep confusion filters through their mind as they glance about for cicadastar. it is then that their gaze settles on the patched pelt of gillpaw and a soft grin splits their face. as clayfur heaves himself up, willowroot mourns the loss of his companionship but for a moment, as interest piques their mind. gillpaw stands tall and as confident as they've ever seen him, proudly offering warrior names to a handful of kits and apprentices. deciding naptime is over anyway, willowroot stands and follows clayfur, tufted ears flicking.

"beetlewing! tadpoletail! crowshade!" she calls alongside her clanmates, and something light touches her heart. the clan is not home, far from it- perched at the edge of the ravine, but this kind of game tells her that things will be alright. ​

( THE LIGHT YOU GAVE ME )