- Jun 7, 2022
- 813
- 648
- 93
Blazestar’s steps feel a little lighter today, for although his Clan has buried six warriors—only three dead from illness—ThunderClan had brought them hope. Lungwort is the cure for those burrowed away in Dawnglare’s den, and the SkyClan leader is determined to ensure they scour every precious mouselength of their territory for the spotted plant. He breezes by the medicine cat’s den, his nostrils prickling with the wretched scent of illness cloistered inside, and ascends the Highbranch. “All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highbranch for a Clan meeting!”
He waits as cats begin to trickle into the clearing. Some of their eyes are dull, clouded with pain or the beginnings of yellowcough… he does not know. “ThunderClan visited us at the border. You may have heard—their medicine cat found a cure for this ‘yellowcough.’” His tail curls about his paws. “Lungwort is the only thing we know of that can make yellowcough leave a cat’s body. It is a priority to assist Dawnglare and Fireflypaw in locating the herb.” StarClan knew, he’d rest easier if every stalk had been picked clean from the pines.
After a heartbeat, he adds, “Those of you at the Gathering already know, but we have a third law in our warrior code. I expect it to be followed and upheld.” Blazestar’s chin lifts. “Elders, queens, and kits must be fed before apprentices and warriors.” His tail tip twitches and he adds, “Until those unable to hunt for themselves have been fed, you will not eat yourselves.”
The Ragdoll waits for any murmurs to die down. There’s an unpleasant bit of business to get out of the way before he can begin with his ceremonies. “We have had our fill of SkyClan cats trespassing recently. Only one here remains with us today… Brightpaw, step forward.” His blue eyes are dull as he remembers how the young girl mourns for the cat who’d trained her for so many moons, but his voice is firm. “Brightpaw, you are eleven moons old, and yet you broke the warrior code for a frivolous reason. You are not ready to become a warrior. A warrior understands and honors the code we live by, and you have not done that.” He sighs. “Shadowfire walks with StarClan now, and you will need a mentor to guide you more than ever. Johnnyflame will take over your training. You will spend four moons doing not only your regular duties, but training alongside each new kittypet and loner who presumes to learn our ways. You will learn them too—until they become the air you breathe.” He will wait for the torbie lead warrior and the newly-scarred she-cat to touch noses. “Johnnyflame, I expect by the time four moons have passed that Brightpaw will be a warrior we can all be proud of.”
He watches for the apprentice’s reaction, and he will harden his heart against any disappointments she may be feeling. Four extra moons of training, and she will be learning from the ground up just like a kittypet would—but that’s the price she pays for her complete disregard for her safety and her Clan’s.
Blazestar does expect she will become a brave, bright warrior someday… but he knows she will need a firmer paw than Shadowfire’s had been.
“Now. We have a cat who has chosen to walk the path of our daylight warriors, and three kits who begin training today.” His tone warms. “Aspenkit, Cinderkit, and Pearlkit, step forward.”
Three well-groomed tiny figures would make their way through the clearing. Whether they are excited or nervous, Blazestar will begin: “Aspenkit, from this day forward, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Aspenpaw. Your mentor will be… Tiggerbounce.” There’s a pause as he waits for the plump ginger tom to amble forward. “I am assigning you this apprentice as a trial. If he has not made progress in his training after a moon, he will be reassigned. I trust you will do everything in your power to ensure he is a credit to his Clan.” Though his words are stern, Blazestar’s tone is blanketed with warmth.
He begins again, “Cinderkit, from this day forward, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Cinderpaw. Your mentor will be Momowhisker.” He searches for the tabby, waiting for the daylight warrior and the new apprentice to brush noses. “Momowhisker, you demonstrated great courage on the patrol to the Twolegplace. I trust you to pass on all you know to Cinderpaw.”
Finally, he looks to Pearlkit. “From this day forward, you will be known as Pearlpaw. Your mentor will be Coyotecrest.” A unique pairing, he thinks… Pearlpaw is full of energy, and she’s a bit wayward, but Coyotecrest had been too once upon a time. “Coyotecrest, you have had a variety of mentors… but I expect you will pass everything you’ve learned from Thistleback and myself to young Pearlpaw.” Blazestar does not mention the period of time where Sootstar had been his former apprentice’s teacher… likely, Pearlpaw could do without those lessons.
He waits for the last pairing to touch noses before starting up, “Aspenpaw! Cinderpaw! Pearlpaw!” Once the clamor dies down, he will beckon the quirky daylight warrior with the strange crown forward with his tail.
“Hazel, you have been with us for one moon, learning the ways of SkyClan. You have chosen to take a warrior name, and so you will experience the same ceremony we give our apprentices. I, Blazestar, leader of SkyClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this cat. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn.” He gazes into her eyes. “Hazel, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?”
He waits as cats begin to trickle into the clearing. Some of their eyes are dull, clouded with pain or the beginnings of yellowcough… he does not know. “ThunderClan visited us at the border. You may have heard—their medicine cat found a cure for this ‘yellowcough.’” His tail curls about his paws. “Lungwort is the only thing we know of that can make yellowcough leave a cat’s body. It is a priority to assist Dawnglare and Fireflypaw in locating the herb.” StarClan knew, he’d rest easier if every stalk had been picked clean from the pines.
After a heartbeat, he adds, “Those of you at the Gathering already know, but we have a third law in our warrior code. I expect it to be followed and upheld.” Blazestar’s chin lifts. “Elders, queens, and kits must be fed before apprentices and warriors.” His tail tip twitches and he adds, “Until those unable to hunt for themselves have been fed, you will not eat yourselves.”
The Ragdoll waits for any murmurs to die down. There’s an unpleasant bit of business to get out of the way before he can begin with his ceremonies. “We have had our fill of SkyClan cats trespassing recently. Only one here remains with us today… Brightpaw, step forward.” His blue eyes are dull as he remembers how the young girl mourns for the cat who’d trained her for so many moons, but his voice is firm. “Brightpaw, you are eleven moons old, and yet you broke the warrior code for a frivolous reason. You are not ready to become a warrior. A warrior understands and honors the code we live by, and you have not done that.” He sighs. “Shadowfire walks with StarClan now, and you will need a mentor to guide you more than ever. Johnnyflame will take over your training. You will spend four moons doing not only your regular duties, but training alongside each new kittypet and loner who presumes to learn our ways. You will learn them too—until they become the air you breathe.” He will wait for the torbie lead warrior and the newly-scarred she-cat to touch noses. “Johnnyflame, I expect by the time four moons have passed that Brightpaw will be a warrior we can all be proud of.”
He watches for the apprentice’s reaction, and he will harden his heart against any disappointments she may be feeling. Four extra moons of training, and she will be learning from the ground up just like a kittypet would—but that’s the price she pays for her complete disregard for her safety and her Clan’s.
Blazestar does expect she will become a brave, bright warrior someday… but he knows she will need a firmer paw than Shadowfire’s had been.
“Now. We have a cat who has chosen to walk the path of our daylight warriors, and three kits who begin training today.” His tone warms. “Aspenkit, Cinderkit, and Pearlkit, step forward.”
Three well-groomed tiny figures would make their way through the clearing. Whether they are excited or nervous, Blazestar will begin: “Aspenkit, from this day forward, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Aspenpaw. Your mentor will be… Tiggerbounce.” There’s a pause as he waits for the plump ginger tom to amble forward. “I am assigning you this apprentice as a trial. If he has not made progress in his training after a moon, he will be reassigned. I trust you will do everything in your power to ensure he is a credit to his Clan.” Though his words are stern, Blazestar’s tone is blanketed with warmth.
He begins again, “Cinderkit, from this day forward, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Cinderpaw. Your mentor will be Momowhisker.” He searches for the tabby, waiting for the daylight warrior and the new apprentice to brush noses. “Momowhisker, you demonstrated great courage on the patrol to the Twolegplace. I trust you to pass on all you know to Cinderpaw.”
Finally, he looks to Pearlkit. “From this day forward, you will be known as Pearlpaw. Your mentor will be Coyotecrest.” A unique pairing, he thinks… Pearlpaw is full of energy, and she’s a bit wayward, but Coyotecrest had been too once upon a time. “Coyotecrest, you have had a variety of mentors… but I expect you will pass everything you’ve learned from Thistleback and myself to young Pearlpaw.” Blazestar does not mention the period of time where Sootstar had been his former apprentice’s teacher… likely, Pearlpaw could do without those lessons.
He waits for the last pairing to touch noses before starting up, “Aspenpaw! Cinderpaw! Pearlpaw!” Once the clamor dies down, he will beckon the quirky daylight warrior with the strange crown forward with his tail.
“Hazel, you have been with us for one moon, learning the ways of SkyClan. You have chosen to take a warrior name, and so you will experience the same ceremony we give our apprentices. I, Blazestar, leader of SkyClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this cat. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn.” He gazes into her eyes. “Hazel, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?”
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ceremonies: @Johnnyflame @BRIGHTPAW @TIGGERBOUNCE @Coyotecrest @MOMOWHISKER @pearlkit @CINDERKIT. @Aspenkit
activity shoutouts: @orangeblossom @DAWNGLARE @Fireflypaw @SILVERSMOKE @SLATE @TWITCHBOLT @DUSKPOOL @GREENEYES @MALLOWLARK @Howlfire @bobbie @Falconpaw @Cherrypaw thank you guys so much for your amazing activity! -
blaise. blazestar
— he/him ; leader of skyclan
— pansexual ;divorced; single
— longhaired flame point Ragdoll with blue eyes
— “speech”, thoughts, attack
— penned by Marquette
— chibi by Mercibun