Post by LupTacco on Mar 15, 2019 7:02:37 GMT
The water crashed down over the entrance, surged on by a mild rain overhead. These duties had been slipping her mind, lately. She was always preoccupied, always losing track of time as visions of her missing loved ones danced at the edges of her vision, or by bittersweet idle fancies about Brack- Enough! Bearstar growled at her reflection as it deformed and shook in the water. She had to attend to things, or her clan would soon start to complain and mutter-if they hadn't already. Marching to the ledge from which she gave her announcements, she leapt up, a determined expression on her face. "May all cats old enough to cross the waterfall gather below for a clan meeting!" Her words echoed, momentarily drowning out the light patter of the rain outside. As soon as a satisfactory number of cats were assembled, she began, "It is time for ceremonies this moon. We've many cats ready to move up, starting with two apprentices. Mirepaw, Oddpaw- come forward."
"Mirepaw, your subtle graces have been honed by your training under Foxflight. You will be known as Miredawn," Bearstar spoke quickly but with a tone of respect to the ticked tabby before turning her attention to the patch-pelted cat beside her. "Your sunny disposition is well-known among your peers, Oddpaw. For your mottled fur and your bubbly outlook, you will be known as Oddsplash."She dismissed them with a slight flick of her tail and a nod, before moving onto some less happy news, "Due to sudden, mysterious losses of some of our own, Pumpkinpaw and Petalpaw are in need of new mentors- Ashleaf, you will teach Pumpkinpaw the last of what he needs to know, and Petalpaw... Honeywing will complete your training." This isn't so hard, you stubborn queen, the leader silently berated herself for having not done this so much sooner.
"Now then, it has come time to empty out the nursery for this moon. Each young cat who has been sleeping in the nursery is now old enough to begin their training- Hollykit, Squirrelkit, Patchkit, Hootkit, Mothkit, and Roundkit, please step forward." The leader's heart ached as she longed to be calling up Fishkit, to be looking with pride into Goldenmane's eyes as she announced who would be training all their precious children. She shook her head, forcing the thought away. "Each of you will be known as Hollypaw, Squirrelpaw, Patchpaw, Hootpaw, Mothpaw, and Roundpaw until you have completed your training," the brown-furred she-cat looked down at each apprentice with a little more warmth than when she'd began her speech, pride glittering in her eyes to know that her own children- Ah, all of them except for...- were growing up in the clan she lead.
"Willowhen, you have served MistClan for many moons, and I pray you serve it many more. You have the wisdom of age and the sharp mind of some much younger than you, making you a very capable warrior. You will mentor young Hollypaw. Cherryheart you have not had an easy few seasons. Yet, your heart is strong, and your claws are surely itching after so much time spent raising your kits. You will mentor Squirrelpaw. Another seasoned warrior- Whitefire, it has been some moons since you passed your knowledge onto the youngest cats of our clan. Someone with as much experience as you is surely ready for another apprentice- you will train my daughter, Hootpaw. Twoface, you have had relatively little responsibility in your life- while peace is fine, you have skills of your own, as well. Perhaps you will be patient enough for an apprentice like Patchpaw. Though you have a sharp tongue, Rookshade, I know you have the bite to match your words. My son Mothpaw has a sharp attitude of his own- teach him to channel that energy as you have. And Duskypetal- you are patient, kind, and mellow, but with a strong heart to carry you through it all. My dear Roundpaw will be your first apprentice, as he is much like you in my eyes," Bearstar spoke carefully, looking to each warrior and allowing them all time to greet their new apprentices before moving onto the next. As she finished announcing, she leapt down into the crowd to join them as they called out the new names of their clanmates, concluding the speech informally. Part of her almost slipped in a triumphant Fishpaw! but she knew it wasn't reality. She lost the spirit of it quickly, trailing silently back into her den. At least for tonight, most everyone else seemed content- better not to disrupt their moods.