It's Divine

[sabs]

BRACKENSTAR - - >

    Things had finally started to feel back to normal in the few moons that have passed since Mothstar’s death. Border patrols had been going smoothly, the prey pile had been kept especially stocked, kits were being born in the nursery, and everything seemed in place again. There was one more thing that needed to be taken care of, as the nursery was getting quite cramped. It was with this certainty that the tabby leader ascended onto the rock above his den, his voice ringing proudly across the clearing. “All cats old enough to fight their own battles, meet here beneath the High Rock for a Clan meeting!”

    Bracekenstar watched with yellow eyes as a bundle of kits exploded from the nursery in an excited scramble. The scene brought a soft purr to the leader’s throat as they anxiously took their places below him, fascination gleaming in many of their eyes. He knew it would take a lot of patience for all of them to wait for each of their names to be called, there were more than he could count on two paws after all. His gaze shifted to two other apprentices in the clearing. The MistClan cats he had let into the Clan only days ago. They’d need mentors too. He’d been keeping an eye on them, assigning them simple tasks. But he believed they were ready for the real MothClan treatment.

    “Before we start naming our new apprentices, I’d like to welcome two more additions to our ranks.” He motioned with his tail for the two cats to step forward. Once they had, he surveyed them, thinking carefully about the choices he’d made for their mentors. “These two cats came from MistClan, wishing to learn our ways and join our Clan. They will go through the normal length of MothClan training, or until I deem them fit for their names.” He cleared his throat as the first apprentice stepped forward. “Birchpaw, your mentor shall be Bristleblaze. He’s a strong young cat, and I am certain in his ability to pass on our ways to you, as he was my first apprentice.”

    He dismissed the pair, watching the other MistClan cat step forward. “Cottonpaw, your mentor shall be Stormwatcher. She’s fiery and confident, two qualities that I feel you will benefit greatly in learning.” He wondered how the she-cat felt about being assigned a new apprentice, especially from MistClan. No matter, her opinion was not needed in this situation. He was sure he’d made a good choice. “I trust the both of you to report back to me on the trainings of your apprentices on their progress.” Brackenstar said with the flick of his tail, watching them disperse.

    “Now then,” He began, waiting for the kits to move closer. The tom felt their excitement radiate into him. He took great care in picking the perfect mentor for each and every one of them, as he always did. He hoped that they worked out as well as he’d envisioned in his mind.

“Cactuskit.” He started, looking at the large-earred tom that was the only son of Lightfoot. “From this day forward you’ll be known as Cactuspaw. Your mentor shall be Bellfeather. Her tender grace but loyal ferocity is a gift that I know she will pass to you.” He looked towards the soft blue she-cat with gentle eyes. “I know you just got out of the nursery, but I feel a new apprentice will do you well. You’ve never been one to shy away from opportunity.” He concluded, his heart bubbling over with pride as the two touched noses.

Now, for his sister. “Agavekit. You will be known as Agavepaw. Your mentor shall be Duskstrike. He is a confident warrior that has a lot to offer the Clan, and you as well.”

He didn’t skip a beat as he moved onto Eveningblaze’s kits. “Scorpionkit, until you have earned your warrior name you shall be Scorpionpaw. Hemlockwatcher will be your mentor. His soft hearted nature is one that I feel will be of good use in teaching you of MothClan’s ways.”

“Tick-kit, you will be Tickpaw. Your mentor shall be Heronwatcher. Her intelligence and heart are what make her a great warrior, as I know you will be one day.”

“Weevilkit,” He began with a smirk. The small tortie tom reminded him so much of his father, their deputy. “Your mentor shall be Silvertongue. His quick wit and loyalty are unsurpassed among our Clan. It would be wise to listen to every word he says.”

“Hornkit, you will be known as Hornpaw. Your mentor shall be Nettlefire. She’s a fierce young fighter that I believe will help you hone your skills and make you into a fine, battle-ready warrior.”

“Mantiskit, you’ll be known as Mantispaw. Your mentor will be Pinetuft. He is kind, but that does not make him weak. His devotion to his work is an impressive quality that I know he will pass onto you.”

“Flykit.” He started, watching the wiry black tom scamper up to him, almost falling flat on his nose. A soft purr rumbled in Brackenstar’s throat. “Flykit, until you earn your warrior name, you shall be known as Flypaw. Your mentor will be Heathersight. She’s a bright, fiery warrior with undying determination. Do well to learn from her and listen carefully.”

From the Eveningblaze bunch, he turned to Tinykit, a small tom. “”Tinykit, you’ll be known as Tinypaw. Your mentor will be Bleakbelly. Don’t mistake his age for weakness. He’s one of our best warriors, you’d be wise to learn from him and all of his experience.”

Finally, he turned to the two blue toms. “Carrotkit, you shall be known as Carrotpaw. Your mentor shall be Scorchmane. He has a passionate heart and is a gifted young tom in many ways, you won’t find many more loyal. I am confident he will train you into a fine young MothClan warrior.”

Lastly, left Susankit. He smiled at the blue kit as he stepped forward. “Susankit, until you earn your warrior name you shall be Susanpaw. I will be your mentor. Your sweet nature and adventurous spirit have impressed me, and I’m excited to see what potentials we can unlock from within you together.” He bent down and touched noses with the small tom, purring once more. With that, he concluded the ceremony, hopping down from the rock to join in congratulating all of the new apprentices.

[mewmehh]

The voice of their new, young, and healthy leader rang across the camp and filled the ears of Mothclan with vigorous spirit. It was a welcome sound; one that carried with it the will of their clan clearly as crystal to their ancestors watching high above. Hopefully a particular gray tom was paying attention.

Excitement filled the area with an intense buzzing as scrambled pawsteps thundered against the ground and many young voice squeaked about. Among these was Carrotkit as the blue tom-kit had pranced ahead of the pack after his sprightly brother. The pair had been patient despite their giddiness as Bellfeather gave them a little grooming; she didn't seem too bothered with the sprigs and blossoms tangled into their fur as the other queens were. Carrotkit almost felt bad as he caught sight of Hornkit hissing beneath his mother's rasping tongue.

Instead, the blue kits managed to find prime seating next to their mother as the ceremony began. Amber eyes flashed brightly with confusion as two unfamiliar faces stood before Brackenstar, their scents even more odd. Carrotkit wasn't sure if he knew what that wet smell was, but mentally made a note to ask Eveningblaze if it had anything to do with them being from Mistclan. Mistclan cats are here? How weird, but oh well. He glanced over to where Bellfeather was watching with a calm face and wondered if she had any thoughts about the matter; despite her warm and friendly nature, Carrotkit often found it difficult to read his mother's mind. It was as if she were the both the most genuine warrior and crafty actor. Even his father was easier to understand.

The blue tom's attention was snapped back to their tabby leader as the former Mistclan apprentices returned to their seats and two of his denmates had taken their place. The ticked-coated sister and brother were beaming as their names were changed and Carrotkit's jaw practically dropped off his face as he felt Bellfeather stand up and pad away. Gaping as his mother listened thoughtfully to Brackenstar's words, the young tabby blinked in surprise. He watched as the she-cat tenderly touched noses with Cactuspaw and felt a little stab of pain in his chest as the warm expressions they shared. Was he jealous? No no, rather, it was something else. It was moire familiar than that. Disappointed, perhaps. As much as he wanted his mother to get to return to her warrior duties, Carrotkit would have been lying to himself if he wasn't a bit saddened by the fact that she would be busy with another cat; one that wasn't himself, his brother, or Eveningblaze. Swallowing his feelings, Carrotkit's shaky voice yowled out Cactuspaw and Agavepaw's names before his mother returned to his side and affectionately ushered him forward with the rest of his denmates.

Lemony sour eyes peered out at the looming tabby figure that boomed all sorts of words to the gathered group of kittens. Sweet, meaningless words they sounded like and Hornkit felt himself itch at all the attention. He liked being the top cat, but something about standing in front of his whole clan, with their eyes all trained on them, made him rather uncomfortable. The scruffy tabby tom listened with a arched brow as his elder littermates each earned their apprentice names and mentors, all bright-eyed and flustered as they touched noses with the group of warriors. All until his turn, in which the young tom was faced with a prickly she-cat indeed. Daughter of the late Mothstar, Nettlefire was a young, but fierce warrior for sure and one of the cats he found himself respecting. For once, his sour scowl had melted off into a youthful expression of awe, like a cat meeting their idol for the first time. Of course, his face was still crinkled into a look of determination as he reached to touch the diluted tortie's nose with his own.

As he was moved to sit back down, Hornpaw completely ignored the rest of the ceremony. Instead, he focused on his mentor across the mass of cats and vied for training to begin. Well, until the names of the two blue nuisances sparked up in his ears and made them flattened. His sour expression returned as he looked back to the front where Susankit and Carrotkit were gawking and flouncing their exotic feathery coats and the tabby apprentice practically yacked. Before him, the large forms of Scorchmane and Brackenstar himself were touching noses with the pair of blue toms that had stolen away his father's attention. Hornpaw's insides scrambled and burned and before he knew it, he had snapped his head in the opposite direction. Getting up to his paws, he found his way to Nettlefire and settled down beside his mentor, refusing to give those two blue bastards anything else that belonged to him, attention of otherwise.

[gingersnapsdacat]

Agavekit trembled like a leaf on the wind, staring wide-eyed at the gathered cats. All of them would be looking at her... Her face, her fur, her tail...everything would be out on display... It terrified her. 
"Ruststripe..." she whispered, drawing nearer to the striped cat. "I..I don't want to..."
The ginger striped she-cat nuzzled the cheek of her adoptive daughter. 
"I will be right behind you. And don't worry, if anyone says a word, they will have to deal with me. Now go, show them what you've got."
Meanwhile, Tickkit was a clear opposite of what her adoptive sister was showing. To her, this was the beginning of something amazing! Finally, she could get her questions answered, she could learn about the world, and she could be free!
"Mantiskit! Hey! Mantiskit! I bet I'm going to be named first!" she teased her tabby sibling, reminding her of their friendly wager.
"You won't get named at all if you don't get scurrying!" Ruststripe purred, ushering all six of her 'parasites' to the rock.
The entire group of kittens scurried up the rock, sitting in a row, and Ruststripe could not help but feel a swell of warm pride. She had done it! She had raised these parasites, and taken in Lightfoot's son and daughter, and brought them all to this moment. And all of them, for good or bad, would grow into wonderful toms and she-cats. 
“From this day forward you’ll be known as Cactuspaw. Your mentor shall be Bellfeather."
That is good, Ruststipe told herself. She is a kind and gentle she-cat.
“You will be known as Agavepaw. Your mentor shall be Duskstrike.”
The abbysinian she-cat continued to tremble, but she forced herself to touch noses with her mentor. Of course, as soon as she could, she rushed back to the other kits, pressing herself to her brother's side. 
"Scorpionpaw. Hemlockwatcher will be your mentor."
Tickkit had to bite her tongue to keep from mewling out praise for her brother, and to beg Brackenstar to choose her next. 
“Tick-kit, you will be Tickpaw. Your mentor shall be Heronwatcher. Her intelligence and heart are what make her a great warrior, as I know you will be one day.”
With a twinkle in her eye, the young she-kit touched her mentor's nose, and opened her mouth to spew out all of her questions. 
"Wh-"
However, she was quickly cut off by Brackenstar's continuation of the ceremony. 
"Weevilpaw...Your mentor shall be Silvertongue."
Ruststripe chuckled slightly, imagining what kind of schemes her cunning little Weevilpaw could create with the guidance of Silvertongue. 
"... Hornpaw... Nettlefire... mantispaw... Pinetuft... Flypaw.. .Heathersight..."
At long last, all of Ruststripe's brood had received names, followed by Tinypaw, Carrotpaw, and Susanpaw.
Proudly, the new apprentices and joyful Ruststripe yowled the new names. 

[Fireflake]

Mantiskit purred loudly and brushed against her siblings, already making a show of herself before she rushed to the High Rock. "Come on! Come on, it's time!"
Her voice was high-pitched with the squeaky excitement of a kit, but she wasn't a kit anymore. She could dash up by Brackenstar just like an apprentice already. She only threw her head back briefly to shake it at Tickkit's reaffirmation of their bet, then she was off.

Mantiskit rushed up and stood tall with shining yellow eyes beside Brackenstar. Her well-groomed fur had fallen just slightly out of place again in her hurry. She stood there wordlessly, breathlessly... and restlessly. Each name before her own hit her like blows in a play-fight. Tilting her head up to the leader with an imploring look, she wondered if he'd caught wind of her bets and decided to deliberately make her last.

Finally, Brackenstar said her name and the not-kit kit shot up straight again. Pinetuft! Yes! She shoved her nose into his and almost headbutted him in her excitement. Now when she was older, she'd have an impressive quality, just like him. When the ceremony was over and the names had been chanted, Mantispaw turned to a nearby tom. "I win, Tinypaw!" she announced, conveniently ignoring everyone else she had bet she would be apprentice before. She paused just a moment longer on the High Rock, looking out over the whole clan that she was now tasked with taking care of. A warm feeling swelled inside of her and she quashed another purr before leaving back to her mentor and family below.