Ebonystar stood tall on top of his rock. That's what the clan called it anyway. Ebonystar's rock. If he wasn't training Ratpaw or doing other warrior duties he was sitting on the rock. It was what he was using to gather cats for clan meetings, like now. His second clan meeting and it was to give two apprentices their warrior names.
Ratpaw stood nervously on Ebonystar's right while Oddpaw stood on the left with his head held high. Ebonystar looked over at his apprentice and smiled. "Don't worry. Hold your head high!" Ebonystar whispered before turning back to his clanmates.
"Cats of Howlclan," Ebonystar's meowed loudly to catch a few cats' attention. His voice traveled over their heads causing a couple of them to jump in surprise at their normally calm leader's loud booming voice.
Lightningthroat even seemed surprised by his brother's sudden authority. He had been one of the cats that had been distracted. Ebonystar smirked slightly. It was fun to show his brother a thing or two after being disrespected.
Ebonystar quickly regained his composure as if nothing had happened. "Today we are gathered to see two young cats receive their warrior names. Batscar and I have decided that they were ready to become full-fledged warriors of Howlclan." He paused to think a moment then continued. "I, Ebonystar, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these apprentices as they have trained hard to come where they are now."
Ebonystar glanced at the two apprentices at either side, addressing them as he did. "Oddpaw, Ratpaw. Do you promise to uphold the warrior code even at the cost of your life?"
Oddpaw's eye shone as he answered. "I do!" The young cat puffed out his chest and smiled down at his mentor, Batscar.
Ebonystar gave the cat a nod then looked toward Ratpaw.
"I-I do!" Ratpaw stammered through his nervousness holding his head high as Ebonystar instructed.
The leader then turned towards the clan. "Then, by the power given to me by Starclan, I give you your warrior names. Ratpaw, from this day forward you shall be known as Ratwhisker, for your gentleness and sensitivity."
Ratwhisker held his head high as Ebonystar continued. "Oddpaw, you shall be known as Oddmoon, for your mysterious yet soft nature."
The two new warriors' eye shone in pride as the clan yowled out their names under the setting sun. Ebonystar wasn't done speaking though. Not yet.
"Cats of Howlclan! I have one more announcement to make." Ebonystar said as the cries started to die down. They all looked confused and worried. "Ratwhisker has volunteered to become our medicine cat for the time being. Until we find a better replacement."
Murmurs echoed throughout the clan and all eyes set upon the nervous newly named Ratwhisker. He shrunk under their gazes and looked at his paws. Ebonystar raised his paw to silence them once again.
"I also want to announce a new apprentice, Frog step forward."
From the very back of the crowd, a small brown tabby trotted forward with eyes as bright as the new warriors' were. She stood with her chest puffed out and her grey-green eyes wide. Ebonystar smiled at the young cat.
"Frog, as agreed you will not get an apprentice name." Ebonystar paused as she nodded her head.
"Yup!"
"Then, your mentor shall be our newly named Oddmoon. I hope he teaches you everything he has learned in his time of being an apprentice."
Oddmoon looked at Ebonystar surprised but said nothing as he quickly scrambled down the rocks to touch noses with Frog. Once again murmurs broke out around the camp. A newly named warrior getting an apprentice was shocking, it had never happened before. But Ebonystar stood tall by his decision.
Not a single cat spoke as they stared at the two cats before them. Until Ratwhisker began. "Frog! Frog!"
The rest joined in at greeting the new apprentice.
"Thank you Ratwhisker. I hope they will understand my decision." Ebonystar said watching in silence as the chanting slowly died down and cats began congratulating Oddmoon and Frog.
"I'm sure they will, you must have a reason. Why did you anyway?"
Ebonystar shrugged. "Oddmoon looked as if he was getting left out of things. He started separating himself from others. Hopefully, Frog's energy can balance that out."
"Good idea." Ratwhisker purred as he watched Frog already eagerly ask Oddmoon about training.
They trotted out of camp laughing together and Oddmoon took one last glance back to Ebonystar, a thankful smile across his muzzle.
Ratpaw stood nervously on Ebonystar's right while Oddpaw stood on the left with his head held high. Ebonystar looked over at his apprentice and smiled. "Don't worry. Hold your head high!" Ebonystar whispered before turning back to his clanmates.
"Cats of Howlclan," Ebonystar's meowed loudly to catch a few cats' attention. His voice traveled over their heads causing a couple of them to jump in surprise at their normally calm leader's loud booming voice.
Lightningthroat even seemed surprised by his brother's sudden authority. He had been one of the cats that had been distracted. Ebonystar smirked slightly. It was fun to show his brother a thing or two after being disrespected.
Ebonystar quickly regained his composure as if nothing had happened. "Today we are gathered to see two young cats receive their warrior names. Batscar and I have decided that they were ready to become full-fledged warriors of Howlclan." He paused to think a moment then continued. "I, Ebonystar, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these apprentices as they have trained hard to come where they are now."
Ebonystar glanced at the two apprentices at either side, addressing them as he did. "Oddpaw, Ratpaw. Do you promise to uphold the warrior code even at the cost of your life?"
Oddpaw's eye shone as he answered. "I do!" The young cat puffed out his chest and smiled down at his mentor, Batscar.
Ebonystar gave the cat a nod then looked toward Ratpaw.
"I-I do!" Ratpaw stammered through his nervousness holding his head high as Ebonystar instructed.
The leader then turned towards the clan. "Then, by the power given to me by Starclan, I give you your warrior names. Ratpaw, from this day forward you shall be known as Ratwhisker, for your gentleness and sensitivity."
Ratwhisker held his head high as Ebonystar continued. "Oddpaw, you shall be known as Oddmoon, for your mysterious yet soft nature."
The two new warriors' eye shone in pride as the clan yowled out their names under the setting sun. Ebonystar wasn't done speaking though. Not yet.
"Cats of Howlclan! I have one more announcement to make." Ebonystar said as the cries started to die down. They all looked confused and worried. "Ratwhisker has volunteered to become our medicine cat for the time being. Until we find a better replacement."
Murmurs echoed throughout the clan and all eyes set upon the nervous newly named Ratwhisker. He shrunk under their gazes and looked at his paws. Ebonystar raised his paw to silence them once again.
"I also want to announce a new apprentice, Frog step forward."
From the very back of the crowd, a small brown tabby trotted forward with eyes as bright as the new warriors' were. She stood with her chest puffed out and her grey-green eyes wide. Ebonystar smiled at the young cat.
"Frog, as agreed you will not get an apprentice name." Ebonystar paused as she nodded her head.
"Yup!"
"Then, your mentor shall be our newly named Oddmoon. I hope he teaches you everything he has learned in his time of being an apprentice."
Oddmoon looked at Ebonystar surprised but said nothing as he quickly scrambled down the rocks to touch noses with Frog. Once again murmurs broke out around the camp. A newly named warrior getting an apprentice was shocking, it had never happened before. But Ebonystar stood tall by his decision.
Not a single cat spoke as they stared at the two cats before them. Until Ratwhisker began. "Frog! Frog!"
The rest joined in at greeting the new apprentice.
"Thank you Ratwhisker. I hope they will understand my decision." Ebonystar said watching in silence as the chanting slowly died down and cats began congratulating Oddmoon and Frog.
"I'm sure they will, you must have a reason. Why did you anyway?"
Ebonystar shrugged. "Oddmoon looked as if he was getting left out of things. He started separating himself from others. Hopefully, Frog's energy can balance that out."
"Good idea." Ratwhisker purred as he watched Frog already eagerly ask Oddmoon about training.
They trotted out of camp laughing together and Oddmoon took one last glance back to Ebonystar, a thankful smile across his muzzle.