New Warriors and New Apprentices

Gorsestar yawned as the sunlight hit his pelt, warming it from root to tip. The bengal tom looked outside of his den, before bounding out, and climbing up to the Vinebranch. Gorsestar smiled, before calling for his clan to gather. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Vinebranch for a clan meeting!" he called, watching his clan gather. Birchclaw and Fernsplash, who had been unusually close this past moon, sat together, accompanied by Swiftpaw, Sharppaw and Spiderfoot. Mintflower sat beside Swiftpaw. All cats in the clearing looked up expectantly at Gorsestar.

"I'm very proud to say that our clan is growing greatly. And now, we welcome more members into our clan." Gorsestar mewed, flicking his tail towards the four cats sitting at the thick bottom of the tree. The cats of IvyClan looked suspiciously at the cats.

Gorsestar leaped down the Vinebranch, before standing in front of the cats. "Rowan, Leaf, Cherry and Lynx, I will give you all proper warrior names." he mewed. When the four cats nodded, he smiled, continuing on with the ceremony.

"I, Gorsestar, leader of IvyClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these cats. They wish to learn the ways of your mysterious code, so I ask you make them warriors in turn. Do you, Rowan, promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect IvyClan with your life?" he asked.

Rowan looked nervous at the part 'at the cost of your life', but he answered anyway. "I do." he mewed strongly.

"Then Rowan, from this moment forward, you will be known as Rowanclaw. StarClan honors you for your intelligence and honesty, and welcomes you as a full warrior of IvyClan." Gorsestar rested his muzzle on Rowanclaw's, and the brown tabby licked his shoulder in respect.

Gorsestar turned to Leaf. The tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat looked nervous. "Leaf, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect IvyClan, even at the cost of your life?"

Leaf gulped. "I-I do." she mewed, looking at Gorsestar.

"Then from this moment forward, you will be known as Leafsong. StarClan honors you for your kindness and courage, and welcomes you as a full warrior of IvyClan." Gorsestar rested his muzzle on her head, and she also licked his shoulder in respect.

Gorsestar then turned to Cherry and Lynx, who were too young to become warriors. "Cherry, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Cherrypaw. Spiderfoot will be your mentor." Gorsestar watched as Spiderfoot touched noses with Cherrypaw, before turning to Lynx.

"Until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Lynxpaw. Birchclaw will be your mentor." Gorsestar watched Birchclaw's excited look, before he nervously touched noses with his new apprentice, Lynxpaw.

"Sharppaw has not been granted a mentor, so I ask that Rowanclaw will train him until he becomes a warrior," Gorsestar watched as the newcomer touched noses with Sharppaw.

"Rowanclaw! Leafsong! Cherrypaw! Lynxpaw!"

"Meeting dismissed!" Gorsestar yowled, padding into his den.