ceremonies

[whiteangel28]

ceremonies

kit to apprentice

When kits are six moons old or older, they are apprenticed to a warrior, and given their apprentice name(Leafkit becomes Leafpaw). This is the first ceremony for all cats in the clan, as they must go through an apprenticeship before anything else. The ceremony goes as follows;;

leader;; "This [time of day] we gather together to name [number of kits] as new apprentice. Please come forward."

Kits step forward.

clan leader;; "From this day forward, until (she/he) has earned (her/his) warrior name, this apprentice will be called (apprentice name). (mentor's name), you will be (apprentice's name)'s mentor. You had (the new mentor's mentor) as your mentor. I hope that (his/her) (trait) and (trait) will pass through you to your new apprentice."

You may also replace the bold with this, or some other variant:

You are (trait) and (trait). I hope that you will pass these onto your apprentice.

Ceremony is repeated until all kits are given their apprentice name and a mentor has been assigned to each of them.

Thus the kits become apprentices.

medicine cat apprentice

Of course, there's always going to be that special kit who becomes a medicine cat apprentice, right? The ceremony stays the same, you just add in something about them being chosen to be a medicine cat apprentice in the above ceremony. But, the following is also said before the other medicine cats at the next half moon at the moonpool;;

mentor;; "(apprentice name), is it your wish to enter into the mysteries of Starclan as a medicine cat?"

apprentice;; "It is."

mentor;; "Then come forward."

Apprentice steps forward, pause in the ceremony, next bit speaking to StarClan.

mentor;; "Warriors of Starclan, I present to you this apprentice. [He/She] has chosen the path of a medicine cat. Grant [him/her] your wisdom and insight so that [he/she] may understand your ways and heal [his/her] clan in accordance with your will."

Slight pause again, speaking back to the apprentice.

mentor;; "Lay down beside the moonpool, and lap up a few drops of its water."

Congrats, the normal apprentice has become the medicine cat apprentice!

apprentice to warrior

The highlight of every young cat's life. As a warrior, they have proven themselves worthy to no longer be officially trained(though they may get a few tips now and then!) and they, unless there's a lack of apprentices, get to skip out of their duties of cleaning the elders den(yay!).

ceremony;;

leader;; "I, [leader's name], leader of [clan], call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on [this/these] [number of apprentices] apprentice. [He/she/they] have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend [her/him/them] to you as warrior in [his/her/their] turn. [apprentice's name go here], do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

apprentice(s);; "I do"

leader;; "Then by the powers of Starclan I give you your warrior name. [Apprentice name], from this moment on, you shall be known as [apprentice's warrior name]. Starclan honors your [trait] and your [trait], and we welcome you as a full member of [clan]."

Repeat the name giving until all apprentices have warrior names.

leader;; "In tradition of our ancestors,

medicine cat apprentice to medicine cat

This is used before their mentor dies. You do the following, at the next half moon, while they are at the moonpool.

Small explanation of why they receive their name before their mentor dies may be put here.

mentor;; "I, [mentor name], medicine cat of [clan], call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. [He/She] has trained hard to understand the way of a medicine cat, and with your help [he/she] will serve [his/her] clan for many moons. [apprentice name], do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from rivalry between clans, and to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?"

apprentice;; "I do."

mentor;; "Then by the powers of Starclan I give you your true name as a medicine cat. [Apprentice name], from this moment you will be known as [full name]. Starclan honors your [trait] and [trait]."

appointment of a deputy

This will need to be done only if: the clan leader dies, and the previous deputy becomes leader, the deputy retires to be an elder, the deputy commits a crime against the warrior code and is therefore demoted and/or driven from the clan, or the deputy dies and/or is killed in battle.

leader[if deputy died];; Cats of [clan], now I shall name [clan]'s new deputy. I say these words before the body of [dead deputy], so that [his/her] spirit may hear and approve my choice. [new deputy's name] will be the new deputy of [clan].

leader[all other circumstances];; " Cats of [clan], now I shall name [clan]'s new deputy. I say these words before Starclan, that the spirits of our ancestors may hear and approve my choice. [new deputy's name] will be the new deputy of [clan].

retirement of a warrior

It must happen, unfortunately, if you live this long, so:

leader;; [Warrior's name], you say that the time has come for you to join the elders. Are you sure this is what you want?"

warrior;; "I am."

leader;; "Then you will rely on apprentices or younger warriors for freshkill and are no longer able to go on patrol."

changing of a name

This is on a rare occasion;;

leader;; "Spirits of Starclan, you know every cat by name. I ask you now to take away the name from the cat you see before you, for it no longer stands for what [he/she] is. By my authority as Clan leader, and with the approval of our warrior ancestors, I give this cat a new name. From this moment (she/he) will be known as [new name].

calling the cats

leader;; "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the [joining place name here] for a Clan meeting."