A warrior ceremony is performed in which an apprentice finally gets their warrior name and becomes a full fledged warrior of their Clan.
Process
An apprenticeship usually lasts six moons or more. Once a mentor is satisfied with their apprentice's progress and skills, they recommend them to the leader of the Clan. Then, the apprentice must pass an assessment, in which their abilities as a warrior are checked.[1] In cases when the apprentice has just made an important contribution to the Clan, the leader may decide that there is no need for an assessment (e.g. Firepaw after saving the kits,[2] Brackenpaw after warning the Clan for a battle[3], Brokenpaw after his fights bravely in battle[4], or Thistlepaw after fighting a dog[5]).
If the Clan Leader is satisfied, they call a Clan meeting and call the apprentice forward.[6] The following words are used,[7] by tradition:
- Leader: I, (Leader), leader of (Clan), call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as a warrior in their turn.
- Leader: (Apprentice), do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?
- Apprentice: I do.
- Leader: Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. (Apprentice), from this moment on you will be known as (new warrior name). StarClan honors your (virtues), and we welcome you as a full warrior of (Clan).
The leader rests their muzzle on the apprentice's head, and the former apprentice licks the leader's shoulder.[8] The rest of the Clan then greets the new warrior by calling them by their new name.[9] The warrior will sit a silent vigil guarding the camp that night,[10] unless that is not possible (such as Squirrelflight's ceremony, when the Clan did not have a camp, and the task of exploring the lake was assigned)[11] or if the cat is injured (such as Cloudmist's ceremony). [12]
Virtues
During the apprentice's warrior ceremony, two major virtues of the apprentice are listed; the first is usually (but not always) courage. Some examples of virtues (and the warriors they described):
- Bravery - Berrynose,[8] Bluestar,[13] Cherrytail,[14] Cinderheart,[15] Dustpelt,[16] Firestar,[17] Graypool,[18] Graystripe,[17] Lilyheart,[19] Hawkwing,[20] and Thistleclaw[5]
- Courage - Brambleclaw,[21] Briarlight,[22] Brokenstar,[23] Cloudtail,[24] Ivypool,[25] Lionblaze,[15] Pinestar,[26] Poppyfrost,[27] Raggedstar,[28] Rockshade,[29] Sandstorm,[30] Sharpclaw,[31] Snookthorn,[32] Sorreltail,[33] Sparrowpelt,[34] Spiderleg,[35] Squirrelflight,[9] Stick,[36] Willowbreeze,[18] Blossomheart,[37] Cloudmist,[12] Hawkwing and Yellowfang[38]
- Cleverness - Willowbreeze[39]
- Dedication - Lilyheart[19]
- Determination – Brackenfur,[40] Cinderheart,[15] Graypool,[18] and Squirrelflight[9]
- Energy - Bouncefire[29], Twigbranch[41]
- Enterprise - Dovewing[42]
- Enthusiasm – Berrynose,[7] Cherrytail,[14] Spiderleg,[35] and Tinycloud[43]
- Fighting Skill - Blossomheart, Thistleclaw[5] and Brokenstar[23]
- Forethought – Brackenfur[40]
- Honesty – Dustpelt[16]
- Independence – Cloudtail[24]
- Initiative - Poppyfrost[44]
- Intelligence – Dovewing,[42] Honeyfern,[44] Leafstar,[45] Snookthorn,[32] Thornclaw,[46] Tinycloud,[43] and Yellowfang[38]
- Kindness - Honeyfern[44]
- Loyalty – Bouncefire,[29] Brambleclaw,[21] Hollyleaf,[15] Ivypool,[42] Leafstar,[45] Thornclaw,[46] and Whitestorm[47]
- Patience – Sorreltail[48]
- Resilience- Cloudmist
- Skill – Stick[36]
- Skill in Battle – Lionblaze[15] and Raggedstar[28]
- Speed - Willowbreeze[18]
- Spirit – Sandstorm[30] and Briarlight[22]
- Strategy – Pinestar[26]
- Strength – Bluestar,[13] Firestar,[17] Graystripe,[17] Rockshade,[29] Sharpclaw,[31] and Sparrowpelt[34]
- The way they have carefully thought out where they belong – Twigbranch[41]
- Thoughtfulness - Hollyleaf[15]
- Warmth - Graypool[18]
- Wisdom - Whitestorm[47]
Dying Apprentice Ceremony
When an apprentice is on the verge of death and has proven themself to be worthy of a warrior name, there is a special ceremony used so that the apprentice may take a warrior name to StarClan.[49]
- Leader: I ask my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. They have learned the warrior code and given up their life in the service of their Clan. Let StarClan receive them as a warrior. They will be known as (new name).
See also
References and Citations
- ↑ Revealed in Outcast, page 15
- ↑ Revealed in Into the Wild, page 269
- ↑ Revealed in Forest of Secrets, page 213
- ↑ Revealed in Yellowfang's Secret, pages 382-383
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Revealed in Bluestar's Prophecy, page 286
- ↑ Revealed in Outcast, page 19
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Revealed in Outcast, pages 19-20
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Revealed in Outcast, page 20
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Revealed in Starlight, page 27
- ↑ Revealed in Eclipse, page 79
- ↑ Revealed in Starlight, page 30
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Revealed in Hawkwing's Journey, page 28
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Revealed in Bluestar's Prophecy, page 215
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Revealed in Firestar's Quest, page 503
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 Revealed in Eclipse, page 318
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Revealed in Fire and Ice, page 280
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 Revealed in Into the Wild, page 270
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 Revealed in Crookedstar's Promise, page 282
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Revealed in Bramblestar's Storm, page 451
- ↑ Revealed in Hawkwing's Journey, page 30
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Revealed in Firestar's Quest, page 20
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 Revealed in Fading Echoes, page 176
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Revealed in Yellowfang's Secret, page 383
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 Revealed in A Dangerous Path, page 209
- ↑ Revealed in Sign of the Moon, page 33
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 Revealed in Pinestar's Choice, chapter 3
- ↑ Revealed in Eclipse, page 290
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 Revealed in Yellowfang's Secret, page 80
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 29.3 Revealed in SkyClan's Destiny, page 21
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 Revealed in Fire and Ice, page 279
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 Revealed in Firestar's Quest, page 333
- ↑ 32.0 32.1 Revealed in SkyClan's Destiny, page 369
- ↑ Revealed in Midnight, page 21
- ↑ 34.0 34.1 Revealed in Firestar's Quest, page 504
- ↑ 35.0 35.1 Revealed in Starlight, page 219
- ↑ 36.0 36.1 Revealed in SkyClan's Destiny, page 214
- ↑ Revealed in Hawkwing's Journey, page 29
- ↑ 38.0 38.1 Revealed in Yellowfang's Secret, page 122
- ↑ Revealed in Bluestar's Prophecy, page 282
- ↑ 40.0 40.1 Revealed in Forest of Secrets, page 214
- ↑ 41.0 41.1 Revealed in River of Fire, chapter 19
- ↑ 42.0 42.1 42.2 Revealed in Sign of the Moon, page 34
- ↑ 43.0 43.1 Revealed in SkyClan's Destiny, page 22
- ↑ 44.0 44.1 44.2 Revealed in Eclipse, page 90
- ↑ 45.0 45.1 Revealed in Firestar's Quest, page 334
- ↑ 46.0 46.1 Revealed in The Darkest Hour, page 105
- ↑ 47.0 47.1 Revealed in Bluestar's Prophecy, page 402
- ↑ Revealed in Moonrise, page 21
- ↑ Revealed in A Dangerous Path, page 223
| Hierarchy and positions in the Warriors world | |
|---|---|
| Clan hierarchy | Kits • Apprentices • Warriors • Deputies • Leaders • Queens • Elders • Medicine cats • Mediators |
| Ceremonies | Vigil • Apprentice • Warrior • Deputy • Leader • Elder • Medicine cat • Name changing |
| Tribe hierarchy | To-bes • Cave-guards • Prey hunters • Kit mothers • Healer/Stoneteller |
| Miscellaneous | General Clan information • General Tribe information • Cat names |
| Other groups | Loners • Rogues • Kittypets |