Stonepaw restlessly clawed the mossy ground, the earth dampened relentless rain. The same rain that had postponed this meeting until today. It was finally happening, today was finally happening. He felt the gazes of countless cats making his monochrome pelt prickle, an unwelcome contrast to the stinging wind numbing his ear tips. He knew they all saw him, whether they wanted to or not. He could almost smell the disapproval hanging around the older warriors. Despite only being a couple moons older than the usual age a cat might be granted the role of warrior, Stonepaw still stood taller than many of the cats in his clan, awkwardly so. It also didn't seem to do anything to help his… reputation.
Taking a deep breath, he shook his concerns from his pelt and rose to his feet, gazing steadily up at his leader, who sat upon the large tree stump they liked to call the High Log; he supposed the name originated from that long line of ancestry he would always fail to be a part of.
"Stonepaw."
"Emeraldstar," Stonepaw responded, respectfully.
"I, Emeraldstar, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as a warrior in his turn." Emeraldstar's gaze fell appraisingly upon Stonepaw, saying only what was, and had been tradition for many years, even so, Stonepaw hoped to believe he meant it. "Stonepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
"I do." Stonepaw's response was clear and confident; he had been waiting for this moment his entire life. This was the moment he might finally feel like he was playing his part in this clan the way he was expected to.
"Then by the powers of my authority, I give you your warrior name. Stonepaw, from this moment on you will be known as…"
Stonepaw waited, flexing his claws in anticipation. His warrior name, finally. He was finally going to be a warrior, someone of use to the clan. He hoped he would be named well, something cool, something admirable. His tail swished with impatience as he tried to suppress an excited smile.
"You will be known as…" Emeraldstar hesitated and glanced at his deputy, Yellowshade, who gave him a subtle nod. "From this moment on, Stonepaw, you will be known as Stone."
What...? The coldness in his voice was unmistakable, and it hit Stonepaw like an icy wave, drowning out the rest of his leader's speech. He couldn't believe it; he wouldn't believe it. This was a dream; it had to be. How could it be real when this was his moment to prove himself? This was supposed to be the moment he finally became who he was supposed to be; Tigertooth had always told him that everything would be fine when he became a warrior.
He could feel the blood roaring in his ears.
Stonepaw had worked hard, harder than most cats in this clan, and yet... Was this truly what he deserved? Was this the clan's way of telling him that he was being rejected? His heart racing, he swivelled his head round, eyes two wide moons with slitted pupils. Everything was a blur. The snickering shadows of other apprentices surrounded him, and the gazes of warriors burnt into his back like the glowing ashes of a forest fire. Some were shocked, but others seemed... satisfied, pleased, even. He panted; he could feel a burning behind his eyes. Searching through the sea of blurred, smirking faces, he twisted, sweeping a swimming gaze over the onlookers.
It took more than a few moments for Stonepaw to register the gradual decrease of those eyes that weighed down his pelt so much. Turning his head, he glanced around. A cat was screeching. Screeching at Emeraldstar.
His vision slowly swam into focus. It was a she-cat; her mid-toned brown pelt contrasted starkly with the dark stripes that entwined it. The familiar sight reminded him of cosy and warm nests, and that strong tiger-like impression was Tiger! Of course! It was Tigertooth! Stonepaw's heart warmed with recognition, and then burnt with a fearful anticipation.
His mother, the queen who had so gently raised him, was screeching like a vengeful fox. She had her back to him, both her head and fur lifted high, as she looked up at the leader who so pridefully looked down on her. "-name! How dare you disrespect such a perfectly hard-working and healthy cat- especially one under your own protection! How dare—"
"I have already told you," Emeraldstar said calmly, though Stonepaw could feel an edge to that tone, "I will not be going back on this ceremony. I am doing what should be done, and this decision is final, Tigertooth." His leaf-green gaze swept over the clearing. "This meeting is dismissed." The finality in his tone was unmistakable, yet it seemed the she-cat's defiance was not ready to end just yet.
"You cowardly piece of fox-dung! Stood up on that log of spineless control! Get down here and fi-" Tigertooth's forelegs buckled, and she let out a series of harsh, rasping sounds, and her body spasmed in their wake. She glared back up to Emeraldstar- or maybe to the sky; it looked like her squinting eyes were searching a rippling puddle for a moving reflection. "Like a warrior, you should-" she once again buckled, and this time Stonepaw could swear he saw something too opaque to be saliva fly from her mouth.
He tried to rush over to her, but there were too many cats- too many beasts- surrounding her. A path cleared but not for him. A shadowy male raced for her and loomed over her. He reached out a paw and Stonepaw prepared to dart and stand between the male and Tigertooth, his hind legs tensed and- and there was something soft resting lightly on his shoulder. He glanced down his eyes wide. They met softer, round, blue ones. It was Dewpaw. She mouthed something, Sleeksplinter. Sleeksplinter! It was Sleeksplinter attacking his mother! What was he thinking? Wasn't he supposed… Oh. It was Sleeksplinter. Stonepaw loosed a breath. Sleeksplinter, the mahogany and white tom, wasn't going to harm Tigertooth. For silverpelt's sake, he was the medicine cat of all cats!