Clan Ceremonies

[TANGO]

[cs=2][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,10,true] CEREMONIES GUIDE
[atrb=style, width: 450px; -webkit-border-radius: 25px; -moz-border-radius: 25px; border-radius: 25px;][atrb=style, width: 80px; vertical-align: top;]	clan ceremonies In the clans, ceremonies are momentous occasions that mark significant changes for members of the clan, whether it be a name change or the making of a new warrior. Each ceremony begins by the leader calling a clan meeting. When the clan has assembled, the leader speaks the appropriate words. Specific ceremonies are outlined as follows. Note that these are just general outlines, and leaders are free to ad lib to a certain extent.
[atrb=style, width: 450px; -webkit-border-radius: 25px; -moz-border-radius: 25px; border-radius: 25px;][atrb=style, width: 80px; vertical-align: top;]	apprentice ceremony Leader: (Examplekit), you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as (Examplepaw). Your mentor will be (name of warrior). I hope (name of warrior) will pass down all he/she knows on to you. The leader calls up the warrior he/she has chosen as a mentor. Leader: (Warrior), you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from (former mentor), and you have shown yourself to be (quality) and (quality). You will be the mentor of (apprentice), and I expect you to pass on all you know to (Examplepaw). The mentor touches noses with the apprentice, and the Clan greets the new apprentice by calling out his/her name. After this, the apprentice will usually go greet their family, or go see to their mentor.
[atrb=style, width: 450px; -webkit-border-radius: 25px; -moz-border-radius: 25px; border-radius: 25px;][atrb=style, width: 80px; vertical-align: top;]	medicine cat apprentice ceremony Medicine Cat: Cats of (Clan), as you know, I will not be around forever. So it's time I took an apprentice. I have chosen a cat who has shown (virtues). Your next medicine cat will be (Examplepaw). Leader: (Examplepaw), do you accept the post of apprentice to (medicine cat)? Apprentice: I do. Medicine Cat: Then at the half-moon, you must travel to the Moonstone to be accepted by StarClan before the other medicine cats. Leader: The good wishes of all (Clan) will go with you. At the next half moon, the medicine cat goes with the apprentice to the Clans' sacred place to present him or her to the warrior ancestors, where the apprentice confirms his or her wish to be a medicine cat. The following words are used, by tradition: Medicine Cat: (Examplepaw), is it your wish to enter the mysteries of StarClan as a medicine cat? Apprentice: It is. Medicine Cat: Then come forward. Warriors of StarClan, I present you with 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. The medicine cat apprentice touches his/her nose to the Moonstone. Then the medicine cat and the apprentice lay down and have a dream from StarClan.
[atrb=style, width: 450px; -webkit-border-radius: 25px; -moz-border-radius: 25px; border-radius: 25px;][atrb=style, width: 80px; vertical-align: top;]	warrior ceremony Leader: I, (Leader), leader of (Clan), call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. (He/she) has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend (him/her) to you as a warrior in (his/her) 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 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 his or her muzzle on the apprentice's head, and he or she licks the leader's shoulder. The rest of the Clan then greets the new warrior by calling him or her by their new name. The warrior will sit a silent vigil guarding the camp that night, except if that is not possible.
[atrb=style, width: 450px; -webkit-border-radius: 25px; -moz-border-radius: 25px; border-radius: 25px;][atrb=style, width: 80px; vertical-align: top;]	deputy ceremony Leader: I say these words before StarClan, that the spirits of our warrior ancestors (or former deputy name) may hear and approve of my choice. The new deputy of (Clan) is (warrior's name).
[atrb=style, width: 450px; -webkit-border-radius: 25px; -moz-border-radius: 25px; border-radius: 25px;][atrb=style, width: 80px; vertical-align: top;]	medicine cat ceremony Used to give medicine cat apprentices their full warrior name. This process occurs at the half-moon at the Moonstone. Medicine Cat: I, (name), medicine cat of ___Clan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. (He/she) has trained hard to understand the ways of a medicine cat, and with your help (he/she) will serve (his/her) Clan for many moons. Medicine Cat: ___paw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from rivalry between Clan and Clan and to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life? Apprentice: I do. Medicine Cat: Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your true name as a medicine cat. ___paw, from this moment you will be known as (new name). StarClan honors your (virtues), and we welcome you as a full medicine cat of (Clan). The medicine cat rests his or her muzzle on the apprentice's head, and he or she licks the mentor's shoulder. The other medicine cats greet him or her by their new name.
[atrb=style, width: 450px; -webkit-border-radius: 25px; -moz-border-radius: 25px; border-radius: 25px;][atrb=style, width: 80px; vertical-align: top;]	leader ceremony After a leader dies or retires, the deputy must undergo this ceremony to become the new leader and gain nine lives. They must go to the Moonstone with their medicine cat to begin the ceremony. First, the cat must touch the moonstone with their nose. For a moment, they cannot move because their old life is being ripped away. Next, the cats of StarClan come down from the Silverpelt and nine cats (many times, cats who were significant in the lives of the new leader) give them their new nine lives with these words: StarClan cat: (ouches nose to the top of the new leader's head With this life I give you (gift). Use it well (to, in, as, for, etc.) (use of gift). After this has happened nine times, the previous leader approaches. If the previous leader is still alive, it should be the last leader to have died. Former Leader: I hail you by your new name, Examplestar. Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine lives of a leader, and StarClan grants you the guardianship of ExampleClan. Defend it well; care for young and old; honor your ancestors and the traditions of the warrior code; live each life with pride and dignity. The cats of StarClan now chant the new leader's name.
[atrb=style, width: 450px; -webkit-border-radius: 25px; -moz-border-radius: 25px; border-radius: 25px;][atrb=style, width: 80px; vertical-align: top;]	elder ceremony Leader: (Warrior), is it your wish to give up the name of a warrior and go to join the elders? Warrior: It is. Leader: Your Clan honors you and all the service you have given to us. I call upon StarClan to give you many moons of rest. The Clan will call out the retired warrior's name and then he or she will go to the elder's den. Usually, an elder ceremony is held only when a cat retires due to old age. If they are forced to retire because of a severe injury, there is no ceremony
[atrb=style, width: 450px; -webkit-border-radius: 25px; -moz-border-radius: 25px; border-radius: 25px;][atrb=style, width: 80px; vertical-align: top;]	name changing ceremony When a cat's name no longer portrays who they are, a Clan leader can perform this ceremony to change it to a new name. Normally, the name is changed from the result of an injury. However, sometimes it is changed when the cat has been named incorrectly and the leader wants to rectify this mistake. 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 on he/she will be known as (new name), for (description of the reason).

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