Ceremonies of the Clans

kit to medicine cat apprentice
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 (apprentice).
Leader: (Apprentice), 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/Moonpool to be accepted by StarClan before the other medicine cats.
Leader: The good wishes of all (Clan) will go with you.
The mentor touches noses with the apprentice, and the Clan greets the new apprentice.

At the Moonstone
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: (Apprentice), is it your wish to enter the mysteries of StarClan as a medicine cat?
Apprentice: It is.
Medicine Cat: Then come forward.
Medicine Cat: 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.

apprentice ceremony
Leader: (Kit), 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 (new name, ending with "paw"). Your mentor will be (name of warrior or medicine cat). I hope (name of warrior or medicine cat) 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 (apprentice


Warrior Ceremony

Leader: I, _______, leader of ________, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. (S)he 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. ______, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?

Apprentice: I do.

Leader: Then, by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. _______, from this moment you will be known as _______. StarClan honors your _____ and _____, and we welcome you as a full member of _________.

*Leader lays her head on new warrior’s shoulder; new warrior licks leader’s shoulder and goes over to other warriors; new name is chanted by Clan.*

Deputy Ceremony


Leader: I say these words before the body of ______, so that his spirit may hear and approve my choice. _______ will be the new deputy of ________.

*You can change the first part up depending on whether the deputy is still living or not.


Name-Changing Ceremony

Leader: Spirits of StarClan, you know every wolf by name. I ask you now to take away the name from the wolf you see before you, for it no longer stands for what (s)he 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 (s)he will be known as ______, for _______.

*Leader lays her head on newly named warrior’s shoulder; newly named warrior licks leader’s shoulder and goes over to other warriors; new name is chanted by Clan.*


Elder Ceremony


Leader: ______, is it your wish to give up the name of warrior and go to join the elders?

Old Warrior: It is.

Leader: Your Clan honors you and all the service you have given us. I call upon StarClan to give you many seasons of rest.