A sinuous black tom leapt up onto the Flat stone, watching his shadow stretch back out in front of him and into the sandy pebbles of the small break of the rhododendron bushes which made up camp.
"Cats of Coveclan, gather tonight under the Night Eye to witness the birth of new kits!"
In groups and singly, cats began to slip out of the bushes and away from the sassafras and elm trees which grew on their small peninsula. The deputy, Perchscale, placed himself just below his leader, curling his grey striped tail around his paws and counting the cats who appeared.
Finally once everyone had assembled, including the three elders of the clan who took up places beside Perchscale, and the medicine cat apprentice Minnowpaw, who sat to Perchscale's other side,the leader called out again from the Flatstone.
"As you all know, Rippleflower has been on her queen's rest for a moon, since the birthing of her kits. Now that they are old enough, they are being returned to us, that we may welcome them and claim them as ours."
As he spoke, a silver and ginger she-cat emerged from the entrance of the camp, herding two tiny wobbling clumps of fur. Her solid gray mate, Bluefeather flanked her right side, and on her left was bright ginger Finchcloud, the clan's full medicine cat, humming amiably. They stopped just inside the entrance, waiting for the summons.
"I Eelstar leader of Coveclan, welcome you to return to your birthclan with the kits you have born." His vice wavered slightly as he realized they were accompanied by another tom, an ancient faded cream cat. "By the traditions of our clan, come forward to present them at this time."
Rippleflower nodded, picking up one kitten while her mate picked up the other. They leapt up onto the Flatstone, and set the kittens down. Both kits looked as if they were patches of Rippleflower's fur which had simply fallen off and formed into new cats, one silver and one cream, their pelts stamped with the same classic tabby which gave their mother her name. It seemed the little ones were overwhelmed by the scents and sights around them, and they huddled together in the flickering moonlight. A small smile quirked at Eelstar's muzzle as he looked at the two healthy kits, it would not be long before they were playing and causing mischief all over the place, and this first night would be forgotten. Few kits remembered their presentation ceremony.
Eelstar addressed the parents once more.
"You have been raised to the traditions and codes of our clan, and now you bring your kits to follow in your pawsteps. Do you, with the witness of the Night Eye, our ancestors, and your clan, promise to raise your kits in the Path of the Code?"
Both parents proudly, loudly spoke, entwining their tails as they did so. "I do."
Eelstar nodded, "Then bring your kits forward for their first water steps." Again the parents picked up their kits, but this time went to the side of the flat stone, where a shallow sandy stretch led to the water. The clan watched as they dipped each kitten towards the surface, cheering when each kit began to instinctively move to paddle once their paws touched the water. The parents returned to Eelstar's side again, placing the kits in front of the clan.
"Name your kits." Murmured Eelstar.
Rippleflower nodded and nudged the tiny cream tom at her feet, before announcing: "Rowankit." Bluefeather nuzzled the little she-kit in front of him, purring: "Silverkit."
The black leader forced himself to keep a straight face, even though a proud smile twitched at his whiskers. "Coveclan, show these kits your acceptance by calling out their names!"
And so they did, yowling the names of the tiny kits to the sky, an uproar that sent prey scurrying and fish swimming away, but allowed fierce pride and excitement to show through in the clan's commitment to their new clanmates.
"So does Coveclan welcome these new kits into the clan. Now go and rest, for tomorrow is a new day, and we have more mouths to feed, more warriors to raise!"
With a few scattered cheers, most of the clan drifted back to their nests. Rippleflower stepped down with Bluefeather and their kits to the sand, where they were greeted by the elders and the other current queen in the nursery. Mosspelt had brought her older kits out, since they were about three moons, they were as curious about everything as they could be. Oriolekit approached the younger kittens, while her brother hung back a bit, more wary. "Mom they're so tiny. Were we ever that tiny?" she poked Rowankit, who hissed back at her. "I'm not wittle! I'm big as a fish!"
Eelstar chuckled as he watched the queens try to herd the kits back to the nursery, but before he could retire to his own den for rest, he was approached by the elderly cream tom.
"Mothlight." Eelstar nodded respectfully. "We weren't expecting you for your residency for another half moon."
The other tom shook his head mournfully. "Well, you need not worry about that now. The prophecy has been fulfilled."
Eelstar's ears pricked immediately with interest. "Oh? Who was chosen?"
Mothlight twitched slightly, his tail curling closer to his body. "Silverkit will be the Oracle. She is the one to hold the heart and mind of the stars."
An odd silence stretched between them as both toms felt their age pressing on them. Eelstar knew Mothflight was several seasons older than him, but they both shared silver muzzles and and slightly shaky paws. There was an almost immense relief radiating from Mothflight, his task was finished and now he would be finally free to take his deserved rest.
"Well then," murmured Eelstar, "You are welcome to pass your last moon with us."
Mothlight nodded, gratefully. "I would like that, we have much to discuss as Starclan's last messages to the clan's before the Oracle is fully trained."
Solemnly the black leader nodded, gesturing for the cream tom to follow him to the elders den. He would be greatly honored there, and he would not be alone. But as he raised his head to the sky he felt the light of the moon, the great Night Eye, bearing down on him. That poor kit's life would never be the same. She would be clanless, alone in a lake of cats