Post by ENGLISH on Oct 8, 2013 7:36:28 GMT -5
how to become an apprentice
Apprentices are clan cats that are in training to become warriors. (See How High Positions Work for more information on medicine cat apprentices.) According to the warrior code, the earliest a cat may be apprenticed is six moons old, although many cats are apprenticed later than that, due to punishment, illness, immaturity, or other unusual circumstances. Apprentices are denoted by the suffix -paw, eg. Bluepaw, Stormpaw, Ravenpaw.
There are a few ways for a cat to become an apprentice. The easiest and most common way is to simply make a character as an apprentice.
Kits will also eventually become apprentices, once they reach six moons. We don't have a set time lapse here, so once you have completed these three tasks you may request to become an apprentice in the Official Requests board.
[]play with other kits
[]explore the camp
[]play with siblings/parents
Kittypets and untrained rogues and loners may also join a clan as an apprentice. (Note: Trained rogues and loners may join as warriors.) To do this, you must seek permission from the clan leader and an admin. In most cases, this also involves you buying a "Clan Switch" from the store, but in special situations, this may be waved. Keep in mind this is an unusual practice. However, right now, ShadowClan and ThunderClan are more lenient about allowing outsiders into the clan.
No matter which route to apprenticeship you take, becoming an apprentice always involves two things:
1) changing the ending of your name to -paw
2) receiving a mentor.
These things are usually taken care of in-character during an apprentice ceremony held by the clan leader.
Out-of-character, mentor assignments are made by the staff. This ensures that all apprentices receive active mentors and that the privilege of mentoring is shared by many different members. However, we are not inflexible here. If you want a certain mentor, feel free to request one. Unless there's a very good reason why we can't match you up, we will give you the mentor you want.
being an apprentice
While apprentices are free to make their own mini-plots and relationships, there are certain things every apprentice should do—even if your character pointedly ignores these rules. Just remember that apprentices who break the rules may be punished by their clan leader.
Apprentices sleep in the apprentice den at night. During the day, they are extremely busy doing various tasks. They practice hunting and fighting with their mentors (even more so during this time of war), go on border patrols, hunt for the clan, and take care of the elders (changing their bedding and removing ticks from their fur).
Apprentices are not supposed to leave the camp without permission from their mentor or another warrior, although this rule frequently gets ignored. They are also not supposed to eat until all of the elders and queens have been fed.
Apprentices also may get assessed by their mentors. During the test, the mentor watches in secret as the apprentice hunts and determines how well they are coming along in their training.
becoming a warrior
In-character, there is no specific age when an apprentice becomes a warrior. Theoretically speaking, an apprentice will receive their warrior name once their mentor and clan leader believe that they have learned enough, but "enough" is subjective, particularly in times of war when every clan needs as many fighters as it can get.
Out-of-character, we currently require an apprentice to have taken part in three completed threads that feature them doing any of the following:
[]training with their mentor (hunting or fighting)
[]doing a border patrol
[]fighting in battle
[]hunting for their clan
[]taking care of the elders
[]attending a gathering
You can double up on topics. So if you have two border patrol threads and one Gathering thread, that's fine.
If you wish to remain an apprentice after three threads, that's perfectly fine. However, once you have met the thread requirements, if you wish to become a warrior, you should go to the Official Requests board and make a request for a rank change. An admin will approve your warrior name and verify the three threads, and then your leader will hold a ceremony!