Treeleap
Oh mothertree bless this youngling on her way. Guide her movements for this day and all the days that follow. Protect her , show her the path of your divine light and let her not stray from it. Be her guide through any challenges that may come along this path. Accept her leap. The leap that shows you her devotion, her trust in your guiding hand. Now jump child of the Mothertree, jump and join us in her warm embrace.
Ceremony
The treeleap is a ceremony that is considered the end of the youth for Mizarin Nekorians. On a day set by the Mizarin priests several young Nekorians gather and participate in this ceremony. After the ceremony the Nekorians are proper citizens who are allowed to take on jobs and particpate in the religious rituals and competitions, like the Skyviewing.
Training
The treeleap is an event that all young Nekorians train for once they become 14 years old. Of course Nekorians already practice climbing and jumping from a very young age. But the leap requires the Nekorians to jump from a high Mizarin nightlight tree in the village into a deep pond all the way on the forest floor. The jump is typically about 40m, which is even dangerous for Nekorians, without proper training. The younglings pratice both their climbing and diving abilities by increasing the height of their jumps over time. They do this until they are 16. When enough Nekorians turn 16 the Mizarin priests determine a day for all the younglings to take the treeleap.Day of the Treeleap
Each of the participating younglings will climb to a jumping point on the designated tree. The family members and several Mizarin Priests join them there. Before a Nekorian leaps the priest peforms a small ceremony asking the Mothertree for guidance. Once all Nekorians have preformed the leap a big celebrations is held where the whole village will be present. After this event the Nekorians are allowed to participate in all other religious and cultural events of Nekorians society.
Nekorian Leaper by Kefkejaco with herofirge
Nice ritual! Do people die or get injured often? Is there ever anyone who refuse to go through with it or who cannot because of injuries or disabilities for example? Are they considered children all their life then?
I was thinking about adding that perhaps yes. The injuries are actually non existent, the Nekorians seem to be well adapted to the ritual. As for people who do not participate in it, it would never be that someone does not participate willingly. I will indeed have to look into people with disabilities but I would say that those are not common since most things among the Nekorians can be healed in the temple of the Healing Moon (they got some advanced tech over there :p )