Land of the Long White Cloud

by kiwiifeather

Reboot of an old story covering the adventures of five warrior clans as they face a grave new challenges both from the outside and within. Set in New Zealand in present day. Rated T for canon typical levels of violence.

1. Allegiances & Clan Guide

CLAN ALLEGIANCES & GUIDE

AN: Welcome all to the story! This is a reboot of a very old story that was never finished by myself oh... eight years ago? The plot has had a complete revamp and most of the characters names have changed (mostly because I could only remember a few), and this time I am a lot more organised with the plot for the first "book" roughly planned out rather than just a vague idea of where I wanted things to go! So I hope you enjoy!

Expect chapters to vary in length. I'd like to post once a week ideally but don't hold me to it haha. Right now I have a buffer built up of several chapters so that should help for a while. Today I will post this allegiances as well as the prologue.

The setting is a real place in New Zealand, near where I grew up, although the area has been scaled up to make realistically sized territories that can support the clan cats, along with a couple of other tweaks to offer more native variety to the area. I would like to get a map together soon to make it nice and clear for everyone what the layout is... Obviously some of the cats names take inspiration from native animals and plants. The cats do still know of their big cat ancestors, so you will still see names like "tiger" or "lion" but you won't see names with British or American animals/plants not present in NZ, such as "fox" or "badger".

Will any of the cats have powers in this story? I'm not sure yet! I need to get a feel for how the community feels about that before I decide as I am totally out of the loop with the fandom these days. I have two versions of plot written; one with and one without. The early chapters are still the same so it works either way. Let me know how you feel about supernatural powers in the cats in the comments!

FERNCLAN (26)- To the east of the lake and across the river from Marshclan territory are the forest-dwelling and prosperous Fernclan; generally honourable cats that follow the warrior code and that value honesty and loyalty. Their foliage lush territory is long but narrow following the river to the west and cliffs to the east. Their land stretches from the dirt thunderpath by Steep-Rise to a thin point meeting with Gorseclan. The river is often a site of border skirmishes with Marshclan, particularly in summer when the river has dried up. Up on top of the cliffs is a field where twolegs keep their sheep and is not part of clan territory; though sometimes cats will make the somewhat dangerous climb up the cliffs for the view. While nothing is stopping them from hunting there the forest is usually prey-rich and with the risk of the climb there is no need. The sheltered Fernclan camp is roughly in the centre of their territory; backed up against the cliffs on one side and surrounded by undergrowth on the other, it is easy to defend.Flamestar is a fairly experienced and well-regarded leader.

LEADER: Flamestar- a red ticked tabby tom with green eyes. 7 lives left. Mate of Willowwind.

DEPUTY: Earthshatter- a large, heavyset chocolate mackerel tabby tom with hazel eyes. Mate of Duckwing.

Apprentice: Lionpaw

MEDICINE CAT: Sheepfur- a small white she-cat with thick long fur and yellow eyes.

Apprentice: Stormpaw- silver spotted tabby and white tom with amber eyes.

WARRIORS: Beetlepelt- a black tortoiseshell bicolour she-cat with an interesting coat pattern and blue eyes.

Willowwind- black silver mackerel tabby she-cat with a lithe form and orange eyes. Mate of Flamestar.

Apprentice: Blackpaw

Graniteclaw- black tom with amber eyes and large thick claws. Mate of Tuisong.

Wrenfeather- red silver ticked tabby she-cat with angular features and hazel eyes.

Apprentice: Keapaw

Grasstail- cinnamon silver ticked tabby tom with angular features and hazel eyes.

Apprentice: Frostpaw

Lizardfang- fawn spotted tabby bicolour tom with green eyes. Mate of Riverrun.

Riverrun- dark blue tortoiseshell she-cat with a semi-long coat and green eyes. Mate of Lizardfang.

Rednose- ruddy coloured green-eyed tom cat with a thick, bushy tail and a large scar across his nose.

Silverheart- black silver mackerel tabby and white tom with green eyes. Mate of Roseear.

Apprentice: Sparrowpaw.

Shadestorm- powerful seal point with white tom with blue eyes.

APPRENTICES: Keapaw-black classic tabby and white she-cat with green and amber flecked eyes.

Lionpaw- cream spotted tabby tom with hazel eyes and thick fur.

Sparrowpaw- solid chocolate she-cat with a white spot on her chest. Green eyes.

Frostpaw- solid white tom with one blue eye and one green eye.

Blackpaw- big black and white tom with all black feet. Yellow eyes.

QUEENS: Roseear-lilac tortoiseshell bicolour with blue eyes. Heavily pregnant with Silverheart's kits.

Duckwing- black silver ticked tabby and white queen. Amber eyes. Mate of Earthshatter. Kits: Birdkit (chocolate ticked tabby tom with amber eyes) and Barkkit (black silver mackerel tabby and white tom with green eyes).

Chilleye- young blue-eyed white she-cat with long legs and pelt. Mostly deaf. Lives with Queens full time.

Tuisong- shiny black smoke classic tabby she-cat with piercing blue eyes. Mate of Graniteclaw. Kits: Ashkit (black she-cat with blue eyes), Lichenkit (black smoke spotted tabby and white tom with amber eyes) and Wetakit (black tom with one white paw and amber eyes).

ELDERS: Firefang- red ticked tabby tom with hazel eyes.

Nighttail- black she-cat covered in battle scars. Green eyes. Former mate of Ripplestreak; they now constantly argue.

Ripplestreak- silver mackerel tabby and white tom with blue eyes. One ear was torn off in past battles. Oldest cat in Fernclan. Retired deputy and former mate of Nighttail; they now endlessly bicker.

GORSECLAN (24)- South of Fernclan and with cliffs to the east and Fieldclan to the west, with unknown lands further south, Gorseclan is a generally a brave and strong-willed, if slightly prickly clan of cats. Their territory is mostly full of scrub and rocky outcrops with the odd small, rough tree, and this, along with a set of twoleg beehives found just outside their territory to the south, is what is blamed by other clans for the constant pointy thing clearly kept up their tailfur. Fortunately, as they are the bottom of clan territories with only a small border with Fernclan and the other with peaceful Fieldclan, they don't have as many opportunities to get into conflicts as they could do. These cats occasionally range outside of clan territory to their south to hunt, if times get tough; something the other clans aren't fond of. Their camp is found backed up against the cliffs; like Fernclan, though it is at the southern point of their territory, with the outside surrounded by dry gorse, broom and bramble. If the entry tunnels are blocked, the camp becomes nearly impenetrable. Icestar recently took over after the premature death of the last leader. He is a strong, experienced warrior and great things are expected of him.

LEADER: Icestar- muscular, nearly pure white tom with black ears and orange eyes. 9 lives. Mate of Sorrelfur.

Apprentice: Dapplepaw

DEPUTY: Sorrelfur- lilac silver spotted tabby and white she-cat with green eyes. Mate of Icestar.

MEDICINE CAT: Longtail- young blue spotted tabby tom with an unusually long tail and hazel eyes.

WARRIORS: Thickstripe- large, thick-bodied black mackerel tabby tom with bright yellow eyes.

Kowhaifall- red classic tabby and white she-cat with green eyes.

Apprentice: Rowanpaw

Smudgepelt- unusually marked seal tortoiseshell sepia with white she-cat; has a large dark patch on face, causing her stunning blue eyes to stand out.

Apprentice: Pebblepaw

Windheart- silver seal tabby point tom with a white chest and paws and blue eyes. Mate of Flowerdust.

Horsefoot- chunky black tom with big paws and amber eyes. Mate of Kowhaifall.

Mottledtail- long-haired black tortoiseshell smoke she-cat with light green eyes.

Dartwing- young thick furred caramel-shaded tom with green eyes and a distinctive ruff around his neck

Apprentice: Mistpaw

Runninghorse- black bicolour she-cat with amber eyes.

Smokeblaze- solid blue tom with orange eyes. Mate of Creampelt.

Ruffledmane- thick, messy-furred lilac ticked tabby tom.

Apprentice: Hedgepaw

Hornetclaw- cream ticked tabby and white tom with fierce amber eyes.

Spiderstreak- tall black tom with green eyes; a former rouge.

APPRENTICES: Rowanpaw- deep shaded red ticked tabby tom with dark green eyes and a semi-long pelt.

Dapplepaw- chocolate tortoiseshell bicolour she-cat with ice-blue eyes.

Mistpaw- chocolate smoke point tom with blue eyes.

Pebblepaw- solid grey/blue tom with hazel eyes.

Hedgepaw- tiny fluffy black bi-color tom with amber eyes.

QUEENS: Creampelt- cream spotted tabby queen with long fur and hazel eyes. Mate of Smokeblaze. Kit: Honeykit (cream ticked tabby she-cat with orange eyes- held back from becoming an apprentice with her brother Pebblepaw due to whitecough).

Flowerdust- cinnamon silver ticked tabby with striking green eyes. Expecting kits with Windheart.

ELDERS:

Clayclaw- still intimidating cream smoke tom with hazel eyes.

Smallstep- one-eyed she-cat; black silver ticked tabby with amber eyes. Oldest cat in clan.

FIELDCLAN (23)- These gentle, unobtrusive but determined cats have the most borders shared with another clan of any of the five clans found by the lake; only to their south are there no clan cats; marked by a twoleg fence and the large cattle often found on the other side of it. To the north is Marshclan along with the Great Hollow where gatherings take place, to the west Gustclan, and to the east Gorseclan along with the very tip of Fernclan's southern border. Having so many other clans at their doorstep can make these cats a little nervous, but they do their best to avoid trouble and are can summon unexpected ferocity to defend their home, loved ones and clan. Their land is mostly open, lush grass and flower fields, along with a pine forest on their western side. Their territory prized for growing ingredients for medicinal uses. Within the pines where their camp is found, hidden in a pile of fallen pines and the undergrowth that has grown up around them. Their leader is Murkstar; considered to be slightly too easy going; though his own clan knows he can get serious when needs be.

LEADER: Murkstar- dark mackerel tabby smoke tom with one white toe and hazel eyes. 8 lives. Mate of Blueshine.

DEPUTY: Heronlegs- blue bicolor she-cat with very long legs and blue eyes.

MEDICINE CAT: Deerspot- cinnamon spotted tabby and white she-cat with green eyes.

Apprentice: Lakepaw: compact black classic tabby tom with hazel eyes.

WARRIORS: Possumtail: thin black classic tabby tom with a dark bushy tail and green eyes.

Apprentice: Ferretpaw

Batear: Black tom with very large ears and orange eyes.

Hedgewhisker- tabby point she-cat with blue eyes and long expressive whiskers.

Apprentice: Kiwipaw

Nightcloud- black shaded tom with a white tail tip and chin and green eyes. Mate to Fantail.

Needleclaw- lilac silver classic tabby tom with razor sharp claws and hazel eyes.

Piedfur- cinnamon van she-cat with amber eyes.

Gorseheart- fawn ticked tabby harlequin tom with hazel eyes.

Apprentice: Bushpaw

Poppypelt- apricot tortoiseshell van she-cat with blue eyes.

Spiralfoot- caramel smoke bicolor tom with a twisted front right paw and green eyes. Mate of Brightwind.

Waspsting- large fawn shaded van she-cat with blue eyes.

Cloudblaze- chocolate bicolor tom with a large white blaze on face and hazel eyes.

APPRENTICES: Kiwipaw- chocolate tabby tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes.

Ferretpaw- seal-pointed tom with blue eyes.

Bushpaw- fawn bicolor tom with amber eyes.

QUEENS: Blueshine- blue silver tabby van queen with blue eyes. Mate to Murkstar. Kits: Leapingkit (blue mackerel bicolour she-cat with hazel eyes), Skinkkit (blue tabby van tom with white toes and blue eyes), Earthkit (dark chocolate smoke van tom with hazel eyes) and Daisykit (blue spotted tabby bicolor she-cat with green eyes).

Brightwind- lavender queen with amber eyes. Expecting kits to Spiralfoot.

Fantail- bushy tailed black bicolor she-cat with yellow eyes. Mate to Nightcloud. Kit: Springkit (compact black tom with a white tail tip and yellow eyes).

ELDERS: Houndleg- tall silver classic tabby bicolor tom with yellow eyes.

GUSTCLAN (20)- Shy and flighty but resilient and speedy Gustclan cats lay claim to the largest territory of all five clans; though theirs is hilly and sparse in both landscape and prey, so the other clans usually don't complain about this. Bordered by Fieldclan to the southeast and the Great Hollow by the northeast, with uncharted hilly, even mountainous terrain in all other directions; the Gustclan landscape is dominated almost entirely by dry grass and twoleg sheep. There are stands of pine; growing in straight lines alongside mankind's fences keeping their livestock where they want them and offering them some shelter. Fortunately for Gustclan, it also offers shelter for them. Prey can be sparse, particularly in summer as the grass dries out and then dies. True to the clan's name, a strong wind blows over the hills most of the time, though luckily the camp is sheltered from this wind in a large ditch by a stand of pines. With some shelter from the landscape here, some bushes have grown providing more places for the cats to make their home. Like Icestar, Finchstar is a new leader, though in her case there are some doubts her cautious and somewhat sensitive personality is up to the task.

LEADER: Finchstar- young black harlequin she-cat with semi-long fur and green eyes. 9 lives.

Apprentice: Racingpaw

DEPUTY: Tigertail-darkred classic tabby tom with a thick, heavily striped tail and hazel eyes.

MEDICINE CAT: Fallheart- fawn classic tabby and white she-cat with hazel eyes.

Apprentice: Rockfang- former warrior who decided to train as a medicine cat after an extended stay during sickness. A young dark grey tom with a white blaze on face and chest and orange eyes.

WARRIORS: Darkstreak-Black silver smoke van she-cat with semi-long fur and amber eyes. Mate of Mossfur.

Apprentice: Bramblepaw

Mossfur- small plush-furred red mackerel tabby bicolour tom with green eyes. Mate of Darkstreak.

Goldwind- pale red shaded she-cat with white paws and green eyes.

Larkcry- leggy fawn spotted tabby tom with hazel eyes. Mate of Blackhorse.

Drakewing- black bicolour tom with slightly curled fur and orange eyes.

Geckofang- lithe chocolate she-cat with green eyes.

Rabbitpelt- sleek black silver ticked tabby bicolour tom with green eyes.

Windrunner- white tom with yellow eyes.

Skyblaze- blue spotted tabby bicolour tom with amber eyes.

APPRENTICES: Bramblepaw- black classic tabby tom with orange eyes and a long pelt.

Racingpaw- lilac tortoiseshell and white she-cat with blue eyes.

QUEENS: Blackhorse- Ebony queen with a white nose snip and yellow eyes. Expecting kits to Larkcry.

ELDERS: Lionfang-thin dark cream classic tabby tom with a thick, matted pelt. Half-deaf and blind. The oldest cat in all clans.

Rattail- black spotted tabby van tom with amber eyes and a very thin, long tail.

Lakeeye- white she-cat with once green eyes that are growing foggy blue and sightless with age.

Streakingsun- light red mackerel tabby bicolor tom with tattered ears and green eyes.

MARSHCLAN (24)- Proud and quick-witted Marshclan cats are known mostly for their skill in navigating water and boggy terrain, along with being rather a defensive lot that are easily provoked. Their territory is largely swamp, with some forest and open grassland on their border to the east with Fernclan just before the river. The river and strip of grass on both sides of its banks are hotly contested between the two clans and it never seems to be quite clear who owns it. To their south is Fieldclan, and to the west is the Great Hollow. To the north is the lake; their territory wraps around the bottom and westward side of the lake. Technically as Marshclan own the bottom half of the lake as well; they sometimes fish and hunt waterfowl there, particularly along the shallows. A small island in the lake marks the end of their water border. Cats are not supposed to hunt there; it is a nesting place for waterfowl and allows them a safe place to replenish numbers and provide more prey in the future. The Marshclan dens are found beneath the largest weeping willow in clan territory; found near the Fieldclan border, it's branches touch and run along the ground, creating a sheltering curtain. Marshclan is led by Swallowstar, the oldest current leader among the five clans. He is rather brash and tends to hold grudges but is otherwise considered to be just and a good leader.

LEADER: Swallowstar- black harlequin tom with a silvering muzzle; tall and elegant for a tom. Yellow eyes. 3 lives left.

DEPUTY: Bluewind- blue tom with a heavily scarred face and green eyes.

Apprentice: Whitepaw

MEDICINE CAT: Thunderstream- large cinnamon tortoiseshell tabby she-cat with hazel eyes.

WARRIORS: Tuataratail- thick tailed caramel ticked tabby tom with amber eyes.

Apprentice: Huiapaw

Blackbird- glossy black she-cat with yellow eyes.

Bogclaw- tiny white tom with green eyes.

Apprentice: Lightningpaw

Goosedown- grey-blue and white she-cat with luxurious long fur and orange eyes.

Sedgefur- cream classic tabby bicolor she-cat with hazel eyes.

Clawstrike- apricot classic tabby tom with hazel eyes. Mate of Redblaze.

Kakawing- fawn ticked tabby she-cat with green eyes and a large tear in left ear.

Ratapelt- swift deep red mackerel tabby bicolor tom with amber eyes.

Mouseheart- timid little black tabby van tom with orange eyes.

Hawkfang- dark lilac silver spotted tabby tom with a powerful build and hazel eyes.

Barkfoot- muddy black smoke tabby tom with dark feet that look constantly muddy and green eyes.

APPRENTICES: Lightningpaw- apricot smoke she-cat with green eyes.

Huiapaw- lilac bicolour she-cat with yellow eyes.

Whitepaw- white tom with a long coat and blue eyes.

QUEENS: Redblaze- red spotted tabby and white queen with green eyes. Mate of Clawstrike. Kits: Firekit (red mackerel tabby tom with green eyes) and Windkit (apricot spotted tabby and white she-cat with hazel eyes).

ELDERS: Leopardtail- black spotted tabby she-cat with orange eyes.

Oakfur- red classic tabby and white tom with green eyes.

Tussockwind- pale cream shaded tom with failing blue eyes. Oldest cat in Marshclan.

CATS OUTSIDE CLANS:

Moonfall- Guardian of Starfalls. A blue silver and white classic tabby she-cat with a long, flowing coat and blue eyes.

Snow- Former kittypet abandoned at the lake by two-legs that stole her from her owners. A seal lynx point rosette Bengal she-cat.

Jock- resident farm-cat from nearest two-leg property that occasionally ranges near clan territory; a black bicolor tom with yellow eyes.