It's a Way of Life!

by Storms Of Ice

Ever wondered what life would be like if you weren't a part of a lowly Clan or Tribe? What other cat life is out there besides just Tribes and Clans? Come visit the other cutures and their ways of LIFE! rated T just in case of murderous cultures :3

1. The Councils

First up is my favorite, the Councils. The Councils is a different way of life that I alone have conducted by myself. If people like this idea of Clan life then I might make a fan-fiction out of it. :3 please enjoy this new culture. It might suck cuz I haven't been able to re-read it. If anybody would be so kind to point our grammar or spelling mistakes, I'd be glad to fix it! :)

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SUN COUNCIL

Head Leader:

River Sky- honorable white she-cat with bright ginger patches and blue eyes

Main Council:

Battle Hawk- large black tom with white paws

Council:

Healing Rain- gray-and-white tabby she-cat

Fallen Stone- dark brown tabby tom with thick black stripes

Howling Spider- blue-gray she-cat with white muzzle

Protected Claw- small white tom with jet black tabby stripes

Training Leaf- soft tortoiseshell she-cat

Hunting Storm- long-haired pale brown tom

Mother Owl- pure white she-cat with blue eyes

Followers:

Thunder- pale tabby tom with long legs

Twilight- pale gray she-cat with gray eyes and white eyes

Flame- bright ginger tabby tom

Hill- tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat

Rabbit- fluffy white she-cat with copper-brown patches

Smoke- white tom with black patches

Deer- light brown Bengal tom with black spots

Bramble- brown and white she-cat

Sand- warm ginger tom with white paws

Snowflake- white she-cat with pale silver Bengal spots

Bird- black she-cat

Shrew- gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Moth- long-haired black tom

Lizard- dark gray tom

Blade- pale-colored tom with black muzzle and tail-tip

Breeze- brown tabby she-cat with white paws

Whisper- white she-cat with brown patches and paws

Beetle- black and white she-cat with long whiskers

Pupils:

Broken Night- black tom with white paws and tail-tip

Broken Canyon- tan-colored she-cat with white muzzle and chest

Broken Moss- thin gray tom

Broken Minnow- red-brown tabby tom

Broken Raven- white tom with black paws

Broken Pool- white she-cat with pale gray tabby stripes and green eyes

Broken Snake- small white she-cat with blood-red eyes

Little Ones:

Little Gorse- pale tabby tom-kit

Little Thistle- brown tom-kit with white underbelly and paws

Little Tree- dark gray tom-kit

Little Cloud-white she-kit

Little Feather- white she-kit with gray paws and rings around her tail

Little Wing- long-haired black and white she-kit

Old Ones:

Old Ember- pale gray tom

Old Berry- white tom with gray paws

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MOON COUNCIL

Head Leader:

River Ash- blue-gray tom with white under belly, ears, paws and chest

Main Council:

Howling Wolf- black and white tom

Council:

Fallen Blood- silver tabby tom with long claws and red eyes

Battle Mist- fawn-colored she-cat with white paws and a black stripe down her back

Healing Shadow- fluffy gray tom with yellow eyes and flat muzzle

Protected Rose- pale brown tabby she-cat with golden eyes

Training Tiger- dusky brown tom with a black stripe on his nose

Hunting Poppy- golden-brown she-cat with white chest

Mother Mouse- skinny white she-cat with brown markings on her head, missing tail

Followers:

Willow- shaggy gray tom with dark eyes

Tansy- pale ginger-and-white tabby she-cat

Dawn- tabby she-cat with bushy tail

Cinder- dark gray tom with darker stripes

Lightning- swift ginger tom

Ocean - black she-cat with dark brown markings

Weasel- pale brown tabby tom

Fern- pale gray she-cat with darker gray, white, and brown flecks

Whisker - very small black tom

Heather- pretty tabby she-cat with black paws and whiskers

Butterfly- tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with a rather long tail

Dust- white tom with dust-colored tail

Larch - black and white she-cat

Pupils:

Broken Heat- pale ginger tom

Broken Breath- dark tabby she-cat

Broken Twig- dark brown tom

Broken Hail- long-haired gray and white she-cat

Broken Ivy- tabby-and-white she-cat

Little Ones:

Little Hazel- brown-and-white tabby she-kit

Little Spark- black tom-kit with white spots

Little Pebble- long-haired blue and white tom-kit

Little Petal- skinny black she-kit

Little Frog- black and white she-kit

Little Ghost- silvery-white tom

Old Ones:

Old Echo-white tom with green eyes

Old Juniper- bright ginger she-cat

Old Rat- nearly hair-less tom with a few dark brown patches of fur, oldest cat in the forest

-+-+

Info:

The Councils are very orderly forms of Clans. The center of the Tribes or Clans is the Council. Their nine Council members represent the nine lives and points of wisdom given to each leader or healer. The Council decides everything that will happen and have special jobs to fulfill. There can only be one council for each position. There for, there is always be nine council members. If there was ever too much or too little, it is said that the stars would become angry and fall to earth in an enraged blaze. When a member of the council dies, retires, or becomes Head Leader, they will be replaced by the Destined Cat, or the cat the Head Leader or Healer Council will choose to take their position. It is the Head Leader's duty to study all followers and see witch job they do best in the Clan. The cat that was the best at the retired or dead cat's job, they will be chosen to take his/her place. The Head Leader also chooses a cat from the council when he/she is first appointed Head Leader. The cat he/she chooses shall become Main Council and later Head Leader when the last Head Leader dies. The Main Council is like a deputy if that makes it easier to picture.

Here are the different Councils:

Battle Councils: commands/trains the Follower cats with battle strategies. Battle Council decides when to fight, how to fight and everything else tied in with fighting. They are usually taught to be aggressive so the other Council Clan doesn't see their fighting skills as weak. As far as the Battle Council goes: the more aggressive and snappy you are in Meetings, the stronger your army is.

Healing Councils: are in charge of treating sick cats. They can command Follower cats to heal others when his/her paws are full. Healing Councils sometimes share dreams with the Head Leader. If the Head Leader is dead and the Main Council is taking his/her place, the Healing Council will get any dreams or warnings that may be needed for the cat's ceremony.

Fallen Councils: control death, you can say. When someone dies, Fallen Council decides where he/she will be buried or what honor shall be done in their memory. Also, when a cat has broken the code, the Head Leader must come to the Fallen Council before inflicting punishment. If any punishment of any kind is inflicted without the Fallen Council's blessing, the youngest kit must be killed to purify the cats once more. Also prisoners or other captives can only be kept or set free if the Fallen Council allows it. Fallen Council has the right to torture, beat or interrogate any cat in the Council they see fit.

Howling Councils: treat with other animals. It is his/her job to control foxes, wolves, badgers or anything else that wonders into their territory. Howling Council sends out Followers to fight out these creatures or will fight them themselves. It is the Howling Council's duty to guide cats. When a cat must come to the Blackened trees for a ceremony, it is up to the Howling Council to come with them and wait for their return on the edge. If they do not return by the first howl of a wolf that night, they are reported as dead. The Howling council is mostly related to territories, since it is also their job to know every rock, stone and creek in their territory exactly.

Protected Councils: defend and protect the cats (duh). They assign boarder patrols and cats to fix dens, or camp walls. They command where to put brambles or gorse for protection and negotiate with the other Council when war has broken. They can declare war if sought necessary, yet need the Battle Council's blessing before they do so. If a cat in a threat, they will report it to the Head Leader before anything drastic can happen. Only they can cross borders freely without consequence.

Training Council: you guessed it, they train. They train the Pupils. Their job is to teach them everything the other Councils expect them to do when called upon. They don't have to teach them everything; usually a Pupil is to become a certain helper of a certain council. Example: Broken Minnow is being trained to become a helper of the Hunting Council, so the Teaching Council will teach him mainly hunting, then other abilities on the side incase one of the other Councils need him in the future.

Hunting Councils: are in charge of hunting, hunting, and more hunting. They patrol the area each day with the Defensive Council's boarder patrol to make sure the prey is still running. If a certain type of prey is becoming sick or few, it shall be reported and another animal for prey shall be focused on. Hunting Councils are lean and swift, so they become better hunters for the Council Clan.

Mother Councils: are very important. Only she-cats can become them. The Councils believe that every cat is from the same mother that lives in the sky; her black pelt is what makes up the night sky as she let's her children stars suckle from her belly. Because of this, the Councils honor her by having every kit nursed from the same mother. When a she-cat gives birth, she gives her kits to the Mother Council, and the Mother Council nurses the kit until it reaches its sixth moon and can be trained. The Mother Council is helped by the Healing Council to keep her milk flowing as more and more kits appear to her den. When a Mother Council is first chosen, she and the other toms close to her age are scent to the Blackened Forest for the Mate ceremony. At the end of the ceremony, the new Mother Council shall have a mate that shall be her mate for the rest of her life in the Council. When she gives birth to his kits, her milking begins. If she runs out, she must mate with the tom again to keep her milk flowing. If a kit is born week and cannot be transferred to the Mother Council's den, the kit is allow to stay with it's mother until it is strong enough (in three moons, usually)

Head Leader Leader

Main Council Deputy (don't have to leave current Council duty)

Names:

Kits are named by their father. The father names the kits in a ceremony at the end of the kit's or kits' first moon. If the father is chosen to be kept secret, the Mother council shall name the kits. Every tom's first born kit shall be named after his favorite thing. (AKA: if the tom loves the sky, he'll name his first born Sky)

Kits have the word 'Little' in front of their names, hence the way they are called Little Ones. When the kits reach their sixth moon, they can finally train. The word Broken is replaces Little when they reach this point. This is because of another belief. It is said that while the first cat roamed the earth, his soul was broken many times so that he may learn about the ways of the river. It is believed that in order for one to be taught a lesson, a part of his or her soul shall be broken. Before a Pupil can become a Welcomed Follower, he or she must tell the Head Leader the lesson he or she has learned from the breaking of his or her soul in one point of their lives. Once this is said, everything broken is relieved and taken away. The cat finally has his/her pure name as 'Broken' is taken away.

When a cat is becoming a part of the council, he/she is taken to the Blackened Forest. There, he/she shall wonder in the woods for three days. It is said that during these three days, the mournful cry of the wolf shall be silenced unless the cat dies. After three days, they shall faint unknowingly near the Silver Stream that their ancestors have guided them to if they believe they are suitable for the job of Council. They shall be greeted with a voice that says: "Open your eyes and tell what you see." Then the cat shall awaken inside a dream. When he/she has spoken what he/she first sees, they shall be renamed for what they see first and their new profession shall be placed in front of their name. Example: When Battle Hawk was to become a Battle council, he was first named Cedar. But, when he fell asleep on the Silver Stream, and he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was a golden hawk flying over his head. Therefore, he was named Battle Hawk.

When a cat becomes a Head Leader, their name they had in the council stays but their past profession is changed. Again, the cat is sent to the Blackened Forest and is given a dream. No one knows what happens in the dream, but the cat comes back as a Head Leader with the name River in front of their names in honor of their ancestors.

Ancestors:

There are many beliefs and stories in the Council. But there is a story that everyone knows. Long ago it was said that two siblings decided to end the chaos in the forest. The two siblings were named Sun and Moon. Moon was beautiful and sly she-cat, as black as the night sky. Sun was handsome and strong with fur as white and pure as a stainless cloud. It is said that the river spoke to them while they were walking together near it. The River told them to take all of the dead bodies of cats who had died in the un-orderly forest and let their blood soak into the river. Moon and Sun did as they were told and before their eyes, the blood turned into currents in the river and for the first time, the River began to flow. You see, before the blood had been spilt into the river, the river was still, silent, motionless and dark. But now, its currents brought water everywhere and would dance and splash cats' faces or would ride smoothly and clammy in the land. Those who thirsted were quenched and those who hungered were stuffed.

Then, the spirit of the river came forth. The first cat that had ever walked the earth had been trapped in the river until someone was keen enough to start the currents once more. The cat told Sun and Moon that he would live in the river forever, awaiting the spirits of dead cats to join him and run joyfully forever with the sweeping currents. Then, the first cat told Sun and Moon to bring order to the forest. At first, Sun and Moon tried to rule together, but found it hard when they both had completely different views on how to lead their cats. Finally, Sun broke away from Moon and Moon broke away from Sun. Therefore, the two different councils were born along with night and day. They both chose their eight most trusted friends and told each of them to take up a job in the Clan. Everyone was told of the great miracle that happened at the river that used to stand still, and everyone was excited to know that someday, they would flow with it.

The River is honored now, and it is said that when all cats die, their souls turn into currents, enjoying the calmness and wild waves it created. Their ancestors are named River Kin, in honor of the spirits living in the Currents.

Ceremonies:

Ceremonies are important to the Council Clans. Here are some:

Kit naming ceremony:

Mother Council: Come before the Council, (name of father). Do you so swear to pass your blood kin to me and to allow him/her/them to be birthed from the same mother? Do you promise to raise these kits as a father? And swear to keep them as the children of the mother Night?

Father: I do with the word of the River.

Mother Council: Then, I will raise your kits as a part of the council. I bless this(these) kit(s) under the names of their father. You may name them.

Father:-names kits-

-Or-

Mother Council: I bring these kits before the Council, for they own no Father. I promise to raise the kits under the ways of their true birth mother, Night, and name them from the visions of her pelt. –Names kits-

Pupil Ceremony:

Head Leader: Behold (names of little Ones becoming Pupil), they are blessed today and River Tribe has rested their paws upon them as they set out on the journey the First cat has set for them. Little, do you so swear to travel the path of learning with broken hearts?

Little One becoming a Pupil: I do with the word of the River

Head Leader: Then I hear-by name you Broken . I pray the Training Council teach you well on your journey.

Welcoming Ceremony:

Head Leader: Come Forth, Broken . The Training Council sees it fit that you become a Follower of the nine Councils. Do you agree?

Pupil: If it so be the word of the River

Head Leader: then I here by relive you of your Brokenness and give you your pure name of . May you follow the River to the end of your days

Retiring:

Head Leader, do you here by decline your Duties as a Follower/ Council Member?

Retiring cat: Yes

Head Leader: Then I here by relive you of your rank. May the River watch over you…

Becoming a part of the Council:

Ancestors: open your eyes and tell what you see.

Cat becoming a Council: I see -Speaks first thing they see-

Ancestors: Then by the power of the River Kin, I grant your power of ( name of Council he/she is joining) with your new name of . We honor your (Trait) and we pray that you keep the Council alive and well. Now return to your world with the blessing of the river.