DarkClan

Hello, and welcome. My name is Darkstar. I will be your guide through the history and territory of DarkClan. I must warn you, however. Do not misstep. Do not try to venture off of the path I bring you on, for if you do, I shall not venture to look for you, and you will likely die quickly.

To begin the story, I must tell you the history of my Clan's formation. I was born of ShadowClan and ThunderClan decent. I was unwanted in both clans, once my mother died, and so my father, a strong tom named Tigerheart, brought me out of the clans. He trained me himself, and for many seasons I lived alone with him, travelling as loners farther and farther from the clan. Though we had abandoned the Clans, we had not abandoned the Warrior Code and we did not abandon StarClan. I was made a humorous deputy by my father, but at his death I was swept into a dream, gaining my nine lives and my new leader name. I was given the task to create my clan, DarkClan, and I did as I was told.

I found many cats, including one which I had fallen in love with, a lovely brown tabby named Hazel. My father's brother trained Gray, a nice she-cat who was troubled by dreams filled with the cats of StarClan, and she became Graypelt. We found a young apprentice known as Star, and she was a beautiful kit that was left alone when her family was killed. She was renamed Bluepaw, and she became the first true apprentice of our clan. Soon we had built a beautiful clan of thirteen members, but I had found no cat that I believed to be up to the task of becoming leader after me. Under my command, I returned to Hazel's house, and convinced her to become a part of my clan. She became our deputy and my mate.

Graypelt had been conflicted with dreams of a land swallowed by water, and one day, she was told that on the beach, which would later be known as the Mainland, we would find three other newly formed clans, and we must find the Drowning Land. After moons of searching we finally found the other clans, clans led by other great leaders. We searched and found the Stepping Stones. I sent one of my cats, by the name of Goldheart to join a cat from each of the other clans to search and see where the land went.

It took them a half-moon to return, but they returned with the greatest of news. The land they found was there, and so we set out, eventually finding what is now known as the Island, where we live.

After searching all of the territories, it was very obvious which would be for SandClan, for no one else could fish like they could, and no one else wanted sand in their pelts. The other three clans, including my own, wanted very badly the northern forest, however my clan knew we could not all have it, and so we claimed that of the rainforest, while ForestClan and FlameClan fought over the forest. The dispute was only settled when the devious Flamestar was told that our MoonFalls would be guarded in half by the mountainous region, and there were valleys there that held forest, and so he finally conceded.

Over time, we found everything we needed in our rainforest, and we learned we couldn't have made a better choice. We never suffered from Greencough, as we do not suffer from winter except when we meet at Gatherings. However, the humidity and heat, as well as the territory itself, of our land means we have thinner fur and more colorful pelts than that of the other clans. We have split our ranks in two, as did that of the original WindClan, though the second set chooses for themselves if they wish to train as Cliff-Divers. Yes, I said that correctly.

Our most nimble and sleekest cats hunt on the outer rim of the territory. They know how to navigate the cliff face that is there, which protects us from outer attacks and gives us supplemental food if there is trouble in our main terrain.

This brings me on my tour of our territory, so let us start you off at the Stepping Stones, and work around, shall we?

When crossing to the Clans Island you immediately come across scent markings, one leading left into a thick rainforest, the other crossing an old twoleg path into a vegitated forest. Turning into the rainforest, follow me as I lead you along the edge by the ocean, and realize that it becomes a sharply falling cliff, thousands of fox-lengths deep, you do not want to fall here, as you are not of my clan and none of my Cliff-Divers are out today. Follow me, we are travelling the whole expanse of our circular boundary. When you see it falling downward, stop, as this is FlameClan's territory. Follow me, as we go deeper into the territory. In between the large and powerful trees of our beautiful and deadly Rainforest, right there, about thirty sun-ticks in, there is a clearing. It is empty right now, but later I will show you how we train, as this is the Fighting Training Clearing. I see that look, yes, we have separate clearing for each training types we perform.

Follow me, now, slip under that tendril, and do not let it snag you, as we continue in a south-westerly direction. Stop! See that pebbly stream? Yes, I know there are fish there, but don't bother them, their just minnows, and not worth the energy it takes to hunt. Now follow me again, hear that rustle? We're close to the edge again, but still a while away. We'll visit the camp soon, but for now we will continue to follow the stream.

See this split? We're going to follow the right path. Soon you will see that it ends. Yes, just there, follow its path, and you will find a rough hole in the ground, yes, just there, the water continues in. This is known as Yawning Cave. Yes, it's because it appears to be a large mouth, with the teeth there.

We'll follow the stream back to the split and then the other way. Let's go. Yes, the left side of the split ends farther in, but I know where I am. It is my territory you know. Come on.

Yeah, I hear that. It's the river. It's very wide and very deep, and very, very murky. Keep to the edge and follow me on. We're heading to the Waterfall. We'll cross at the top.

Oh don't look so scared, good StarClan! Just follow my pawsteps, and you'll be fine.

There? See that? Not so bad, is it? It's more dangerous going across the Stepping Stones to the Mainland.

We're going to follow the river for a while here as well, and for quite some time. So come and be quiet, my warriors are able to pick out many more sounds than any other, for we live among sound.

Now stop. This tree here, see how large it is? Notice the roots? See how they are tall and thick, as tall and thick as even the oaks in other places. This is known as the Great Kapok, and you would be wise to respect it.

We will now head back toward FourRocks, you've been there, correct? Good. Come on.

No, we're not going all the way to FourRocks, we're stopping here. See this hole? We're entering into it. It is our entrance to the tunnel system. They are interconnected to all of the clans, but as they intersect under FourRocks, we do not invade through them, and nor does anyone else.

Come on, don't be afraid, it's not as dark as you think it will be. Yes, I know it is raining, but that's normal here, and we will not be flooded out. Follow me.

See? It wasn't so bad, just a bit of following down and then it raises up to this. Beautiful, isn't it? A nicely lighted interior, that's due to those rocks and moss over there, of course.

Yes, those look like teeth but they aren't. Those are stalactites and stalagmites. You'll be good to memorize this, it is our underground escape camp. You see the niches? Those are dens. And that crack over there beside the leader's niche is where we would be able to go to the other clans. It protects us as well, as only one cat and enter or exit at any one time.

Now let us leave, and enter deeper into the territory.

Good. Now see this clearing? This is our Hunting Training Clearing, due to the diversity and abundance of prey here. We prefer to train by trial and error, and here that is possible.

Now we will go to visit the camp, follow closely, my warriors do not like trespassers.

Here we are!

Yes, I know you cannot see or hear or smell any cats, that is the point of a good camp, is it not? Just follow me. Our entrance is concealed, you will have trouble finding it if you ever return. Yes, just follow me. Good. Now, see there, that smaller Kapok, with the low branch? That is known as HighTree, it is where our Leaders address the clan. If you look at the roots, you will see the entrance to the leader's den. To the right is the Nursery, and to the left is the Medicine den. The medicine den is a camp all in itself. There are about six different dens inside, for the sick patients, as well as two for the medicine cat and their apprentice. There is a ninth one, not so much a den as a niche, where the medicine cat keeps their herbs.

Look directly opposite the leader's den, and there is a very mossy covered fallen branch, that conceals the entrance to our largest den, the warrior's. It looks over the entirety of the rest of the camp. To the left, see that rock with the smaller bush? That's the apprentice den, and to the right of it is the elder's den, that which looks like a mossy wolves den, yes.

Now follow me over here to the fresh-kill pile, so I may show you some of the things that we hunt.

This is a toucan, yes, it is a very bright bird with a big beak. And this is a frog, known as a tree-frog, as it lives in the trees, yes, it is also really bright, and this, see how this bird is black and yellow, with the lump on top of its beak? This is known as a Hornbill. This tiny bird looks sort of like a quail, but is known as a Hoatzin, and this is a parrot, and this green, red and black bird is a resplendent quetzal. There are also really large ground-walking birds, which we do not have on the pile as no hunting parties went out, known as a cassowary, and then, of course here is a lemur and a spider monkey, and this is my favorite, the agouti, it's a type of rodent. And finally, this is a coendou, tasty, but to be handled very carefully, those quills have been known to kill.

Now, I need to tell you what to keep away from here, and one of them looks very much like that tree frog but is most commonly black and yellow, and known as a poison dart frog. They can be any colors, but be careful of these patterns. There are Harpy eagles as well, white and black and deadly, and capybaras, which are giant rodents similar to the agouti, and of course snakes. Also, stay away from any fish in the territory. The majority are killers, able to rip a cat to bits of flesh and bone in seconds. Stay away from any large animals, alligators, chimps, gorrillas, orangutans, and of course, jaguars, are but a few. If you are near FlameClan territory, also watch out for Cougars, as they sometimes cross over. Got it? Good. Now leave.