Optional (but reccommended) Reading
Ways and ceremonies of the Tribe of Falling Elements.
Ways
In this Tribe, the new leader is not always the deputy. Once the leader dies the current deputy chooses who he would pick to be his deputy, and they challenge eachother to a fight. Whoever wins the fight by pinning the other first and holding their paw, claws sheathed, to his throat, is the new leader. If the deputy comes out on top, then the other cat is the new deputy. If the other cat comes out on top, the deputy fills in the spot of the cat who is now leader in their position – hunter or fighter.
The healers are such as medicine cats. They heal the sick or wounded, and they receive messages from the Tribe of Endless Hunting (which, yes, this Tribe follows as well). It is a law in the Tribe that all healers must have an apprentice, no matter what the circumstance.
The lead fighter and hunter are basically that – they are the best of their group and they issue orders among that group once the leader or deputy tells them to.
Fighters are warriors, only they do not hunt – they guard, do border patrols, and are the ones that must fight in battles. Hunters are the ones that must hunt for the Tribe, collecting prey and finding out when and where the best times/places are. All the Tribes (there are three) have a law that says there must always be an equal number of cats in their Tribes. There is one leader, one deputy, on healer, 6 fighters, 6 hunters, 4 kit-mothers, 4 kits, 4 apprentices, and 6 wise ones.
Wise ones are elders, and they make a lot of decisions in the Tribe. The kit-mothers must always have one kit – if they have more than one in a litter, they must kill all but the biggest and strongest.
When an apprentice is ready for his training to be over, he leaves behind the name ending of "heart" and gets his Tribe name. However, due to the fact that there must always be the same number of cats in a Tribe, the apprentice must challenge the newest fighter or hunter. If it is a fighter, the challenge is to the death. If the cat is a hunter, the losing cat is starved for not finding enough prey during the challenge. Also, if there are not enough cats to fill the number for the Tribe, they will often scout through the forest and turn their prisoners into Tribe cats. AS for the wise ones – when there is a new Wise one, they also must challenge the newest wise one to a death challenge.
Yep, these are -slightly- savage kitters!
If the apprentice is training to be a kit-mother, however (if you are very squeamish skip to the stuff after the bold letters), there is a whole different way. Two moons before the apprentice is to finish their training, the apprentice and the newest kit-mother are both force-bred by a cat of the leader's choice. When they have their kits, for a quarter moon they must care for the kit that they have and willingly kill off any "extras" they might have. If the kit-mother apprentice proves worthy of their spot, then they will become a kit-mother and raise the kit that they've already had. Then the other kit-mother will be sent off into the forest, and the cats will do what they want with her kit. If the apprentice isn't worthy by the standards of the leader, then she is banished and the kit killed.
Ceremonies
For a kit becoming an apprentice: Now that former apprentice's name has left the apprentices, I welcome you, kit's name to be an apprentice of the Tribe. From now until you receive your Tribe name, you will be apprentice to mentor's name as a position, and you will bear the name of kit's new name.
For an apprentice becoming a fighter: You have proved yourself worthy, apprentice's name. Do you, over the body of your opressor, swear loyalty and strength to your Tribe as a fighter? apprentice says "Yes, leader's name. I do." Then from now on, may your spirit guide you, let your name be apprentice's new name. I welcome you as a full-fledged fighter for the Tribe of Falling Elements.
For an apprentice becoming a hunter: You have proved yourself worthy of bringing life and comfort to the Tribe by catching the amount of prey that you have, apprentice's name. Do you swear by your loyalty and over the name of your opponent to become a hunter? apprentice says "Yes, leader's name. I do." Then from now on, may your spirit guide you, let your name be apprentice's new name. I welcome you as a full-fledged hunter for the Tribe of Falling Elements.
For an apprentice becoming a healer: Although it grieves me at the loss of your mentor, previous mentor's name, it is my duty now to appoint you as a healer for the Tribe. Do you, apprentice's name, promise to recive signs, keep the Clan healthy, and do what you must as a healer? apprentice says "Yes, leader's name. I do." Then from now on, may your spirit guide you, let your name be apprentice's new name. I welcome you as our new, full-fledged healer for the Tribe of Falling Elements.
For an apprentce becoming a kit-mother: During these past two and a quarter moons, apprentice's name, you have proved yourself a wonderful kit-mother. Do you now accept the responsibility of bringing up your single kit – and many others after it – and being a kit-mother? apprentice says "Yes, leader's name. I do." Then from now on, may your spirit guide you, let your name be apprentice's new name. I welcome you as a full-fledged kit-mother for the Tribe of Falling Elements.
For a cat becoming a wise one: Your whole life, cat's name you have served your Clan well, and now you have decided it is time to become a wise one. Over the body of the ones before you, do you swear to help make Tribe decisions, while living your life in peace? cat says "Yes, leader's name. I do." Then from now on, may your spirit guide you, and I now welcome you as a full-fledged wise one for the Tribe of Falling Elements.
Names
Leaders carry the ending name of "spirit"
Apprentices carry the ending name of "heart"
Kits carry the ending name of "star"
And yes, I KNOW there is no story yet, but can you please tell me wether you think this will be interesting? I hope so...it took me ages to think of all this.
