Clan Customs

Each clan has developed it's own customs over the years, but there are some that all the clans share in.

Names

Clan cats have two part names. The prefix is given to them by their mother when they are kits and remains with them for life. It can be anything from a colour, to a plant or tree, to an animal i.e. Red, Willow, Lion.
The suffix can change and usually denotes their position in the clan i.e. kit, paw, star.
Upon becoming warriors, they are given a suffix by their leader that alludes to their appearance, abilities or personality i.e. Redtail, Willowshine, Lionheart.

Clan Borders

Each clan sets the boundaries of their territory with scent markers. Every dawn and dusk, they send warriors to patrol and remark the borders in order to keep the scent strong.
With the exception of medicine cats, clan cats cannot cross into another clan's land without permission.
Prey, naturally, does not follow these rules and will often cross borders. The clans may hunt any prey on their own territory, even if it originally came from outside their land. If a warrior chases prey into another clan's territory; that prey now belongs to the other clan.
The most common conflicts between clans concern borders. During the season of Leafbare, when prey is most scarce; a clan may be tempted to expand their borders into another clan's territory, to have more hunting ground. This usually leads to a battle, with the defeated clan having to give up some land.
Minor changes in borders are a regular occurrence and the clans don't usually pay it much mind. However, if one clan starts to accumulate more territory than the others; it could threaten the survival of the other clans.
In this situation, the clans may form an alliance to force the other clan back and retake their lands.

Clan Relations

The clans have a somewhat complex relationship with each other. They are neighbours, rivals, enemies and allies all at once.
Each warrior's loyalty is, first and foremost, to their own clan; but there have been times when the clans have helped each other through great danger.
Being at the mercy of nature, twolegs or even other cats; they have learned that it is in all their best interests that each clan remain strong. If one clan falls, it's only a matter of time before the rest follow.
A clan's attitude towards it's neighbours can change like the seasons. One moon they could be mortal enemies; the next, they're good friends. Either way, the code and customs that the clans share have formed a bond between them. Whatever the future holds for the clans, they will face it together.

Clan Bonding

While, clan cats are often busy with their own duties; there are two times when they stop working and come together to socialise.
One is at midday. The clan will gather in the centre of camp to bask in the sunlight, trade gossip and share tongues.
The other is at nightfall, after the border patrols return. The clan will share a meal and listen to stories from the elders.
These activities help to maintain morale and strengthen the bonds between clanmates.

Funerals

When a clan cat dies, their body is placed in the centre of camp. The medicine cat will groom their fur and lay mint over them to cover the scent of death.
At sundown, the whole clan will gather to say their final goodbyes. They will share memories of the deceased and pray to Starclan to accept them into their ranks.
Afterwards, most of the clan will depart, leaving the deceased's family and close friends to sit with them until sunrise.
The elders will then carry the body out of camp and bury them somewhere in the territory, so that they will always be a part of the home they had protected in life.
Warriors and apprentices who lose a close friend or family member are excused from their duties for a quarter-moon so that they can grieve. The clan's medicine cat will check in on them to make sure their health isn't suffering, and offer comfort; reminding them that their loved one is watching over them from Starclan and they will be reunited one day.

Gatherings

Every full moon, the clans will travel to a neutral ground between their territories to meet in peace for one night.
They will trade news and stories with the other clans and compare fighting and hunting techniques. During periods of peace, they may hold friendly competitions for the apprentices to win honour for their clan.
The leaders will then call a meeting where they will report any noteworthy events from the past moon and present any new apprentices or warriors.
This is also an opportunity to bring up any grievances between the clans and hopefully resolve them peacefully. Failing that, the involved clans will organise a battle to settle the dispute.
Many clan cats look forward to the gatherings as it gives them a night off from their duties, and lets them catch up with friends and rivals from the other clans.
A common punishment for cats who have broken clan rules is to be left behind at camp and miss out on the gathering.
It is forbidden for any cat to attack another while at the gathering. To do so is believed to anger Starclan and rob the offending clan of their protection for the following moon.
Gatherings usually start around midnight and end just before dawn. However, if the moon is covered by clouds during a gathering, it is seen as a sign that Starclan is displeased and the gathering will end early.
Clan leaders may call emergency gatherings if a situation arises that affects all the clans and is too urgent to wait for the next full moon.

The Moonstone and Moonpool

Outside the clan's original territory in a cave called Mothermouth, a large translucent stone lay. Every night the moon would shine through a hole in the ceiling and light the stone up. During this time, it was possible for cats to talk to Starclan.
The moonstone was a sacred place for the clans. Leaders and medicine cats would travel there to seek guidance from their ancestors. The journey took a whole day and night to complete, and the cats could not eat on the way; so it was a very taxing experience.
Unfortunately, when the clans' territory was destroyed by twolegs, they were forced to leave the moonstone behind as they searched for a new home.
They eventually established a new territory around a lake and discovered a large stone hollow. The bottom was completely covered in water that reflected the moonlight, turning the whole pool silver.
The medicine cats could once again hear the whispers of Starclan. They named this place the moonpool and it became their new sacred ground.
The moonpool was much closer to clan territory than the moonstone had been, so cats could travel there in a single night. This made it much easier to commune with Starclan and the clans felt more connected to their ancestors than ever before.

Clan Structure

Kits and Queens

A clan cat's life begins in the nursery. Here, the kittens (given the suffix 'kit') are raised by their mothers with help from the other queens.
The term 'queen' refers to a molly that is either expecting or raising kits. During this time, she is excused from warrior duties.
The kits' father may come to visit or babysit but the majority of raising is done by the mother and the kits are primarily considered hers. A queen does not even have to reveal the identity of her kits' father if she does not want to.
When the kits become apprentices, their mother will return to the warrior den and resume her normal duties. However, if a molly wishes it; she may remain in the nursery as a full-time queen, helping care for all the clan's kits.
Due to the danger of predators, kits are not allowed to leave camp unless accompanied by an adult.
The warrior code states that all kits are to be protected, regardless of which clan they come from. Ignoring a kit in distress is a punishable crime; and harming or attempting to harm a kit will likely see the offender exiled from their clan.

Apprentices and Mentors

When a kit reaches the age of six moons, they become an apprentice. They are given the suffix 'paw' and are assigned to a mentor chosen by the clan leader. Their mentor is responsible for teaching them the skills they will need as a warrior, namely hunting, fighting and guarding their clan's territory.
Along with their training, the apprentices are responsible for caring for the clan elders; bringing them food, changing their bedding and checking them for fleas and ticks.
Apprentices may leave camp with their mentor's permission and are often given tasks that involve travelling through their clan's territory, such as hunting for the elders, assisting medicine cats when they gather herbs or joining a border patrol. This helps them become familiar with their territory and practice the skills they've learned.
Most apprenticeships last for around six moons; ending when the apprentice is a year old. At this time, the apprentice is given a final assessment.
Their mentor will set them a task; usually involving hunting; and observe them while they carry it out. If they successfully demonstrate the skills they have learned, their mentor will recommend to the clan leader that they be made a warrior.
If an apprentice proves themself in battle or demonstrates great courage or ingenuity in an emergency situation, they may be promoted without needing an assessment.
Becoming a mentor is a highly desired position for a warrior. They get to pass on their teachings and personal fighting/hunting styles to the next generation. They also become eligible to be chosen as deputy.

Warriors

Warriors are the life blood of a clan. They hunt the prey that feeds their clanmates, patrol the borders of their territory and fend off any threats; be they rogues, predators or rival clans.
When an apprentice completes their training, the clan leader gives them new suffix that they will keep for the rest of their life, unless they become leader themselves.
They must then spend one night in total silence, standing guard at the camp entrance. During this time they are expected to reflect on their new status in the clan.
Becoming a warrior is a rite of passage for young clan cats. They are now considered adults and are granted more freedom and responsibility. They can leave the camp whenever they please, provided they show up on time for their assigned tasks. They may even take a mate and have kits.
The older senior warriors have authority over the younger ones and will usually lead important missions. The younger warriors will be given chances to learn leadership skills by being put in charge of hunting parties or border patrols.
When the clan leader needs to make an important decision, they will often gather the senior warriors to ask their opinions.

Deputies

One of the first and most important decisions a new clan leader must make is who to pick as their deputy.
The deputy is the clan's second in command. If the leader is absent, or otherwise indisposed, the deputy takes charge of the clan until their return.
The main responsibility of the deputy is the day-to-day running of the clan. They assign warriors their duties and generally maintain order in camp.
Only cats who have mentored apprentices can be chosen as deputy. This ensures that they have experience in being responsible for others and confidence in giving orders.
In the early generations of the clans, clan leaders would usually be succeeded by their firstborn kit. However, not all cats were capable of handling the responsibilities of leadership. So it became part of clan law that when the leader dies, the deputy becomes the next leader; as they have already proven their competence to the clan.
Becoming deputy doesn't guarantee a cat will be the next leader. Clan leaders have nine lives, and so have a longer life expectancy than other warriors. Most leaders have two or three deputies during their rule.
When a deputy dies, retires or becomes leader; a new one must be chosen before midnight to ensure there is always someone to take charge if anything happens to the leader.

Leaders

The leader is the highest authority in a clan. They make all the major decisions and their word is law.
When the previous leader dies, the clan deputy and medicine cat will travel to the moonpool where the medicine cat will contact Starclan and present the deputy.
Nine members of Starclan; usually cats the deputy knew personally; will each bestow on them a life, along with some words of advice or encouragement. They will then grant them the suffix 'star' and formally recognise them as a clan leader.
This ceremony creates a spiritual link between the leader and Starclan. This will allow them to use the moonpool to talk to Starclan and seek their guidance whenever they wish.
The nine lives they receive help to ensure that their rule will be a long one; allowing them time to establish any changes they wish to make and prepare their successor to take over from them.
When a clan leader dies the first eight times, their spirit will temporarily enter Starclan while their body heals from the injury or illness that killed them. They will then return to life.
Their body will only be healed to the point where their life is no longer in danger, so they will still need to rest and fully recover or risk losing another life.
This does not necessarily mean that clan leaders in battle must be killed up to nine times in a row. There have been instances; albeit rare ones; of leaders losing all their lives after receiving injuries so severe that even Starclan couldn't heal them.
The nine lives also help a leader stay strong and active, even well into their elderly years. It is only once they reach their ninth life that they may die of old age.
The majority of leaders rule until the end of their ninth life; but there have been instances of leaders choosing to step down for one reason or another. In such cases, they will accompany their deputy and medicine cat to the moonpool and Starclan will take back any remaining extra lives the leader possesses. They will then grant nine lives to the deputy and name them the new leader. The former leader will go by their warrior name again and either retire or return to regular warrior duties.
It is also possible for a leader to be removed from their position by their clanmates. This is very rare, as the warrior code states that leaders are to be obeyed. However, if a leader's actions go against the code or harms the clan, the warriors have grounds to dispose them.
If a cat challenges a leader's rule, and can provide a legitimate reason as to why; the clan will hold a vote. If the majority vote against the leader, they must step down and the deputy will assume leadership.
If the leader wins the vote, the cat who challenged them will not be punished, but can never call for a vote again. A different cat may challenge the leader, but there must be at least a moon between challenges.
In extreme cases, a leader may be disposed by force. In this scenario, Starclan cannot take their lives back unless the former leader is taken to the moonpool. They also cannot grant extra lives to the new leader until the former leader is dead.
Elders

When a warrior becomes too old to keep up with their duties, they retire to the elders' den. There, they are cared for by the apprentices.
There is no mandatory retirement age for warriors. They decide for themselves when they are ready to become elders. Most cats retire at around the age of nine or ten.
If a warrior suffers a permanent injury or illness that impedes their ability to perform their duties, they may retire early.
Elders are highly respected among the clans. Their years of experience make them valuable sources of information and advice, with even clan leaders sometimes seeking their counsel.
When a clan cat dies, it is the elders' duty to bury them. They also serve as the storykeepers of the clans; often regaling their clanmates with anecdotes and legends during the evening meal.

Special Roles

Clan Champions

Clan champion is a unique title among the clans that is granted to a clan's strongest and/or most skilled warrior. It comes with no extra duties or responsibilities. Rather the warrior in question is seen as a living symbol of their clan's strength.
This is indeed a great honour and grants the cat high social status; but does come with it's drawbacks. The title basically paints a target on the cat; for what better way is there for an ambitious warrior to make a name for themself than to defeat an rival clan's champion in battle?
There is also the mental pressure of having to live up to the title; with some champions having willingly put themselves in danger rather than retreat from a fight and dishonour their clan.
It is for this reason that clans may go several years without naming a new champion.
When a warrior is shown to excel in battle, the clan leader and senior warriors will meet to discuss whether to make them a champion or not. They'll take into account the warrior's personality and mental condition to decide if they can bear the weight of the clan's expectations. If so, they will hold a ceremony to formally grant them the title and announce it at the next gathering.

Questors

Most clan cats spend their entire lives in clan territory, which provides them all the food, shelter and resources they need. However, there have been numerous occasions throughout the clans' history where warriors have had to venture outside the familiar boundaries of their home and travel through unknown lands.
It was for this purpose that the questors were formed.
In each clan there is a small elite group; usually consisting of five or six members; that are responsible for handling missions outside of clan territory.
These questors are trained to survive and travel in all types of weather and terrain. They can also be called upon for covert missions in other clans' territories.
Becoming a questor and exploring the outside world is the dream of many young clan cats, and most will volunteer for the role as soon as they earn their warrior name.
Due to the limited spaces available, the questors will only take the most impressive of potential members.
At the start of every season, any warrior wishing to join the questors will be given the chance to prove their skill. They will be given a series of tasks designed to test their physical abilities (particularly speed, stamina and stealth) and mental fortitude (how well they react to the unexpected, their ability to find their bearings if lost etc.)
Many warriors will take part in these tests, but only one or two will likely be chosen to join. In fact, it's not uncommon for the questors to choose none of the candidates; believing it's better to have no new members than any that'll drag the team down.

Builders

The builders are warriors who are responsible for maintaining the camp's dens and defences. They perform a routine inspection every half-moon and carry out any necessary repairs using materials gathered from the territory, such as sticks, leaves, long grass and brambles. They may also be called upon to perform special projects at the clan leader's request.
Every apprentice spends time assisting the builders during their training. If they show aptitude for the job, they'll be offered a position among the builders when they become a warrior.

Medicine Cats

All cats have some innate connection to the spirit world. This usually manifests in a heightened sense of spatial awareness; being aware if someone is watching them for example.
However some cats are born with a particularly strong connection to the spiritual. This is referred to as Heightened Spiritual Sensitivity or HSS (pronounced as a hiss). These cats are able to sense the actions of spirits as well as hear their whispers.
In some special cases the cat can develop certain abilities, such as getting visions of the future, sensing the pain or emotions of others or even seeing ghosts.
When this was first discovered it was feared that these cats would destroy the power balance between the clans. Some went so far as to suggest that any cat with HSS should be exiled or even killed.
A war almost broke out over this topic. Fortunately the leaders managed to come to an agreement. The HSS cats would serve their clans, not as warriors, but as healers and spiritual guides. They would be forbidden from having kits in order to prevent the risk of passing their powers on to their offspring and to keep the number of HSS cats to a minimum.
Cats with HSS usually start showing signs of it at around three or four moons old. They could be distracted by something invisible to others or claim to be kept awake by someone whispering at them.
The medicine cat will check them over for any physical ailment that could be causing this; or the presence of an overactive imagination. If these things are not found, than the clan leader is informed and the kit is assigned to become the medicine cat's apprentice when they reach six moons.
As an apprentice, the cat will learn how to channel their spiritual awareness towards Starclan and tune out any other spirits that might be trying to contact the living. Starclan isn't the only afterlife and cats aren't the only animals that have ancestors watching over them.
Along with this, they will learn the practical skills of healing which involves the use of herbs and special techniques to treat illnesses and injuries.
Any special abilities the cat possesses will be used to help and heal their clanmates. On no account is a medicine cat to use their powers to harm another.
A medicine cat's apprenticeship usually lasts around eight moons. When their mentor believes they are ready, they will take them to the moonpool and grant them their full name before presenting them to Starclan as a fully trained medicine cat.
The junior medicine cat will still follow the lead of their senior until their death or retirement. They will then become the new senior medicine cat and assume responsibility for the clan's physical and spiritual wellbeing.
On nights with a half moon, the clans' medicine cats will travel to the moonpool and commune with Starclan. They may seek advice from past medicine cats, spend time with deceased friends or receive warnings of potential dangers that Starclan has foreseen.
There have been instances of cats without HSS choosing to become medicine cats. While their connection to Starclan won't be as strong; they can still learn healing techniques which is always useful to the clan.
Unlike warriors, whose loyalty is to their clan alone; medicine cats have a duty to help all cats in need. They will often exchange knowledge with each other and even give herbs to other clans in times of sickness.
Medicine cats are allowed to travel across clan borders without challenge and attacking one is considered a serious crime.