A Guide to Warrior Terminology

[Broadwaykat]

WARRIOR TERMINOLOGY

In the world of warriors, there are different words that can be used to mean different things in the world of cats. Here's a guide to the most common words and phrases:

Twoleg Items

Carrionplace: An area filled with trash and refuse; used by some desperate, down on their luck cats for a source of food. Usually infested with rats. 

Clearstone: Glass. Usually used in making Twoleg Nests. 

Cutter: A veterinarian. Literally, a two-leg doctor who 'cuts' off important parts of a cat. 

Greenleaf Twolegplace: A place where twolegs live, but only in the summery warm months. Cottages. 

Halfbridge: A short bridge that doesn't go all the way across a body of water. A dock. 

Horseplace: A place were a number of horses and other large animals live, potentially dangerous. A farm. 

Housefolk: A kittypet term for a human. 

Monster: A large fierce beast that travels in specific patterns, that allow twolegs to live inside them. Easily able to kill a cat. A car/van/truck. 

Red Stone: A brick. Twoleg dens are usually constructed out of this. 

Silver Boulder: A trashcan. 

Silverpath: Railroads, the place where Thundersnake's travel. 

Silverthorn: Barbed wire. 

Smooth Boulder: Twoleg ball. 

Soft Boulder: Pillow or cushion. 

Thunderpath: Paved road where monsters travel. 

Thundersnakes: A train. Easily able to kill a cat. 

Tree-Eater: Bulldozer. 

Twoleg Kits: Human children; literally, a small being that walks on two legs. 

Twoleg Nest: A human house. 

Twolegplace: A town, city or village where Twolegs live. 

Twolegs: Human beings; literally, walking on two legs.

Clan Area Terms

Apprentices' Den: The den in camp that is shared between the apprentices of that Clan.
Boarders: The invisible lines and limits of a clan's territory, marked and patrolled on a daily bases.
Camp: The place where a Clan makes their permanent home.
Dirtplace: The place near the camp where cats go to the washroom.
Elders' Den: The den in camp that is shared between the elders of that Clan.
Fresh-Kill Pile: The place, usually in the center of the camp, where the warriors drop the prey they caught while hunting, so it is easily accessible to all the cats in the Clan.
Leader's Den: The den in camp that belongs to the Clan leader.
Medicine Cat's Den: The den in camp that belongs to the Clan's medicine cat and his or her apprentice. Sometimes referred to simply as the Medicine Den.
Nursery - The den in camp that is shared by the queens and kits of that Clan.
Territory - The area and range belonging to a particular clan.
Warriors' Den - The den in camp that is shared between the warriors and the deputy of that Clan.

Cat Types

Apprentice: A young cat training in a clan to fulfill adult duties, typically between the ages of 6-12 moons. 

Clan Cat: A cat who has chosen to live in one of the four clans: Gladeclan, Valeclan, Shellclan and Peakclan. 

Deputy: The second-in-command of a clan. Their words is law to everyone save the leader, whom they receive orders from.  

Elder: An adult cat who can no longer uphold their duties in the clan, either due to their age, or disability. They have earned the position and should be cared for by all.  

Kit: A infant cat, between the ages of 0-6 moons. 

Kittypet: A cat that lives with twolegs, allowing them to care for them, sleep in their dens, and occasionally decorate their fur. Typically scorned by warriors and rogues. 

Leader: The upper echelon of clan cats; has literal nine lives in which they are expected to devote to their clan.  

Loner: A cat who scorns the life of a clan cat, or a kittypet – but generally are friendlier and non-confrontational.  

Medicine Cat: A healer. Expected to take care of any health and safety, caring for scraps and injuries, as well as communing with their ancestors in Starclan and provide guidance upon which a Leader and Deputy would run a clan. 
Mentor: A cat who is currently training an apprentice.

Queen: Pregnant she-cats or cats who are nursing kits. 
Perma-Queen: A She-cat who chooses to remain in the nursery, taking care of other's kits and domestic situations around camp, rather than fighting or participating as a traditional warrior.
Kindle Keeper: A term used to describe a cat who is non-binary but chooses to raise kits in the nurser, or who takes on the position of a Perma-Queen rather than a traditional warrior.
Den Dad: A term used to describe a tom who chooses to raise kits in the nursery, or who takes on the position of a perma-queen.

Rogue: A usually hostile cat who does not have a permanent residence, and does not care about crossing clan boundaries. 

She-cat: A female cat. 

Tom: A male cat. 

Tribe Cat: A cat who lives in a group of cats similar to a clan, but with different morals and codes. No tribe officially exists onsite. 

Warrior: An adult cat who lives in a clan; makes up the bulk of the clan's numbers.

Clan Terms

Battle Patrol: A patrol of 6-12 or more cats made up of warriors and their apprentices, where the main goal is to fight an opposing force.
Border Patrol: A patrol of 5-6 cats usually, made up of warriors and their apprentices, where the main goal is to check the boarders of the clan, renew markings, and make sure that others have not crossed over those boundaries.
Crowfood / Buzzardfood / Chickfeed: A dead prey animal that has begun to rot; also used as an insult.
Dark Forest: The punishment for serious rule breakers, murders, or those against the clans; a sort of hell.
Dirt/Making Dirt: Going to the washroom. Number 2. Poop.
Fresh-Kill: Prey; usually piled somewhere in the centre of camp.
Gathering: A monthly meeting of all four clans; where grievances can be aired with words not with violence.
Herbs: Plants and materials used in healing others; a variety of materials both grown and harvested.
Hunting Patrol: A patrol of 5-6 cats usually, made up of warriors and their apprentices, where the main goal is to hunt in order to feed the clan.
Marking: A way that cats in clans spread there scent to let others know where the borders of their land lie.
Prey: Small animals that are usually hunted and eaten by cats, such as mice, small birds, and certain fish species.
Predator: Large dangerous animal that may prey on cats, such as badgers, hawks and dogs.
Scavenging Patrol: A patrol of 6-12 or more cats, made up of warriors and their apprentices, where the main goal is to break across into an area and scavenge for food, materials, or other cats.
Sharing Tongues: A ritual of all cats in a clan gathering together to share news, groom one another, and share food. Usually occurs in early morning or later in the day.
Sharptooth: A wild animal that is incredibly dangerous but defies description. A predator.
Silverpelt: The large swath of stars in the sky; the direct representation of Starclan.
Snowmelt: A term used to describe slush or dirty, melted snow.
Starclan: The reward for all noble warriors who pass on; a sort of heaven.

Time Terms

Newleaf: The season of Spring.
Greenleaf: The season of Summer.
Leaf-fall: The season of Autumn.
Leaf-bare: The season of Winter.
Moon: The time between one full moon and the next, spanning roughly 29 days; a month.
Moonhigh: When the moon is the highest in the sky; about midnight.
Moonrise: The time when the moon rises.
Half-moon: About two weeks, half a month.
Quarter-moon: About a week.
Sunhigh: The point during the day when the sun is highest in the sky: noon.
Sunrise: One day in cat time.
Season: A quarter of a year in cat time. Four season equal a year.
Heartbeat: Split second.
Claw-moon: When the moon resembles the shape of an unsheathed claw, equivalent to a crescent moon.
Sundown: Dusk.
Sunup: Dawn. However, Dawn is still used in some situations, such as 'Dawn Patrol'.

Distance

Fox Length: About the length of a fox, approximately a yard.
Kittenstep/Kitstep: About the length of a kit's step. Approximately an inch or a half-inch.
Tail Length: About the length of a cat's tail, approximately a foot.
Rabbit Hop/Rabbit Length: About a foot and a half away.
Mouse Length: About two or three inches.
Pawstep: About the length of a grown cat's step, roughly six inches.
Tree Length: About the length of a tree, around 40-50 feet.

Idiom Phrases

(Only) Starclan knows (what): Sometimes used to answer a question that is impossible to answer.
As easy as swallowing a minnow: An easy task.
*As much use as a dead fox: Useless.
Bees in your brain/Bee-brain: Confusion or not making sense.
Crazier than a fox in a fit: Acting crazy.
Doesn't matter/Doesn't care so much as a whisker: Do not care. Or saying that a patrol did not catch anything.
I don't/wouldn't give a mousetail: An exclamation meaning that the cat does not care. They are willing to do something for no real reward, or can also mean that a cat would be stingy enough not to share.
I'd have shredded you into mousedust/mousemeat: To gravely injure, rip to shreds.
It's better to scare away a mouse than welcome a badger: An old saying meaning that it's better to scary away a friendly cat than welcome a not-so-friendly one.
May Starclan light your path/Banish all the fleas from your nest: A friendly term used to tell others they wish them well.
May the sun warm your back and the fish leap into your paws: A blessing used in Shellclan to wish good dreams or to say farewell to a passing loved one.
May you find good hunting, swift running and shelter when you sleep: An ancient farewell used by all the clans, saying goodbye to loved ones on their way to Starclan.
Once a kittypet, always a kittypet: A harsh phrase used to describe a cat with kittypet roots, implying they are disloyal and soft.
Sorry catches no prey/Sorry fills no bellies: Means cats can be sorry, but that will not change the past.
Stirring up a bee's nest: A cat is looking for trouble or starting it.
Tabbies don't change their stripes: Means that a cat doesn't change their nature.
That's a load of badger droppings: Nonsense.
When Hedgehogs will fly: An exclamation style statement that shows disbelief that a certain event will likely occur, used in many variations.
Who made dirt in their fresh kill/nest?: A phrase to describe a cranky or suddenly moody cat.
Who ruffled their fur?: Similar way of saying “who got under their skin?”

Insults

Bat-blind: An insult to a cat's eyesight.
Cleanpaw: A insult used for someone who sticks to the rules closely.
Crowfood: (Harsh) insult comparing the recipient to rotting prey animals, or suggesting that they eat it.
Dormouse: An expression or exclamation used against a cat who sleeps a lot.
Drypaw: Cat that dislikes getting wet.
Dungface: Harsh insult; poophead.
Feather/Minnow/Mouse/Flea/Hare/Rabbit/Toad/Fuzz-brain: Can be friendly or harsh; small minded, silly.
Fishface/Fishfur/Fish-breath: An insult used against Shellclan warriors.
*Fox-breath/Fox-hearted/Snake-hearted/Snake-heart/Snake-tongue: An insult insinuating the recipient is cruel, cold-hearted or evil.
Furball: A friendly yet harsh insult.
Mouse-breath: Insult used to intimidate someone.
Mouse-hearted: Cowardly.
Mousefodder: An insult describing that the cat is worthless or a kittypet.
Pain in the tail: Irritating or lazy.
Scaredy-mouse!/Scaredy-sparrow: Referring to a cat who is easily frightened.
Smart-ears: Friendly insult - brainy, show- off.
You fight/hunt like a kittypet: An expression used to insult or tease a cat who fights/hunts poorly.

Curses and Exclamations

Frog-dirt and fish-guts: Used in Shellclan, Describing bad luck: “Damn it!”
Frog/Fox/Mouse/Hare-dung: A harsh exclamation (like “damn it!”).
Great Starclan!: An exclamation used to signify extreme surprise or anger.
How in Silverpelt?/What in Starclan?: An exclamation used meaning “How in the World?”
In all the Stars: An exclamation of shock or amazement.
Starclan's kits: An exclamation of surprises or disbelief.
Thistles and thorns: Describing bad luck: “Damn it!”


*PrairieClan heavily discourages the use of swears with 'fox' in them.