Lore of the Clans

[ginger]

THE CLANS


Not very long ago, four clans lived in a territory far away from here. Original cats of the clans remember their journey to be where they are now and share stories of their travel as one to their young. For many generations the clans lived in peace, separated into four mighty territories and mighty clans. Devastation fell upon them many of times but they remained strong until their final battle with the elements. When an ancient volcano that sat not far from the clans territories erupted and shook the ground, cracking it open and filling it with ash and hot lava, the clans were forced to flee. Many cats were lost to the heat of the lava, to sick or too old to run away fast enough, other were lost in the clouds of ash or died after inhaling it. The ocean swirled with angry waves and pushed them further north, up into the old mountains of the lost Peakclan territory. The journey was hard, the mountains offered little shelter, little food, and frigid temperatures. Many more cats froze to death, fell to their deaths on the steep cliffs, were taken by eagles, or were too weak and were left behind to starve or freeze. This was a dark time for the clans but eventually they found shelter and with the guidance from Starclan, who had been silent all this time, they made their way out of the mountains.

To the new territories they call home they found themselves clustered around a fairly large lake, the grass green and breezes warm. After a few moons of regaining their strength the clans parted ways and established fair territory between them all, calling this new place home. With Prarieclan claiming the moorland, they decided to rename themselves Breezeclan, having lost their old prairie dog burrows, after the breezy landscape of their new territory.

Oakclan took the oak forest, keeping their name and settling in deep within the woods, their leader ___star, guiding them to health. The cats of Waveclan, battered but used to wet paws, took to the marshlands, renaming themselves Mistclan, after the several mornings of mist floating around their new territory, finding it a more suitable name after loosing the waves of their old ocean territory. Some cats however, found it difficult to fit in, those cats fled and sheltered in a mix of cats within a murky and dark pine forest, naming themselves Shadedclan in thanks to the shadows the forest gave and let them learn to take advantage of, growing strongly. The four clans settled around this lake, calling it home and hoped to rebuild their numbers.

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CLAN LANDS

The climate for this roleplay takes place in a land very much like the Pacific Northwest United States: Most of the flora and fauna of that area can be found here. However, as it is a fantasy roleplay; the territories found here are different and usually would not be found in close proximity to one another. We ask that you suspend your disbelief: because after all, this is a roleplay where cats believe in cat-heaven and some have magical prophetic powers. While we try to be realistic in some areas, we do want to provide a bit of freedom in the types of dangers and challenges they may face.

THE MOORLAND - The place Breezeclan calls home.

THE OAK FOREST - The place Oakclan calls home.

THE LAKE - The water source that sits in the center of all the clans and is shared by them.

THE PINE FOREST - The place Shadedclan calls home.

THE MARSHLAND - The place Mistclan calls home.

THE MOUNTAINS - The passageway to the old territories.

[ginger]

OUTSIDER RELATIONS

While perhaps they are not always the most accepting of outsiders, from time to time, depending on the leader, a clan will allow outsiders to join their ranks and prove their worth. If an outsider (and roleplayer) is looking to join any of the clans, please follow the following:

• 1st Thread: The Outsider (Rogue/Loner/Kittypet) running into meeting a clan cat, learning about the particular clan from said cat, etc.
• 2nd Thread: Meeting the leader/deputy of said clan, learning more about them getting some sort of acceptance from the leader/deputy, etc.*
• 3rd Thread: If accepted, a thread in which they try to introduce themselves to other members of their clan, prepare to show their worthiness. Most likely will contain them getting a new clan name, if rare name item is not bought to allow them to keep their outsider name.

One the third thread is complete, the outsider can officially consider themselves a member of the clan, and will be added to the clan census.

* Please be aware: a cat's acceptance is only confirmed on the whims and feelings of the leader of the clan at that time. Things can be wished and discussed out of character - but in the end it is the leader's roleplayer, as well as their character, who has the final say on an outsider joining the clan or not.

[ginger]

OAKCLAN

Current Leader: 

Current Deputy: 

Current Medicine Cat: 

Current Medicine Cat Apprentice: 

Past Leaders: Bumblestar

Past Deputies: Maplecloud

Past Medicine Cats: Brackenfern

Past Medicine Cat Apprentices:

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ORIGIN STORY
    Oakclan rose from the ashes of two former clans; Gladeclan, which ruled over the forests and meadow, and Peakclan, which owned the mountains. After a series of natural disasters leveled much of both territories, making them temporarily uninhabitable, a GladeClan she-cat by the name of Bumblesong stepped up and became the first leader of Oakclan, having chosen the former deputy of Peakclan, Maplecloud, as her deputy. The clan kept their name after settling in the oak forests of the new territories.

IDEALS

• “Everything has its season.” Oakclan cats are firm believers in the circle of life. 
• The Strength of the Clan is the Strength of the Individual

OUTSIDER ASSUMPTIONS

• Ignores Differences
• Stuck-Up

GENERAL APPEARANCE

Build

• Oakclan is known for containing some of the largest cats in all the clans, although this may not be true for all of their members. Thanks to their affinity for climbing, it is very common that Oakclan cats are well-muscled, especially in their shoulders and hindquarters.

Pelts

• Oakclan cats are known to have thick, dense pelts to help protect them from the thorny plant life in the oak forests. With these thick, dense pelts they are tougher to piece making them tank-like with their wide, stocky builds. However, with such a dense pelt, when wet they become heavy and it makes it much more of a challenge to fight.

Accessories

• Many cats will decorate themselves with flowers and plants. For some cats, these decorations hold personal meaning, such as honoring loved ones, or celebrating personal achievements. For others, they are just pretty tokens.
  
• Once necessary for survival in stony territory during the non-leaf-bare months, some cats with light patches will dye their fur with berry juice in order to darken it. Although Oakclan does not use the mountains anymore, the tradition has stuck around, even being integrated into a holiday where cats of Oakclan gather around and partake in stomping berries and painting one another's pelts.

Unique

• Oakclan cats are known for their long, thick claws, which allow them ease of climbing, as well as better grip on ice. 
• If a cat is descended from Peakclan, they may also have a flatter face, which once protected them from the harsh winds of the mountains.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Predators

• Medium-sized predators, such as mink, weasels, stoats, badgers, raccoons, and foxes have been found wandering these lands. Rumor has it that some apprentices have seen a large mountain of a creature that has wandered down around from time to time. It has fur black as night and a tan muzzle. This is a black bear - and while it does not actively chase cats for meat they will kill one if bothered when paths cross.
• The only true bird of prey that lives in these canopied lands is the owl: swooping down in the middle of the night for a quick snack. They are only really a danger to a cat if they are small enough to be considered prey, like a kit or an apprentice, or if they attack a nest. Even in cases where cats attack an owl in the trees, they are more at danger from falling out of the tree than from being eaten by the bird.
• While not active attackers of cats, porcupines and skunks are a danger to cats: mainly as, when angered, they will bite, scratch, and then either SMELL or SPIKE - Skunks will spray the attacker with a foul liquid which can burn the fur like acid and leave a cat with vision problems if not outright blindness, as well as a foul odor that will last for weeks and make hunting or being around their clanmates all but impossible. Only less dangerous due to their ability to be removed, a porcupine attacks by backing into an opponent when it’s least expected; leaving barbed quills behind that rip at the flesh and are a literal major pain to remove; cats have been made lame, blind, or outright killed in an attack from a porcupine.
• The largest bird of prey, the eagle, can reign death from above. While other predatory birds would go for apprentices and kits, smaller cats, the eagle alone ignores them for the chance to pick up full-sized warriors: which are much more of a mouthful for them. Luckily they are often easily driven off by large numbers, so patrols are usually kept with three adult cats at all times or are unable to traverse through the canopy of oak trees.
• Although they are far more of a threat further up the mountain, Oakclan cats are wary of the presence of wolves. 

Prey

• As can be expected, mice, squirrels and songbirds are the primary source of food for Oakclan
  
• Hedgehogs, a smaller cousin of the porcupine, are considered a delicacy in the forest, though a cat must weigh the annoyance of dealing with their prickles. 
  
• When times have gotten desperate, Slugs, snails and beetles have also been consumed; as well as tadpoles and small frogs caught from the stream running through their territory.
  

• There are some unique prey animals in these lands: the hares are fatter, and their fur changes color depending on the seasons, as well as large fat mice-looking creatures called lemmings, which are particularly sweet and stupid.
• So long as one does not mind getting nipped at, stoats and weasels can serve as prey as well as predator. 
• Large fat birds - pheasants, turkeys and quails can be found in the fall, almost crazy in their efforts to mate. They make a good meal for Oakclan cats but also attract more twolegs to the area at this time. Turkeys must be attacked by groups as they are larger birds and the males can be aggressive. Their babies make for easy takings if the mother is distracted.

Plants

• By far the greenest of all the clans, Oakclan has a number of plants that are available for sampling: indeed, sometimes berries and leaves are eaten alongside prey in order to enhance the flavors of certain meats.
• Trees play the biggest part of their territory - large sturdy oaks, maples and elms primarily. They act as a secondary highway for the cats of Oakclan, causing them to boast that they indeed have the more expansive territory - one on top of the other.

CAMP MAP

Nests

• Oakclan nests are dug out from soft earth and filled with all manner of moss, feathers, and cottonwood puffs. They are also decorated by the occupant with flowers and sweet smelling herbs. One might even think it was a meadow of flowers somehow in the middle of the forest, until you saw a dark-pelted occupant move. It is also very common that Oakclan nests are built large enough for multiple cats, or that two nests will start to merge as cats sleep closer together, most commonly siblings or mates but close friends also find comfort in sharing nests.

Dens

• Den walls are sectioned off with brambles and underbrush, which are woven with pieces of long grasses. Small stones are also piled in and among the bushes to make walls. The ceilings are made from woven twigs and ivy. For dens where the comfort of the ground needs to be exceptionally cautious, such as the nursery and the elder’s den, it is lined with fresh moss so that any prickles and thorns are blocked from bothering the den’s occupants.
• The leaders den is located beneath the Great Oak Tree, nestled below its giant roots in a dug out space big enough for three large cats.

Clearing

• The camp’s clearing is a hollow in the earth, protected on all but one side by large briars and thorn bushes. The entrance to the clearing is blocked by a split tree - so that the camp is almost completely hidden from view from others: until you are right upon it. It is a loam-filled bowl that tends to turn wet and muddy after the worst sorts of storms; but Oakclan cats will bring in brush and stones to try and shore up the floor when worse comes to worst.
  

Gathering Place- The Great Oak Tree

• The Great Oak Tree is a giant, ancient oak tree that stands tall in the center of the camp towards the back of the camp. With giant branches that hang low and high, the leader often climbs to the lowest branch and sits or stands to address their clan. Cats often gather below in the partly sunny clearing to listen. The leader often does warrior ceremonies from the bottom of the tree beside the large roots that weave and jump in and out of the ground in strange arcs. The deputy is often found sitting upon the tallest root arc below the tree when announcing to the clan or preparing patrols for the day.

Medicine Den

• Behind the Great Oak Tree and a pile of small and large boulders, a large cleft in the boulders holds the medicine cats den. Handmade walls made by the cats of Oakclan provide shelter to the sick and wounded while the cleft in the boulders allows for cool, dry storage for herbs and space for two cats to sleep. The slots in the walls of the boulders are filled with herbs and plants, some of which sprout directly from the crags found in the rock itself. 
  
  

CLAN LIFE

Ceremonial Address

• “Let all cats old enough to climb the oak trees gather below the Great Oak Tree for a clan meeting!”
  

Warrior Ceremony

• Oakclan apprentices who are ready to receive a warrior name, and have visited the Pool of Stars, are given full honors by their clanmates. Their pelt will be painted with berries, mud, or any other pigment that can be found, and family and friends will decorate their pelts with favorite flowers, herbs, and countless other nice things. As soon as the naming ceremony itself has been completed, the clan will feast in their honor. Finally, once the feasting and celebrations have died down, the new warrior will sit vigil by the camp entrance, guarding the camp and keeping silent till dawn when they are released.
  

Fighting Techniques

• Poison Knowledge: With all the plants that grow on Oakclan’s territory, it is understandable that some are a bit dangerous. If a situation calls for it, it is not unheard of for an Oakclan cat to leave questionable prey at the border, stuffed with unknowable substances.
  
• Disguises: Masters of the natural world, Oakclan cats have an uncanny ability to mask their scent, or even cover their pelts with leaves and mud, making them difficult to trace. 
• Frozen Drowning: A technique similar to what Mistclan might do - an Oakclan cat knows they can use the land to their advantage, and when the land is cold, they don’t feel it as strongly as others: so in fighting on their territory they will use snow to their advantage, pinning opponents to the ground until they feel numb or are unable to move, they may also trigger snowfalls from trees to physically bury an opponent without having to engage them at all.
  
• Windfall: This “Death From Above” maneuver is for when an Oakclan cat, hidden in the trees above, drops down on their opponent to pin them or knock them out. Occasionally, however, their momentum is enough, if dropping from higher branches, to break bones.
  
• Projectiles: Whether on the ground or in the trees, it is not uncommon for an Oakclan cat to collect acorns and other tree nuts with hard surfaces or shells, enough to break skin, and use them as projectiles. 
  
• Sheer Size: Facing an Oakclan cat, they have their build for an advantage: they are big and burly, hard to knock over, and quick to pin others. Many a fight with an Oakclan cat has been settled in their favor simply by throwing their weight around.
  
• Distract and Defend: A dodge-and-flee movement where Shadedclan ducks under debris and into the shadows to totally overwhelm and confuse their opponent. Often their trickery is done with one or more clan-members, to give the ultimate dizzying effect.
  

Hunting Techniques

• Tree Hunting is common, and while other clans do hunt tree-dwelling animals, Oakclan cats are one of the few who will actively scale trees in order to pursue the creatures in their natural environment.
  
• Oakclan cats will often leave traps of sticks and leaves to pick up stupid, ground-dwelling animals like mice. They will find natural indentations in stone outcroppings, cover them with leaves, so that when something small crawls over them, the weight will cause them to fall in and become trapped, and therefore the Oakclan cat can retrieve it at their leisure. For larger prey animals, it is common to corner them into outcroppings or snowy areas, where OakClan cats will block exits with their bulky size.
• Oakclan cats will also bait areas with berries and nuts when they are in surplus to lure small, hungry animals towards areas where the ground is smooth and impediments are few - making the hunting easier.
  
• Oakclan cats are adept at feeling changes in the ground and elevation and are good at feeling with their paws where the ground is hollow and a burrow may be found underneath: when found, two or three cats will help to dig out the front area or scare the prey to the surface by thumping the ground with their hind legs.
  

Survivalist Training

• While all clans must learn to survive, Oakclan cats take extra precautions to train their apprentices in extra arts of how to navigate through the foliage of their home: including classes on what berries and plants would be edible for staving off hunger and how to tell directions from the type of vegetation growing on trees. Because of this, very few Oakclan cats find themselves lost wandering and starving by the time they are made full warriors.

Burials & Mourning

• Connections to the natural world are central in all Oakclan celebrations, and burial is no exception. The body of the deceased will be buried in the flower fields nearby the training stream and pool at the end of the stream so that they can be symbolically reborn in the blooming of the next season's flowers. It is believed that only once there are signs of growth over a grave that a spirit is fully at rest. Because of this, it is not uncommon to see friends and family members placing their own gathered flowers on the burial sites of loved ones, as if to tell them that they accept their moving on. 
• Once flowers have grown over the grave, the clan is able to celebrate by gathering some of the flowers, leaves, and other pretty things, and all gathering around a tree. This tree is scratched by those within the clan whose lives were touched by the deceased. The length and depth of scratches are often connected to how long a cat has lived, and how many they have affected. For example, while a kit may simply have a little scratch, only the depth of their parents claws, an elder who had trained many cats, or had many children, could span the height of a warrior. 
• Unlike Mistclan, who believe that every kitten must be named, Oakclan cats do not usually give full names to a stillborn kit, as they believe it will cause their spirit to feel tied to the living world. Instead, the kit may be given the nickname of whatever flower is nearby their burial site.
  

Games and Entertainment

• During the season of leaf-bare, it is not uncommon to see cats happily playing in the snow, making snow cats, and even shaping the snow to resemble their clan mates. Often the more competitive cats, especially new apprentices, will challenge each other to make more and more impressive snow animals. They also have snowball balancing competitions, in which cats sit up on their hind legs and try to hold a snow mound whilst their clanmates try their hardest to distract them.
• On days when it is colder, or storms are coming, many cats will huddle together beneath the shelter of the Great Oak Tree, smaller and weaker cats such as kits, elders and apprentices towards the middle of the group, and take turns telling each other legends and stories that are either made up or from their pasts. This is to encourage general comradery and to also make the world seem a little less scary for the more fragile members. 
• Tag is a common game among youngsters of the clan, but apprentices of Oakclan will often take their games up into the lower branches of trees, for what is often termed ‘squirrel tag’. Even warriors may join in from time to time.
  
• Proving to enjoy a little bit of artistry, Oakclan cats will take the berry juice that sometimes stains their fur and also use it to paint areas around the clan: leaving multicolored paw prints as well as scent markers far across their lands.
  
• Young and old warriors alike will often test themselves with certain plants: all of them okay to eat, but some fouler to taste than others. It is considered a test of fortitude for who can stomach the strangest taste - but such bragging behavior has occasionally landed a foolish cat in the Medicine Den with a sick stomach.
  
• In leaf-fall, when all the work for the day is completed, older cats will often scraped leaves in the center of camp into piles so that all ages, mostly young, can play around in the piles, hiding and throwing them around and catching them.

Traditions

• Kits about to be apprenticed will often go outside of camp with their mother, or parents, and find an acorn, bringing it back and placing it beneath their bed and sleep on it. It is said to bring good luck to their training. Apprentices becoming warriors have also been known to bring an acorn back and place it under their bed before they become warriors for good luck and strength.
• It is unofficial tradition that Oakclan older kits sneak out of camp and bring back a large acorn as proof of their shenanigans. While older warriors are well aware of this, most of them are willing to turn a blind eye. After all, they were young once as well, and it does improve the young one’s stealth skills.
  
  
  

Courtships

• Finding flowers woven into one's nest is usually a telltale sign that one has an admirer. These flowers can usually be traced back to who is wearing them - as a cat who likes a particular flower will obviously pick them in order to tell the cat in question what their true feelings are.
• Cats have been known to ask one another to be their mate down at the pool of water below from the training stream when its in full bloom. While nearby the burial plot, a bit towards the stream sits a rock which brings memories back to old Waveclan cats of the giant rock in the ocean territory.
• Oakclan cats have also been known to break hearts at the weeping bark tree, legends say the trees bark slips and bends like those couples that couldn't bare each other any longer.
  
  

RANKS

Leaders

• The leaders of Oakclan are known to be a bit more serious, keeping close to old rules and traditions. They focus much of their energy inwards, seeming much more reserved than their counterparts in other clans. They are always preparing for the potential battles they may face, as well as watching over every cat in the clan, young and old. 
  
• Although they may not always show it while in the presence of outsiders, the leaders of Oakclan care very deeply for their clanmates, becoming something of a loving parent to every cat who is under their care. A cat's clan is their family, and this cannot be more true when applied to the leaders of Oakclan. 
  
  

Deputies

• OakClan is known for keeping close to old traditions when it comes to choosing their deputies. The leader’s second in command must be chosen within a moon of the previous deputies passing, and there are criteria that a leader should follow when choosing them.
• Deputy must be a warrior, but can on occasion be an elder or even a medicine cat. Even an outsider brought into the clan.
  
• The deputy to be must have experienced training an apprentice. Often it is more favorable that they have trained an apprentice all the way to warriorhood, but a cat who is in the process of training one may still be considered.
  

Medicine Cats

• Oakclan’s medicine cats are some of the most respected cats not only of their clan, but of all clan cats combined. Part of this comes from the mythology that Gladeclan, one of Oaklan’s predecessors, was home to medicine cats who could speak directly to the plants, and convinced the trees themselves to share their secrets. Medicine cats of Oakclan are somewhat separated from their clanmates, being encouraged to throw their entire selves into their studies. Part of the reasoning for this is due to the fact that Oakclan’s territory is home to more herbs than the others, so medicine cats must also learn the art of trades in addition to their job of healing and communicating with the ancestors.

MYTHS AND LEGENDS

• They still believe in The Legends of the Founders, though Oakclan puts more emphasis on the stories of Peak and Glade.
• The Tale of the Ancient Lion: Legend has it that an ancient lion sleeps within the mountains and that one day, when the clans are in peril, he will rise again. 
  
• The story of a creature that is worse than nightmares is shared among all the clans, though it is believed to have originated in Gladeclan.
• There is a story of a past deputy of Peakclan, who is now known only as Peakclan's Taint.
  
• Respect for medicine cats is paramount in Oakclan, so much so that there is a belief that they actually have a connection and affinity for plants in their clan; almost seeming to speak to them to coax them into growing while even other medicine cats fail. It is rumored that almost all remedies now widely used in the clans, when you follow back to discover their uses, were almost always discovered by a Gladeclan cat.
• Legend speaks of a cat named Shadowfang who had a beast in his head.
  

[ginger]

WAVECLAN

Current Leader: TickStar

Current Deputy: Goldenfish

Current Medicine Cat:; Flipfern

Current Medicine Cat Apprentice: Morningpaw

Past Leaders:

Past Deputies:

Past Medicine Cats:

Past Medicine Cat Apprentices:

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ORIGIN STORY

• WaveClan consists of the remnants of two former clans, ValeClan, which presided over the desert, and ShellClan, master of the ocean and beaches. After a series of natural disasters drove all clan cats to take refuge on ShellClan’s island, and caused the former leader of ShellClan to mysteriously vanish in a blizzard, the former leader of ValeClan took over leadership of the new united clan. At her side was Goldenfish, a wise and trusted tomcat of ShellClan.

IDEALS

• Strong Roots : One must understand where they come from to know where they are going
• The Strength of the Clan is the Strength of the Individual

OUTSIDER ASSUMPTIONS

• Isolationists : Because of WaveClan’s more isolated home in the cliff side, it is not uncommon to hear whispers that they are secretive and defensive, or that they are fearful of the world
  
• Playing Favorites-WaveClan's higher rankings have a tendency to focus on one or two families. Whether or not this is coincidence is highly debated throughout other clans. 

GENERAL APPEARANCE

Build

• WaveClan does not seem to have any kind of universal build among them, although life does seem to favor those who have at least some kind of muscle on them, as it allows them to fight currents better when swimming. When looking at a WaveClan cat, it is not difficult to guess whether they are more ValeClan or ShellClan biased, as ValeClan cats are very unlikely to have the chubbier bodies that many ShellClan cats developed. 

Pelts

• WaveClan cats are likely to sport brighter colored, patterned pelts, often in shades of ginger. Those of ValeClan descent are far more likely to sport a shorter pelt, while ShellClan descendants may be a tiny bt fluffier.

Accessories

• A tradition left over from the days of ShellClan, many WaveClan cats are well known for using their namesake in decoration, and sometimes this extends to personal decoration as well as what goes into their nests. Pearls, small shells, and small flowers are common choices, but some of the more daring warriors would even go as far as to use things like fish bones or shark teeth.
  
• It is customary that a Valeclan cat will often wear their scars with pride: some cats even accentuate them with bits of color gleaned from rare berries. They will also adorn themselves with the feathers of birds of prey, or even bits of bone from their first-ever catch; until, that is, it crumbles into dust.
  

Unique

• Because of the large number of ShellClan descendants within WaveClan, it is incredibly common to find cats with thickly webbed paws, which gives them an advantage for swimming. 

FLORA AND FAUNA

Predators

• The desert parts of WaveClan's territory are home to some of the most dangerous creatures in the way of venomous scorpions and snakes. While they may not look like much, one bite from these animals can cause serious nerve and physical damage to a cat, if not outright death. Somewhat paradoxically, when it comes to scorpions, the smaller, more insignificant looking ones are actually the most deadly - with their stings always being career ending if not immediately fatal.
• Large birds of prey have been known to swoop down on an unsuspecting cat of any size - hawks have been known to carry off apprentices, falcons kits, but by far the most deadly would be the Vulture: a horribly large beast who could carry off a full-sized warrior in their talons. They are also disgusting for their habit of eating the dead; meaning they have no respect for any cat. Large birds are especially dangerous on the cliffs, as they could cause a cat to fall to their doom. 
  
• A wild brethren of the warrior, the lynx, can be found sometimes deep into the desert- they generally leave other cats alone so long as they do not threaten their young. However, if it is a mother protecting their children, they become almost suicidal in their pursuit of what they consider competition
  
• Unique to the lands of Shellclan are, of course, the water-born predators. A cat will often be swept up and killed by sharks - or greatly mauled by the smaller ones - as well as large fish such as pikes. Even those who don’t feast on meat, a cat can easily be drowned by trying to challenge a bigger fish such as a flounder or salmon.
  
• While not as common, there is a prickly creature found in tide pools known as an urchin: finding this, and pricking any part of the skin is deceptively deadly without immediate treatment of a medicine cat: they contain a deadly poison.
  

Prey

• If desperate, WaveClan cats can dig into the sand and find crabs, mussels and clams: they require more work and bashing with a rock to open, but the meat inside is salty and sweet, a particular required taste for Waveclan cats: crabs can also be dangerous, packing an irritating pinch. 
• Waveclan cats are quite fond of raiding bird nests for food, luring mother birds away in order to grab the sweet eggs, breaking the shells on stone and drinking the yolks. It’s considered a delicacy. 
• Fish, crustaceans and mollusks make up a large part of the Waveclan diet; mostly smaller cats like minnows, sardines, shrimp and sea-snails - but larger hunting parties can tackle big fish for feasts such as salmon, trout, mackrel, etc.
  
• Lizards and tortoises, as well as other reptiles such as non-poisonous snakes, are unique to the diets of Valeclan cats. Of course, tortoises are doubly important, as their empty shells are used to collect water, left overturned around camp for those few rainy days.
• A type of rat or mouse, known as a jerboa, are frequent in this area: they look like mice but can leap great tailengths of distance in one bound and have strange tufted tails. Others who are not from Valeclan who get the odd chance to taste these animals say they have a bit of a dry taste.
• One of the largest, most plentiful sources of meat for the clan is hare; these large beasts can feed at least three cats, and those are the scrawny ones. Valeclan cats have become adept at navigating their twisty tunnels, as well as digging them out of their homes.

Plants

• Palm trees are found on the beach, quite plentiful compared to Valeclan: as they need water to thrive. They are well loved by the cats of Shellclan, who use their fronds to weave together their den walls. Some also provide large hairy seed-pods, which can be broken open with a stone to provide a sweet water inside which is a treat like honey would be in other clans. They are very hard to get to however - and the force of one falling from the tree may indeed kill an unwary cat, or cause severe harm.
  
• Seaweed is a staple in this clan where vines may be to another clan: they are gathered by Medicine Cats, dried out on stones, and used to help bind walls together as well as bind wounds and splints. 
• Out in the desert, there is a plant called the cactus. The Cactus - of small varieties - is an essential, life-giving plant to the cats of Waveclan. Small varieties are found, and with a quick bite in particular areas cats are given mouthfuls of refreshing water with a slightly greenish taste. The flesh, in between prickles, can also be eaten in the most dire of situations.

CAMP MAP

Nests

• It is said that you can learn a lot about a cat from the way they keep their nest. This saying could not be closer tot he truth when it comes to WaveClan. Located in shallow dips in the cavern floor, WaveClan nests are often filled in with clay and fine sand, which not only shapes to the indicidual cat’s body, but also provides a nice, cool resting place for them after a day spent under the hot sun. For those who prefer something a bit more cushioned, downy feathers from the multitude of sea birds makes for a nice pillow. WaveClan nests are also known for being ornately decorated, as cats use shells, feathers, bones, and little bits of sea-glass to make their resting place more special.
  

Dens

• WaveClan cats are known to make their dens in the natural cave systems of the cavern they call home. However, save for a few dens like the medicine cat den, the nursery, and the elder’s den, most of these ‘dens’ are rather small, acting more like private dorms for little groups of cats.
  

Clearing

• WaveClan’s ‘clearing’ is really just the name applied to the center of the Flightfoot cavern. Like the rest of the camp, this clearing has smooth sandstone floors, and a clear view of the waterfall. Small walls of pebbles and stones are placed around the edge of camp, however, to keep wandering kittens from making a misstep into the falls.
  

Medicine Den

• To reach WaveClan’s medicine den, cats must duck through a small tunnel, which opens up into a surprisingly roomy cave. At least half a dozen cats could probably fit comfortably in the main area, so long as they were careful not to disturb the herbs that were stacked on every ledge and crevice that could be found. During the day, the medicine cat den is illuminated thanks to a small hole in the wall, and at night, a shaft of moonlight filters through cracks and crevices to create just as bright a spectacle.
  

Gathering Place-The Leader's Ledge

• Situated near the back of the cavern, a rocky outcropping juts out, overlooking much of the clearing. Although stones and ivy branches have been placed to the side of it, allowing for easier access, it is rare that cats will actually stand upon the leader’s ledge when a ceremony is not being held. When a warrior receives their name, however, they are invited to stand at the leader’s side, above the rest of their clan. While the rest of the clan cheers the names of new warriors, those who are being honored must look out over their clanmates and understand all that they have now sworn to protect.
  
• If one were to explore the cave behind the leader’s ledge, one would find that it is home to a small, yet feisty, colony of bats.
  

CLAN LIFE

Ceremonial Address

• "All cats old enough to cross the falls gather beneath the Highledge for a clan meeting"

Warrior Challenge

• WaveClan apprentices who are deemed ready for their warrior names are tasked to traverse into the desert, where in the days prior their mentors will have hidden something of significance to them, most often a bone from the first prey they caught, or a shell which has some connection to their life. The new warrior has until the next moon high to find their treasure and make it back home, proving that their connections to their home are stronger than the confusion of the world. Often in the days following their challenge, the new warrior will take their prize to the island that once housed ShellClan's camp, where they build little cairns out of bone, shell, and palm fronds. Eventually, parts of the cairn may wash away, or in the case of some shells, slowly break down and return to the sand. Other parts will be built upon, as young warriors often choose to place their treasures beside or atop that of their mentors. 

Fighting Techniques

• Venomous Claws: Only used in dire circumstances. Rumor has it that the cats of WaveClan have learned how to use the poison of scorpions, snakes, or even pufferfish spines, against their enemies. While this is likely a myth, some WaveClan cats have been known to coat their claws with a plant from ValeClan's territory, which will make their enemies very ill, even from the mildest of scratches. It is particularly dangerous, and only used as a last resort in the scariest of circumstances, as it can easily be accidentally affected by the cat using it.
• Sand Spray:  In order to distract an opponent when at a disadvantage, Waveclan cats will kick at the ground around them: lifting dirt, sand and debris into the air and hopefully into the eyes of their opponent, blinding them.
• Drowning: In only the most dire of circumstances - as a warrior knows that killing force is only to be used when in protection of their own lives, when all other options are exhausted - a Waveclan cat is most at home in the water: so they will lure their opponent to a body of water and the try to force themselves on top: keeping their opponent pinned beneath the surface until they stop struggling.
  
• • Sand-drowning: Although this technique may be looked down upon, as it often comes with more pain, it is also considered one of the most terrifying. If a WaveClan cat is on loose dirt or sand, and can get themselves onto their opponent's back, they can force their heads into the dirt, until the cat either suffocates, passes out, or chokes on ingested sand. 
• Wave Formation: Waveclan cats often attack as a group: sending in seemingly smaller cats first; it is when the first ‘wave’ seems to be lagging that a second wave will hit - overwhelming their opponent. They will just as quickly retreat, only to rally again, with the desire to overwhelm their opponent.
  

Hunting Techniques

• WaveClan cats will drop rocks from the cliff above in order to kill seabirds that nest in trickier areas, in order to score both their meat and their eggs for food.
• Cats of this clan are often great diggers, both for crabs and desert creatures. 
• Swimming out to hunt larger fish are usually done in large groups, but it can be a highly dangerous pursuit only attempted in the most dire of shortages.
  
• Similar to what OakClan does with fall-traps, WaveClan will dig holes and then put a layer of sticks and twigs above it, then drive prey towards it: the only difference being rather than leaving it as it is to make it easy to finish off, WaveClan will often put sharp stones at the bottom of these bits, making sure that small prey is killed almost instantly and larger prey is too injured to fight after the fall.

Weather Patrols

• Being so close to the fickle sea can be dangerous: so, within Waveclan there is an added patrol. Beside patrolling their borders and hunting, cats are sent out on a daily basis to watch the tides and interpret the weather. Waveclan cats are surprisingly good at making sure heavy storms are warned about much in advance: although whether they choose to share this information with anyone out of the clan is up to the discretion of the individual.
  

Poison Patrol

• Part patrol, part training, cats of Valeclan have a specific group of cats who each day go out and make sure that poisonous creatures are driven far away from Valeclan Camp. It is an important - but dangerous - job. Cats are encouraged to not get too close to the creatures, and instead use sticks held in their jaws to ‘persuade’ them into leaving
  

Burials & Mourning

• The deceased body of a WaveClan Cat is placed on a bed of palm fronds, which is then watched over for one night, so their fellow warriors can say their final goodbyes. It is then pushed out into the ocean, so their body can have a ‘final swim’. If a body is unable to be recovered for whatever reason, it is considered a great offense and the superstition sadly is that the cat’s spirit will not rest easily in Starclan until another clanmates dies and is properly put to rest - in which they can then follow their clanmates' leave and find rest. As is tradition according to ValeClan customs, cats are often sent out to sea clutching a bone that they gathered from the Vulture’s landing, or a skull from their apprentice ceremony. If they were stillborn or born too young for either ceremony, parents of those kits will find a small bone to place with them, so they will not be lonely in the grave.
• WaveClan cats are firm in the belief that every cat must have a name, even if they never had life. This customs stems from an old legend about kits who died without ever being given a name, and were trapped wandering the living world because no StarClan cat knew how to call out to them. Because of this, a stillborn kit is named at the same time as their siblings.
  
  

Games and Entertainment

• Apprentice in Waveclan are constantly competing to see how many of them can fit on Sunning Rocks at one time, ending in much tumbling and laughter.
  
• Young cats will often dare one another to swim out and touch the ‘Floating Monsters’ (Boats) that can be seen during the summer months. This is considered dangerous however, and usually discouraged by senior warriors.
• In the heat of the day, the clan will often take to the shallows and splash around in the water: what may seem to be an unnatural pastime to other cats is actually a source of great enjoyment to the cats of Waveclan.
• Very similar to the ‘badger rides’ found in forest clans, WaveClan’s kits will take turns riding on warriors backs around the tide pool, getting ‘Seal Rides’. This game is also a fun and useful way for kits to learn to swim.
  
• Adult cats will trap lizards and non-poisonous snakes alive and bring them into an enclosed space close to the nursery to let young cats play with them: often nips and scratches got from these animals are seen as character building, and it’s a great way for kits to learn how to hunt and fight in preparation for becoming apprentices and apprentices warriors.
  
• Small balls of collected sticks and dried brush, known as tumbleweeds, are often used in place of the typical ‘mossball’ seen in other clans. However, unlike with mossball, sometimes these balls can be so large that a kit can crawl inside it and have fun trying to dismantle it’s bits from the inside.
  
• During very hot days, there is a communal nap time in the cave. 

Courtships

• WaveClan relationships are often centered in lively, whirlwind romances and offerings of pretty trinkets like shells, pearls, and bits of coral.  As Waveclan cats are highly family oriented, the desire to have large families is usually a priority.
• When cats are courting, they will often begin sleeping near each other. The indents of their bodies in clay is one of the telltale signs that a couple is growing fonder of one another.
  

Kithood

• It is traditional that as soon as all kits in a litter are born, and their names are chosen by their parents, the leader is one of the first cats to visit them so that they are recognized early by StarClan

RANKS

Leaders

• The leader of WaveClan is known for being very down to earth, and much more integrated with their clan than one may expect. WaveClan leaders eat, sleep, and hunt the same as any other cat in the clan, and the only time they are truly put onto a pedestal is when they are leading ceremonies, or performing their unique duties as a leader. 

Deputies

• WaveClan chooses their deputies in a way that is incredibly similar to the way that OakClan chooses, although certain rules may be a tad looser. Although it is preferable that a deputy is chosen soon after the death or retirement of their predeccessor, WaveClan has not faced the same struggles that OakClan has with their leader’s passing before a choice is made, so they are not as worried. Still, there are certain criteria that a leader must keep in mind when choosing their second in command.

• The Deputy must be a warrior.
• Favor is given to those who have trained at least one apprentice. However, a leader may choose a cat who has not yet been given this opportunity, with the understanding that one of the next apprentices named must be assigned to the chosen deputy before they are fully recognized. 

Medicine Cats

• The life of a Medicine cat of WaveClan is a well-honored one, but comes with many difficulties. Thanks to WaveClan's harsher terrain, Medicine cats have to work very hard to find herbs, as well as to help injured clanmates reach the cave. Because of this, WaveClan has come to value not only mental, but also physical strength in their medicine cats, though the physical part is not 100% necessary so long as the medicine cat has a few trusted warriors who can aide them. 

MYTHS AND LEGENDS

• They still tell the Stories of the Founders, though WaveClan puts more emphasis on the stories of Vale and Shell
• The story of a creature that is worse than nightmares is shared among all the clans, though it is believed to have originated in GladeClan.
  
• There are stories of cats who have seemingly been resurrected from the dead, having walked out into the sands never to return. Sometimes, these disappearances are blamed on mirage cats - cats who are not and who have never been alive, leading them away from their families. Often cats who are returned after some time are looked at either with suspicion, pity, or reverence - often a healthy mix of all three.
  
• Because the wind whips through the Sun Coves creating odd yowling whistling sounds, many cats believe the place is haunted by the ghosts of cats who had no clanmates to lead them to Starclan. After dark or on particularly windy days this place is avoided so show respect as well as avoid these wandering souls.
  
• Like twoleg sea-dwellers, Waveclan cats are very superstitious about the sky. An oft heard saying is “When the dawn is red, watch your paws or you’re dead” - as red skies in the morning are usually a clue to bad weather on it’s way, or an uneasy sea.
  
• Legend has it the first Dark Forest Cat came from ShellClan

[ginger]

PRAIRIECLAN

Current Leader: TulipStar

Current Deputy: SnakeStrike
Healers: Crypt & Tigerpaw
Council Members: Misthop, Panther

ORIGIN STORY
    PrairieClan’s roots stem back to a colony of cats who once referred to themselves as ‘the trailer park cats’ or ‘SusanClan’, a name they adopted thanks to the twoleg who often watched over them. Cats from all backgrounds would find a place there, and even the seemingly simple backstories, such as that of Mr. Nakey the kittypet, would often give way to long and complicated histories. At the forefront of the newly formed clan was Swiftleap, a former loner, rogue, and friend of ‘SusanClan’ who invited her daughter, Tulipstorm, to stand as her second-in-command. 

IDEALS

• Only you have control over your destiny
• Opportunity is not a lengthly visitor
• Love can only grow

OUTSIDER ASSUMPTIONS

• Soft-hearted
• Wannabes
• Disloyal

GENERAL APPEARANCE

Build

• PrairieClan, being a melting pot of different backgrounds, really does not have any singular build that it favors. While it is true that many of its members may be a little more ‘filled out’ thanks to their access to kittypet food, this is certainly not true for all of them.

Pelts

• PrairieClan does not seem to favor one type of pelt over another. It is, however, noteworthy that thanks to their kittypet heritage, it is more common for cats of PrairieClan to resemble distinct breeds than any other clan. Those who eat kitty pet food may also have brighter, more shiny pelts when compared to their 100% wild relatives. PrairieClan also boasts the highest population of hairless cats, a trait which can be traced back to one of their founding members, Mr. Nakey.
  

Accessories

• PrarieClan fashion relies heavily on found and repurposed items, as well as bits of ‘clothing’ donated from Twolegs. Necklaces of crystals, piercings made with bits of wire, or even full blown sweaters are not uncommon in the slightest.

Unique

• Thanks to their closeness to two legs, most of PrarieClan's cats have some level of vaccinations, which makes them resistant and/or immune to many illnesses. 

FLORA AND FAUNA

Predators
Prey
Plants

• With their closeness to two legs, as well as their own proficiencies in gardening (read Healer's Den), PrairieClan has access to many plants that the other clans do not. Their catmint storage is especially renowned. 

CAMP MAP

Nests

• Many PrairieClan cats are ‘daylight warriors’, meaning that they return home to their twolegs at night. Because of this, there are not as many nests in the outside camp as there are cats to fill them during the day. This is further instigated by the fact that many cats choose not to sleep in nests at all, but instead to curl up in the clearing, or climb up into trees.

Dens

• PrairieClan cats have no real consistency in their dens, as many cats hardly ever sleep inside of one. Still, PrairieClan cats are incredibly resourceful, using whatever they can find to make small shelters. Logs, twigs, or even twoleg building materials are all options, which makes the camp a very mismatched looking place.
  

Clearing

• PrairieClan makes camp in a small valley, where they are protected from the wind. There is no one entrance, but instead cats may come in from nearly any side so long as they are sure-pawed enough to make their way down.

Healer's Den

• Like many things in PrairieClan, the medicine den is relatively uncovered. Situated just beside the roots of the Great Willow, PrairieClan’s medicine den is marked by a pair of large stones, which lean against the tree to make a very small, shelter. This is the place where they store any herbs which they may deem too risky to keep out in the open, or where they may shelter a healing patient.
• Something which is almost totally unique to PrairieClan is the presence of small ‘gardens’. Inspired by the gardens that can be found in many twoleg yards, PrairieClan cats have learned to plant and cultivate their very own herb gardens. Thanks to this, PrairieClan cats have become incredibly powerful in trading, as they are able to grow some plants that are rare to impossible to find in the wild.
  

Gathering Place-The Great Willow

• In the middle of PrairieClan’s camp stands a large willow tree. This is the place where many cats sleep, as well as where young cats practice their climbing. The Great Willow is also the place where all ceremonies are held, as its long, billowing branches provide perfect cover. The Great Willow also provides cover for the medicine cat den, which is situated in its roots.
  

CLAN LIFE

Ceremonial Address

• All cats that hear this call gather beneath the Great Willow for a clan meeting
  
• (More Formal) Those old enough to travel to the river bend, gather beneath the Great Willow for a Clan Meeting

Apprentice Assessments

• Every moon, the clan holds an assessment in which apprentices of all ages are allowed to show off their skills in the hopes that they will be seen as ready to become a warrior. They compete in hunting, sparring, and many other events, which the leader will walk around and oversee. This assessment, along with recommendations from their mentors, is one of the deciding factors on when PrairieClan cats are given a warrior name. 

Warrior Ceremony

• Being a warrior in PrairieClan is much less about age or experience, and more about a cat making the promise of loyalty. Although they may share loyalty to other groups, such as their twolegs, or family from other clans, their hearts must be in PrairieClan. At a warrior ceremony, a cat is finally given a full clan name. This may consist of a full name change (Re: Mr. Nakey is Roostercry ) or the simple addition of a suffix (Re: Snake becomes Snakestrike)
• During a warrior ceremony, it is traditional for the cats being named, as well as those closest to them (family, mentor, etc) to adorn themselves in something representative of the soon to be warrior, or to decorate the camp as such. (Ex: Misthop and TulipStar wore flowers for Violetbreeze, and placed smooth stones around their dens for PebbleStrike)

Fighting Techniques

• A Powerful Ally: Above all else, PrairieClan warriors may be feared not for their own skill, but for the very realistic threat of them bringing in their much more fearsome ally; twolegs. When overwhelmed, a PrairieClan cat may lure its enemies closer and closer to the twolegplace, where certain humans may not take kindly to seeing their favorite cat colony being harmed.
  
• Poison Control: While OakClan prides itself on being able to master the poisons of the plants, and WaveClan has the venom of snakes and scorpions, PrairieClan has discovered its own brand of biological warfare; Rat Poison.

Hunting Techniques

• PrairieClan cats are incredibly opportunistic hunters, and will usually take whatever is given to them, often literally. Handouts from twolegs are usually top of the menu for a PrairieClan warrior. This can mean dry pellets, wet food, cream, or even table food!
  
• The keen PrairieClan warrior may be able to snag food from a twoleg mouse and rat trap. However, one must be careful not to eat anything that may have been poisoned, lest they become ill themselves

Burials and Mourning

• Because of the fact that so many cats do not spend their whole lives in the clan, sometimes it is a mystery if they still live. From this rose a superstition that cats who are not confirmed to be dead due to lack of body or witnesses are not really gone, but “still on patrol” A cat can be "on patrol" for hundreds of moons, but they are still not referred to as dead.
• Upon the death of a PrairieClan cat, their body is laid out in the camp, and all cats are given a night to say their final goodbyes, and to bestow ‘gifts’ to the deceased. As for burial, there are a few possible results. If a PrairieClan cat dies who was bonded to a twoleg, their clanmates are tasked with returning their bodies to the twoleg home. Although PrairieClan believes that a cat’s spirit will go to StarClan, they understand the importance of having their bodies reunited with the twolegs who they called a family, if for no other reason than to give the twolegs time to grieve as well. For the few in PrairieClan who do not have a twoleg to bury them, the task falls to the most senior members of the clan, as well as the family. 

Games and Entertainment

• PrairieClan kits and apprentices are known to come up with their own unique games, often involving bits of twoleg rubbish. ‘Kick the (bottle)cap’ is possibly the best known.
  
• PrairieClan cats love to dress up, and will use nearly any special occasion as an excuse to don their most colorful, flowery getups that they can find. These ‘costumes’ consist of bits of fabric, collars, leaves, shells, and just about anything else that can be fashioned into clothing. One of the ‘special occasions’ for wearing costumes is the performance of plays and pageants. Kits, apprentices, and those who are young at heart will get together to make costumes, tell stories, and perform little skits, often to the amusement of their more ‘mature’ clanmates.
  
• When the weather is nice, everyone in the clan will gather near the stream, and play in the shallows. Young apprentices compete to find the shiniest stone and race twigs in the currents, elders sun on the warmed banks, and kittens get their first taste of freedom outside of the camp. 

Courtships

• PrairieClan love is often very open, with one cat courting many others. And although the other two clans do not force monogamy, it is only in PrairieClan that polyamoury is so openly celebrated.
  

Kittens

• Kits of PrairieCkan are raised communally, often to the extent that they may not be sure who in their clan is their biological parent. This is only further emphasized by PrairieClan’s blasé attitude towards whether or not a queen discloses the father of her kits, or if any explanation is provided when someone comes home from patrol carrying a ‘foundling’ kitten.
  
• Depending on the two leg they live with, it is not unheard of for cats not to bring their kits to the clan for many moons, if ever. These kittens are referred to as the Prairie-born, as they were born with the blood of PrairieClan, but never became a part of it themselves. This term may also be used for kits that were nursed by PrairieClan queens before returning to find lives in another clan. 

Naming

• Cats of PrairieClan are known for having a multitude of names assigned to each cat, a tradition likely picked up by one of their founders, the kittypet Mr. Nakey. The many daylight warriors who make up PrairieClan’s ranks will have at least two names. The first is a name given by twolegs. The second is a name given by the clan. Oftentimes the clan name will be a variation of the twoleg name. A suffix may be added, or some sounds may be changed, but the names are usually recognizable. The only time that this connection can be more difficult to pin down is when the twoleg name is earned later in the cats life, as twolegs do not understand the names given by felines. In addition to their ‘proper’ names, it is very common for PrairieClan cats to use a string of nicknames for one another. 

RANKS

Leaders

• The leader of PrairieClan is the one and only cat who must be FullClan, or share their duties with a FullClan counterpart. 

Deputies

• PrairieClan’s deputies, just like those of all other clans, are chosen by the leader as an advisor and second-in-command. Upon the death or retirement of the leader, it is up to the deputy to take over. The deputy will also serve as a member of the leader’s council, though they often do not speak unless they are needed as a tie-breaker. Like the Leader, the deputy should be FullClan, simply due to the number of duties they perform.

Council

• In addition to having a deputy, PrairieClan relies on a council of cats to aid in decision making and to advise the leader. This council typically consists of the healers, the deputy, and warriors who are chosen by the leader. Even when a new leader comes into power, previous council members are allowed to retain their position, although some may choose to step away. Council members are often given duties by the deputy, as certain cats are put in charge of checking on the nursery, delegating apprentice duties, etc. This relieves some pressure from the deputy, and encourages the deep sense of community that PrairieClan prides itself on. One of the most important tasks of the council is the choosing of leaders. Although most of the time this task is easy, as the deputy is next-in-line, PrairieClan knows from watching other clans that sometimes both leader and deputy will disappear. In that case, members of the council must cast stones and decide who in their clan is best suited for the position. Although it is common that one of the council members is the one who is chosen, it is not impossible that they choose someone else entirely. 

Healers

• PrairieClan’s healers, although clearly inspired by the medicine cats of Oakclan and WaveClan, March to the beat of their own drum. Operating similarly to warriors, the healers of PrairieClan are known to hunt for themselves, and many will even develop fighting styles as well. PrairieClan healers are also free to have mates, kits, and as extensive a family as they could ever desire. This is made possible because of the fact that PrairieClan does not limit itself to having just one or two healers. Any number of cats can take the rank of a healer, and many cats will choose to split their time between a life of healing and a life of being a warrior, a mentor, or even a kindle keeper.
  

Apprentices

• When looking at a group of PrairieClan cats, it is often difficult to guess which ones are apprentices as opposed to fully named warriors. This is due to the fact that PrairieClan apprenticeships will often last longer than average, thanks to the fact that cats are allowed to fill multiple roles, or split their time completely between being a kitty pet and being a clan cat. In addition to longer apprenticeship periods, PrairieClan is also known for taking apprentices at any age. If a six moon old cat and a sixty moon old cat join the clan at the same time, they will have to serve as apprentices equally, assuming that neither of them show themselves to be exceptionally gifted. 

MYTHS AND LEGENDS

• Although some PrairieClan cats still believe in the founders of the other clans, they do not believe their clan had any ancient founders. This is understandable because of how comparatively new their clan is.
  
• PrairieClan has a wide range of beliefs regarding StarClan, with some cats being very devout, and some not believing in their existence at all. Those in PrairieClan who do believe in StarClan, however, are taught that they need not worry about their non-believing clanmates, as StarClan does not restrict entrance strictly based on a cats beliefs, but also on whether or not they have friends and family who would be helped by their presence in StarClan. At the very least, a cat with shaky beliefs may be invited to take refuge in the outskirts of StarClan, where the stars still shone, albeit a little bit less bright.
  
• Despite their blasé attitudes towards being around twolegplace, PrairieClan cats are still aware of the fact that some cats will always belong to the wild. This features heavily in their tale of the Willow Queen.
  
• There is a legend that an ancient StarClan cat scooped out the valley that PrairieClan lives in.
  
• A story about a creature that is worse than nightmares is shared throughout all the clans, but it is commonly accepted that the story originated in GladeClan.
  
• Furless cats, called NoFurs, are regarded with especially high esteem, as they are something of a representation of what Prairieclan is all about: being proud of differences, and following the path that is best suited for you. Some cats also believe that NoFurs are descended from an ancient race of furless cats, and that they were meant to become rulers of the clans one day. However, this is widely regarded as a mere kit’s tale.
  

Common Terms 

Daylight Warrior-A cat who splits their time between the clan and being a kitty pet. Traditionally this refers to cats who go home at night, but the term can be used for anyone who has a paw in each world.
Prairieborn-A cat who was born in PrairieClan, or is of PrairieClan descent, but does not live in the clan.
FullClan-A cat who spends 100% of their time with the clan (aka, not a daylight warrior)
NoFur-A hairless cat
Council-The group of cats chosen to aid and advise the leader. 
Councilor-A cat chosen to serve on the Council

Insults

• Any insult with the word 'Fox' (e.g.: Foxheart, Fox-breath, etc.) is heavily discouraged, if not outright banned, in PrairieClan. This custom stems from the fact that they share their camp with a fox, although the fox believes himself to be a feline.