The Children of StarClan world prides itself on having not just adopted the traditions of the cats from the books, but having made the world into our own interpretation. We’ve altered some traditions into versions we find more sensible, and developed many of our own traditions and methods for well known ceremonies.
This document applies specifically to the Clan Cats.
Age in the Clans
Clan cats live hard lives and age faster than domestic cats.
Apprentices
Apprentices duties vary in regards to the age of the apprentice, and the level of skill it has acquired.
1-2 Moons into Training: These youngest apprentices generally don’t see much fieldwork until they have some training under their belts. Cleaning the camp, feeding elders and queens, and just learning the basics of fighting and hunting are the priority.
3-4 Moons into Training: While not yet mature enough for dangerous work yet, these middle-aged apprentices are expected to hunt (both on their own and as part of a patrol) and begin to participate in less dangerous standard patrols.
5-6 Moons into Training: These oldest apprentices will be spending less time handling the youngest of the apprentice duties (so long as their are apprentices to do those tasks) and will spend more time handling warrior duties alongside their mentors.
More detail on each specific level can be found at the Warrior Training Knowledge Base.
Ceremonies
Ceremonies differ from the books. In accordance we have provided a page covering the ceremonies as CoSC uses them for use by our leaders and deputies.
Combat, Training & Practice
All practice combat amongst Clan Members is performed ‘soft paws’ (claws sheathed). The claws, which are intended to rip, tear and cause damage, are reserved for the enemy. Intentionally harming your clanmates (which is what fighting with claws would do: Cause Injury) is considered a high crime as it puts a working warrior in an injured state and would result in the wasting of herbs and a Medicine Cat’s time healing injuries that could have been avoided by simply not baring claws in training.
Crushes & Attraction
A “crush”, or burning desire for another cat, is not something considered by CoSC to be normal. The business of living comes before all else, and that includes romantic pursuits. In fact, given the fact that there is no formal matehood (see Mates and Mating below) the business of courting it very low on the priorities of everyone. If a she-cat wishes to breed, she will: Romance does not need take any part in such an act.
Death, Dying, & Burial
Death is a part of life amongst the clan cat. Even in a time of peace clan cats face constant danger in their territories. Most cats do not reach a state of great age. This familiarity with death leads to clan cats being, in general, unafraid of death. This is helped along by the physical proof they have of everlasting life via StarClan.
Disability
Unlike the civilized modern world there are few accommodations available for cats who live in the clans. There are no braces for damaged limbs, corrective lenses for faulty sight or hearing aides to improve faulty hearing. Because of this a cat who suffers from a disability cannot fulfill the duties of a warrior and is forced into early retirement.
For further explanation read the Disabilities in the Clan World Essay.
First Gathering
Leaders traditionally bring an apprentice who was just made to the first gathering after they are apprentices so that the Clan’s newest up and coming warrior may be shown off. After that most apprentices wait until the final stages of their training to resume attending gatherings with any regularity.
Great Cat Names
Great Cat Species (Any non-domestic species) names are considered highly powerful things. This means that using the name of a great cat in the name for a kit is considered unkind to the kit, as it could draw the attention of StarClan to the kit and force them to take on responsibility prior to them being grown enough to handle it. Mothers who do give great cat names to kits are generally treated as those who do not respect the youth of their kits and wish for them to be made to grow up too quickly.
Names include: Tiger, Lion, Cheetah, Leopard, Jaguar, etc.
Highstones Visit
Before an Apprentice can become a Warrior they must have made a trip to Highstones, to see Mothermouth and the Highstones. This trip is typically undertaken by the Leader or Deputy (though the mentor can take them without the Leader or Deputy attending).
Insanity
In a society like the Clans being Insane makes you a liability. Thus, insane cats rarely remain with the clan of their birth for long if that insanity effects the way they function within society in a way that is potentially detrimental to others.
Kits, Naming of
Kits are traditionally named on the night following their birth, and not considered formal members of the clan until such time as the Leader announces their name before the clan. In cases where the parents either desire inappropriate names or fail to provide them, leaders are free to select and apply names as they see fit.
In accordance with this kits who are stillborn (born dead) are never named, and it is not uncommon for a mother to hold off naming a kitten showing poor health until just before the announcement of the names.
Legendary Tales
Here at CoSC we have chosen to forgo the legends of creation and the history provided in Secrets of the Clans and Cats of the Clans.
CoSC has instead opted to create its own custom set of legends and stories for telling to kits. These stories are available in our Legendary Story Archive. New Legends may be submitted to our database by contacting Kitsufox.
Mates and Mating
While mates are not official, nor announced, nor exclusive, a number of traditions and expectations will surround the selections made.
Mentoring
Mentors are Senior Warriors. The act of being entrusted with an apprentice is a public mark of support and trust to the warrior receiving that apprentice. Only cats trusted by the leader are granted apprentices in all but the most desperate of times.
It should be noted that becoming a mentor is not a right, it is a privilege that the leader grants to cats they have faith in.
Pregnancy
A she-cat’s pregnancy has a significant impact on the life of all Clanmembers, placing a temporary pressure on her Clanmates but with the much greater long-term reward of future members of the Clan.
Senior Warriors
In the books the rank of Senior Warrior was never well defined, so CoSC felt it needed to be defined.
CoSC’s Senior Warriors are the trusted inner circle of the leader. They generally lead patrols they go on, and are the ones trusted to Mentor Apprentices. In fact, being given an apprentice is a leader’s way to say “I have faith in you”.
Terminology
Clan cats use terminology that varies from vanilla English.
Trespass Point
A point on the Map of the forest is labeled Trespass Point. This point where 3 of the four clans come together (ThunderClan, WindClan, RiverClan) is the subject of many apprentice dares (particularly in ShadowClan). Dares to trespass on as many clans as possible at once are common amongst apprentices, and the majority are targeted specifically at visits to Trespass Point.
Vernacular
Clan cats use a number of sayings that are unique to them.
Warrior’s Code
CoSC has its own version of the code, customized to the specific traditions of our own very unique game.