The History of the Clans: How They Came To Be

 This is the history of the Clans and how they came to be as we know them. This is set when the cats lived in the old forest. It's pretty interesting, so read, read, read!

Many moons ago, the forest was a wilderness, untamed by territories. Cats came into the forest, drawn in by the soft rustlings of small creatures, shadows under the water, and the sudden commotion of bird's wings in the trees. The cats lived in small groups, not yet Clans, and there were no borders set down. The cats fought constantly, fearful that the prey would run out and their overlapping territories were being threatened. It was a lawless, bloody time for the forest, and many cats died.

One time, when the moon was full, the cats agreed to meet in a clearing at the forest surrounded by four great oak trees. A terrible battle followed, and soon the ground was wet with spilled blood.

Many cats died that night. When the survivors awoke, all around them they saw the spirits of their fallen kin, no longer torn and bloodied but shining like stars. The survivors huddled on the ground, and, as the spirits spoke, they saw terrible visions of the future. They knew that the fighting had to end.

"Unite or die", the spirits said.

Five cats-Shadow, River, Sky, Wind and Thunder-came forward claiming that they could individually unite the forest with their own great strengths.

The spirits of the slain kin spoke again, "The forest is big enough to support your families and many more. You must each find other cats like you, choose a home in the forest, and set down some borders."

At that moment, the moon broke free of the clouds, revealing a circle of starlit spirit cats surrounding the edge of the clearing-StarClan.

A white tom spirit-cat stepped forward. "If you do this", he meowed, "we will reward you with eight more lives, so that you may lead your Clans for many moons to come."

Then StarClan promised to watch over the Clans from Silverpelt, a crowded path of stars that swept across the night sky, and to visit the Clan leaders in their dreams and guide them on their journeys. The spirit-cats proclaimed that all four Clans would meet at the full moon for a night of truce.

Thunder, River, Wind, Sky and Shadow were pronounced warriors by the spirit-cats.

"From now on, you will live by a warrior code. Your hearts will be filled with courage and nobility, and if you must fight, it will be not for greed, but honor and justice." And so the age of warrior Clans began: ThunderClan, RiverClan, WindClan, SkyClan and RiverClan.

There was not always peace between the Clans, but that was to be expected-cats are born with claws and teeth for a reason. Still, as long as they lived by the warrior code, their warrior ancestors would watch over them and guide them through their lives.

But then, one day, the Twolegs came and destroyed SkyClan's territory. When SkyClan begged the other Clans to take them in, they got driven out. They were never seen again. No cat knows what happened to SkyClan, and, eventually, the cats left in the forest forgot their WAS even a SkyClan! To find out what happened to this noble Clan, check out the special edition books, Firestar's Quest and SkyClan's Destiny.

This is Firestar's Quest.

This is SkyClan's Destiny.

Well, that's all for now, I hope you enjoyed reading!

- Spottedshadow

What is Warriors?

Warriors is a book series written by Erin Hunter. It is about four Clans of wild cats (ThunderClan, RiverClan, WindClan and ShadowClan) living and surviving together. We each have our own territories around a great lake. We used to live in a huge forest, but we were driven out by Twolegs. (You'll have to find out more by reading the books).
Anyway, around the lake each Clan has a territory specifically for them. It is mainly filled with each Clan's preferred source of food. My Clan prefers things like birds, mice and voles, RiverClan likes fish and watervole, ShadowClan likes pretty much anything (even toads and frogs, eww!) and WindClan likes rabbits.
This is a very rough description of each Clan's territory: RiverClan has a river and most of the forest to the west. Their territory begins where the Clans rested at the end of the Great journey, and ends at a ThunderPath (a road). Then from the road onwards is ShadowClan territory, a forest of pine trees. Their territory ends at a place where Twolegs go in Greenleaf (Summer). At the edge of the clearing my Clan's territory (ThunderClan) begins, and it ends at the edge of a stream. We have normal forest with a variety of vegetation. On the other side of the stream, WindClan has it's domain. Their territory is just moorland, stretching until it ends at the Horseplace (Stable). We each have our own camp, where the Clan eats, sleeps and dominates.

This is a map of the Clan's territories

Each Clan follows the guidance of StarClan. StarClan is the place all cats go when they die. (Well except for evil ones, like the legendary Tigerstar, but you'll have to read about him in the books. They go to a place called the Dark Forest. Unlike StarClan, Dark Forest cats cannot interact with each other. However, they have found ways to interact with cats that are living. *Gasps*.)
Anyway, back on track. StarClan sends signs of things to come and prophecies to a special cat in each Clan. This cat is the medicine cat, and it is in charge of interpreting these signs and healing its Clanmates. Each half moon the medicine cats meet at a sacred place to share dreams with StarClan. This place is the Moonpool.
The leader of a Clan can also get signs, but this is not common. Each new leader must travel to the Moonpool and recieve nine lives from StarClan, as well as take the name 'star'. (For example, Firestar). Leaders and medicine cats are not allowed to eat before or while traveling to the MoonPool. Leaders of a Clan must appoint a deputy before moonhigh the day they return from the MoonPool. This special cat is to be the leader after the current one. A cat MUST have mentored at least ONE apprentice to be a deputy. If a deputy dies, the leader must then appoint a new one before moonhigh once again. When a leader loses all its nine lives, the deputy takes its place.
When a cat dies and its spirit goes to StarClan, the body is mourned by the cats of a Clan for a whole night. Once dawn comes, the elders (or retired cats of a Clan) take the body and bury it. Elders are well respected within a Clan and often tell great stories of long ago battles and times.
Now, to defend and hunt for the Clan, the Clan appoints warriors. Warriors are cats that have completed combat training and are skilled enough to hunt. A warrior must always hunt for the Clan before himself/herself, even when they are not on a hunting patrol. They make sure the Clan's borders are secure and they defend it from threats such as other Clans, foxes and badgers. When they are experienced enough, a warrior may take an apprentice appointed to them by the Clan leader.(Sadly, I am not experienced enough just yet, as I have only been a warrior for a moon (a month), though I am already one of the best fighters!) An apprentice is a young cat over six moons old, in training to become a warrior or medicine cat. Each one takes the name 'paw'. (For example, Sorrelpaw). It is trained by a warrior or medicine cat, and the cat training the apprentice is called its mentor. Each apprentice must make a trip to the MoonPool sometime in their training. All apprentices must perform duties like fetching food for the elders, changing the bedding in the dens and helping the elders to remove their ticks. When an apprentice completes its training and receives its warrior name it must guard the camp alone the night of its ritual. It is not allowed to speak.
Baby cats, or kits, stay in the nursery and are not allowed to become apprentices until they are six moons old. They are looked after by their mothers, the queens. The queens are she-cats expecting or nursing kits. Right now I don't have any kits, and I haven't found anyone special in my Clan yet. Oh well, I can wait. Anyway, a cat is not allowed to take a mate from another Clan. This is seen as betrayal and can result in serious consequences.
Whoops, back on track. Every full moon, the Clans meet at a sacred place in a brief truce called a Gathering. Only a few of each Clan are selected to go, while the rest guard the camp. Here elders share stories of old times, leaders make decisions affecting everyone, and news from each Clan is shared. If the Clans break the truce, StarClan gets angry and they will send clouds to cover the moon. This usually ends a Gathering immediately.
Twolegs are big problems for Clans as they are big, loud, lumbering creatures that trample vegetation and scare away prey. They have huge monsters (cars) that reek and can kill cats if they hit them. The monsters hardly ever come off the Thunderpath (a road) though, but when they do it is devastating for all the Clans and most of the time results in death. They live in Nests (houses) and sometimes they have cats of their own as pets (Kittypets). Kittypets are fat, pampered creatures that Clan cats disgust. A cat from a Clan must reject a kittypet's soft life.
Sometimes there are even cats who aren't owned by Twolegs or in a Clan called rogues. They are normally very selfish and aggressive. And lastly, there are also loners. A loner lives in peace and doesn't defend its territory.
Below in a list I have posted the enemies the cats have had to fight in the past:
Twolegs and Twoleg Monsters: Twolegs can capture cats in traps and their monsters can eat trees and kill cats! They are greatly feared by even the bravest warriors!
Badgers: Are big, lumbering animals with black pelts, white stripes and tiny black eyes. They are capable of snapping a cat with their paws, and their jaws are very powerful, able to crush a cat's spine in one bite.
Other Cats: Cats are dangerous toward each other and are mostly evenly matched. The only difference is that they may differ in strength and other attributes.
Foxes: Are dangerous because they normally hunt in mating pairs or small groups. They will not hesitate to break into a nursery and take the kits.
Rats: Are dangerous because they have advantage in numbers and can easily overwhelm and eat a group of cats in only a few minutes. More organized specimens have been known to work together as a team, and even speak cat tongue.
Owls and Other Predatory Birds: Are dangerous because they can sneak up, snatch up a kit in their talons and fly away, leaving the Clan in shock and horror.
Sicknesses: Are dangerous because they can easily take the lives of elders and small kits. Plus, sickness travels quickly.
Anyway, that's all for now, I still have more information on warriors, but I will post this later.
See you!
- Spottedshadow