Please feel free to send asks regarding more, this is not everything! Just put down what felt most important.
The story lacks warrior cats specific terms. Seasons, time passage, and many nouns are simply the same as human english terms.
Cats do not follow any strict code or law unless related to their home colony's beliefs.
The borders of colonies is not always strict, not is "trespassing" especially strict either. It is noted when a cat from elsewhere is deep within the territory of another home and may be questioned. Colony feelings are more based around direct actions and not things like respecting borders, exploring land, etc. So long as a cat is not committing bad behavior or a group is not terrorizing the other, most things are welcomed.
This includes cross-colony romance, but some colonies don't favour it and will see those cats are not truly being part of their home colony any longer.
While cats can meet with others between colonies with ease and little issue, colonies gather once every 3 moons for a "Gathering". Located close to South Hills and within viewing range of a distant freeway. A rocky crag with a fallen cell and tracking tower with no power. Leaders perch atop the large fallen pole while cats gather on the stones.
No warrior cats name conventions. All cats hold normal names of varying things-- some are named after nature while others pass on "human" names which have been learned over generations of house cat exposure across all areas.
Leaders gain a special suffix however. It is acquired based on when the former leader has died. If a leader dies at day time, the new leader will get -Sun (at midday). Others include -Moon (at nighttime), -Dawn (at sunset), -Dusk (at sunrise). If a leader's death is somehow "unknown" it is simply based on when the deputy becomes aware of the death as that is when it is considered "official". Past leaders are referred to with a -Sky suffix after death.
Ranks are less strict across most colonies but they vary. They are often assigned jobs but those jobs are not strict, and are chosen primarily by the cat themself.
All colonies have a leader, deputy (second hand), nurses, apprentices, and kits. However kits and apprentices are not referred to by such a rank and are simply marked off at ages.
Adult cats are categorized by jobs. Hunter, Fighters, Watchers, and Aides. Some dabble across multiple jobs. Most cats will learn some of all jobs, but ultimately decide what they wish to follow as a primary job.
Watchers originate from BW and are not adopted the same way across other colonies, and their purpose can range from being spiritual to not spiritual at all.
Their job is similar to that of a mediator and medicine cat combined, without healing. They are limited in number unlike the others, and are the cats who will communicate with the other colonies outside of gatherings. A Watcher typically is a cat who watches the stars and "reads" them for signs, and scouts the territory for its status and safety. They convene with other colony Watchers to report on these things, instead of waiting every 3 months for a gathering.
All colonies have varying similar beliefs. Things like leader name structure originate from High Lake, and carry across all colonies in the present.
High Lake cats tend to focus on the stars as something to read or gets guidance from. But this does not include "visions" or "prophecies". They like to document their findings and have deep discussions between Watchers on what constellations mean and what their positions mean. They do not have special beliefs about their ancestors aside from finding constellations that resemble them or their events.
Boreal's Watch have more extensive and spiritual beliefs. Their leaders are cats who can "read" the fires, and for them the fires can contain messages about their future, way of life, or prophecies. They use stars much like the Lake cats do, for stories and constellations (which may be shared between colonies or entirely unique). In their culture is is considered incredibly disrespectful to cause a fire yourself, as it is seen as manipulating the words of God. Lightning/thunderstorms are seen as important as they often bring fires. Putting out or directing fires during wildfire season is part of their purpose, as they respect the safety of the forests and "mastering" the flames is what they believe in. Dying in a fire however is seen as bad, because of the respect and message fires can carry for them.
The BW cats also look up to their founder in a very elevated way. Boreal is seen as a near god-like figure. Cats will swear on his name for being the original "fire reader", for finding this new spiritual language of sorts. They see God as the creator of their world, as Boreal claimed.
The colony follows Boreal's original ideals and new ones brought by future leaders:
- Fire holds true messages, not the stars. They are sacred because they do not last, and because life is born from them after they leave.
- You must accept loss from disaster, as disaster is part of living. Those unable to accept loss and go against this (ex. leaving the colony) are weak and unworthy of the good fires can bring.
- "God" is the horizon and the sun and moon are his children that keep us alive
- Cats must be united as a pair for marriage, to follow the first messages of the fire's perfect way of life.
- Cats must follow the messages the fire brings, as told by their colony leader.
The Burns follow similar beliefs to BW, but do not strongly follow a "God" or rules around what Boreal claimed. They do not beleive the fire holds actual messages and rather like to beleive that the earth and stars are part of their fallen ancestors. They also hold lore of their own constellations. They prefer to leave their dead in the open so they can be taken by nature easily.
It is said that some of their cats can read the fires too, but because they do not practice it, this tradition fell our of their culture and has little importance to them. Some see it as a curse, and feel one can be driven mad if they are swayed by the words the fire has.
The South Hills have varying beleifs and are not very spiritual. They come from many backgrounds and are also not a very organized group compared to the other colonies, due to many that arrive come from past the freeway.
