I was going to make a whole list on cars/transport the characters would drive, but I don't know a lot about cars and the subject does not interest me. However, I do know one thing.
Hollyleaf drives a motorcycle. She lived for a time with someone who did motorcycle repair, and learned about proper motorcycle maintenance. She uses one because its faster, cheaper, and easier to make an escape than a car itself. No, it is not a Harley Davidson.
Not gonna lie, I'm nervous to post this. With names, there are different customs and traditions depending on the names you're using. It requires diligent research to be respectful of the various different cultures and their naming practices. And if you're trying to make a universe similar to our own, with the same cultures present, you need to take that extra time to figure out logistics. Names change, trends change, societies change. And while it has been very fun and engaging to research these historical shifts, it also means these projects take a long time to produce.
The entire document is too massive to transcribe to tumblr, so I'll be giving a link to the google docs.
To summarize, it is the full list of the names of main arc characters, super edition main characters, novella main characters, and graphic novel main characters. It details their names, the name meanings, my thoughts behind why I picked those names, and various worldbuilding sprinkled throughout the descriptions. I have also included a page with all the websites I have used to give them credit.
Well, without further ado.
═════⊱≼★≽⊰════════⊱≼★≽⊰════════⊱≼★≽⊰════════⊱≼★≽⊰═════ ▲ Firestar (Fireheart) ☆ Name: Phoenix Collin Hayes | Russell Hayes Phoenix is from
The autism within me was craving for a list to be made, so I've compiled a list of the main pov characters' names. And these don't even cover the entire cast... ;-;
This is a precursor to an entire document where I dive into depth about the names I picked, their meanings, and how they relate to the characters in question.
▲ Firestar (Fireheart) ☆ | Phoenix Collin Hayes | Russell Hayes
The naming series for each Clan is still going! But I'm having to constantly research and review and that can be time consuming. I am tackling a heavy topic that has real-world history and I need to be sure I'm treating that topic with the respect and dignity it deserves.
In the meantime, I've been doing formatting shenanigans. I'm extremely close to finishing an index of the POV characters in the series as well as their additional info. I'm collecting information like an eldritch abomination that feeds on knowledge (om nom nom). It includes a glossary of definitions that changes in this AU and very nice aesthetically pleasing organization. My OCD-Autism is very pleased with the formatting.
Another project that is steadily trucking along is figuring out StormClan's Folly connections. Does it matter if Thornwhisker is the great grandfather of Sweetbriar? Probably not. But it does to Sweetbriar, and a religious group built around ancestral honoring and worship are probably detailed about family trees.
"I know who my great great great twice removed granduncle is :)" Hazelpelt says proudly
"O-okay?" says the cashier at Walmart waiting for their shift to end.
(Opinions vary on the Clans and their practices.)
This turned out to be a rambling post. But Stuff is being worked on.
With the Clans being religious entities, it stands to show that some may have restricted diets. However, this is really just an in-universe correlation to each Clan in the books having different prey they hunt.
ThunderClan: Most don't have restrictive diets, but some do follow strict diets on Clan "holidays". For example, on the Summer Solstice they may celebrate by fasting until midnight, as this is when Thunderstar defeats Shadowstar in battle and brings the warmth of summer.
ShadowClan: Their diet is often intermingled in the cultures that make up ShadowClan. For example, ShadowClan has the highest Jewish population due to a high Eastern European percentage. So they're more likely to be aware of and accommodate someone with a kosher diet.
There's also a general culture around never leaving food uneaten, and they will use less "savory" ingredients from animals as none should go to waste. You could equate someone from ShadowClan eating less used parts of an animal (like liver) with "frogs" in the series proper.
WindClan: WindClan are big on the philosophy that you "go big or go home". And this is a result of their Clan often being put on the backfoot and having to fight hard for their existence. So eating becomes something you savor and appreciate, as you don't know what changes could come tomorrow. Either you team up with your Clanmates and catch the rabbit, or you starve.
So WindClan are most stringent about the rule to give thanks to the food they eat. They are also very communal about feasts and banquets as it also doubles as intel operations to share with each other about community goings-on (which is vital in a community built by exiles).
SkyClan: While ancient SkyClan followed a similar diet to ThunderClan, modern SkyClan is extremely Swedish in its dietary culture. It was reestablished in Sweden, and the majority of Clan warriors are Swedish.
Ancient SkyClan had a culture where they would have hierarchies to who ate first. While not based specifically on any Scandinavian culture, it seemed more to be an invention of Clear Sky that passed down through the generations. It went: Children -> Matrons -> Elders -> High Healer -> Warriors -> Apprentices -> Lieutenant -> Leader. The leader ALWAYS ate last.
RiverClan: It's not a prerequisite, but many of the more religious warriors are pescetarian in direct emulation of Riverstar. RiverClan are also heavily influenced by the cultures within them as well. Big family dinners are a treat to look forward to, and like WindClan, they are very communal.
Fish is a staple in RiverClan society due to their sea trade, and RiverClan is perhaps the most diverse in communities due to its aquatic nature. You have the choice of French, Italian, Spanish, Mexican, Caribbean, South American, Filipino AND Creole food to choose from.
In the books proper, you have cats outside the Clans classified in mostly 3 groups: the kittypet, rogue, and loner. Each reflects the Clans’ view on cats outside the Clans and how they interact with those groups. There are other cat groups (The Tribe, the Sisters, Cats of the Park, etc), but these three encompass the largest net cast regarding non-Clan cats.
For example, the "Kittypet" is stereotyped by the Clans to be spoiled, fat, and lazy, not knowing how to be a “true” warrior. This is xenophobia 101, and something I want to avoid.
Instead, in this AU, the kittypets function similar to the middle and upper class. There is prejudice against them by the Clans due to their influence and historical oppression against the Clans as a religious and cultural entity. Not every “kittypet” is a materialistic rich asshole or clueless sheltered fool, but it’s easy for the Clans to position them as that and that is who we see our PoV form. So, Rusty is not hated because of religion, race, or ethnicity, but because of his social status and the history of oppression caused and enforced by the elite of society. And we learn in Firestar’s Quest that his ancestors are complicit in this, and he tries to rectify that by reestablishing the SkyClan his ancestors stole land and resources from.
In a nutshell: Fireheart learns class consciousness.
Meanwhile, “Rogue” and “Loner” determine a character’s agreeability to the Clan’s religious practices and beliefs. Furthermore, these can be divided between “Positive”, “Neutral”, and “Hostile.” For example:
“Positive Loner”: A character who has interest in Clan beliefs and is friendly. This would include Ravenpaw.
“Neutral Loner”: A character who has interest in Clan beliefs and is cordial and cooperative to the Clans. This would include River Ripple to begin with.
“Hostile Loner”: A character who has interest in Clan beliefs but is actively aggressive or hostile to the Clans. This would include Darkstripe in exile.
“Positive Rogue”: A character who has no interest in Clan beliefs and is friendly. This would include the Guardian Cats and Reena.
“Neutral Rogue”: A character who has no interest in Clan beliefs and is cordial and cooperative to the Clans. This would include Sasha and Cora.
“Hostile Rogue”: A character who has no interest in Clan beliefs and is actively aggressive and hostile to the Clans. This would include Jacques and Susan.
To simplify: “Rogue” does not equate to “aggressive”, and instead should be seen as one’s relationship towards the Clans’ practices. For example, the Guardian Cats in this iteration are mostly Muslim, and so have no interest in practicing Clan beliefs. However, they are helpful and kind to Tigerheart and Dovewing, and wish no ill will on them. Meanwhile, Jacques and Susan are actively hostile to ShadowClan with zero desire to join the Clan’s religion due to their extremist Christian faith. This is why many “rogues” would be classified from another religion: they already have their system of belief and likely would only join the Clans for community and unifying ancestral honoring, not their faith.
“Loners” are more likely to be connected to Clan life than “Rogues”, such as family members who left the Clans but still hold belief in their ancestors as their base of faith. Hollyleaf and Ravenpaw come to mind. But Loners can also be hostile despite their beliefs, such as Darkstripe still believing in Clan traditions yet absolutely wanting ill will towards ThunderClan after his banishment.
Part 2: Religious Beliefs
It can and does happen that characters will join the Clans while still practicing other faiths. The idea is not to set StarClan as the “one true religion”, but introduce the concept of afterlives as part of religious faiths as a confirmable certainty. The real question and debate and belief is over what happens to the spirit when it fades. This is where you can allow differing belief systems and not validate one over the other. No one and everyone knows what happens after the spirit fades.
So their ancestral worship of StarClan can be religious or cultural in nature. This is not unlike celebrating Easter, despite not being religious, or being culturally Muslim and celebrating Ramadan, or being culturally Jewish and celebrating Hanukkah. They can coexist with Clan beliefs. It is often that an individual's religious beliefs will influence the Clan they are part of, such as many medieval WindClan believing in reincarnation due to intermingling of Buddhist and Hinduist faith, and ThunderClan values being influenced by Protestantism and Catholicism. Jewish Clanmates will still celebrate Bah Mitzvah, and some characters still practice the old traditions as a form of preserving them, like medieval English pagan practices. But the unifying factor is that they also practice Clan beliefs, even if people don’t agree with what the true afterlife will be.
I included their canonical descriptions for visualization purposes. I've also included their familial connections to characters from Mapleshade's Vengeance, Pinestar's Choice, and even Goosefeather's Curse.
Owlflight: 1397 | light brown tabby she-cat with bright yellow eyes
Yarrowflight: 1470 | brown tabby tom
Seedstar: 1486 | gray she-cat with darker flecks and blue eyes
Kestrelwing: 1490 | dark brown tabby tom with yellow eyes
Redstar: 1492 | dark ginger tom
Amberclaw: 1495 | long-legged ginger tom
Birdflight: 1500 | fluffy, long-furred, light brown tabby she-cat with green eyes
Nettleclaw: 1510 | gray tabby tom with dark gray stripes
Stoneflower: 1543 | ginger tom; med cat
Whitestar: 1545 | long-furred white she-cat with green eyes
Rosebush: 1547 | plump tabby ginger tom
SkyClan’s Exile — 1548
Gorseclaw: 1548 | scarred, broad-shouldered, dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes
Hollyleaf: Strawberries. This is specifically influenced from a picture on Deviantart I saw maybe in 2011 that was a picture of Hollyleaf and strawberries. It's stuck in my mind all these years later, and now this is the fruit I associate with Hollyleaf. I also see her liking avocado.
Lionblaze: Raspberries and pineapple. Raspberries are tart but also a little sweet, and he loves the acidity of pineapple and the tingle (the enzymes are eating your face).
Jayfeather: Blueberries and blackberries. He likes something a bit more mild and bitter in flavor, but with a sweet inside to offset that bitterness.
Dovewing: Pears and peaches. Pears are nice and mild to her senses, and peaches are sweet and juicy and full of flavor.
Ivypool: I could pick something bitter for her, but I think she could have a bit of a sweet and savory tooth. I think she likes fruit that is crisp, like apples. She also quite likes pomegranates.
Pneumonia is making my life hell right now, so here is a rather sad headcanon related to illness.
Larksong dies abruptly in Squirrelflight’s Hope from prey sickness (food poisoning). So my reasoning for that in this AU is that he had a primary immune deficiency disease (primary = present at birth) that made him easily susceptible to illnesses, especially respiratory illnesses. (There are a plethora of different primary immunodeficiency types, but those require research and my body and brain are only letting me do the bare minimum at the moment. So his type is not specified.)
Sparkpelt was aware of this, but what was so shocking was how sudden it was. He seemed to be getting better…then he didn’t. Combine that with having just given birth and Sparkpelt was a primordial soup of trauma.
What's important is that people with immune deficiency diseases can lead a happy life and their lives should be celebrated, not pitied or infantilized. So another character - main character - who also has an immunodeficiency disease is…Sunbeam? She has PLCG2-associated Antibody Deficiency and Immune Dysregulation (PLAID), which means she is allergic to the cold. I chose her specifically because her name is like a shield against anything cold. Her grandmother, Snowbird, also has this condition!
Simple lore of the day: Mapleshade is a 'oui'aboo! She's obsessed with her grandfather being French, and romanticizes 17th century French society. She even named her children French names, which was both incredibly arrogant and foolish. Her attempt at an accent is terrible.
This arose because I really liked the way "Marie Dubois" flowed together, and it ended up sticking (Dubois means "from the forest" which coincides with her suffix "shade"). This plays into Clan prejudices because most warriors with French ancestry end up joining RiverClan due to the already established connections that make adjusting to Clan society easier. And this fissure between ThunderClan (lots of English) and RiverClan (lots of French) is a not-so-subtle nod between historical English-French animosity.
But with StormClan's Folly, there is something that must be known. She's not got any French ancestry at all. Her parents adopted her as an infant, and her real parents are Tinyclaw and Stripebark. She's purely Scottish! This was done to spare her the shame that StormClan brought upon ThunderClan, and completely cover up that StormClan existed at all.
I am gradually working on WindClan's section of their naming customs. But this is time consuming because of how many revisions I've had to do. There is a literal part one, two, and three to discuss WindClan in a historical context.
So while I'm figuring out precisely how I want to present that, I may do something more lighthearted and less research intensive, like discussing changes to canon.
Did you know Alderheart is married to Velvet in this AU, for example? The Broken Code saw expansive changes their religious laws, and one of the catalysts for this is Alderheart sheepishly telling all the Clan leaders he's been in a secret relationship with his girlfriend Velvet ever since Ashfur exiled him, and it never affected his duties as High Healer. Good for him.
One of the sacred rules of the High Healer (medicine cat) creed is that a High Healer cannot cut their hair.
For warriors in the medieval times, long hair in battle was a liability. So a tradition arose over the centuries to cut their hair short before battle as a symbol of conviction and dedication to their ancestors. To cut one’s hair was to accept they might die.
But a High Healer must never waver in their convictions. To cut one’s hair was to symbolically accept death. So, as the centuries progressed, not cutting their hair became a law woven into the High Healer creed.
The origins of this are disputed, but many Clan members believe it originated with Dappled Pelt, who in legend had long, floor-length hair as a dedication to StarClan.
The real history is that she stopped cutting her hair after the death of Falling Feather, her lover. It was also to mark the First Battle that happened in an act of protest. When another battle happened, she’d cut it off again out of spite. And so it became a visual marker of how long the peace was kept between the settlements. (Fear not: Dappled Pelt marries another secret wife and she and her and Falling Feather are happily married in StarClan.)
However, no written records survived from the 10th century beyond history told by mouth that became distorted over many centuries (the Clans' historical records were attacked a lot). There were also political factors in play that wanted to reduce the amount of power the High Healer held and consolidate it towards total rule by the leader. For example, Darkstar of SkyClan was infamous for the strict rules he added to the High Healer creed when he declared the Clan leader’s word is law.
Their hair became a symbol of their position, as well as a marker of status and respect.
There are instances where a High Healer was “demoted” by having their hair cut. Brokenstar cut Yellowfang’s hair and excommunicated her. Leafpool willingly cut her own hair after stepping down from the High Healer position. Mistystar almost cut Mothwing’s long hair but stopped herself, fearful she would become like Tigerstar.
As the Clans modernized, some of their traditions became less strict. Alderheart cuts his hair. Jayfeather intentionally keeps his hair long but will trim it when it reaches below his waist. Willowshine sometimes would cut her hair short to try different hairstyles. While there are certainly Code purists who would balk at breaking such tradition, the reality is most warriors don’t care and/or don’t know the entire High Healer creed enough to complain.
Because of this tradition, the people to go to for hair care tips are the High Healers and Acolytes. Featherwhisker's hair was so long he ended up making his own hair care products that got popular with the locals and sold for some decent money. How do you think Spottedleaf kept her hair so coiffed?
There is also a tradition of symbolically “passing the torch” from High Healer to High Healer Acolyte, where upon retiring from the position, the current High Healer will “resign” by cutting their hair. The acolyte becomes the new High Healer, and if they retire, will do the same as their predecessor.
(My inspiration for this is a bit odd. Growing up, I was surrounded by southern Pentecostals [a very very specific type connected to the Southern Baptist Church] and it was very common to go into town and see women with long hair and skirts below the knee. For them, hair is seen as a “crown of glory” towards God and meant to show their devotion. However, I also have severe religious trauma from being surrounded by that kind of Christianity and wanted to “reclaim” the repression I felt. This manifested itself in this AU, where the most religious faction of the Clans also does not cut their hair as dedication to their ancestors whom they worship as gods. The pagans and the evangelicals are doing the same things to honor their deities. Also Dappled Pelt is a lesbian. How scandalous.)
While I freeze in the cold weather and hibernate underneath a mountain of blankets, here are some headcanons regarding the winter weather.
(I got up to DotC, so the rest will have to be explained later.)
Firestar: 7/10. Has an average amount of tolerance to the cold for someone from Britain.
Brambleclaw: 5.5/10. He pretends to not be bothered by the cold, but he likes to wear woolen socks in the winter.
Leafpool: 3/10. She’s thin, so she gets cold easily. There’s a reason why she wears sweaters all the time. Also: seasonal depression.
Squirrelstar: 9.5/10. A ridiculous amount of tolerance to the cold. I’m pretty sure Brook took her swimming in the rivers of Iceland.
Hollyleaf: 8/10. Can tolerate the cold, and isn’t fond of it being too hot either. She is the perfect creature to live in a remote hut in the wilderness of Washington.
Lionblaze: 6/10. You would think he’d be fine with the cold, and he is! His dislike of the cold is because it dulls his senses.
Jayfeather: 1.5/10. You know that meme of Bernie Sanders with the woolen mittens and mask? That’s Jayfeather in the cold. He’s…pretty bothered sensory-wise by the cold, which was made even worse after Flametail’s death.
Dovewing: 4.5/10. This is a spring girlie, she wilts in the cold. ):
Ivypool: 2/10. Having albinism, she has to take careful precaution in both the cold and heat. But over her life, she’s figured out tips and tricks to maximize her comfort. And the cold…reminds her of Bristlefrost.
Gray Wing: 6.5/10. He likes the cool air, but it can be hazardous with his asthma.
Clear Sky: 10/10. So, the Settlers were from Iceland. Clear Sky is intentionally the most Nordic guy I can think of (from the 10th century). This is the type of guy who would bathe in ice water and barely flinch.
Thunder: 1/10. Definitely not a winter guy. He likes warmth, toasty fires, and the heat of summer. There's at least one rumor dating back from the 11th century that he lost his ninth life by freezing to death.
Tall Shadow: 7.5/10. Some Clan folklore tales like to say she couldn’t feel the cold, as she used dark magic to steal the warmth of the summer sun. In reality she was just kind of "this feels nice" about the cold.
Wind Runner: 5.5/10. She tolerates the cold because she likes the feel of wind on her skin. She likes the fall breeze the most. Not too hot, and just a little bit cold.
River Ripple: 3.5/10. He lived in Alexandria, Egypt since he was an infant before migrating westward. He is susceptible to the cold. However, RiverClan is all about adapting and going with the flow, so he's managed to build up some tolerance. Having a thickset frame insulates him a bit.
A small snippet of eye condition headcanons for the AU. It started with brainstorming around Jayfeather’s family, and I liked the idea that there are eyesight problems in his immediate family of varying degrees. Then it expanded. Like a snowball. A snowball of eye conditions and research. The analogy has gotten lost somewhere along the way.
Firestar: No condition
Brambleclaw: No condition; Cataracts later on
Squirrelflight: Lazy eye
Leafpool: Farsighted
Hollyleaf: Farsighted
Lionblaze: Astigmatism
Jayfeather: Blind
Dovewing: No condition; Unnatural field of vision using powers
Ivypool: Astigmatism; Nystagmus
Alderheart: No condition
Violetshine: Astigmatism in left eye
Twigbranch: Nearsighted
Bristlefrost: Astigmatism
Rootspring: Nearsighted
Shadowsight: Tritanopia Colorblind
Sunbeam: No condition
Nightheart: Astigmatism in left eye
Frostdawn: Farsighted
Moonpaw: Astigmatism in green eye; Nearsightedness in amber eye
Bluestar: Lazy eye
Crookedstar: Deuteranomaly Colorblind
Leafstar: No condition
Yellowfang: Astigmatism
Tallstar: Farsighted
Jake: Lazy eye
Moth Flight: Nearsighted
Hawkwing: No condition
Tigerheart: Protanomaly Colorblind
Crowfeather: No condition
Graystripe: No condition
Leopardstar: Nearsighted
Onestar: Tritanopia Colorblind
River Ripple: No condition
Galestar: Astigmatism in right eye
Stripestar: Deuteranomaly Colorblind
Darktail: Tritanopia Colorblind
Mistystar: No condition; Cataracts later on
Cloudstar: Astigmatism
Tigerstar 1: No condition
Mapleshade: No condition
Goosefeather: Lazy eye
Ravenpaw: No condition
Spottedleaf: Farsighted
Pinestar: Protanomaly Colorblind
Thunder: Farsighted
Redtail: Nearsighted
Tawnypelt: Deuteranomaly Colorblind
Tall Shadow: No condition
Pebbleshine: Nearsighted
Tree: Nearsighted
Mothwing: No condition
Daisy: No condition
Blackstar: No condition
Spotfur: Astigmatism
Sasha: No condition
Barley: Farsighted; Cataracts later on
Scourge: Astigmatism
Feathertail: No condition
Mudclaw: Farsighted
Nightstar: Nearsighted; Tritanomaly Colorblind
Brightheart: No condition; Loss of vision in one eye; Cataracts later in life
This took some time to draft and revise, because I am delving into real history that I am not going to sanitize or sugarcoat. This means I need to be clear with what I am trying to communicate.
ShadowClan always had a reputation in the books as the “Slytherin” of the Clans, with several conflicts centered around ShadowClan instability and corrupt leaders. Brokenstar, Tigerstar, Sol, Darktail, Tigerheart, Berryheart — All antagonists involved in conflict centered around ShadowClan. And I compare them to Slytherin (despite my distaste of the books) because Slytherin was essentially a house for wizard supremacists – not quirky edgelords who are a little manipulative. The books themselves constantly treat both ShadowClan and Slytherin as forces that the narrative assigns as antagonistic.
So with that analysis in mind, it would be a stereotype to make ShadowClan predominantly Russian, wouldn’t it?
Hold up. Back up. Wait a minute. Where are you going with this?
I have some…gripes with how the books treat ShadowClan. ShadowClan is my favorite Clan, and I think in a humanized setting it has a ton of potential. I loved the idea that ShadowClan’s reputation differs according to each Clan. They are viewed negatively because of who joins ShadowClan. And this thought process is explained below.
We the audience know that these stereotypes are from unreliable narrators that are influenced by the culture and propaganda around them. ShadowClan is no different from the other Clans, and live very normal, fulfilling lives. I wanted to play into the biases we have towards Russia (as well as Eastern Europe and the Middle East) and how America treats them as antagonistic forces to further their capitalist goals. It’s utterly foolish because at its core, it’s a group of guys saying they’re better than another group of guys. ShadowClan is not this inherently evil or corrupt group, and their conflicts are a result of the hostility aimed at them for where they were born and the cultures they’re from.
If a ShadowClan warrior in 1914 is denied the same rights as an Englishman because they are Russian, and they can’t make money because no one will hire them, they may have to steal to survive. This gives that ShadowClan warrior a bad reputation among outsiders. It reflects on ShadowClan’s sect as a whole. Gossip and rumors spread, become distorted, and eventually become a belief. To survive and provide for themselves and their loved ones, these outcasts of society created a strong community centered around supporting each other when the government or society outside them won’t. And because of that, they became jaded to the society that rejected and denied them.
Survival became a matter of pride, and that could correlate with higher levels of petty crime. It would be easier for English society to dust their hands clean of the problem they created by simply blaming it on the cultures or religions or environments ShadowClan warriors were from, instead of enacting policies to give these people the same equity that was extended to the English population.
With direct parallels to our world, they are most at odds with ThunderClan, who are the most “western” Clan. ShadowClan’s culture clashes with ThunderClan’s, because politics dictated their cultures and countries were “inferior”. ThunderClan (and the US) is not immune to propaganda.
ShadowClan has the highest Jewish population of the entire Clans, and also a positive relationship with the Romani people, who they trade with often. This is a direct correlation with having so many ShadowClan warriors descended or having migrated from Eastern Europe and the former Ottoman Empire.
Starting from 1640 A.D., after the return of WindClan and ThunderClan, the use of the hyphen was integrated into ShadowClan names. It was important for them to distinguish themselves from ThunderClan (Sect of Storms at the time) because it was an important distinction that ShadowClan (Sect of Grim) have a second name, not a middle name. “Aleksey-Dmitriy Markov” was born “Aleksey Markov” and received a second name upon completing his apprenticeship that honors his ancestors. Meanwhile “John Thomas Smith” was born “John Smith” and received a middle name upon completing his apprenticeship. The reason for this seems to be ShadowClan pride more than anything, as a declaration of one’s allegiance to their Sect. Many have taken their moniker as “children of darkness” as a badge of honor.
(I will also note it makes taking census for each ShadowClan family easier, which is probably what Snakestar was thinking.)
Traditionally, ShadowClan men were named by their mother or maternal figure. They received a warrior name after their father’s ancestors. ShadowClan women were named at birth by their father or a paternal figure and received a warrior name after their mother’s ancestors. Since legacy and ancestors are a key component of Clan beliefs, they honor their ancestors through their names.
However, this could end up with someone receiving a name to honor their ancestors despite never having that cultural connection. Sleekwhisker is only 15.63% Russian, yet her father was traditional and gave her a Russian first name. She’s never been to Russia, and she doesn’t even know the language or culture. Crowfrost’s dad is Romanian. (In reality she was named after Crowfrost’s maternal grandmother).
This practice had a considerable backlash in the 2040s and 2050s, which led to a movement of Sect apprentice members rejecting ShadowClan’s traditionalism in favor of more modern practices, and joining The Kin, a cult that promised societal change. For example, Lioneye doesn’t have a traditional name – she picked her warrior name to be Evelyn. However, the "New Age" vs "Old Age" ShadowClan issue is more nuanced than that and will have to be addressed in a later post.
In the migration to America in the mid 1950s, the predominantly Slavic ShadowClan started using more Americanized names in the wake of the Cold War going on and WWII. It was considered by many ShadowClan members as a form of preservation, and there was no shame in going on to survive another day. They kept their naming traditions alive in warrior names, which still followed old ShadowClan customs. But nowadays, it depends on the family and if they practice the old customs or not. Tigerstar (2) isn’t strict about traditional naming.
Most ShadowClan leaders require ShadowClan to know two languages, because as a Clan that honors cleverness and strategy, they will utilize anything in their arsenal to survive, including language. With its history, that second language is often Russian (which has its own discourse among ShadowClan). If you’re developing a battle plan in 1450s England, a second language the enemy doesn’t speak or read is a good strategy. However, in the 20th century, this could be dangerous. ShadowClan warriors born in the late 20th century lost some of their cultural heritage in their parents and grandparents' attempts to protect them from discrimination. Former U.S.S.R. countries got hit the hardest with this.
ShadowClan mostly has Slavic ancestry, due to the efforts of Ravenstar, the second leader of ShadowClan. He sheltered and gave home to fellow Kievan Rus’ immigrants which established relations with Novgorod, and later in history ShadowClan established important trade routes and connections in Eastern Europe, the Ottoman Empire, and the Safavid Empire. After the Ottoman Empire fell, there was an increase of former Empire residents to the Clans, such as Oakfur.
Tigerheart, for his many flaws, was integral in reintroducing previously established relations in the Middle East with his contact of Fierce and the Guardians of Baghdad. Blazefire was born in Iraq, for example. He’s also very good about respecting naming customs and communicating with families about potential warrior names for their children.
For naming curiosities, there are a lot of Slavic ShadowClan people with the warrior name “Dmitriy” or some variant thereof. This is because in canon, there are a lot of ShadowClan cats with the suffix “Foot”. So the correlation to “foot/step/leg” for ShadowClan in this AU is usually a variant of Dmitriy. The Lore™ for this is that, like naming babies after saints in our world, ShadowClan had an ancestor named Mud Paws who had the name Dmitrii. He was known in history for being an integral part in establishing trade with Novgorod and Kiev alongside Ravenstar and a patron ancestor of curiosity, discovery, and travel.
There is a reason I call them “sects”. The Clans as a whole may practice ancestral worship, but their traditions and beliefs differ, colored by the cultures and people who join each Clan. How they perceive history is different. For example, Tall Shadow has a different reputation and interpretation to ThunderClan than ShadowClan. ThunderClan sees her as an antagonistic figure who represents strife, temptation, and bloodshed. ShadowClan sees her as an ancestor of cunning and strategy, and a matron of the outcast.
While I’m writing the ShadowClan naming customs history, I want to get something out. So here is my best guess as to when StormClan’s Folly takes place in this AU and a few headcanons.
Cloudstar’s Journey changes from April 1590 to April 1550. StormClan’s Folly takes over a span of several decades, so this had to be done.
Galestar was an apprentice in 1574, at 15 years old. Stripestar was 18 years old. This makes Galestar’s birthday in 1559, and Stripestar’s in 1556. That would be 6 years after the exodus of SkyClan.
Galestar Becomes Leader in 1595 at age 36, which is quite young. Stripestar also became a young leader in 1590 at 34, after the sudden passing of Redstar. Stripestar had only been deputy for 4 years.
StormClan’s Folly starts in January 1599, with Galestar at 40 and Stripestar 43. (All the characters age slower to make this story work, so they look closer to 30). They fall fast and hard so it only takes a year to formulate StormClan.
StormClan lasts for 40 years, ending in Galestar’s disappearance and Stripebark’s demotion. Tinyclaw gives birth in August 1640 to Mapleshade, who is adopted to Francis Dubois and Lucy Seabright. However, her true parentage is Stripebark and Tinyclaw, of which only old Gorseclaw knew. And perhaps his son, Oakstar.
This was 'supposed' to be a small bit of lore and history for this AU. Somehow it turned into an entire essay.
Of the four Clans, ThunderClan are your standard western group. Most are descended from the Anglo-Saxons but many also have Celtic ancestry. After the exodus of SkyClan there was an uptick in people joining with Nordic and Scandinavian ancestry. And towards the start of the 17th century, more diversity could be seen with West African peoples who would join ThunderClan (or the other Clans) during and after the transatlantic slave trade. This also included migrations from East Africa, although these didn’t exceed over 2,000 until the 1870s. Japanese people of the Sects were also more likely to join ThunderClan than the other Clans if they didn’t join WindClan, because they were more likely to know English as it would be more accessible for communication than learning the various languages spoken in the other Clans (except for WindClan).
ThunderClan acts as the “standard” (Conceptually American) Clan, because ThunderClan largely in the books was our main PoV, whose eyes we saw all the conflict and politics through. Compared to the other Clans, they are the most flexible when it comes to change and adaptability. And this is because ThunderClan Sect members can trace back their ancestry to the founding of the Clans, which makes them feel more secure in their ancestral beliefs. Unlike the other Clans, their warriors don’t have to immigrate as often to England and the UK. And so there is less of a social stigma towards ThunderClan than the other Sects.
They are the Clan most heavily influenced by Protestantism (and Catholicism), which is intentional and meant to show how both Protestant and Catholic influences would seep into Clan culture, as well as show us that in order to exist as ThunderClan, sacrifices had to be made with their ancient customs and traditions under a predominantly Christian nation such as England. Before it became widely persecuted, ThunderClan was closely interconnected with the pagan practices of medieval Britain. By Firestar’s time, they are practiced in secrecy in official ceremonies not allowed to be seen by outsiders.
When we remove ThunderClan from the center of the plot, and focus on the other Clans, we realize their presumptions about the other Clans and their beliefs are false, and we also are able to see the other Clans’ culture and practices within their perception and understanding, which lets us see a non Anglo-Saxon view of society.
They have an advantage of language over the other ‘Sects’ because most ThunderClan warriors don’t need to learn a second language to assimilate into the overarching society. ThunderClan predominantly speaks English both in the UK and later America. However, some ThunderClan leaders require a second language to be learned, which is very useful in a world that is more connected globally than our own.
The other Sects hold contempt towards ThunderClan because they are always playing the “heroes”, even when it isn’t needed or wanted. And this is a not-so-subtle nod to the history of British imperialism and American exceptionalism. It is especially so with Britain and America’s history of colonization, and other groups in the other Clans often being survivors of colonialism. ThunderClan is our “main” PoV, but they have many, many flaws indicative of a predominantly Western European Anglo-Saxon society.
There are Sect members who chose not to assimilate into the English language and keep names from their culture. For example, Hollypelt and Rooktail kept their Swahili names, and Daisy and Millie rejected a warrior name to retain their name identity. But others like Bloomheart changed the spelling of his name from Dáire to Dara, and Oakstar changed his surname Jäger to Jaeger. And this is because they were born into a time period where non-English were being forced to assimilate into English culture.
ThunderClan names follow the common “First Name - Middle Name - Last Name” of America and England. This started in the mid-1600s, a little earlier than our own history, around the same time Mapleshade was born. It was also around this time the distinction between ShadowClan naming structure and ThunderClan naming structure was established.
ThunderClan does not receive their middle name at birth, but instead their warrior name acts as their middle name. “Bradley Jaeger” (Brambleclaw) would traditionally reach his 20th birthday and receive his warrior name “Gunther”, which signifies becoming an adult within their society as well as becoming a full warrior. This custom was a headache for outsiders who would use the middle name to distinguish between three “John Andersons”. If it truly became annoying to communicate, some families would have a temporary birth name as the middle name until the person came of age to be a warrior.
By 1980, when ThunderClan had thoroughly assimilated into American culture, their names became heavily influenced by American naming conventions. “First Generation” warriors (Warriors who are the first in their family to be part of the Clans) and “Long Generation” warriors (Warriors whose ancestors have been part of the Clans for generations) often have discourse about proper naming etiquette. Mousefur was conservative about proper naming customs, for example.
Firestar at first was bad about giving ThunderClan Western warrior names, which was noticeable when he helped reestablish SkyClan in Sweden. His wakeup call was Sharpclaw (who is Berber and Somali) not accepting the Western name he gave him and requesting a name after his own ancestors. But he grew to be more perceptive and purposeful in giving warrior names that connected the newly made warrior to their ancestors and described the qualities in them.
Brambleclaw, his successor, was very thoughtful about warrior names, although he could get…weird, with the names. Squirrelstar bases them on how it fits with the warrior’s personality in question.