A Catastrophe of Clans

Welcome to the clans of Fell Park. Each has gone through tragedy time and time again, earning them the title Desolate Clans

[desolateclans]

Lynxclan Leader, Crescentstar

Previous names: Mistykit, Mistypath, Mistymoon

Crescentstar is a very new and young leader. She is very naïve and while she has great respect for the elders and the other high ranking cats in her clan, she defers to them perhaps too much. She also hates conflict within the clan and tries her hardest to bring peace - even if it’s only a false semblance of it. As long as there don’t seem to be any problems on the outside she’s happy.

Lynxclan’s previous leader and deputy died in a rockfall. Silverdove was chosen as the new leader, but he deferred, feeling unable to currently take on that responsibility - especially since he was quite close to both of them and needed more time to grieve. But the clan needed a new leader as soon as possible; Mistymoon was well liked by most of the clan so she was nominated next. Surprised but honored, she quickly accepted. Before her leader naming ritual she asked Silverdove if he would at least be her deputy, and left him to consider it while she embarked on her three-day journey where she had to ascend to the tallest peak alone and be granted her leader name by Starclan. Crescentstar returned and received Silverdove’s answer: he agreed to be her deputy.

[desolateclans]

Lynxclan

Leader: Crescentstar

Deputy: Silverdove

Herbcat: Frostfern

Mooncat: Rabbitgaze

Clan camp: Witch-hobble tangle + abandoned fox den

Landscape features: Mixedwoods - maples, spruces, birch, eastern hemlock; lots of understory vegetation in hobblebush, honeysuckle, bunchberry, ferns, etc. Damp rocky ground with slow decomposition of organic floor.

Prey: Mice, rats, rabbits, hares, bats, birds

Dominant characteristics: Ticked tabby and points common; greys, whites, and muted browns; muscular legs

The largest of the clan territories belongs to Lynxclan. They are sometimes seen as mysterious and secretive by the other clans, and other times seen as untrustworthy and backstabbers. This is mostly because they are very good at ambushes, but also because they claim to have stronger ties with Starclan than the other clans due to their long history of living high up on the mountains.

[desolateclans]

Bearclan

Leader: Bonestar

Deputy: Snaketooth

Medcat: Batear

Clan camp: Rocky outcropping with a fallen tree on the hillside

Landscape features: Campsites, packed ground; spruce, firs, and red maple trees; honeysuckle, blueberry, and red elderberry bushes.

Prey: Raccoons that are assholes, birds, rabbits, snakes

Dominant characteristics: Scars and ragged fur from many brushes with predators; large and strongly muscled; grey, black, and white are most common colors; many solid or tuxedo

Arguably Bearclan has to deal with the most interactions with Twolegs. They are often forced to deal with scavengers or scavenge themselves. They are known for being a headstrong lot but also not ones you’d want to take in a fight.

[desolateclans]

Deerclan

Leader: Pinestar

Deputy: Sagetwist

Medcat: Needlenose

Clan camp: Worn-away hill with the exposed roots of trees.

Landscape features: Red spruce, fir, birch, & pine trees; knolls and hills; spongy layer of conifer needles and moss over damp, shallow, rocky soil.

Prey: Birds, squirrels, fish, weasels

Dominant characteristics: Long legs; many browns and russets; striped and spotted tabbies most common

A highly matriarchal clan that is fiercely overprotective of their kits, thanks in part to their leader’s own tragic loss. They have the smallest territory of the clans, though it has many Twoleg paths through it.

[desolateclans]

Whisper Clan ranks

Aside from Leader, there is only a very loose hierarchy of the ranks. They are separated mainly based on age and skill, and those that are at the tops of their fields aren’t officially given a new rank but rather are acknowledged as such by their peers.

Leader - The leader of the Whisper Clan, elected by the clan elders the day after the passing of the previous leader. Their name remains the same but they are now called Leader [name]. Guard - Cats that protect and provide for the clan. These make up the bulk of the clan’s cats.

Claw - The top Guards of the clan. They are usually the ones who are put in charge of hunting parties and territory marking, and are the ones whose duty it is to guard the clan when they are most vulnerable - such as when the clan sleeps or during clan meetings. Referred to as Claw [name].

Scout - Swift cats that do very little fighting. Their job is to map out areas that are safe to travel, assess any potential dangers, find herbs and promising hunting spots, carry messages, and relay the information they’ve gathered to the clan. The disaster that claimed the Whisper Clan’s home wiped out nearly a third of their Scouts, but those that remained were vital to finding the clan a new home.

Rush - The fastest and most reliable of the Scouts. Known for their keen senses on top of their speed. They coordinate the others and are often the ones who do patrols where reinforcing the territory boundaries are not needed.  Referred to as Rush [name].

Healer - Cats that are tasked with taking care of the health of the clan. Typically there are only a small number of Healers in Whisper Clan, so there is no higher acknowledgements to their role.

Apprentice - Cats at least six moons old who study under the tutelage of adult clan members. They learn a little of everything the first two months of their apprenticeship. At this benchmark they take a ceremony where they are officially given their apprentice names, gaining the suffix -paw, and they must choose which path to take: Guard, Scout, or Healer.

Underpaw - Young cats, similar to apprentices, that specifically care for the elderly and infirm of the clan. They are called Underpaws because at times they are quite literally needed under a cat in their care - since a lot of Whisper Clan’s communication is done with body language, Underpaws act as guides to those that can’t see or hear well by pressing up to their sides or bellies so that the cat can feel their ear and tail movements. Every cat in the clan will at some point serve as an Underpaw, and those that have an aptitude for it sometimes choose to stay as one. They are not under the direction of the Healer cats, though they do often work closely with them.

Elder - Cats who have faithfully served the clan and are too old to continue their duties become Elders. They are highly respected and taken care of, and are sought for their wisdom by all clan members.

Kit - Any cat that has not yet been made an apprentice. The mother will present them to the Clan when they’re about 4-5 weeks old, naming them to each Clan member so that everyone can commit their names and smells to memory, and the kittens are expected to do the same for their clanmates. Until their Apprentice naming ceremony they have the suffix -kit.

[desolateclans]

Whisper Clan

Leader: Ashenfoot

Claws: Slatejaw, Brighteye, Stormfall, Badgerstone, Honeystalk, Whitethorn

Rushes: Pigeonbelly, Owlstep, Nightwhisper

Healers: Brightstream, Fishleap

Clan camp: A grove of tamarack trees protected by speckled alder shrubs.

Landscape features: Coniferous swamp with a highly variable density of tamarack, black pine, and a few red spruce trees; shrubs, ferns, and moss; much variance in the soil.

Prey: Lizards, salamanders, news, mudpuppies, weasels, martens, birds

Dominant characteristics: Long, smooth fur; long bodies; bold markings or large solid patches of color; excellent swimmers

The newest Clan in the area. The territory they had previously lived in was dominated by rushing water from the dam, so loud and thunderous that vocalizations were seldom heard unless in close proximity to each other. The Whisper Clan adapted by using almost solely body language and uniquely developed signals and touches. When cats from this clan talk it is mostly using these signs, and though they are not completely silent it is a deeply ingrained habit to sign or be very physically close while speaking.

[desolateclans]

Deerclan Leader, Pinestar

Previous names: Tumblekit, Brindlepath, Brindletree

Her mother was the clan leader and, like her mother before her, Brindletree was a favored pick for becoming leader. She was mentored by the warrior that became deputy when her mother passed and was well known for being a strong and steady presence when she eventually gained the rank of deputy as well. Despite some fringe opinions that it was all unfair biases that led to her rising in the ranks she was well-received as Deerclan’s leader when the time came.

Not long after gaining the position Pinestar had her first litter. They were not very strong kits to begin with, having been born in the colder seasons with less food, and that year saw a harsh snow-fall. Most of the kits in the nursery died that season, including all of Pinestar’s. She was distraught and in her grief vowed never to have kits again.

She took the tragedy as a sign from the ancestors and instated new rules:

There are to be no more than two queens at a time

No kits should be born during snow-fall

The time of needle-fall is not the time to be mating

Only queens and those with special permission are allowed to enter the nursery

Kits cannot leave the nursery until they are able to eat fresh-kill (5-6 weeks)

Thanks to Pinestar’s strict rules, Deerclan kits are the most protected of all the clans and they almost never lose them anymore. However they also have much fewer new warriors each year and while some queens are grateful, many others resent Pinestar’s regulations. Among the elders they whisper about how her leadership has made the clan weaker and that she is to blame for their shrinking territory, since she devotes more cats to camp guard duty than she does border patrols.

Despite this no cat would dare speak ill of her to her face either out of a sense of pity or intimidation. She was not named “-tree” for her pelt after all...

[desolateclans]

Desolate Clans Map

Finally the clan’s territories and camp locations marked out! From bottom left and up around:

Whisper Clan

Lynxclan

Deerclan

Bearclan

Blank map and a little territory info under the cut.

Despite being the newest addition to the area, Whisper Clan has marked out a large territory for themselves. They are more used to Twolegs than the other clans so their presence rarely impedes them. Their territory is a bit swampy.

Lynxclan has the biggest territory, having claimed the majority of the foothills of the mountains. Despite this their southern border is the most patrolled, not only because of Whisper Clan but also because that is their only access to the lake. Their territory has a great mix of vegetation and provides ample hiding places.

Deerclan have the smallest territory, in part thanks to their clan being quite small. However this doesn’t mean they’re weak - their territory is quite hilly, which they use to their advantage in fights.

Bearclan has arguably the second biggest territory, though they only frequent about half of it thanks to the expansion of Twoleg campsites. In an effort to push back they’ve expanded a bit beyond the creek in search of more hunting grounds. Their territory is rocky with lots of packed ground and tree stumps.

[desolateclans]

The Desolate Clans

Whisper Clan

A newer clan that came to the area just a few seasons ago and took over the southwest grounds. Their clan camp is a grove of tamarack trees protected by shrubs.

They had to flee their previous territory when a Twoleg dam broke and flooded the valley they lived in. In an effort to avoid such a catastrophe in the future, they immigrated to the mountains and eked out their own territory in the Fell Woods.

Lynxclan

The northwest clan’s territory stretches into more mountainous terrain than the others. Their clan camp is a knotted weaving of witch-hobble. There is a secret entrance of a long-abandoned fox den that comes out beneath a maple tree a far distance away, and the burrow is used for the nursery and dens in the cold season.

Deerclan

This clan resides in the northeast, close to the lake. The abundance of conifer trees make the ground soft with pine needles and moss. Their territory is criss-crossed with many Twoleg trails. Their clan is a worn-away hill with the exposed roots of trees for shelter.

They are a highly matriarchal clan. Their current leader is particularly paranoid about kits and strictly regulates the whole process; the nursery is at the farthest inner hollow of the camp where special permission is needed to enter. There are never more than two queens at a time and no kits are to be born in the snow-fall season. Very rarely are outside toms accepted into this clan.

Bearclan

Being that their territory overlaps with the most Twoleg campsites to the east of the lake, this clan sees many of them wandering into the woods during the warm months, shining their lights and spooking prey away, as well as bringing their trash - attracting any scavengers looking for an easy meal. Their clan camp is a rocky outcropping on a hill next to a fallen tree.

[desolateclans]

The Fell Woodlands

The Desolate Clans, in spite of the name, live in a wooded, wild area. They are based in the Adirondack Mountains around a lake, with two creeks branching off that mark the arch of all the Clans’ overall territory. There are plenty of hunting opportunities and very little threat from Twolegs, but the dangers of nature are ever-present.

[Twoleg Map]

SEASONS

Winters in the region are harsh. The creeks that mark out the edges of the Clan’s territories often freeze over, forcing all the Clans to the lake for fish. In the warmer seasons the smart Clan cats avoid the lake as much as possible, since the weather brings Twolegs and their dogs there to camp, fish, and hunt.

PREDATORS AND PREY

Most months the cats have their pick of birds, squirrels, mice, voles, shrew, bats, and even rabbits. However they have to compete for these with the likes of weasels, foxes, and snakes. Clan cats must be wary of the occasional bobcats and black bears that pass through the area, as well as the venomous rattlesnakes.

Arguably the biggest threat to the Clans are coyotes. They follow the deer herds and will hunt or scavenge food in any season, and are good swimmers. The presence of the camping grounds may keep these wary predators at a distance during the warm seasons but the Clans must always be on alert for them.

OTHER ANIMALS

It is not uncommon for the cats to cross paths with raccoons and porcupines, which are best to avoid. Deer are a very common sight in the woods as well, and though they pose no threat to each other the deer do attract larger predators. Salamanders, newts, turtles, frogs, and toads that foolishly wander into camp often end up the playthings of kits and apprentices. 

[desolateclans]

The Fell Woodlands

The Desolate Clans, in spite of the name, live in a wooded, wild area. They are based in the Adirondack Mountains around a lake, with two creeks branching off that mark the arch of all the Clans’ overall territory. There are plenty of hunting opportunities and very little threat from Twolegs, but the dangers of nature are ever-present.

[Twoleg Map]

SEASONS

Winters in the region are harsh. The creeks that mark out the edges of the Clan’s territories often freeze over, forcing all the Clans to the lake for fish. In the warmer seasons the smart Clan cats avoid the lake as much as possible, since the weather brings Twolegs and their dogs there to camp, fish, and hunt.

PREDATORS AND PREY

Most months the cats have their pick of birds, squirrels, mice, voles, shrew, bats, and even rabbits. However they have to compete for these with the likes of weasels, foxes, and snakes. Clan cats must be wary of the occasional bobcats and black bears that pass through the area, as well as the venomous rattlesnakes.

Arguably the biggest threat to the Clans are coyotes. They follow the deer herds and will hunt or scavenge food in any season, and are good swimmers. The presence of the camping grounds may keep these wary predators at a distance during the warm seasons but the Clans must always be on alert for them.

OTHER ANIMALS

It is not uncommon for the cats to cross paths with raccoons and porcupines, which are best to avoid. Deer are a very common sight in the woods as well, and though they pose no threat to each other the deer do attract larger predators. Salamanders, newts, turtles, frogs, and toads that foolishly wander into camp often end up the playthings of kits and apprentices.