A brief introduction to my fan Clans: BrambleClan, ReedClan, PetalClan, MossyClan, and NeedleClan. This is just a sketchy map of their territory. I’ll be posting lore before I share the cats’ profiles. Things like Clan symbols will likely change. Their territory takes place somewhere inspired by the Great Lakes. Nowhere specific. I hope to keep it accurate?
Fun facts:
- The “Twoleg Light” is just a lighthouse.
- BrambleClan overlooks the lake on a raised piece of land with lots of bushes. Their camp is a hollow in the ground with bushes around it.
- ReedClan is in a very marshy area. Their camp is on the driest ground they have. They fight with PetalClan over territory.
- PetalClan is marsh/field. Their camp is a hollow. They fight with ReedClan over territory.
- MossyClan is mess of stone, moss, and trees. They almost died out once. They have their camp in tunnels.
- NeedleClan is a sandy pine forest.
- The Gathering Place lets leaders speak from a pine tree.
- The Moon Cave is how cats commune with StarClan.
Finch never really wandered outside of the forest that she had called home. She was born in this forest, she would likely die here.
Hazelstreak had been very persuasive. This forest also used to be her home- but also a home to many cats. The orange-furred cat gestured a paw to the roots of the tree Finch had used as her home, eyes glinting.
"You," Hazelstreak had said, glee in her aging blue eyes, "have taken residence in what was once the Leader's den." Her look got a bit far away at that point, and a laugh that sounded more sad than anything came out of her. "I was only an apprentice before things fell apart."
Finch had asked what she meant. Hazelstreak didn't answer.
But the thought of the Clans, of being together, having a collective group to care for each other... She was already doing that with Lichen. Lichen, a small cat with light brown fur and a darker brown stripe going down her back, was following behind her, eyes glancing around the new pathway the two had never taken before. Finch made sure to be a little slow for her- and Lichen was happy about it.
Finch had happened upon Lichen, alone in a tree trunk, and had cared for her ever since.
If that could happen on a wide scale? Caring for each other? Having something to be their own, instead of fighting over small little things? Finch would like that. And she wasn't one to back down from a challenge.
Finch pushed through the last of the bushes, dark brown fur brushing against leaves as she finally made her way to the meeting place that Hazelstreak described. Lichen followed closely behind, only for her eyes to widen as she spotted... other cats.
In the center of a large pool, across a series of rocks, was Hazelstreak... and three other cats. Two of them seemed about as old as Hazelstreak, while the last of the quartet seemed about as old as Finch, except... he seemed to struggle to walk at times. There were old wounds wrapping around his legs.
Around the pool sat multiple small groups.
Finch did remember what she was told- to gather the cats open to the idea. Seems like she wasn't the only one told that.
One of her group bumped into Lichen- Lightning, almost fully grown, but not quite done growing. Orange fur with dark orange stripes at the side of his face and tail, highlighted by dark blue eyes. One of the others laughed at this, and Lightning turned back to roll his eyes.
The group of cats closest to Finch's group was led by a cat Finch had seen more than the others- one who often ran across the plains that were the closest to the forest. Her eyes were mismatched- blue and yellow staring back at Finch.
"You, as well?" She asked, voice low. She glanced to the cats in the center of the pool, then to Finch. Next to her, similar to Lichen's own position, was a small brown cat with a few darker brown tabby spots lining their body.
"I suppose so." Finch's eyes glanced over across the pools. It was clear which cats were called by the cats in the center and which cats were simply following those cats- One cat was mostly white with gray ears, and another was a truly battle-scarred tom which she had never seen before, who was mostly white with black patches coming down from his ears to cover his eyes.
The youngest of the quartet in the center stood up straight. "Loners and rogues, thank you for believing in our chosen four!" He yowled, which immediately drew Finch's attention. His plain light brown coat reminded Finch of Lichen. "If you're here today, I am sure it is because you're curious about what Clans mean for you!"
"... Some of you..." One of the other cats, mostly white with brown tabby patches, opened her eyes. They were barely seeing. "May have had strange dreams. Or a gift with herbs."
Finch sensed one of her own, Speckle, a tom with black speckled fur, tense up.
"A Clan is not complete... without one who can care for those injured." A smile. "I was... once... one of them."
Hazelstreak nodded, orange tail flicking. "Our Clans fell due to fighting, spreading to the winds. We are their last survivors." A pause, and she slammed her paw down. Finch even saw the wince. "Today, we are not reviving their clans. Today, we are making new ones." Hazelstreak lifted her head up. "Today! You will become something new! A start of a new generation! Fighting for a group is truly an experience you will not want to miss out on!"
"From a group of loners, a group of clans rises. Friendship and fighting, but nothing quite so life and death like the lives you may have been living before." The last of the quartet spoke, his voice soft but still reaching. He was mostly gray, with a speckled gray tail. It wrapped over his paws. "Our lives are ending soon."
Finch felt her eyes going to the youngest of the quartet. Judging by how said cat lifted his head up, so did the other cats.
"Even me, yes." The light brown cat said. "It is... a miracle of Starclan I got this far."
Confused stares.
"You all can determine for yourselves what your clan names are. But whatever it is, it must represent your clan in some way." The quiet one spoke.
"But not Starclan." The barely seeing cat closed her eyes again. "Starclan... are your guides. Your dead companions, littering the sky at night." A laugh, choked. "I will soon meet with my family again."
Hazelstreak nodded. She pat the rocks she and the others were sitting on. "This place, we have determined for a meeting place. Every full moon, the leader and a group of selected cats go to the gathering to discuss clan going ons. It's peaceful, or else..."
The other cats shivered.
"Speaking of leaders..." The light brown cat glanced towards the battle-scarred tom. He blinked back. "Will the four who have gathered the grouped cats today please step forward? Alone."
Finch glanced to Lichen. Lichen nodded her head forward. Finch stepped forward. As she expected, the cats she noticed leading each group stepped forward with her. Hazelstreak's smile grew bigger.
"Starclan works in mystical ways." They all said, at the same time, and the overlapping voices held so much more power in it than Finch thought. Finch shot a glance to the gray and black swirl cat next to her, who gave a worried glance back. Hazelstreak approached, and instead of the dark blue eyes she was used to, they were filled with stars.
"These cats are your leaders, the one who will continue to guide you." Again, a chorus. Again, an echo. Finch couldn't look away from the starry eyes staring back at her.
Hazelstreak touched noses with her, and-
---
"...Finch... Finch!"
Finch's eyes opened blearily, to a worried Lichen over her. Petunia, with his dark gray coat, was a comforting sight.
Barely next to her, Finch saw the gray and black swirl cat lift up her head to a few other cats gathered around her.
Finch pulled herself to her paws.
She understood a whole lot more, now. Her limbs felt like they could've run a hundred more miles, and that they already had. Her head pounded.
"... You know, I never really understood why Hazelstreak had two parts to her name." Finch said, shaking out her pelt. Lichen looked relieved. "But... While I don't have everything... I now am confident in saying that it's related to being a clan." Finch glanced down at Lichen, who was staring up curiously at her.
Her and Lichen. Mentor and Apprentice.
"Related to being a clan?" Petunia questioned, ears perking. "So... we'll have names like that?"
"Yes." Finch nodded. "And... Well, I think I have introductions to make."
Larkstar (right) and Foxtuft (left) of needleclan! Time to finally show you guys some real art!
I’m going to design leaders and deputies for all the clans now and show you guys as I finish them. The med cats/ med cat apprentices will be designd later on.
So design-wise I wanted mrs Larkstar to resemble both an actual lark and a fawn, that’s where I got colours and general patterns from. She has a torn up ear which makes hearing a bit more difficult for her, that’s partially an homage to snowkit. She is able to hear others but it isn’t very easy when people don’t acknowledge her disability and adjust a bit, but her clanmates are happy to accommodate. Needleclan is fierce and Larkstar is ruthless when it comes to defending their home, but she is never outwardly vicious.
Her loyal deputy is Foxtuft here, I have a habit of designing miniature foxes instead of cats sometimes so I used a cat breed as a general reference. I just searched up fox-like cat so idk the name of the breed tho. He is a flexible bugger that the apprentices say can beat a squirrel in a race up a tree! Also I decided he is very pansexual.
Needleclan lived in a beautiful coniferous forest, with fir being the most common tree. They made their homes beneath tree roots and on the lower branches of the trees. Elders and kits live a little higher up in the trees to avoid predators sneaking up on them from the ground. They would steal nests from birds to use for their own liking. Needleclan’s forest was blooming with wildlife and there was a small lake nearby. Twenty minutes walking distance away from the outskirts of their territory was a huge and strong river.
WHAT IS NEEDLECLAN’S HISTORY?
Before Needleclan was created, there was a clan with a tyrannous leader from where a group of cats left the territory to find a better life. Taking point and leadership was a she-cat called Needlespring. After recovering for a few moons, organizing and planning, Needlespring and her group returned to their old clan and killed its leader. The cats, who desperately needed a fresh start, followed Needlespring’s direction and settled down in the coniferous forest far away from where the old clan’s territory was located.
Starclan allowed the clan to change its name, as it after Needlespring’s bravery and dare for uproar that they had left the old clan’s territory. The new clan was named Needleclan.
WHAT IS NEEDLECLAN LIKE NOW?
Needleclan cats are generally impulsive and has a wish for adventure. They often want to prove their worth to the other clan members, which can make them competitive and prone to jealousy.
They value confidence, honesty and courage.
The prey they hunt consist of birds, rabbits, squirrels and bugs.
Needleclan has an annual climbing contest in which young warriors may be able to gain the option to change their prefix to that of a tree’s name.
APPEARANCE AND NAMES
Most common are colours of reddish, solids, and bright-coloured tabbies (ginger, light brown, white) with white bellies. Needleclan cats have strong legs and long claws, suited for climbing and hunting in trees. Long tails, short fur and spotted and ticked tabbies are considered most attractive.
As for names, Needleclan cats tend to name their own after flora and insects found in coniferous forest nature.
Warriors who have proven their worth may change either prefix of suffix to that of a tree. Usually it’s a warrior with a tree-name that becomes deputy and/or leader of the clan.
WHAT HAPPENED TO NEEDLECLAN’S FOREST?
A few hours before the beginning of where the roleplay begins, lightning struck down in the forest, causing it to take fire. Trapped by the fire, the clan was forced to flee their forest to avoid being burnt to ash. The fire was too close to the clan’s home for the grown up cats to manage to save most of their kits and elders. The current leader, Willowstar, ordered the whole clan to seek refuge at the wild river. She and the deputy of Needleclan [Oakbrook] stayed behind, in an attempt to save the cats higher up in the trees. Willowstar saved a few, Oakbrook took rounds and picked up kits from Willowstar, dropped off kits at the outskirts of the territory where parents were waiting. Eventually, the deputy didn’t come back to the parents and they had to move on.
Willowstar and Oakbrook died in the forest fire, leaving Needleclan without leaders.
When a litter of kits is born, do any of your clans have like..a ceremony? Like a clan cat version of baptism or something?
mudclan queens dot their kits foreheads with a spot of mud using their nose as they name them.
flowerclan lines the nest with a ring of protective flowers
needleclan does the same but with pine needles
and snowclan pile as many (healthy) cats as they can into the nursery to keep the newborns warm as possible for their first night (tho not too close. don’t wanna smother them)
All the clans leave out an offering (the nicest piece of prey in the pile) outside the nursery the night following the kits birth for the goddess of fertility/love/and childbirth.
"All cats of Needleclan, gather for a Clan Meeting!"
Speckleback glanced up from the medicine cat den. Currentkit pushed Riverkit towards the center of the camp, and Riverkit whined. A red leaf drifted from a branch above Finchstar, and the leader watched as it twirled around, eventually landing on Lichenpaw's head.
Hollypaw watched from the medicine den, looking a little irritated. Speckleback was keeping him confined to the medicine cat den, despite the fact that he wasn't woozy anymore. At least he was paying attention.
Daisyshadow poked out a head from the nursery. Whiskershadow glanced up from the fresh-kill pile, which was nearby.
Good.
"I have the honor of stating that today, we have our very first warrior promotion!" Finchstar purred, meeting eyes with Lichenpaw. She hopped down from a tree branch. "It has been my pleasure to have trained Lichenpaw, even before we were a part of a Clan. Her judgment has been vital to her protecting our clan."
Finchstar hopped down from the tree completely, walking towards Lichenpaw. They were on the same eye level, now. "Lichenpaw, by the powers of me being leader, I name you Lichentooth."
Lichentooth looked almost surprised.
Finchstar purred, touching noses with Lichentooth before backing away.
Hollypaw was the first to cheer, "LICHENTOOTH!" The other cats followed, even the kits after a few moments. It was small, so Finchstar joined in. Lichentooth stood in the center of it, shrinking a little but still smiling.
Once the cheering had stopped, Finchstar continued, "Now, for the second task of today..." Finchstar met eyes with Riverkit and Currentkit. Currentkit bounced up and down, and Riverkit nudged his shoulder to get him to stop. "Riverkit and Currentkit. You two have reached six moons, and are therefore now apprentices. Until you are trained fully, you will be called Riverpaw and Currentpaw."
Currentpaw grinned. "I'm Riverpaw, right?"
Riverpaw shook her head, still smiling a bit herself.
Finchstar jumped up onto the roots that made up the entrance to her den. She didn't jump back up to the higher branches again. "No, Currentpaw. Now..." Finchstar met eyes with Whiskershadow, and her deputy straightened up. "Whiskershadow. As my new deputy, you haven't yet explored everything about the territory due to being confined to camp." She grinned. "You might as well explore it with an apprentice." She was not going to bring up how Lightningpaw was once his apprentice, as well. "You will be Riverpaw's mentor."
Riverpaw got up, blue and green eyes sparkling despite the deceptive calmness to her movements, and walked over to Whiskershadow. She reached up to Whiskershadow's nose, and Whiskershadow leaned down to meet her. After that, she moved to sit by him.
"...Lichentooth."
Lichentooth straightened up upon being called again. "...me?"
"Yes. Your judgement is excellent, and your calm nature would help with teaching." Finchstar paused. "I think it does, anyway. You will be mentoring Currentpaw."
Currentpaw gasped, then jumped and dashed over to Lichentooth, stopping just in front of her. "I get to be your first apprentice!"
Lichentooth still looked a little shocked. "Are you... are you sure?"
"Confident." Finchstar nodded. "You'll do great, Lichentooth. I know you can."
Lichentooth didn't seem convinced. But she leaned down to touch noses with Currentpaw, who vibrated in his spot. He then sat down right there, only turning to look at Finchstar again.
Finchstar held her head up. "Clan meeting is over!" She hopped off the root, heading for the fresh-kill pile. "Why don't you go get acquainted with your apprentices?"
As Finchstar reached down to grab a bird from the pile, she heard Riverpaw ask Whiskershadow about gathering fresh bedding for everyone. After a few moments, she heard Currentpaw turn and whine at Lichentooth to NOT do that.
Events Referenced:
Lichenpaw gets promoted to a warrior. Finchstar says it's been an honor to train her, and names Lichenpaw Lichentooth, and commends her judgement.
Riverkit becomes Riverpaw and gets assigned to Whiskershadow. She offers to immediately start gathering bedding.
Currentkit is so excited to become Currentpaw, and is assigned to Lichentooth.
Beestar glanced between the two of them, shifting a little closer to Finchstar. Stonestar sat down, clearly not caring about whatever was going on between the two of them.
Finchstar inhaled. What were the words again...?
"Clan cats! May all who have gathered get close to the Pool!" Finchstar yelled, and the conversations stopped as the cats of their clans all moved closer. She spotted Whistlerain similarly glaring at her from Downclan's portion of the pool. Riverpaw traced the gaze, as did Whiskershadow, and both directed their gazes to Finchstar in confusion.
Not telling her deputy was likely a mistake. But what was she supposed to do? Admit she accidentally trespassed?
"Our clan is as healthy as ever, even with the frost biting at our trees." Finchstar announced, grinning. "Our clan mealtimes are helping everyone, as I thought."
Beestar tilted her head. "Clan mealtimes?"
"Well, not everyone has to participate. But..." Finchstar waved a tail. "A time where we all eat together and share whatever happened. I feel... closer, you know. Plus, I get to make sure everyone eats."
"That does sound neat." Stonestar meowed, adjusting his paws.
Quickstar said nothing, though their glare did seem to lighten.
Oh, thank the stars.
"That is all."
Beestar got to her paws. An inhale. Finchstar poked her from her new spot on the ground, and Beestar startled a bit, though she did smile.
"There's been strange traps laid out in our territory for a while. They covered up some of the rabbit dens in our territory, which-" a flinch. "... Scorchpaw felt victim to."
Roachpelt's ears in the back fell a bit.
"... But she's recovering well. That's it."
Beestar sat, and scooted a bit closer. "Why is Quickstar glaring at you?" She whispered.
Ah. Finchstar glanced away, ears lowering. Quickstar still hadn't gone yet. "I may have... messed up a bit."
Stonestar shot them a look, but stood up and started announcing anyway. Beestar frowned, but stayed quiet.
"We have a new warrior! Sunpaw has become Sunstrike, a full warrior of Talonclan!"
The pale tabby with a nick in one ear blinked as their clan's attention swiveled to face them, then puffed their chest out when the other clans followed suit. Sunstrike's name echoed around the clearing. Even Riverpaw joined in.
Quickstar got to their paws. Stonestar sat down. Quickstar stared at Finchstar, not even looking out towards the clan. "Our clan is fine. However." Quickstar's tail lashed. "It seems that Needleclan doesn't agree."
Yep. Saw that coming. Finchstar got to her paws. "What did your deputy tell you? Let's start there."
"Told me what I needed to know." Quickstar meowed back, voice still loud. The murmurs started up, and Finchstar pinned her ears down.
"Ah, told you I invaded." Finchstar meowed. It was only partly a question.
"What reason could you have?" Quickstar shot back, eyes narrowing. "Wish to push us back to mountains only? Our territory is suitable, yet..."
"Seems like Whistlerain didn't tell you that I was tired as shit!"
Oh, that got louder than she thought.
Speckleback flinched, and Whistlerain paused from her spot.
"You were?" Whistlerain shouted. "That just sounds like an excuse!"
Finchstar rolled her eyes. "Did you not notice the time of night? It was practically today!" She pointed a tail to the moon. A cloud passed by. "I had just spent that entire morning hunting, then dealing with an argument with our kits! Can't a cat mess up?"
"You're leader, aren't you?" Quickstar questioned. Finchstar's fur raised, but she forced it back down.
"And I'm saying that my actions were not motivated by a desire to push you back to the mountains. I was simply tired. We're all still cats." Finchstar sighed. "Accuse me all you want- I do not want any of it."
Quickstar watched as Finchstar sat back down. Their gaze lightened a bit, but they glanced away. "... That is all."
Beestar pushed her head against Finchstar's. "I get being tired. I'll back you up."
