Post by Smokeleaf on Apr 29, 2011 21:31:43 GMT -5
SootClan description
SootClan is the fiercest of the lesser Fiery Clans, meaning the Fiery Clans below BlazeClan. However, they are also the most solitary. They rarely leave the dark landscape of their territory, and other creatures rarely enter it. Even foxes and badgers have learned not to threaten this Clan out of fear.
The Clan is small because of its harsh customs, but also stronger as a result. These cats rarely trust anyone, though their loyalty is unmatched and the competition within the Clan is fierce. The favor of the Leader is a treasured thing, amongst such cut-throat ranks.
The Leader of SootClan always shows little emotion, aware of how important it is for his Clan to show no weakness. Cats found breaking the word of the Leader are severly punished, and those loyal to him or seeking to gain his approval carry out his punishments mercilessly.
However, beneath the exterior, some of these cats are softer than the cats of the original Fiery Clans. Having some MeadowClan ancestry, they have inherited a conscience that most Fiery Clan cats seem to lack. The strength and viciousness of this Clan is simply a learned protection from generations past against the other Clans.
SootClan Ranks
Kits
Kits are cared for by their mothers until they become apprentices. They are not to stray from the camp at any time. They are prepared by their mothers as much as possible, to ensure that they will become apprentices.
Apprentices
An apprentice is in training to become a Pelt. They must rise with the sun, and train until nightfall. They must obey their mentors completely, or they will be ousted from the Clan. Mentors push their apprentices very hard, so that they are prepared for the harsh SootClan lifestyle.
Pelts
A Pelt protects the Clan, and hunts for him or herself. Many Pelts are lost to the fighting with TimberClan, as SootClan mainly carries the burdens of the war. The leader demands absolute loyalty from the Pelts, and any Pelt who disobeys the leader will be cast from the Clan.
Queens
Queens are expected to hunt for themselves, as well as protect the Clan, if they are needed. They hunt for their kits from the time they start eating fresh-kill until they become an apprentice.
Ember Keeper
The ember keeper will watch over the ember from the fire of the last death ceremony. They still have to hunt for themselves, but nothing is more important than the ember- some cats have been known to starve rather than leave the ember unattended.
Elders
There are no elders in SootClan. If a cat becomes old, they will often leave. Some join other Clans; some become loners or rogues.
Young Healer
The young healer has only one job; to learn the ways of healing. They are silent; if they speak, they leave the Clan, disgraced. They are silent to learn discipline, and so that they may prove their undying loyalty to the Flaming Eternal.
Healer
The healer is primarily concerned with taking care of the Clan. If they fail in their duty, they are ousted from the Clan. They are also charged with organizing the journey to the volcano at the Eclipse.
Deputy
The deputy’s job is to assist the leader in any way he needs, and organize the everyday activities of the Clan. She must be fierce, for many other she-cats would literally kill to have her position. The most important job the deputy performs is to bear kits for the leader, to continue the Spottedfire bloodline, though many do not even know that they are.
Leader
The leader’s job is to run the Clan, and make the major decisions for the Clan. The leader must be strong, have good judgment, and be fierce. He protects the traditions of the Clan, and commands all of the other cats. He also must teach his son how to be a leader when the time comes.
Territory
Overview
SootClan lives in the territory that MeadowClan once occupied, before the erruption devastated the landscape and destroyed the Clan. However, the area has not seen the green grass that used to carpet it since before Spottedfire's leadership, in the days of his apprenticeship. It is now carpeted instead with a thin layer of ash, which coats the pelts of its inhabitants and makes it inhospitable to prey. Great fissures that formed in the earthquake that accompanied the erruption also scar the face of the land.
Camp
The SootClan camp is located deep within the crevice that runs through the territory, and can only be reached by climbing down a treacherous slope. Protected by a rocky overhang and the surrounding boulders, the only source of water is a small polluted stream that runs through the center of the canyon, along with a small underground pool in a nearby cavern. Nests are created around the edges of the camp from dry, shredded bark and ash, and medicine is rare.
Canyon Crossing
This dangerously narrow strip of land is a bridge over the section of the canyon where the camp is found, and is the only way to reach the training plateau. Apprentices are expected to cross the deadly drop with ease.
Training Plateau
This wide plateau is a dangerous training place, which serves to keep apprentices on edge as they fight. With skill the outlying rocks and sudden drops can be used to an advantage, but this is something that usually only the most advanced apprentices can master.
Herb Place
This small amount of brush has a few scattered herbs around its base, and is the most plentiful place to find medicine besides the dead forest, where cats rarely venture due to distance and rumors of danger.
Hunting Plains
These wide plains are sparsely populated with scrawny prey, which are drawn there by the shallow, murky delta that provides water and a little plant life on its banks. It is one of the few places where SootClan can find prey.
Crevice Crossing
This is the easiest way to cross to the opposite side of the crevice, to reach the old territory and dead forest. It is a journey made rarely, due to the inhospitable plains that lie there.
Old Territory
This was the largest part of the old MeadowClan territory, and was once wide open fields of tall grass. Now it is a barren, ashy plain devoid of almost all life, because its transformation has made it unable to support life.
Old Camp
This darkened area of ash marks where the thickest area of brush concealed the MeadowClan camp. Now it is said to be inhabited by the spirits of those who could not escape the eruption; the StarClan cats that look upon their fiery descendants with disdain.
Dead Forest
It is said that whispers and shadows lurk in these trees, perhaps spirits of wild creatures that perished in the eruption. Many cats who go there never return, and the place remains shrouded in mystery.
Stepping Stones
The stepping stones are a series of small plateaus gathered in the canyon near the dead forest. These columns are just close enough for a cat to jump from one to another, but each has a deadly drop should a cat fall short.
Tunnel System
This is a complex maze of unexplored tunnels that run below the SootClan territory. Various entrances can be found in the crevice, some around the camp, but cats rarely enter because it is easy to lose your way and die of starvation or despair.
Rank Ceremonies
Becoming an Apprentice
To become an apprentice, the kit must first be four moons old. Then, the kit must train with a Pelt as their apprentice for five sunrises. If the Pelt deems the kit ready, the kit will become their apprentice. If the Pelt believes that the kit is not ready, the kit will have to wait another moon to repeat the process. The kit will get three chances; if they do not succeed, they must leave the Clan.
Becoming a Pelt
To become a Pelt, an apprentice must journey to the Old Camp alone, and stay throughout the night. It is said that this place is haunted by the wrathful ancestors of MeadowClan, and many apprentices never return from this trip.
Becoming the Ember Keeper
When a cat dies, the closest kin of the deceased becomes the Ember Keeper until the next death. This Pelt's highest duty is to keep the ember alive, and if they fail it is their charge to travel to the mouth of the volcano and fetch another from BlazeClan themselves- a most dreaded task.
Becoming the Young Healer
The Young Healer is always the firstborn she-cat of the Leader, and is trained by the former Healer. The Young Healer is allowed to speak to no one but her mentor until she completes her training, leading a very lonely life.
Becoming the Healer
The Young Healer always becomes the Healer the same time that the Firstborn becomes the Leader. The previous Healer is then expected to leave the Clan, and travel the slopes of the volcano in solitude until she dies alone with her ancestors in StarClan and the Flaming Eternal.
Becoming the Deputy
The Leader's mate serves as his second in command from the time she is chosen by the Leader until the time her son takes a mate for himself. She is the most honored she-cat in the Clan until then, the object of jealousy. However, when her Firstborn rises to the rank of Leader she is expected to leave the Clan with the previous Healer.
Becoming the Leader
In SootClan, the firstborn tom of the leader is trained by his father in the ways of leading the Clan. He then follows in his father's footsteps and leads the Clan after his father's death, progressing straight from the rank of Apprentice to Leader.
Because of this, the Leader of SootClan is always a direct descendant of Spottedfire.
Becoming an Elder
There is no place for elders in SootClan’s harsh lifestyle. If a cat becomes too old to care for themselves, they may leave the Clan, or they will die.
Other Traditions
The Place of She-Cats
She-cats are valued less than toms in SootClan, treated as inferiors though it is obvious that they have their uses. They are respected only because of their ability to give new life to SootClan. It is always a Queen's job to look after the kits, and the father rarely speaks with his offspring until they are deemed worthy of apprenticeship.
The Taking of Mates
When a tom has been a warrior for one moon, he is allowed to take a mate for himself. He may choose any available she-warrior, despite her feelings for him, and she is expected to honor him as her mate. Toms often choose she-cats based on their ability to bear strong kits, though it is not rare for a tom to treat his mate with affection as well.
The Importance of Hunting
Each cat is expected to hunt for themselves, from the time they become Apprentices until the time of their death. There is no obligation to share prey, except for the Queen that must provide for her Kits between the time of drinking milk and the time of their apprenticeship.
If you cannot hunt, you cannot eat.
The Danger of Illness
When a cat falls ill, the Healer decides if the cat is capable of recovery. If so, the Healer has the duty of nursing the cat back to health. But if the cat is judged incapable, it is shunned by the rest of the Clan until its death, with no one to care for it. Occasionally an unexpected cat will remain strong enough to nurse itself back to health, but this is rare...Upon this occurrence, the Healer is punished for her misjudgment.
Death
When a cat joins the Flaming Eternal, a pyre is built in the center of the camp and the cat's body is burned, its ashes becoming part of the desolate soil. The fire is started with an ember remaining from the last pyre, and when the pyre dies down another ember is taken and kept alive by the Ember Keeper for the time of the next death.
SootClan is the fiercest of the lesser Fiery Clans, meaning the Fiery Clans below BlazeClan. However, they are also the most solitary. They rarely leave the dark landscape of their territory, and other creatures rarely enter it. Even foxes and badgers have learned not to threaten this Clan out of fear.
The Clan is small because of its harsh customs, but also stronger as a result. These cats rarely trust anyone, though their loyalty is unmatched and the competition within the Clan is fierce. The favor of the Leader is a treasured thing, amongst such cut-throat ranks.
The Leader of SootClan always shows little emotion, aware of how important it is for his Clan to show no weakness. Cats found breaking the word of the Leader are severly punished, and those loyal to him or seeking to gain his approval carry out his punishments mercilessly.
However, beneath the exterior, some of these cats are softer than the cats of the original Fiery Clans. Having some MeadowClan ancestry, they have inherited a conscience that most Fiery Clan cats seem to lack. The strength and viciousness of this Clan is simply a learned protection from generations past against the other Clans.
SootClan Ranks
Kits
Kits are cared for by their mothers until they become apprentices. They are not to stray from the camp at any time. They are prepared by their mothers as much as possible, to ensure that they will become apprentices.
Apprentices
An apprentice is in training to become a Pelt. They must rise with the sun, and train until nightfall. They must obey their mentors completely, or they will be ousted from the Clan. Mentors push their apprentices very hard, so that they are prepared for the harsh SootClan lifestyle.
Pelts
A Pelt protects the Clan, and hunts for him or herself. Many Pelts are lost to the fighting with TimberClan, as SootClan mainly carries the burdens of the war. The leader demands absolute loyalty from the Pelts, and any Pelt who disobeys the leader will be cast from the Clan.
Queens
Queens are expected to hunt for themselves, as well as protect the Clan, if they are needed. They hunt for their kits from the time they start eating fresh-kill until they become an apprentice.
Ember Keeper
The ember keeper will watch over the ember from the fire of the last death ceremony. They still have to hunt for themselves, but nothing is more important than the ember- some cats have been known to starve rather than leave the ember unattended.
Elders
There are no elders in SootClan. If a cat becomes old, they will often leave. Some join other Clans; some become loners or rogues.
Young Healer
The young healer has only one job; to learn the ways of healing. They are silent; if they speak, they leave the Clan, disgraced. They are silent to learn discipline, and so that they may prove their undying loyalty to the Flaming Eternal.
Healer
The healer is primarily concerned with taking care of the Clan. If they fail in their duty, they are ousted from the Clan. They are also charged with organizing the journey to the volcano at the Eclipse.
Deputy
The deputy’s job is to assist the leader in any way he needs, and organize the everyday activities of the Clan. She must be fierce, for many other she-cats would literally kill to have her position. The most important job the deputy performs is to bear kits for the leader, to continue the Spottedfire bloodline, though many do not even know that they are.
Leader
The leader’s job is to run the Clan, and make the major decisions for the Clan. The leader must be strong, have good judgment, and be fierce. He protects the traditions of the Clan, and commands all of the other cats. He also must teach his son how to be a leader when the time comes.
Territory
Overview
SootClan lives in the territory that MeadowClan once occupied, before the erruption devastated the landscape and destroyed the Clan. However, the area has not seen the green grass that used to carpet it since before Spottedfire's leadership, in the days of his apprenticeship. It is now carpeted instead with a thin layer of ash, which coats the pelts of its inhabitants and makes it inhospitable to prey. Great fissures that formed in the earthquake that accompanied the erruption also scar the face of the land.
Camp
The SootClan camp is located deep within the crevice that runs through the territory, and can only be reached by climbing down a treacherous slope. Protected by a rocky overhang and the surrounding boulders, the only source of water is a small polluted stream that runs through the center of the canyon, along with a small underground pool in a nearby cavern. Nests are created around the edges of the camp from dry, shredded bark and ash, and medicine is rare.
Canyon Crossing
This dangerously narrow strip of land is a bridge over the section of the canyon where the camp is found, and is the only way to reach the training plateau. Apprentices are expected to cross the deadly drop with ease.
Training Plateau
This wide plateau is a dangerous training place, which serves to keep apprentices on edge as they fight. With skill the outlying rocks and sudden drops can be used to an advantage, but this is something that usually only the most advanced apprentices can master.
Herb Place
This small amount of brush has a few scattered herbs around its base, and is the most plentiful place to find medicine besides the dead forest, where cats rarely venture due to distance and rumors of danger.
Hunting Plains
These wide plains are sparsely populated with scrawny prey, which are drawn there by the shallow, murky delta that provides water and a little plant life on its banks. It is one of the few places where SootClan can find prey.
Crevice Crossing
This is the easiest way to cross to the opposite side of the crevice, to reach the old territory and dead forest. It is a journey made rarely, due to the inhospitable plains that lie there.
Old Territory
This was the largest part of the old MeadowClan territory, and was once wide open fields of tall grass. Now it is a barren, ashy plain devoid of almost all life, because its transformation has made it unable to support life.
Old Camp
This darkened area of ash marks where the thickest area of brush concealed the MeadowClan camp. Now it is said to be inhabited by the spirits of those who could not escape the eruption; the StarClan cats that look upon their fiery descendants with disdain.
Dead Forest
It is said that whispers and shadows lurk in these trees, perhaps spirits of wild creatures that perished in the eruption. Many cats who go there never return, and the place remains shrouded in mystery.
Stepping Stones
The stepping stones are a series of small plateaus gathered in the canyon near the dead forest. These columns are just close enough for a cat to jump from one to another, but each has a deadly drop should a cat fall short.
Tunnel System
This is a complex maze of unexplored tunnels that run below the SootClan territory. Various entrances can be found in the crevice, some around the camp, but cats rarely enter because it is easy to lose your way and die of starvation or despair.
Rank Ceremonies
Becoming an Apprentice
To become an apprentice, the kit must first be four moons old. Then, the kit must train with a Pelt as their apprentice for five sunrises. If the Pelt deems the kit ready, the kit will become their apprentice. If the Pelt believes that the kit is not ready, the kit will have to wait another moon to repeat the process. The kit will get three chances; if they do not succeed, they must leave the Clan.
Becoming a Pelt
To become a Pelt, an apprentice must journey to the Old Camp alone, and stay throughout the night. It is said that this place is haunted by the wrathful ancestors of MeadowClan, and many apprentices never return from this trip.
Becoming the Ember Keeper
When a cat dies, the closest kin of the deceased becomes the Ember Keeper until the next death. This Pelt's highest duty is to keep the ember alive, and if they fail it is their charge to travel to the mouth of the volcano and fetch another from BlazeClan themselves- a most dreaded task.
Becoming the Young Healer
The Young Healer is always the firstborn she-cat of the Leader, and is trained by the former Healer. The Young Healer is allowed to speak to no one but her mentor until she completes her training, leading a very lonely life.
Becoming the Healer
The Young Healer always becomes the Healer the same time that the Firstborn becomes the Leader. The previous Healer is then expected to leave the Clan, and travel the slopes of the volcano in solitude until she dies alone with her ancestors in StarClan and the Flaming Eternal.
Becoming the Deputy
The Leader's mate serves as his second in command from the time she is chosen by the Leader until the time her son takes a mate for himself. She is the most honored she-cat in the Clan until then, the object of jealousy. However, when her Firstborn rises to the rank of Leader she is expected to leave the Clan with the previous Healer.
Becoming the Leader
In SootClan, the firstborn tom of the leader is trained by his father in the ways of leading the Clan. He then follows in his father's footsteps and leads the Clan after his father's death, progressing straight from the rank of Apprentice to Leader.
Because of this, the Leader of SootClan is always a direct descendant of Spottedfire.
Becoming an Elder
There is no place for elders in SootClan’s harsh lifestyle. If a cat becomes too old to care for themselves, they may leave the Clan, or they will die.
Other Traditions
The Place of She-Cats
She-cats are valued less than toms in SootClan, treated as inferiors though it is obvious that they have their uses. They are respected only because of their ability to give new life to SootClan. It is always a Queen's job to look after the kits, and the father rarely speaks with his offspring until they are deemed worthy of apprenticeship.
The Taking of Mates
When a tom has been a warrior for one moon, he is allowed to take a mate for himself. He may choose any available she-warrior, despite her feelings for him, and she is expected to honor him as her mate. Toms often choose she-cats based on their ability to bear strong kits, though it is not rare for a tom to treat his mate with affection as well.
The Importance of Hunting
Each cat is expected to hunt for themselves, from the time they become Apprentices until the time of their death. There is no obligation to share prey, except for the Queen that must provide for her Kits between the time of drinking milk and the time of their apprenticeship.
If you cannot hunt, you cannot eat.
The Danger of Illness
When a cat falls ill, the Healer decides if the cat is capable of recovery. If so, the Healer has the duty of nursing the cat back to health. But if the cat is judged incapable, it is shunned by the rest of the Clan until its death, with no one to care for it. Occasionally an unexpected cat will remain strong enough to nurse itself back to health, but this is rare...Upon this occurrence, the Healer is punished for her misjudgment.
Death
When a cat joins the Flaming Eternal, a pyre is built in the center of the camp and the cat's body is burned, its ashes becoming part of the desolate soil. The fire is started with an ember remaining from the last pyre, and when the pyre dies down another ember is taken and kept alive by the Ember Keeper for the time of the next death.