RavenClan Overview
A large and lively Clan settled in the heart of the prairie. RavenClan is known for its obstinate shows of force as well as its indulgent festivals, where they invite cats from all over the island to display their wealth and skills. Many RavenClan cats follow the philosophy of “if I want to do it, I can,” which often causes issues with other Clans who are intolerant of their actions. Led by a triumvirate of the enigmatic Dark, merciless Scorch, and sharp-eyed Wren, RavenClan is one of the largest Clans on the island and can be a nasty force to reckon with.
Table of Contents
Accent
RavenClan cats have two primary “accents,” and they will subconsciously pick one when speaking to a specific cat. When talking to a cat they like, it’s typical for RavenClan cats to speak in a slow drawl with a lot of contractions. It almost sounds like a growl when they speak in this accent. However, when speaking to someone they dislike, they speak faster and with more force, almost spitting the words. This accent is higher pitched and has more hissing-based sounds. In either form, RavenClan cats will omit the hard “I” sound (replaced with an “ah” sound, such as “I am” being pronounced as “Ah’m”), drop the last “g” in a present participle (so “singing” will sound like “singin”), and replace the “A” sound with “uh” sound (such as “a nap” being said as “uh nap”).
Accessories
Flowers and Bouquets
RavenClan cats tend to decorate themselves with fresh flowers that they regularly replace when they become wilted. Though simple flowers tucked behind the ears or twined into the tail fur are the most common type of flowery accessory, some cats will put extra effort into the process and have complicated strings of flowers and precious metals that cross their entire bodies. Flower crowns are popular for festivals, but not daily wear.
Mate Arrangements
When two cats officially become mates, they will have a small arrangement of rose, chicory, phlox, and honeysuckle that they were on the base of their tail (or on their leg, if their tail is unable to support it). These small arrangements signify that a cat is happily taken and invested in their relationship. Every few days, the couples have to go out and refresh their arrangements with new flowers, which is considered an important bonding experience.
Honor Feathers
Once a cat is recognized as an experienced and elite warrior, they are granted the Honor Feather – a large raven’s flight feather, usually the longest one from the wing. This feather is typically attached to a bone ear piercing by the tendon from a bison’s leg, though some cats opt to have their feathers around their necks or at the base of the tail.
Berry Paint
Some cats decorate themselves with paint made from various mashed berries, most commonly blueberries or blackberries. Berry paints are popular with younger cats who prefer to change their appearance regularly, as the paints tend to fade after a few days, but some cats will also use paints to create specific designs on their fur. Though not as common, mates may occasionally use berry paints to mimic their partner’s patterns.
Agriculture
RavenClan invests a lot of time, effort, and resources into learning new methods of growing, breeding, and maintaining plants. They go to great lengths to obtain samples and information, bringing them both back to camp to have the Scholars research them. The greenhouse contains shrubs, grasses, and flowers, while trees are grown in the orchard. By utilizing both mystical and scientific methods, RavenClan is able to grow many plants abundantly year-round, which they typically use for culinary or medicinal purposes.
Bonsai Trees
When their allies in MeadowClan developed the bonsai method of growing trees, RavenClan took the idea and ran with it. In particular, they love having small cherry, magnolia, or other blossoming trees, and they use them as very common decorations in caves and dens.
Gem Corn
RavenClan loves brightly colored things, so they took great delight in discovering a variety of corn that looked like little gemstones. They learned how to selectively breed the corn based on colors, and they now have dozens of colors of corn that they use when cooking specific dishes to create a specific aesthetic appearance.
Sun Chickens
With the abundance of egg usage in cooking, RavenClan began to herd and raise the prairie chickens that naturally lived close to their territory. Though it started off as sustainably taking a few eggs every few days, RavenClan eventually began to corral the birds into a coop designed specifically to keep them safe from predators. They also began to cull the smaller hens that didn’t produce as much and allowed the larger, calmer chickens to reproduce freely. This led to the eventual creation of the large, friendly grouse-like bird known as a “sun chicken” due to the bright yellow featherless patches males have. Unlike their smaller wild cousins, sun chickens are able to lay unfertilized eggs. RavenClan cats stimulate the “booming season” by having ravens mimic the courting sounds of the males, and they provide an abundance of scraps and feed on top of the chicken’s regular forage.
Wild Goats
RavenClan has developed a symbiotic relationship with a large herd of mountain goats who were chased out of their natural territory during a territorial dispute. Upon discovering them, some merchants took the time and effort to lure the goats to the prairie and slowly get them used to the cats’ presence. These goats eventually got used to the cats and even let them get close enough to touch, though it took many moons. As is natural for the goats, the females tend to stay together in a “nursery” group to raise their young, while the males typically go back to their original territories or otherwise stay in the surrounding area.
Unlike the sun chickens, who are taken care of entirely by RavenClan, the wild goats have their own autonomy. RavenClan will provide extra fruits and their ravens will warn of predators in exchange for access to the goat’s milk, but otherwise the goats simply coexist on RavenClan’s land. The goats have to fend for themselves in case of a predator attack, and RavenClan cats must maintain a respectful distance from the kids and billies. Because of this and their relatively longer lifespans, the goats are still entirely wild and have not changed much.
Apprenticeship
Before their apprenticeship starts, kits will go through various tests and seminars to help them discover what they want to be when they get older. They, the Den Mothers, and their parents will then attempt to secure a mentor for the kit that fits their chosen career path. Though this does not always work out due to the supply and demand of mentors, Sergeants will usually put in extra work to help all young cats get the training they require.
During the young cat’s apprenticeship, they are given four tasks they must complete before they can become warriors. Though the first two are always generic – learn to hunt and fight for the first trial and understand RavenClan’s traditions and history for the second – the last two are customized by the Sergeants. These trials will typically play into an apprentice’s weaknesses or personal goals, and they’re meant to help the apprentice overcome potential difficulties.
If at any time an apprentice decides to change their career path, they will discuss it with their mentor, the Sergeants, and a mediator. Many times a mentor will remain with their apprentice even after a path change due to forming a solid bond, though occasionally it’s decided that the career change is too extreme for the mentor to handle. In cases where mentors do not have the same regiment as their apprentice, the Sergeants will typically train Administration apprentices, Champions will train Military apprentices, and Merchants will train the Commerce apprentices.
Bartering
RavenClan extensively trades with other Clans and rogues, so they are often a trading hub for cats who come to find exotic goods. The Commerce Corps caravans will travel around the island, trading away the prairie specialties such as honey, bee larvae, dried meats, and flowers for things such as precious gemstones, rare herbs, information, and cooking ingredients. They put a higher emphasis on spices, crafted goods, and plants that the Administration Corps do not already cultivate. Most trading in the caravans is done on a professional and official level, but many cats barter for personal goods. It’s common for RavenClan cats to trade their physical labor or trophies from their kills for something they want, especially when it comes to trading with each other.
Though RavenClan does not have official currency, they do accept the currencies of other Clans and will even exchange it for travelers. Additionally, they offer a service to exchange other currencies for food.
Celebrations and Ceremonies
RavenClan enthusiastically celebrates many life accomplishments with loud and vibrant festivals that usually include feasts, games, and gifts. They typically invite other Clans to join in the festivities as well, sending messenger ravens in advance to allow the envoys time to prepare.
Festivals
RavenClan hosts a festival every quarter moon through most of the year, though only every half moon during leafbare. A festival has five phases – the Colosseum, trading, feast, ceremony, and gift-giving. At the start of the festival, cats will gather at the Colosseum to watch RavenClan fight enemies – usually, boars or other animals easily lured in. After the fight is over, the group will make their way back to camp and fill the trading bazaar as cats will trade and barter with each other. Once the trading dies down, cats will enter the amphitheater, where they will be presented with as much food as they can handle. Typically, the food will be roasted, but cats who prefer raw food can request it specifically. When all cats have gotten their fill, the main event will begin. If there’s no ceremony that needs to be held, there will simply be a fighting tournament where cats can show off their strength. Otherwise, the leader will address the Clan and visitors while performing the ceremony. Cats will then proceed to give gifts to the winner of the tournament or whomever the ceremony is for.
Entertainer Performances
- Air Shows: Acrobats showcase their agility, strength, balance, and coordination through various acrobatic acts, including tumbling, flips, aerial maneuvers, and pyramids. They utilize large setpieces of trees and rocks to create areas for performers to leap across
- Fire Tricks: Often considered the most dangerous of all performances, a firecat will run across burning logs, leap through flaming hoops, and even breathe fire by consuming alcohol beforehand
- Jester: Often painted with ridiculous colors, the jester provides comedic relief and draws the crowd’s attention away from the set while stagehands change out setpieces or clean up any accidents. They are often paired with the Showman
- Magic Shows: Magicians use optical illusions, slight of paw, and even some mystical abilities to fascinate a crowd. Usually, the magic show is an intermission used to keep the audience entertained while the setpieces are being changed
- Mockingbird Choir: A collection of trained songbirds from FireflyClan that will follow the conductor. Only one or two cats are trained to be the choir conductor, as it’s a very difficult position, and it’s considered an honor to be one
- Musicals: A less serious stageplay that also incorporates song and dance. Performers will dance, sing, and play instruments while playing their roles
- Operas: A more serious version of the musical that lacks dancing and is accompanied by an orchestra and the mockingbird choir. Typically, an opera will have a much darker or dramatic tone than a regular musical
- Puppetry: A much smaller scale production often used as a side show for kits. One or two performers will pull on strings that are rigged to make the puppets move in a certain way, and will give them exaggerated voices for comedic effect. This is most often the medium used for folktales and nursery stories
- Showman: The narrator of stories as well as the announcer of events. They inform the audience about various performances and are often paired with the Jester
- Tightrope: A simple show where performers will walk across a preciously strung vine. Though seemingly simple, the performer needs an extreme level of balance and surefootedness to not fall. Occasionally, the Jester may join in and purposefully fall from the rope to emphasize the tightrope walker’s ability. This performance is usually used to draw the audience’s attention away from the stage while a set change is going on
- Stageplay: A complex narrative story where performers take the roles of characters within the story. Typically, these stageplays have three to five acts and can last half a day. There are many roles based on the stageplay, but the roles of the hero or heroine, antagonist, and love interest (should there be one) are reserved for the most experienced performers
Common Musicals and Operas
- Lovely Daisy: A high-energy musical about a young she-cat named Daisy who constantly gets her heart broken but is also constantly falling in love. The story ends with Daisy realizing she doesn’t need to be in love, and she’s happy with her friends and family. Written by Joyous Sun After the Rain [Joy]
- Once Upon a Moonlit Night: A sweet musical about two young warriors who slowly start to fall in love despite being in different Clans. In the end, the lovers bring peace to their warring Clans and live happily ever after. Written by Spark of Brilliant Light [Spark]
- Red Moon Rising: A dark epic opera involving a young warrior exiled from his homeland through his brother’s treachery who must reclaim his honor by felling an evil monster. The story ends in a bittersweet victory as the warrior slays his own brother, who has become a monstrous spirit. Written by Phantom’s Mournful Song [Phantom]
- Shadows Upon Your Wings: A tragedy about a guardian spirit fallen from grace after falling in love with a mortal cat. Though the fallen spirit gave up everything for their love, the mortal cat becomes discontent and runs away with a new lover, causing the fallen spirit to hunt them down and kill them both. Written by Shadows of the Eclipse [Eclipse]
- Starlight Wonderland (Episodic): A mostly non-sensical musical catered to kits that involves a young kit traveling through a magical world filled with adventure and magic. At the end of every episode, the kit returns home after having learned a lesson. New episodes of the story are released once a season. Written by Strong-Hearted Bison [Bison], Ice From the Purest Spring [Glacier], and Rabbit Leaping Over the Moon [Moon]
Common Stageplays
- Ash and Apple: A romantic comedy about the main leads, Ash and Apple. They start as rivals during apprenticeship and eventually fall in love. Written by Twilight Dancing Shadow [Bunny]
- Fire and Ice: A tragic story about a doomed romance between lovers whose Clans were embroiled in war. The lovers die on the battlefield together, both unwilling to lose their beloved to their own kin. Written by Star Fallen into Shadow [Star]
- God of War: A high-action story that romanticizes the life of Bunnystar. Written by Echoes of Distant Stars [Echo] and Rabbit Leaping Over the Moon [Moon]
- Ichor: A dark story of an evil deity who falls in love with a mortal cat. Though the mortal cat also falls in love with the evil deity, she kills him to protect her loved ones from his wicked schemes. Written by Star Fallen into Shadow [Star]
- Newleaf Always Comes: The coming-of-age story of a young tom who feels out of place. With the help of friends, family, and time, he overcomes his inner struggle and lives a happy life. Written by Glorious Shine of Victory [Glory]
- Oh, Cranberry!: A comedy revolving around the life of a ditzy but well-meaning she-cat named Cranberry. After many hijinks, Cranberry eventually falls in love and lives happily ever after. Written by Glorious Shine of Victory [Glory]
- The Lonely Road (Episodic): The epic saga of a handsome wanderer who hunts down evil and brings peace to chaos before leaving. Because of past trauma, the wanderer can never stay in one place for long, and he often leaves broken hearts in his wake. New episodes of the story are released once a season. Written by Glorious Shine of Victory [Glory], Echoes of Distant Stars [Echo], and Joyous Sun After the Rain [Joy]
- To Walk Upon Moonlight: A romantic tale of a deity who fell in love with a mortal. In order to protect her from the other envious deities, he whisks his love away and turns her into a star. Written by Ice From the Purest Spring [Glacier]
Birth of Kits
When a queen gives birth, the Clan starts preparing for a week-long party that will begin a half moon after the kits are born. Usually, cats are told to bring healing herbs, pelts, or gifts for the mother, which they will present on the first day of the party. The celebration continues for the entire week, each day with more cats arriving, and it’s during this time that the other Clans who are looking for new blood will negotiate for kits.
On the final day of the celebration, a festival is held. At the end, the queen will officially present her kits to the Clan and announce their names. This is followed by the Clan introducing themselves to the kits and giving them toys.
Apprentice Ceremony
An apprentice ceremony is held once a litter of kits reaches six moons old.
Kits will be decorated in flowers by their parents and nursery queens in the ceremonial chambers, and they are each given a woven crown of flowers to wear.
“Cats and friends of RavenClan, today marks the start of a new journey for [these kits] as [they] leave the nursery and start [their] lives as working members of RavenClan.” The leader will then call upon one apprentice at a time, announcing what path they have decided to take (warrior, medicine cat, or mediator). “I name [them] now as [Apprentice], and [Mentor] will be [their] mentor. [Mentor], I entrust [Apprentice] to you. Guide [them] and protect [them] as [they] train.”
The apprentice then approaches their new mentor, who puts a coreopsis flower behind their ear to celebrate.
Warrior Ceremony
A warrior ceremony is held after an apprentice, or a group of apprentices, completes all four of their warrior tasks. Friends and families of the apprentices who are in other Clans will be invited to attend.
Apprentices will be decorated in flowers by their mentors in the ceremonial chambers.
“Cats and friends of RavenClan, today we honor [these] cats as they take the next step in life. They have trained tirelessly in these moons to hone their skills, and have shed blood in the name of RavenClan. It is my honor today to present them now to you as fully recognized members of RavenClan. [Apprentice], step forward.”
After the apprentice approaches the Ritual Stone, a sharp piece of obsidian, the leader will ask, “[Apprentice], today you will become a warrior of RavenClan. You will spill your blood and bind yourself forever to us as brothers and sisters in battle. Do you accept your role in RavenClan?”
The apprentice will accept and then slice the bottom of their paw on the Ritual Stone, allowing their blood to flow down the obsidian, and the leader will ask the Clan for suggestions pertaining to the apprentice’s warrior name. Once they have decided on the name, the leader will say, “[Apprentice], I have heard the calls of your Clanmates. From this day forward, you will be known as [Warrior].” The leader will then honor two attributes of the new warrior and welcome them as a full warrior of RavenClan. The crowd will then throw flowers on the new warrior and cheer their new name.
Funeral
RavenClan cats view funerals as the last moments with their loved ones, and they strive to make them happy occasions. Feasts are generally held in honor of the deceased, and cats will go to great lengths to have gifts, trinkets, and treasures to bury alongside the deceased cat’s body.
When a RavenClan cat dies, their bodies will be brought to the center of the camp and placed on a pure white pelt. Bluehearts are used to disguise any injuries or signs of illness that might’ve caused the cat’s death. Every cat will bring flowers to decorate the body, with cats who were the closest to the deceased going first. Typically, the leader will go last and will place a crown of flowers on the deceased cat’s head.
After all flowers have been placed, the eldest medicine cat – or, in some cases, a directly related medicine cat – will lead the Clan in some variation of the following prayer.
“[Name], today you have breathed your last, and the fetters upon your soul have fallen away. You now walk the path of spirits. Please, stay beside us one last night so we may dine with your spirit and bask in your presence for the last time. When the dawn comes, we will bury you with the honor you deserve.”
Once the prayer has been said, cats will eat together and tell fond memories of the deceased. This lasts for the entire day, with cats often coming to give small trinkets and gifts to the deceased in between eating and laughing. When night falls, the medicine cats will carefully wrap the body, along with the burial treasures, in a pelt and carefully carry it to the burial grounds. Cats who were the closest to the deceased will dig their grave and say their final goodbyes before burying their loved ones. A small flat stone carved with unique designs is placed above the grave so that cats can return and mourn the deceased.
Sanglune
During the night of a lunar eclipse, cats will wear bird skulls (traditionally owls, but any large bird of prey works) and stay awake from sunset to sunrise. The point of Sanglune is to embrace the wildness within, and spend a full night without the modern comforts of the established Clan. On that night, all fire is extinguished, and the cats run through the darkness alongside each other in small groups of five to ten. Though words aren’t allowed to be spoken, laughter, growls, and hisses are often heard and encouraged. The only food that can be consumed is meat, and it must be eaten raw.
Solnoir
On the day of a solar eclipse, cats will mark themselves with various paints and dyes in order to resemble the dead. They will spend the eclipse in silent contemplation as they reminisce about their lost loved ones, and afterwards they will gather with their family or close friends in small, intimate gatherings. Solnoir is a time to reflect on the mortality of the living and teaches appreciation for those who are still around.
Delune
The second full moon of every season is called Delune, and cats will dress themselves in flowers – on wreaths, braided into manes or tails, painted on, in crowns, and any other way they can incorporate flowers into their appearance. They typically spend the day gathering dried wood, aromatic herbs, and flowers for a large bonfire pile. At moonhigh, the cats will light the bonfire and cast their flower accessories into the flames as well, after which there is a large feast. When the bonfire dies out, the cats will spread the nutrient-rich ashes across the prairie. The Delune festival celebrates the cycle of life, death, and rebirth, with the flowers representing the living, the fire representing death, and the ashes representing a soul returning to a new body.
Lundamour
During the waxing crescent moon, cats celebrate the Lundamour, a relaxed festival where the camp is decorated with romantic flowers and events for couples are hosted. It’s expected that cats who are courting will meet up during Lundamour for a date night, and younger cats will usually ask their crush to Lundamour in very flashy and exaggerated ways. Romantic stageplays, operas, and musicals are most often shown throughout the day, and they’re consistently sold out moons in advance.
Nouvelune
The first new moon of a season is called Nouvelune, and RavenClan celebrates all kits born in the previous season on this day. During the day, they invite guests and potential foster parents to the Clan, who are expected to bring gifts for the parents and kits themselves. Those interested in fostering a RavenClan kit will also go through a rigorous interview and investigation during this time by the Matrons of the Clan. Once the sun sets, the kits are introduced first to close friends in a more intimate setting, then they are released into a larger play area to meet new friends and potential foster parents. This play area is where cats will spend the majority of the festival, sharing food catered to kit tastes and playing games. Though most kits fall asleep before the night is over, the adults will stay until sunrise, mostly discussing the logistics behind fostering or giving congratulations to the parents.
Corvid Creed
RavenClan follows a set of laws known as the Corvid Creed, or simply “the Creed.” Those who break the laws of the Creed are often punished severely, even risking being exiled from the Clan.
- Your Clan comes first, and you will defend it even at the cost of your own life
- The youngest cats are those with the most life to live, so they are to be protected first
- Elders, queens, sick or injured cats, and kits must be fed before apprentices and warriors
- Animals killed must be used in their entirety. Their lives must not be wasted
- A kit must be at least six moons old to become an apprentice
- Newly appointed warriors will take a vow of silence and make their way around the entire island in quiet reflection
- Cats who endanger the Clan to serve their own needs are sentenced to death, be it an outsider or Clan member
- A cat who joins the Clan has no past. Should they be accepted, they will be defended alongside everyone else, no matter what they might have done
- Cats who do not have a raven within a season must leave
- The Creed may be altered at any time if two-thirds of a Conspiracy advocate for it
- Cats will be judged by a jury of their peers, called the “tiding,” consisting of the three eldest cats and three youngest cats from the judged cat’s Corps, alongside a mediator, a medicine cat, and a leader that isn’t part of their Corps
Culinary Arts
With an abundance of plants and animals, RavenClan adopted a culture of slowly preparing food for their loved ones. It began as a social activity, where cats would talk as they worked, and the desire to spend more time talking led to using new ingredients and inventing more complex recipes. Food is rarely eaten raw when cats aren’t on the move – at home, they roast, boil, or fry their meat before eating. Additionally, RavenClan eats a lot of vegetables and other ingredients that most cats typically don’t. This causes them to remain healthier when prey runs dry, but it can also cause them to get overweight easily if they aren’t as active. Luckily, most RavenClan activities involve lots of exercise, so they typically balance out the calorie-dense food they consume.
RavenClan utilizes bowls, saucers, and cups painstakingly chiseled from rocks for serving food. Large, flat stones are used for cooking, and wooden utensils are carved from sturdy oak logs. Hickory, mesquite, pecan, alder, and oak woodchips are used in different cooking fires in order to infuse meats with different smokey flavors.
See RavenClan Cookbook for more information
Dining Together
RavenClan places a large emphasis on meals and food. Eating alongside one another is a show of trust and acceptance. Being allowed to eat at the same table as a RavenClan cat means that they accept you as a close friend or family or they see you as just another Clanmate. Sharing the same meal is reserved for mates, parents and children, or other close relationships. Additionally, giving gifts of food is their most common expression of love, as it takes a long time to prepare most foods, and it’s considered a labor of love. Refusing food, especially food that was specially prepared for you, is a grave insult. Because of these two traditions, RavenClan cats tend to have a diverse palette. Even if they do not like the food offered, they force themselves to take a few bites (often called a “Chili Bite” since many outsiders can only take a few bites of chili peppers) out of politeness.
Common Ingredients
Non-Meat: Strawberry, blueberry, bell pepper, potato, chestnut, hazelnut, pecan, jicama, guava, papaya, dragon fruit, corn, quinoa, green bean, raspberry, cranberry, blackberry, dewberry, pineapple, pumpkin, sweet potato, honey, wild rice, tomato, cherry, cloudberry, salmonberry, mushroom, persimmon, prickly pear, squash, chili, maca, sunflower seeds, mayhaw, chokeberry, cherry, wapato, cheese, milk, sunroot
Meat: Mouse, gopher, squirrel, rabbit, hare, all sorts of songbirds, prairie chicken, partridge, grouse, weasel, mink, ferret, snake, groundhog, prairie dog, crab, fish, eel, skink, toad, frog, turtle, bat, octopus, squid, shrew, mole, woodrat, chipmunk, snail, clam, oyster, mussel, scallop, lobster, all sorts of freshwater and saltwater fish
Herbs and Spices: Epazote, redbrush lippia, sage, coneflower, yarrow, bee balm, mesquite, chia, catnip, catmint, ancho powder, cayenne pepper, chipotle powder, chili powder, salt, paprika, allspice, rose hips, wild ginger, dandelion, wild licorice
Other: Sunflower seed oil, truffle oil, vinegar
Courses
Typically, RavenClan will host one of three dining styles: four-course, eight-course, and twelve-course meals. Dinner is most often a four-course meal consisting of a soup, an appetizer, a main course, and a dessert. When a more formal meal is necessary, especially during festivals, the eight-course meal is used, which consists of an hors d’oeuvre, a soup, a bread course, an appetizer, a salad, a main course, a palate cleanser, and then a dessert. The twelve-course meal, which consists of an hors d’oeuvre, bread course, soup, appetizer, salad, fish, first main course, palate cleanser, second main course, cheese course, dessert, and mignardise, is usually reserved for greenleaf feasts or other special occasions.
For breakfast, brunch, mid-day meal, lunch, and supper, RavenClan cats will have smaller meals that consist of a soup or small appetizer rather than a full meal. Though not every cat will eat all six meals a day, those that don’t usually have smaller snacks throughout the day to make up the calories.
Hors D’Oeuvre
A lightweight snack that’s served before the actual meal when cats are still walking around or arriving. Typically, these are easy-to-eat and simple.
- Tomatoes (or mushrooms) stuffed with cheese and nuts
- Chestnuts wrapped in crisped boar strips
- Deviled eggs
- Cheese puffs
- Clams topped with toasted cheese and crumbled corn sheet
- Crispy potatoes with various spicy seasonings
Bread
Once everyone has taken their seats, the bread course is served. There will usually be four to seven types of breads, some savory and others sweet, alongside dozens of spreads, oils, and dips. The bread is usually cut or otherwise baked into bite-sized portions so that guests can sample all the different combinations.
- Arepa, usually with a layer of cheese or meat on the inside
- Quinoa loaf, sometimes baked with nuts or fruits
- Bao, though usually it’s presented by itself with a variety of fillings
- Dizzy bread (made with mead), though never at gatherings with kits
- Biscuits
- Brioche, typically presented with sweet jams
- Ciabatta
- Cloud bread, most often presented to those who need to consume fewer calories
- Cornbread
- Flatbread
- Potato bread
- Trona bread, often suggested to try with an oil dip or to save for the soup course
- Sticky bread, which is given to kits to share instead of the traditional bread course
- Sourdough, which is the most commonly served bread
Soup
During the second half of the bread course, the spreads will be cleared away, and a soup with a light broth will be served. For smaller gatherings, only one type of soup is offered, but when there are more guests, they usually have a choice between three to six different soups. Most commonly, these soups will have vegetables, noodles, or dumplings, and the portion sizes are smaller than those offered as a main dish. Additionally, these soups will have a better presentation, topped with flowers, nuts, or colored sauce to create designs. Gazpachos and bisques are common because they can be easily decorated, but plainer soups made from bird or fish meat and a light broth are popular with kits for their simple and tasty flavor.
Appetizer
After the soup course has been cleared away, several appetizers are presented for cats to pick from. They are usually in bite-sized portions and are a little more complex than the hors d’oeuvre, though when the hors d’oeuvre course isn’t present, these two can be interchanged. Cactus spines or thin bone shards are often pierced through the appetizer for easier stacking or eating purposes.
- Meat, pineapple, and mushroom skewers
- Tartlets filled with various cheeses, creams, and seafood chunks
- Pot stickers filled with pork or bird meat and mushrooms
- Meatballs, usually made with boar meat, bison meat, or venison
- Stuffed pasta filled with cheese, pieces of chicken, and mushrooms
Salad
While the appetizer is wrapping up, the salad course is served. Several types of greens – usually dandelion, sunflower leaves, pickleweed, and other seasonal forageables – are presented alongside vinaigrettes and dressings, allowing guests to build a personal salad. Nuts, fruits, chunks of cheese, shredded carrots, boiled eggs, diced crisped boar strips, sunflower seeds, and other toppings are usually also provided, season depending.
Fish
In the middle of the salad course, the fish course is usually served to top the salad itself. Most fish courses are simply deboned, seasoned, and grilled, then placed on top of the salad. In some cases, usually as a sign of respect to visitors, the fish course will be swapped with the main course in order to let the fish course shine more. In this case, bird meat (usually duck or chicken) will be substituted in (though prepared in the same way).
First Main
After the fish course is completed and cleared, the first main course will be served. White meat – usually bird meat – is the main dish, usually slow-roasted or glazed with a thick sauce. Noodles will usually be served with this course, either as a simple bed or used more fully with the meat mixed in. When the fish and first main course are swapped, the fish will take center stage in various ways, such as a full roasted fish, ceviche, sushi, sashimi, or a soup that usually also includes mussels (if the earlier soup course did not have a fish-based soup).
During the smaller four-course meals, the main course will also include vegetables, arepa or cornbread, and sometimes a small salad.
Palate Cleanser
Once the first main course is completed, a palate cleanser will be presented. This gives the cats more time to converse and clean the residual flavors from their mouths. In most cases, water with sage or catmint is served, but in some cases, corn chips or plain bread rolls are offered. In some cases, most commonly when kits are present, cherry sorbet is served instead. This will also act as the dessert portion for kits, who are excused after this course.
Second Main
Once the palate cleanser is over, the second main course, which consists of a dish made with red meat, is presented. When there’s only one main course, either red or white meat can be served. Most commonly, the second main dish features a hearty stew or flame-grilled steak and will be given alongside a potato dish (typically mashed, boiled, or fried). A favorite among RavenClan is bison meat slow-roasted with animal fat, blood, potatoes, carrots, and chili powder served over mashed potatoes – this dish is often called Wolf Stew.
The second main course is often presented alongside an alcoholic beverage for those who request it. During meals where there is only one main course, alcohol is not provided unless no kits are present.
Cheese
After the second main course, a cheese course is served. Similar to the bread course from earlier, five to ten types of cheeses – a variety that includes at least one firm, soft, spicy, mild, and pungent type each – are offered alongside dipping oils. These bite-sized chunks of cheese will often have fruit, jam, or nuts mixed inside them, though plain cheese is also served. In more formal gatherings, more firm cheese is carved into flowers or animals and will be presented to guests of honor.
Dessert
During the cheese course, a choice of desserts will be presented and then delivered. These desserts are the most artful of all the courses: pastries designed to look like flowers, spun sugar forming complex shapes, and small cakes with flowers and fruits used as decorative accents. Simple choices – such as pies, cobblers, and custards – are also offered to those who prefer them. Additionally, those without a sweet tooth will also have the choice of a savory meat pie.
Mignardise
The final course is presented as cats begin to leave the meal. A mignardise is a bite-sized confectionery, usually a candied fruit or cookie, that is presented for cats to take as they leave. Sometimes, flowers made from spun sugar or candied fermented cherries are also given out.
Ettiquite
RavenClan doesn’t focus too much on manners or formality, but there are still a few expectations that are to be followed.
- Cats shouldn’t approach a kit unless its an emergency, even if its to deliver food or toys. Standard procedure is to approach the caretaker first and get permission
- It’s inappropriate for a cat to enter a private or smaller den without announcing their names first. In the case of personal living quarters, they are also expected to get permission before entering
- When visiting an older cat, it’s expected to bring a small trinket or personalized gift. When visiting a younger cat, it’s expected to bring food
- Cats must be invited to sit beside someone who’s eating – they cannot simply join them. It’s customary to approach a friend and ask to sit, though more often than not cats will call to the ones they’re expecting before they even approach
- When using one of the spas or bathing, it’s not appropriate to look at another cat. Most often, they will have their eyes closed anyway, but when they need to open them to use oils or soaps, the cats will divert their attention elsewhere. A cat who chooses to bathe privately should never be disturbed
Fighting
RavenClan views fighting as an integral part of their life, and they usually participate in deadly struggles as a pastime. They typically have a higher muscle mass than other cats due to their diet and take full advantage of it while harassing other cats and wildlife.
Mobbing
RavenClan cats almost always travel in groups, and they take advantage of their numbers to gang up on enemies. In larger groups, they partake in a “mobbing” behavior – they will circle the opponent, attacking the enemy’s back and sides whenever they turn to defend themselves. Their ravens will also get in on the action, swooping in to peck at the eyes and ears of the target if they ever get close to landing a solid hit on a RavenClan cat. When mercy is an option, one side of the mobbing ring is deliberately left thinner so the enemy may use it to escape. Otherwise, the mobbing will continue until one of the enemy’s vital points is hit or they collapse from exhaustion.
Mobbing is typical of the Commerce Corps, who will encircle the enemy until a ranger arrives to dispatch them.
Close Combat
The preferred combat method of the Military Corps is close combat, especially when in Dayflower formation. With their powerful forelimbs and broad chests, RavenClan cats will grapple an opponent and use their full body to prevent the enemy from fighting or escaping. Because this also renders the fighter unable to attack, their partner in the Dayflower formation will attack the enemy from the back or sides. They repeat this process whenever the enemy escapes the grapple until the battle is won.
In a Trillium formation, RavenClan cats usually circle the enemy and charge, body slamming the enemy and allowing the others to dart in and attack while the enemy is laid low. The charging cat is usually the bulkiest member of the formation. While charging, they will also yank on legs, scruffs, tails, and ears to distract the enemy as much as possible to prevent it from turning on their battlemates, leaving them as the most vulnerable. A charger usually needs to have a high pain tolerance and will usually be armored so they can be as safe as possible. In contrast, the striking members of the formation will focus on offense as they aim for the throat, belly, or eyes.
The Starflower formation is the largest and is reserved for fighting predators such as coyotes or hunting large hooved animals. Two cats, typically the fastest ones, will bait the enemy into chasing or attacking by screeching and attacking the hindquarters. Another cat, usually the captain, will be responsible for climbing up the enemy’s side and neck to aim for their throat or eyes. To protect the climber, the other four cats will attack the enemy’s legs, belly, or chest to distract them. In the case of a particularly large or dangerous enemy, there will be multiple climbers who will protect each other by ripping at the enemy’s face whenever they try to turn on the other climber.
Formations
When necessary, Crews will be broken down into the Dayflower or Trillium formations, or a Squadron will form multiple Starflower formations.
Two cats: Dayflower formation
Three cats: Trillium formation
Seven cats: Starflower formation. Formed from two Trillium formations and one captain, who is typically the Palmarum or Nasicus
Equipment
RavenClan specializes in flowered armor, where they dress themselves in heavy-smelling flowers that distract the enemy – most usually other cats – with the overwhelming scent. This flower armor is painstakingly renewed before every fight, and it takes a few dozen large blooms for every armor set. Because the armor isn’t used for actual protection, it’s usually designed in an aesthetically appealing way and customized for each cat based on their preferences.
Additionally, RavenClan also utilizes claw extenders. Some, usually the assassins or strikers, prefer the serrated edge of ripping claws for maximum damage, while others prefer the hooked version for better grappling or non-battle use, such as fishing. Most cats will opt for the plain extenders that they can wear on the regular, and a select few have chosen to use poisoned claws. Though uncommon, some cats also choose to use fang extenders with various effects applied to them.
Nets of interlaced vines, caltrops made of polished stones, panniers of woven sticks, and goggles made of clear polished gemstone are also used, though typically by cats other than the Military Corps, who prefer battle-centric equipment only.
Training
At least once every three days, cats are expected to train for battle, even if they’re already warriors. When training, a large group observes the spar. Afterward, they will discuss what worked and what didn’t before moving on to the next sparring match. This often will last for an entire day with just a small group of cats, as observing the spar tends to cause them to become excited and want to try again.
Once a moon, cats in the Military Corps are also expected to have a border dispute with another group and participate in a relatively large-scale battle. Though this is typically handled through routine border patrols or defending against the Resurrectionist cultists, sometimes the Military Corps will form a patrol and entice a battle with another Clan or even the Kings of different biomes. This routine battle keeps the skills of the Military Corps sharp – even if other Clans find it annoying.
Fire Utilization
After witnessing rogues of the prairie using flames from the volcano as an object of worship, RavenClan developed several new methods of utilizing it.
RavenClan developed large circular stone structures that are designed to keep flames burning and provide warmth for a den. These hearths started off being made from mud and straw, but over time new building methods improved them to be safer and more stable. Nowadays, a RavenClan hearth is about a fox-length across and made of a sturdy sand and stone mixture.
Flowers
Abundant in the grasslands, each flower has a special meaning for RavenClan, and they are often tended to with great care. Droppings and discarded crowfood are often buried among the flowers in order to help nourish them.
Agarita – Serenity despite discord. Blooms from late leafbare to mid-newleaf
Alpine Azalea – Indicates someone who’s level-headed. Blooms in greenleaf
Alstroemeria – Friendship, especially after a rocky patch. Blooms from greenleaf to leaf-fall
Anthurium – Abundance. Blooms sporadically year-round
Aster – Indicates someone with a wild personality. Blooms from late greenleaf to leaf-fall
Beebalm – Finding peace after grief. Blooms from newleaf to greenleaf
Bindweed – Indicates someone who is resilient. Blooms from early greenleaf and early leaf-fall
Birds of Paradise – Gifted to someone of great beauty. Blooms from leafbare to greenleaf
Black Dalea – Integrity. Blooms from late greenleaf to leaf-fall
Blackberry Blossoms – Pride, typically to denote a proud mother. Blooms from mid newleaf to early greenleaf
Blackfoot Daisy – Stubbornness, usually to the detriment of oneself. Blooms from early newleaf to leaf-fall
Blue-eyed Grass – Admiration of beauty. Blooms in newleaf
Bluebell – Loyalty, particularly to friends. Blooms in greenleaf
Blueberry Blossoms – Good wishes, traditionally given to new apprentices. Blooms in newleaf
Bluebonnet – Admiration of bravery. Blooms in early newleaf
Bluehearts – Happiness. Blooms year-round
Bluestar – Tenacity. Blooms from late newleaf to early greenleaf
Bog Laurel – Consolation, usually given to a loser of a competition. Blooms in newleaf
Bog Onion – Indicates someone who is unremarkable. Blooms from newleaf to early greenleaf
Bog Rosemary – Bad omens. Blooms in newleaf
Buffalo Plum – Indicates someone foolish. Blooms in newleaf
Buffalo Rose – Endurance through hard times. Blooms from newleaf to greenleaf
Bugbane – Indicates someone with a bland personality. Blooms in greenleaf
Buttercup – Finding happiness in simple things. Blooms in newleaf
Butterfly Weed – Prosperity, good fortune. Blooms from newleaf to late greenleaf
Cardinal Flower – Heartbreak. Blooms from greenleaf to leaf-fall
Chicory – Accepting romantic intentions. Blooms from greenleaf to leaf-fall
Chokeberry – Dedication to an unpleasant job, usually given to leaders or mediators. Blooms from newleaf to greenleaf
Clover – Hospitality. Blooms in newleaf
Coral Bean – Adoration, typically from lovers. Blooms from newleaf to mid-greenleaf
Coralroot – Rejection of romance, with the intention to remain friends. Blooms in early greenleaf
Coreopsis – New beginnings. Blooms year-round
Cottongrass – Wonderment. Blooms from greenleaf to leaf-fall
Cranberry Blossom – Dependability. Blooms from newleaf to greenleaf
Dandelion – Indicates someone who has suffered hardships. Blooms from newleaf to leaf-fall
Desert Paeonia – Luck. Blooms year-round
Desert Willow – Ferocity. Blooms in newleaf
Dewberry Blossom – Good luck, usually before a sport or competition. Blooms in early newleaf
Eryngo – Aggression, though with a positive tone. Blooms from greenleaf to early leaf-fall
Evening Primrose – Fickleness, particularly in love. Blooms from late newleaf to early greenleaf
False Dragonhead – Obedience, with a negative tone. Blooms from newleaf to greenleaf
False Indigo – Diligence. Blooms from late newleaf to early greenleaf
Fetid Passionflower – Hatred. Blooms from greenleaf to leaf-fall
Fire Pink – Firm rejection. Blooms from mid-newleaf to mid greenleaf
Fireweed – Peace. Blooms from late newleaf to greenleaf
Firewheel – Loyalty and everlasting love. Blooms from late newleaf to early greenleaf
Flame Acanthus – New opportunities. Blooms from greenleaf to leaf-fall
Fleabane – Disdain, particularly in response to love. Blooms from newleaf to greenleaf
Flytrap – Fidelity in love. Blooms year-round
Fragrant Mimosa – Often given to new mothers as a congratulations. Blooms from newleaf to greenleaf
Gayfeather – Joy despite hardship. Blooms from late greenleaf through leafbare
Giant Hyssop – Serenity. Blooms in greenleaf
Gloriosa Daisy – Pride, particularly after accomplishing something. Blooms in greenleaf
Goldeneye – Denotes a dangerous path. Blooms from greenleaf to leaf-fall
Goldenrod – Indicates a good-natured cat. Blooms from late greenleaf to leaf-fall
Heartleaf Rosemallow – Nobility. Blooms year-round
Honeysuckle – Romantic interest. Blooms from mid-newleaf to greenleaf
Ironweed – Indicates someone who is unapproachable or aggressive. Blooms from greenleaf to early leafbare
Jewelweed – Indicates someone who’s pretty on the outside and not the inside. Blooms from greenleaf to leaf-fall
Kalmia – Optimism. Blooms from newleaf to early greenleaf
Lantana – Fiery spirit. Blooms from newleaf to greenleaf
Larkspur – Scholarly pursuits. Blooms from greenleaf to leaf-fall
Leadplant – Overcoming odds. Blooms in greenleaf
Lilac – Youthful confidence. Blooms in newleaf
Lily – Happiness. Blooms from early grenleaf to leaf-fall
Lobelia – Curiosity. Blooms in leaf-fall
Magnolia – Stability. Blooms from late leafbare to early greenleaf
Milkweed – Congratulations. Blooms from greenleaf to leaf-fall
Mistflower – Steadfastness against evil. Blooms from late greenleaf to leaf-fall
Moonvine – Home, often given to those on long journeys. Blooms from greenleaf to leaf-fall
Mountain Pink – Healing. Blooms from newleaf to greenleaf
Nemophila – Good luck, particularly in love. Blooms in newleaf
Orchid – Celebration of uniqueness. Blooms from newleaf to leaf-fall
Partridge Pea – Used to congratulate a cat who graduated before their peers. Blooms from early greenleaf to early leafbare
Penstemon – Indicates someone who gossips too much. Blooms from newleaf to early greenleaf
Phlox – Harmony, union. Blooms in early newleaf
Pitcher Plant – Denotes a dangerous place. Blooms year-round
Poppy – Indicates someone with a nurturing personality. Blooms from newleaf to greenleaf
Prairie-fire – Trust. Blooms in early newleaf
Prairie Coneflower – Protection against evil. Blooms from late newleaf to mid-greenleaf
Prairie Flax – Indicates someone who is short-sighted. Blooms year-round in the early morning
Prairie Onion – Intelligence. Blooms in greenleaf
Prickly Poppy – Indicates someone who is unfriendly. Blooms in newleaf
Purple Buckeye – Finding joy in fleeting moments. Blooms late leafbare to early newleaf
Purple Mountain Laurel – Strength. Blooms in newleaf
Purple Sage – Dedication. Blooms year-round
Queen-of-the-Prairie – Arrogance stemming from great beauty. Blooms in greenleaf
Rabbit Pea – Friendship. Blooms in late newleaf to greenleaf
Rain Lily – Elegance and beauty. Blooms after rainfall
Red Columbine – Platonic affection. Blooms in newleaf
Redbud – Courage in the face of death. Blooms from newleaf to early greenleaf
Rhodora – Piety. Blooms in newleaf and greenleaf
Small Camas – Strong family bonds. Blooms from late newleaf to early greenleaf
Sneezeweed – A cheerful outlook on life. Blooms from late greenleaf to leaf-fall
Snowy Orchid – High energy. Blooms sporadically year-round
Spider Lily – Love and loyalty. Blooms in newleaf
Spiderwort – Wisdom. Blooms from late leafbare to early greenleaf
Standing Cypress – Used to ward off evil. Blooms from late newleaf to leaf-fall
Star Thistle – Deception. Blooms in greenleaf
Sundew – Lasting friendship. Blooms year-round
Sunflower – Fertility. Blooms year-round
Sunroot – Love despite fear of heartbreak. Blooms in late greenleaf
Swamp Tea – A sign to slow down and enjoy life. Blooms in early greenleaf
Thimbleweed – Indicates someone who is kind. Blooms during greenleaf
Tree Cholla – Given to indicate someone is given a second chance. Blooms from late newleaf to early greenleaf
Verbena – Faith. Blooms in times of heavy rainfall
Vetch – Courage. Blooms in newleaf
Windflower – Encouragement. Blooms in newleaf
Wood Lily – Healing, particularly from emotional trauma. Blooms in greenleaf
Woundwort – Being steadfast and patient. Blooms from mid-greenleaf to leaf-fall
Yarrow – Hidden danger, usually used to warn of a suspicious visitor. Blooms from greenleaf to early leaf-fall
Yellow Bells – Hope. Blooms from newleaf to leaf-fall
Yellow Lotus – Abundance. Blooms from late newleaf to greenleaf
Yucca – Finding oneself. Blooms in greenleaf
Zinnia – Victory. Blooms year-round
Cherry Blossoms
RavenClan took the cherry blossom as their personal emblem. The beauty and delicate nature of the blossom are lovely, but the real power of the plant lies within the fruit that the beauty can bear. It’s deceptively tasty and appealing, but consuming the entire fruit reveals that the inner core is a deadly toxin that punishes those who are too greedy. Though many Scholars wax poetic about the symbolism, the truth is that many cats love the cherry blossom due to its association with the Lover’s Rock, the tasty foods made with the flesh of cherries, and the appearance of the flower itself.
Flower Gifting
- When a she-cat gives birth, cats will often bring flowers to show support. The most common are small camas, flame acanthus, coreopsis, fragrant mimosa, and bluehearts.
- Apprentices are gifted flowers by their mentors during their apprentice ceremonies. The most common are vetch, yucca, and desert paeonia. Mentors may also gift their apprentices flowers that they believe suit their personality, such as lantana or snowy orchids.
- Before their warrior ceremony, cats will pick a flower they believe represents themself and will wear it to their ceremony. Other cats will also gift them flowers as they pass by, usually well-wishing flowers (such as windflowers, fireweed, and bluehearts). Those who are particularly close with the new warrior will gift flowers with more personal meanings, such as small camas from parents or bluebell from close friends
- Cats will begin courtship when one gives the other honeysuckle. If the other cat reciprocates, they will give their love interest a chicory root. After a few moons of courtship, one of the cats will offer the other phlox to make their romance official. When they want kits, they’ll offer each other sunflowers and decorate their den with them as well
- Cats will often leave flowers in each other’s nest as a form of communication, either because they have trouble saying the words aloud or – more commonly – they just tend not to see each other. They will rub their scent on the flower to make sure the recipient knows who left it
- When a cat wants to break up with their mate, they will give them a cardinal flower. If it’s a rather bitter breakup, often due to cheating, the fetid passionflower will be given instead
Hierarchy
RavenClan cats emphasize personal achievement and reputation over bloodlines or politics. Cats must distinguish themselves through unique feats of strength, ingenuity, or intelligence. Though this hierarchy isn’t a formal thing, it’s well-known that cats who have a higher reputation will typically be able to secure more talented apprentices, have more opportunities for leadership, and will generally be more trusted. Both kits and apprentices are a source of reputation for cats, so both parents and mentors have high expectations of them.
Kits born to highly respected or talented parents will usually have prospective mentors swarming over them for training. While this may boost a young apprentice’s reputation at first, failing to live up to the legacy of their parents or mentor typically means their reputation takes a more severe hit due to supposedly squandering the opportunities given to them. Alternatively, kits born outside of the Clan are given more leniency when making mistakes or taking a long time to learn.
Because it can potentially become a toxic situation for parents or mentors to put too much pressure on their charge, Sergeants and Den Mothers have the responsibility of protecting the apprentices and kits, respectively, and will even step in to take the young cat away. However, this is an unusual case as RavenClan is built on the concept of protecting the young and weak, and cats who are found to be abusing their charges will typically be spurned or even told to leave.
Military Chain of Command
The Military Corps has a unique hierarchy that indicates which cat should be listened to in the heat of battle. This chain of command allows RavenClan to continue fighting seamlessly even when their commanders are incapacitated since the next cat in line will simply pick up the command. This hierarchy is rather strict and formal to prevent confusion on the battlefield, though it doesn’t carry into the day-to-day lives of the cats, and it’s typically based on a combination of experience, skill, and reputation.
Hunting
Because the grassland is home to primarily burrowing animals, RvenClan tends to hunt prairie dogs, snakes, gophers, and other rodents. Less commonly, turtles, bats, and opossums are also eaten. Most bird species, such as the grouse and roadrunner, are also very common prey. Some cats will leap into the air to catch a bird flying by, though this isn’t a reliable hunting method and is typically done just to show off.
Digging
Because the prairie is abundant in burrowing animals, RavenClan has become very adept at digging out their prey. Typically, they’ll locate fresh dirt or known prey holes and try to find loose or wet soil. If the soil is too hard, they will usually lay dripping wet moss across it to moisten it up enough to be easy to dig. Once the soil is ready, cats will usually dig into the ground with their claws – which have been honed extensively until they’re sharp enough for harder ground – and scoop out the prey as they find them. When dealing with a multi-exit burrow, cats will usually try to dig into the exit pathway in order to trap their prey. All RavenClan cats are taught how to locate, track, and collapse burrows so that they can dig them out easier.
Fishing
Although most cats don’t regularly fish, it’s not uncommon for a group of cats to go on an outing to the beach, where they’ll dive for shellfish and mollusks. They typically keep their prey in large woven baskets with lids that can be tied down so that they can bring the various shellfish back to camp alive. During leaf-fall, RavenClan cats will often travel to the coast to catch as many salmon as possible. This salmon is then smoked, fermented, or otherwise treated so that the Clan can enjoy the fish throughout leafbare.
Magic
RavenClan practices Draconis magic, but they view it as a mundane skill not suitable for honorable battle. Magic is more often used for growing plants, research, cleaning, maintaining camp humidity or temperature, and keeping the reservoir flowing. Though no role is primarily focused on magic, most cats in the Administration Corps have learned some magics in order to help with their duties around camp. Pathfinders and similar Commerce Corps cats learn divination-type magic as well to help them plan their courses better.
Metaphors and Sayings
- “See you when the moonvines bloom” – said by a cat who is leaving on a long journey. Moonvines represent home for RavenClan, thus the phrase more or less means “I’ll come back home”
- “May the western winds be at your back” – said as both a goodbye and a good luck to a cat who is leaving on a trip or to battle
- “Bless your/their little head” – said about someone who is stupid
- “Bless your/their little heart” – said about someone who is rude or unkind
- “All petals, no thorns” – said about someone who speaks a lot but doesn’t act on their words
- “Bowed up like a prairie rooster” – said about someone who is overly confident
- “Got a sticker in your whisker?” – usually said to someone who is upset for no apparent reason
- “Got less sense than a tumbleweed” – said about someone who is stupid
- “Pretty as a boar’s behind” – said about someone who is ugly
- “Got the face of a frog, and half the brains” – said about someone who is both ugly and stupid
- “The hearth is hot but the fire’s out” – said about someone who is stupid but doesn’t realize it
- “And if I had wings, I’d be a bird” – said in response to a useless hypothetical
- “Thinks the sun comes up just to hear him crow” – said about someone vain
- “Useful as tits on a boar” – said about something useless
- “Calling a locust the swarm” – said when something is being blown out of proportion
- “Like a tick on a deer” – said about someone who is overly clingy
- “Slick as a snake on ice” – said about someone who thinks they are clever but aren’t
- “Not the sharpest claw on the paw” – said about someone who is stupid
- “Colder than an owl’s widow” – either said about someone who is metaphorically cold, or said about the physical cold temperature
- “Even a blind owl can crash into a tree” – said to disparage someone’s achievement, either by calling it a fluke or by saying it’s not much of an achievement at all
- “Could fall into a river and miss the water” – said about someone who is a poor hunter, or stupid
- “Biting snake tails” – said when someone is provoking a fight they probably shouldn’t
- “An apple short of a picnic” – said about someone who is crazy, or stupid
- “Belly high to a grasshopper” – said in reference to someone’s height or size, usually when comparing a kit’s growth since last the speaker saw them
- “Been a moon of seasons” – said when referring to a long wait time, usually when telling someone it’s been too long since they’ve seen each other
- “He takes the seeds and not the flower” – said when someone is particularly greedy or wasteful, referencing those who only take the sunflower seeds and don’t use them in their entirety. May also reference someone who is ignorant of true worth
- “Can’t make moonlight from mud” – a metaphor for “the end product won’t be good if the materials are bad”
- “Hold your hares” – said when referring to someone who is being impatient
- “It could be a cloudless day and I’d still get struck by lightning” – said when someone is having particularly bad luck
- “The rotten eggs smell first” – said when referring to someone who is acting poorly
Naming
RavenClan cats have a personal name and a long-form name, known as their Clan name, as well as a designation based on their lineage and position. Personal names may be based on their long-form names – such as a cat named Raven having the long-form name “Frost Upon the Raven’s Wings” – or they could be entirely different – such as a cat named Lilac having the long-form name “She Who Speaks to Stars.”
Typically, kits will be named based on their parents, friends, or families, either within their personal name or their long-form name. A cat with a friend named “Doe” may have a child with the long-form name of “Doe Grazing on Clover,” with a personal name of Clover, or a cat whose father’s name was Snowbloom may name their child something like Snowflake.
Kits won’t be given an official name until they’re about a half-moon old since their coat colors haven’t grown in yet. This also allows some kits to be named after particular personality traits.
Designation Key
Sand – Desert
Wind – Prairie
Tree – Forest
Bog – Marsh
Cliff – Mountain
Fangs – Warrior
Whisper – Pathfinder
Heart – Den Mother
Spirit – Matron
Song – Mediator
Leaf – Medicine Cat
Feather – Deputy
Moon – Leader
Watcher – Sentry
Snake – Assassin
Stone – Guardian
Strike – Ranger
Wing – Striker
Shadow – Scholar
Ripple – Architect
Flower – Entertainer
Sun – Champion
Frost – Steward
Paws – Apprentice
Organization
RavenClan is divided into three Corps: administration, military, and commerce. Each Corps has its own leader (known as the Corvus), who is supported by a collection of “subrank” leaders (known as the Coraxes). When important decisions are made, a gathering is called based on which Corps it affects. If the decision only concerns one Corps, the meeting is called an Unkindness, and only the Corvus and Coraxes of that Corps are called to vote. When the decision affects multiple Corps, the meeting will involve all three Corvuses (the third one attends for tie-breaking purposes, even if it only affects two Corps) and all Coraxes. This type of meeting is called a Conspiracy. In both cases, all fully-fledged RavenClan cats are allowed to attend the meeting to observe and give counsel.
Regiments
Each Corps is broken down into several subranks known as regiments. Each regiment is led by a Corax, who is typically either the most experienced or the eldest cat.
Administration Regiments
The Administration Corps tends to the day-to-day needs of the Clan and camp.
Corvus: Dark Moth in the Night
Architects
Cats who design, monitor, and maintain the integrity of the camp or other facilities. Their responsibilities include doing routine inspections, designing new architectural schematics, researching and experimenting with new building materials, organizing relocation in case of emergency, reviewing and approving renovations, and performing maintenance and renovations. Architects must be detail-oriented, able to focus on long-term projects, and able to work well during emergency situations.
Corax: Jumps into Endless Seas
Den Mothers
Cats, not always she-cats, who tend to the everyday needs of kits. Their responsibilities include nursing, teaching early life skills, kit-sitting, monitoring for signs of illness, cleaning kits, and otherwise providing for the kits of the Clan. Den Mothers must be gentle, patient, and detail-oriented, and they must have a strong mothering instinct.
Corax: Strong-Hearted Bison
Matrons
Cats who guard the nursery and escort kits. Their responsibilities include ensuring the safety of Den Mothers and kits, maintaining contact with foster parents of RavenClan kits, monitoring the health and happiness of kits who have left the Clan, and fighting those who mistreat kits. Matrons must possess a keen mind, a strong and well-trained body, and an eye for details, and they must be willing to use great amounts of violence when it comes to protecting kits.
Corax: Eyes of Endless Frost
Mediators
Cats who help resolve the day-to-day arguments within the Clan and act as diplomats with other Clans. Their responsibilities include mediating arguments, giving advice and support to cats struggling with mental health, listening and providing confidentiality to those needing advice, maintaining peaceful relationships with other groups, and taking the initiative to help those who seem to be struggling. Mediators must have a calm personality and be able to resolve issues with an unbiased perspective.
Corax: Shade of the Fluffy Cloud
Medicine Cats
Cats who maintain the Clan’s physical health, interpret weather or potential dangers, and act as spiritual guides. Their responsibilities include tending to the sick or wounded, gathering medicinal herbs, researching new treatment methods, creating medicines, providing spiritual guidance, and interpreting weather or natural patterns. Medicine cats must have talent with herbs, medicines, or sign interpretation.
Corax: Dandelion Drifting in the Wind
Scholars
Cats who collect knowledge and keep records of births, deaths, ceremonies, and more. Their responsibilities include providing information to cats, studying alongside other Clans to learn various new technologies, keeping records of Clan members, rediscovering lost history, and helping other regiments with research and experimentation. Scholars must have a love for knowledge and the ability to keep immaculate records.
Corax: Echoes of Distant Stars
Sergeants
Cats who have the responsibility of making sure apprentices are progressing well. Their responsibilities include overseeing apprentice training, performing apprentice assessments, designing and maintaining training arenas, researching training methods, assigning and reassigning mentors, and monitoring the health and stability of apprentices. Sergeants must be detail-oriented, well-organized, and able to predict potential problems between a mentor and apprentice.
Corax: Spider Racing in the Wind
Stewards
Cats who tend to the day-to-day needs of the Clan. Their responsibilities include organizing and monitoring supplies, arranging patrols, advising the Corvuses, overseeing daily chores, supervising prisoners, and performing assessments on communal areas. Stewards must be steadfast, highly intelligent, and prepared to work jobs that might seem menial or boring.
Corax: Lovely Dappled Oak
Military Regiments
The Miliary Corps focuses on maintaining the power of the Clan, with the majority of the fighting being their area of expertise.
Military Corvus: Shadow of the Scorched Tree
Assassins
Cats who are given the task of killing specific targets. Their battle position is typically skulking around the edges of battle until an opportune moment or tracking down a specific target in their own home territory. Assassins must be intelligent, ruthless, and lethal, and they must be entirely willing to take the life of another cat when ordered to.
Champions
Cats who are honored for their immense skill. Their battle position varies as they can perform any job required of other Military regiments. Champions must have extraordinary skill and have distinguished themselves in battle.
Corax: Rabbit that Leaps into the Sky
Guardians
Cats who work as a team to ensure the safety of the Clan. Their battle positions are typically at the camps or facilities, as they are the first line of defense in case of attack. Guardians must be large and intimidating, with a well-maintained physique and good teamwork skills.
Corax: Bloom of Noble Vetch
Sentries
Cats who are trained to spot and efficiently react to potential threats. Their battle positions are at specific opportune locations across the territory that allow them to locate, assess, and react to threats quickly. Sentries must be focused and unafraid to fight alone, and they must have the ability to communicate with the ravens so they can receive and send messages.
Strikers
Cats who strike first and retreat. Their battle positions are typically at the outskirts of the fray, allowing them to dart in and deal as much damage as possible while maintaining a steady eye on the battlefield. Strikers must be fast on their paws, talented in evasive maneuvers, and have a knack for identifying where they are most needed.
Corax: Drifting Plum Blossoms
Commerce Regiments
The Commerce Corps focuses on growing and maintaining the Clan’s wealth.
Commerce Corvus: Wren Upon the Burning Sands
Entertainer
Cats who work during festivals. See Festivals for more information. Entertainers must be well-coordinated, able to take direction, have immense stamina, and have an overall pretty appearance.
Corax: Glorious Shine of Victory
Merchant
Cats who trade with other Clans or outsiders. They spend very little time at home as they tend to travel across the island as much as possible, trading whatever they can to bring new materials home to the Clan. Merchants must have a silvery tongue and generally high charisma, and they must be both steadfast and fearless when it comes to making deals.
Corax: Cottontail in the Meadow
Pathfinder
Cats who discover new paths for merchants. They make connections with new groups, build and maintain roads, and usually work alongside merchant caravans in order to scout out potential dangers. Pathfinders must be forward-thinking, quick on their paws, and hardworking.
Corax: Grackle Swooping in the Sky
Ranger
Cats who protect the roads. They bring down any threats to the caravans or roads with extreme prejudice, and they are greatly respected for their skill. Rangers must be experienced, relentless, focused, and generally extremely skilled – it’s an honor to be considered skilled enough to become a ranger.
Corax: Solemn Hymn of Fallen Stars
Crews and Squadrons
When learning to work together, apprentices will be grouped into Crews of 3-6 cats, each with different Regiments and usually with different Corps. These Crews are led by a Palmarum, who is typically the eldest, and they usually create close bonds over the seasons of working together. In some cases, especially as personalities begin to develop and relationships form, adult cats will change their Crew and will usually group up with friends or littermates that they work well with.
When 2-4 Crews come together, they form a Squadron. The oldest Palmarum becomes the Nasicus, who oversees the Squadron. These
Personality and Physique
RavenClan is built on the concept of open emotions, and they tend to be extremely boisterous. It’s common for cats to have heated arguments over small things before coming back together later and apologizing. If newcomers join their ranks, they typically try to test how well they’ll fit in, usually starting with pranks. Because RavenClan is meant to be a tight-knit group, this hazing never escalates past tricking a cat into getting sprayed by a skunk or sniffing owl droppings. Once a cat has been accepted, every cat in the Clan would throw away their life to protect them, even if it means certain destruction.
Beauty Standards
RavenClan has complicated beauty standards that actually rely on the Corps of the cat.
Military Corps cats find those who have many scars to be attractive, though missing limbs and tails aren’t. Muscular body frames, paler fur, and darker eyes are the most aesthetically pleasing to them. Personality wise, the Military Corps prefers calm and collected, or honest and hardworking. They look down upon vanity and cowardice.
Commerce Corps cats put a higher emphasis on aesthetic beauty and hygeine than the other Corps. Shiny and thick fur, a dainty or slender frame, intricate patterns, and brightly-colored eyes are considered more attractive, while heavy scarring, dirt or grime, and solid coats are not. Most cats prefer those with many accessories and floral scents, and personality isn’t much of an issue so long as the cat isn’t a complete slob.
Administrative Corps cats are more focused on personality, particularly favoring hardworking, serious, and intelligent traits. They find darker pelts with few accessories to be more attractive, but in most cases aesthetic beauty has nothing to do with attraction.
RavenClan Physical Adaptatons
While not all RavenClan cats have all of these adaptations, the ones that thrive the best in their environment have at least a few.
- Large paws to help with digging and grappling
- Thick and sharp claws to help with digging
- Extremely dense fur, especially on paws and tail, to help avoid burrs sticking into the skin
- Well-defined legs, powerful shoulders, and strong back muscles that help with jumping
- Larger ears to aid in heat diffusion
Kitten Coloration
When RavenClan kits are born, they’re entirely white and have very thick, fluffy fur. It’s unknown why this happens, but it’s often called the “Snowball Phase.” After half a moon, the kit will start to lose this extremely fluffy fur as their regular kitten fur begins to grow in. The molting phase, as it is known, will last anywhere from a few days to a full moon, and afterward, the kit will have a paler, slightly fuzzier version of their adult coat. Once the kit reaches about four moons, their paler coats will shed out, and their adult colors will fully come in.
Personal Combat
RavenClan encourages emotional expression, including violence. When cats become angry at one another, it’s usually expected that they brawl it out until both cats feel better. These fights tend to be fast and brutal, full of biting and screeching as both cats vent their anger with each other. Though most cats are well aware of their own strength and limits and very rarely become too violent, if things get out of hand, other cats will intervene and haul the two fighting apart. When this happens, the cat who escalated will be punished. Additionally, picking a fight with a cat who is unwilling or unable to fight will result in getting punished as well.
Print-Poke Writing
The print-poke writing method was developed using a series of four dots in various formations to indicate a specific phonetic sound. There are 44 combinations of these dots on a 2×4 grid used to create every phonetic sound. Using leather or papyrus, the cat writing will meticulously pierce their claws through to create raised holes on the other side (effectively, they must notate backward). These scrolls are carefully treated with beeswax in order to preserve their fundamental shape even after the material has been rolled back up for easier storage.
Prisoners
Outsiders who are caught stealing or other minor crimes are often held in camp as prisoners. The length of their stay is determined by the Administrative Corvus, who typically bases it on what crimes they committed. In most cases, cats are held for less than a moon before they are released. Those who committed more serious crimes, usually invaders, are held for longer and sometimes are executed if their behavior worsens.
Imprisonment in RavenClan isn’t particularly bad. They provide shelter and one meal a day, though it’s not the best food, and they will tend to injuries and illnesses if they are severe enough. Additionally, RavenClan makes extensive use of prisoner labor. Because they have such a large camp that requires extensive upkeep, they will have their healthy prisoners clean, dig, or do other physical labor. Younger or elderly cats are instead given menial tasks such as cleaning produce or itemizing caravan returns. In exchange for labor, RavenClan will often reduce the sentence by a few days. Cats who committed serious crimes are not given this opportunity.
Ravens
As the name “RavenClan” implies, ravens play a considerable role in the Clan’s culture and day-to-day life. Ravens live freely in the camp and territory, and many ravens will select a cat as “their” cat, often helping with hunts, assessments, fighting, or even bringing them food and medicine when they feel unwell. These bonded ravens are easy to pick out from a crowd due to small accessories, berry paints, or more that they are gifted by their bonded cat.
Additionally, there are many types of “free runner” ravens (those without bonded cats).
- Carrioneaters exclusively accompany the Military Corps, and their primary role is to alert the surrounding area that a fight is occurring. This scares off other cats and signals to other RavenClan patrols where the fight is
- Troubadours perform at the festivals alongside the Entertainers, and they also provide background noises with their mimicry during shows
- Homesteaders take it upon themselves to help tend to the orchard and garden. They pull out weeds, chase off pests, help harvest, and sow new seeds when the time comes
- Watchers are lone ravens who tend to fly through other territories, either of their own volition or because they were sent to watch and observe outsiders. They will return to sentries and share information, often directly mimicking the cat they are reporting
- Shrieks have extremely loud croaks and will scream at the top of their lungs to alert RavenClan of incoming danger, often flying above the danger directly in order to help RavenClan pinpoint their location
- Keepers tend to camp, often picking up anything out of place and giving stern pecks to cats who are acting out of turn or causing a problem. Some Keepers will smear charcoal on a visitor’s forehead, indicating that the cat stole something
Religion and Reincarnation
While RavenClan acknowledges the existence of deities and afterlives, many of them do not care for the deities. Worship is not outlawed within RavenClan – cats are free to erect altars or shrines in their dens if they so choose – but they do not revere any deity, including StarClan or the zodiacs. Instead, they believe the spirits of their Clanmates remain on the prairie and faithfully watch over them. They typically will pray to a lost loved one instead of a deity, though it’s more of a plea for guidance rather than worship.
When kits are born, RavenClan believes that the spirits of those kits are the reincarnations of those who have passed.
Tor and the Morrigan
Though deities aren’t worshipped in RavenClan, they believe that they coexist with the dual-faced spirit known as Tor. She resembles a bison whose pelt is a flowering meadow, and her hoofprints sprout new life wherever she walks. RavenClan believes Tor to have been born from their generations of joyous song and love of life, and they consider her to be a benevolent and motherly spirit who calms bad weather, keeps away predators, and helps plants to grow. When traveling through the territory, cats will often sing to Tor, usually with silly songs asking about her day or telling her about theirs. They also leave offerings of crops in various areas so she may eat.
However, Tor has another face. Tor was tainted with the grief and bloodshed of RavenClan’s fallen comrades, and thus the Morrigan was born. A creature of bloodlust and vengeance, the Morrigan appears under the light of the moon and hunts without mercy. RavenClan cats ask for the Morrigan to protect them in the dark of the night and for her to guide their killing bites.
Unlike a divine creature that should be prayed to, RavenClan believes that Tor and the Morrigan are a totem protector spirit.
Territory
RavenClan territory is a wide-open prairie filled with fields of wildflowers. Their eastern border is the very edge of the desert, while the western border is a shining river. Because most of the territory is relatively similar, RavenClan tends to classify areas based on what burrowing animal lives there. As such, most places are named something along the lines of “bison migration path” or “prairie dog burrows.”
Camp
Close to the sea, RavenClan’s camp is a collection of tunnels surrounded by a field of flowers. Because of the vast variety of flowers (see: Flowers), flowers bloom almost year-round. The camp is surrounded by a large and dense wall of thorns, brambles, and teeth of predators, with four lifeless trees erected in each corner acting as sentry posts. Within the ring of thorns is a large garden and a flat, elevated stone – called the Observatory – carved with an intricate star map. Just outside of the walls is a large orchard of fruit and medicinal trees, and a large coop and grazing area for the Clan’s chickens.
The actual camp is underground and split into eight levels, with dirt places on every level
Floor One
- Guard Room (1): The first room all cats pass through. It’s a small and unadorned room where two Guardians are always stationed in order to monitor visitors and stop anyone who seems suspicious
- Trading Bazaar (Floor 1): The upper floor of the trading bazaar. It’s plain and doesn’t have the amenities of the lower floors, such as food vendors or water. Merchants with low-level security clearance sell their wares here, but it’s well-known that the rarer or better quality items are further down
- Amphitheater Seating (Upper): Seating areas carved directly into a cave face. Small cushions made of rabbit pelts stuffed with feathers create more comfortable seats, but cats aren’t provided food or water at this level due to the seating being reserved for free admission to shows
Floor Two
- Trading Bazaar (Floor 2): The middle floor of the trading bazaar. Unlike the top floor, the ground is covered with soft pelts, small waterfalls create clean and flowing water, and various food vendors sell their wares. Some Guardians are stationed here to protect from thefts or other problems
- Visitor Dens: Small dens carved out for visitors. There are unfurnished public dens for free use, or visitors can rent out private dens. The more expensive dens have plush nests, private water fountains, or even room service
- Amphitheater Seating (Lower): Seating areas that are meticulously carved to be like a nest and filled with soft cushions. Food and water is provided during showtimes for cats at this level, as well as small souvenirs, as this seating is reserved for those who have obtained tickets or for RavenClan cats. The bottom of this seating is hollow and has a small passageway, and the flooring can be lowered into the ground with a hidden system of vine pulleys. A table laden with food is then placed on the false floor and raised again, allowing the waiting cats to eat and drink without getting out of their seats
Floor Three
- Amphitheater Stage: This is where cats perform plays or hold ceremonies. It’s a flat stone platform with small notches easily covered with pelts – these notches are used to hold up props or set pieces during more complex plays
- Trading Bazaar (Floor Three): A richly decorated area reserved for specific merchants. Free food and places to rest are provided for customers, as this level is typically reserved for luxury goods or rare items that might need extra bartering
- Ceremonial Chamber: A chamber carved into the back of the main stage, with the opening covered in flowering vines. This is where entertainers change costume, apply berry paints, and prepare for their performance, though the more traditional use is for cats decorating themselves in flowers for their various ceremonies.
- Indoor Garden: A large garden above the spa that takes advantage of the moisture and heat caused by the thermal springs in order to grow various plants, most often culinary or medicinal herbs
- MeadowClan Visitor Hall: A large collection of dens, complete with a small dining hall and kitchen, reserved exclusively for visiting MeadowClan cats. Unlike the rest of the camp, the decor has been designed to more closely resemble the swampland
Floor Four
- Training Hollow: A large cave carefully overgrown with a thick layer of lichen and moss where apprentices and warriors alike train their skills. There are large jungle gyms made of wood and ledges carved along the sides of the hollow that cats can jump along
- Architecture Hall: A small den with dozens of holes carved into the walls and several desks carved from stone scattered around the room. The holes are filled with various architectural schematics and charcoal used for drawing. Architects do most of their work in this hall
- Crafting Hall: A large and long room filled with tables, baskets full of crafting items, and various places for ravens to roost. Cats typically craft their various items or decors here
- Library and Gallery: A massive den filled with pedestals holding skeletons, skulls, artifacts, and other items that RavenClan Scholars have collected. Shelves carved into the walls of the den hold various scrolls pierced with the print-poke writing alphabet (see [Print and Poke Alphabet]). Cats looking for information will spend hours upon hours here
- Spa and Hot Springs: An underground spring of naturally hot water that cats use for bathing and relaxing. The spa, built beside the spring, is a large den filled with flowers, ferns, and small cherry bonsai trees. Flat stones covered in plush lichen are scattered around the spa that cats can lie down and relax on
Floor Five
- Guard Room (2): The largest of the guard rooms, though still relatively small. This guard room is primarily used as a resting place for Guardians currently on break, but it’s also a checkpoint to prevent cats who don’t belong in the lower floors from moving around freely
- Infirmary: A large cave where medicine cats treat their patients. There are six alcoves where sick cats will stay so that the medicine cats can easily monitor them. A small passageway extends from the infirmary and leads to the quarantine room. Only cats infected with contagious diseases are treated in the quarantine room. It’s off-limits to anyone aside from the oldest medicine cat, and they’re the ones treating the contagious. Other cats will leave prey, herbs, and fresh moss halfway down the tunnel so they don’t get close to the infected. A small underground stream runs through the infirmary through the walls to the quarantine room that allows cats to drink without risking infecting the other water supplies. In cases of deadly diseases such as redcough, medicine cats will tie herbs to hollow gourds and float them down the underground stream
- The Aviary: A massive den haphazardly filled with seating cushions. When meetings are called, cats will gather in the Aviary in order to participate
- Canteen (Upper Floor): The above area of the canteen, though there’s no actual access to it. The canteen’s waterfall is sourced from the upper area
Floor Six
- Kitchen: A large cave that branches off of the canteen, partially hidden by a curtain of heavy pelts. There are ten alcoves carved into the walls where fires can be set for cooking, and each alcove is fitted with a row of stone bars that cats can place pots or food on. The rest of the walls have shelves carved into them where baskets of dried ingredients are stored. A small dip in the ground drains into a soft compost layer of the soil, so cats are able to easily clean the kitchen after long days of work.
- Apprentice Den: Compared to other dens, the apprentices have a rather plain one that doesn’t have much decoration aside from the nests themselves. However, in the corner a good ways away from the nests, there are several logs and piles of sticks for apprentices to play on.
- Canteen (Lower Floor): A large cave covered in soft pelts and large, flat stones where cats will gather to eat together. An underground stream feeds a small waterfall and pond so that cats can drink, and a small cave beside the stream that remains cold due to the water is used to store prey so that it doesn’t go bad as quickly. In a corner of the cave, there’s a small campfire that’s tended to so that it doesn’t extinguish
- Dark’s Room: A small den used by Corvus Dark, who acts as a sentry for the below levels
Floor Seven
- Water Reservoir: A large reservoir of clean water from a small stream. RavenClan sources most of its freshwater from this reservoir, which is cleaned thoroughly and cycled through every week using a system of natural filters
- Warrior Dens: A warren of dens with one to four cats per den, though most dens are shared with a mated pair or a small group of friends. Large “roosts,” which are typically made with dried sculpted clay and can hold up to eight or so cats, hold a single cat’s nest, trophies, and other collections. Even mated pairs will have two roosts, though they usually sleep on one together, and each roost is personalized to the individual
- Storage: A large cave with large baskets of materials that the Clan is currently storing
Floor Eight
- Guard Room (3): The only way into the lowest floor. It’s a small corridor guarded by at least one Guardian and one Matron at all times
- Nursery: The most secure cave in the entire camp. It has several branching dens off of the main cave where queens and their mates will sleep, and the central area is full of soft pelts so that kits can safely play. Glowing moss grows on the sides of the nursery cave, and kits will usually claw away parts of it to create patterns and drawings.
- Pool: A tiny stream and pool of water that’s typically only belly-deep. Kits can play in the water and learn to swim here, though only with adult supervision. A small tunnel leading to the water reservoir provides water, and when a stone is pushed in front of the tunnel to stop the water, the pool will empty over time
- Playground: An area filled with toys, feathers, kit-safe snacks, and other things kits like to entertain themselves with. Tall grass is carefully sown and maintained to allow kits to practice stalking. There’s a small pit of sand, a vine-climb area, and small ledges – only about shoulder-height for an adult – that kits can play on. Dozens of small toys attached to vines hang from the ceiling to encourage kits to jump as high as they can
If there are no available dens for new warriors or newly paired mates, they will work together with the apprentices to painstakingly dig out a new den. They must be extremely careful so as not to cause a cave-in, as they can become extremely deadly. Most older dens are carved carefully from stone, so they don’t break as easily as the newer dens that are dug into clay and soil.
Most of the camp’s walls are covered with tapestries of woven vines, flowers, and moss twined with little decorations. Small logs of wood cultivated with bioluminescent fungus are placed into small slots along the sides of the tunnels in order to provide light.
Camp Defenses
Vines woven with dried flowers line all of the walls. Though they look like mere decorations, the flowers hide the shards of shells and bones that will clack together when the vines are shaken to alert RavenClan of any danger in camp. This is how the sentries alert the rest of the camp to invaders. Once the camp has been alerted, the apprentices will go to the hidden tunnels from which they’ll be able to drop large stones on any invaders. Warriors will wait for any enemies to escape the rockfall and finish them off. In case of enemies escaping the chaos and making it to the nursery, the nursery queens will gather the kits in one den and have the nursery caretakers bar the way until the rest of the defenders arrive.
There are also five emergency exits in case of a collapse or invasion
- The stream that goes through the quarantine room leads aboveground, so medicine cats who are evacuating will go that way. It’s dangerous due to how long a cat would go without air, so not many cats willingly use it
- A small tunnel is hidden in the nursery that’s hidden by overhanging moss and a stone that has to be rolled away. The tunnel leads to the outside through a complex maze that RavenClan cats are trained to memorize
- In the dirtplace, there’s a tunnel at the very back that leads to an underground lake. If a cat dives through the water, they can swim to a stream that leads them aboveground
- A tunnel is hidden behind a “decorative” curtain of woven flowers in the canteen that leads to the same maze as the nursery. Warriors will usually meet evacuating queens and kits here
- The ceremonial chamber has an escape tunnel a few foxlengths off the ground that cats must jump high into the darkness to find. The tunnel will lead far underground for quite a long time before emerging in a dense thicket of brambles.
Landmarks
- Burial Grounds: A large graveyard where the deceased RavenClan cats are buried. It’s surrounded by beebalm and blooms with life and color year-round. Medicine cats tend to the Burial Grounds daily, making sure the graves are properly marked and the plants are not overgrowing
- Bass Pond: A small lake (despite the name) that’s host to a fair amount of fish. During leafbare, waterfowl will also nest there
- Colosseum: A massive pit circled by stones and neatly maintained zinnia shrubs. There is a large pathway that leads to the pit that can be quickly closed off by pushing logs into the way. Cats will often fight against enemies here (usually other animals lured or chased there), and others will sit on the stones to spectate the fight. There’s a small cave at the side of the pit that’s stocked with emergency herbs and supplies in case of any serious injuries.
- Lover’s Rock: A pair of stones sitting underneath a cherry tree that almost resembles two cats leaning into each other. Young cats will often visit for good luck before confessing to their crush
- Minnow Pond: A decently sized pool of water where apprentices are taught to swim. Because it only has minnows, most cats consider it a waste of time to try and fish there
- Sand Pit: A large, shallow divot in the earth that’s filled with soft sand. It’s perfect for training
- Stonepelt: A vaguely cat-shaped rock that appears to sit near the northern border. Some cats say it’s always watching the volcano, waiting for the moment it erupts
- The Watcher: A single tall boulder stands near the middle of RavenClan territory and makes a perfect outlook post. Most cats take turns on sentry duty, though it’s also considered a fitting punishment for minor crimes.
Roads
RavenClan creates roads by removing plants or other debris, flattening the pathway by dropping flat stones to compact it, and then lining the roads with rocks, bushes, or other markers. While maintaining the road falls to the Commerce Corps, it’s common practice for the Military Corps and apprentices to do physical training by compacting the pathways and hauling plants. Various decorations are used for the roads based on the pathway material and the biome. Specific Clans may also have unique decorations if RavenClan caravans often visit, and certain waypoints have specific flowers grown alongside them to indicate something about the area or locals.
Biome-Specific Roads
In the prairie, where aboveground travel is dangerous due to migrating bison and horses, the tunnels are all underground. To provide lighting, flowers are treated with scented wax and threaded into the walls alongside bioluminescent mushrooms.
Due to the mountain’s difficult terrain, the routes typically go straight through deep tunnels rather than up or around. The tunnel walls are lined with brightly colored gemstones treated with glow dust to provide lighting.
The swampland’s pathways tend to be very long and winding to avoid mud sinks or quicksand. In many areas, the road was created by weaving mangrove roots together and having them slowly grow out into a more stable path.
Because the desert’s terrain often shifts around, the “road” is instead a series of stone markers that act as checkpoints. Cardinal directions are carved into these waypoints to help cats navigate the bleak desert terrain.
The forest’s road was simply cleared through the dense undergrowth. Berry bushes and non-rose flowers were planted alongside the edges and strung with chimes to create a more scenic route, as well as provide some protection.
Clan-Specific Decoration
- MeadowClan has a special type of glowing mushroom along their pathway, as well as wax-treated flowers
- CicadaClan’s pathway is lined with brightly colored beetle shells that have been treated with glowdust
- ChanterelleClan’s pathway has massive mushrooms carefully treated with wax to prevent rotting and provide a bright shine to them
- CloudClan’s road is lined with cairns treated with glowdust, the bones carved with intricate designs and interspersed with small flowers
Historic Leaders
__**History**__
**Past Era**
__Leader__
Bunnystar (deceased)
Dark Moth in the Night (prior era)
__Deputy__
Snowbloom (deceased)
Dark Moth in the Night (became leader)
Spider Racing in the Wind (stepped down)
Flower Blooming in the Sand (prior era)
**Current Era**
__Administrative Corps__
Leader: Dark Moth in the Night
Deputy: Flower Blooming in the Sand
__Commerce Corps__
Leader: Wren Upon the Burning Sand
Deputy: Cottontail in the Meadow
__Military Corps__
Leader: Shadow of the Scorched Tree
Deputy: Frost Upon the Raven’s Wings
Deceased Cats
Snowbloom – murdered by Burningpaw and Palepaw
Bunnystar – heart failure
Brightpaw – drowned
Rosepaw – died in the astral wars
Fadingflame – died in the astral wars
Blazingheart – died by volcanic eruption
Bloomheart – died from suffocation (volcanic eruption)
Chicorynose – died by volcanic eruption
Cinnamonkit – died by volcanic eruption
Coyotepaw – died by volcanic eruption
Duskstorm – died from blunt force trauma (volcanic eruption)
Laurelstem – died by volcanic eruption
Ivykit – died by volcanic eruption
Jackalblaze – died by volcanic eruption
Jadepaw – died by volcanic eruption
Minktuft – died by volcanic eruption
Snowygale – died by volcanic eruption
Windpaw – died from smoke inhalation (volcanic eruption)
Laurelkit – died from food poisoning
Whirlkit – died from kitten wasting disease
Petals of the Tiger Lily – drowned
Dreamer of Faraway Paths – died from greencough
Graceful Soaring Hawk – died from a broken neck (fell while climbing a tree)
Lilies in the Twilight – killed by Phoenix’s rogues
Juniper Clinging to the Cliffside – drowned
Star Fallen into Shadow – suicide
Sage Growing in the Snow – died from a venomous snake bite
Shrike That Pierces With Thorns – died from greencough
Dance of the Fireflies – killed by falling lapilli
Serpent Watching Silently – killed by falling lapilli
Trivia
- RavenClan medicine cats put chokeberry paste into poultices because they naturally change colors when the PH of an injury changes, indicating a potential infection
- RavenClan toys are usually made with the intention of making a lot of noise. The most popular toy, a Shaker, is an empty chestnut or hazelnut filled with small pebbles and sealed over with beeswax. When shaken, it makes quite a bit of noise. Sometimes, gemstones, bits of metal, and seashells are used to make different sounds
- Large gourds are cut in half and then treated with beeswax to make them waterproof. These are used as small rafts for kits to clamber in so that adults can either ferry them through deeper water safely or as simple water toys
- Though RavenClan does have a traditional courting process, there’s no official process for becoming mates. Cats will simply choose to be mates and may celebrate by hosting a festival, though some cats prefer a more low-key affair with just family. Additionally, breaking up a relationship is a relatively simple process of separating nests and splitting off into different dens
- Despite an abundance of romantics and plays that extol the virtue of love, RavenClan does not put a heavy emphasis on romance. They believe that romance can wither away over time like flowers, and it’s usually a painless and mutual process
- Many RavenClan cats will spend hours everyday bathing, grooming, and otherwise caring for their appearance. In particular, cats will soak themselves in essential oils and perfumed water to smell better. Floral scents are very popular
- Apprentices are considered “senior” apprentices after they’ve completed their first two trials, regardless of their actual age
- RavenClan changed its naming scheme from the more traditional prefix-suffix style in 10 AE. Though the actual reasoning behind the names is unclear, most Scholars agree that it was mainly caused due to a sharp downturn in StarClan belief after the first Eruption occurred. Many RavenClan cats lost loved ones in the disaster, and they became embittered that StarClan was aware of the impending disaster and did not warn the Clans
- Most RavenClan cats are relatively picky regarding the quality of their food. Though their palettes may be diverse, they tend to turn their noses up at prey that died of natural causes or any ingredients that are past their prime
- Though RavenClan cats expect a parent to play an active role in their kit’s life, it’s not unusual for a Den Mother to be the primary caretaker of the kits even when both parents are alive and healthy. In many cases, the parents take on mentor-like roles instead of motherly ones, especially if the she-cat is uninterested in staying in the nursery
- RavenClan cats typically do not comprehend the concept of sexuality. They simply are attracted or not attracted to someone, and they do not care for fancy labels or complications to such a matter
- RavenClan grows and gathers a lot of sunflowers, and they will use the seeds, oils, petals, and especially the stems. Dried sunflower stems make up the frame of their nests and other furniture, which is covered in clay before it hardens, and bundles are also prominently left in various areas for cats to sharpen their claws on