Waveclan Info

[Dreamer]

gato gaditano 2 by Mike Slichenmyer, on Flickr

Waveclan

Although they were the first clan to form, they have existed long enough that their understanding of clan life has changed drastically from the lifetime of their founder, Wave. In time they developed their own version of the code and thus their own slightly altered system of beliefs. The most vulnerable to the weather and environment, Waveclan has developed their own coping mechanisms and routines. They follow the tides and the sky, and are known to be cats which "go with the flow" and use language tied these elements. Community oriented and closely tied to hearth and home, they have been considered homebodies by the other clans, despite their large territory. Their population is consistent, occasionally supplemented by barn cats and half-clan litters.

Culture

All clans are big families, but Waveclan is the closest knit one. Everycat is in everyone's business, and its either succeed or fall as one, to the point where most cats hunt in pairs, both for safety and for companionship. Mates or friendships for life are extremely common, and when disagreements happen it can make life awkward for everyone for a time. However because of the support systems in place, there is a far lower preponderance for mental sicknesses such as depression.

The weather effects Waveclan more than any other clan, and as a result, they trained the Skywatcher to help warn and protect them from dangerous storms. Due to being on the coast and in more sparse cover, Hurricane season hits them particularly hard, and whenever there are hurricanes they withdraw to beyond the hills or to the farms, to take shelter from the dangerously high winds. Hurricanes nearly destroyed the clan once, and they will never take the weather lightly again. -Stream and -Scale cats are most common in this clan, due to more prey being available in the water, and cats more likely to be willing to get their paws wet. That said even if they dont wish to be water based hunters, Waveclan has a large portion of earthbound territory, so that each cat choose as he likes.

The Skywatcher also keeps the clan apprised of the seasons, and they refer to the seasons with the terms related to weather. Winds, Storms, Chill. Their holidays are the Feathering, the Fasting, and the Nesting. More information on them here.

Although they are the oldest clan, they are not the most exclusive. Of course, they are not Ferryclan, and a majority of their members are clanborn, however, they are not against having outsiders join, and occasionally barn cats and loners will swell their ranks or will offer outside blood for the queens to draw on. When Rootclan is desperate for new blood, they will ask Waveclan for a cooperative litter. Waveclan is on decent terms with all outside groups and other clans for now, but some of the warriors believe that this will leave them open to attack or manipulation, and that their diplomatic approach makes them look vulnerable and weak.

The way which they train their warriors to connect to their ancestors is to send them on the night of their ceremony, to the ancient camp where everything started, and the warriors spend the night in the hollow where the leader slept. This makes them aware of the long line of cats which have been a part of Waveclan, and the many paws which have stepped there.

[Dreamer]

Ranks

Waveclan has mostly the traditional ranks and workings of a clan, with only a few differences.

-Leader-
Considered the patriarch or matriarch of the clan, the Leader is the head of the clan, who keeps the peace and ensures that everyone is safe and well-fed. With the -star prefix, they honor the first leader, the first father of the clan, Wave, who they named their clan for and who set them on the path to the stars. They are usually cats of great respect and highly skilled in their warrior field, as well as in the use of words to defuse dangerous situations. Their nine lives are used for advice and introspection, and in times of need the leaders will often go to the Skullstone to consult with the lives bonded to them. These leaders live the longest, often dying of old age, since they are the least likely to engage in battle.

-Deputy-
Chosen from a younger age than deputies from the other clans, they are groomed to succeed their leaders, often forming an unbroken chain from leader to deputy. The deputies are in their prime, and they are the protectors of the clan. While the leaders make the ultimate decisions, the deputy is the one who implements them, and goes into battle to protect and uphold clan values. Their time as deputy is what truly engages the clan and allows them to get the chance to learn to respect their eventual leader. Until then, the deputy builds his relationships with the young by supporting them and ensuring they are trained up as a strong new generation, and proves their worth to Starclan. The deputy is appointed by a council of whatever elders may be present, in concert with the leader and eldest medicine cat.

-Medicine cat-
Waveclan likes to have a system which encourages unbroken chains of command. As a result, they usually have three medicine cats at once, a senior medicine cat, a second medicine cat, and an apprentice. When the eldest dies, the next two move up, so an apprentice may be in the apprentice position for many moons, even after receiving their full name. This can lead to an annoyance for them when meeting the medicine cats of other clans, but unlike Rootclan, despite being apprentices they are not still fully subordinate. Once they receive their full name, they are just as much involved in discussions as the other medicine cats are. They often specialize in medicine related to water and tinctures.

-Skywatcher-
The unique rank in the clan, the Skywatcher is vital to Waveclan's survival. They watch the weather, they know the tides, the phases of the moon, and have a moderate understanding of the sun and of the cycle of seasons and migration patterns. Mostly however, their job is to protect the clan from dangerous weather, be it storms, or winds, high tides and riptides, or dangerous cold. They check the skies often, and go on patrols with clanmates to check on borders, the ocean and the marshes, but are still skilled in basic hunting and self-defense, and contribute when they can.


-Elder-
Cats who have reached the age of 100 moons or more, or have had severe injuries, and who have retired from their warrior duties. These cats often function as secondary caregivers and the main educators of the clan, passing on knowledge and experience, and forming support for clan cats who need advice and someone to confide in. These cats are more active in Waveclan politics, often forming a council to help advise the leader in certain decisions, sharing among them the full knowledge of code and clan laws.


-Queen-
Cats who are nursing or caring for kits and helping to maintain camp secure and comfortable. Mostly these are nursing mothers or she-cats who were once mothers, but some toms occupy this position as well. Any toms which actively interact with queens with young kits must rub up against other queens and roll in lavender so as to make their scents less menacing, unless they are the she-cat's mate. These cats fortify the camp and direct apprentices about replacing and remaking new nests, as well as make sure no rotten food is in the freshkill pile.


-Warrior-
Skilled in swimming, hunting, and the basics of fighting, these are the main adults of the clan. Waveclan encourages their warriors to specialize, so that each warrior can capitalize on their strengths, leading to cats that are less likely to be well-rounded than the other clans. However they do always make sure that each warrior knows the basics of survival. Warriors tend to hang out with cats from their specialty when in camp, but mixed groups will go out for actual patrols. Mentors are chosen based on a one-moon trial period for the apprentices based on the skills and interests they show.


-Apprentices-
Apprentices start training at 6 moons of age, and train on average for 6-8 moons. Their first moon is general training as well as tests and patrols to see where each apprentice is skilled and what they enjoy doing. Once these tests are over they are assigned a typical mentor, with special training within whatever area they choose to specialize in. Apprentices become warriors when a council of the deputy, their mentor, and an elder assess the apprentice and the apprentice passes the assessment. Because of the specialization of skills, apprentices have slightly shorter apprenticeships than the other clans.

-Kit-
Since the majority of camp is a large expanse of creeping juniper, everywhere is the nursery for young kittens. The cover does offer protection for the kits from birds of prey, and queens will occasionally take kits up to the ridge above camp to let them see the wide expanse of territory. But kiits are never allowed to go beyond the junipers alone, and are punished by delaying apprenticeship and being given chores to make up for the transgression.

[Dreamer]

Appearance

As the clan which has had the longest time to develop a distinct appearance, they are the most specific when it comes to appearances. Many share the slender Oriental or Foreign look that their founder Wave brought to the clan, and many exhibit beautiful long silky fur. A streamlined and aerodynamic face is preferable, similar to oriental cats. They prize light colors and tabbies, and see spotted tabbies as being image bearers of their original founder, whose spots are legendary for their beauty.Silver is one of the genes unique to this clan, and turns many a pelt a lighter color because of it, cinnamon is prized and associated with wisdom in a cat. More than any of the other clans, Waveclan appreciates aesthetic beauty and equates certain colors and patterns with certain virtues. -Face cats are highly sought out as mates, and being given the suffix is noteworthy.

Naming

Found of patterns, Waveclan mothers usually name their kits after themes, so that each litter follows certain guidelines. This can occasionally be complicated, if certain rarer pelt colors do not have prefixes within a certain theme, but mothers are resourceful. As soon as the mothers are rested and capable and the moon is shining, the kits are presented before the clan with their names chanted as each elder touches the kits and says a blessing on them. If there are no elders, the leader and/or eldest medicine cat will fill in.

Due to being on better terms with barn cats on the farms, Waveclan has several farm-based prefixes, as well as ocean based prefixes, since half of their territory borders the ocean.

These are the accepted Waveclan prefixes outside the universal list:

• Crab- For the skittering creatures on the beach
  Blue, Gray, Dilute tortie.
• Clam- For the odd creatures inside a shell
  All dilute variations, particularly with silver.
• Cow- For the large lumbering lowing creatures on farms
  Either black and white bicolor or brown.
• Hay: For the large rolled and dried grass
  Yellow or cream.
• Oat- For the seeds harvested from the fields
  Yellow or cream.
• Sheep- For the animals which eat the grass down and have fluffy wool
  Black or brown Bicolor or seal point.
• Cobia- For the Fish
  Reddish brown or ruddy ticked tabby.
• Drum- For the fish
  Brown ticked or mackerel tabby, red.
• Flounder- For the fish
  Spotted brown tabby
• Trout- For the fish
  Spotted silver tabby, spotted brown tabby, or spotted cinnamon tabby.
• Shad- For the fish
  Silver, or just light gray.
• Mullet- For the fish
  Silver or blue spotted tabby.
• Perch- For the fish
  Silver or gray solid.
• Skate- For the stingray-like thing
  Red-brown, cinnamon, or cream.
• Scamp- For the fish
  Brown ticked or chocoloate solid
• Hind:For the fish
  Any ginger.

[Dreamer]

Law

Some say Wave clan is lax in its laws of following the code, but they don't believe so. They believe in mercy and so try to find ways to rehabilitate cats in certain regards.

Their belief in family and tight-knit community, usually means that they don't look on transgressions involving relationships outside the clan. They value cats who have strong feelings and commitment to one another, and so encourage those cats to make the choice that is best for them. Especially since if they make a relationship outside the clan, it must have taken time and effort and been very difficult. They can bring their outside mate with them, they can move to another clan, or they can leave the clan altogether. If they choose to leave the clan for a non clan life, they are asked to drop the second part of their name, in deference to the fact that they have voluntarily chosen to leave clan life. Such a requirement has made many a cat reconsider, but some still do decide to leave. Those who choose to leave the clan in a voluntary exile are allowed to return and visit occasionally, particularly on days of great importance for their kin, such as ceremonies of aging and what not. Likewise kin are encouraged to occasionally pop outside the borders to visit their once-clan family, so long as they maintain their loyalty to waveclan. Anyone however who does leave the clan, gives up the right to be buried at the burial grounds.

Usually other smaller discretion are dealt with in camp including squabbles or minor fights. Abuse, both physical and emotional of kits or apprentices will leave you banned from raising any kits or mentoring apprentices and prolonged abuse will get you forcibly exiled. Murder and violation of another cay will lead to exile as punishment, and any cat who feels wronged by the offender is allowed to mark the cat in any way they please. Many exiled cats die of infection from wounds they receive before exiled. Forcibly exiled cats are forever struck from the clan mind, their names are not mentioned and they are forgotten.