#Ancient SkyClan

[jayadwal]

I wonder... Will a Clan ever live here again?

[clanslist]

[lightningwaters]

[theanoninyourinbox]

New Longstar AU - Decorations and accessories

Clan Decorations and Traditions behind them

The Clans are wild and colorful, and their traditional decorations and accessories are the one facet of Clan Culture that can usually identify a cat’s Clan from a distance.  It can be worn as a personal statement, as a hunting aid, and as armor in some cases.

Origins

The first recorded cat to decorate their fur was Bumble, a molly who joined Proto-Thunderclan to escape her abusive mate.  She wove flowers around her collar to mask it and muffle the jingle of the bell.  Her friend Turtle Tail then put petals on her own fur in solidarity, and then Thunder himself wore petals on his tail, and it spiraled from there.  With the passing moons, each clan began to tailor their accessories to their tastes, environment, and Roles.  Bumble was also the first recorded Crafter of the Clans, and lived out the rest of her days in relative peace, teaching others how to weave and create.

Placement

The common placements of decorations are behind the ears, on the neck and shoulders, the back and flanks, and the tail.  Feathers behind the ears are taboo, for reasons no one in the Clans can remember.  Less common are the legs, face, and underbelly, as these would interfere with duties, the senses, and resting.

Healers

Moth Flight was the first Seer to decorate her fur, but the moth’s wing behind her ear never withered, and the heather was always in bloom.  Ever since, Healers have had plants from their clan in their fur, that do not fade or fall.  Each cat chooses their own decoration, but there are some general similarities from each Clan.

Thunderclan Healers generally choose leaves on their head and shoulders, Windclan wears an insect wing behind the ear and flower buds on the back, Riverclan has reeds and river weeds on their flanks and tail, and Shadowclan healers always have deathberries with whatever thorny vines or leaves they choose. (Ancient Skyclan chose white flowers and the leaves of the tallest tree in their territory. Modern Skyclan wear Leaf-fall leaves and collars of moss and berries)

Thunderclan

The most common accessories for everyday wear are leaves, full flower blossoms, and petals.  Berry paint is used specifically for Ceremonial purposes and Gatherings, to show the fertility and abundance of their territory.  Tree bark is applied to fighters when they go to war, as an added layer of protection.  Plucked fur is gathered as well, but only for Leaders and to line nests in Leafbare.  About half of the clan uses everyday accessories.

Shadowclan

With only a few cats currently feeling comfortable expressing themselves as Shadowclan cats after current events, this Clan has the fewest cats that decorate themselves.  Most décor is for hunting and Gatherings. Formerly, dry leaves and mushrooms were the norm, with glowing mushrooms being prized.  Mud is applied to Hunters, Trackers, and Brawlers before they leave the camp, and those headed to war will also paint themselves with berry juices to look more ferocious.  Items left on the territory or on the borders by Twolegs can be worn as trophies at Gatherings, but currently this is not done.  Blame Tiger”star” and Bloodclan for that.

Riverclan

The bounties of the river and the shore are used by Riverclan.  Flowers found floating in the water, river weeds and cattail reeds, and rarely, shells and shining pebbles are worn woven into larger works. Reeds and river grasses are woven into fine decorations and armor for battle, and fish bones are attached to armor and Leader Gathering Garb only. As decorations easily get detached and float away, not many Riverclan cats wear everyday accessories.

Windclan

A feather from the first catch is always worn by Windclan cats, for it is seen as lucky.  Cats that do not hunt (support roles and Healers) are bequeathed a feather either by their Leader, a family member, or a mate.  Woven grasses are common, both as everyday wear and armor.  Tunnelers wore moss on their backs to shield themselves from falling rocks, but that practice has slowly died out, with Elders and a few cats continuing it.  Nearly all cats in Windclan have everyday accessories.

Ancient Skyclan

Historical Records show that Skyclan wore feathers on their tails and flanks most commonly, with leaves and flowers around the neck.  It is unclear from records if there was any significance to the placement or type of décor.

(Modern Skyclan keeps their collars, sometimes weaving mosses and flowers and berries into them to muffle them.  More traditional clan accessories are folded in, and scavenged items are very common as well)

(all the new cats are unidentified cats from the first arc! thanks @moths-wc-aus!)

[skyscratch-wc]

Skyfall: Ancient SkyClan Shrine

The Ancient Skyfall shrine was located on a jutting rock beside the elders den in camp. A moss bed is placed on a ledge for cats to sit and contemplate. This is most often used at night when cats can most easily see the stars. Ancient SkyClan cats would use the smaller stones below to climb onto the ledge, resulting in scratch marks all the way up the stones. These days, the scratches are the only evidence remaining that the stones were ever a shrine. Sometimes adventurous apprentices who wander near the old shrine think they can hear voices, leading to the modern name of the stones: The Ghost Peaks.

[rowanswarriors]

Brackenheart of SkyClan

[warrior-cats-canongen]

A little preview for SkyClan! Not all of the characters are done or even started yet, but I will start posting sprites for some of the characters that do have their sprites and traits soon.

[fancytacopaper]

As the title implies I have several AU ideas and can't seem to decide which one to start first.

Please note: All of the stories would happen before SkyClan gets driven out of the forest.

Dewstar's ambition: Dewkit is a young SkyClan kit with a great ambition: To become the best leader of his Clan, even greater than the great founder Skystar or his grandfather, wise old Whitestar.

After gaining his apprentice name, Dewpaw gets cocky during a training session with an older apprentice , causing her to get hurt worse than he thought was possible. As punishment Whitestar delays his warrior ceremony for two moons , causing Dewpaw's littermates to gain their names before him.

After finally becoming a warrior Dewpatch realizes that he's developing a crush on the she-cat he had injured but she doesn't feel the same way, instead pining after a tom from RiverClan. He really wants her to be his mate and comes up with a plan to gain her attention: He had to become the best mentor and then deputy. Will he succeed?

Hawkfoot's choice: Hawkfoot has lost her mate, the father of her three kits during a fight against ShadowClan and is anxious because she knows that they will have to fight for their lives sooner rather than later. So when a fellow WindClan queen, Daisytail tells her that she doesn't want to see her son dying needlessly , they come up with plan : Convince enough queens from both of the rival Clans so when the next fight inevitably breaks out , they will hopefully manage to convince the leaders to stop sending kits in battle too young.

Moons after succeeding with the plan she witnesses one of her sons saving a life of ShadowClan she-cat who is apparently expecting kits, nearly dying himself. The she-cat then reveals a shocking secret: The kits she's expecting are his and she wants to join WindClan.

Lavenderpelt's destiny: Lavenderpaw is a young ThunderClan apprentice with a kind heart and a knack for fighting. She especially loves to spar with her littermates and older apprentices.

After gaining her warrior name Lavenderpelt gets into an accident , breaking her leg which confines her in the medicine cat den for moons, causing her to fear that the leader will force her to become the next medicine cat, a role she never wanted.

One day she has a dream where she sees a mysterious tom who tells her that her destiny isn't to be a medicine cat, instead she will be remembered as one of the best warriors, but doesn't tell her anything more.

Who was that tom and how could Lavenderpelt become the warrior he predicted she'd be?

Troutstar's path: Troutfang is a young RiverClan warrior, full of energy and mischief. One day he gets seriously hurt during a play fight near a river when one of his friends accidentally pushes him into the water.

The experience causes Troutfang to become more reserved and cautious than before , affecting his ability to hunt and fight.

One day he sees a beautiful loner struggling to cross the stepping stones because of her pregnant belly. After helping her to the RiverClan territory she thanks him before padding away. He thinks that they will never meet again. However about half-moon later the patrol he's in comes across with the she-cat giving birth and helps her to the camp. Will she stay in the Clan or not?

Flowerstar's reign: After losing her sister, Mossfire in a fight for leadership of ShadowClan Flowerstem is grief-stricken but knows that the Clan needs her help. How will she react when an apparent sign from StarClan implies that she should be the next leader? What will happen when an outbreak of whitecough and greencough ravages the already shaken up Clan?

6. If you have another idea for an AU tell me.

[manywarriorcats]

clear sky / skystar

[abcwc]

[jayadwal]

last cats of ancient SkyClan

[bowiestarzzz]

warriors designs in order of appearance 25/???: Quick Water

[image description: digital art of a gray and white cat with amber eyes. End ID.]

[velo-cats]

Quick Water

[lightningwaters]

[the-pantry-of-art]

14. Quick Water (pl: Woda Wartka)

Clear Sky made the scars on her muzzle, when he hit her in the face near the end of the Forest Devided, because she refused to help him save Star Flower and called her a traitor. (a valid reaction imo , considering what happend in the Blazing Star, I too would be hesitant to help her)

[skyscratch-wc]

Skyclan's Cultural Evolution

^Modern Skyclan's coat of arms

As a result of their extended time away from "The Forest Four", Skyclan is considerably different from the other clans in terms of structure, culture, and faith. The clan founded by Clear Sky at the Dawn of the Clans is VERY different from the clan re-founded by Firestar and Sandstorm at the Gorge, and the two clans are so different that some early Skyclan ancestors consider the modern cats to not even belong to the same clan as they once did and vice versa (Clear Sky is prominent amongst this group of Skyclan ancestors)

Skyclan Before the Skyfall/Ancient Skyclan:

the most militaristic of the clans, with an overwhelming majority of the warriors falling into the Protector role, followed by Hunters. Typically, there were only 1, maaaybe 2 Crafters/Collectors/Clerics at any given time

all apprentices were trained in combat first before specializing into their roles

Skyclan was fairly isolationist and extremely protective of their borders. Not nearly to the extent of the clan under Clear Sky, but they still retained their highly defensive nature from that time

unlikely to allow non-clanborn cats to join their clan unless they prove their merit in combat or show some other skill valuable to the clan. This is largely influenced by their proximity to the town and as a result their rough relationship with the loners and house cats that tend to wander into their territory, something that Skyclan deeply dislikes.

specialized in climbing and tree combat

religious clan on par with Thunderclan and Pre-Brokenstar Shadowclan.

Skyclan in the Gorge (before disbanding):

basically the same just without the religious bit

Skyclan disavowed Starclan after leaving the forest and instead turned to their ancestors alone, who split from Starclan to form the Skypelt or Skypaws, a Skyclan specific hunting grounds in the afterlife

Over time, the Skypaws would become less a copy of Starclan and more an afterlife for all cats committed to the Skyclan cause, regardless of their faith during their lifetime and regardless of their moral "goodness". All cats committed to Skyclan are welcomed into the Skypelt

For example, Yarrowstar, the leader of Thunderclan during the War of the Sky was welcomed into the Skypelt after her death. She was of Skyclan blood and committed to her ancestors and the clan of her grandfather, Cloudstar.

Skyclan After Disbanding-- The Cats of the Gorge:

after the clan disbanded, a small group of former warriors remained in the gorge. Over time, this group, their descendants, and other local cats formed a loose coalition united by common beliefs and kinship ties

this is the group Skywatcher is born into approximately two generations before Firestar's Quest

like the clans, they have two part names, however, these names are given at birth and not 100% consistent with Forest Four clan names. (Examples: Lowbranch, Houndcry, Pricklenose, Skywatcher, Twigtail, etc.)

The parents/primary caretakers of kittens will collectively train the kittens of all cats within the group. They are told stories of their ancestors and taught how to hunt and defend themselves.

When a kitten has survived 2 full seasons, they begin training on the cliffs of the gorge with the adult cats

When a cat has survived 4 full seasons (1 year) they are taken to the Whispering Cave for their coming of age ceremony where they commune with Skypelt for the first time, and for many, the only time until their death.

Rather than track age by moons/months, the Cats of the Gorge track age by seasons. They put special emphasis on the season of winter, since it is the harshest season of the year. They count age by the number of winters a cat has survived. For instance, a 10 year old cat would be referred to as having "10 winters under their paws"

All cats associated with this group live in and around the gorge, however, they do not live together in a central camp. They share prey and hunt together, but more as friends rather than clanmates in any sense. They do not have a collective name and instead just refer to those they associate with as their "clowder by kin"

A few cats within the coalition act as doctors, traveling around the area to heal the sick and wounded. They also lend their services to housecats and unassociated loners or rogues who need help

Adults within this group are referred to as "claws" and queens/caretakers as "tails". These names eventually evolve into the Modern Skyclan rank names.

All cats within the coalition believe in the Skypelt. This is the main unifying factor for them

In general, there really aren't more than 20 cats associated with this group at any given time. When Firestar and Sandstorm arrive, there are approximately 10-15 cats within this group.

Modern Skyclan

draws some aspects from Thunderclan (Firestar and Sandstorm's influence) but in general, Modern Skyclan is just a more structured version of Gorge Cat culture

Cats live together in a central camp, but instead of sleeping in dens by rank, they sleep in dens with their family units

Ranks within Skyclan are different from ranks within the Forest Four:

The Leader is called the Eye

The Deputy is called the Nose

Cleric is split into the Heart/Doctor (healing) and the Soul/Priest (spiritual). (this is very similar to Riverclan, just with different origins)

Mediators are called the Tongue

Protectors and Hunters are grouped into one and called Claws (exactly how canonical warriors work basically)

Gatherers and Crafters are also group into one and called Paws

Queens/Caretakers are called Tails

Apprentices are called Whiskers

Kittens are called Pawpads

Elders are called Ears

The idea here is that all of the roles collectively form a "whole cat", emphasizing the idea that all cats of the clan are valuable and needed to form the whole society regardless of their age or role

At the completion of their warrior ceremony, new warriors travel to the Whispering Cave (or equivalent at the lake-- still working on that) as a coming of age ceremony just like the Cats of the Gorge did. They are accompanied by their mentor and any close kin or friends invited by the new warrior. This is the Skyclan replacement for the vigil performed by the other clans

Modern Skyclan is far more diplomatic than militaristic, in a complete 180 flip from their Pre-Skyfall counterparts (this is the aspect Clear Sky has the hardest time stomaching)

They are well known for taking in the weary, sick, and injured and caring for them until they can get back on their paws. Often times, they extend an invitation to these cats to join the clan.

They are very skilled crafters rivaled only by Shadowclan, however, their styles vary from the Forest Four (to be elaborated on in a future post). Their friendly relations with local housecats and loners has given them much broader access to human materials.

Daylight warriors are a thing, especially at the Gorge where there are numerous housecats. This practice is far less common at the Lake where there just aren't as many housecats around.

They speak a dialect of Clanmew with some small pronunciation and noun differences from Forest Four Clanmew. Grammatically it is nearly identical, but the names of many nouns and pronunciations have drifted away from Forest Four Clanmew and closer to the Gorgemew spoken by local Gorge cats