#herb guide

[bonefall]

Herb Guide: Deaf Warriors and Hearing Disabilities

UPDATE 1: Added more harshness to the lipreading section based on initial feedback; minor rewording of some lines!

A reference for Warrior Cats fans creating characters with hearing loss, blending human advice with cat biology, written for an in-universe perspective on living with and managing such disabilities.

AKA Bonefall casts Spell of Stop Being Weird About Snowkit on all amoebas in 500 mile radius

[ID: A headshot of three cats, a brown tabby with a shredded ear (Strikestone), a solid white cat with blue eyes (Stonewing), and a gray cat with a mane (Dovewing).]

In the five Clans, hearing loss is both one of the most common sensory disabilities, and one of the most intense to adapt to. Through any mix of simple infections, birth abnormalities, or even just getting older, any given Clan can expect at least 1 in 4 of its cats to have some form of hearing loss.

Hearing loss is any impaired ability to hear, defined as not being able to hear noises under 20 decibels. Deafness is "profound" hearing loss, which means their hearing STARTS at a noise that is 81 decibels (ex: motorcycle, middle-distant clap of thunder) or louder. Most deaf people can still hear slightly, but sound is "muffled" and they can only hear VERY loud noises.

Hearing loss = Any impaired ability to hear. Normal hearing is 20 DB or lower.

Hard of Hearing (HOH) = Mild to severe hearing loss; starts between 21 DB and 95 DB.

Deaf = Profound hearing loss at 95 DB or higher; a clap of thunder is a quiet whisper.

MOST hearing loss will affect one ear more strongly than the other, and the cat will be HOH. The vast majority of cats with a hearing disability will still be able to understand their Clanmates, if they're just spoken to louder and more clearly. Cats who are born deaf (congenital deafness), however, tend to have profound hearing loss which affects their ability to understand speech.

Cats rely on their hearing and sense of smell much more strongly than they do on their eyesight. With hearing that's 4x more sensitive than a human's and can differentiate between 1/10th of a pitch, a Clan's healer would recognize hearing loss as a disability long before humans would even notice a problem.

Since hearing loss starts with the high-pitch noises that prey makes, like squeaks and chirps, hearing loss is a major reason for a senior warrior to begin to consider retirement. However, with proper support and accommodation, ANY warrior could adapt to this disability; Especially cats born deaf and younger HOH warriors with lots of time to re-learn.

This guide covers;

Common Causes

Traits and Challenges of Hearing Loss

Communication: Signs, lipreading, and more

Unique Challenges Clan-by-Clan

Sources are linked in a separate post, here, and linked again at the very bottom!

(note: this guide doesn't cover devices of any kind, but one of many reasons why cochlear implants are controversial is because an implant will destroy that remaining hearing. They aren't hearing aids; hearing aids amplify sound. Aids and implants are two different things)

Common Causes

There are DOZENS of ways to destroy the incredibly sensitive ears of a cat. ANY infection or injury can lead to permanent damage. That can include,

Injury gone sour, from battle, hunting, accidents, etc

Concussion, or a hard enough blow to the ear

Ear Mites, especially if the cat can't stop scratching it

Swimming in cold or dirty river water

Fungal or bacterial infections

Allergies, which can lead to sinus infections. Even an infection in the mouth or throat can spread to the ear!

There doesn't even need to be an infection. Around the ages of 7 - 11, a senior warrior may begin to gradually lose their hearing. Sometimes, through genetic factors or degenerative disease within the ear, an even younger warrior will lose it for "no reason."

It just happens, and it's incredibly common. They will usually begin to notice it when they stop being able to hear and hunt small rodents, because hearing loss will start with high-pitched noises.

Healers can do very little about this, besides attempting to clean any wax out of the ear canal with flax oil and a dab (such as moss, wool, or cloth). There are SO many ways for it to happen and so little in the way of treatments, that it's practically inevitable.

The majority of hearing loss is from infection or disease, but the most predictable way to see deafness in the Clans is in kits born white with blue eyes. In fact, ALL pure white cats are more prone to being born deaf!

Pure white without blue eyes: 17% to 22%

White with a single blue eye: 40% (and usually on the side of the blue eye)

White with two blue eyes: 65% to 85%

In an afflicted kit, the inner ear will rapidly degenerate. They typically lose most of their hearing by their 4th day, and will only be able to faintly hear extremely loud noises.

Of course, there's also various other birth defects that can result in deaf and HOH kits, even if they aren't white with blue eyes. The ear canal and hearing organs can just not form correctly! Any kit could be born with hearing loss, and they can have any type!

If the loss came from injury or severe infection, chronic pain in the inner ear is also common. Nothing can be done about this besides painkillers such as poppy seeds. This condition is rare in born-deaf cats.

Most cats with hearing loss will also permanently hear a repetitive, single-note sound. For most it's a faint, tinny "ring," but others can hear hissing, crackling, or humming in high or low pitch.

At first, this constant noise can be distracting or even debilitating, preventing them from focusing or sleeping, until... you just get used to it.

There is no way to turn the noise off. It can get worse or better, but it's forever. Sleeping and not being stressed out will help, but over time, they typically learn to tune it out. Being reminded of it is usually annoying, just like when someone reminds you about manual breathing.

(We call this condition tinnitus. It is up to you what you would like your cats to call it, the same way they refer to pneumonia as greencough. Tinnitus is a LOT broader than this little snippet, but this is not a guide about tinnitus, this is about hearing loss)

So to summarize that,

There's a billiondy-million ways to damage one's hearing.

Losing your hearing from age or disease usually results in being hard of hearing (HOH) as opposed to deaf, and is likely to affect one ear more than the other.

It starts with high-pitched noises like rodent squeaks.

Cats born white with blue eyes have a massive chance of being born deaf; their inner ear degenerates.

But, any kit could be born with any type of hearing loss, not just deafness.

Most cats with hearing loss will hear a distracting, repetitive noise. They just learn to tune it out.

Traits and Challenges of Hearing Loss

Hearing impaired cats are LOUD.

Even warriors who have mild hearing loss will often end up speaking much louder so they can hear themselves, or not notice the sounds they're making as they shift around in their nests, scuffle sand at the dirtplace, or trample through crunchy leaf litter.

If one of their ears is better than the other, they'll usually try to stand with their "good side" facing any speakers or other sources of noise. They might appear to be constantly standing at an angle, with their head turned towards the sound. It might be so second nature that they don't realize they're doing it.

Plus, a cat with hearing loss in only one ear will lose their hearing's "distance perception," the ability to pinpoint a sound's location. EXACTLY like how losing the sight in one eye causes the loss of "depth perception," they will have difficulty telling how far away a noise actually is.

Warriors who lose their hearing later in life typically have years of experience in knowing how prey behaves and what sorts of actions make noise; but cats born deaf have to be taught this.

Instead, born-deaf cats tend to associate "sound" with "vibration." Echoes, rumbles, and the sensation of their own humming or laughter can feel very pleasurable. Their whiskers are so sensitive that they can even feel drafts of air from someone speaking in front of them! Because of that, cats with impaired hearing do better with low, rumbling "sounds" rather than high-pitched ones; even when they can't hear either. They can feel lower pitched noises.

(NOTE: Decibels are the measurement of volume, and Hertz are the measurement of pitch. These are different things, NOT interchangeable. HIGH pitch and LOW volume are lost first.)

This is why hunting is so difficult when cats begin to lose their hearing. Their sense of smell and sight can be perfectly intact, but a lot of how a cat hunts is in listening for delicate little sounds and balancing them in both ears to figure out prey's exact location. So, when a cat is learning to hunt without their hearing, they have to rely on their other senses and keep their whiskers low, dusting the ground with their chops and front paws, in hopes of their quarry making a vibration they can feel.

IMPORTANT: Don't forget that cats have carpal whiskers! They are short whiskers on the front paws of a cat, used primarily for "grappling" with other cats and struggling prey. They are less sensitive than facial whiskers, but still very useful for a hearing impaired warrior.

"Dusting," keeping the face low, is still more effective than relying entirely on "Sweeping" movements with the paws.

The younger the cat is, the more time they will have to practice and master this. Cats born deaf, who have never relied on hearing before, are usually better hunters than older warriors learning completely new techniques.

But. Clan cats aren't the only danger in the forest.

A warrior who is deaf or hard-of-hearing will not hear danger approaching, and is easy to sneak up on. Even if they keep themselves completely quiet, an intelligent fox or an enemy warrior can launch an unexpected attack on their unsuspecting target. The wilderness is dangerous, and it's not feasible to keep one's whiskers pressed to the ground at all times, even if vibrations did carry far enough to detect such danger before it's too late.

So, it would be recommended for warriors with hearing loss to not wander too far without a hearing Clanmate capable of alerting them to sounds.

They also will have a VERY difficult time acting as part of a "battalion," in large-scale battles.

In fights with dozens of entangled warriors, while they're focused on fighting the cat in front of them, they will have a hard time hearing commands. Even if well-trained in visual cues like tail signs, deaf and HOH warriors might fail to respond to yowled orders like, "RETREAT" or "SECURE THE ENTRANCE."

Even if the warrior isn't fully deaf, battles are loud and chaotic! It's very likely that such orders would get lost in the clamor of hissing and screeching cats, if the cat has any difficulties with hearing at all.

In summary,

Cats with hearing disabilities are loud.

Hearing loss in one ear will cause the loss of distance perception, and they will often stand at an angle with their good ear facing the noise.

If they were born deaf, they have to learn what makes noise.

Highly tactile, they tend to rely on whisker-sense to "replace" their hearing.

Keeping their facial whiskers low to feel for vibration, "dusting," is a very useful technique.

"Sweeping" with the carpal whiskers is also useful, but less so than "dusting."

They are in increased danger from things sneaking up on them, and shouldn't go anywhere unsafe without a buddy.

Following battle commands in large-scale battles will be difficult or nearly impossible, making them bad "team players."

Communication: Signing, lipreading, and more

(psst! @twiigbranch has a free-to-use version of pawspeak if you credit them!)

Since the majority of these cats lost their ability to hear later in life, most warriors with hearing loss will speak "normally." By "normally," that means they will talk the same way they did their whole lives, just louder so they can hear themselves better.

Over many years, they may begin to stop enunciating their words, 'slurring' their sentences, and their pitch may be a little off. Even then, it's rare that a Clanmate would be able to "tell" they have hearing loss just from their cadence.

But, meanwhile, cats who are born deaf will have a very complicated journey with speech.

It's PIVOTAL for the kit's development that the family and the Clan takes an interest in trying to communicate with them. Deaf children often become isolated from communities that don't seem to care about them, the same way any other alienated child would. This can result in trauma, lack of self-confidence, and behavioral issues.

Even if your project doesn't have Pawspeak (or doesn't have it yet!), kittens WILL find ways to communicate with their family and Clan. Sign language can evolve organically from home signs, unique gestures that will rise for a deaf child to speak with their family. BUT, the sooner they're introduced to a true sign language, the better they will be able to communicate.

Sign languages can also die naturally, simply fading away if the next few generations don't keep them alive. It's possible for the Clans to have gone through a few, over the years!

(Note: Sign languages are full languages, not just "physical versions" of a spoken one. American Sign Language and British Sign Language are from totally different families, even further from each other than English and Russian!)

It is also possible for cats born fully deaf, who have never heard words, to learn how to speak verbally... but, this takes a LOT more time and effort than using a sign language.

Teaching a deaf warrior how to say words is not quick, or easy, and is a very physical process. It involves a lot of dedicated practice time back-and-forth, with the apprentice placing their paw on their mentor's throat to feel their voice, and being coached on how to mimic the exact inflections of every word. It can be very repetitive, and very boring.

Even with lots of training, speakers born deaf have a noticeable "accent." They pronounce consonants better than they do vowels (aeiou), and often lack tone and inflection. Each warrior is an individual, and using a speaking voice is a skill some will be better at using than others.

Lipreading is very difficult. Most warriors born deaf will never learn how to do this, or even want to, as it takes an immense amount of time, effort, and tutoring. It will be more common for cats with more moderate hearing loss, especially if they lost their hearing later in life.

These are REQUIRED for a proper lip reading;

Clear view of the face. If the speaker is too far away, moving around, covers their mouth, stands in a dark place, or has their back turned, their lips can't be read. There are many ways that the view of the face could be obstructed.

Slow, clear speaking. If they're talking too quickly and mumbling their words, it will be extremely difficult to catch all of what they said. A better lip reader will be able to read faster.

Mental awareness. A cat who is tired to exhaustion, unable to focus, or not expecting to be spoken to will not be able to process what's being said. Lipreading is an action that takes brainpower.

MOST IMPORTANTLY: A single speaker, not overlapping with others. Lip reading is nearly useless during clanwide arguments. If there's tons of cats talking over each other, shouting out and interrupting, responding to unseen lips in the crowd, or even if an important speaker is just at a bad angle for the deaf warrior's line of sight to catch, they will not be able to catch everything.

Lipreading is also an action that takes focus. If the cat is tired, unable to concentrate, or isn't expecting to have to read lips, they won't be able to process what words the mouth was forming. It works best one-on-one, in clear lighting, looking straight ahead at the speaker... and even then, the BEST lipreader might only catch 40% to 50% of the words said.

So, it's truly reading. Interpretation. It isn't straightforward like language is. From, "I see a herd of deer, all of them are bucks" they might only catch, "...a... deer... of them... bucks." They will have to guess the meaning based on context!

(Look into a mirror. Quickly chant "Red right wrong" three times. Do you see how similar your lips look to form those words when you're not trying to clearly enunciate them? That's what lipreaders deal with.)

So, while there are other options, a sign language is absolutely the best choice if possible in your setting. Especially for cats who were deaf from birth, sign language is the ideal solution.

VERY IMPORTANT TIPS FOR WRITING A HEARING DISABILITY:

Please avoid them speaking with broken grammar, in third person, or with overly simplistic vocabulary, as if they are a toddler or a caveman. If a deaf cat is taught to speak, they will also learn grammar. BAD: "Examplefur go hunt. Me catch mouse good." OK: "I'm going hunting. I'm good at catching mice."

They will not suddenly "forget" how to speak if they lose their hearing, unless they have another condition such as brain injury.

Lip reading is inferior to signing.

They cannot perfectly catch every single word spoken in all conversations via lipreading, especially when the speaker isn't making an effort to include them, or it's during a disorganized group argument.

In ideal conditions, 30% to 40% of the words spoken will be picked up, and the reader will "fill in" the missing vocab with guesswork.

Teaching a deaf cat to speak verbally is a dedicated process, not something they easily "pick up."

Cats born deaf will almost never pick up lipreading, it is more common in milder forms of hearing loss.

Showing hearing clanmates making an effort to include hearing-impaired warriors, like doing translations or just making sure they understood everything, is massively appreciated.

A good culture around hearing loss is the best thing in the entire world for these cats. Support, respect, and acceptance are sincerely the most important factor in how well a hearing impaired warrior adapts with their disability.

So with that in mind, let's also explore the unique challenges in the terrains and culture of each Clan.

Unique Challenges Clan-by-Clan

Because of the nature of this disability, certain Clans are going to be more difficult for a hearing impaired warrior to function independently in, both in terms of environmental hazards and of culture.

Deaf and HOH warriors will not hear the sounds they're making if they step on noisy terrain or accidentally rustle nearby plants. Some enemies also rely more on stealth to attack their targets than others, and some territories will provide more places for prey and predators to hide. Water-related hazards will naturally cause there to be MORE disabled cats in some Clans more than others, which could mean that there will be less stigma and better community.

Environment means a lot to a cat with hearing loss!

RiverClan

Because this Clan is notorious for swimming in the river, they would have a massively higher rate of hearing loss (and scent loss) than other Clans; ESPECIALLY in late autumn and winter. This also means their healers would be MUCH more experienced with treating ear problems in general; but that's a subject for another guide!

(to answer a stray question before I eventually make that guide: RiverClan can make primitive earplugs out of beeswax to protect their hearing, but may need to trade with ThunderClan to acquire that.)

The important thing to note is that compared to other Clans, RiverClan has the highest rate of having HOH warriors. This means that there would be better support systems for hearing loss than in other Clans, and a cultural "bank" of techniques and knowledge to be shared.

They still have the same proportion of kittens born deaf compared to other Clans, but apprentices without hearing in RiverClan would have a bigger pool (heh!) of mentors who have experience with accommodating their disability.

Plus, you don't need to hear fish to catch them. While they'd still have issues hunting water voles and other wetland-loving rodents, fishers aren't at a significant disadvantage when it comes to providing food to the Clan.

Advantages--

High concentration of cats with similar disabilities provides community, and influences the broader culture to be more accommodating

Healers would have lots of experience with the injuries and illnesses that lead to hearing loss, leading to better treatment

Hearing is not necessary for catching fish, and thus has almost no bearing on how skilled a hunter would be.

Mentors would have better techniques for teaching deaf apprentices

Disadvantages--

Will not hear drowning cats. If you drop into that water you're on your own, bucko

Winter will be even harder than usual, when the river freezes over and fishing becomes more difficult.

Overall, RiverClan is THE best Clan for a deaf cat to be part of.

WindClan

With wide open spaces and lots of hills that offer a good vantage point, sight and vigilance is much more important for survival in a moorland than hearing. There's even an advantage to Pawspeak here; you can communicate from across the open moor without screaming out your location to all the prey!

On top of that, moorland has low-laying vegetation. It isn't a grassland, or filled with splashing water, or covered in crunchy leaf litter. There's not a lot of things TO accidentally make noise on, unless the warrior is trying to hide in a gorse or common heather bush, and WindClan is notorious for relying on speed over stealth anyway.

The one drawback to being a deaf moor-runner is that they will not hear baying hounds. Dogs are extremely common in moorland, either as sheep herders or as companions to human hunters shooting grouses. That said, the fact that hounds are the ONLY big predator they'll need to worry about immediately makes WindClan's moor safer than any woodland territory.

Badgers, boars, and foxes hate open spaces like moorland. It's just dogs that are a big concern, and hawks for smaller cats. There are very few "sneaky" predators in this area; most rely on speed.

So being a moor-runner is one of the best jobs that a warrior with hearing loss could have in the Clans... but the minute that they start to have problems listening to any orders, a tunneler should stop working underground immediately.

Deaf apprentices should be excused from their mandatory tunnel training, except to learn how to do evacuation drills.

There is no light underground. Even if they're capable of creating rushlights or are willing to sacrifice glowworms, that light will be dim at best, and could snuff out at any moment. Communication will become impossible with a deaf cat, and even moderate hearing loss will endanger any warrior who gets separated from their team.

If something as drastic as a cave-in or a flooding happens, they will be in extreme danger. They can't be properly warned unless they're pushed by a fellow digger, and they will not be able to notice anything that isn't rumbling. If they DO end up getting trapped under rubble, they will not hear a rescue party calling their name.

It's not just themselves they have to worry about, either. Not being able to warn or coordinate with their excavation team will put ALL of them in danger.

Advantages--

Moorland requires sharper eyes than ears to begin with.

Lack of ambush predators makes this territory particularly safe without hearing.

Quiet terrain makes sneaking less neccesary in the first place

Pawspeak is especially useful across wide distances

Disadvantages--

Hounds are still a massive danger; they could get very close before they're noticed, if they're upwind.

Will not receive a warning cry in case of any hawks or approaching predators.

Tunneling would be profoundly dangerous with a hearing disability; should be heavily discouraged.

Overall rating is that this is the second best Clan for a cat with hearing loss. RiverClan's sense of community still gives them the top seat imo, but if the attitudes of their Clanmates are good, WindClan's moor is an easy territory to adapt to.

ShadowClan

This one is going to depend on what version of ShadowClan the Erins feel like writing that day, or which one you've chosen for your own project. Do they live in a dry pine forest? Or a wetland?

If you're using the idea that ShadowClan lives in a dry pine forest, especially if your project exists in Britain where spruces, firs, and larches are non-native and thus the territory is a timber plantation, refer to the new growth section in ThunderClan below.

I do not abide by that idea, because Aengus the Prize Winning Hog did not emerge from a cranberry bog for me to disrespect him in this way <3 love ur local wetland <3

(quick note: a swamp is a wooded wetland, a marsh is an open wetland, a bog is acidic, and a fen is neutral/alkaline. Wetland is the general term here.)

Wetlands are rich with soggy ground, muck, and microbe-ridden stillwater. Though ShadowClan cats don't swim for fun, they would end up with more ear infections than most Clans through accidentally falling into the swamp. It's likely that they have the second-highest rate of hearing loss in the 5 Clans, but still significantly below RiverClan.

The lush, thick ferns and reeds provide lots of cover to the notoriously stealthy Clan, but to a warrior who can't hear, this terrain is loud and frustrating. The squish of mud under your paws and the rustle of undergrowth is very hard to adapt to if you can't hear it. ShadowClan's prey of birds, frogs, and water-rodents will respond to any accidental noises by fleeing, quickly, making hunting difficult.

Plus, ShadowClan doesn't rely on one, large, deep, stony body of water like RiverClan does, which seems to be sedimentary rock and open marsh all around. Predators are lurking everywhere in wooded swamps, and could sneak up on a warrior who can't hear them. Foxes, badgers, and boars are a danger in this territory.

All that said; ShadowClan still doesn't seem to rely on just rodents. They eat a lot of amphibians and reptiles, which are not hunted by sound. Most of the techniques they use to catch them can just be taught verbatim to a deaf apprentice, or continue to be used the same way by a warrior who has lost their hearing.

Advantages--

Concentration of warriors with hearing loss from falling into dirty water may provide community and support.

Has a good selection of prey that doesn't rely on listening to be hunted effectively.

Disadvantages--

Swamps, wooded wetlands, are dangerous and attract predators.

Lush foliage and soupy ground make moving quietly difficult for a deaf warrior; but not as difficult as leaf litter.

So, this Clan would be firmly middle-of-the-line in terms of its accessibility to a cat with hearing loss. It would depend a lot on how you plan to approach ShadowClan in your own project; such as if you plan to build out more campbound activities, see them as being social or antisocial with their Clanmates, and what kind of territory you choose for them to have.

SkyClan

As of the time of writing this guide in 2023, when the only decent description of SkyClan's new territory is from a single chapter of Squirrelflight's Hope, it's very difficult to figure out what sorts of terrain challenges a warrior with hearing loss would face at the lake.

Hopefully I can come back and update this later!

But it's most likely is that they have a diverse, varied territory, involving the climbing of steep hills and gorges. Even at the "gorge" territory, a lot of hunting would need to take place outside of the rocky parts of the ravine, in the sparse woodlands and countrysides nearby.

For hunting on sparse woodland, see the advice for ThunderClan. Most hunting in British countrysides is going to look very similar to WindClan's open fields, so refer up there for that.

Because of how close they are to humans, both in the Gorge and at the Lake, it's HIGHLY recommended that warriors with hearing loss avoid twolegplaces. ESPECIALLY towns. Between cars, crowds, and grabbing hands, these places are already dangerous (and sensory hell) for warriors with great hearing, but outright lethal for a hearing impaired cat who won't hear these things coming.

So while the majority of the Clan is jack-of-all-trades and regularly mixes up the particular terrain they hunt in, this is going to be harder for hearing impaired warriors. They have to invent brand new, unique techniques for ALL of these different environments, some of them more difficult than others. Because of that, it will naturally be easiest for a deaf warrior to "specialize" in a particular type of terrain.

This could result in some pretty intense feelings of alienation, as their hearing Clanmates regularly mix what sorts of places they tackle. Without even intending to, they could end up making the warrior feel very left out!

In terms of the culture though, SkyClan seems notoriously accommodating. Between the part-time-kittypet daylight warriors and the way they invented an entirely new mediator role for a cat who didn't enjoy hunting and fighting, it would likely be one of the BEST Clans in terms of supporting a hearing impaired warrior, even in spite of having a "standard" rate of hearing loss since their territory is not particularly wet.

So, it's very likely that they would WANT to fix the fact they've accidentally made their Clanmate excluded, and seek solutions that work for everyone. If any Clan besides RiverClan had a Pawspeak interpreter translating Leafstar's words, it would probably be these guys lmao

Advantages--

Varied terrain means there will be at least a few places that aren't too hard for them to adapt to

Sparse woods, open fields, and even gorges, the three most common terrain types, are at worst decent for a deaf cat to hunt in.

VERY accommodating culture, the absolute best outside of the Clans with a high hearing loss percentage.

Disadvantages--

Generalist training, where every warrior handles vastly different terrain types, will exponentially increase how much training a hearing-impaired warrior must learn.

Being unable to join with their Clanmates in hunting across the entire territory could feel isolating

Rating: Close to top tier, but variable. It's going to depend somewhat on the personality of the warrior. While SkyClan will likely make a big effort to include them, the reality of needing to learn several sets of parallel skills and the way they might feel like an "outsider" for specializing could cause extra distress. Especially for a warrior losing their hearing later in life.

ThunderClan

Because of their collaborative culture and hunting style, described as snobbish and bossy by other Clans, it's very likely that ThunderClan would struggle the most with a specific type of ableism. Since they value group cohesion, it follows they may force Assimilation onto a disabled warrior rather than Accommodation.

As mentioned earlier, Pawspeak is the best thing for the comfort of a deaf warrior... but it might not occur to this Clan to encourage the majority of the Clan to adapt to a minority of warriors.

But it gets worse. Forests are AWFUL terrain to hunt in if you can't hear. Imagine walking in a field with a bunch of invisible landmines, and if you step on one, it broadcasts your EXACT location.

It's difficult to tell if your mouse is running away because you crunched a leaf and made a sound... or because a bird in a tree SAW you and is now raising up an alarm cry. If you can't actually hear what the noise was that scared your lunch away, you might blame yourself for being clumsy as a fox barrels towards you!

When it comes to forests, there are significant differences between an old growth forest and a new growth forest. BOTH of them are going to be extremely difficult for a disabled warrior to adapt to, but old growth is harder.

OLD GROWTH

In both, ground litter is a challenge, but especially so in an old growth British forest. Natural forests there are primarily mixed oak, which drop twigs, leaves, and acorns all over the ground.

These areas are bountiful, productive, and brimming with life. Both in terms of prey and predators. The varied canopy of natural, mixed-age trees allows sunlight to filter through and create an "understorey," providing lots of food and cover to lots of different animals. Unfortunately, foliage is not a deaf warrior's friend.

As previously mentioned, a mix of areas for animals to hide in and a surrounding of rattling plant life is the worst possible combination for a cat who can't hear. Worse, hunting rodents depends massively on hearing them through the leaf litter, thanks to those high-pitched chirps and squeaks which are the first thing to vanish when a cat loses their hearing.

This would be so bad that it's likely ThunderClan "works" its youngest members much harder than its seniors, assigning apprentices and young warriors to significantly more hunting patrols. Since hearing loss is so common that it's practically inevitable, and the security of a Clan allows these wild cats to live to such old ages, it would be "common sense" to ThunderClan to structure things this way.

Old growth patches are practically food pantries for Clan cats, but hearing impaired warriors will have a HELLISH time trying to hunt in them.

NEW GROWTH

When a forest is new and all of the trees in a stand are about the same age, they create a uniform canopy. Like a continuous tent. This means they're so effective at blocking out sunlight that there's virtually no understorey.

No understorey means no food. Or very little food. But it also means no cover. And, usually, significantly less leaf litter. This is because in Britain, most of these types of forests are non-native conifers. Sitka spruce and douglas fir are the two biggest offenders-- and that's significant because nothing here has evolved to EAT the products of those trees.

In ThunderClan, Tallpines is an example of this, but this type of terrain could pop up anywhere that's seen massive destruction.

No understorey to feed prey, no products of the trees which native animals can eat, a silent floor covered in pine needles which offer no hiding places, almost chilling uniformity of the strange trees in evenly-spaced rows...

All of this to say that there's an irony here, that the hearing impaired warrior will be best at hunting in the most barren parts of the forest.

There's much less things to trip up on, or rustle. Prey can be plainly seen out in the open. Gray squirrels are the most significant prey that can utilize these areas, and they DO make a hearty meal for a Clan cat. Additionally, these areas are particularly silent because they're so barren, which might make them seem "creepy" to hearing warriors, but that wouldn't bother a deaf warrior one bit!

Advantages--

Cultural sentiment of "all for one; one for all" may lead to more dedication from the Clan as a whole in connecting to the hearing impaired cat

Which could be a blessing or a curse, depending on the individual warrior's feelings.

Ability to work efficiently in the most barren parts of the forest

Disadvantages--

Cultural emphasis on collaboration in group hunting likely leads to deaf cats being encouraged to adapt to the patrol rather than their own strengths.

May result in more emphasis on teaching lip reading and 'speech therapy,' rather than the adoption or implementation of Pawspeak.

Very difficult to stay quiet in a forest if you can't hear the crunch of leaf litter and twigs.

Lots of cover means random bullshit can spring out from any corner; abundance of ambush predators.

Cover also means there's a lot of places for prey to hide, and hearing can't be used to pinpoint the location.

Lots of rodent prey, which relies on hearing high-pitched noise to catch.

Rating: F MINUS, SEE ME AFTER CLASS. By FAR the worst Clan for a warrior with hearing loss to be part of, for both practical reasons, AND cultural reasons. Awful awful awful, absolutely abysmal, failing grade. Dark Souls for deaf cats

Though remember! This part of the guide is a suggestion. You do not need to include ableism in your own projects if you do not want to, and I hope with the information that you now have, you know how to better avoid it!

"Sources?"

Right this way~

[warriorcatsrewriteantinomy]

List of Herbs & Uses ( + Other tools)

DO NOT USE THIS AS FACT. THIS IS FOR FAKE CATS. DO NOT USE THIS IN REAL LIFE. I AM SERIOUS.

CW; FOR MENTION OF SPIDERS, LEECHES, FLEAS AND WOUNDS

Psss shoutout to @bonefall​ ‘s herb guide. Helped me a lot + inaturalist thing. Really helped

Alder (Alnus glutinosa) Bark - Chewed to ease toothaches. Found along rivers, can also grow in swampy areas.

Burdock (Arctium minus) Root - The root is dug up, the soil is washed off, and then it is chewed into a pulp. Soothes and heals rat bites especially if they are infected. Can be used for other wounds, more commonly bite wounds. Helps to prevent infections or fight off infections. Prefers moist soil and full sun. Will tolerate most soils. Very dangerous to dig up, only trained Healers can do this.

Catmint (Nepeta x faassenii) - Used as a treatment for Greencough. It can also improve relaxation, which may reduce anxiety, restlessness, and nervousness. Found in Twolegs gardens. Thrives in areas with dry soil and is very tolerant of dryer conditions.

Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) - Used as a anticonvulsant herb for cats with epilepsy. MUST BE STEEPED IN WATER. The herb also has a side effect of drowsiness. IN LARGE DOSES IT CAN BE TOXIC! This is why it’s steeped in water. Grows basically anywhere but prefers sunny areas with free draining soil.

Chervil (Chaerophyllum temulum) - Chewed to extract the juice of the leaves for infected wounds or the root for bellyaches. Grows best in a cool, partly shaded spot.

Chew sticks - A small twig from a young willow or Silver Birth tree. First chew the end off. Once that is finished they ‘brush’ their teeth with the bristles, shifting it in their paws to cover the whole mouth.

Cobweb  -  A cobweb is fluffy and messy. They are made by a cobweb spider and it is used to stop or slow bleeding.

Comfrey ( Symphytum officinale ) -  Roots are chewed into a poultice and leaves are chewed into a pulp. Can help for broken bones, soothes wounds, burns and wrenched claws. Can be used to help with itching or for inflammation on stiff or wrenched joints. Also eases stiffness on wrenched shoulders when lined in a nest. IF USED TOO MUCH IT CAN BE TOXIC!!! Found in damp, grassy places.

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) - ...Just check this post out. TLDR; it has way too many uses. It grows in most but grows best in sunny sites with free draining soil. It does not like too much shade, and will struggle if the soil is prone to becoming waterlogged.

Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) - When eaten it reduces body temperature for cats with fever or chills. Helps with headaches. It also reduces all inflammation and swelling. Grows anywhere sunny, not too picky about soil types.

Flea Bath - ...Self explanatory 

Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum) - When eaten it can help with grief. Grows anywhere sunny, not too picky about soil types. Can flourish in part shade.

Honey - Used for bacterial infection, especially eye bacterial infection.

Horehound (Lycopus europaeus) - Given to trans cats as a hormone suppressants. If they suddenly stop or overdose it can cause thyroid enlargement. Horehound can also be used to treat anxiety, heart palpitations, stopping bleeding, and respiratory illness. Grows best in full sun and sandy well-drained soil.

Leech (Hirudo medicinalis) - Used for joint pain. 

Mint (Genus Mentha) - Used to cover a cat on a funeral if the body is particularly bad. Very toxic, don't use often.

Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) - Mainly used to treat Yellowcough. TOXIC IN LARGE DOSES. Found in well-lit, disturbed soils.

Salt - Insect repellant!

Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) Pollen - Added to water and food to increase testosterone.

Splint - A strip of rigid material used for supporting and immobilizing a broken bone when it has been set.

Poppy seeds (Papaver somniferum) - Can help a cat sleep, soothe shock or distress, or ease pain. Not recommended for nursing queens. Flourishes in dry, warm climates.

Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) - Used as a hormone suppressant for cats going to female to male. Also used as a antifungal and used when cooking. It grows best in a sunny, sheltered spot, in well-drained soil.

Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioca) + Root  - First must be processed first. Used to treat burns and inflammation. The root can be taken by a transmasc warrior. 

Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) - It is used to aid in anxiety and stress. Makes a cat more active. Used as a anticonvulsant herb. Side effect is it causes cats to perk up. Can be found anywhere with good drainage but it prefers sandy loam.

Web - A web is flat and neat. They are made by most spiders and it is used to stop or slow bleeding.

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) - When eaten it can induce vomiting. If more than a small amount is eaten it can cause death. Thrives best in sunny areas but will tolerate some shade. Doesn't tolerate constantly wet soil and prefers well-drained soil. Thrives in hot and dry conditions.

(READ BELOW FOR NOTES)

Notes

Lots of herbs are now gone

Almost all mint is toxic to cats btw

Sorry marigold lovers, but it doesn't grow naturally in the general area I'm basing this off of.

...Most of the herbs don't grow naturally in this general area.

Mostly in towns

Probably going to do a territory thing of Thunder Guild where I list plants, prey and stuff like that

I got rid of most herbs because they A; don't grow here or B; too toxic for kitties

Btw if you want to either dock species (curly dock or board leaved dock) could work but only in small doses

[theinsanecreature]

Hi! I have decided to post more, as I suddenly got an intrest spike!

Today I will be posting a Warrior Cat's herb guide, mainly for the fan-made game on Roblox.

‼️THIS IS NOT COMPLETE, AND I WILL BE EDITING IT AS I GAIN MORE KNOWLEDGE‼️

-~{moss}~-

-Harvesting

commonly found on trees and/or marshy areas. And rivers

-Uses

used to refresh bedding in dens, as well as soaking up and transporting liquids.

-~{borage}~-

-Harvesting

distinguished by it's small blue/pink star petals. Plentiful and all four territories

-Uses

Helps queens produce healthier milk in larger amounts

Breaks down fevers

Soothes bad bellies & stomachr tightness

-~{catmint}~-

-Harvesting

mainly found in twoleg gardens

-Uses

best redemy for greencough & whitecough

-~{poppy}~-

-Harvesting

red or yellow petals, commonly found in both Thunderclan and Riverclan.

-Uses

Helps for sleep, soothe shock & distress, and to ease pain

Deadly to queens

-~{yarrow}~-

-Harvesting

white flowering plant with jagged leaves

most common around Thunderclan and Windclan

-Uses

when applied to a wound, it extracts poison

when ingested, causes a cat to throw up toxins

used to heal cracked pads

-~{cobwebs}~-

-Harvesting

found all around forest territory. Normally on fallen trees & abandoned dens

-Uses

when placed on a wound, it can soak up and stop bleeding

used to bind broken bones

-~{chervil}~-

-Harvesting

large-leafy, fern-like leaves with small white flowers

commonly found in Thunderclan territory

-Uses

can be applied to wounds to help treatment

used ro treat bellyaches

-~{Thyme}~-

-Harvesting

grows best in hot & sunny locations

-Uses

used to calm nervousness in cats, and reduxe shock

also used ti reduxe anxiety

-~{juniper berries}~-

-Harvesting

blue/purple berries found in dark, spiky bushes

commonly grow in dry areas

-Uses

soothe bellyaches & gives strength

helps troubled breathing & calms cats down

-~{dock leaves}~-

-Harvesting

large-leafed plant

mostly grows in leafy, overgrown areas like Shadowclan

-Uses

commonly used to soothe scratches; stings when applied

used to soothe sore pads

Here are some pictures of the herbs IN-GAME

Moss:

Borage:

Catmint:

Poppy:

Yarrow:

Cobwebs:

Chervil:

Thyme:

(no image found :[ )

Juniper Berries:

Dock Leaves:

[lexysstorm]

Hello again! I went through and edited some of my Herb 101 list, added a few things, and made it a bit more appealing to the eye! I implemented @bonefall‘s epilepsy guide in Procedures, as well as this post: https://wcrpforums.com/thread/1861/complete-medicine-cat-guide that I found, which had some information I had never seen before! I reached out to the creator of it and got confirmation that I could add some of the information they found! Thank you Emrakul and Bonefall! 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1K__ryW-NV8tl1Hsv0ET-CzJRDioBNilrQQoqSWFWkdY/edit?usp=sharing

[springsteens]

herbal teas guide —

🌿🍃 having conversations with my mutuals all over the world, i was stunned to find out that not every country/culture practices drinking herbal teas for health issues. as a slavic person i decided to create this little guide because – and i'm saying this as a skeptical person who hates superstitions – they really work. 🍃🌿

mint tea (mentha piperita) is for digestion and relaxation chamomile tea (matricaria chamomilla) is for digestive system horsetail tea (equisetum arvense) is for skin, hair, nails condition, remineralization and circulatory system linden tea (tilia cordata) is for a cold lemon balm tea (melissa officinalis) is for relaxation and sleep nettle tea (uritca dioica) is for urinary tract sage tea (salvia officinalis) is for when your throat or teeth hurt fennel tea (funiculum vulgare) is for digestive system white mulberry tea (morus alba) is for carbohydrate metabolism pansy tea (viola tricolor) is for clean skin and body detox purge tea (cistus incanus) is for immunity hawthorn tea (crataegus monogyna) is for heart and circulatory system damian leaves tea (turnera diffusa) is for anxiety and libido dandelion tea (taraxacum officinale) is for liver, stomach and digestion st john's wort tea (hypericum perforatum) is for emotional balance, good mood, digestive system and kidney function

🌿🍃 to create this guide i was using a booklet from my pharmacy store. if you google them, you will find out that each of these have even more usage methods than the ones listed. 🍃🌿

🌿🍃 if you're from a different country/culture and you know more herbal teas like these, feel free to add them. 🍃🌿

[ravensmoonlitmagick]

Flower Magick 🌺🪷

[greenwitchcrafts]

Smokeable herbs and flowers

WARNING

Smoking herbs itself is not a safe practice because smoking substances can cause damages to the lungs & respiratory system that can lead to bronchitis, lung cancer & other respiratory illnesses.

Organic, food safe herbs & flowers should be used if you choose to smoke these. Plants from garden centers, outside foraging in the city, ect may have pesticides or other unknown & possibly unsafe substances on them which make them no longer safe to consume.

•Some of these herbs burn harshly & would be better vaporized and/or in herbal blends. PLEASE LOOK UP HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN HERBAL SMOKING BLENDS

Never under any circumstances should you ingest or inhale a new substance before checking with a medical professional, especially if you are taking medication. You could have negative reactions.

Blue Cornflower

Known as: Bachelor's button, bluebottle, blue bow, blew cap, garden cornflower & hurtsickle

Gender: Feminine

Planet: Saturn

Element: Earth

Magical attributes: Abundance, calming, divination, Earth magick, enhancing psychic abilities, faerie magick, fertility, love, protection & sex

Deities: Chiron, Faeries & Flora

Blue Lotus

Known as: Baino, Egyptian lotus & lotus root

Gender: Feminine

Planet: Moon

Element: Water

Magical attributes: Fertility, healing, lock opening, love, luck, meditation, mental clarity, passing over rituals, protection, spirituality & wishes

Deities: Hermes, Horus, Isis, Nefertum, Oshun & Osiris

Blue Vervain

Known as: Brittanica, enchanter's herb, enchanter's plant, herba sacra, herb of grace, herb of the cross, holy wort, Juno's tears, lemon verbena, pigeons grass, pigeonwood, simpler's joy, verbena, van-van & verveine

Gender: Masculine

Planet: Sun

Element: Fire

Magical attributes: Abundance, astral binding, blessings to children, calming, chastity, creativity, divination, faerie magick, fertility, fortune, healing, love, luck, money, peace, prosperity, protection, purification, sleep, stimulates action, tranquil dreams, wand making & youth

Deities: Aphrodite, Aradia, Artemis, Bast, Cerridwen, Diana, faeries, Hecate, Hermes, Innana, Isis, Juno, Jupiter, Kali, Mars, Thor, Venus & Zeus

Cannabis

Known as: Chanvre, gallowgrass, ganeb, ganja, grass, hanf, kif, marijuana, neckweede, plant of the gods, taima, tekrouri, the tree of life & weed

Gender: Feminine

Planet: Saturn

Element: Water

Magical attributes: Commerce, exorcism, healing, love,meditation, protection, purification, spirt, travel & visions

Deities: Amaterasu & Sahe no Kami

( WARNING: will get you high.)

Calendula

Known as: Bride of the sun, marigold, ruddes, ruddles, summer's bride & sun's gold

Gender: Masculine

Planet: Moon

Element: Water

Magical attributes: Dreams, good luck in money, legal matters, prophetic dreaming, protection, psychic powers, respect, sun magick & wishes

Deities: N/A

(WARNING: can give a similar effect as smoking cannabis but more subtle)

Catnip

Known as: Cat, cat's play, cat's wort, catmint, catnep, catrup, field balm & nepeta nip

Gender: Feminine

Planet: Venus

Element: Water

Magical attributes: Animal blessing, beauty, binding, cat magick, dreams, happiness, healing, love, luck, peace, psychic connection, quick action & sleep

Deities: Bast, Cat Annis, Corn Cat, Freya, Maftet, Skhmet & ubastet

Chamomile

Known as: Camomyle, chamaimelon, Earth apple, ground apple, heermannchen chamaimelon, maythen, manzanilla, scented mayweed & whig plant

Gender: Masculine

Planet: Sun

Element: Fire

Magical attributes: Attraction, blockages removed, calmness, curse removal, gambling, hex breaking, love, luck, meditation, money, patience, purification, sexuality, sleep, spell combative & wealth

Deities: Cernunnos, Karnayna, Mercury, Oshun, Ra & St.Anne

Chrysanthemum

Known as: Mum

Gender: Masculine

Planet: Sun

Element: Fire

Magical attributes: Protection & strength

Deities: N/A

Coltsfoot

Known as: Ass' foot, British tobacco, bulls foot, butterbur, coughwort, donnhove, dovedock, foal's foot, halffoot, horsehoof, pas d'ane & sponnc

Gender: Feminine

Planet: Venus

Element: Water

Magical attributes: Animal magick, love, peace, prophetic dreams, prosperity, tranquility, visions & wealth

Deities: Brigid, Chiron & Venus

Damiana

Known as: Love leaf & Mexican Damina

Gender: Masculine

Planet: Mars

Element: Fire

Magical attributes: Aphrodisiac, astral travel, chakra opening, divination, love, lust, meditation, psychic powers, sex magick, spirt contact, tantric magick & visions

Deities: Artemis, Diana, Ganesha, Oshun, Pan, Vishnu & Zeus

(WARNING: smoking this will cause mild euphoria)

Eucalyptus

Known as: Blue gum, curly mallee, fever tree, maiden's gum, mottlecah, river red gum & stringy bark tree

Gender: Feminine

Planet: Moon

Element: Air & water

Magical attributes:  Abundance, blockages removed, fertility, fortune, healing, luck, prosperity, protection, repel negative energies, road opening & water elemental evocation

Deities: Ogun

( WARNING: should be smoked sparingly as the oils can irritate your lungs. Try vaporizing it.)

Gingko

Known as: Ginkgo biloba, living fossil & maidenhair tree

Gender: Feminine

Planet: Moon

Element: Water

Magical attributes: Aphrodisiac, beauty, business, dreams, fertility, healing, love & spirt calling

Deities: N/A

Goldenrod

Known as: Aaron's rod, blue mountain tea, goldruthe, gonea tea, solidago, sweet goldenrod, sweet scented goldenrod, verg d'or, wound weed & woundwort

Gender: Feminine

Planet: Venus

Element: Water

Magical attributes: Divination, encouragement, find lost/hidden objects, luck, money, prosperity & wealth

Deities: Venus

Gotu kola

Known as: Chi-hsing, hydrocotyle asiatica radix, Indian pennywort, Indian hydrocotyle, marsh penny, pai kuo, thick-leaved pennywort & white rot

Gender: Masculine

Planet: Mercury

Element: Air

Magical attributes: Aphrodisiac, calming, depression, divination, energy, gain, healing, longevity, lucid dreaming, meditation, memory, mental stimulation, psychic powers, psychic protections & vitality

Deities: N/A

Hops

Known as: Bee flower, beer flower, flores de cerveza, hop flower & stinging nettle

Gender: Masculine

Planet: Mars

Element: Air

Magical attributes: Blessing, healing, health, repelling negativity, protection & sleep

Deities: Hygeia, Hypno, Isis & Thoth

Hyssop

Known as: Hyssop herb, isopo, ysopo & yssop

Gender: Masculine

Planet: Jupiter

Element: Fire

Magical attributes: Banishing, blockages removed, faerie magick, hex breaking, protection, purification, road opening & sacrifice

Deities: Faeries & Obatala

Jasmine

Known as: Jessamin, moonlight on the grove, pikake, poet's jasmine, queen of perfume, royal jasmine, sampaguita, yeh-lsi-ming & ysmyn

Gender: Feminine

Planet: Moon & Venus

Element: Water

Magical attributes: Abundance, anger reduction, aphrodisiac, aura health, calming, compassion, confidence, depression, divination, dreamwork, elegance, family, fertility, fortune, gardening, grace, healing, health, love, lucid dreaming, luck, lunar magick, meditation, money, peace, prophetic dreams, prosperity, protection, rejuvenation, sexuality, sleep, spirituality, spirtual love, visions & wealth

Deities: Diana, Venus & Vishnu

Kava kava

Known as: Asava pepper, ava, ava pepper, intoxicating pepper & yagona

Gender: Feminine

Planet: Saturn

Element: Water

Magical attributes: Aphrodisiac, astral travel, cleansing, dreams, employment, promotion, healing, humility, legal matters, loce, luck, protection, psychic powers, replenishing respect, rites of passage, soul strengthening, spirt contact, travel, visions & water magick

Deities: Kanaloa, Kane & Lono

( WARNING: some users indicated it may cause psychoactive, numbness and euphoria)

Lavender

Known as: Elf leaf, nard, nardus & spike

Gender: Masculine

Planet: Mercury

Element: Air

Magical attributes: Chastity, clairvoyance, devotion, dreams, faerie magick, handfasting, happiness, healing, longevity, love, meditation, mental clarity, money, peace, protection, purification, sexuality, sleep, virtue & wishes

Deities: Aradia, Elves, Faeries, Hecate & Saturn

Lemon balm

Known as: Balm mint, bee balm, blue balm, cure-all, cropsy plant, garden balm, lemon balsam, oghoul, sweet balm & tourengane

Gender: Feminine

Planet: Moon

Element: Water

Magical attributes: Blockages removed, esbat rituals, healing, love, road opening, spirtual development, success sympathy

Deities: N/A

Lemon grass

Known as: Citron

Gender: Masculine

Planet: Mercury

Element: Air

Magical attributes: Abundance, blockages removed, calming, fertility, fortune, luck, lust, prosperity, purification, psychic powers, road opening & soothing

Deities: Hermes & Mercury

Linden flowers

Known as: Lime blossoms, lime tree, linnaflowers & tilia

Gender: Masculine

Planet: Jupiter

Element: Air

Magical attributes: Immortality, love, luck, protection, sleep & spirtual health

Deities: N/A

Lobelia

Known as: Asthma weed, bladderpod, emetic herb, emetic weed, gagroot, Indian tobacco, pukeweed, rag root, vomit wort & wold tabasco

Gender: Feminine

Planet: Saturn

Element: Water

Magical attributes: Health, love, protection & storm halting

Deities: N/A

(WARNING: smoking too much may make you puke)

Marjoram

Known as: Joy of the mountain, knotted marjoram, knotted marjorane, marjorlaine, mountain mint, sweet marjoram & wintersweet

Gender: Masculine

Planet: Mercury

Element: Air

Magical attributes: Attraction, desire, dreams, handfasting, happiness, health, joy, love, money, protection, purification, repelling negative energies & wishes

Deities: Aphrodite & Venus

Marshmallow leaf

Known as: Althea, guimavuve, heemst, mallards, mortification plant, schloss tea, slaz, sweet weed & wymote

Gender: Feminine

Planet: Saturn

Element: Earth

Magical attributes: Exorcism, love, protection & psychic powers

Deities: Althea

Motherwort

Known as: Lion's ear, lion's tail, Roman motherwort & throwwort

Gender: Feminine

Planet: Venus

Element: Water

Magical attributes: Confidence, counter magick, easing childbirth, ego bolstering, feminine magick, feminine strength, fertility, happiness, joy, midwifery, perfection & success

Deities: Ogun

Mugwort

Known as: Artemisia, artemisia herb, cingulum, felon herb, muggons, naughty man, old man, old uncle Henry, sailor's tobacco, St.John's plant, sancti johannis

Gender: Feminine

Planet: Venus & Moon

Element: Earth

Magical attributes: Astral travel, clairvoyance, divination, fertility, healing, lust, prophetic dreams, protection, psychic powers, scrying & strength

Deities: Aida Wedo, Artemis, Diana, Isis, Lakshimi & St.John

Mullien

Known as: Aaron's rod, Adam's flannel, beggar's blanket, beggar's stalk, bug taper, blanket herb, blanket leaf, boy scouts toilet paper, candlewick plant,cow's lungwort, cuddy's lungs, devil's tobacco, duffle, feltwort, flannel flower, flannel plant, fluff weed, graveyard candles, graveyard dust, great herb, great mullien, hag's tapers, hare's beard, hedge taper, ice leaf, Jacob's staff, Jupiter's staff, lady's Foxglove, lungwort, miner's candle, pig taper, quaker rouge, rag paper, shepard's herb, shepard's staff, torches, torchwort, velvetback, velvet dock, velvet plant, white man's footsteps, witch's candles, witch's taper & wooly mullin

Gender: Feminine

Planet: Saturn

Element: Water

Magical attributes: Astral work, centering, courage, curse repellent, divination, dreams, exorcism, graveyard dirt, health, helps to keep a good head spsce, herd protection, Hunter's charm, love, protection to children from faeries, protection, repelling malicious ghosts & spirts, repelling negative energies, repelling nightmares & travel safety

Deities: Jupiter & Saturn

Nettle

Known as: beggar's lice, common nettle, nettle leaves, ortiga ancha & stinging nettle

Gender: Masculine

Planet: Mars

Element: Fire

Magical attributes: Consecration, exorcism, fishing magick, funerary rituals, healing, lust, protection & repelling negativity energy

Deities: Apollo, Chang-o, Helios, Oya, Ra, Shango & Thor

Passion flower

Known as: Granadilla, grandilla, maracoc, maypops, passion vine & purple passion flower

Gender: Feminine

Planet: Venus

Element: Water

Magical attributes: Calming, friendship, peace, prosperity, sexual vitality, sleep & tranquility

Deities: Hestia, Hypnos & Yemaya

Peppermint

Known as: Brandy mint & lammint

Gender: Masculine

Planet: Mars

Element: Fire

Magical attributes: Abundance, divination, energy, fertility, fortune, healing, love, luck, lust, mental stimulation, prophecy dreams, prosperity, psychic powers, purification, sleep & visions

Deities: Pluto & Zeus

Raspberry leaf

Known as: European raspberry & red raspberry leaf

Gender: Feminine

Planet: Venus

Element: Water

Magical attributes: Love, protection & safe pregnancy

Deities: Innana, Isis & Oshun

Red clover

Known as: Cleaver gras, cowgrass, honey, honeystalks, marl grass, shamrock, three leaved grass, trefoil & trifoil

Gender:Masculine

Planet: Mercury

Element: Air

Magical attributes: Abundance, anti-hexing, counter spells, exorcism, faerie magick, faithfulness, fertility, fidelity, fortune, hex breaking, love, luck, memory, money, power, prosperity, protection &success

Deities: Artemis, faeries, Osiris & Rowan

Red willow bark

Known as: Osier, pussy willow, saille, salicyn willow, saugh tree, tree of enchantment, witch's asprin & withy

Gender:  Feminine

Planet: Moon

Element: Water

Magical attributes: Astral work, besom making, death, divination, empathy, enchantments, fertility, healing, inspiration, love, moon magick, passion over rituals, psychic energies & wishes

Deities: Artemis, Belili, Belenus, Ceres, Diana, Hecate, Hera, Mercury & Persephone

Rose

Known as: N/A

Gender: Feminine

Planet: Venus

Element: Water

Magical attributes: Abundance, beauty, clairvoyance, divination, dreams, feminine magick, fertility, fortune, friendships, handfasting, healing, love, luck, peace, prosperity, protection, psychic powers & visions

Deities: Adonis, Aphrodite, Aurora, Cupid, Demeter, Eros, Freya, Hathor, Holda, Hypocrites & Isis

Rosemary

Known as: Compass weed, dew of the sea, elf leaf, guardrobe, incsensier, labonotis,Mary's cloak, polar plant, sea dew, stella maria & star of the sea

Gender: Masculine

Planet: Sun

Element: Fire

Magical attributes: Aphrodisiac, baby blessing, cleansing, elf magick, exorcism, faerie magick, friendships, handfasting, healing, hex-breaking, longevity, love, lust, memories, mental powers, protection, psychic powers, purification, sleep, strega magick, Wiccaning & youth

Deities: Elves, Faeries, Sea spirits & Virgin Mary

Sage

Known as: Common sage, garden sage & meadow sage

Gender: Masculine

Planet: Jupiter

Element: Air

Magical attributes: Animal guides, aphrodisiac, blockages removed, cleansing, courage, Earth magick, fertility, glamour, grounding, healing, hex breaking, house blessings, immortality, longevity, prosperity, protection, purification, road opening, strength, wisdom & wishes

Deities: Chiron, Consus, Jupiter, Obatala & Zeus

Salvia

Known as: N/A

Gender: Feminine

Planet: Venus

Element: Water

Magical attributes: Binding, love & memories

Deities: N/A

( WARNING: Can cause psychoactive effects)

Skullcap 

Known as: American skullcap, blue pimpernel, blue skullcap, European skullcap, greater skullcap, helmet flowers, hooded willow herb, hoodwort, scullcap, quaker bonnet, mad-dog weed, mad dogweed, madweed & side-flowering skullcap

Gender: Feminine

Planet: Saturn

Element: Water

Magical attributes: Dedications, fidelity, handfasting, initiation rights, love, oaths, peace & relaxation vows

Deities: Faeries, Hera & Obatala

Spearmint

Known as: Brown mint, fish mint, garden mint, green mint, green spine, lamb mint, mackerel mint, mismin, our lady's mint. Sage of Bethlehem, spire mint & yerba buena

Gender: Feminine

Planet: Venus

Element: Water

Magical attributes: Healing, love, mental ability, money, psychic powers & wishes

Deities: Mercury

St.John's wort

Known as: Amber, fuga daemonum, goat weed, herba John, John's wort, kalimath weed, klamath weed, scare-devil, sol terrestis & tipton weed

Gender: Masculine

Planet: Sun

Element: Fire

Magical attributes: Binding, divination, happiness, health, hex-breaking, love, power, protection & strength

Deities: Baldur

Tarragon

Known as: N/A

Gender: Masculine

Planet: Mercury

Element: Air

Magical attributes: Consecration, compassion magick, goals, healing &l lasting interest

Deities: Lilith

( WARNING: Some users reported hallucinatory effects)

Tobbacco

Known as:  Asemaa, taaba, tabacca & tabak

Gender: Masculine

Planet: Mars

Element: Fire

Magical attributes: Astral, banishing, confidence, divination, dreams, healing, legal matters, peace, prophecy, purification & strength

Deities: N/A (However, it is a traditionally good offering to many)

Tulsi

Known as: Brush leaf , holy basil, Thai basil & vana tulsi

Gender: Masculine

Planet: Mars

Element: Fire

Magical attributes: Abundance, banishing, binding, clairvoyance, commanding courage, divination, exorcism, fertility, flying, fortune, happiness, harmony, health, honesty, house blessings, love, luck, mending quarrels, money, obstacles removed, passing-over rituals, peace, prosperity, protection, psychic development, purification, relaxation healing, safe travels, sympathy, temper soothing & wealth

Deities: Aradia, Ares, Dionysus, Erzulie, Jupiter, Krishna, Loki, Mars, Obatala, Ogoun, St.Joseph, Seth & Vishnu

Uva ursi  

Known as: Arberry, bearberry, bear's grape, bear's whortberry, crowberry, foxberry, hog cranberry, kinnikninnick, mealberry, mountain box, mountain cranberry, sandberry, uva ursa & universe vine

Gender: Feminine

Planet: Moon

Element: Water

Magical attributes: Astral work, divination, dreams, prophecy & psychic workings

Deities: N/A

( WARNING: Some historical reports indicate a “narcotic” or stimulant effect, but it was almost always smoked with other herbs)

Valerian

Known as: All heal, amatilla, bloody butcher, capon's trailer, cat's valerian, garden heliotrope, graveyard dust, phu, red valerian, St.George's herb, sete well, setwell, valerian toot & vandal root

Gender: Feminine

Planet: Venus

Element: Water

Magical attributes: Dream magick, harmony, love, protection, purification, quarrel mending & sleep

Deities: Obatala

Wormwood

Known as: Absinthe, crown for a king, green ginger, madderwort, old woman & wormot

Gender: Masculine

Planet: Mars

Element: Fire

Magical attributes: Animals, calling spirits, clairvoyance, divination, love, protection, psychic powers & transformation

Deities: Aida Wedo, Artemis, Diana, Innana, Iris, Isis, Lakshimi & Sif

Yarrow 

Known as: AchiUea, allheal, angel flower, arrow root, bad man's plaything, bloodwort, cammock, carpenter's weed, death flower, devil's mustard, devil's nettle, devil's plaything, dog daisy, eerie, feild hops, gearwe, gordaldo, gordoloba, green arrow, herbe militaris, hierba de las cortadura, hundred leaved grass, knight's milfoil, knyghten, lady's mantel, milfoil, military herb, millefoilium, noble yarrow, nosebleed plant, old man's mustard, old man's pepper, plumajilo, sanguinary, seven year's love, snake's grass, soldier's thousand seal, soldier's woundwort, squirrel's tail, stanch grass, stanch weed, tansy, thousand-leaf, thousand seal, thousand weed, woundwort, yarrowway & yerw

Gender: Feminine

Planet: Saturn & Venus

Element: Earth & water

Magical attributes: Attracting friends, banishing, blockages removed, contact with others, courage, divination, dream work, exorcism, faerie magick, fear repelling, handfasting, happy marriage, healing, longevity, love, prophecy, protection, psychic powers, purification, repelling negative energies & road opening

Deities: Achilles, Aphrodite, Faeries, Oshun & Yemaya

Sources:

Llewellyn's Complete Book of Correspondences by Sandra Kines

Wikipedia

A Witch's Book of Correspondences by Viktorija Briggs

The Encyclopedia of Natural Magic** by John Michael Greer

Wild Witchcraft by Rebecca Beyer

Plant Witchery by Juliet Diaz

A Compendium of Herbal Magick by Paul Beyerl

The Herbal Alchemist Handbook by Karen Harrison

The Book of Flower Spells by Cheralyn Darcey

[galacticnikki]

100 Witchcraft Tips in 100 Days!

Day 3 - How to Turn Herbs into Loose Incense

Turning your herbs into a blend of loose incense is a wonderful way to connect with the energies in your plants. It not only can be used to make your home or living space smell nice, but can also be used for a variety of practices. Whether it's for smoke divination, cleansing, or spells there's a blend for every intention.

Gathering Ingredients

There are 3 types of ingredients used for loose incense; herbs, resins, and wood shavings. Herbs are the most versatile of the bunch. There are a plethora of different herbs each with their own correspondences. Some notable basic herbs that every witch should have laying around somewhere include basil, bay leaves, chives, cilantro, dill, oregano, mint, parsley, rosemary, and thyme. Resins are your tree saps, these include frankincense, myrrh, pine sap, and dragon's blood. Wood shavings are self explanatory, they're pieces of bark and wood from trees. Make sure before proceeding that you know the herbs, resins, and wood shavings are safe to burn. Some herbs, resins, and wood shavings can be toxic to humans and pets.

Preparation & Blending

To prepare your herbs to be blended into your loose incense you want to make sure they're 100% dried to ensure they don't grow mold and they burn well. You can dry your fresh herbs by hanging them upside down in a well ventilated room. Once the herbs are dried, use a mortar and pestle to grind dried herbs and resins into either a fine powder or coarse blend, depending on your preference. As you grind these herbs focus on what they do and how they contribute to your intention and blend them together. You may need to adjust the ratios depending on the strength of each ingredient, but you'll figure that out as you learn more.

Binding & Burning

Binding is an optional step when making loose incense, however, adding a small amount of powdered charcoal or gum arabic can help make your blend burn more evenly. When you're not actively burning your loose incense make sure to store it in an airtight container so it doesn't loose it's potency. There are multiple methods to burn loose incense, however, I like to create sigil shaped incense trails. There are multiple ways to make incense trails. One of such ways is to spoon the powder into a mold placed on a bed of ash, this method originates from China. The method I use includes pouring it out in the general shape of the sigil, then I pat it down with my fingers and fix any errors I may have made when compacting it. Once you've made your trail you simply light one end and let it burn.

Simple Blends by Intention

Protection Blend - Used for cleansing your space and creating a protective barrier against negativity

Rosemary (Protection, Purification) - Potent protector, often used to clear negative energy and set boundaries.

Bay Leaves (Protection, Strength) - Used in this blend to amplify the shielding energy.

Cedar (Grounding, Protection) - Provides grounding and strengthens the protection created by the rosemary and bay leaves.

Frankincense Resin (Spiritual Protection, Purification) - Used for protection and connection with your higher self.

Abundance and Prosperity Blend - Used to attract wealth and prosperity

Basil (Wealth, Abundance) - Used to draw wealth and secure success.

Cinnamon (Success, Prosperity) - Typically considered fast acting and bringing rapid results.

Mint (Financial Gain, Luck) - Commonly used to bring luck in financial matters.

Clove (Attraction, Manifestation) - Used to strengthen manifestation, helping to focus your intent on drawing in wealth and success.

Peace and Relaxation Blend - Used for meditation, relaxation, or healing after emotional stress

Chamomile (Calm, Relaxation, Healing) - Used to bring gentle healing, diffusing tension, and creating a peaceful atmosphere.

Lavender (Peace, Calming Energy) - Promotes peace, calm, and sleep.

Lemon Balm (Emotional Healing, Calm) - Aids in emotional healing and brings a gentle clarity to situations.

Mugwort (Dreamwork, Relaxation) - Used for enhancing intuition and calming the mind.

Spiritual Growth and Intuition Incense - Used for rituals focusing on spiritual growth, meditation, or divination

Sage (Cleansing, Spiritual Clarity) - Powerful cleansing herb that helps clear the mind and create a space for spiritual work. Please use common sage and not white sage.

Mugwort (Intuition, Psychic Development) - Enhances psychic abilities and helps to deepen your intuition.

Frankincense Resin (Spiritual Connection, Purification) - Aids in connecting with your higher self.

Cedar (Grounding, Spiritual Protection) - Provides grounding energy, ensuring that you will stay rooted and protected during rituals.

If you want to find more of these entries use the hashtag #100 Witchcraft Tips in 100 Days! If you want to join a group of witches feel free to join our 18+ coven on Discord.

[cosmos-within]

Herbs and Uses (N-Y)

Oatstraw (c/s): Money, Rejuvenate, Clarity

Olive Leaf (whole or c/s): Abundance, Peace, Protection

Orange Peel (c/s) : Love, Luck, Money

Oregano (c/s): Vitality, Energy, Joy

Parsley (flakes): Money, Luck, Protection

Passion flower (c/s): Money, Attract Friends, Diffuse Tension

Patchouli (c/s): Money, Love, Fertility

Pau d'arco (c/s): Protection, Strength, Dispel Negativity

Peach Blossom (whole flowers): Love, Abundance, Renewal

Peony (crushed petals): Money, Luck, Success

Peppermint (c/s): Purification, Abundance, Clarity

Pine Needle (c/s): Protection, Purification, Rejuvenation

Plantain (c/s): Protection, Grounding, Manifestation

Plumeria (crushed petals): New Beginnings, Strength, Creativity

Poppy seed (whole): Sleep, Fertility, Luck

Quassia (chips): Love, Money, Happiness

Raspberry Leaf (c/s): Fertility, Love, Protection

Red Clover (c/s): Money, Purification, Positive Energy

Rooibos (c/s): Relaxation, Healing, Vitality

Rose (crushed petals): Love, Luck, Harmony

Rosehips: Good Fortune, Love, Protection

Rosemary (c/s): Love, Protection, Money

Rue (ruta, c/s): Protection, Uncrossing, Counter Magick

Sarsaparilla (c/s): Love, Money, Health

Saw Palmetto (powder): Passion, Vitality, Lust

Senna Leaf (c/s): Purification, Release, Transformation

Shepherd’s Purse (c/s): Protection, Money, Healing

Solomon Seal (c/s): Protection, Success, Counter Magick

Spearmint (c/s): Healing, Love, Mental Powers

St. John’s Wort (c/s): Protection, Banishing, Blessing

Star Anise (c/s): Luck, Protection, Psychic Awareness

Strawberry Leaf (c/s): Success, Luck, Purification

Tansy (c/s): Rebirth, Longevity, Protection

Uva Ursi (c/s, leaf): Divination, Knowledge, Inner Peace

Valerian Root (c/s): Protection, Diffuse Tension, Counter Magick

Vervain (c/s): Love, Protection, Prosperity

Violet (whole flowers): Wealth, Creativity, Wisdom

White Clover (c/s): Abundance, Luck, Love

White Oak Bark (c/s): Success, Good Fortune, Uncrossing

White Pine Bark (c/s): Money, Luck, Protection

White Sage (c/s): Purification, Cleansing, Protection

White Willow Bark (c/s): Happiness, Friendship, Intuition

Wild Cherry Bark (c/s): Divination, Love, Luck

Wormwood (c/s): Protection, Uncrossing, Counter Magick

Yarrow (c/s): Luck, Love, Warding

Yerba Mate (c/s): Clarity, Focus, Connection

[witchtickles]

Mugwort

Planet: Venus Element: Earth Powers: Protection, clairvoyance, strength, astral projection, prophetic dreams

Mugwort can be placed in the shoes before a long walk or run to gain strength.

Stuffed into a pillow, it can induce prophetic dreams. Brewed in a tea and sweetened with honey, it can assist with divination rituals. It can also be burned with sandalwood or wormwood during scrying rituals.

An infusion of mugwort should be used to wash crystal balls and scrying mirrors, and the leaves can be placed beneath the ball or mirror to aid in psychic workings.

Mugwort is a powerful home protector and can be hung over doors and windows to prevent evil spirits from entering.

[bonefall]

Can you do a list on herbs safe for cats, not safe, and what is actually medicinal for them? Like with the prey post?

Now that I've got a big list of artists to give topics to for them to illustrate, I'm actually making some resources for myself to try and "streamline" how I do research.

For example, previously I'd just remember what plants are good for a purpose from pure memory, now I'm making this spreadsheet so I can keep everything in one place. Links for future research, if it has a cat toxin, where it grows, and also a "shape" for a future Clanmew post on specialized words describing the environment. Plus lots more.

It's essentially personal notes, but feel free to come sift through it if you'd like.

Someday I'd like to make a "Canon Review" and go through the 70+ herbs listed on the wiki, assess if 1) they're region-friendly and 2) cat-friendly, but that's a big project for another day!

[tiffanysabrinatattoo]

Herbarum Vivae Eicones (1532) Otto Brunfels

[inusmasha]

Also like what sort of questions do y’all have about using herbs in your fanfic? Like what do you need to know? I wanna help! Lol!

Like how to prepare simple herbal medicine?

A list of flower meanings? The magical/symbolic meanings of herbs?

Herbs archetypes? What planet they are ruled by? Lore?

How to make your own medical kit? What herbs would help out in the wild both for eating and fighting off enemies?

Is your character a street medic?

Is your character named after an herb or plant or flower?

Do you need to find out what herbs would be helpful in your story??

Please ask me!!

[chokrihizem]

Discover the enchanting world of rosemary blossoms! 🌿 Rosemary isn’t just for cooking—it’s a garden superstar! 🌟 Learn all about the blossoms of this beloved herb, from their stunning purple hues to their pollinator-attracting magic. 🌸 We’ll also show you how to use rosemary blossoms in your recipes and discuss how they can boost your garden’s health. Whether you’re a gardening pro or just starting, this video is packed with tips and inspiration.

[skiesintoglass]

European deities guide

Part I: Asena

Asena is the turkic she-wolf deity, ruling over healing, motherhood, protector of children.

Associations

Planet: Jupiter for healing/Moon for divine feminine energy/Venus for love

Moon: Balsamic crescent for healing

Metal: Gold for healing

Element: Earth for mothering nature and water for healing

Sign: Cancer for healing

Crystals: Moonstone (motherhood), Rose quartz (love), Amethyst (motherhood and healing), Citrine (motherhood and healing), Clear quartz (good for anything, but mostly for healing)

Herbs: Blueberry(protection of children), Lavender (healing), Basil (femininity, healing), Apple (love)

Some offerings(UPG!)

Wolf imagery

Wolf statues, amulets, decor

Your toys from when you were a kid

Pacifiers, bottles

Weapons

Protection jars (especially for children

Donate to causes involving orphanages

Donate to causes involving abortion centres

Walk in nature

Go to the zoo, if yours has any wolves

Watch a documentary about wolves

Watch a documentary abour childbirth, motherhood

Learn self defense

Defend others and yourself

Take care of others

The story of Asena

This is a highly well-known Turkic mythological story in the countries with tengrist background. According to the old sources (the Book of Sui, Book of Zhou and History of the Northern Dynasties) and myths that lived many centuries in the Turkic society, The Legend of Asena tells of a young boy who survived after being amputated by a Chinese commander during the raid of his village; the Chinese commander left the boy in a mud to make him die slowly. All of his people were already killed and the boy was waiting for his end desperately. Shortly after a female wolf -which is called Asena or Achina- found the injured child and nursed him back to health with her wolf milk. Many seasons later, the boy became a young man and Asena got pregnant by him to save and continue the Turkic tribes and dynasties. However, the rumors about the surviving boy travelled beyond the far foreign lands and the Chinese commander -who was informed about the surviving boy - returned back to the same place to finish his job. He found the man, whom he had amputated many years before, near a wolf cave and he killed him right away. When he tried to reach the growling female wolf, he couldn’t match with her swiftness. Pregnant Asena escaped from the commander and ran as far as she could until the northern mountains. She crossed the Western Sea and found a new cave near the Qocho Mountains (nowadays called Gaochang). It was also close to a city of Tocharians. In that cave, she gave birth to ten half-wolf, half-human boys. One of these sons, who was called Ashina like his mother, became his siblings’ leader and created his own Ashina Clan, which ruled over the Göktürk and the other Turkic nomadic empires. That is why Proto-Turkic people believed that they are coming from wolves and the female wolf is still the most sacred animal for many countries with tengrist heritage.