Warrior Code
1. Defend your Clan, even with your life. You may have friendships with cats from other Clans, but your loyalty must remain to your Clan.
2. Do not hunt or trespass on another Clan's territory.
3. Elders, Queens, and kits must be fed before apprentices and warriors. Unless they have permission, apprentices may not eat until they have hunted to feed the elders.
4. Prey is killed only to be eaten. Give thanks to StarClan for its life.
5. A kit must be at least six moons old to become an apprentice.
6. Newly appointed warriors will keep a silent vigil for one night after receiving their warrior name.
7. A cat cannot be made deputy without having mentored at least one apprentice.
8. The deputy will become Clan leader when the leader dies or retires.
9. After the death or retirement of the deputy, the new deputy must be chosen before moonhigh.
10. A Gathering of all four Clans is held at the full moon during a truce that lasts for the night. There shall be no fighting among Clans at this time.
11. Boundaries must be checked and marked daily. Challenge all trespassing cats.
12. No warrior can neglect a kit in pain or danger, even if the kit is from a different Clan.
13. The word of the Clan leader is law.
14. An honorable warrior does not need to kill other cats to win his battles, unless they are outside the warrior code or it is necessary for self-defense.
15. A warrior rejects the soft life of a kittypet.
Vocabulary
New-leaf: spring
Green-leaf: summer
Leaf-fall: autumn
Bare-leaf: winter
Moon: month
Season: year
Gathering: once every fullmoon when all clans gather peacefully
Rouge: exiled, often violent cat who is seperate from the clans
Loner: often peaceful cat who is seperate from the clans
Kittypet: cat who lives with twolegs
Thunderpath: road or walkway
Twoleg: human
Monster: car or truck
Horseplace: farm, especially with horses
Fox-dung: harsh word, worse than mouse-dung
Mouse-dung: mild swear
Mouse-brained: used to describe a cat, person, etc who is stupid or clumsy
Sun-high: mid-day
Fox-hearted: used to describe a cruel, unloving person, cat, badger, etc.
Leader Meetings
Apprentice Ceremony
Leader: From this moment, until he has earned his warrior name, this apprentice shall be known as _____. ______, you will be mentor to this apprentice. You are _________, and I hope you will pass this knowledge to your new apprentice.
*Warrior and apprentice touch noses*
Warrior Ceremony
Leader: I, _____, leader of Dawnclan/Duskclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn. _____paw, do you promise to uphold the warrior and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?
Apprentice: I do.
Leader: Then, by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. ____paw, from this moment you will be known as _____. StarClan honors your bravery and courage, and we welcome you as a full member of Dawnclan/Duskclan.
*Leader lays her head on new warrior’s shoulder; new warrior licks leader’s shoulder and goes over to other warriors; new name is chanted by Clan.*
Deputy Ceremony
Leader: I say these words before the body of ______, so that his/her spirit may hear and approve my choice. ______ will be the new deputy of Dawnclan/Duskclan.
*You can change the first part up depending on whether the deputy is still living or not.
Name-Changing Ceremony
Leader: Spirits of StarClan, you know every cat by name. I ask you now to take away the name from the cat you see before you, for it no longer stands for what she is. By my authority as Clan leader, and with the approval of our warrior ancestors, I give this cat a new name. From this moment they will be known as ______, for _______.
*Leader lays her head on newly named warrior’s shoulder; newly named warrior licks leader’s shoulder and goes over to other warriors; new name is chanted by Clan.*
Elder Ceremony
Leader: _______, is it your wish to give up the name of warrior and go to join the elders?
Old Warrior: It is.
Leader: Your Clan honors you and all the service you have given us. I call upon StarClan to give you many seasons of rest.
Leader Ceremony
Cats of StarClan: Welcome, ______. Are you ready to receive your nine lives?
New Leader: Yes, I’m ready.
Cat #1: With this life I give you courage. Use it well in the defense of your Clan.
*Bolt of pain with new life; feeling of hunts and battles*
Cat #2: With this life I give you justice. Use it well as you judge the actions of others.
*Bolt of pain with new life*
Cat #3: With this life I give you loyalty to what you know to be right. Use it well to guide your Clan in times of trouble.
*Bolt of pain with new life; less than before*
Cat #4: With this life I give you tireless energy. Use it well to carry out the duties of a leader.
*Bolt of pain with new life; feeling of speed*
Cat #5: With this life I give you protection. Use it well to care for you Clan as a mother cares for her kits.
*Bolt of pain with new life; feeling of ferocity*
Cat #6: With this life I give you mentoring. Use it well to train the young cats of your Clan.
*Bolt of pain with new life*
Cat #7: With this life I give you compassion. Use it well for the elders of you Clan, and the sick, and all those weaker than yourself.
*Bolt of pain with new life*
Cat #8: With this life I give you love. Use it well for all the cats in your care—especially _______.
*Bolt of pain with new life; not very painful at all; pure love*
Cat #9: With this life I give you nobility and certainty and faith. Use it well as you lead your Clan in the ways of StarClan and the warrior code.
*Bolt of pain with new life; very painful; given by old leader*
*Old leader signals new leader to rise; new leader obliges*
Old Leader: I hail you by your new name, _____star. Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine lives of a leader, and StarClan grants you the guardianship of Dawnclan/Duskclan. Defend it well; care for young and old; honor your ancestors and the traditions of the warrior code; live each life with pride and dignity
*StarClan cats chant new leader’s name*
Dying Apprentice to Warrior Ceremony
Leader: "I ask my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He/she has learned the warrior code and has given up his/her life in the service of his/her clan. Let StarClan reciever him/her as a warrior. He/she will be known as _________, (reason for name). Let StarClan recieve him/her by the name of _________."
*leader bends head and lightly touches nose to dying cat's head*
