So the elders say, not too many moons ago, there lived only one clan of cats beside the great river. They called themselves The Clan at the time, because they had never known another. In a far away place, a terrible calamity called a flood struck, and it killed many cats in a land The Clan had never seen. There were many Clans there, and then suddenly there were none. Disparate cats flocked together and journeyed, desperate to find somewhere new to live. The clan of clans became known as Larkclan, and after their many moons of travel, they found the valley where The Clan had been for generations.
The leader of The Clan at the time welcomed the cats to stay, the valley was big enough for a dozen clans. Though, calling itself The Clan now seemed odd... So after some thought, the leader chose a name: Kingclan, after the first monarch of The Clan, King's Claw. Now settled, and dealing well with one another, the clans fell into a period of quiet and peace.
About two generations have passed. Only the kits of the initial travelers and of The Clan remain, now old and wizened. There are new leaders on both sides, and dissatisfaction rises in Kingclan where it had been dismissed before. Maybe the valley isn't big enough for two clans... Maybe it doesn't matter if that's even true when those who harken back to The One True Clan deem any presence outside of theirs blasphemous.
A quiet darkness seeps in where it had not before. The way things have been and the ways they change, the structures and the freedoms found without them. Blood and water.
Really don't have anywhere to go but down.
The leader of The Clan at the time welcomed the cats to stay, the valley was big enough for a dozen clans. Though, calling itself The Clan now seemed odd... So after some thought, the leader chose a name: Kingclan, after the first monarch of The Clan, King's Claw. Now settled, and dealing well with one another, the clans fell into a period of quiet and peace.
About two generations have passed. Only the kits of the initial travelers and of The Clan remain, now old and wizened. There are new leaders on both sides, and dissatisfaction rises in Kingclan where it had been dismissed before. Maybe the valley isn't big enough for two clans... Maybe it doesn't matter if that's even true when those who harken back to The One True Clan deem any presence outside of theirs blasphemous.
A quiet darkness seeps in where it had not before. The way things have been and the ways they change, the structures and the freedoms found without them. Blood and water.
Really don't have anywhere to go but down.
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KINGCLAN
King's Claw's clan, previously known as just The Clan. Kingclan runs on a strict nobility system, with Peons at the bottom, Commoners in the middle, Nobles above them, and Royals at the top. The divide is strict, making Peons work twice as hard as Nobles for the same prominence in the clan. The only exception are the Knights, those who serve the Monarch directly as the truest protectors of the Clan, who may come of any rank, including the Monarch's own kin. The Royal Family fills all high ranks, from Monarch (Leader), Heirs (Deputy), to Physician (Medicine Cat) and Branch Advisor (Senior Warrior). Peons typically hunt and assist farming basic herbs, Commoners patrol the borders and train for basic combat, Nobles tend to kits and the elderly and upkeep camp in general, and Royals lead and interface with The Stars and the clan's ancestors.
The previous Monarch was King Goldmane, a rather amiable leader and generally peaceful tom. He preached acceptance of their new neighbors, and reaching a hand down the hierarchy to uplift every cat. His Heir did not agree. He died in a sudden storm rescuing a small group of scared kits.
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LARKCLAN
What can be said about a ragtag group of determined survivors? Larkclan values community and mutual support above all else, encouraging communal behaviour like everyone raising anyone's kits, coming together to overcome obstacles, and communal teaching. The only real meaningful ranks in Larkclan are the Leaders and the Clowder. If you aren't a Leader, you're Clowder. The Clowder elects a new Leader whenever one of the three leaders die, ensuring the Clowder is only lead by those it wishes to be lead by. Larkclan is very hardy, strong, and resilient-- and these traits are generally worked on as well, meaning that even though these cats seem really go with the flow, they're nothing to be messed with.
The previous few Leaders in Larkclan were the first, and set in place a lot of what Larkclan is. Breezestar, Sunnystar, and Gullstar are missed dearly.
