[Adamented]

Username: Adamented
Cat Name: tbd
Gender: tom
Rank: Gladeseer
Clan: Gladewood
Age: 4 years
Prompt:

TLDR - How the Wanderers got their name and what became of their home after they left.

Myistera's Wanderers
The Gladewood Wanderers were not always wanderers at all! Their village was founded by strays from all walks of life, from house pet, to feral, to laboratory cats and more, who all arrived in their aimless shuffle through life to what they came to know as The Gladewood Grove. The Gladewood Grove was a grove of gigantic, ancient, old growth trees at the North side of a massive glade, the trees' roots provided shelter and protection from elements and predators alike and made it the perfect home for the lost to stumble upon.

It took some time for the aimless strays to acknowledge themselves as a group, living for a long time as individuals within the Gladewood Grove. The Winter was always harsh in the far north of the Glade, not everyone was able to make it through. However, one unbearable Winter night, one of the strays had an unusual dream, and they tried to convince everyone they could to follow them South to a safe spot where they could ride out the Winter with better access to prey, fresh water, and a warmer shelter. Not everyone believed them, but enough followed them to prove, upon their arrival back to the Grove, that the old abandoned barn they had seen in their dream was real and was a sign sent from... well they weren't sure.

Those that had stayed behind had seen their numbers dwindle, especially with less cats to huddle for warmth together. They had no choice, seeing the group return without a single casualty, than to accept that their way of life had to change and that they would need to leave for the Winters to give themselves their best chance. This started a yearly tradition of travelling South for the Winter. The being who planted the seed of a dream in that stray's mind had many names, the most common was "the Myth", since there was so much disbelief about their presence from the start. There began to become note about when these dreams came, few and far between, often warning of danger or giving guidance of bounty. It was even discovered that not all signs came from dreams, including a waking dream of a strange sparkling mist that would prelude danger. The sparkling mist often appeared in the night when nocturnal predators were abound, it was thought to be illuminated by the moon.

This is where the group's uniting deity came to be, they named her Myistera after her early name Myth and the Mist she often used to warn them, combined with added syllables to represent her elegance. Myistera is considered to be a deity of the Moon, the embodiment of its spirit and light in the world. With Myistera's guidance to find their new Winter home, the Wanderers decided to name themselves the Gladewood Wanderers, united by their travels during the colder time of year. Later on, Myistera again saved them from the horrors of the natural world, sending signs to who would become the very first Gladeseer that a horrible fire was about to break out in the heart of their home during the late Summer. The Gladewood Grove went up in flame, almost everyone was able to flee safely. With their home gone they accepted a nomadic lifestyle that required them to become a more organized group, they named themselves for their savior, their unique experience in the Glade, and their discovery of her presence there.

From that day on, they knew themselves as Myistera's Wanderers.

Although her ways are mysterious and intentions unknown, the Wanderers remain unaware of her secret agendas. As well as the seed she may have planted, a growing ember in the heart of the Gladewood Grove that continues to burn eternally... a tiny, baby speck of celestial life. A new deity, planted in their once beloved home.

[wolfhaunt]

Username: wolfhaunt
Cat Name: Ales (Latin for bird, augury, omen)
Gender: Genderfluid (any pronouns)
Rank: Bishop
Clan: The Citadel
Age: 4 yrs
Prompt: Though it is extremely, extremely rare, cats can receive the role "archangel", which gives them power and rank beyond even the archbishops - the leaders of the clan. Since the title is so rarely given, not many cats even know the purpose of the role, or if the whispered names of past archangels are those of cats who ever even existed. (Another fun fact: if you are granted this title, you keep it even in death.)

[polaris.]

Username: jay.
Cat Name: pepper
Gender: male
Rank: warrior
Clan: the aurora borealis
Age: 4 years
Prompt:
it's tradition for the clan leader to keep the skull of the previous leader close to them! for each life that the current leader loses they scratch a mark into the skull of the previous leader until they pass, to which they have the skull buried in their place. the clan strongly believe in giving back to nature and it is said the passing of a leader helps bring stronger herbs for the clan in the next season. a new leader is not appointed until the skull of the previous is obtained, and while the clan waits for that period of time to happen they become dormant, hardly interacting with the outside world and give nature time to regrow what they have taken from it until they are able to be led again. what the current leader does with the skull is up to them - some wear the top half on their head as a sort of helmet, while others keep it in their den close to them. to outsiders this tradition may seem weird and morbid, but it is something the clan has followed for years and will likely continue to do so for many more to come.

[harvestberry]

Username: harvestberry
Cat Name: Thundering Cloud
Gender: Male
Rank: TBD
Clan: The Marshland Settlement
Age: 26 Moons
Prompt: Cats that were born into the Marshland Settlement have blood that can be traced back to ShadowClan as far back as the first settlers of Tall Shadow’s camp! At what point the traditions such as naming and roles transitioned from Clan traditions to Settlement traditions is unknown, however it’s assumed that the traditions shifted not long ago based off of hearsay stories from elders.

[Guest]

Username: jay.
Cat Name: pepper
Gender: male
Rank: warrior
Clan: the aurora borealis
Age: 4 years
Prompt:
it's tradition for the clan leader to keep the skull of the previous leader close to them! for each life that the current leader loses they scratch a mark into the skull of the previous leader until they pass, to which they have the skull buried in their place. the clan strongly believe in giving back to nature and it is said the passing of a leader helps bring stronger herbs for the clan in the next season. a new leader is not appointed until the skull of the previous is obtained, and while the clan waits for that period of time to happen they become dormant, hardly interacting with the outside world and give nature time to regrow what they have taken from it until they are able to be led again. what the current leader does with the skull is up to them - some wear the top half on their head as a sort of helmet, while others keep it in their den close to them. to outsiders this tradition may seem weird and morbid, but it is something the clan has followed for years and will likely continue to do so for many more to come.

winner! this is so cool!!
i'm also giving RUs to kiffel and Adamented, and HMs to LittleMaple and Vinson!

[stormzien]

AAA TY FOR THE RU??? 🥺

and huge congrats to jay <333 ur fact was so cool,,,

[polaris.]

ahhh thank you so much!! congrats to the others as well <3

[LittleMaple]

first Stars HM wooo!!! also jay that;s the COOLEST fact omg,,, huge props!!!!!