Clan terminology

This is a collection of terms used by the Clan cats in their speech. Just as we humans have sayings, the Clan cats have idioms, too, although theirs relate to things found in the world of the Clan cats.

## Clan

### General terms

* **Crow-food** or **crow-food** – A dead prey that has rotted, also as an insult

* **Cutter** – A veterinarian, often referred to as one that spays or neuters cats, but this is not always the case.

* **Dirt** – Feces.

* **Making dirt** – Defecating.

* **Make dirt** – To use the bathroom, or the dirtplace in warrior terms.

* **Fresh-kill** – A recently killed prey caught for the purpose of consumption. Fresh-kill is hunted by warriors & apprentices and placed on the fresh-kill pile, elders, queens & kits, and sick cats eat first.

* **Fourtrees** – A place located in the forest territories, where the territory's corners would meet, in which four oaks stood and the Clans would gather in peace every full moon.

* **Gathering** – The monthly meeting of all the Clans when the moon is full, at either Fourtrees or the Island. There is a truce on this night, and no fighting is allowed.

* **Silverpelt** – The large swath of stars in the sky. These stars are a direct representation of the !!CHANGE!!s

* **Starhollow** – The place in the Forest where healer and leaders speak with Starreader/!!CHANGE!!s.

* **Hunting Patrol** – A group of cats hunting for fresh-kill to bring back for their Clan to eat. May fight if there are trespassers.

* **Monster** – A vehicle operated by humans. Often described when cats are near Twolegs/the Thunderpath.

* **Thunderpath** – A paved road with an extremely acrid smell that cars often go across.

* **Thundersnake** – A train. They travel strictly on a Silverpath (Traintracks).

* **Sharing tongues** – Cats grooming each other while sharing the latest gossip. A cat lies on the ground, talking, while the other grooms their fur, listening.

* **Collarpet** – A domesticated pet cat.

* **Loner** – A cat that lives by itself and doesn't defend its territory.

* **Rogue** – A usually hostile cat who does not have a permanent home, roams around and does not care about crossing Clan boundaries.

* **Molly** – A female cat.

* **Tom/tomcat** – A male cat.

* **Twoleg** – human.

* **Twoleg kit** – human child.

* **Twoleg nest** – human's house.

* **Twoleg clan** – A town, city, or village where Twoleg’s live.

### Time terms

* **Leafwake** - Spring.

* **Sunwake**  - Summer.

* **Redfall** - Autumn/fall.

* **Snowfall** - Winter.

* **Sunrise** - One day (i.e. *One sunrise ago*).

* **Quarter-moon** - About a week.

* **Half-moon** - About two weeks, half a month.

* **Moon** - The time between one full moon and the next, or a month.

* **Sunup** - Dawn, Dawn is still used for example in the phrase "Dawn Patrol".

* **Sunhigh** - The point during the day when the sun is highest in the sky; noon.

* **Sundown** - Dusk.

* **Moon High** - When the moon is the highest in the sky, midnight.

* **Moonrise** - The time when the moon rises.

* **Claw-moon** – When the moon resembles the shape of an unsheathed claw, equivalent to the crescent moon.

* **Season** – A quarter of a year in cat time. Four seasons equal a year.

### Distance terms

* **Fox-length** – About the length of a fox; approximately a yard. (80 cm)

* **Kittenstep** or **kitstep** – About the length of kit's step; approximately an inch or a half-inch. (1.25-2.5 cm)

* **Tail-length** – About the length of a cat's tail; approximately a foot. (30 cm)

* **Rabbit hop** or **rabbit length** – About a foot and a half away. (45 cm)

* **Mouse-length** – About two or three inches. (5-7.5 cm)

* **Pawstep** – About the length of a grown cat's step, roughly six inches. (15 cm)

* **Tree-length** – About the length of a tree; around 40 to 50 feet. (15 m)

### Insults, exclamations, & phrases

* **As easy as swallowing a minnow** – A phrase used to indicate easiness of the task.

* **As much use as a dead fox** – A (harsh) insult, meaning the recipient is useless.

* **Bees in your brain** – An exclamation meaning confusion or a cat not making sense. (i.e., You've got bees in your brain!)

* **Bee-brain** – A similar exclamation to "bees in your brain".

* **Cleanpaw** – A (scornful) insult used for someone who sticks to the rules closely.

* **Crowfood** – A (harsh) insult comparing the recipient to rotting prey animals (as in *I'll turn you into crowfood!*), or suggesting that they eat it (as in *crowfood-eater*).

* **(You're) crazier than a fox in a fit!** – An insult used when a cat (or cats) are acting crazy. Another variation uses "madder" instead of "crazier".

* **Doesn't matter a whisker/Doesn't catch so much as a whisker** – An exclamation meaning the cat does not care, (i.e. *it didn't matter a whisker that she didn't share their beliefs*) similar to *I don't give a mousetail*.

* **Dormouse** – An expression or exclamation used against a cat who sleeps a lot.

* **Dungface** – An (harsh) insult.

* **Buzzardfood** – A term used by Mountainclan cats, similar to crowfood.

* **Drypaw** – A cat that dislikes getting wet, usually used in Hollowclan.

* **Featherbrain** – A term used by Horizonclan cats, equivalent to mouse-brain.

* **Fishface**, **fishfur** or **fish-breath** – An insult used against Hollowclan warriors.

* **Flea-brain** – A (friendly, yet harsh) insult. The severity of the insult is almost always decided by tone.

* **Foxbreath** – An insult.

* **Fox-dung** – A (harsh) insult comparing the recipient to fox feces. Also used as an exclamation. (as in *That's fox-dung!*)

* **Fox-hearted** – An insult meaning cruel, cold-hearted, or evil (as in *fox-hearted Twolegs*).

* **Frog-dung** – Same as fox-dung, except it's often used in Hollowclan.

* **Furball** – A (friendly, yet harsh) insult. The severity of the insult is almost always decided by tone.

* **Great stars!** or **Oh my stars** – An exclamation used to signify extreme surprise or anger. Similar to *Oh my god!* in usage and to the fact that they both have mention of a higher force.

* **Hare-brain** – Similar to mouse-brain.

* **Hare-dung** – Used as an exclamation, similar to "mouse-dung". Somewhat like "Darn it!".

* **When hedgehogs will fly** – An exclamation style statement that shows disbelief that a certain event will likely occur (as in *That will happen when hedgehogs fly*), used in many variations. Somewhat like the human phrase, *When pigs fly!*

* **How in Silverpelt?** – An exclamation used meaning "How in the world?".

* **I don't give a mousetail/They wouldn't give a mousetail** – An exclamation meaning that the cat does not care. Another variation is *I would \_\_\_\_ for a couple of mousetails*, meaning that they are willing to do the inserted action for no real reward. Can also mean that a cat would be stingy enough not to share a mousetail.

* **I'd have shredded you into mousedust!** – To gravely injure, rip to shreds. Similar to mousemeat.

* **In all the stars** - An exclamation.

* **It's as dark as a fox's heart in there** – A phrase used to describe darkness.

* **It's better to scare away a mouse than welcome a badger** – An old nursery saying that means that it's better to scare away a friendly cat than welcome a not-so-friendly cat.

* **May the stars light your path/Banish all the fleas from your nest** – A friendly term used to tell others they wish them well.

* **May the Sun warm your back and the fish leap into your paws** – A blessing used in Hollowclan used to wish good dreams or, in some instances, to say farewell to a dead cat.

* **May you find good hunting, swift-running, and shelter when you sleep** – An ancient farewell used by all the Clans, to say goodbye to loved ones on their way to the !!CHANGE!!s.

* **Minnow-brain** – An insult that is friendly but harsh. A Hollowclan version of mouse-brain.

* **Mouse-brain** – A (friendly yet harsh) insult. The severity of the insult is almost always decided by tone.

* **Mouse-breath** – A insult possibly used to intimidate someone.

* **Mouse-dung** – A (somewhat harsh) insult comparing the recipient to mouse feces. Also used as an exclamation (as in *Mouse-dung! That can't be right!*). Somewhat like "Darn it!".

* **Mouse-hearted** – An insult that describes one who is cowardly.

* **Mousefodder** – An insult describing that the cat is worthless or a Collarpet.

* **Once a Collarpet, always a Collarpet!** – A harsh phrase used to describe a cat with Collarpet roots.

* **(Only) the stars knows (what)** – Sometimes used to answer a question that is impossible to answer. Similar to *"Only god knows what," "Only god knows," and "god knows."*.

* **Pain in the tail** – An insult meaning a cat is irritating or lazy.

* **Scaredy-mouse!** – A similar expression to scaredy-cat, referring to a cat easily frightened.

* **Scaredy-crow** – Same as the term "scaredy-mouse."

* **Smart-ears** – A friendly insult.

* **Snake-hearted**, or **Snake-heart** – Similar to the term "fox-hearted," generally used by Hollowclan.

* **Snake-tongue** – An insult meaning cold or unfair; similar to "fox-hearted" or "snake-hearted".

* **Sorry catches no prey** or **Sorry fills no bellies** – Means cats can be sorry, but that it will not change the past.

* **!!CHANGE!!'s kits!** – An exclamation of surprise or disbelief. Sometimes used as an exclamation if a cat is hurt.

* **Stirring up a bee's nest** – A phrase meaning a cat is looking for trouble or starting it.

* **Squirrel-chasers** - A phrase used to describe Forestclan cats, used in Hollowclan.

* **Tabbies don't change their stripes** – Meaning that a cat doesn't change their nature. Equivalent to "a leopard can't change his spots".

* **Tail-licker** – An insult intended for a cat who is sucking up, similar to the word bootlicker.

* **Toad-brain** – Similar to mouse-brain.

* **What in Star's name?** – An exclamation similar to "What on earth?" or "What in the world?".

* **Weasel heart** - A (harsh) insult, sometimes used to describe cats from other Clans.

* **That's a load of badger droppings** – A harsh exclamation saying that something is nonsense.

* **Thistles and thorns** – Used to describe bad luck (as in: *Thistles and thorns! I blew it!*); similar to "Darn it" or "mouse-dung."

* **Forestcat** – Used by Mountainclan to describe a Forestclan cat.

* **You fight/hunt like a Collarpet!** – An expression used to insult or tease a cat who fights/hunts poorly.

* **We’ll cross that river if we come to it** – A phrase meaning the same as "we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it".

* **Wild rabbit hunt** – A phrase meaning the same as "wild goose chase".

* **Who made dirt in his/her fresh kill/nest?** – A phrase to describe a cranky or suddenly moody cat.

* **Would've made mousemeat out of you!** – To badly injure, rip to shreds. Similar to mousedust.

* **Frog-dirt and Fish-guts** – Used in Hollowclan, has the same meaning as thistles and thorns.

* **Rabbit-chasers** – A less harsh insult used in Mountainclan to describe Horizonclan.

* **Who ruffled their fur?** – A similar way of saying "who got under their skin?".

* **Rabbit-brain** – An insult that is friendly but harsh. A Horizonclan version of mouse-brain.

* **Bat-blind** – An insult to a cat's eyesight, similar to the phrase "as blind as a bat".

### Living spaces

* **Camp** – The place where a Clan makes their permanent home.

* **Leader's den** – The den in camp that belongs to the Clan leader.

* **Healer's den** – The den in camp that belongs to the Clan's healer and his or her apprentice. Sometimes referred to as the *medicine den*.

* **Warriors' den** – The den in camp that is shared between the warriors and the deputy of that Clan.

* **Apprentices' den** – The den in camp that is shared between the apprentices of that Clan.

* **Elders' den** – The den in camp that is shared between the elders of that Clan.

* **Nursery** – The den in camp that is shared by the queens and kits of that Clan.

* **Dirtplace** – The place near the camp where cats go to urinate or excrete.

* **Fresh-kill pile** – The place, usually in the center of the camp, where the warriors drop the prey they caught while hunting, so it is easily accessible to all the cats in the Clan.

### Clan ranks

* **Kit** – A kitten younger than seven moons.

* **Apprentice** – A cat at least seven moons old, and training to be a warrior (or a Healer.)

* **Warrior** – A mature cat who has completed their warrior training. A molly is considered a warrior when she is not currently expecting or nursing a tom's kits.

* **Mentor** – A cat who is currently training an apprentice.

* **Queen** – A molly with kits to take care of or who is pregnant with kits, or stays in the nursery helping other queens even though they have no kits.

* **Elder** – Cats who cannot hunt or fight anymore, sometimes due to injury, loss of sight, sickness, or are just too old to do their warrior duties. They are treated with great respect in the Clan. The apprentices in the Clan take fresh kill to them, pick out their fleas, and change their bedding.

* **Healer** – A cat who heals injuries and/or illnesses, who is skilled with herbs, leaves and natural cures and sometimes receives special signs or prophecies from !!CHANGE!!.

* **Deputy** – A warrior who is second in command to the leader, helping the leader in their tasks and replacing them after their death or resignment. They organize patrols and make reports to the leader, and are known to be given apprentices frequently.

* **Leader** – A cat who controls the entire Clan. A leader is granted nine lives by !!CHANGE!! so they "can be first in every battle and last to take a piece of fresh-kill", giving them extra time to serve and lead their Clan.