The Warrior Code

**The Warrior Code** was developed and by the past leaders when the clans were formed and is still followed, this code differs from the "Original Clans", as it was lost a long time ago since clans became rogue groups after a while. Though, some has been recovered and some has been rewritten for new beginnings.

## History

The Warrior Code came from the original four clans and is now follow differently by the current clans. It was rewritten partially as some was forgotten or ignored. When the new clans were formed they did not initially follow the warrior code until the leaders came to an agreement to put the code back in place, therefore it was considered chaos at first, especially since they were originally ran like rogue groups due to their origins.

## The Warrior Code

The Warrior Code is as follows:

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, as one day you may meet them in battle.
2. Do not hunt or trespass on another Clan's territory.
3. Elders, queens, sick or injured cats 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. To eat prey outside of camp is disrespectful to both Starclan and your clan, unless in desperate need.
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, retires, or is exiled.
9. The clan must not be without a deputy for more than a day.
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 and quarrels must not be handled during the gathering.
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 or no Clan at all.
13. An honourable warrior does not need to kill other cats to win their battles, unless they are outside the warrior code or if it is necessary for self-defence.
14. A warrior rejects the soft life of a kittypet.
15. Each Clan has the right to be proud and independent, but in times of trouble they must forget their boundaries and fight side by side to protect the five. Each Clan must help the others so that no Clan will fall.
16. A Medicine Cat, Leader or Deputy all have the right to a mate and kits, so long as this does not distract them from their duties. The clan, especially queens, are to be expected to look after a high rank's kits whilst they are on their duties. To show a cat's loyalty to the clans, a cat's mate must be within any of the five clans. So long as a cat's mate is within the clans and it does not distract them from any of their duties, their relationship is fine.
17. You must not attack another clan without reason or because of needless quarrels.

### Exceptions

* A cat on the way to the Ancient Tree is allowed across Ruinclan territory.
* Cats may travel on other Clan territories if they have something to report or to ask for help.

### Addition Rules

* A kit must stay in camp until apprenticed unless times are desperate. If so, they must be put before the rest of the clan and must be protected at all times.
* A medicine cat's mate must be from their own clan and she-cats who are medicine cats must wait until there is another acting medicine cat or medicine cat apprentice in order to have kits.
* The safety of the Clan as a whole is more important than the safety of one cat.
* Clans must not unite together to drive out another Clan.
* Clans must not force another Clan to share territory.
* Enemy patrols must not attack cats if they are on a mission that all four Clans have agreed upon.
* Cats cannot eat when going to the Moonstone or Moonpool to speak with StarClan.

### Rejected and former rules

After the code had been changed over many and many moons and even abandoned at one point, it is no question why there were some rules that were rejected by the clans or already existing rules that were thrown out. The reason for rules to be thrown away was due to unfairness in the rules or a rule being unneeded.

* A medicine cat used to not be allowed mates and kits, though this was changed. Though, they may not take a mate outside of their own clan and their mate and kits should not distract them from their duties. You may also have mates with cats in other clans, though never with rogues, loners, kittypets or any cat outside of the five clans.
* The leader's word used to be the warrior code.