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.

## General Terms

* **Aspen Ring** - A place located in the forest territory, where the territory's corners would meet, in which aspens stood around a small dried lake. The Clans gather in peace every full moon.
* **Crowfood** or **crow-food** – A dead prey animal that has begun to rot; can also be used as an insult (see below).

* **Dirt** - Feces.

* **Fresh-kill** – A recently killed prey animal caught for the purpose of consumption. Fresh-kill is hunted by warriors and apprentices, and sometimes elders, and placed on the fresh-kill pile or brought to the elders. Elders, kits, queens, and sick cats eat first, then warriors and apprentices. Extras stay in the fresh-kill pile.

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

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

* **House Cat** – A domesticated pet cat.

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

* **Making dirt** - Defecating.

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

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

* **She-cat** - A female cat.
* **She-kit**- A female kit.

* **Snowmelt** - A term used to describe slush or dirty, melted snow.

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

* **Tom/tomcat** - A male cat.

* **Twoleg** – A human.

* **Twoleg kit** – A human child.

* **Twoleg nest** – A human's house.

* **Twolegplace** – A town, city, or village where Twolegs live.

## Time Terms

* **Growing-leaf** - The season of spring.

* **Full-leaf** - The season of summer.

* **Falling-leaf** - The season of autumn or fall.

* **No-leaf** - The season of winter.

* **Moon** - The time between one full moon and the next, spanning about 29 days, a month.

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

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

* **Quarter-moon** - About a week.

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

* **Heartbeat**- A split second.

## 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

* **(Leaf Clan)** **As easy as swallowing a minnow/ (Bay Clan) As easy as swallowing a bass** - 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!)

* **Cleanpaw**- An (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.*Or saying that a patrol didn't catch anything.

* **Drypaw**- A cat that dislikes getting wet, usually used in Bay Clan.

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

* **Fishface**, **fishfur** or **fish-breath** - An insult used against Bay Clan cats.

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

* **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*).

* **Furball** - A (friendly, yet harsh) insult. Severity of the insult is almost always decided by tone.

* **Fuzz-brain** - A (friendly, but harsh) insult. Severity of the insult is almost always decided by tone.

* **Hare-dung** - Used as an exclaimation, 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!*

* **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 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.

* **Make dirt** - to use the bathroom, or the dirtplace in warrior terms.

* **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 Bay Clan 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 stars.

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

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

* **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.

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

* **(Only) the spirits knows (what)** - Sometimes used to answer a question that is impossible to answer.

* **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-sparrow** - Same as the term "scaredy-mouse."

* **Snake-hearted**, or **Snake-heart**- Similar to the term "fox-hearted."

* **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 will not change the past.

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

* **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."

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

* **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 Bay Clan, has the same meaning as thistles and thorns.

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

* **Rabbit-brain**- An insult that is friendly but harsh.

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

## Living Spaces Edit

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

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

* **Medicine cat's den** - The den in camp that belongs to the Clan's medicine cat and his or her apprentice. Sometimes referred to as the *medicine den*.

* **Warriors' den** - The den in camp that is shared between the warriors 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 four moons.

* **Apprentice** - A cat at least four moons old, and training to be a warrior (or a Medicine cat.)

* **Warrior** - A mature cat who has completed his or her warrior training.

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

* **Queen** - A she-cat 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. (i.e. Lilynose, Silverwing)

* **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.

* **Medicine cat** - 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 the spirits.

* **Leader's Mate** - A warrior who is second in command to the leader, helping the leader in their tasks. They organize patrols and make reports to the leader.

* **Leader** - A cat who controls the entire Clan.