The Warrior Code

**THIS ARTICLE IS FANON AND DOES NOT PERTAIN TO THE CANON WARRIOR CATS SERIES.**

**The Warrior Code** is a list of 20 rules that must be followed by all clan cats. It is taught to clanborn kittens by a guide from StarClan, though clan members born outside of the clan must learn it from somewhere else.

Ideally, no rule should ever be broken, but some have lighter punishments than others in the case that they are.

## Code

* 1. Defend your clan, even with your life. You may have friends, mates or kin in other clans, but your loyalty must lie with your own, for one day you might meet them in battle.
	+ 1A. Cats may mate with other clans or outside of their clan should their own hold no sutiable candidates, due to an age gap, incest, or distrust. Any kits resulting in a half-clan relationship must stay with the dam’s clan, but sires in other clans may visit their kits.
* 2. Do not hunt or trespass on another clan’s territory unless you are warning of incoming danger or visiting the Starpond.
	+ 2A. Clans are allowed to shelter with the others should their own camp be destroyed, for to kill against the Warrior Code.
* 3. A warrior may switch clans if they choose to, however, if a cat wishes to return, the leader is not required to let them back.
	+ 3A. Rogues, loners and kittypets may join the clan granted they pass an assessment and not be a danger.
* 4. A kit must be six moons old to be apprenticed. Under no circumstances will they be apprenticed early. A kit may only be apprenticed later if they are unfit physically to start training.
	+ 4A. If something has traumatized a kitten, they may also be held back from becoming an apprentice. They will not be forced into a destiny they do not want.
	+ 4B. No kit under five moons old can leave the camp, and those over five moons must have a warrior escort.
	+ 4C. A kit must not participate in battle or hunt, regardless of their age. A kit may start to learn a few basic battle moves when they are five moons old, but they cannot be put to use until the kitten is an apprentice.
* 5. A cat must be at least twelve moons old to be made a warrior, and must keep a silent watch over camp on the eve of their ceremony.
	+ 5A. A cat may not speak on their vigil unless they are alerting their clanmates or being excused. If a cat speaks, they will only receive a light punishment.
	+ 5B. If a cat falls asleep on their vigil, they will receive a moderate punishment. If a danger gets into camp while the cat is asleep, their punishment is up to the leader, but the cat will never be exiled.
	+ 5C. On nights without ceremonies, a warrior will keep watch over the camp and switch their position at moonhigh. It is not silent, though the same punishments are subjected if the cat should fall asleep.
* 6. A cat cannot be made deputy without mentoring an apprentice to eleven moons old. Additionally, they cannot become deputy without assisting in raising a litter to apprenticehood.
	+ 6A. Raising their own litter to apprenticehood does not count. However, a cat may become deputy if they have only raised their own kits, granted they’ve trained two apprentices.
* 7. A deputy must be appointed before moonhigh on the day the previous deputy has retired, died, been exiled or been promoted.
	+ 7A. Should the leader die before a deputy is appointed, the senior warriors and elders will select between two and three candidates. A vote is held between all warriors.
	+ 7B. A cat may deny their appointment, but another cat may only challenge the chosen deputy if they have proved themself a danger in the past or do not meet requirements. It will not be a fight of pride.
* 8. The deputy, leader and medicine cat’s words must be respected, but can be challenged if foul play is suspected.
	+ 8A. No harsh punishment will come to a cat who questions their leader.
* 9. A leader can be forced to step down if they have proven themself unfit to lead.
	+ 9A. Elders, senior warriors and medicine cats are the cats who decide if a leader must step down. It cannot be decided by warriors.
* 10. No clan may neglect a kit or apprentice in pain or danger, no matter their blood or clan.
	+ 10A. A cat may not neglect an adult cat who is fatally wounded or seeking shelter.
	+ 10B. Queens must not fight or hunt within one moon of their due date.
* 11. A noble warrior need not kill and must only do so if they cannot escape a battle in any other way, someone else is too wounded to fight back, or someone has proven themselves a danger that cannot be stopped another way.
	+ 11A. There is no such thing as a merciful kill. If a warrior chooses to end the life of someone wounded rather than bring them help is seen as more disrespectful than to kill an able-bodied warrior.
	+ 11B. To kill a kitten, apprentice or queen is the greatest crime a warrior can commit, and to do so will result in an immediate exile.
	+ 11C. A cat can only be killed if they have broken a part of the Warrior Code that should never be broken.
* 12. The weakest clan members- elders, queens, kits, sick or injured cats- are to eat first. Give thanks to StarClan for the prey’s life.
	+ 12A. A cat ten or more moons old may not eat until they’ve hunted to feed someone else.
* 13. A Gathering is held at the island every full moon. A truce is held the entire day of a Gathering. There will be no fighting, in the clan territories or the island, at this time.
* 14. Boundaries must be checked and marked daily. Challenge all trespassing cats.
* 15. The Starpond, the Starpond’s Steps and Path to StarClan are sacred ground. To spill blood here is one of the greatest crimes a cat can commit.
* 16. A cat must be at least thirteen moons old to formally enter a relationship and at least sixteen moons old to have kits. A cat may not enter a relationship with a cat younger than this age.
	+ 16A. Age gaps are left up to the cats in a relationship. No cat may enter a relationship with someone they know, or consider, being related to. No cat may be forced into a relationship or forced to have a cat’s kits.
	+ 16B. A cat may only take more than one mate if all members of the relationship know and consent.
* 17. A queen never has to disclose the sire of their kits if they do not wish to. A queen can neither be forced to tell the sire, or forced to not tell the sire.
* 18. Elders are to be respected. No cat can be forced to become an elder.
* 19. Name changes are permanent. No name changes will be issued to an unconsenting cat.
	+ 19A. Leaders forced to step down will be reverted to their warrior name, as they have disrespected StarClan.
* 20. Each clan has a right to be independent, but they must come together if one is in danger. If a danger that threatens all the clans arises, borders are to be disregarded until it is defeated.