ShadowClan

ShadowClan lives in the pine forest in the north. As the first Clan, it was formed when Shadow Star - then simply known as Shadow - rescued the wandering tribe cats and invited them to share the marshland with her and serve as her Clan. Due to betrayals within the Clan from outsiders, Shadow Star has shut the borders and refuses to allow cats to even talk with outsiders.

## Current Allegiances

Leader

Shadow Star - pure black she-cat

Deputy

Moon Blaze - stocky tawny-colored tabby tom

Medicine Cat

Raven - thick-furred black she-cat

Medicine Cat Apprentice

Warriors

Tiger Spirit - tall dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Berry Frost - small tortoiseshell and white she-cat

Fox Bane - fluffy golden she-cat

Vixen - thick-furred red she-cat

Leech - large gray tabby tom

Bat Dance - black and white tom

Bandit - brown and black tom with unusual eyes

Apprentices

Storm - gray tabby tom with yellow eyes

Holly - tawny tabby she-cat with dark green eyes

Vulpine - tortoiseshell and white she-cat

Cypress - large brown-and-white mottled tom

Rowan - sleek ginger she-cat

Web - lean white she-cat with black patches

Whistle - large gray tabby tom with silky fur

Queens

Hen Frost - white she-cat with brown spots

Kits

Blaze - large ginger tom with big paws

Daffodil - fluffy tortoiseshell and white she-cat

Elders

## ShadowClan History

Before ShadowClan was established, a few cats from a group called the Tribe of Rushing Water decided to leave their hostile mountain territory in search of a better home. Half of the tribe stayed behind while the others endured a perilous journey into the unknown. After taking dangerous predators and relentless elements, the tribe dwindled in size. Only a portion of the group escaped the mountains and made it to the forest. Unfortunately for the survivors, they arrived in the middle of leaf-bare and were weak from their travels. The surviving tribe cats were caught in a blizzard and were forced to take shelter near the mountains, on the moorland inside of a badger set.

Without knowledge of the new predators that they would face, the tribe cats were clueless about the danger that awaited them. When the badger returned to its den, a bloody battle broke out. The enraged badger killed the cat that led them through the journey, a tom named Falling Star before a different cat defeated it. A young cat named Shadow came to their rescue and managed to fight off the already wounded badger. After the badger fled, Shadow introduced herself as a loner that happened to have a territory and home nearby.

The tribe cats told Shadow of their journey and their mission to find a new home of their own. The tribe's perseverance moved Shadow, and so she welcomed them into her home within the darkest corner of the forest. It was then that Shadow began to train the tribe cats how to fight against the predators that hunted within the forest and how to hunt the prey that hid amongst the pines. The tribe cats also shared with her new hunting and fighting techniques, as well as their traditions. By the time leaf-bare was over, the tribe was ready to explore the forest and find their territory. However, there was a dispute amongst them to leave the environment they’d grown accustomed to and wander beyond Shadow’s marked borders.

Shadow agreed to allow the tribe cats to stay, but only if they obeyed her rules without question since her code could keep them safe. The tribe cats cast a vote, and the majority decided to stay and follow Shadow’s rules. However, others didn’t care for Shadow’s laws or what her dark, swampy territory had to offer. Shadow warned them that the region provided more bountiful territory, but that came with the price of more predators. Nevertheless, a few decided to leave Shadow’s territory. Those that chose to stay soon after appointed Shadow as their leader and performed a renaming ceremony. The tribe cats renamed themselves ShadowClan in Shadow’s honor, and in exchange, she took on the tribe name Shadow Star in honor of the deceased Falling Star.

## ShadowClan Lore

### Code

1.) Protect the territory, camp, and your Clanmates with your life

2.) Scout the territory and mark the borders daily. Challenge any intruders and report back to camp immediately

3.) Never attack any cat unprovoked or without a justifiable reason - especially not your Clanmates

4.) If attacked first, use deadly force if necessary. Aim to disable or critically injure your enemy, but kill them if they refuse to flee or surrender

5.) Treason against ShadowClan will result in exile

6.) You may not have a mate or friends outside of the Clan

7.) If you are found to be guilty of unjustified murder, your punishment will result in death

8.) Cats who can't hunt for themselves are to be fed first

9.) Kits begin training within camp at three moons old. At six moons they are allowed to explore deeper into the territory

10.) Any cat that has earned their second name share the duty of training apprentices. Apprentices are not restricted to a single mentor

11.) Apprentices must pass three assessments in order to earn their second name

12.) No cat is allowed to venture into the territory alone. There is safety in numbers

13.) No cat is allowed to cross over the borders without permission from Shadow Star

14.) Any cat who breaks the Code will be punished and must face Shadow Star's judgement

### Traditions

* ShadowClan cats cover themselves in mud to disguise their scent before an ambush.
* ShadowClan warriors eat adders and ingest tiny amounts of venom to build up a resistance to the toxin.
* ShadowClan warriors rarely retire unless they’re physically incapable of performing their duty.
* When getting ready to have kits, friends and family of the expecting parents will gather as much thorny bracken and ivy strands as possible and weave them into the nursery walls as gifts.
* During battle, ShadowClan pairs up cats who fight well together. These battle pairs are tasked with keeping each other safe and should not be separated.
* Only cat that have earned their second name may train apprentices.
* The entire Clan is responsible for raising and taking care of kits. When assigning duties for the day, the deputy assigns one cat per litter as the designated caretaker for the day so that the mother may do whatever she wants for a short time each day.
* When a cat dies, the body is draped with ivy and flowers as family and friends come to grieve. Once moonhigh arrives, the closest loved ones of the deceased will bury the body at the Clan's burial place and decorate the gravestones with flowers

### Prey List

*Shadow Star allows cats to hunt independently, but she insists that cats must hunt in groups if the prey is dangerous.*

#### Easy Prey

These creatures usually take only one cat to catch

* Frogs and Toads
* **Adders**
* Snakes
* Ducks
* Minks
* Water Voles and Shrews
* *Crabs*
* Bats
* *Eels*
* **Rats**
* Newts and Salamanders
* Minnows and Tadpoles
* Grasshoppers, Dragonflies, and Moths

#### Hard Prey

These creatures are tough to catch and often need multiple cats

* ***Beavers***
* *Cranes, Curlews, and Egrets*
* **Geese and Swans**
* Otters
* **Ospreys, Hawks, and Harriers**

**Bolded** prey is considered dangerous. *Italicized* prey is rare.

## Deceased ShadowClan Cats

Needle - black tom with grayish stripes. Killed by Wild

Dandelion Tail - tortoiseshell and white she-cat with a fluffy white tail-tip. Died in childbirth