Barn Cats

> Viper - sleek black she-cat with one eye
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> Voyage - large gray tabby she-cat
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> Drake - fluffy brown tom with unusual cream-colored spots
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> Stoat - sleek-furred brown and cream tom
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> Howl - mottled black and white tom
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2.) Prey is killed only to be eaten

3.) Any death must be honored, be it friend, prey, or foe

4.) Cats may never leave. If they try, they will be hunted down and killed

5.) Any kill, be it cat or prey, must be painless and swift. A prayer must be offered after making the kill

6.) The Boneteller has absolute say over the Clan

7.) Kits will begin their training at three moons. For two moons, they will study the history and laws of the Clan before moving on to learn about hunting and fighting

8.) Every cat must put their lives on the line to protect the Clan and its secrets

9.) Deceased cats must be laid to rest by the next moonhigh and given proper death rites

10.) The weak and sick must eat first

11.) Every new moon, the cats may leave their borders to visit all death sites to lead any wandering spirits out to the sky

12.) When becoming a warrior, the cat must take a vow of silence for an entire day and night. Breaking this vow will cause the cat to restart their training

13.) Cats may never abandon a kit in danger

14.) The borders must be watched from various outlook posts at all times. Cats must rotate these duties so that they are never too tired to notice danger

### Traditions

* New mothers are expected to still hunt once they recover from birth. Elders and apprentices instead take on the bulk of the kit-rearing when the parents aren't around
* When apprentices earn their warrior name, they don't always keep their original suffix and instead are named after an attribute of theirs. For example, a cat named Ember might become Lion's Roar because of his battle prowess
* When training, a large group observes the spar. Afterwards, they will discuss what worked and what didn't before moving on to the next sparring match
* When a cat dies, the body is placed in an area where it can decompose completely and become one with the world again, then the bones are retrieved and used to build guiding cairns in the tunnels
* As one of their warrior assessments, cats will go to the crystal caves and find a glowing gemstone that they can affix to a staff called a "Guiding Light." Every time they go on a new moon journey to collect spirits, they will bring their Light with them
* During the new moon journey, they will "paint" themselves with the bioluminescent moss so that they glow. This causes spirits to follow them. Since the restless spirits are following them because of their glowing, they won't bother other cats
* They believe that grief, rage, sicknesses, and other negative emotions are all caused by spirits who linger because they have unresolved disputes or regrets. It's the duty of the living to help lay their deceased loved ones to rest

### Hunting Techniques

* Hunting rabbits usually happens in groups of four to six. Two cats will rout the prey and chase it towards the others, who will converge on it
* Cats will roll themselves in heather to disguise their scents
* Three or more cats are required for hunting in tunnels. One cat will remain in the back to keep an eye on potential cave-ins while the others will seek out the prey. The cat in the back also is in charge of catching prey that slides by the patrol
* While hunting in the tunnels, cats may never corner rabbits or other large prey to prevent injury. Instead, they should work to flush it out or return with more cats

### Training Techniques

* A group of two to four cats are expected to train on hunting, fighting, tunneling, and tracking every day, with the duty rotating so each cat participates in training every few days. The Boneteller may assign a cat to train on their own if their skill level requires it
* Starting at three moons old, when cats begin their learning phase of training, cats must recite the laws every dawn and dusk. Failure to recite them properly is cause for minor punishment such as cleaning bedding or going without prey
* Cats will sharpen their claws on skulls to test how diligent they are. If they lose the skull before whittling all the way through the bone, it’s a sign that they aren’t very attentive or focused

### Fighting Techniques

* While fighting, cats should stay low to the ground at all times and strike upwards at the throat or belly
* When an enemy appears to be pouncing, cats will duck down and have the cat go over them. Either turn and attack when they fall or try to strike upwards at their stomachs
* Cats will wear bone ornaments on their vital spots such as the throat and stomach to lessen the likelihood of being seriously injured
* A small group of cats will usually lure the enemy to a spot where a larger force can emerge from a tunnel and catch the enemy in a pincher maneuver
* When being chased, cats will head to tunnels known as “trap tunnels.” These tunnels have a lot of confusing passageways and are very easy to get lost in if the cat can’t recognize the slight differences in the underground air
* Cats should always aim to inflict the most amount of damage with a single blow. They shouldn't waste time on shallow scratches or warning bites