Camp

A **camp** is a site where a Clan makes its permanent home. It is where the cats sleep, meet, bring fresh-kill, get treated for injuries or illness, receive orders, share tongues, make reports to the Clan leader or deputy, and have ceremonies. Some cats, such as queens, kits, and elders stay in the camp, while the warriors, apprentices, deputy, and leader patrol the territory and hunt. Each Clan has one camp.

## Location

Each camp is situated on the Clan's own territory. The main criteria for choosing a site that is:

* Is difficult to attack, and easy to defend.
* Is at a safe distance from Upwalkers, Upwalker facilities, and other dangers.
* Is large enough to accommodate all Clan cats.
* Has a source of water in the camp or nearby.
* Has places for a warrior den, apprentice den, nursery, healer den, elders den, and leader's den.

## Structure

Most camps are surrounded by some means of natural protection (such as thickets, stone walls or water) that shelter them both from weather and enemy attacks. They usually have a single entrance, where only one cat can pass at a time (such as a tunnel under the thickets) along with one small entrance and exit to make dirt. However, there can sometimes be secret entrances/exits, such as in Forestclan's lake camp. In addition to the natural defense, warriors patrol and protect the camp day and night.

### Main clearing

All camps contain a large, open area in their middle. Cats gather here to meet each other, sun themselves, share tongues and participate in Clan meetings. The main clearing usually also contains:

* The **fresh-kill pile**, a spot where hunters drop the prey they caught and brought to the camp and where cats get their food from. Sometimes, if it has rained or is raining, they will store their prey in the ground to keep it dry.
* A **vantage point** from where the leader addresses the Clan during a meeting, such as a large rock or a branch or root of a tree.

### Dens

**Dens** are sheltered locations (such as thickets or caves) used by a cat or a group of cats to rest, sleep and recover. Beddings of moss, bracken, wool, and ferns are used to rest on. The dens are usually cleaned and tidied by the apprentices of the Clan. Most camps contain all (or several) of the following:

* **Nursery** - The den shared between the queens and kits, usually the safest and most protected.
* **Apprentices' den** - The den shared between the apprentices.
* **Warriors' den** - The den shared between the warriors and the deputy. Senior warriors usually sleep towards the center, where it is warmer, while younger cats sleep near the edge, where it is colder.
* **healer's den** - The den that belongs to the healer and their apprentice, who store their herbs and other supplies here as well. Cats with severe injuries and illness also rest here until they recover and are able to return to their own dens.
* **Elders' den** - The den shared between the elders, usually the second most protected.
* **Leader's den** - The den where the Clan leader lives, usually the nicest den. They usually spend most of the day here in seclusion and undisturbed; however, they can be visited by other cats, or choose to spend the night with their mate.

### Outer facilities

The following can be encountered in the vicinity of the camp:

* **Burial place** - A location where dead Clanmates are buried.
* **Dirtplace** - A location where the cats make dirt, and dump inedible food (bones, feathers, crowfood).

## Known camps

### In the forest

#### Forestclan

The Forestclan forest camp is in a sandy ravine that used to be a riverbed a long time ago. The camp consists of a clearing edged with thick grass, dotted with tree stumps, and has a thick curtain of ferns and gorse shielding it. It is also surrounded by brambles, and the entrance is through a gorse tunnel. There is a tall boulder in the clearing, called the Highrock, used by the leader to call meetings. The Highrock has scuffed earth around its base. A vast, sandy clearing stretches to the Highrock, which is near a clump of nettles. A bit away from the nursery is a crowded corner of ferns, which have a tall barrier of gorse behind it. At one side a fallen tree lies, its tangled branches folded on the ground. The fresh-kill pile usually lies at the side of the clearing. At one point, the camp was burned down in a fire, but the vegetation grew back quickly.

* The nursery is under a thick bramble bush. There is a huge gap in the bush that leads to the clearing.
* The apprentices' den is in a clump of ferns, beside a tree stump.
* The warriors' den is under a bush, with a nearby nettle patch. The warriors' den is beside the nursery. It is said that the senior warriors sleep near the center, the warmest area. It is also an honor that senior warriors invite younger warriors to eat with them by the bush.
* The healer's den is a crack in a rock, near a small grassy clearing, a tunnel of ferns leading to it. Inside there is a grassy clearing with a small pool at one edge. One tall rock stands at the side, split with a crack to keep herbs inside.
* The elders' den is under a jutting branch in the fallen tree that has grass, moss and ferns sprouting from every crevice in the tangle of wood. There is a maze of twigs that eventually lead to an empty space among tangled branches.
* The leader's den is a cave in the Highrock which was carved out by an ancient stream, with lichen hanging over the entrance. Inside the den is a quiet cove with a smooth floor and walls, a mossy nest at one side.

#### Horizonclan

The Horizonclan forest camp is in a sandy hollow, surrounded by gorse. The entrance is through a gorse tunnel. A tall boulder, called the Tallrock is used by the leader to call meetings.

* The nursery and the elders' den are under the gorse wall surrounding the camp.
* The other cats, including the leader, prefer to sleep under the open sky, although in bad weather, they retreat in burrows made by rabbits, foxes or badgers.
* The medicine den is a tunnel made by a dip in the earth beneath brambles.

#### Hollowclan

The Hollowclan forest camp is on a large, well-drained, island and is surrounded by reeds. All of the dens are tightly woven. It can be reached only by swimming, and as cats from other Clans cannot swim (and hate water, in general), the camp is rarely attacked. Floods present a danger; once, a flood swept away the floor of the nursery, along with two of Mistyfoot's kits.

* All dens are made up of tangles of reeds. It is mentioned that cats weave feathers in the reeds and decorate the edges with rocks and shells.
* There is a well-trodden grass track leading away from the sedges and between thick bushes of the camp.
* The medicine den is past a deep olive sedge and in a calm den.
* The apprentice den has a warm coating of moss on it.
* The nursery is tucked away into a thick sedge wall. It is made of willow branches and reeds.
* The elders' den is at the high end of a slope. It is made of woven willow stems.
* The leader's den is built of willow stems and woven into the roots of the ancient willow.

#### Mountainclan

The Mountainclan forest camp is in a hollow with muddy ground surrounded by brambles. The entrance is through a thorn tunnel. A smooth boulder, known as the Clanrock, is at the edge of the clearing and is used by the leader to call meetings.

* The nursery is in a hollow, shielded by a thorn bush.
* The warriors' den is under a large bramble bush.
* The healer's den is in a cave under two boulders (one being the Clanrock) and is surrounded by ferns.
* The leader's den is beneath the roots of a big oak tree.

## Life in the camp

* At dawn, the deputy appoints the daily patrols.
* Border patrols leave at dawn and sunset.
* Several hunting patrols leave daily. Some Clans (like Mountainclan) prefer to hunt at night; the others generally hunt during daytime.
* Some warriors always remain in the camp to guard it in case of an attack.
* Mentors train their apprentices at a designated place (like the training hollow in Forestclan), or take them on patrols.
* Apprentices do chores such as: tidying up dens, change used bedding, and tending to queens and elders. The elders usually tell them stories while they give them moss balls soaked in water, fresh kill, or get rid of their ticks and fleas. New healer apprentices learn the different herbs while more experienced healer apprentices help with minor sicknesses, kitting, and injuries.
* The healer treats and tends to injured or ill cats, trains their apprentice if they have one, and leaves to gather herbs when supplies are running low.
* The leader oversees what happens in the Clan, consults with warriors, and calls a meeting if needed. (e.g. a kit becoming an apprentice).
* Cats who stay in the camp usually rest, sunbathe in the clearing, eat prey or share tongues. Cats are most active during the morning and late afternoon; they often rest during the night and at noon.
* At night, one or more warriors stay awake to guard the camp while the others sleep.