Trainee Tasks and Punishments

Here is a list of all the used tasks and punishments a trainee may receive from any adult cat in the clan.

### Cleaning Dens

This is a common task. Dens may need repairs, patches, or cleaning on a regular basis to keep each cat healthy and comfortable. Trainees are tasked with clearing out old bedding and replacing it, as well as clearing away remains of prey from the dens, depositing it near the dirtplace if confined to camp for another trainee or their mentor to take out for them, or depositing it at The Dartmouth Bog.

### Collecting Herb Seeds

On occasion, the Nurse of the clan may pick trainees to keep an eye out for the seeds of herbs they may be running low on so they can raise them in their herb nursery. Seeds can be found around where most herbs can be collected in the forest, and they can easily be taken from herbs without harming the plant itself. Seeds should be wrapped in a leaf and it's generally greatly appreciated if the trainee takes the time to sort the seeds for the Nurse before returning to them, as it can be rather difficult to tell the difference if they're in a bundle together.

### Clearing/Collecting Moss

This is another common task for trainees. Moss is considered soiled after a sick cat has slept in it, it's been given birth in, or there were young kits nesting in it with their mothers. Cats usually prefer to sleep in the same nest they created for themselves until the nest begins to hold a scent, or is otherwise ruined by the weather. Trainees taking out bedding that is considered "not ready" are usually harshly scolded by the owner of the nest, as most cats are very defensive of their sleeping space. It's common for the Nurse to request for a trainee other than their own to clear out a nest a sick cat has used and replace it with new moss before the next patient comes in, or before the final patrol returns for the night. Trainees can collect moss from trees outside camp, or stones that grow it along the side, as well as some buildings on their territory. Moss collected for nesting purposes should be dry, bark/thorn free, and fluffed up before being shaped into bedding. Trainees collect moss by rolling it in on itself and piling it with other soiled nests, before dragging the piles out of camp and depositing it at The Dartmouth Bog where the forest claims it for themselves, replenishing the forest with new moss.

### Hunting

It is the task of every trainee, and by extension their mentors, to make sure kits, elders, queens, and nurses are fed before any other cat. Their duty is to hunt for their clanmates, and they're expected to bring back prey each and every day to ensure that every cat is well fed. Hunting is a major part of trainee training and should be done multiple times throughout the day. Trainees caught eating prey they've caught for their clan without permission from an adult cat may be punished.

### General Training

This is in reference to the general class specific training each apprentice must do on a daily basis. This includes tracking, for Trackers, checking the tunnels are secure and easy to navigate as a Tunneler, checking and marking borders regularly as a Sentinel, and regularly scouting for rabbit holes and strengthening their speed as a Moor Runner. This also refers to battle training, as it's something each cat has access to learning about. Trainees are given basic battle training as part of any rank they choose, though as a Sentinel they learn many techniques to go along with this. General training can range from climbing trees to marking borders.

## Punishments

These are the punishments given out to trainees caught misbehaving or acting out. Trainees who refuse to do their punishment may be given something worse they're forced to do. Punishments depend on the complexity of the trouble the trainee may be involved in, with the most harsh punishment being the conversion back to a kit.

### Clearing Ticks from Elders

Trainees have one of the most common punishments of clearing ticks and other parasites from an Elder's fur. Most Elders cannot clean themselves, and prefer not to have the trainees poking through their pelt, so it's common for the clan's elders to mess with the trainees or give them a hard time. Trainees are given mouse dung to place on the ticks until they release from the pelt of an elder. It is not very easy to remove these, and it's common for elders to have a few, so it's an easy punishment for a cat who may just need a light punishment for something they've done.

### Collecting Mouse Dung

Trainees have another common punishment of collecting mouse dung from the corpses of mice on the fresh-kill pile or being sent off to catch a few specifically to extract it's dung. This foul-smelling fluid is applied to ticks on elders to have them drop off so they may be killed. This is a disgusting task that many trainees will complain about.

### Confined to Camp

Trainees caught sneaking out are commonly punished by being confined to camp for however many sunrises/moons as the leader may decide. This punishment should not be given by the mentor of the trainee, as it's in their best general interest to be out training with their trainee. Trainees confined to camp usually grow tired, weary, and incredibly restless.

### Cleaning the Dirt Place

This is one of the worst punishments besides being returned to a kit that a trainee may be given. If they've proven themselves to be generally disrespectful or ungrateful, they may be tasked to clear out the dirt place. The initial reaction to this is usually shock and immediate disgust, and it's considered to be incredibly amusing to other cats when trainees are forced to do this task. They are meant to dig out the den and clear it out with moss blankets, wrapping up the waste and disposing of it near The Dartmouth Bog.

### Back-pace to Kit

An trainee who has proven themselves to be untrustworthy, incapable of following direction/orders, or have broken the warrior code on multiple occasions may have their apprentice title stripped away, returning them back to a kit until they've "learned to grow up and respect their clan." This is by far the worst punishment and one apprentices are most fearful of.