Customs

## Nightstones

These strange, glossy black rocks can be found at various places around the island, but are especially abundant around the Fire Mountain. Due to their resemblance to the interior of the Night Cave, they are referred to as nightstones.

* Used by CliffClan, ShoreClan, & VineClan
* Due to the stones' connection to the Night Cave – the cave that houses the Moonfalls, the Clans' connection to their ancestors in StarClan – they are considered to be spiritual objects, which are similarly connected to StarClan.
* Nightstones are often used as talismans; if a Clan or individual cat happens to get their paws on a nightstone, they are often kept as good luck charms. There are some conflicting ideas about what possessing one does, exactly, as some say it simply brings good fortune to the owner, while others speculate that the talismans have minor wish-granting abilities, but all agree that owning a nightstone talisman is a good thing.
* Medicine cats specifically covet nightstones. Due to their connection with StarClan, medicine cats see them as a physical manifestation of StarClan's blessing, and believe that having one in camp – preferably in their own dens or wherever is most vulnerable – will offer their Clan protection. They also use them to send prayers directly to StarClan in the event that it is not a half-moon.

## Shimmering Bark

Beautiful, multicolored strips of bark that come from a unique type of tree known as rainbow eucalyptus trees. The tall trees' distinctive bark is very bright and may be visible even in low light.

* Exchanges occur exclusively in VineClan
* Shimmering bark generally comes from the Shimmering Tree on VineClan's territory. Although it is strictly forbidden for cats to pull off chunks of the bark themselves, due to the tree's cultural and spiritual significance within the Clan, sometimes small bits of the bark break off naturally and fall to the ground around the tree, though it isn't an everyday occurrence.
* This is used exclusively as a romantic gesture. Gifting another with the beautiful, glimmering bark generally conveys that the giver considers the receiver to be equally beautiful. Though such a gesture can seem cheesy or overly sappy to some, it is generally accepted as a nice way to court someone. However, while this is a romantic gesture, it is not necessarily a declaration of intent or a promise of commitment – an admirer may gift shimmering bark simply because they find another cat attractive and want to pay a compliment, not because they want a committed or exclusive relationship.

## Moano

A relatively rare and extremely beautiful kind of fish, with vibrant, striped pink bodies.

* Exchanges occur exclusively in ShoreClan
* Moano are not nearly as highly revered as pearls; while it takes a lot of dedication and hard work in order to find a pearl, moano are comparatively simple to find. Finding a pearl requires cats to crack open countless clams in order to find one with a pearl in it, moano are easy to see in the water due to their extremely bright scales, which makes them rather easy to catch when they're close enough to shore for cats to fish them up.
* Moano are not strictly a romantic gesture, but they are not used in purely platonic relationships – they declare romantic interest or intent, or attraction. Gifting another with one of the bright fish is generally meant to be either a compliment of the receiver's beauty, or one referencing their bright personality or influence on the gift-giver's life. The fish are used mostly as a courting method between cats, as giving another a moano usually means that the giver wishes to pursue a relationship with the receiver, but they do not denote a commitment like pearls do. The fish are also sometimes exchanged between cats already in a relationship, simply as a nice, romantic gesture to show affection.

## Pearls

The tiny, white spheres found inside of clams that Twolegs make jewelry out of. They are extremely difficult to obtain, as one must first find a clam, and then figure out how to pry it open - and there's no telling whether whatever clam you find will even have a pearl in it. Those that set out on an active quest to find a pearl are often disappointed. Anyone who does manage to find one is very lucky, and will most certainly be the envy of all no matter what they choose to do with their treasure.

* Pearls can only be found in ShoreClan territory, as clams can only be accessed from the beach
* Clams are difficult to find on their own, even without the pearl-hunting aspect; clams dwell below the surface of the water, stationary, and it is dangerous and unpleasant for cats to dive for them in saltwater. It is usually best to search for them during low tides, when waters retreat further than usual, and prey that is usually submerged is exposed to the elements. Even still, prying a clam from its place and actually figuring out how to crack one open is difficult, and there's a chance the clam won't even have a pearl inside. Managing to bring clam meat back for the Clan to eat is still admirable, and presenting someone with clam meat alone as a gift shows devotion and loyalty to that individual. However, clam meat is not an inherently romantic gesture - it can be shared between friends or family as well.
* If one actually manages to find a pearl, they are used exclusively in romantic gestures. Presenting someone with a pearl is the ultimate gesture of romantic affection; it shows loyalty, devotion, and communicates very deep romantic feelings. Most cats won't receive or even see a pearl more than once in their lifetime, if that. Giving a pearl is a very serious declaration of intent, and is only done if a cat intends to commit to a relationship with another cat. To have a gift of a pearl rejected is devastating. On the other hand, giving a pearl only to be disloyal or have a change of heart later is very nearly taboo, or at the very least, seen as an awful waste of a beautiful gift, in addition to putting a very nasty stain on the disloyal cat's reputation.
* If a cat does manage to acquire a pearl, that cat will pretty much become the Clan's most eligible bachelor or bachelorette, and various cats may try to vie for their attention, if it is not already well-known that the finder has someone they are interested in.

## Feathers

The soft structures that line the wings of birds and allow them to fly. They're common enough, in any place where birds live, but the Clans are specifically interested in the feathers of either albatross or pueo, depending on the Clan.

* Exchanges occur in CliffClan & VineClan
* In CliffClan, the feathers of albatross are coveted. The feathers of other birds are easy enough to find, but since there is a strict taboo on actually killing albatross within CliffClan, it makes it much more difficult to find actual albatross feathers for warriors.
* VineClan is in much the same situation. While there are plenty of birds available for warriors to kill, pueo are rarer, and it is forbidden to hunt them, as they, like albatross, are the spirit guides for their Clan.
* If warriors of either Clan manage to get their paws on a feather of either of their spirit guides, cats will use them in basically the same way; though these feathers are not treated as talismans the way that nightstones are, feathers of albatross or pueo still have connections to the spirit world, and are therefore often given as gifts to those that have recently lost loved ones. The feathers are meant to convey the giver's condolences, as well as a deep respect for both the receiver and those that he or she lost, along with a great deal of care and compassion.

## Pebbles

Small, round stones that have been worn smooth by erosion. Pebbles can be found just about everywhere, especially around concentrations of larger rocks, but there is a surprising amount of variation amongst these stones.

* Exchanges occur exclusively in CliffClan
* Because pebbles are so incredibly common, there is nothing inherently romantic about them. Walking the cliffs and seeing pebbles lying around wouldn't set anyone's heart aflutter. However, the gifting of pebbles is an exclusively romantic gesture.
* If a cat intends to court another, they must search out a very unique pebble with one or more distinguishing features. Generally, the best features to look for are unique patterns or physical properties – a pebble with a band of color around it, a pebble with a hole in the center, a pebble that is particularly square, spherical, flat, etc., a pebble that is porous, unusually light or heavy, etc. are all good features to find in a courting pebble. Relying only on a pebble's color is usually not considered "enough" to make a pebble unique – pebbles of all colors are easy enough to find, so only a unique color paired with either a unique shape, pattern, or physical property such as weight or texture would make a pebble an acceptable courting token.
* Both cats involved in a courtship have to be prepared to find a pebble. Whoever initiates the courtship must find an acceptable pebble, and the receiver of the first pebble must give a pebble of his or her own in return in order to accept and initiate the courtship. Both cats then keep these pebbles. If one gives the pebble they received back to the cat they received it from, that means that they are interested in becoming mates officially, and if the other pebble is also returned, mateship is made official. Keeping and giving back these pebbles shows dedication, and is a demonstration of commitment.
* Losing a pebble is seen as a clear sign that the cat that lost it isn't committed to the cat they're attempting to court, since losing track of the token is believed to indicate that the keeper didn't care enough to look after it. In cases such as these, relationships generally break off pretty swiftly, and both parties will have to turn their attention to seeking out a different potential mate.
* It is considered extremely inappropriate, insensitive, and taboo to reuse the same pebble that one has already used to try to court someone on another cat. If cats break up, they will usually throw away the pebbles they kept for that relationship, and have to start afresh in their searches.