RidgeClan

**RidgeClan** forms as a clan originally independent from the others. Wanting to initially establish itself as a territory willing to keep to itself, they officially joined the clans upon realizing the mutual benefit it had for them and the current clan cats. **RidgeClan** is technically speaking the oldest of the clans in the region, though their admittance to the clans was not the first.

**RidgeClan** is established by Mossy under the name The Overlook, who creates it as a sanctuary for kittypets, rogues, or loners to stay with a group of cats willing to protect them. This mutual trust led to most staying with the group. Later, a cat named Hazel transforms The Overlook into a clan, thereby calling it **RidgeClan**. They maintain their trust for outsiders and welcome them in on a daily basis, but are not apart of the clans and partake in their rituals. The move from the normal naming system was conducted by Hazel, who earned the name Hazelscar, then later received Hazelstar after being selected by her clan to become **RidgeClan's** first official leader. Hazelstar maintained it's policy of welcoming and remained highly traditional, mostly talking with external clans rather than the rituals a Clan Leader would normally undertake in any other clan.

## Culture

**RidgeClan** is unique as most of it's cats do not follow the conventional naming systems. Most cats will have one word names, while others may follow the recognized naming system that every other clan partakes in. All leaders, however, regardless of their former name, will always accept the -star prefix to honor the traditions held by the leaders before them.

To make sure it's apprentices are strong enough to become warriors, they are submitted to one final trial, where they are instructed to retrieve an item from the top of a mountain and return it. Those who return it successfully become warriors. Those who return without it are exiled. And those who die are never honored. A rumor has spread that apprentices who've died on the trial or are exiled then die are sent to become a Lone Echo.

New warriors are given the opportunity to name themselves, which is what they are required to think of on their journey. Most will change their prefix and suffix to a name they believe better suits them. Others will give themselves a new prefix or change to a one word name. Cats who join **RidgeClan** and do not wish to become warriors are not submitted to this trial, but are never allowed to become the Clan Deputy or Clan Leader. Those cats are given the role of Gatherer, a role specifically for hunting prey or gathering herbs for their Medicine Cat. Cats born into RidgeClan are also not obliged to take this trial, but will be forced to leave once they become 12 moons old.

Discrimination runs rampant in **RidgeClan** due to their divide, despite being accepting of outsiders. The Medicine Cat will generally treat warriors over Gatherers, regardless of the injury. Warriors who have kits are given prey, but Gatherers who have kits are forced to hunt for themselves. Warriors who end up having kits with Gatherers are treated harshly, but still respected above a Gatherer. This respect may eventually deteriorate however, at which point the warrior in question is exiled, becomes a Gatherer, or is forced to kill their kits, regardless of age, and mate, which may not be enough to win back the trust of their leader. They may then be forced to retake the trial, shed the suffix of their name, or otherwise risk exile. In extreme cases, the Clan Leader may have the cat kill their kits and mate, and at sign of hesitation, may have the warrior killed, too, to "give the other warriors battle training", after stripping them of their suffix.

With this process, **RidgeClan** considers themselves the superior clan of the five clans in the region.

## Clan Relations

**RidgeClan** is welcoming to all cats, including clan cats, but prefers to remain neutral when it comes to conflict. **RidgeClan** begun it's friendly relations with RavenClan during Whitepelt's leadership. This relationship was eventually severed when Strikestar brought RavenClan into isolation, where **RidgeClan** was no longer able to ask RavenClan for help as RavenClan turned away any cat crossing their border.