This is my grand idea...SilvenClan! This group of cats roams the forests of Aerovale, defending their borders with pride. SilvenClan has long been a Clan of the wooded areas, leaping through tall trees as if they have wings...oh, wait, they do! They are masterful acrobats in the trees, the youngest kits learning to climb to the tallest tree the moment they open their eyes. At first glance, they are medium-to-small-sized (for an Areovale cat), ranging from 12- 16" tall. They have short-cropped fur that doesn't easily get matted by brambles, and sport feathers on their neck, ears, tail, and, of course, wings. They almost have a feather mullet! They have the appearance of four woodland songbirds: blue jays, cardinals, sparrows, and crows. They have short, feathered tails that look exactly like the songbird of their origin. A SilvenClan cat is not easily spotted in their natural habitat: you might just see a flash of wings in the trees above. SilvenClan cats are adapted to their natural habitat in many special ways: Long legs and claws - SilvenClan cats have longer legs than average, helping them scale trees like squirrels. Their claws are also longer and stronger than usual and are curved. This adaptation is used to hook tree bark, making climbing up and down a tree easy. But this also makes them more dangerous in battle... Short wings - SilvenClan cats prefer gliding to flying, and have small, streamlined wings to cut through the air and dart from tree to tree. Oviparous Nest-builders: SilvenClan cats lay eggs that resemble the bird they are linked to. SilvenClan cats are known for building massive stick nests high up in a tree, like eagles, to raise their kits. These nests are strong and versatile, and can be used for moons to come by the generation that follows. This is why most families use the same nest their ancestors did, and keep building on it throughout the years to make it even safer than before. Instead of 'warriors' dens', SilvenClan cats sleep with their kin in their ancestral nest, all contributing to guard the eggs of their relatives to ensure the family line goes on forever. Clades: Unlike most Clans, SilvenClan is an aristocratic Clan, with all members boasting shared blood with one of the four great families, or as they like to call them, "Clades". Each clade is based on a songbird, and each have their own virtues to follow. There is: - Tamarius - Seekers of daring, freedom, and thrills, Tamarius members are descendants of bluejays, and their attitudes are as bright as their plumage. They constantly take risks and stand up for their beliefs. They delight in the thrill of battle, and more often than not, Tamarius youngsters try death-defying stunts from the tops of trees. The other clades see them as reckless and haughty, thumbing their noses at authority. But a Tamarius will fight for what they believe is right, no matter the risk, and that in itself is admirable. - Placidus - Descendants of the rosy-red cardinal, Placidus members are calm, gentle, honorable, and peace-seeking. They are polar opposites of Tamarius and instead strive for peace instead of war. They are wonderful diplomats, with soft tongues and gentle hearts to shine a light of care into even the darkest soul. They are said to speak little but are very wise. - Lucinas - Boasting the plumage of sparrows, Lucinases are the smallest in body size of the Clades, but have the most energy! They are taught to do all things well and to be honest and hardworking. Even though their virtues sound similar to Placidus, they are far from the same. They are bouncy and kind, but Placidus thinks of them as too energetic and focused on others, rather than themselves. - Saepens - Last but not least, the rarest Clade is Saepens, who value intelligence and resourcefulness. They are huge, mostly black cats with plumage inspired by the American Crow. They are said to value the future, and are rumored to be fortune-tellers. There are only a few Saepenses left, but every cat wants a claim in some of their bloodline, saying that surely their great-great-great grandfather was a Saepens. Leadership: The hierarchy of SilvenClan is complicated. SilvenClan is a monarchy, with cats born into the royal family taught from birth how to be a leader. The oldest is always the heir. But SilvenClan has two deputies, who can be from any Clade. When the royal family dies out, or, has leadership stolen from them, the two deputies will fight to the death for their Clade to become the new royal family. There is, at all times, four medicine cats, one from each Clade, called the Herbal Team. There is a Gatherer, Healer, Astrologer, and Assistant. When a medicine cat steps down or dies, another from their Clade takes their role. Usually Gatherers are Tamarius, Healers are Placidus, Astrologers are Saepens, and Assistants are Lucinas. StarClan is the official religion of SilvenClan.
SilvenClan is a VERY strict Clan, making their apprentices memorize the warrior code in full, so that they will not fail their Clan and Clade by stupidly breaking a rule. They also have high belief in history. The founding and civil wars between Clades are very important to them. I'll put it in the comments section because I cant fit it all... :'D Most cats outside SilvenClan see them as highly territorial, proud, and cruel to trespassers. Forbidden relationships are highly frowned upon, as this is thought of as polluting the Clades with outsider’s blood. One of the most infamous traditions is the Battle of Bloodlines, a fight for leadership. The royal family can be challenged by the family of any one of the deputies’s families, or when a royal family dies out or willingly steps down, the deputies challenge each other. If a leader dies and one deputy surrenders and denies leadership, there is no fight and the other deputy is joined by another while the challenger become the new leader. If the challenge is accepted, the best fighters, chosen from both families, will fight under the half moon, a sign of good fortune. This challenge, once accepted, cannot be revoked by either the challenger or the defendant. By the time the fight has started, surrenders are not allowed, and the death of one of the challengers is nigh. These battles are often brutal, and even though banned battle moves and tricks are considered dishonorable, some still do it to gain the upper hand. These battles are thrilling to watch by any who see them, and are whispered of throughout the Clans. Camp! SilvenClan has a camp that looks almost like the Ewok village from Star Wars. If you even manage to find their camp, they are in the hidden in the heart of their territory. No part of the camp is on the ground. The camp is entirely consisted of HUGE nests, high up in the trees, away from both predators searching for eggs or kits to snack on, and the prying eyes of non-SilvenClan cats. Huge branches connect one nest with the other. A different Clade is on each side of the camp, and you can tell what Clade an ancestral nest belongs to by where and how it is located. Tamarius have high nests, way up in the trees, that the other Clade are too scared to visit. Their nests are lined with bright trinkets from many adventures. Placidus have easily-connected, neat looking nests, and Lucinas have very small nests, but attention to detail is amazing. Saepens do not live in nests. They hollow out trees, and in one big tree, a whole flock-sized group of cats can live. Smartly-made trinkets, such as dreamcatchers and windchimes, bells and whistles hang from their nests, like a magpie’s stash. Unlike Tamarius, all their trinkets have a purpose. Names! Names are complicated things in SilvenClan. Instead of the traditional kit, to paw, to -name, to star stuff, kits have their full names chosen for them at birth. Called by a Clade virtue a parent wants them to have, combined with a parent's first part of their name, they have their name. For example, a Lucinas parent might give their kit the prefix Amity-. Say the parent's name is Swiftcharity. Then the kit becomes Amityswift. But when a kit feels like their name does not suit them, or they marry into another Clade, they can change it, in a special ceremony. A cat requests a name change with the leader. Then, on the half moon, at midnight, they proclaim their new name in front of the entire Clan, and do so by saying these words: " Let StarClan approve my choice of calling. My old name is no more. I shall now be known as ______ !" Leaders do not change their name when they get nine lives. Instead, they achieve a new title, and must now put "High" at the start of their name. Like, High Audaxdefender. Reigning Leader! The current leader of SilvenClan is High Freevalor. He is a Temarius, who is a male who goes by he/him pronouns. He has colorpointed fur, and blue jay feathers tipped in red. He is an Placidus-Tamarius cross, and heterochromia, with one red eye and one green one, valid colors from both genetic sides. All info about him can be found in his comment section! I will be planning on keeping him, but if I change my mind, I will make sure to let you guys know. He kinda reminds me of a Fourth of July OC lol
