Local Lore

[Cobalt]

There is currently a contest for members to submit stories. See this thread for details.


This is a collection of stories told by cats of the Clans and their surrounding lands. It is likely that not all of them are true, but they are told anyway - stories of StarClan, of ancient times, and of heroic exploits by warriors of long ago. Not all stories are told by all cats - some are specific to one Clan or to the wanderers with no Clan. It is said even the kittypets have a few tales.

These are all written by members of Trying Times, with possible minor grammar edits by staff. 

[Cobalt]

How the Clans were Created
original by Misty, retelling by Cobalt
told among all Clans

Long ago, there were unruly wild cats that prowled the forests. Some lived in the pine forests, some lived in the marshlands, and some prowled in the tall grass. But the most successful cats lived in the beautiful, flower-covered hill that laid just outside all these lands. Cats lived contentedly here, for there was an abundance of delicious prey and enough healing herbs to help their kind live seasons longer than their forest peers. However, these cats were selfish, and wouldn't let any cat not born on the hill into their land.

A prophecy, you see, passed down for so long no cat knew when it was made, said that they would be conquered from within. The stubborn hill cats fought this for all they were worth, tossing out any cat who seemed the slightest bit disloyal and doing anything they could to strengthen themselves. They became more and more brutal, to the point where even some of their own lived in fear.

It was at this time that a young queen by the name of Dewdrop bore her first litter. She had been loyal to the hill cats all her life, but many of them suspected she had mated with a kittypet, something that had recently become forbidden. This was proven as her two kittens, aged - both Lily and Light gained the brown face, feet, and tail that only came from kittypet ancestry. Dewdrop was banished from the hill, but she was forced to leave her kits behind.

Lily and Light, after having their names changed to Wilt and Fade for their new colors, were not trusted by the hill cats. They were regularly mocked, teased, and made to pull more than their own weight. Over the moons, however, they gained respect from the other cats. They were both strong young toms and they made themselves useful, and even in a not-clan such as the hill cats, this was acknowledged. They watched as new leaders took over, and the hill group became more and more corrupted. They were young, they had never been told what was right and wrong, and so they learned to be horrible. They began to form plans greater than those of the hill cats, seeking power and control over as many cats as possible. They gained allies in the most cruel of the cats, and trained to grow stronger. And eventually, they enacted their plan.

On a moonless night, just under half of the hill cats came tearing through the grass, chasing out all who did not follow Wilt and Fade. The others were stunned, unsure, and the few who hesitated to flee were overpowered and killed, the leader of the hill cats included.

The remaining cats fled all the way to the Outlands, where there were few to compete with them. For a moon they lived there, but they were unused to the dry land and it did not have enough prey to support them. They tried a few times to launch attacks, but they were not strong enough to win back their home from Wilt and Fade. The former hill cats were worried and hopeless, and constantly feared that Wilt and Fade would grow more ambitious and try to rule not only the hill, but the marsh and the forest and the grassland.

With nowhere to go, the hill cats began to seek help from the other territories. They went to the marsh first, for the marsh had plentiful prey and herbs, even if it was wetter than their old home.

"Please," the hill cats begged, "let us into your lovely marsh. Our home is gone and we have nowhere to go and no food to eat."

"Too bad," snorted the marsh cats. "You never let us onto your land when we wanted somewhere dry to sleep, so we're not going to let you in now. Go ask the pine forest cats, maybe they will take pity on you."

So the hill cats went to the pine forest. It may not have had as many herbs, and they may not have been used to climbing in trees for their food, but it would still have been a lovely home.

"Please," the hill cats begged. "Let us into your forest of pine trees. We have no home and no food - our kits are starving!"

"Too bad," snarled the forest cats. "When we needed herbs, you never let us onto your land - why should we help you now? Go to the tall grass cats - their territory is so poor they might take pity on your souls."

So, with sad hearts, the hill cats went to the tall grass. They knew there was hardly any prey and no herbs in the grasslands, but their elders were so tired, and their kits were crying for food and shelter.

"Please, please let us onto your land," the hill cats begged, prostrating themselves before the grassland cats. "Our home is gone, and we have no food. Our kits and elders will die."

"We wish we could help you," said the grassland cats, "but we can hardly support ourselves. Even if we could, what reason do we have to help you? When our kits and elders were starving, you never let us hunt on your land. We are the smallest and weakest of the groups. We cannot help you. But you may pass through our territory to find somewhere else, if you like."

So the hill cats, feeling hopeless and lost, wandered through the thick grassland. They felt the judging eyes of the cats that lived their on their backs, and they hung their heads in shame. How cruel they had been! When the other cats were in need, they had not thought about helping them at all, even going so far as to kill tresspassers - they were right in refusing them now.

At the edge of the grasslands, the hill cats found a cave. "Let's sleep here tonight," said one of the cats, "and have some shelter. There might even be some prey in here. Tomorrow we'll keep moving and look for a new home. We can't stay in these forests anymore, not like this."

The hill cats all filed into the cave and were dazzled by the sight before them. Within the dark expanse of the cave were beautiful, shining stones, like stars in the night sky. With what seemed like magical light, they produced tiny silver dots all over the cave. The hill cats smiled at their beauty, and the kits found the energy to play in the light. The hill cats even found a few mice, and they shared their catches amongst themselves. It was hardly enough to feed them well, but every cat got a bite to eat.

That night, when all the hill cats had gone to sleep, the cat that had spoken up began to dream. In her dream, she saw hundreds of thousands of starry-pelted cats swarming around her like flies. "Who are you?!" she growled, arching her back and bristling her sandy-colored fur.

"We," said one of the starry cats, "are the spirits of those who came before you. We are hill cats and marsh cats, forest cats and grass cats. And we have come to help you, but only if you will help yourselves."

"How?"

"You have learned the errors of your ways," said the spirit. "You have come to understand that defending your territory does not mean that you should ever turn down those who are in need. You have learned that if you have the resources, you must help. And you have realized that ruling through fear accomplishes nothing in the long run. Therefore," the spirit said, touching her nose to the hill cat's forehead, "we will give you and all the other cats a way to survive in all your lands."

"Our lands? What land do we have?" meowed the hill cat. "Our home has been taken by Wilt and Fade, just as that prophecy said. We don't stand a chance against them, not now."

"You will succeed, but only by proving yourselves to the cats in the other territories. You must embrace a new way of life built on trust and honor, and banish your old one. You will get your home back, and you will prosper."

"What way could possibly help us do that?"

"It is called the warrior code," said the spirit. "And it will work in this way: The cats from each of the four lands - the marsh cats, the pine cats, the grass cats, and your hill cats - will become Clans. Each Clan will have a leader to guide them, a deputy to succeed them, and a medicine cat to heal them. You will be not fighters, nor hunters, but warriors. You will defend not your land, but each other. You will fight not for your own sake, but for the sake of your brethren. You will defend not your borders, but your home. Everything you do, every mouse you catch, every step you make will be not for the sake of yourself, but for the sake of each other."

The sandy cat nodded, understanding. "And because we are living for each other," she meowed, "that means sometimes we will have to help Clans that are not our own?"

"Correct," said the spirit, smiling. "And you will be your Clan's first leader. We are StarClan, and we name you Brownstar. We give you nine lives for you to lead your HillClan."

"What about the others? What about our home?" said the newly-named Brownstar.

"We have chosen Redstar of MarshClan, Stormstar of PineClan, and Willowstar of GrassClan, as well as your medicine cats. You leaders must choose your deputies before moonhigh, so we may see and approve your choice. The other Clans will allow you to occupy their land until you are strong again, and together you will take down Wilt and Fade."

"How do you know this will work? How do you know I am worthy to lead my cats - my Clan?"

"We have chosen you based on the strength of your skills and your heart," said the spirit. "Fear not, for in moments of doubt, trouble, and despair, you will always have StarClan with you. We will never leave your side. We walk with every leader charging into battle, and we lay beside every cat who dies and joins our ranks. Now go forth, Brownstar of SandClan, and teach your Clan the ways of the warrior."

The spirit vanished with a whisper, but as Brownstar leaned into it she swore she could hear the spirit speak again:

"Tell my kits I still love them."

When Brownstar awoke, she nervously told her cats about her dream. "I had a similar dream," said a large tabby male. "But I was named Adderleaf, and I am to be the healer - the medicine cat, they called me. I'll be visited in dreams each night, and through me they will teach us the warrior way."

Brownstar sighed. So the spirits were real after all. "My cats - my beloved HillClan - we are going back to our old home."

The cats all whispered and gasped, until one kit mewed, "But how?"

"We will make our home in the marsh, the pines, and the grass until we are all ready, and then we take back what belongs to us." said Brownstar. "Do not be afraid, for StarClan and the warrior code are with us. You will be more than just cats, my friends. You and I will all be warriors."