Deepclan

Cats of the Lonely Caves, the Strange and Persevering

Deepclan camp is a large, glowing moss and mushroom filled cavern with a small stream threading through it, a tributary of Comet’s River. In the ceiling, the stalactite shadows form a kind of cat’s face. This cat is known simply as Rock, and is the legendary first Deepclan cat, hairless and blind and fully knowledgeable in the tunnels’ layout. He never had kits, but all members of Deepclan are his children, or so the legends say.

Deepclan lives primarily in the caves that thread the mountain. They claim the closest connection to the Starspring, and no large cat ancestor. They hunt mostly in the caves, but sometimes hunt in the unclaimed lands on the north slope of the mountain. Most of Deepclan are hairless and/or vision-impaired cats. Also has the largest percentage of rogues due to their radical acceptance of weird looking cats. Formerly a sect of Cometclan called the Cavers, they broke off because of the untenable ableism of Cometclan and formed Deepclan under the leadership of Cavestar ages and ages ago. This part of their shared history is only well-remembered by Deepclan, of course.

Deepclan has a third adult job category, the Tunnel Cats. They make sure the tunnels of Deepclan will not collapse, and are best at repairing collapsed tunnels and hunting in the pure dark. These cats never set foot outside because of informal religious rules and because these cats are usually very sensitive to sunlight and drastic temperature changes. Can be exempt from Code #5 if they want to, as complete devotion to Starclan includes a ceremony and some extra duties.

1. Only leave the caves if the Leader directly asks you to, or at at night.
2. Meditate for one full night every moon at the Starspring.
3. If any tunnel gives off bad vibes, even one you just checked last week, close it and give it a complete check-up.
4. Be as fluent in sign as possible.
5. Give thanks to both Starclan and the caves for prey.

1. Taking a mate or kits is taboo.
2. Cats who already have a mate or kits may not Devote themselves.
3. Bless any cat who requests one, even those from enemy Clans or non-Clan cats.
4. Meditate for one full night every moon at the Starspring.
5. A Devoted never harms a fellow cat, unless in self-defense.

Deepclan Warriors are also slightly different - only Whitescratch, Lionspine, and Swiftscar are truly effective offensive fighters. The rest of the warriors are more defensive (barring Missypaw, who is going to be an offensive fighter no matter what) and focused on hunting skills. Warriors have to learn two sets of hunting skills, after all, both the surface set and cave set. So despite being the biggest Clan by number, Deepclan has the smallest military force. It has been this way for generations.