NORMAL RANK INFO

Here I will provide some helpful information on each Clan ranking that is not a high position (high position expectations and requirements can be found here). Please read this information carefully before choosing a Clan rank!

SO YOU WANT TO MAKE A KIT?

Kits ages range from 0 - 6 moons. If you want to create a kit from scratch, please at least make them 1 moon old! it would be difficult to roleplay a character who, presumably canonically, cannot function past eating and sleeping. Kits birthed from existing queens will automatically age up to about 1 moon for their first RP interaction aside from the birthing or after birthing (see the queens section for more info). These characters spend most of their time in and around the designated nursery and are monitored by any current queens within as well as the Clan's general population. They can get in A LOT of trouble for wandering outside camp (some have even had their apprenticeship postponed consequently).

If you choose to play a kit, you must be aware that you have to have a few threads interacting with other roleplayers with said character to show that they are, in fact, aging and are, in fact, actively played characters in your roster. After about 2 weeks you can ask the leader of your Clan to hold an apprentice naming and mentor pairing ceremony, but be ready to show your work (RP threads with the kit, at least 3). Be aware, once they are made an apprentice, they will automatically age up to 6 moons if they were not already.

SO YOU WANT TO MAKE AN APPRENTICE?

The youngest an apprentice can be is 6 moons whilst they usually are ready to warriors around 12-14 moons. Apprentices can be roughly considered the grunts of the Clan and during their first sunrises of apprenticeship are asked to do menial tasks like changing bedding or fetching fresh-kill for elders/the nursery. Mentors ultimately decide when to start taking their apprentices out on patrols and for training purposes, but apprentices are welcome to push for that though may not be obliged and given more simple tasks instead.

While more training is not at all in opposition, apprentices are required to have 1 hunting thread and 1 battle training thread with their mentor, ending with 1 final assessment thread** that is overseen by their mentor and the leader/deputy or a senior warrior. Once all threads have finished, players with apprentice characters can PM their leader or deputy about a naming ceremony if it has not already been noticed or reported by their mentor.***

** Additionally, in order to truly age up your apprentice to a warrior, we require more threads than just with the cat's mentor. If you do not want to wait until your apprentice is exactly 12 moons, we ask, in addition to your 3 (at least) training threads, you have 4 other threads that your apprentice has participated in (3 of these must be with a cat other than the mentor, though the mentor can be present in them; Gatherings and Clan meetings count). If your apprentice has manually become 12 moons, you only would require the 3 training threads.
*** There are cases where apprentices are promoted under special circumstances, typically for doing or surviving something grand (i.e. post-battle with a predator or enemy Clan, selfless sacrifice, etc). Feel free to PM your deputy/leader if you feel your apprentice has done an extraordinary deed!

SO YOU WANT TO MAKE A WARRIOR?

Once an apprentice has had their naming ceremony, they are required to hold a vigil alone overnight to watch over the Clan beneath the stars of Silverpelt before they are officially considered a warrior. If you are making a warrior from scratch, however, the age range is quite large. Warriors can range anywhere from 12-80 moons and most are considered 'senior warriors' when they hit around 40 moons. Warriors are probably the most important part of Clan life; they do the bulk of hunting and patrolling/marking the Clan borders and also assist in training the apprentices (when apprentices outnumber the warriors, it is not uncommon for mentorless apprentices be paired with an apprentice and mentor who are further along in their training than others).

Warriors report namely to the deputy of the Clan but are welcome to seek out the leader if they would like. They are typically assigned to patrols by the deputy (it is highly recommended you attend at least one patrol a month if possible). Warriors are welcome to seek out mates whenever they like as long as their partner is within their own Clan (having a mate from a rival Clan is forbidden and extremely taboo but makes for some hot drama). 

SO YOU WANT TO MAKE A QUEEN?

Please ask an admin/mod if you are thinking of making a queen from scratch as they are typically already-made warriors who have become pregnant. It is not common to make one unless they are of plot relevance (however, they are not unacceptable!). 

A queen is simply a she-cat warrior who is with kits or has already had their kits and is residing within the nursery, so their age falls in the same category as the warriors though more complications in pregnancy can arise the older a she-cat is. A litter of 4 is the max a queen can have so we are not overrun with kits (can be revised if plot-relevant). Queens are pregnant for two weeks real time with a set due date, so please once 'conception' has happened try to stick the delivery on the designated due date if possible.

Please notify an admin/mod before the birth so your litter can be randomized in number and in appearance (fun!!). It is completely okay if you have a preference in the number or appearance of the kits as well. Naming the offspring will be between the queen and the father of the kits, most likely in the birthing thread or after birthing thread which is also required before the kits can be RP'd and/or given up for adoption.

Once all their kits are free from the nursery, a queen will be reinstated as a warrior again.

SO YOU WANT TO MAKE AN ELDER?

Arguably the least popular position to create, elders are cats who are generally 80+ moons old. Creating an elder from scratch is pretty uncommon unless for plot relevance but not unwelcome (who doesn't love cranky old cats)! Elders are expected to be treated well by the rest of the Clan and are typically fed first along with nursing queens and their kits. Sometimes, a cat doesn't have to be old to be considered for the elder's den. Crippled or disabled cats will often be considered 'elders' and are taken care of as such.*

Around 120 moons, you'll want to consider your elder passing on to StarClan. If you would like to retire your character prior to this, that is also acceptable (i.e. as soon as they are considered and elder or before they die).

*Major disabilities and injuries will slow a healthy warrior down and be a more a liability than an asset, however, if your character simply suffers a minor disability (i.e. a limp, one blind eye, hard of hearing) it will be up to the leader whether to force them to the elder's den.


That should about cover everything! If you have any questions pertaining to any of these ranks feel free to PM either jane or @wolf .