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High Ranks: Leader, Deputy, Medicine Cat

When a leader retires, dies, or is exiled, their deputy names a new deputy before moonhigh. The next day, the new leader is accompanied by the senior medicine cat, at least one warrior, and the previous leader (if still alive) to the Moonpool to receive their nine lives.

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When a deputy dies, retires, or is exiled, the leader names a new deputy before moonhigh.

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When a kit expresses interest in becoming a medicine cat, they are first put through warrior training for three moons to gain maturity and perspective. If at any point afterwards they still want to switch and the senior medicine cat approves, the apprentice will be taken to the Moonpool so that they can be recognized before Starclan. If a kit wants to become an assistant instead, they will have private lessons with a medicine cat to learn the basics of healing in addition to their primary lessons.

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If there is only one medicine cat who is 70+ moons old, the leader will nominate a kit to become the next medicine cat. This is done to prevent loss of knowledge and Starclan's wrath.

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Other Ranks: Elder, Warrior, Apprentice

All apprentices start as warrior apprentices and train for a minimum of six moons, at which point they will be given final assessments. Prior to their finals, apprentices are taken to the Moonpool to receive guidance from their ancestors. The assessments include a mixture of the following: hunting, sparring, tracking, agility, history, Code and law knowledge, and a challenge such as climbing the Speaker's Tree, leading a patrol, or helping with a lesson. If the finals are completed successfully, the graduation ceremony is performed within a quarter moon but if they are failed, the apprentice must wait a moon before trying again. If they fail three times consecutively, they are asked if they wish to continue or leave the clan.

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There are two ways for a cat to become an elder: they reach the age of 90 moons and retire, or they suffer a grievous injury or illness that prevents them from performing warrior duties. Elders are typically the historians and advisors of the clan, although some may do camp duties and help with the kits. They are respected for having lived so long or for having lived through a traumatic incident.

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Punishments

Punishments vary depending on whether a cat broke a law or a Code, and which one they broke. Lighter punishments include menial duty, confinement to camp for a duration of one moon or less, or a temporary demotion to apprentice-rank. Heavier punishments include confinement to camp for several moons, a temporary demotion, exile, or even the death sentence. In the latter two punishments, the name of the cat will also be Forgotten to ensure that their spirit has no hold on the living.

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Exiles and the death sentence are rarely performed because it represents a breach of trust such that the offending cat can no longer be trusted to act as a functional member of clan society. Exiled cats must leave the territory lest they be killed on sight.

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Holidays

Novigod: Every new moon during leafbare, Forestclan celebrates the coming newleaf by having a night off where no one patrols and everyone eats prey together and shares stories.

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Exclamations

By the stars: by God

Dark Forest: Hell

Dirt: shit

(son/daughter of a) Vixen: (son/daughter of a) bitch

Nightless sky: hell

Nights: damn

Starclan: Heaven

(by/oh) Starclan: God

Starless: fuck/fucking

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