History and Timeline

[Dreamer]

Long ago, before the time of the clans, the great valley was a quiet place. Large animals roamed, and a few scattered cats made their homes, families and loners, content with their place of solitude. But after a great purge in the twoleg city, cats came flooding into the valley seeking safety. The original cats in the valley were hesitant, but seeing their suffering, took them in.

Soon many cats had gathered there, and tensions began to break out. Awash with the grandeur of their new home, a greed had begun to grow in their hearts, and they forgot the suffering of the past. Fighting broke out, and cats drew into groups by where they lived and who they were. One group pulled away, making it obvious that they would have nothing to do with the fighting, and established themselves on the high windy reaches. They became the Tribe of Storm Winds, spiritual and peaceful cats, with an unparalleled inner strength.

Four groups were left to fight out a place for themselves. Eventually they formed clans, after extended debate establishing borders of residence. Thornclan, the smallest, the toughest, was given the smallest territory. They were too small to object, but the bitterness of it would always haunt them as they struggled most of all to survive. Smokeclan and Duskclan both took large stretches of forest for their homes, while Rapidclan took the lake and river for their domain.

The four clans and the mysterious tribe. Generations upon generations they lived, sometimes at peace, often not. But always the same.

And then a dark day came, the earth shook savagely beneath the paws of the clans, and liquid fire oozed from the mountainside of Thornclan territory. Every cat fled.

After a moon long journey the cats found themselves near a twoleg city. At first the clans debated whether to continue on, and even sent some cats ahead. It soon became obvious that the best they could do was take to the forests and fields near the city. With four clans and a tribe sharing half the territory they had once had in the valley tensios were always high.

During those many moons, the warrior code became more of a guideline than a rule. The clans fought small broder skirmishes often and stole from each other and from twolegplace equally. The twolegplace was seen as another source of food, but it brought its own challenges. Because of the proximity of the twolegplace and the desperation of the clan cats, there were often relationships and new members coming from twolegplace, but also cats lost to become kittypets. And to the surprise of many, another challenge. Unlike what most understood of kittypets, here in this twolegplace was a strange phenomenon. Strong kittypets, with vicious fighting skills would sometimes roam the streets, and were one of the biggest dangers of the twolegplace. But the clans were desperate. Almost enough to give uptheir identities as clan cats.

To everyone's relief Starclan sent a sign. The clans must return to their ancestral home, or be destroyed. Well it wasnt exactly what they said, but that was what was understood. The joy of the pronouncement led to numerous litters. The clan wanted enough cats to be able to make the journey. They sent cats ahead and after a few moons all the clans followed.

 This journey was hard on the clans, and left its mark on many of the cats, as relatives may have died or disappeared. While kits were born on the journey, so were friendships and other bonds formed, but when the time came cats stood by the ties to their clans. At the return of the clans, territories were divided once more and Thornclan, due to its size, was given the smallest territory, again, while the other cats took up more or less the territory.

For many moons a fragile peace has held, everyone remembers the pain and suffering, disease and hunger of the twolegplace territories, no one wants to repeat it.

But Thornclan is not happy, they still suffer, and now, they are watching, waiting.

They refuse to be the underdogs for long.

Timeline (Basic dates):

(BE- Before Exile, CIE-Clans In Exile, RTA-Return to Ancestral)

360 moons BE- Formation of clans

….

½ moon BE- Great Tragedy

1 moon CIE- Arrival at New valley home

2 moons CIE- Establishment of temporary territories 

66 moons CIE- Sending of Representatives to check Homeland

71-72 moons CIE- Great Journey

0 moons RTA- Arrival at Homeland, and end of Exile, establishment of clans in their territories

19 moons RTA- Present Day (November, Early Leafbare/Late Leaffall)