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Clan Personality
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Shorthand Rep
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Traits
Adaptable || Versatile || Loyal || Inquisitive || Scholarly || Family-Oriented || Devoted || Affectionate || Protective
Shorthand Reputation
Floodclan, to outsiders, is known for being oddly… secretive. The fact that their clan never stays in the same place all year makes their movements largely unknown, especially since the terrain makes infiltration of the territory difficult unless an outsider knows of the nature of the floodplain’s climate. The small clan is largely self-sufficient with its many natural barriers keeping most competition from other clans either subdued or well-contained, and wild rumors are common amongst those who’ve only seen glimpses of the elusive clan (or to those who have only heard of those who’ve seen glimpses of the clan). When confrontations do happen, however, stranger clans are first met with a tightly-knit band of cats that function more like a family in their relative newness. Floodclan’s leader introduces wells of compassion into their clan, and their deputy brings strength, but loyalty runs through the veins off all of the cats within the floodplains.
Clan Overview
Every clan is known in some shape or form for their oddities, and Floodclan is no different. They make no effort to disguise how vast (and sometimes, how treacherous) their territory is, and for the most part, they stay isolated within their large home. Because of this, the clan appears aloof and unapproachable to outsiders, and the near hostility of their territory (common and frequent floods) only exacerbates this view. Many outsiders question the sanity of Floodclan cats for living so comfortably in such an unsavory landscape. This lack of knowledge about the inner workings of Floodclan leads to a great deal of rumors about the clan.
Living in Floodclan definitely isn’t for the weak-willed, and as a result the long-standing members build up a reputation for being staunchly loyal to their clan. The specific way that the clan has adapted to their territory is only made possible by their willingness to communicate and bond with one another. Their allies are few and far between (but Floodclan’s loyalty toward their closest allies is nearly unmatched), and their enemies and rivals are met with a ferocity uncommon in a clan with generally loose borders. Floodclan relies mainly on natural (or in some cases, unnatural) boundaries to establish their territory, and any gaps that they encounter are mended with scent markers that sometimes go unrenewed for half the year. |
The clan staunchly relies on cyclical migration to make the most of the vast floodplains. Though they’re named for the periodic floods within their homeland, they truly only live in the low-lying valley for half the year. The unique formation of their territory combined with the proximity to the coastline makes the region vastly more subtropical than the surrounding regions, and so the cats of Floodclan rarely, if ever, experience any amount of snow. Additionally, the climate creates two moderate seasons instead of four: Wetleaf (other clan’s greenleaf and leaf-fall) and Dryleaf (other clan’s leaf-bare and newleaf). However, though Floodclan cats are known to moan and groan whenever a cold snap rolls in, they are surprisingly adapted to near freezing weather. This resilience is attributed to how their territory is set up.
The stark diversity of Floodclan’s territory creates a unique mindset within the clan members. They exhibit a cat’s unique ability to adapt on overdrive. Although snow isn’t a part of the equation, their diverse territory means that Floodclan cats are well suited to hunting and surviving in many different types of settings. For clans that are well-acquainted with Floodclan, they call the clan members “jacks of all trades.” The plains, hills, different forests, wetlands, rivers, lakes, and streams in their territory allow the cats of Floodclan to adapt to hunting in many different environments. |
Nonetheless, Floodclan’s ability to adapt doesn’t mean that they don’t have their preferences. The clan was named for the floodplains for a reason, and the clan always welcomes their annual trek back into the floodplains and closer to the river. The clan never shies from water, and the river is commonly a source of food, entertainment, and discovery for Floodclan cats.
Within their territory, the clan also shares their home with an otter tribe. Floodclan’s first leader, Daystar, had a longstanding history with the matriarch of the tribe, and over the years this friendship evolved into a mutualistic alliance between the two groups. This link allows the two factions to symbiotically protect and defend the vast floodplains. This dual protection also leads to more benefits for Floodclan— the two groups close ties means that they frequently share knowledge, and the swimming lessons of young kits (and new clan members) are supplemented by lessons from otters within the tribe. As a result, the cats of Floodclan are able to refine their swimming techniques and swim like, well, otters. In exchange, the otters are able to diversify their hunting skills and social interactions. In more favorable seasons, the two groups frequently mingle within their shared territory and trade, arrange hunting patrols together, and commune with their shared ancestors and spirits. |
However, the vast plains and forests in their territory do not go unloved by Floodclan cats. The plains provide a perfect niche for the fastest runners in the clan (which Floodclan has no shortage of) and the forests are loved by the silent night hunters. The clan generally has no set sleep schedule, and it’s common to find clanmates passed out in the middle of the day while others are out hunting, and then have those same daylight dozers hunting by the light of the moon (but commonly, all Floodclan cats like to sleep in the daytime to avoid the heat of Wetleaf, and hunt by day in Dryleaf to take advantage of diurnal prey animals.)
Floodclan’s connection to Starclan is surprisingly closer than first appearances might lead others to believe. Floodclan generally guards this relationship like a secret since their connection to Starclan (Crescent Lake) is seen as holy ground for both Floodclan and their neighboring otter tribe. Along with Floodclan’s ancestors, Floodclan also establishes connections with different spirits and minor deities within the floodplains. This connection is part of the reason why such a small clan has such an iron grip over such a large territory. The spirits, at least for now, are content with Floodclan being one of the many protectors of the floodplains. |