You like Warriors, but do you like Warriors RPGs? Want your link posted here? Email me! o home . adoptables & downloads o o prologue . pt II . pt III . chap I . chap II . chap III . chap IV . chap V o o chap VI . chap VII . chap VIII o As of 06 Jun, 2008. GUIDE UPDATES AND TO-DO LIST Do you like the cats I've used for the layout? No problem! You can use them too. Just follow my rules for using stock photos. :) (I took the pictures and I know these feral cats personally. Please respect that and don't steal.) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Because activity on AFD has deminished because of school, I'm extending contests to this site and the forum. You must be a member of the forum on THIS site OR AFD in order to participate. You can find the contests on AFD here and the contests on the Warriors' Guide forum here. NEW LAYOUT? I think so. Also, once again, I'm living in the future. My computer keeps telling me it's Sunday, and when I set it backwards, it ALWAYS finds some way to set two days in advance. Some how. I don't even know... Anyway! The focus of this layout is not Warriors, as the last two have been. On October 16th, it is "National Feral Cat Day", and I have posted a new section where you can learn about feral cats, feral cat colonies, and how to help them. :) And... what's this?! A forum links has been added to the navigation?! What on earth could that beeeeee? :O! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TO-DO LIST WHAT YOU CAN DO I have noticed, increasingly, that VERY few Warriors fans know what a feral cat is--or that cat colonies exist. Most think that Warriors is completely fiction, and that cats living in "Clans" is an original idea that doesn't exist in our world. Wrong! What is a feral cat? A feral cat (or stray cat, alley cat) is a cat which has been separated from domestication through abandonment, loss, or running away, and becomes wild. The term may also refer to descendants of such cats, but not to wild cats, whose ancestors were never domesticated. What is a feral cat colony? A feral cat colony is a population (or "clowder") of feral domestic cats (not to be confused with wild cats). Members of a feral cat colony can include cats that have strayed after living with human caretakers as well as their offspring, which have had little human contact or none at all. Established feral colonies are located worldwide. What can I do to help them? There are many feral cat advocates, and by making donations to these societies, you can help fund mobiles and on-the-road vet clinics that tray, neuter, and release (also known as TNR) feral cats. You can rarely tame, or domesticate, a feral cat; those that are taken to shelters are often killed. If you know a feral cat, or a feral cat colony, contact an advocate--or if you are able--trap the cats and have them spayed/neutered and returned to their location. Where can I find an advocate? Just about anywhere! Google is your best source for feral cat helpers in your area, but here are some links to popular advocates you can contact and donate to: "Our mission is to save the lives of homeless cats by providing access to high volume spay/neuter surgery in a safe and humane environment, collaborating with others and mentoring like-minded organizations to increase spay/neuter in their regions. The Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Project has altered over 45,000 cats since our inception in 1997. We are the first free standing clinic that is dedicated to providing free spay/neuter surgery for free-roaming cats in a safe, high quality, humane environment. Over 13 counties throughout Washington State bring cats to our clinic to be altered." "Alley Cat Allies is committed to advocating for an end to the killing of cats, leading the movement for change, and protecting the rights of cats—and the people who care for them. Get informed about the issues impacting cats and what you can do to make a difference. Alley Cat Allies was founded in 1990 by two women who recognized that stray and feral cats’ needs were not being met by the animal control pound and shelter system. They realized that when well-meaning citizens called pounds and shelters about feral cats, their only response was to kill them." What if I don't have that kind of money? No problem! Simply spread the word to family and friends, let others know the situation in your community, or hang posters at your vet's office. :) Every bit helps! (Also click the link under the To-Do List to feed hungry cats in shelters!) But that's not all! Always remember to spay and neuter YOUR cats too! Prevent unnecessary litters and expand your cat's life! Learn More About Feral Cats: http://news.deviantart.com/article/58736/ Humans: The Number One Threat to Birds Taming Feral Cats and Kittens Do Pet Cats Contribute? Introduction / Disclaimer! I do not expect to see this posted ANYWHERE else without my permission! THIS IS A GUIDE NOT THE LAW OF THE UNIVERSE. There is a massive difference. * If you don't want your names criticized, don't ask. * If you don't want your names criticized, don't read this. * If you don't agree, don't hatemail or flame. - - - There are views expressed in this guide that may be offensive. * This is based ~purely~ on traditionalism, as in, the way that warriors used to be named. So, I've wanted to turn my rating board rules into something productive--and a little nicer--and for the longest time I've wanted to use them to generate a Warriors naming guide. It's saddening to see all of these "original" characters, and people shedding the purpose of the series with little, or no care at all. This guide is targeted to naming warriors only, as I will discuss the function of prefixes and suffixes, and how they are used, why they are used, and their function in a successful combination. It's quite lengthy, so aside from dividing it into chapters to make skimming easier, you're advised to do other (more important) things first. (: There's a lot when it comes to naming a cat, and my once excessive (if not, at one point, unhealthy) love for the series has brought me to make this guide. It's about time people became educated about why cats have names like they do in the books, and not Auroratail, or Fallingdove... It has been these fan-based names that are getting their place in the series that has driven me away from those books--among other things--and I merely want to show fans that if you want to suggest your name to the Erins, at least make it plausible first, as they don't think before they act. (That's not disrespect, that's straight from the horse's mouth. Vicky doesn'nt put loads of thought into her names, so if you want to suggest Bromeliad-dangle for a name, I suggest you think about it for a moment, as it's more than possible it could happen...) --------------- --------------- !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! --------------- --------------- Edit: So. The Erins don't care what they name their cats anymore because the fanbase is hungry for attention. :D! So honestly, name your cat whatever the hell you want, no one really cares, because most of us have stopped reading the books because they're so freaking ridiculous (ANOTHER tortie tom after the Erins admitted to Redtail being impossible?) ANYWAY. This guide is mainly just to help people that want to encourage traditionalism, in the way Warriors used to be--when it was SENSIBLE and RESPECTABLE. I'm only going to keep updating it for the fact I get bored, and some people do read it. SO! W/E! If you read it, grand. Maybe the Erins will come across it and realize what shit their story is now that they've all fallen apart and buckled to the weight of their demanding little bastard fans. <3 PROLOGUE : UNDERSTANDING WARRIORS It's disheartening to see roleplayers creating outrageous names, no matter how "original" they seem to be. There's a very specific reason why Warrior cats are given the names they have, and it's much more obvious than people make it out to be. For one, we'll start early on in Warrior lore. To be a warrior, a cat must be generous and must understand self-sacrifice, because the foundation of the Warrior Code is, essentially: The Clan comes first. If that fact is disregarded, it could be said that the cat is no longer a warrior, or doesn't understand the ways of warriorhood. This is the purpose of apprenticeship, to teach the warrior-in-training not only to hunt and fight, but to serve the Clan as a true warrior. It isn't a good name that makes a warrior, but the character of the cat. However, with a good name, every other cat will know just how well they behave, or how highly revered they are in the Clan. This is why a Deathreaper or Boneclaw is unacceptable. This disregards not only the warrior code, but reality. We'll discuss this soon... A warrior is an honorable, respectable cat, and one of the best ways to represent that good reputation is a good name. Below are a few examples, before I show you just how it works. Sandstorm: Sandkit undoubtedly describes a very pale kitten, an obvious name to give a pale ginger cat at birth. As Sandpaw grew up, she developed a very harsh and spiteful personality, which we can see is illustrated in her warrior name: Sandstorm. Sand, being rough, illustrates her personality in being both unfriendly and rude. So, therefore: Sandstorm is a pale ginger tabby, with a habit of being very snappy and blunt. Fireheart: Firepaw, as Bluestar stated, was named for his fiery coat, that held the light of a blazing fire when the sun was upon it. (But more over, he was named for the prophecy of Spottedleaf). His suffix, Bluestar also explained (somewhat, and not in-depth), represents his caring personality. He cared for every cat, every Clan, and made it obvious, even if it broke the rules of being a warrior. He wasn't afraid to support and take care of others, which meant he had heart, a very brave, and considerate heart. Fireheart, therefore, represents a dark ginger tom with a passionate personality. But there are other options... Goldenflower: This name describes two things, the cat, and the flower. The flower we know is yellow, and the cat we know is golden and very motherly. The double meaning is a step ahead of the former names, mentioning the cat and an object that represents them for what they look like, and how they behave. This isn't a very common way to name warriors, because it is a very delicate process, but it can sometimes be the most highly revered and best ways to consider. (This is very similar to the names above, but don't get them confused. The former names describe the cat's appearance and personality separate, and do not denote a second image found in nature. -- Sandstorm could be considered iffy, but it denotes more her personality, as sandstorms don't occur in heavily forested or grassy areas like where the cats live.) However, certain names only describe what the cat looks like... Bluefur: A very simple, obvious name, very average and easy to remember. Names like these are the best of the best, denoting physical features only, and painting that solid image of what the cat looks like. This is undoubtedly the most traditional and canon way of making names, and though they do not immediately stand out, they are very much a name. Other cats with this sort of name: Darkstripe, Sorreltail, etc. Then, there are the special names. Leafpool: Rarely are cats named after previous members of the Clan, but everyone knows that Leafpool was named after Spottedleaf and Leafdapple, and that her suffix came from finding the Moonpool. This is not always the best way to name your cat, because most often, events are not important enough to hold in regard, and past family members or loved ones will not be remembered once they're gone. To name a kit after some other cat is very selfish of the mother, whether or not the kit has qualities of that name. (It makes little sense to begin with that Leafpool was named after the Leafpool, as the cat that found the Moonstone was not named after it.) See where we're going...? These are the most common naming behaviors, but not the only ones! ^ Back to Top ^ PROLOGUE : PART TWO Legendary Cats Everyone's heard of the legendary cat Clans, LeopardClan, TigerClan, and LionClan, and that cats do get prefixes from these particular cats. No, these Clans did not--and do not--exist where the current four Clans live (or lived, if you want to be technical), and are merely myths that the cats tell. They're inspirational stories, sort of like nursery rhymes for kids today. We can safely assume that because leopards, tigers, and lions are all real cats, and that because domestic cats such as ferals have lineage in them, that the Clans would understand what they were. It's completely acceptable to name your cat after one of these Clans, because they are not sacred or spiritual. Think of it as naming your little boy John, Abraham, or Mathew--if you catch my drift. They're good names for strong representation of ancestry and appearance, and work really well for traditional, canon cats. SkyClan Cats SkyClan was always known for naming their cats in an absurd fashion, or at least, in a way that was very different from the other four Clans. Names like Echosong, Cherrypaw, or Sharpclaw weren't oddities to them, so therefore that is why Firestar gave the new warriors of SkyClan such names. It isn't, however, a practiced tradition of the other Clans. It wouldn't be expected to see an Echo/suffix or Sharp/suffix in ThunderClan, WindClan, RiverClan, or ShadowClan. Odd Names This section is no longer being kept up to date because of the recent atrocities in the books. Everyone knows that the series has its fair share of names that don't apply to these, and here they are, with their own explanations: - - - Leaders - - - ★ Brokentail/star: Brokenkit was named so as punishment, more or less. Yellowfang broke the warrior code in having him, but Brokenkit also had a hooked tail when he was born, so the name essentially has two plausible meanings. "Yellowfang says that the queen she gives her kit to must think he was named as so for his tail, when she named him for the way her heart felt when she left the nursery; like it was broken." -- Thanks Jade! ★ Raggedstar. See the ShadowClan naming techniques. ★ Talltail/star: It is completely possible that a kit can be born with longer legs and a noticeably longer tail. It wouldn't be a completely uncommon name or build to come from lean, agile cats. ★ Crookedstar: Crookedstar might have been a rename, we don't know, but he probably wasn't born with a crooked jaw. Crookedstar was renamed for playing too rough on Sunning Rocks, and twisting his jaw in an accident. :) Thanks Wildheart for pointing this out in CotC! - - - Deputies / Warriors / Queens - - - ★ Clawface: EDIT Clawface was born a rogue! We don't know if he was born in the Clan or not, but given he was a ShadowClan cat during the reign of a terrible leader, we can assume that he was not particularly Clan-born, and was possibly a rogue like many other ShadowClanners at the time. ★ Ferncloud: Like Hawkfrost, Ferncloud's name has meaning too. Fern/bracken (the same thing) is given to cats of neutral color (gray and brown) as seen with Brackenfur. ★ Greenflower: She hasn't been mentioned since Forest of Secrets. There's no reason to assume that she is an important or plausible character. She isn't listed in the allegiances either, and apparently she lacks an appearance. ★ Hawkfrost: The prefix came from his fur color, the suffix from his eyes. A bad combination, but the name does have meaning, despite what people claim. ★ Jaggedtooth: He was also a rogue, and joined ShadowClan during a time when honor and respect was not relevant to them. ★ Pouncetail: Kits can't pounce during the time of naming, it has no physical meaning, and only sounds nice. Plus, what warrior wants to be recognized for behaving like a kit? Pouncing on tails instead of hunting and fighting? That's the way of the warrior, these days, I guess. I can't justify this name, I hope no one else thinks they can, either. It's ridiculous. ★ Runningwind: A very Native American name, but it isn't plausible for a warrior. One, because warriors are literal, and two because the name doesn't describe the cat. There is no such thing as a wind that runs in reality, and neither word describes him. He is described as a "swift tabby tom", but how would a queen know her kit was swift when he was born? If he had been injured (or, lol, killed!) wouldn't that be a sad-to-do? So, Runningwind is most probably one of the strangest of the strange. Pretty, but does it dignify a cat? No, it doesn't. ★ Rainwhisker: "Rain" is not an uncommon prefix, and is handy when it comes to describing a fluid blue-gray kit. The suffix in Rainwhisker's name most likely comes from dark, long whiskers. ★ Squirrelflight: She has dark ginger fur, not uncommon in a European red squirrel. It's not uncommon to name cats after animals that have relative appearances. Her suffix comes from her speed and agility, and works well with her prefix. Squirrels jump from branch to branch, almost like they're flying. - - - Apprentices / Kits - - - ★ Sneezekit: Cute, but this name doesn't have a place in traditionalism at all... I don't know what mother would fancy really naming her kit after a cold--what if the cold had aspired to greencough? And essentially, the Erins said he was named because it was cute, with little other thought put into it. :( Again, a name no one can justify. ★ Bumblekit: No one cares that it's a cute name, it's pointless. ★ Tumblekit: No one cares that it's a cute name, it's pointless. - - - Medicine Cats - - - ★ Leafpool: Named both for Spottedleaf and Leafdapple, Leafpool acquired her suffix from the discovery of the Moonpool. This is not the appropriate fashion for naming the average Joe of a cat--which we know Leafpool is not. ★ Yellowfang & Runningnose: Personally, I have never seen anything wrong with this name--given that we don't know for a fact if she was renamed or not. Seeing as there are several medicine cats with strange names from ShadowClan (Runningnose, for instance), we can't be sure that medicine cats aren't renamed. Runningkit, Yellowkit? They don't make sense for kit names, but you'll notice that the name applies most definitely to the adult cat. Yellowfang is unkempt and brutal, with dirty yellow fangs. Runningnose has a never ending cold. These names apply to the adult, but not the kit. Because they don't apply to the kit, we can't assume that they were given at birth without solid proof. Then again! We do know that both of these cats belong to ShadowClan, who, as we know from past experience, do not honor cats with plausible names. If you have other odd names to include to the above, please let me know. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naming Traditions Between the Clans Each Clan seems to have their own interest when it comes to naming. Below we'll discuss what those are. ThunderClan: Carefree and untroubled, ThunderClan tends to name their cats in a way that reflects... well, carelessness. Birchfall is undoubtedly a troublesome name, but ThunderClan's optimism and high spirits normally don't interfere with naming. They are, after all, known to accept loners and kittypets into the Clan, without forcing cats to take on the name of a true warrior. Other ThunderClan names that have no place in Warriors traditionalism include Sneezekit, Bumblekit, Runningwind, and others. RiverClan: Possibly the most reasonable Clan, RiverClan names their cats most carefully and sensibly, based on appearance. Most cats in RiverClan are sleek and gray, much like the river they live beside, and tend to be named after natural objects. Mistyfoot, Stonefur, Feathertail, Silverstream, and Graypool are only a few examples. Their names tend to be very reasonable, and accent the cat they were given to for their most notable attributes. WindClan: Very much like ThunderClan, WindClan have something of a strange streak to their names. They technically do not describe the cat for their basic appearance, as we can see from Tallstar, Onewhisker, Heatherpaw, and Breezepaw. However, other names are very obvious--but they tend to illustrate darker cats. Mudclaw, Crowfeather, and Nightcloud for example. WindClan seem to have very little reason behind the majority of their names, unlike RiverClan and certain ThunderClan cats. ShadowClan: The weirdest of them all... ShadowClan do not seem to name their cats in reasonable manners, but then again, that's expected. ShadowClan are known for their crudeness, even if we see a soft side to them every now and then. Perhaps with Tawnypelt's, formerly of ThunderClan, new kits, we will begin to see a brighter, new respect for cats in ShadowClan. But, for the most part, cats that grew up in the reign of Raggedstar or Brokenstar (or certain leaders before then), will not have respectable names, because their leaders were uncaring and undignified. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naming Generators Do NOT trust these with ANYTHING. Whether it's the generator on the official Warriors site, or the one at Warriors Wish, do NOT use these. The combinations are very poor, and needless to say, they do not follow rules of traditionalism. Names from generators are also less personal and meaningful, and it is not suggested that anyone use them. Strange Suffixes FLIGHT : A common suffix for bird or other flighty animal prefixes. It would be a good word to use to describe a cat's agility and swiftness, though it would make little sense if not used with a prefix that already indicated speed (Sparrowflight, Crowflight, Robinflight, etc). It's a very easy word to look over in rating, however, and many people tend to give it bad scores because it's "common". STEP : Only a word you'll want to use with an animal prefix, or an adjective prefix. Names like Softstep may indicate a fluffy cat with a gentle stride, or Tigerstep for a muscular, well balanced cat. However, "step" does not work well with other nouns, such as Fernstep or Cloudstep, and will not work well with colors, as Silverstep or Blackstep. "Step" may indicate any type of gait, but should be accented with the prefix. CALL/SONG : NOT a word to be used with ANYTHING but an animal prefix! It is also not a word to use with TRADITIONAL names, yet could be considered with Clans irrelevant to the original four. ^ Back to Top ^ PROLOGUE PT THREE : CAT GENETICS This isn't going to focus on cat genetics, but because there are a fair few odd cats out there with strange appearances, so we shed a little light on certain things. http://www.messybeast.com/eye-colours.htm Cats with blue eyes: - Black cats cannot have blue eyes, unless there is some amount of white on them. The genetics for creating the blue-eye gene is not found in solid black or gray cats, and therefore, is not plausible. Solid black cats can ONLY have blue eyes if they have immediate ancestry in show-quality breeds, like Persians and Siamese. That means Crowfeather is not a plausible character. (Drag and drop into a new tab to see full-size.) (Candice (Bessie Smith)'s Flickr) (Drag and drop into a new tab to see full-size.) (Minkita's Flickr) (Drag and drop into a new tab to see full-size.) (Shannon Dagher's Flickr) Blue-eyed tabbies: - Tabbies can have blue eyes! It's not common, but genetics allow for it if the cat is of a certain breed, or has white on them. (Hawkfrost was a plausible character, most likely because of heritage. I believe his mother was a pointed cat?) (Drag and drop into a new tab to see full-size.) (Baileysmom123's Flickr) (Drag and drop into a new tab to see full-size.) (Chiculadreams's Flickr) (Drag and drop into a new tab to see full-size.) (Sunny_bagel's Flickr) Cats with purple eyes: - Violet eyed cats are extremely rare, even more rare than tortie toms. This does not make playing a violet eyed cat in the wild a common feat, or something that should really be considered. However, it is possible. (Violet eyed cats range from blue-violet hues to completely purple, and are caused from mixed pigments. Purple eyes are only possible in cats that are bred for blue eyes, as it is an anomaly only seen in blue-eyed cats.) (Drag and drop into a new tab to see full-size.) (Courtsey of Summer and Hill's!) (Drag and drop into a new tab to see full-size.) (Courtsey of Summer and Hill's!) Tortie, calico, and monochome toms: - Tri-colored toms are rare and cannot live in the wild. They have very weak immune systems, and are sterile and without human care and medications cannot survive. http://www.messybeast.com/mosaicism.htm Exotic breeds: - Many people long to play spotted cats like Leopardstar, however, this is unlikely. Spotted breeds are expensive, to begin with, and anyone that owns one would know what a loss it would be to let such a cat go--or let one out of their sight, even. Spotted tabbies are the most plausible choice for playing a spotted cat, but aren't any less rare than a Bengal. Egyptian Maus, there have been a few people trying to play those. We'll just say that, if your thousand-dollar cat managed to escape their breeder... you're playing one expensive and exotic cat. Setting Maus aside, what about hairless cats, Sphynxs? Absolutely not! These cats would die at the first signs of winter, with no fur to protect them from the cold. If short-haired cats die from the cold, think about what a hairless cat would go through. C A T T E R M S Don't know how to describe your cat? Don't know what they should be called? Are they black with orange spots, white with spots and stripes, do they have a mask, socks, or really weird metallic-looking fur? Never fear! Now you'll know how to describe them. Domestic - an animal which has become adapted to humans over many generations, has a genetic predisposition to tameness. Ex-Feral - a feral cat which has been tamed and which now lives as a pet. Feral - an ex-domestic cat which has reverted to being fully wild or the wild-born (never known domesticity) offspring of stray cats. Inbreeding - mating together closely related cats (sibling/sibling, mother/son, father/daughter) to strengthen desirable traits. Queen - an unspayed female cat. Also spelled quean. Tom - a male cat, particularly an uncastrated male cat; also called a "full tom". ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A list too long to put here of cat coloration terms and identification: http://www.messybeast.com/colours.htm http://www.messybeast.com/self-solid.htm http://www.messybeast.com/bicolours.htm http://www.messybeast.com/colourpoints.htm http://www.messybeast.com/satin-glitter.htm http://www.messybeast.com/chinchillas.htm http://www.messybeast.com/spotted-cats.html http://www.messybeast.com/tricolours.htm The guide isn't about what cats look like, it's about naming them, so I won't fill up all my space with an epic list of A-Z terms. :) I'll let you do the dirty work. ^ Back to Top ^ CHAPTER ONE : THE PREFIX A prefix is the first word in a compound word, or a word made up of two words. A warrior's name is a compound word (like butterfly or ladybug), not just one word on its own. The prefix is usually the best, and easiest, place to start. At birth, or very shortly after (absolutely no longer than a week) a kit is named. There are few presentable features for a queen to name her kit after, but there are two distinct options to choose from: Coat color or markings. There are plenty of synonyms to use of every variety, and no one is restricted to naming their kit Bluekit if they have blue fur. The prefix should represent the cat, and if they have an average future ahead of them, an average word may suffice. Other words that also denote the color blue can represent different things, but still present the obvious image of a blue cat. Here, you can find just a few acceptable synonyms for the word/color blue: Breeze (A good name to indicate a cat who may be lean, which can be seen from heritage.) Heather (A good feminine word to indicate a strong queen-like quality about the cat.) Rain (A strong word to represent--usually in a Clan such as RiverClan--a cat's affinity for water, perhaps.) Stream (Another feminine word, it may indicate swiftness and a lean build in a blue cat--again, only something that can be assumed from ancestry.) It is not likely that the kit will be named for personality traits, seeing as they are too young to develop mental qualities different from their siblings. (This also means that "wild" as a prefix is not completely acceptable. All kits are wild, being feral, so this does not denote their appearance or identify them as an individual. Not to mention, no kit is going to be "wild" enough to deserve that sort of name, anyway, because during the time of naming kits are not coordinated.) Kits do not run, pounce, bounce, or otherwise move in a fashion different than their siblings--all kits squirm, all kits sleep, eat, and mewl. Like people, personality doesn't develop until they've been exposed to their environment. They will be named something that differentiates them from their littermates, and most likely, that will be their coat color or their markings. Kits will also not be named based on their mother's wants. If their mother wants them to be a good hunter in the future, she shouldn't name them Stalkingkit in hopes of him or her aspiring to her want. If they were to become physically harmed or unable to become a warrior, their name would not apply to them. However, with a name denoting their appearance--which can't change--their name will always represent that aspect of them. This also means that any "Hopekit"s or otherwise unacceptable names referencing not the kit themselves, but external activities, are out of the question. Sensibility tell us that every queen is hopeful of their kits, so this name stands for nothing. Every mother is instinctively loving and nurturing, so if your Clan is made up of murderers and rogues--first of all, expect that to be frowned upon due to the reality of that plotline--expect all queens to name their kits in a very fond fashion. No queen is going to purposefully disrespect their offspring, it's completely unrealistic and completely foolish. So, we'll describe the kit's initial appearance with the prefix. We'll only use appropriate words to denote their stature, markings, colors, and not hopes, dreams, or wishes. The prefix, however easy to pick for your kit, can sometimes be harder to pair with a suffix. Always remember what your prefix stood for when the cat was a kit, and that will undoubtedly make choosing a suffix easier. The prefix MUST stand for the cat in some way, and the suffix should always enhance that image. Notes to consider: The prefix should NOT be a sophisticated, fancy word. Cats are very simple and to-the-point in their naming, and don't make a game or competition of it. ^ Back to Top ^ CHAPTER TWO : THE SUFFIX Many people have a weakness in suffixes, more so than with prefixes. They're the hardest part of creating the name, and often require a lot of thought, patience and criticism. It seems like a lot for a silly name, but once more, the name is the cat. It represents the cat wholly, and any name that doesn't do the cat justice isn't much of a name. This is where the suffix is needed most, because it will finalize your cat. This part is very tricky, and to help along the way, I'll use my lovely Black--- as an assistant. In reality, his name is Blackpelt, but he's giving up his suffix to help us today. Now that you have your prefix, we'll try singling other things out about our cat. By the time the cat is named, they're around twelve-fourteen moons--depending on the circumstances. Younger cats are most likely going to be named something very simple and obvious, they're still young and prone to developing a deeper personality. A young warrior just out of apprenticehood is likely to be named for a physical trait, such as coat characteristics. Graypaw was named a warrior at a very early age, and as we know, many of his opinions on life have changed throughout his years--any other name but Graystripe wouldn't fit him. Graystripe's gray stripe is a very noticeable physical feature, and every cat knows him for it--even if they know him for breaking the warrior code, too. (But no one should be known for that.) The suffix should denote the most obvious trait your cat has. We'll use examples like we did above. :) Sandpaw became Sandstorm because she was a very rude, blunt cat. "Storm" represents that trait. Her personality, now that she's been developed as a character, has changed, but that aspect of her doesn't seem to. Every cat still holds her in high regard as a powerful cat with a very smart and clever tongue. Firepaw became Fireheart because every cat knew him as a kind and considerate cat. That was his strongest feature, and his most recognizable trait. Goldenpaw was named Goldenflower for her motherly aspects, being a very kind and loving cat. The name wouldn't fit any other cat but her, as a queen that knows and respects her kits. Bluefur, though wise and respected, was recognized by her fur. Almost always when some cat sees her they pay close attention to the color and detail of her dark, slate-colored fur. Your suffix represents the cat as a whole, and sums them up. It completes their circle, and paints their final picture. Black--- is a very simple cat. He has somewhat long fur, and a pitch-black coat. His eyes are dull and don't stand out very much, and he's built quite average for a feral cat. The only thing about him that stands out is his black fur. He was named Black-kit at birth for it, and the only way to finalize the prefix's representation is to denote that physical feature as his suffix. So, we'll call him Blackpelt... The suffix should complete the prefix, describing what the prefix was meant to stand for. This means that no name is random! What should your suffix be? Well, that all depends on your prefix. Normally, if your prefix is an adjective, it's very hard to pair with a suffix that sounds right. Undoubtedly, adjective prefixes (colors, most commonly, but also "spotted", "misty", and other words that describe something) are easier to stick with a suffix because your prefix will be describing your suffix. Spottedleaf is an adjective plus a noun. The prefix is directly describing the suffix as a spotted leaf, presenting a very obvious image. Noun/noun names, however, normally do not. Names such as "Featherstone" or "Lizardwind" are good examples of noun/noun names that many people would consider... but these names don't say anything about anything. What's a feather stone? What is the wind of a lizard...? Consider the meaning of your name before finalizing it, and whether or not they accent each other. ^ Back to Top ^ CHAPTER THREE : THE DON'TS What don't you do in a name? Well, there are tons of things you don't do... but, here's a few. We'll start small and work our way up--well, not necessarily, there's no starting small in the "don't" section. These are basic--but unwritten--rules. Some of them the Erins have said, some of them have been observed, but all apply. 1) The moon, sun, and stars are sacred to the cats. These objects--or variations of the objects--are not to be used in names. (Tui (too-wee) Sutherland wrote SotC, where Sunstar and Moonflower are introduced. Vicky has corrected this mistake, as Tui did not know Clan traditions as clearly as the other Erins. Sunstar and Moonflower are mistakes, which still makes "sun" and "moon" unacceptable. Edit: Despite the fact Vicky cleared up the mistake, it still doesn't seem to apply to HER, because we see a Sunpaw in Eclipse. No one really cares anymore, I guess.) There's rumors that "stone" and "mouth" are also not acceptable due to Mothermouth and the Moonstone. Please don't ask me about why Stonefur was named with "stone", I don't know, it's merely speculation. It also seems to target suffixes only, as Prefix/mouth and Prefix/stone do not occur in the books, but Stone/suffix names do. (IE: Stonefur describes the cat's fur, but if the cat were to be named Littlestone, for example, this may be too much of an implication toward the Moonstone.) "VickyHolmes: You'll notice that we shy away from using Sun or Moon in any names because these objects, particularly Moon, have special significance for the Clans. You might be interested to know that in the very first drafts of the series, Bluestar was called Bluestone, but we changed it because it sounded too similar to "Moonstone"." Examples of unacceptable names: Moonfur Sunclaw Starkit 1a) This also applies to names that expand on the above: Lunarfur Solarclaw Eclipseheart Crescentpelt 2) Due to the fact that dreams are held in high regard, and are sacred in the ways of warriors, no variation of the word "dream" is to be used. This applies to the word itself, and synonyms or similar words (wish, hope, muse, desire, etc). Examples of unacceptable names: Morningdream Dreamkit Wishing-gaze Musemind 3) Spiritual connotations--both in the human world and cat world--are not to be used. Words such as "spirit", "soul", and "angel" denote higher levels of being, an honor not worthy of warriors. This is only allowed for leaders through the use of "star" as a suffix, to represent their connection with StarClan. Vicky has stated that "spirit", "soul", and other words similar would not make it primarily because of their human connotations with certain religions. (Brightspirit's name, however much I despise it... is a "one time thing," said Vicky. And like many other names--Braveheart and Shinningheart included--are fan-based. Who knew?!) Examples of unacceptable names: Spiritsong Angelwing Demonsythe Soulflight 4) Words that tend to be seen as disrespectful in their literal sense are not to be used. Cats are literal in their naming, and do not use hidden messages. This means that names that include words such as "hollow", any variation of the word "fall", "burning", "searing", "singed", "shattered", "twisted", "broken", or any word related to the aforementioned is not acceptable--especially in a name that is given at birth. Certain words (such as "torn", "broken", or otherwise) are acceptable as renames, but most are NOT. Examples of unacceptable names in either situation: Brokenheart Twistedface Hollowsoul Searingkit Fallenbird Examples of acceptable names for a rename: -- Cats that get renames must have been in life-threatening situations, otherwise the name becomes meaningless. Every cat tears a claw every now and then, so "Tornclaw" isn't an acceptable name change. Most cats that get renames are then sent to be an elder, because any situation that would then require a name change usually hinders the cat from performing duties. One-eye Brokenleg Tornfur This also means that yes, Erins, "Birchfall" is not really a respectable name. The name denotes a falling birch (which for one, does not represent the cat for anything--appearance, personality, event even, that might have had something to do with the cat--it's a completely random and purposeless name), a very bad sign/event in a forest. You must consider the meaning of your name when applying such harsh, disrespectful words. They are absolutely not tolerated. 5) Jewels and semi-precious stones are not acceptable in names. Silver and gold(en) are used because the terms for certain coloration and markings--technical terms--are actually "silver" and "gold", however, there are no markings classified as "jade", "ruby", "onyx" or otherwise. Secondly, the possibility of cats unearthing such rare jewels that aren't even found in the British Isles is an impossibility. Most stones must be mined for, and are found under certain conditions unavailable to the cats. 6) Remember that cats are not sophisticated. If the kit is red at birth, they are not "crimson", "scarlet", or "blood". They are red, or ginger. Cats don't have dictionaries and thesauri, so most words are unknown to them. Examples of unacceptable names: Scarletsky Cobaltpaw Jetkit Burgundypelt 7) All Twoleg seasons are unknown to cats, therefore, an "Autumnspirit" is not acceptable, nor is a "Winterpelt". Seasons are referred to differently. This also goes for things such as oceans/seas, comets, and other things not commonly referred to in the books. Examples of unacceptable names: Summerheart Oceanbreeze Comet-tail 8) Animals found outside of the British Isles are not to be referred to. It's hard to keep track of all the animals that don't live in Britain, where the cats are located, but if you don't know for sure whether or not they can be found on the island, WIKIPEDIA IT. That is the simplest answer, and you won't look like a fool. Here are some common animals that usually get placed in names, that are NOT native--or found on--Britain: Wolf, coyote, cardinal, and bear. This also goes for plant species, such as the orchid, olive, and ebony tree. Please do your research on a species before placing it in a name. (Don't ask me why there are wolves in Eclipse. Apparently the mountains aren't in Britain, despite the fact the story takes place there...) 9) Everyone knows that Twoleg objects are not acceptable in names, that's obvious. However, that sometimes doesn't seem to apply--or gets overlooked. Many words even, don't seem to have human origins or connotations, but they do, and are not acceptable. Many common words used in names, such as "mask" and "dance" are human words to describe things in nature, but are not natural occurrences. A lot of people will defend that "mask" can be used because it's used to describe cat markings, but this is false. The only "mask" term used to describe a cat's marking is called mask-and-mantle, and I doubt you're going to be naming your cat Mask-and-mantleface anytime soon. People will reference the "mask" of a raccoon, or the "dance" of courting birds, but these words are not recognized by cats. This also goes for the obvious materials, such as "ink", "sword", "dagger", and various metals (for reasons, see rule five). 10) You can't put a compound word in a compound word. Things like "butterfly" are already considered compound words, what Warrior names are, so putting two together is... ick. Words you can't use: Butterfly, ladybug, dragonfly, sunflower, you know, those words. :) 11) If playing in the original Clan settings, you can't use "shadow", "river", "thunder", or "wind" as your prefix--the reason being, those are the prefixes in the original Clan's names. If you're writing fan-fiction or RPing warriors of a different setting, those words would not be forbidden. (It is debatable whether or not the Clans were actually named after their first leaders or not, like SotC says. In the real books--can you feel my distaste for SotC?--it states most cats believe the Clans were named after the attributes of their environment. IE: ThunderClan has the thunderpath, WindClan has windy moors, RiverClan has the river, and ShadowClan lives in murky, cold, places. So, which ever you prefer.) 12) "Dirt" is considered an insult (as in "Dirtstripe) therefore would not be incorporated into a name. It is also the term for dung... ^ Back to Top ^ CHAPTER FOUR : THE IMAGE, AND THE CAT Now that we know what the prefix and suffix are, what we can and cannot do, why not move on to actually forming the name for your cat. We know the basics, but can we make our own name now? We'll want to create an image of the cat through the use of a name, and we'll want to represent them respectively. Let's choose our cat. Here we have a pale gray tabby she-cat, she's very lean and very fast. She's known mostly for being a good hunter, and is very maternal and considerate. At birth, we wouldn't know the last few things, but she would still be gray. So, what are some nice gray/related gray terms to describe a she-cat? We could use... Silver Dove Kestrel Cloud Mist/y Ash Smoke That's not all, but some of the more common, appropriate ones. Let's use "misty", because she's very pale, and "misty" is also a very feminine word. Now that we have our prefix for the cat, let's move on. She's grown up past her apprentice days, and Mistypaw is ready to become a warrior. We know she would have been a recognized hunter, both beautiful and fierce, but also for being a passionate, motherly cat. Is it safe to note her abilities in her name? Is she really better than the other cats at what she does? Most likely not, a twelve month old apprentice wouldn't be more experienced than a forty-six month old senior warrior. Maybe recognizing her hunting skills isn't the best path. But, she is a beautiful cat, very pale and lean. Perhaps, if we denote her appearance a second time, she would be more recognizable at a Gathering. Let's see... Mistypelt is obvious, but then again, she is an obvious cat. It has a ring to it, but maybe that's not the right way to go. We can always go a step further, and encourage her beauty and particular mystique. Mistypool could be appropriate, or maybe Mistyriver, Mistystream, or Mistybrook. They all enhance that basic appearance of her fur, and add a certain quality that says, "Yes, I am a she-cat, and I am very pretty." That's the normal thought process to consider when naming a cat. Here are some questions to consider when making your name: -- Do I have an acceptable prefix? -- Does it make sense to be a name given at birth? -- How does it represent my cat? -- Can I match it with a suffix? -- How should my suffix represent him or her? -- Is it best to encourage their appearance, or personality? -- Have I successfully described my cat? Now, let's see if the method REALLY works. I want to use to start off with as a reference. I'm doing this off the very top of my head, so it's fair. There are loads of words that stick out for a strong, burly brown tom like that, but personally I think "oak" identifies him much better. Obviously he's going to be a good fighter by the looks of the photograph, and "oak' definitely describes a very strong subject. Him being brown, it would work as a birth-name, because the bark on an oak tree is very thick and dark. For his suffix, well, I think we'll go with something to accent his superb fighting abilities. Just looking at the image you can tell he's a brute, so we'll go with a common word that represents strength: Claw. We won't need to describe anything else about him, obviously, his expression does enough of that! So, our equation equals: Oakclaw! A perfect match! ^ Back to Top ^ YOUR NAMES / SUGGESTED NAMES Has this guide helped you create a name of your own? Well, I would like to know. (: I made the guide to help people, and I would love to know if it helped you. If you created a name thanks to it, just email me the name and I'll post it! :D (Let me know what link you would like displayed on your name. Neopets account, email, website, etc.) If you have names you would like to suggest, names that anyone and everyone could use, feel free to send those too! Think of them as "name templates", simple names that everyone can use for their cats. Your Names! Heronwing - Fern. Brindlefeather, Mintwhisker, Auburnpelt - Amber. Suggested Names! Fern Suggests: Lizardeye, Ashheart, White-ear, Blackcloud, Eagletalon, Ravenface, and Fernshadow. Kaitlyn Suggests: Puddleheart, and Pigeonfoot. ^ Back to Top ^ ACCEPTABLE PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES Putting an end to this, we'll leave off with a long list of acceptable prefixes and suffixes. Not necessarily the only ones available for use, but it is a handy, helpful list for when you're in a bind. (Please, if you don't know what certain things are, look them up, www.wikipedia.org is incredibly helpful in doing so.) This list was a collaboration between my friends Sun, Kurali, Summer, and myself, and I do NOT expect this to be posted anywhere else without permission. KEY: M = Male // F = Female // B = Bi-gender PREFIXES Colours Amber - F Auburn - B Black - B Blue - B Brown - B Golden - F Ginger - F Gray - B Red - B Russet - M Sable (not suggested) - B Silver - F Slate - B Tawny - F White - B Yellow - B _ Patterns Brindle - B Dapple/d - B Mottled - B Speckle/d - B Spotted - B _ Birds Bittern - B Buzzard - M Crow - M Dove - F form of Pigeon Duck - B Eagle - B Finch - B Falcon - B Goose - B Grouse - B Hawk - B Heron - B Jay - B Kestrel - B Lark - B Osprey - B Owl - B Pigeon - M form of Dove Quail - B Raven - B Robin - B Rook - B Sparrow - B Swallow - B Swan - F Swift - B Tern - B Thrush - B Wren - B _ Mammals Badger - B Bat - B Deer - M form of Fawn Fawn - F form of Deer Fox - B Hare - B Mole - B Mouse - B Otter - B Shrew - B Squirrel - B Rabbit - B Rat - B Vole - B _ Plants + Trees Alder - B Ash - B Beech - B Birch - B Bracken - M form of Fern Bramble - B Cherry - F Daisy - F Elm - B Fern - F form of Bracken Gorse - B Grass - B Hazel - B Heather - F Holly - F Juniper - B Ivy - B Larch - B Lily - B Mallow - B Maple - B Mint - B Moss - B Nettle - B Oak - B Poppy - B Reed - B Rose - F Rowan - B Sage - B Sedge - B Sorrel - B Spruce - B Tansy - F Thistle - B Willow - F Yarrow - B _ Weather Breeze - B Cloud - B Fog - M form of Mist/y Frost/ed - B Hail - B Ice/y - B Lightning - B Mist/y - F form of Fog Rain - B Sky - B Snow - B Storm - B Thunder - B Wind/y - B _ General Nouns Ash - B Bark - B Branch - B Cinder - B Down/y - B Dust - B Ember - B Fire - B Honey - B Leaf - B Mud - B Pebble - B Sand - B Shade - B Shadow - B Seed - B Smoke - B Soot - B Stone - B Swamp - B Thorn - B Rock - B Root - B - Adjectives Bright - B Dark - B Light - B Little - B Long - B Milky - F Pale - B Small - B Short - B Tall - B _ Insects + Reptiles + Amphibians Adder - B Frog - M Lizard - B Minnow - B Moth - F Newt - B Snake - B Spider - B Toad - M _ Times of Day Dawn - F Morning - F Night - B Dusk - B SUFFIXES Kit - Kits Paw - Apprentices Star - Leader General Surroundings - Animals and Animal Related Bird - B Crow - B Hawk - B Mouse - B Shrew - B Vole - B Feather Wing - Plants Berry - B Flower - F Leaf - F Poppy - F Thorn - M - Other Brook - F Cloud - B Frost - B Mist - B Pool - B River - M Sky - B Storm - B Stream - F Wind - B - Body Parts Claw - B Ear - B Eye - B Face - B Fang - B Foot - B Fur - B Heart - B Leg - B Nose - B Pelt - B Tail - B Tooth - B Whisker - B - Appearance Related Spot/s - B Stripe - B Actions Call - M form of Song Flight - B Song - F form of Call Step - B ^ Back to Top ^ WORD EXPLANATIONS Putting an end to this, we'll leave off with a long list of acceptable prefixes and suffixes. Not necessarily the only ones available for use, but it is a handy, helpful list for when you're in a bind. (Please, if you don't know what certain things are, look them up, www.wikipedia.org is incredibly helpful in doing so.) This list was a collaboration between my friends Sun, Kurali, Summer, and myself, and I do NOT expect this to be posted anywhere else without permission. PREFIXES Colours Amber - "The yellowish-brown color of resin." --- Amberpelt. Auburn - "A reddish-brown or golden-brown color." --- Auburntail. Black - The color black. --- Blackclaw. Blue - The color blue. --- Bluefang. Brown - The color brown. --- Brownstripe. Golden - "Bright or lustrous like gold; of the color of gold; yellow." --- Goldenleaf. Ginger - "A yellowish or reddish brown." --- Gingerspot. Gray - The color gray. --- Graycloud. Red - The color red. --- Redfoot. Russet - "Yellowish brown, light brown, or reddish brown." --- Russet-tooth. Sable - "Very dark; the color black." --- Sablepelt. Silver - The color silver. --- Silverclaw. Slate - "A dull, dark bluish gray." --- Slatefur. Tawny - "Of a dark yellowish or dull yellowish-brown color." --- Tawnystripe. White - The color white. --- Whitefeather. Yellow - The color yellow. --- Yellowbird. _ Patterns Brindle/d - "Having a grey or brown streak or a pattern or a patchy coloring." --- Brindlestripe. Dapple/d - "Rounded patches of a color or shade against a differently colored background." --- Dappledfur. Mottle/d - "To mark or diversify with spots or blotches of a different color or shade." --- Mottledpelt. Speckle/d - "A small speck, spot, or mark, as on skin." --- Speckledfoot. Spotted - "Marked with or characterized by a spot or spots." --- Spottedface. _ Birds Bittern - To represent the color brown; often brown tabbies. --- Bitternwing. Buzzard - To represent dark colors; often black or dark browns. --- Buzzardclaw. Crow - To represent the color black. --- Crowflight. Dove - To represent light colors, often grays, silvers, or creams. --- Dovefeather. Duck - To represent a variety--often white mixtures with browns. --- Duckfur. Eagle - To represent dark colors, black, browns or dark golds. --- Eagleclaw. Finch - To represent light browns or golds. --- Finchfeather. Falcon - To represent dark colors, black, browns, or grays. --- Falconstripe. Goose - To represent white. --- Goosepelt. Grouse - To represent a variety of browns, often for tabbies. --- Grouseflight. Hawk - To represent dark browns, often for tabbies. --- Hawkstripe. Heron - To represent light colors, often whites, silvers, or grays. --- Heronwing. Jay - To represent blue-grays. --- Jayfeather. Kestrel - To represent silvers or browns, or a mixture of as torties. --- Kestrelclaw. Lark - To represent a variety, silvers or browns, most often tabbies. --- Larkpelt. Osprey - To represent black and white, or white cats with other spotting. --- Ospreyflight. Owl - To represent, most often, dark browns. --- Owleye. Pigeon - To represent grays or creams. --- Pigeonfur. Quail - To represent a variety, silvers or browns. --- Quailstripe. Raven - To represent black. Ravenwing. Robin - To represent light browns. Robinpelt. Rook - To represent black. --- Rooktail. Sparrow - To represent light browns. --- Sparrowclaw. Swallow - To represent dark colors, often black or grays. --- Swallowflight. Swan - To represent white. --- Swanfur. Swift - To represent black. --- Swiftfilght. Tern - To represent white or a mixture of white and black. --- Ternclaw. Thrush - To represent light browns or tabbies. --- Thrushwing. Wren - To represent light browns or tabbies. --- Wrenstripe. _ Mammals Badger - To represent black, or mixture of black and white. --- Badgerstripe. Bat - To represent black. --- Batfur. Deer - To represent light browns. --- Deerpelt. Fawn - To represent light browns. --- Fawnspot. Fox - To represent ginger or reds. --- Foxfur. Hare - To represent browns. --- Hareflight. Mole - To represent browns or grays. --- Moleface. Mouse - To represent browns or grays. --- Mousefur. Otter - To represent dark browns or black. --- Otterclaw. Shrew - To represent browns. --- Shrewfang. Squirrel - To represent browns or gingers. --- Squirrelpelt. Rabbit - To represent browns. --- Rabbit-tail. Rat - To represent browns or grays. --- Ratwhisker. Vole - To represent browns. --- Voletooth. _ Plants + Trees Alder - Ash - To represent grays. --- Ashfoot. Beech - To represent light browns. --- Beechclaw. Birch - To represent white or silvers. --- Birchpelt. Bracken - To represent dark browns. --- Brackentail. Bramble - To represent dark browns. --- Bramblefur. Cherry - To represent dark reds. --- Cherrypelt. Daisy - To represent whites. --- Daisyfur. Elm - To represent browns. --- Elmstripe. Fern - To represent grays or browns. --- Fernshadow. Gorse - To represent goldens or browns. --- Gorseclaw. Grass - Hazel - To represent browns. --- Hazelface. Heather - To represent blue-grays. --- Heatherpelt. Holly - To represent grays or browns. --- Hollythorn. Juniper - To represent grays or blue-grays. --- Juniperface. Ivy - To represent a cat with stripes. --- Ivystripe. Lichen - To represent blue-grays or grays. --- Lichenfur. Lily - To represent soft colors, white, pale gingers. --- Lilypelt. Mallow - To represent rosy gingers. --- Mallowstripe. Maple - To represent browns and goldens. --- Mapleclaw. Mint - To represent soft silvers or white. --- Mint-tail. Moss - To represent blue-grays. --- Mossfur. Nettle - To represent whites or gingers. Oak - To represent dark browns. --- Oakclaw. Poppy - To represent tortoiseshells or gingers. --- Poppyspot. Reed - To represent tallness or black. --- Reedstripe. Rose - To represent creams. --- Rosetail. Rowan - To represent reddish browns. --- Rowanstripe. Sage - To represent blue-grays. --- Sagefur. Sedge - To represent long fur. --- Sedgepelt. Sorrel - To represent goldens or light browns. --- Sorrelspot. Spruce - To represent browns or pale colours. Tansy - To reprsent pale ginger or goldens. Thistle - To represent browns, generally, but also blue-grays. Willow - To represent blue-grays or silvers. --- Willowtail. Yarrow - To reprsent golden tabbies or whites. --- Yarrowtail. _ Weather Breeze - To represent soft grays or blue-grays. --- Breezeclaw. Cloud - To represent white. --- Cloudfur. Fog - To represent gray or silvers. --- Fogtail. Frost/ed - To represent white. --- Frostfang. Hail - To represent white. --- Hailstripe. Ice/y - To represent white --- Iceclaw.. Lightning - To represent golden. --- Lightningstripe. Mist/y - To represent silver, gray, or whites. --- Mistywhisker. Rain - To represent blue-grays. --- Raincloud. Sky - To represent blue-grays or whites. --- Skypelt. Snow - To represent white. --- Snowfur. Storm - To represent dark gray. --- Stormclaw. Thunder - To represent dark colours. --- Thunderclaw.. Wind/y - To represent light grays. --- Windstripe. _ General Nouns Ash - To represent gray. --- Ashclaw. Bark - To represent brown. --- Barkpelt. Branch - To represent brown. --- Branchtail. Cinder - To represent dark gray. --- Cinderfoot. Down/y - To represent noticeably soft kit-fur, or any number of colours. --- Downyfur. Dust - To represent brown or gray. --- Dustclaw. Ember - To represent a tortie as a mixture of black and ginger. --- Embertail. Fire - To represent dark ginger. --- Firepelt. Honey - To represent golden. --- Honeyspot. Leaf - To represent any number of colours (dying leaves). --- Leafstripe. Mud - To represent dark brown. --- Mudstripe. Pebble - To represent brown or gray. --- Pebblefur. Sand - To represent light ginger or cream. --- Sandclaw. Shade - To represent dark gray or black. --- Shadepelt. Shadow - To represent black. --- Shadowstripe. Seed - To represent light colours like tan. --- Seedfur. Smoke - To represent gray. --- Smokefang. Soot - To represent black. --- Sootface. Stone - To represent gray or brown. --- Stonepelt. Swamp - To represent dark, murky colours. --- Swamptail. Thorn - To represent brown. --- Thornclaw. Rock - To represent gray or brown. --- Rockfur. Root - To represent browns or whites. --- Rootfur. - Adjectives Bright - To represent light colors, silver, white, cream. --- Brightwhisker. Dark - To represent dark colors, black, brown, gray. --- Darktail. Light - To represent light colors, silver, white, cream. --- Lightfur. Little - To represent a small kitten. --- Littlestream. Long - To represent a kitten with long features. --- Longpelt. Milky - To represent white. --- Milkyfoot. Pale - To represent pale colors, silver, white, cream. --- Paleface. Small - To represent a small kitten. --- Smallcloud. Short - To represent a small kitten. --- Shortstep. Tall - To represent a kitten with long features. --- Tallstep. Tiny - To represent a small kitten. --- Tinyleaf. _ Insects + Reptiles + Amphibians Adder - To represent dark browns. --- Adderfang. Frog - To represent neutral colours. --- Frogspot. Lizard - To represent neutral colours. --- Lizardstripe. Minnow - To represent silvers. --- Minnowpelt. Moth - To represent light colors. --- Mothclaw. Newt - To represent browns or gingers. --- Newt-tail. Snake - To represent dark or neutral colours. --- Snakefang. Spider - To represent dark colors. --- Spiderstripe. Toad - To represent browns. --- Toadspot. _ Times of Day Dawn - To represent a mixture of light colors. --- Dawncloud. Dusk - To represent a mixture of dark colors. --- Duskcloud. Morning - To represent a mixture of light colors. --- Morningcloud. Night - To represent black. --- Nightstripe. SUFFIXES Kit - Kits Paw - Apprentices Star - Leader General Surroundings - Animals and Animal Related Bird - To represent quickness or grace. --- Redbird. Crow - To represent cunning. --- Littlecrow. Hawk - To represent fierocity. --- Darkhawk. Mouse - To represent stealth. --- Brightmouse. Shrew - To represent stealth. --- Smallshrew. Vole - To represent stealth. --- Tallvole. Feather - To represent soft features or stealth. --- Bluefeather. Wing - To represent soft features or agility. --- Graywing. - Plants Berry - To represent an affinity for herbs. --- Redberry. Flower - To represent femininity. --- Brightflower. Leaf - To represent maturity and peacefulness. --- Goldenleaf. Poppy - To represent an affinity for herbs and feminimity. --- Gingerpoppy. Thorn - To represent strength. --- Blackthorn. - Other Brook - To represent swiftness. --- Littlebrook. Cloud - To represent soft features. --- Whitecloud. Frost - To represent hard features. --- Shortfrost. Mist - To represent stealth and swiftness. --- Longmist. Pool - To possibly represent spots or eye color. --- Bluepool. Sky - To possibly represent feminimity or a completely coloured pelt. --- Palesky. Storm - To represent power. --- Tallstorm. Stream - To represent swiftness. --- Smallstream. Wind - To represent swiftness. --- Blackwind. - Body Parts Claw - To represent strength. --- Hawkclaw. Ear - To represent good tracking abilities. --- Mole-ear. Eye - To represent keen sight. --- Brighteye. Face - To represent colour or a dominant feature on the face. --- Blackface. Fang - To represent good hunting abilities. --- Tigerfang. Foot - To represent colour or a dominant feature on the paws. --- Whitefoot. Fur - To accent the prefix. --- Bluefur. Heart - To represent a strong heart. --- Cedarheart. Leg - To represent colour or a dominant feature on the legs. --- Spiderleg. Nose - To represent good tracking abilities. --- Whitenose. Pelt - To accent the prefix. --- Gingerpelt. Tail - To represent colour or a dominant feature on the tail. --- Longtail. Tooth - To represent good hunting abilities. --- Liontooth. Whisker - To represent good tracking abilities. --- Blackwhisker. - Appearance Related Spot/s - To represent spotting. --- Brownspot. Stripe - To represent striping. --- Gingerstripe. Actions Call - Flight - To represent swiftness. --- Sparrowflight. Song - Step - To represent a certain gait, such as that similar to an animal. --- Lightstep. ^ Back to Top ^ CONSPIRACY THEORIES This is the place where readers can submit their (conspiracy) theories regarding the series. Are Jaypaw, Hollypaw, and Lionpaw LeafxCrow kits? Is Lionpaw unrelated to Brambleclaw? Is his warrior name, Lionblaze, suggestive that he isn't a part of the Tigerclaw/Brambleclaw legacy as so many fans had wanted? What do you have to add to the growing pile of Warriors theories? Email your suggestions to ebonykrow@yahoo.com, and they will be added to this section. :) ^ Back to Top ^ NAMING YOUR CLAN Yay! A lesser section. NOW. FIRST STEPS FIRST Naming your Clan can be a lot harder than naming your cats, just because the Clan is going to illustrate ALL of your cats. You want the name to be strong, to be dignified, to represent the character of the cats that live there. You'll notice that, in the books, certain Clans have certain character--that should also play into your Clan as well. ThunderClan are brave, WindClan are flighty and agile, ShadowClan are devious, and RiverClan are stiff and proud. What is your Clan going to be? Brawny and strong? Fast and agile? Witty and clever? Decide the character of your kitties first! This is most important. A Clan without character is not a Clan at all. WE'RE WALKING NOW Is your Clan going to be strong and muscular? You'll want a very strong name to describe them, then. What are natural objects that denote strength? Oak trees, storms, rocks, certain animals... What object best reprsents strength to you? Personally, for my Clan, I think I want to go with something that has a lot of imagery behind it. OakClan! It doesn't sound very catchy though, does it? It sounds sort of bland, simple... so what's it need? I mean, I know how I want my Clan to be, but well... what if they don't live in a forest? It doesn't make a lot of sense then! RUNNING WITH IT My Clan is strong and loyal, but I think I'll have them live in the moors maybe. Always consider where your Clan is going to live! It doesn't make sense to name a Clan after something they don't have, right? Personality and character also applies, but don't forget your setting too. So, OakClan doesn't really work out for my cats. Maybe... MoorClan? Moors are vast and open, easily accessable to predators and danger. Cats that live on them must be cautious and strong. MoorClan could easily represent a group of cats that are tight and powerful, but it may also have its drawbacks. Maybe MoorClanners might be seen as a bit jumpy, beacuse of where they live. Unlike WindClan, my cats won't be windswept. They're not fast runners, relying more on mice and birds to feed their Clan. Rabbits are too stiff and gamy, plus, they're too fast, and my Clan wouldn't have encouraged agility in their genetics. Muscles build muscles, and if my Clan is rasied on small rodents and birds, they won't have to worry about running. So, does MoorClan fit? I think so! A NEW STEP TO CONSIDER Naming a Clan after natural resources isn't always something that may appeal to your or your cats. Maybe an adjective is more appropriate? What about colors? How will they represent your Clan and its character? Adjectives are harder to work with, but can--on occassion--be more appealing. I have had Clans in the past named HighClan for their territory on a cliff. The leader chose the name because it showed his Clan as overlooking all of the others, he felt it kept his cats closer to StarClan (later renamed to CloudClan out of consideration for the first leader, Cloudstar, who was arrogant and believed he deserved such recognition). A LittleClan was named for its size in territory, but not its size in heart. RedClan, for the trees they lived in, but it gave nothing away to their character. Colors aren't always best, but I do personally find them intruiging and somewhat appealing to the eye. WHAT YOU DON'T WANT TO DO You really don't want to go out on a limb with your adjectives. Some words are acceptable, but don't get carried away. Things like "CunningClan" or "QuickClan" are much too narrow and obvious. Give your Clan a bit of oomph in the name, don't name them directly for what they are. A Clan full of strong cats shouldn't be named "StrongClan". Try to be witty and clever with your prefix, and always remember to consider the character and setting FIRST. JUST FOR YOU Here's a list of some names and characters to consider for short-term roleplays, or if you need another Clan and can't seem to think of one for yourself (plus, I just love to make up things ;D): HillClan - Territory lies over several tree-covered hills. Camp is in a deep hollow between two steep hills. Somewhat considerate cats to outsiders and other Clans, but does not forget the code and tries to keep "friendly" rivalries. BrookClan - Lies in a low valley criss-crossed with many shallow streams and ravines. Very graceful and peaceful cats, thin and agile. They tend to remain secluded and to themselves, sometimes forgetting the warrior code but always remembering StarClan. GoldenClan - Named mostly for the tall golden stems of grain and straw that grows naturally over their flatlands. Very prickly cats used to hunting mice and pesky rodents. Very bulky and somewhat inconsiderate. Their camp is in a dip off to the side of the grain field (not maintained by people) where a lot of thorns and bushes grow. GorgeClan - Lives deep in a dried out gorge. Small caves and piles of fallen stone make good caves. Somewhat arrogant cats, they like to brag about their accomodations and how well they have it. Hunting takes place in the hills and moorland above, as little prey can be found in the actual ravine. MudClan - Territory is located mostly in marshy area, camp is actually in a grove of willows with high roots and soft ground. Risk of flooding is constant, and food can sometimes be limited. Generally skittish and wary of other Clans, but they're very accepting and considerate. More soon! :D ^ Back to Top ^ Leave us a Comment! How did you find us? What did you think? Was it helpful, or are there things you would like to see added? ^ Back to Top ^ LINK BACK Big Banner (166 x 78 px) <a href="http://www.ebonycrow.net/guide.htm"><img src="http://www.ebonycrow.net/link1.png" border="0"></a> Small Banner (88 x 31 px) <a href="http://www.ebonycrow.net/guide.htm"><img src="http://www.ebonycrow.net/small.png" border="0"></a> ^ Back to Top ^ hello, my name is dragonlord. help me get to 10k views.