#ranchlore

A little explanation writing under the cut!

they kind of do! clerics have a separate subcode like the warrior code that they agree do the first day they're apprenticed. It's half a code for them, and half a code/rights for patients as well.

1. Right to Privacy

What started as just Queen's Rights, the right to keep the sire/dam of a litter secret, has extended to cover all ailments. What happens in the cleric den, stays in the cleric den. A patients wounds, sickness, or lineage is as private as thoughts of the own mind - clerics are not to share information about a cats ailments without their consent, even to a leader or deputy, unless it is a potential danger to the whole clan ((which is the most vague part of the whole code, what counts as a danger? A greencough outbreak? A warrior sneaking out and fighting predators for glory? Even then, these details are only shared with leader and/or deputy, not family or friends)).

Sub-law - Burden of the Keeper: If a cleric is found to break rules of cleric/patient confidentiality, the cleric is banished from the clan for at least one moon, and relegated to camp-keeping duties upon return for at least six moons. Trust is of primary concern, warriors who fear their secrets will become camp gossip - will avoid seeking help until it is too late.

2. Know No Borders

Clerics are not as tightly bound to the ideology of borders and battles. All injured cats regardless of affiliation or clan, on Ranchclan territory are to be treated with respect, and their ailments treated to the best of clerics ability. Any secrets you learn while treating an outsider, enemy or not, is to be treated with the same secrecy as if they were your own clanmate - to divulge secrets learned under a truce is a disgrace of high honor.

3. Right to Choice

Not only does this apply to queen abortive care, but patients able to communicate are allowed voice in their treatment, or denial thereof. This does not mean kits can get out of taking necessary herbs, but cats with chronic or terminal ailments, strangers brought in while they were unconscious, can deny further treatment. This also prioritizes patient choice, ex. attempting to cure an infected extremity vs amputation, or patients with previous knowledge of their own conditions voicing preference in one herb treatment over another. Upon request a patient can ask for a different cleric for treatment, or request multiple opinions/options for their care.

4. Tidy as A Kittens Whisker

Prefix: Lilac The lilac is a soft, clustered flower, pale purple in hue, known for its sweet but haunting fragrance. In the clans, a cat named Lilac- would likely be gentle in spirit, perhaps quiet or observant rather than brash. Lilac blooms in early to mid newleaf – a time of renewal, but also lingering cold. This duality suggests resilience wrapped in softness: a cat who endures hardship without losing her tenderness. Lilac’s color is neither the boldness of thunder nor the starkness of snow; it is muted, almost dusty. A cat with this prefix might be underestimated by others – too pretty, too mild – but the lilac’s deep roots and ability to thrive after harsh winters hint at hidden strength.

Suffix: Wing “Wing” is not an incredibly common suffix within the clans, more often seen in clerics or among cats with a connection to air, swiftness, or guardianship. A wing implies lift, balance, and the ability to rise above. Cats named -wing are often agile, perceptive, or protective – watching over others like a shadowing wing. But wings also imply symmetry. Two wings make flight. A single wing cannot lift a bird; it is half of a whole, a beautiful but incomplete thing. The irony is not lost on her, and if anything she takes it in stride and with humor.

HOWDY THANK YOU FOR SUCH A FUN ASK 🧡🧡

Yes there is a divide between the leadership and family, and the rest of the clan when it comes to spending time with kittypets.

Honeystars official policy is they are on neutral to friendly terms with the kittypets, and they should be treated politely but firmly and guided off the territory. Warriors aren't to go out of their way to fraternize with kittypets and especially should not leave the borders to do so. When you're patrolling or hunting you're on duty and cannot lounge about or chat. Regarding queens rights policy she cannot stop anyone from choosing a kittypet to be a sire or dam, but unless your partner plans on joining the clan - which is always open, but doesn't accept daylight warriors - keep it strictly business.

The Lemonflower family line specifically has some... accommodations to this policy because of their specific family line, but Honeystar still Wishes it wouldn't. She's frustrated that Bucket won't join the clan without Little Lady, but Little Lady is super bonded with her twoleg and indoor only (Bucket sneaks out). She's aware she can't stop the Lemonflower family from visiting, and there are certain benefits to the trade access with such a high ranking member in the kittypet community - considering Honeystars consistent fights with Louis.

Bucket is a Hella bad influence on young warriors, and has no interest in learning to become a warrior or involving herself in the chores of clan life. She loves to sunbathe and play games and is friends with a significant amount of warriors, all the Lemon-Whimsy lines, Yarrow, Cold, Quail, Hollow, by extension all their inlaws - Olive, Pumpkin, Laurel, and then their kits, -Newly Flicker, Morel, Ponderosa, secrets, future Marigold, and through All of those, is friends with Their Friends, -Otto/Sunny, Milk, Lav, BEETLEBITE. I think the handful of warriors who aren't friends with her just haven't met her yet. very few, like Whisper and Thymefrost, actually enforce the no kittypet rule to such a strict degree - have a couple of kittypet friends/flings/acquaintance, and know when to go chat in their off time, what Honeystar doesn't know won't kill her.

Prefix: Iris Iris flowers bloom in late newleaf, a surprising perennial that returns only every couple years – regal blooms out of harsh swampy ground – resilience rising through difficulty. Iris’ symbolize hope, faith, or a message of communication, transition, and bridging differences. It’s sharp, crisp sound – ending in -iss makes it feel more grounded than frilly, elegant but not soft. This compared to “Balsam”, which is still a floral bloom, in symbolizing the beginning of newleaf and welcoming longer days. Balsam’s are harsh, woodsy, and medicinal, vs a change towards something brighter, perceptive, and graceful like Iris. A cat named Iris is likely observant, a good judge of character, and has a creative or artistic flair.

Suffix: Whisker A more common suffix, often denoting a cat who is sensitive, intuitive, alert, or nimble. Whiskers are the tactile sensors – this suffix suggests a chat who feels the world keenly and reacts quickly. Whisker implies a maturity, a clever, and charismatic soul, this is a cat who communicates with grace and is usually well liked within the clan. Some may see this as a slight – a cat who is snarky, a gossip, a cat who let’s their feelings show clearly down to their whiskers.

On a vaguely similar note, 🗿, “Does your Clan have any important or physical artifacts they keep”? Either the cats themselves individually, like holding onto little trinkets or keepsakes of Rustlepetal or Robinclover perhaps, or just the Clan in general!

I think I've answered death rituals before, but long and short of it is they are a little boring compared to Valleyclan! Ranchclan is a little close to canon wc, small vigil where the cats body is presented on a small nest of flowers - wounds are covered to the best of their ability, lacking a body they'll use an object of theirs - loved ones are given time to sit vigil, I don't even think it's like a set time, just until everyone is ready. Body then gets buried out in the grass field (that used to be horse pasture), and covered in a stone carin to prevent predators and the like. I actually might bring carins and other basic stone masonry in but that's a whole other hog to wrangle. Sometimes a cat might get buried somewhere else significant to them or their family, but no graves are allowed in camp - I think that just feels spooky or weird to them, but Valleyclan actively collects and displays ancestral bones, it's keeping their loved ones and ancestors close.

Which speaking of keeping and displaying little objects! Ranchclan are little hoarders. Fabric is hard to come by, what is leather is thick saddle, maybe a few halters, Otto's collar, but they can't make it themself yet. Tufts of fur and shed whiskers of loved ones are a common nest keepsake. Ranchclan has dens for everyone in camp, but it's not uncommon for cats to have caches (preferably within the territory, but that's each cats perogative), of snacks, lucky stones, dried herbs and flowers, prey bones/feathers/related trophies, kittypet toys are allowed. Coldstep has a cache in the dream world (fUck me I need to talk about how starclan works. remind me to get to that.)