Territory
Map
Coming soon…
Terrain
The fact that Treeclan warriors rarely seem to loose condition even in the harshest of leafbears, and can even afford to be fussy, is explained by the rich nature of the territory that they roam. They are fortunate to own a forest that is well-provided for by the silt dropped by the river in centuries past, and hard-pressed to find a patch of land that lacks trees, thick undergrowth and an abundance of small mammals. Their fortune is merely increased by the fact that the mountains keep most other rival predators at bay, leaving them the almost sole benefactors of their homes bounty, and freeing them from the controlling influence of predation.
Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, given their nature, many Treeclan cats are well aware of the fact that the richness of their own lands is a rare gift, and that it is not something that extends to the surrounding lands. They find evidence of this in virtually every part of their borders, most of which dwindle into a struggling patchwork of grass and tough shrubs before giving way to the featureless reaches of the Wild Mountains, or, as is the case with the Treeclan-Stoneclan border, end abruptly at a river; the final frontier before the forest finally gives up and begins its slide into Stoneclans mountainous wasteland. Unfortunately, many cats of the clan fail to turn this knowledge into a reason for leaving the other clans be, instead choosing to covet the richest visible parts of those neighbouring territories. This is particularly evident in their regular vocal battles over the flatlands of Stoneclan, and is a tendency that does not go over well with the other clans.
It is also this tendency that has led to Mudclan being so careful of their own borders with Treeclan, and it is well that they are. Though Treeclan rarely contests their borders with the swamp-dwelling cats, many of its warriors long to extend their reaches into Mudclan lands, for they can see little difference between the visible stretches of their neighbours home and their own far richer territory. This is perhaps unsurprising, for the southernmost regions of Treeclan are by far the most open part of the forest, and the lands beyond are not so difficult to think of as part of a greater whole.
Notable Features
The Sentinel
The Sentinel is an ancient oak tree that is notable for being visibly larger than any other plant in Treeclan territory. It is surrounded by a network of arching exposed roots – a perfect obstacle course for frisky cats – and is home to an assortment of ‘small fluffy things’, but its real value lies in its height. Any cat who can reach its upper branches is treated to an impressive view of Treeclan’s canopy, for The Sentinel is not only the widest tree, but also the
tallest, its tip standing well above the rest of the woodland. More importantly, whilst its lower branches are thick and easily accessed, those lining its midriff and head are difficult to reach and obviously spindly, meaning that only a truly talented Tree Hunter stands any chance of scaling its heights. Those few who
can are officially master Tree Hunters; will be recognised as the best in their craft for the rest of their lives.
Hollow Hazel
The Hollow Hazel is something of an enigma to Treeclaners, for its soft belly has been exposed to the world for generations – protected only by an ever-thinning shell of bark and apparently dead wood. It is possible to climb almost to the top of the plant from its hollowed interior, then step out through a gaping hole to stand on a high, thick branch that is scored by the claws of countless warriors. Indeed, this is what most visiting cats come to do, for the hazel is an ideal spot for playing, resting and training, and well-known as a favourite haunt of nut gathers during Leaffall, and insectivores during Greenleaf. However, it is also notable for being
alive; a fact that never ceases to amaze and confuse those who see it.
The Plataea
This is a region of flat, mostly clear ground on Treeclans western edge. It lies against one of the sheerest parts of the mountain face and is the highest area in Treeclan territory, affording a good view of the western parts of the wood. The Plataea is notable for being an excellent sunning spot and frequent supplier of tansy and poppy, and also for being a popular haunt of those without pressing duties, or those
avoiding duties.
Horse Chestnuts
Being relatively wide-spread and of minimum popularity amongst Treeclans prey population, the horse chestnuts spend much of the year being ignored by cats of the clan. However, in late leafbare and early newleaf they are adorned with fresh, highly
sticky buds, and the more mischievous of Treeclans Birds make a point of sending their apprentices into its branches, or else daring young and naïve warriors to climb as high as they can. The result is a pelt covered in clinging buds; a valuable lesson for young cats, and satisfying prank for their amused elders.
Hawk Spots
These are the little-visited parts of Treeclan territory that are known to contain an active hawk nest. There are currently three such spots in the territory, and all of them are off-limits to apprentices until they have gained their adult size. Warriors, too, will usually avoid them, but every so often an unfortunate cat is ordered to approach them in order to determine if they are still active, and thus still dangerous.
The Bees Nest
Although there are several small beehives dotted around Treeclan territory, none of their number are as large or as stable as this one. Whilst the others die and crumble every year or two,
the Bees Nest has been around for nearly a generation, and proves to be a rich source of the honey that so many medicine cats swear by. It also happens to rest on the edge of Treeclans richest supply of borage – apparently a favourite of the bees – and be home to the most bad-tempered colony in the valley. This is somewhat problematic for the clan’s medicine cat, who must take great care in their harvests, and frequently ends up treating clanmates for stings.
The Fallen Oak
As the name suggests, the Fallen Oak is a large oak tree that fell many seasons ago, taking several of its neighbours along with it. Though most of these neighbouring plants have already vanished beneath new growth, the oak itself remains – albeit in an advancing stage of decay – and has become a well-known landmark for Treeclaners. The trees softening wood attracts a variety of insects throughout the year, and these have been followed by a large population of insectivores, making it an excellent place to hunt. Better still, the trees that will one day take the oaks place are still little more than saplings, meaning that the space – a flourishing clearing – is carpeted in an assortment of flowers and grasses every year; an irresistible lure for the rabbits that Treeclanners love so much.
Note: This is a good spot to forage for poppy, borage, snakeroot and tansy.
Suggested by Dusty
The Abandoned Maple
Despite being amongst the largest plants in Treeclan territory, the Abandoned Maple is notable not for its size, but for the nature of its branches and the unusually large owl hole that lies in its trunk. This landmark functions as both a tool and a toy, with frisky warriors and apprentices frequently racing one another to the abandoned owl hole, and mentors almost invariably beginning both branch and tree hunter training within its sturdy branches.
Suggested by AbbydoodleThe Bramble Patch
The name of this feature is decidedly misleading, for it is anything but a patch. Instead, it is a wide stretch of ground that runs along much of the Treeclan-Mudclan border, providing a barrier between the two clans through the simple tactic of being virtually impassable. The ground is lost within the stranglehold of a dense mat of exposed roots, brambles, garlic mustard and various other unidentifiable plants, and the trees – predominantly beech and birch – grow so close together that it is difficult to imagine a cat of any size making it past their trunks. However, Treeclaners can and
do traverse this region on a daily basis, for they need only take to the trees themselves to find an easy route through the mess, and the branches are thick enough to allow even Boars to leave the ground – albeit without the grace of their slender counterparts.
Suggested by Gracie
Go here to suggest additional features for Treeclan Territory
Camp
The camp of this clan is very nearly twice the size of the others, and bares some signs of the extensions that have been built into it as time has gone on, and clan has grown. It is covered in a thick carpet of bluebells throughout newleaf, with this switching to a soft covering of grass for the rest of the year, but it is also laced with several thin earth tracks, which stand as a testament to the most commonly used paths within the camp. The most obvious of these are a pair of connected ‘pathways’ that extend between the medicine cats den and the nursery and elders den, both of which are set along the back of the camp.
Most dens within the camp take the form of large hollowed out bushes, with the largest of their number being the elders, and the smallest being the clan leaders (set in the north-eastern corner of the camp, in the shadows of a split oak). The apprentices den, which stands as the second largest of the bushy dens, has been placed about halfway up the western wall of the camps perimeter (a thick carpet of thorns and brambles, flung across a low bank of earth), and is quite low to the ground, making it all but impossible for fully grown cats to enter its depths without crouching, or, in some cases, dropping fully to their stomachs.
The warriors den is further forwards, having been placed in clear view of the camps entrance so as to ensure that warriors can react to attack as soon as it comes. This den, instead of being constructed from a bush, takes the form of a large igloo-like structure which has been woven together with the use of sticks, twigs, and various other plants. It is by far the largest den in the camp, since it has a need to accommodate a great many cats, and has to be extended every few seasons, when things begin to get a bit too close for comfort. The interior of this den is similar to that of the others, being lined and patched with moss, but soon proves to be slightly smaller than one might expect, for the trunk of a long-dead bramble bush lies close to its entrance. This is the last remaining sign of the bush that acted as the original warriors den.
The medicine cats den has been dug down into the soft earth of the camp, and lies at the end of a short, narrow tunnel which was designed for the sole purpose of ensuring that no more than one cat could enter at a time, so that enemy warriors would be hard pressed to do any damage to the patients within. It is quite a large structure – more than large enough to hold six or seven warriors at a time, and its walls have been lined with a ring of nesting material that can be moulded around a patient, to provide them with the perfect size nest for their stay. A second tunnel towards the back of this den leads to another, far smaller hollow which contains just one nest. The walls of this hollow are lined by a network of roots, presumably from the oak, that are used as shelves for the medicine cats herbs.
The entrance to this particular den is set a long way from the edge of the current camp perimeter, and marks the original placement of its wall.
The split oak, which lies towards the back of the camp (although a long way from its current perimeter) is scared with the marks of lightning and the claws of many cats. It lowest branches, being more than wide enough to comfortably accommodate a feline of virtually any size, are used by the leader during clan meetings, but its roots are a favourite play area for the clans youngest cats.