Naming Structure

The naming structure is slightly different in this from canon Warrior Cats. Where Warriors have singular names consisting of a prefix and a suffix, with the suffix changing due to their age or role (i.e. Firepaw, Fireheart, Firestar), the cats in the wasteland are given their full names at six weeks of age, consisting of a prefix and a suffix with a hyphen separating them, with the name unchanging regardless of age or role(Fire-storm).

Kits who fade prior to the six week period are all named Star-pelt, similar to an unidentified person being a John or Jane Doe.

Prefixes and Suffixes both serve as potential nicknames on their own. (i.e. Fire-storm’s mate referring to him as simply “Fire” or “Storm”)

Unlike in Warriors, kits will refer to their parents as such. (i.e. Bright-squirrel referring to Fire-storm as “Dad”)

Cloaks

All four colonies employ cloaks to denote rank and status in the colony. Every grown cat has a cloak, and receives theirs when they reach apprentice age.

Cloaks are generally used to keep certain items, herbs, and trophies, and feature pockets on each side as well as elaborate string attachments that are used as an easy means for a cat to store their items. Generally, a cat’s role and rank means their cloak has different items across it, and since each cat is different, a cloak is easily customized to be unique to its wearer.

Caretakers are the ones who sew the cloaks together while soldiers and bodyguards are the ones to gather the pelts necessary for the cloaks. Since each cloak is made of the pelt of a dangerous animal, it represents the colony’s ability to come together to bring down a common foe. Each animal they take from is also so abundant in their area that one being taken down for each cat is no issue to the ecosystem.

Each colony has their own cloak style, including what animal is used for the pelt and which emblem is displayed on the cloak. This helps to differentiate each colony.

Summit-Walkers: Eagle pelt with a Mountainside symbol

Moon-Gazers: Beaver pelt with a Moon symbol

Gale-Shadows: Badger pelt with a Dandelion symbol

Greenwood-Warriors: Fox pelt with a Pine Tree symbol

When a cat of cloak-age dies, the cat is buried and their cloak is generally stuck upon some kind of marker for their burial place, with said marker changing with each individual cat’s preferences. (i.e. a cat may choose to be buried beneath a stone, or a tree they are fond of, or a ruin they explored in life.) The cats tend not to have specific burial places, as all of their territories are large and keeping dead near the camp is generally seen as a bad idea.

Caretakers and seers often will visit the graves of past cats and clean their cloaks, tidy their resting spots, and just generally keep the space clean. This is a way to bond with the ancestors of the colony as well as to connect with those we have lost.