Leader

A Leader is a warrior who is highest in the Clan hierarchy. The word of the Clan leader is the warrior code, and all other Clan cats must obey them. They have their own den, and are assisted by a deputy in their tasks. Each Clan has one leader, and their names end with -star. (ie: Bluestar)

Qualifications
In order to become Leader, a cat must meet these qualifications:
 * Trained at least one apprentice
 * Had the rank of warrior at the time when the Leader chose the deputy
 * Selected by the previous Leader to become deputy
 * The previous Leader must be deceased, retired, or banished
 * The warrior must have been deputy at the time of the leader's death, retirement, or banishment

Appointment
When the former Clan leader dies or willingly retires, the current Clan deputy is appointed as the new leader. He or she makes a journey to the Clans' sacred place (such as the Moonstone or Moonpool), escorted by the Clan's medicine cat, to receive their nine lives and their leader name.

The ancestors greet the new leader with the following words: ''Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine lives of a leader and StarClan grants to you the guardianship of your Clan. Defend it well, care for young and old, honor your ancestors and the traditions of the warrior code; live each life with pride and dignity.''

Nine Lives
Upon sharing tongues with StarClan at their Leader ceremony, the new leader is granted nine lives by the ancestors. This does not mean they will live longer, but they can survive accidents or injuries that would claim the life of a cat. Each of the lives are granted by a single ancestor, usually from the same Clan, as a gift of an attribute. See for example Firestar's Nine Lives.

Demotion
Leaders usually serve until the end of their lives, but there are some exceptions:

Retirement
A Clan Leader can resign if he or she wishes to do so (such as Pinestar did). This is approved by StarClan, and the current deputy can be appointed as the new leader. The former leader loses their leader name and the lives granted by the ancestors.

When a leader decides to retire, he or she must travel to the Moonstone/Moonpool and renounce their remaining lives, except for one. Then his or her deputy will succeed him or her.

Banishment
A Clan can demote a leader if they consider him or her unfit for the position (such as when ShadowClan banished Brokenstar). This is not approved by StarClan, and the ancestors won't recognize a new leader and give them their nine lives as long as the former leader is alive. (As Nightstar was not recognized as succeeding Brokenstar- therefore he was not given 9 lives) But in cases such as Pinestar, he was still alive with one life left. When Sunstar was granted nine lives, usually Pinestar would have given him one of the lives, but was not in StarClan, and therefore Sunstar only was granted eight lives.

Day-to-Day Life
The Clan leader will take part in patrols and hunting, but usually leaves the actual organization of the patrols to the deputy. Most leaders take interest in all aspects of Clan life, kits, elders, warriors, etc. They also listen to cats' personal problems and attempt to help, most likely to keep their Clan argument-free. Their main job is to keep the Clan running smoothly.

Tasks
A leader has various tasks and privileges: If the leader cannot carry out his or her tasks (for instance, because of illness or injury), the Clan deputy will substitute for them.
 * Oversee the daily operations of the Clan and give them orders
 * Speak on behalf of their Clan at Gatherings
 * Lead the Clan in battles
 * Appoint new apprentices and assign them to mentors
 * Appoint new warrior once they've finished their training
 * Appoint a new deputy if the former deputy died or resigned
 * Counsel with the deputy and the senior warriors and listen to their reports
 * Discuss about prophecies and omens with the medicine cat, and listen to their advice
 * Solve conflicts between members of the Clan
 * Decide if a non-Clan cat can join the Clan
 * Exile Clan members who severely broke the Warrior Code or who present a danger to the Clan
 * A leader is also expected to carry out warrior tasks, like going on patrols or mentoring apprentices

The Tribe of Rushing Water
The leader of the Tribe of Rushing Water is called Teller of the Pointed Stones, or Stoneteller. They are chosen when they are kits, being trained for the task from kithood. This position is known among the Tribe as Healer, and the Healer interprets signs from the Tribe of Endless Hunting. The Healer is also a medicine cat to his/her tribe. It is a rare occurrence for the Healer to leave the Cave of Rushing Water, as they have only a single life to lose. Healers only come out of the Cave for ceremonies above the Waterfall, but the current Healer once went out of the Cave to help set borders with Brambleclaw's patrol in Outcast.