An elder ceremony is performed when a Clan cat feels as if they cannot serve their Clan anymore, whether it's through aging,[1] illness,[2] or injury.[3]
Process[]
An aging warrior,[4] queen,[5] or medicine cat[6] may retire as an elder due to own initiative,[5] when they feel they cannot help the Clan efficiently any more (such as Mousefur or Speckletail).[7] A cat may also retire if they are hindered from serving their Clan through old age (such as Poppydawn),[4] illness (Tawnyspots),[2] or injury (Stonepelt).[3] They report this to the Clan leader, who calls a Clan meeting and addresses the warrior.[1]
- Leader: ...Is it your wish to give up the name of a warrior and go to join the elders?
- Clan member: It is.
- Leader: Your Clan honors you and all the service you have given to us. I call upon StarClan to give you many moons of rest.[1]
The Clan will call out the retired warrior's name and then they will go to the elder's den.[1] An elder may receive a completely different name, with a different ceremony, than keeping their warrior name; in ThunderClan, there were the elders Halftail and One-eye, who originally had different warrior names. This ceremony is also used for other reasons, such as changing Lostface's name to Brightheart.[8]
See also[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Revealed in Bramblestar's Storm, page 453
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Revealed in Bluestar's Prophecy, page 494
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Revealed in Bluestar's Prophecy, page 142
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Revealed in Bluestar's Prophecy, page 386
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Revealed in A Dangerous Path, page 101
- ↑ Revealed in Bluestar's Prophecy, page 312
- ↑ Revealed in A Dangerous Path, page 100
- ↑ Revealed in The Darkest Hour, pages 107-108
| Hierarchy and positions in the Warriors world | |
|---|---|
| Clan hierarchy | Kits • Apprentices • Warriors • Deputies • Leaders • Queens • Elders • Medicine cats • Mediators |
| Ceremonies | Vigil • Apprentice • Warrior • Deputy • Leader • Elder • Medicine cat • Name changing |
| Tribe hierarchy | To-bes • Cave-guards • Prey hunters • Kit mothers • Healer/Stoneteller |
| Miscellaneous | General Clan information • General Tribe information • Cat names |
| Other groups | Loners • Rogues • Kittypets |