The wildcats

"You have brought this new family and new life to us wildcats. Our ancestor, Galestar, resented the Clans for turning their backs on her and her kits, but now all of that is in the past. Any debt we were owed by the Clans has been more than repaid, and we will always be connected now. We promise that from now on we will be allies of the Clans, joined by blood and friendship."

— Prowl Sleek to Ivypool in Ivypool's Heart, page 367

The wildcats
Habitat
The forest near the mountains
Clan information
Current leader: Prowl Sleek, Hunt Growl, and Spring Claw Rank succession Births and deaths List of all cats
Unique skills
Hunting Fighting Descendants of StormClan

The wildcats are an unnamed group of wildcats who live in a secluded forest near some mountains. This specific group is descended from Galestar and her three kits, though prior groups of wildcats have vanished, such as the one where Stalk Purr and Tumble Leap lived in.

Description

"Only the elders were able to do it; the knowledge and power came to them as they aged. We were too young—and we still are. We couldn't even try it, since we can't reach the tree. That might be why we wildcats are dying out, because there's no cat old enough to receive the ancestors' guidance, or to connect with other wildcats—if they still exist."

―Stalk Purr about the wildcats ^{Ivypool's Heart, page 196}

The wildcats live in communal groups similar to Clan camps, with each family having their own separate den, except for the elders. They mark their borders, hunt for each other and share prey, and unite against predators. The wildcats rescued Galestar and her three kits when they were separated from StormClan, and her bloodline continues through the wildcats. Some cats left to find traces of the remaining Clans, but to no avail; Galestar's story remained a legend to the wildcats until the arrival of Ivypool and Icewing.

Tumble Leap and Stalk Purr's group of wildcats eventually dissipated after Twolegs destroyed their home. Wildcats left to find a better home but never returned, and Tumble Leap and Stalk Purr were eventually captured by a Twoleg after two of their litters died. This group was also descended from StormClan. These may have been called Clans.

Customs

"We were raised to believe that we're deeply connected to the elements—earth, water, and air—and that each element has spirits: the spirits of our ancestors. As long as you honor those spirits, the elements will present themselves to you when you need them, or the spirits will protect you from them."

―Stalk Purr about their ancestors ^{Ivypool's Heart, page 251}

The wildcats are spiritual, believing that their dead live on in an unnamed afterlife, who live on through the air, earth, and water. Those were eventually forgotten became part of the elements. Cats give thanks to the element spirits before eating every catch. Only the elders—the eldest cats who were their leaders and healers—were able to communicate with their ancestors at special locations where the three elements combine, such as the Star Tree or the hollow log near their current camp. The elders' power and knowledge increased as they aged; therefore, the survival of the wildcat groups relied on the wisdom of their elderly. When communicating with the ancestors, the spirits speak through the elders. The wildcats and their ancestors have also learned how to travel between the afterlives through the River of Spirits.

Kits are given the first part of their name by their parents; for example, Pounce, Hunt, and Stretch. Kits are provided the second part of their name when they are chosen by one of their ancestors as their guide. Instead of traveling to a special location, spirits travel to the kit during the ceremony at the darkest part of the night.

Territory

The wildcats' territory is located deep within a dense forest in the mountains. Beyond two large boulders with a narrow gap that serves as an entrance, the camp lies in a large clearing that is enclosed by trees and thick undergrowth, with a stream coursing into and through it. The undergrowth circling the clearing, such as bramble thickets and ferns, can be used for dens. In the center of a smaller clearing in the forest, there is a hollow log big enough to fit two cats, which is used by the elders to communicate with their ancestors. Outside of the forest on a hilltop, there is also a spring between two boulders where the elders may speak with their ancestors, and a stream runs down the hill from the spring.

History of ranks

Leaders
Name	Gained rank in...	Left rank in...
Prowl Sleek, Hunt Growl, and Spring Claw	Before Ivypool's Heart	-

See also

• List of the wildcats group members
• List of other Clans