As we’ve discussed previously, the Clans run on strict hierarchies, where every cat has specific duties to carry out based on their rank within the Clan. But what are these ranks, what are their associated duties, and how does a cat achieve any given rank? If you want a broader overview of the ranks and how a cat can go from one to another, you can find that in our visual Clan rank flowchart, but here we’ll be taking a more in-depth look at the specific Clan rank of leader.

The leader is the head of the Clan. They make all of the important decisions regarding how the Clan is to be run. After the death, demotion, or retirement of the previous leader, the deputy (or another cat chosen by StarClan, the medicine cat, or consensus from the Clan if there is no deputy) becomes the new leader. In order to officially become leader, the deputy must journey to the Moonstone or Moonpool and meet with StarClan in their dreams. The new leader will find themselves surrounded by many StarClan spirits, and one by one, nine spirits will approach and grant the leader a life. The spirit touches their nose to the new leader’s and announces the life they are giving and the gift or trait they are giving with it, the wording isn’t always exact but usually goes along the lines of “With this life, I give you [trait]. Use it well for [description of how the trait will help the leader’s Clan].” The receiving of a life is painful, with the level and feeling of the pain varying from life to life.

Once all nine lives have been received, a StarClan cat, usually the final life-giver, speaks these words: “I hail you by your new name, [the leader’s new name]”. At this point in the ceremony, the leader’s previous warrior suffix is replaced by the suffix -star, signifying their new, closer relationship with StarClan. The StarClan cat continues, “Your old life is no more. You have gained the nine lives of a leader, and StarClan grants you the guardianship of [leader’s 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.” The gathered StarClan cats begin to cheer the new leader’s name, and after a bit of cheering, the ceremony ends and the leader wakes to their new life as the head of their Clan.

Leaders make all of the most important decisions for their Clan – whether new cats will be allowed to join the Clan, which warriors will mentor which apprentices, the full names of new warriors, whether the Clan will go to battle, what punishments will be decided for any misbehavior, and anything else required in the day-to-day life of the Clan. Leaders conduct all ceremonies for the Clan (besides those held only for medicine cats at the Moonstone or Moonpool), and will announce meetings with the distinctive call, “Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the [Clan’s gathering spot] for a Clan meeting!” Leaders must speak for their Clan at every full-moon Gathering, standing upon the Great Rock or the gathering tree alongside the other leaders, giving a report of the events of the past moon and addressing any tensions or concerns with the other Clans.

Until the recent changes to the warrior code, a leader’s word was considered as final and immutable as the code itself. Now, while Clan leaders are still to be respected, there is a process in place to allow Clans to vote to remove a leader they no longer wish to follow. Three-quarters of the Clan must agree that the leader should step down, a number which must include all of the Clan’s medicine cats, unless they are kin of the leader and unable to be objective. The decision then goes to the rest of the Clan leaders to decide, and if they agree, the medicine cats ask StarClan for their approval. If all of these requirements are met, StarClan will strip the leader of their nine lives and promote their deputy to be leader in turn. The deputy cannot be the one to start this demotion process, so as to prevent an ambitious deputy from using it to seize power unjustly. Even without this demotion process, a leader who feels ready to retire on their own may decide to willingly give up their extra lives to StarClan.