StarClan: a guide for new readers
BY THE EDITOR
StarClan is introduced to Warrior Cats readers as a concept in the prologue of the very first book, even before Rusty makes his first appearance. Bluestar and Spottedleaf speak of their ancestors in reverent tones, desperate for their guidance, only for Spottedleaf to understand the words of their prophecy in the vision of a shooting star – “fire alone will save our Clan.”
But what exactly is StarClan? How does it work, and why is it so important to the Clans? Here is everything new readers need to know…
In short, StarClan members are the spirits of Clan cats who have died. While they’re called “warrior ancestors”, a cat doesn’t have to be a warrior to join StarClan when they die – kits, apprentices, medicine cats, elders, and any other Clan cat can join StarClan upon death.
Even nonClan cats can potentially pass onto StarClan after death, if they had a particularly strong tie to the Clans or if they believed in StarClan despite not belonging to a Clan. Those are the rarer cases though – for the most part, StarClan is made up of the spirits of cats who lived in the Clans in life.
Almost every cat who is born in a Clan will one day join StarClan. The only exceptions are either those who choose a life away from the Clans, and subsequently choose an afterlife besides StarClan, or those whose actions in life are cruel enough to cost them their place in StarClan after death. StarClan is meant to be a haven where Clan cats enjoy warmth, safety, and comfort for the rest of their days, so cats who act to harm and take from others lose this chance at peace among the stars. Before each cat’s death, StarClan will deliberate on the cat’s actions and determine whether they will be accepted into the stars. Just breaking the warrior code isn’t usually enough to cost a place in StarClan, though, as StarClan does not judge purely on the laws. It takes true cruelty and darkness of heart to lose this chance at StarClan and fall to a much darker place instead.
StarClan is more than just a place where dead Clan cats reside. The spirits of StarClan play an active role in the lives of their living kin. They relay messages foretelling of future dangers, or revealing secrets of the past. It is important to understand that StarClan cats are not all-knowing. They do not see every path the future might take, only glimpses that can sometimes give more questions than answers, and that can be frustrating for the living who expect more insight from their starry ancestors. StarClan cats do not always know the right choice to make to lead to the best outcome – they can only act on what they believe to be best, and hope that the information they give will help lead their living kin to the best possible outcome.
Medicine cats are the spiritual leaders of their Clans, and are the main connection between the Clans and StarClan. Every half moon, the medicine cats journey to the Moonstone to speak with StarClan in their dreams and heed any messages or warnings their ancestors have for them. StarClan can also convey messages to medicine cats, or any other cat sensitive enough to connect with them, through omens and visions, like red clouds to signify a bloody death, or a rotting bird to warn at trouble coming from within. The other main role in the Clan with a strong connection to StarClan is the leader. It is StarClan who grants the leader their nine lives and the guardianship of their Clan, and it is in honor of StarClan that the leader assumes the -star suffix.
To the living Clans, StarClan aren’t just lost friends and family, but wise ancestors whose will must be honored. Medicine cats are honored for helping the Clan learn the will of StarClan. When new warriors are named, StarClan is called upon to look on the ceremony, and the leader calls on StarClan’s power when naming the new warrior, even though the ancestors don’t actively name the cat themselves.
If StarClan shows their displeasure by sending clouds to cover the moon at a Gathering, the Gathering is ended immediately. While the Clans’ relationship with their ancestors has changed over the seasons, that desire to honor the will of their ancestors has always remained.
