[align=center][color=lightgreen]ALRIGHT SO
This is the brain-birthing-baby-whatchamacallit thread for this new fanclan-type-thing.
Basically I'm going to toss the half-written guide onto this page. Keep in mind that every single name you see is up for debate because... well... let's face it, I ain't the best namer. Just ask my OCs named Wallace and Hat.
Now, when you think of The Cluster (that's the name I'll use until someone thinks of a better one) think more along the line of overly complicated Xenomorphs from the movie Alien (or, more preferably, Aliens).
The Cluster
We are the hive. We are the swarm.
Though the sun burns above your weary head with an intensity known only to a place such as this desert, the ground beneath your feet remains eerily cool. An underground spring, perhaps? How typical of water to lie just beyond a creature’s parched grasp. You almost wish to rest your head against the cool earth, but are once again reminded not to by the vile dust the wind whips against your nostrils. This grey sand isn’t natural. It smells too much like a twoleg monster. AND GUESS WHO DIDN'T FINISH THE OPENING PARAGRAPH hurr hurr
The Territory
I don't exactly have a good description yet, but here's a doodle I did during a break at work--
[img width=510 height=433]http://i61.tinypic.com/30rw7ck.jpg[/img]
If you look closely you'll be able to see an BUTTWHOOPINFREAKINAWESOMEASHECK wreckage of a space shuttle. Yes. It's impaled and perched on two rocks that jut out of a wasteland. The two rocks were actually apart of a beautiful miniature canyon that was smashed to bits by the rocket's oxygen tank and a couple of fuel cells. Now, you see that pond that's underneath the shuttle? That's not a pond. That's oil mixed with the water that created that canyon. Yes. Oil. Toxic. Smelly. Oil. My plan for this headquarters is to have a bunch of dead vines and other irradiated pants to be covered in oil and practically wrapped around this thing, making it look even more like an Alien hive. Or something like that.
No one really know what the territory looked like before the shuttle crashed, but ever since it was tainted by the engine runoff, leftover rocket fuel, pure oxygen, and other research chemicals, everything is basically just grey sand and buzzards. Anyone who cleans their fur using traditional methods or, even worse, drinking the water around the shuttle runs the risk of catching an illness commonly known as "Black Tongue". The only cure for black tongue is a little bit of yarrow and a lot a bit of luck. Cats who have had Black Tongue and survived are often left with their tongues stained an ugly greyish color. Fur loss in The Cluster is a common occurrence, but is usually smiled upon; after all, mother has no fur. Why should her children?
Hierarchy
Larvae
This is the youngest position of the Cluster. Newly born kits are cared for by an assigned drone or drones until they become full warrior, not by their actual parent. This is to ensure that “Mother” is the only mother they will ever have. However, the parent does have the honor of choosing the drone that cares for their young. Once the Larvae are strong and smart enough to walk and talk, it is the drone’s duty to teach them the basics of surviving in the harsh hive territory, such as what not to drink or eat or swim in. Once a month, all Larvae over three moons are grouped together and presented to the Matriarch. This is the Larvae’s first initiation ceremony. Here they are given their first glimpse into the Hive Mind. The mother comes before the gathering of kits and gives them an exciting speech, and when she is done each kit is instructed to tell her their name. Once that is done, every Larvae goes back to their assigned den, now a Pupae.
Pupae
The closest clan term that can be associated with the pupae would be “apprentice”. Unfortunately, the definition of the two words are not the same at all. A pupae is not assigned to a single mentor. In fact, they are mass-trained, as the way of the hive mind cannot be taught to each and every lone kit. These mass training sessions are often held by a Consul, the Promatriarch, or even the Matriarch herself. Unlike a conventional clan apprentice, Pupae are not allowed to go to battle under any circumstance. If a Pupae is caught fighting, they will be demoted back to a Larvae for three more moons or until they grow mature enough to follow the rules set by their Mother. However, if the hive is attacked, the Pupae may freely join in the fight, provided they stay safe and follow instructions. On a rare occasion, a group of Elder Pupae may be selected to carry out a secret mission or accompany a warrior on a diplomacy mission or a patrol.
Promatriarch
To put it simply, the Promatriarch is the Matriarch’s right-paw man. Cat. Thing. They carry out any responsibility the leader has no time for. They can organize patrols, call meetings (it might be a good idea to bring the meeting-thing up with Mother beforehand), judge or condemn any crime done within the hive, and organize any flippin’ fun-oriented event they darn well please. They cannot carry out unapproved diplomatic missions to other clans, declare war, condemn a crime done by any cat not owned by the hive, and cannot declare themselves above the laws of the Cluster.
Should the Matriarch die, it is the Promatriarch's sworn duty to protect and ascend above his or her brothers and sisters. Essentially, they become the new mother.
Matriarch
The hive queen is only referred to as “Matriarch” by other clans or when being formally introduced. In all other instances, the Cluster simply calls her “Mother”. It is deeply instilled into the Cluster that, while they may be spawned from the blood of another cat, their hive queen is their one and only mother and should be considered as such. Even captured kits must be influenced through the hive mind that “Mother” should be loved unconditionally, as she loves them equally without question. And, in her own demented way, she does.
Clan Specifics
Fighting Style
Every clan has their own fighting style. Shadowclan hides within their namesakes, relying on ambush and underpawed tactics to keep their opponents guessing. Windclan relies on speed, using their rabbit-like agility to make quick strikes to wear their opponents down. Thunderclan is all about finesse and fighting in enclosed spaces, keeping their tails and bodies just out of reach as their adversaries struggle to keep their footing in the dangerous forest terrain. Riverclan are powerful yet skilled, using their enchanced swimming abilities to their upmost advantage. The Cluster does none of that.
The only proper way to describe the way of the Hive is… well… a swarm. The Cluster rely upon their numbers and their group training in order to create an imposing sea of claws and fangs rather than just a plain army. Hivemind training hones the Cluster’s group fighting abilities to an almost unexplainable level, making the Hive more than capable of taking down huge opponents with little effort. However, opponents that are the same size as the members of the swarm stage a much larger threat. That is where the Cluster employs the "Kick it in the Nuts and Run" technique.
Prey
The Cluster's main prey is... wait for it...
Buzzards.
They ain't the prettiest of birds, but in a wasteland void of life, you take what you can get. Once again, the swarm technique is employed to hunt these flesh-eating birds. The most common hunting technique is the old "Drop to get the Drop", in which one cat will play dead while the rest ambush the buzzards that swoop down for a meal.