ThunderClan

ThunderClan is one of the 6 Clans living in The Valley.

Overview
ThunderClan is notoriously known as a loud, dramatic bunch of cats unafraid to speak their minds. They're typically quite hot-headed and proud of the Clan they belong to, but their egos aren't built on nothing; these cats are strong, smart and loyal. They patrol their borders more frequently than any other Clan, and are always alert and ready for the worst. The cats of the Clan typically hold grudges, especially the leaders, and find it hard to forgive those who've wronged them. Their camp is partially built underground in a cavern not far off from the gathering hollow, and it has a massive arch of stone that stretches over it. Trees surround and grow within their camp.

Territory
The majority of ThunderClan territory is made up of tall trees with low branches, which are easy to find birds' nests and climb on. Part of their territory loses covering the closer they get to The Glade - which is disputed land between them and WindClan - where small mammals can easily be caught. There's a swathe of mesa that creates a clay beach between the forest and a nearby river.

Small mammals and birds are plentiful in ThunderClan's forest. They can occasionally find fish washed up on the clay beach, but tend to ignore them.

Creation of ThunderClan
ThunderClan is unique in the fact that it did not stem from a rogue group. ThunderClan actually existed at the time of Icestar's journey to The Valley, as a run-down, troubled group of cats who'd completely abandoned the Warrior Code and their history. Four leaders, two deputies, and one medicine cat were all that were remembered by Softweb, the acting leader of the defunct Clan. Dark and Rainbow led over separate groups of rogues. Deep in the woods of ThunderClan, however, conflict brewed from the inside. With no leader to mediate and keep order, the Clan had spiraled into chaos. Every cat agreed they needed a new leader, but the means to acquire such are not that simple. Softweb, the sole medicine cat, was barely holding the Clan together, with a couple of senior warriors attempting to support her. Some cats began to think that StarClan had abandoned The Valley for good. But one day, Softweb received a prophecy:

"One shall stride, unknowingly, across a path woven with stars,

They shall defy the odds set after coming from afar.

From water to storm, 8 more to receive,

Let the cold aide you when it comes and success you shall achieve."

A stranger was to arrive from afar and save the Clan from ruins. And so she did. Icestar, with the help of Duskmind, escaped her twoleg captors and made it to the valley, where she discovered broken a ThunderClan; the long lost twin to her own Clan from far away. She proposed a new way of living to the other leaders, telling them of how the Clans lived together, bonded by StarClan and the Warrior Code. Dark and Rainbow agreed, excited by the plot to organize their groups into long-lasting civilizations. Icestar called upon two other familiar faces. Beetoes, her former apprentice, and Graytoes, her grandson. She sent them to lead RiverClan and ShadowClan. Dark was sent back to what was now named SkyClan, and Rainbow to WindClan. That following moon, the leaders got together to travel to the Moongarden, where they each received 9 lives from StarClan.

Highranks of ThunderClan
Leaders of Modern ThunderClan

Icestar
Icestar is most known as the creator of the Clans of The Valley. Icestar, together with Softweb's assistance, reformed the groups of cats and appointed the first five leaders; Beestar of RiverClan, Graystar of ShadowClan, Rainbowstar of WindClan, Darkstar of SkyClan, and herself, the leader of ThunderClan. Before arriving in The Valley, however, she had been the leader of a Clan very faraway, leading several of the Farlanders who arrived to The Valley shortly after herself. She felt confident in her abilities to lead a Clan, and had desired to lead ThunderClan from a young age. Though she was very, very old at the time of becoming the Clan's leader, her ambition did not fail her, and she persevered through every challenge that was thrown at her beloved new Clan.

She established ThunderClan's reputation as alert and hot-headed, as she had to force herself to not think of the Clans as her creations. She was rather cold towards the other leaders, not because she disliked them, but because her Clan needed to learn how to function independently. However, she picked her deputy slower than all of the other Clans, wanting to make sure that she'd pick correctly. She picked Rosebeam once The Median showed up, determined to show her Clan's strength.

The Median showed up as tensions with the Dark Forest began to grow, with several ThunderClan cats being trained by the ghostly cats. When she declared ThunderClan to be a band of trespassers who betrayed the warrior code, Icestar struggled to lead her Clan, refusing to let her old age and illness catch up with her. Several ThunderClan warriors left to join other Clans, afraid of the wrath of The Median, much to Icestar and her warriors' rage. As the event continued, ThunderClan was designated a home for trespassers, and code-breakers were sent to the Clan. Tigertide and Rivuletroar were among those who temporarily joined her Clan, disgusted with the rules The Median had created. Softweb disappeared from the Clan just as Icestar fell ill. Determined to get her Clan through this, and without a medicine cat, Icestar continued leading. Had she not pushed herself, she would have survived. She set up guards along the perimeter of her camp, but soon heard news that The Median had surrendered.

Icestar was too unwell to attend the next gathering. News of foxes invading the territory had spread, and determined to prove her strength, Icestar sought them out. The foxes found their camp before ThunderClan found their dens, and battle soon broke out. She lost her final life saving Rosestar from a fatal blow by a fox. She now serves the Council of Nine.

Rosestar
Rosestar was flung into leadership just as the foxes retreated from camp, appalled by the sudden death of Icestar. She'd tweaked her paw in battle, but much younger and tougher, she recovered and attended the gathering, establishing the second half of ThunderClan's fierce nature. She publicly denounced the actions of those who'd deserted ThunderClan, even after Icestar had asked for her to forgive them. Rosestar was an independent queen who would not be bossed around or allow the other Clans to tell her what to do.

Rosestar was also actively raising a family. Her mate was a tom named Bramblesnap, and she had several children. As a deputy, she gave birth to Shimmerpaw and Gleamingpaw, and much later gave birth to Primrosekit and Cardinalkit. She also adopted her nephew, a kittypet kitten named Monarch, who came to be known as Monarchwing.

Once successfully establishing ThunderClan as an independent, strong band of cats during the gathering, she picked Sunnygrove as her deputy. This was the fastest deputy selection of the time. Sunnygrove and Rosestar functioned incredibly well together, and both she-cats were bent on redeeming their Clan's name. WindClan allowed ThunderClan to keep The Glade in exchange for allyship against RiverClan, who'd taken the barn from WindClan. There were several battles against the Clan that ThunderClan participated in, and in one such battle, Rosestar shredded RiverClan's herb storage. Medicine cats of all Clans were furious with her, but Rosestar payed them no mind, determined on doing what she had to to keep her Clan on top. After the war ended, BloodClan moved into a camp just outside of ThunderClan territory, but the Clan chose to ignore them.

Currently, Rosestar is raising her most recent litter of kits, and Sunnygrove is keeping up with frequent patrols.

Rosestar passed away alongside her mate Bramblesnap, after the pair and their youngest daughters were attacked by a badger. They saved the kits, and Rosestar got to say her last words to her family and deputy, passing on the leadership of ThunderClan to Sunnygrove.

Sunnystar
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