ABOUT
All EchoClan cats feel comfortable in the dark. At one point, EchoClan might have had forest territory like their neighboring Clans, but over time they became more and more adept at hunting in the dark caverns and tunnels that honeycomb the territory. The other Clans, unspecialized for seeking prey in the dark or navigating the confusing cave system, can't compete with EchoClan for hunting rights to the caverns, leaving EchoClan to claim all the tunnels--even those underneath other Clans' territories--as their territory and their "borders" are all but uncontested.
After generations of adapting to cavern life, EchoClan cats have evolved some common traits: most EchoClan cats have extremely long whiskers, to better sense the tunnel walls and navigate tight spaces; many also have long fur for the same reason, and also to keep warm, as the caverns have a constant, chilly temperature; lots of cats have very sensitive hearing and thick, dark paw-pads for walking on stone.
Hunting in the dark has also allowed EchoClan's cats to thrive with traits that may have hindered them on the surface. Blind or visually impaired cats are unhindered in the dark caverns and may even have a slight advantage, as they are more accustomed to using their other senses to navigate; EchoClan has highly diverse pelt color and pattern, as camouflage is entirely unnecessary in the darkness.
Socially, EchoClan does not value beauty very highly: it's hard to care about a cat's pelt when you can't see it. Instead, beauty to them is found in a cat's voice or, to some, in their intelligence or personality, both of which are lauded in EchoClan. EchoClan cats often have contests of wit, making up puzzles or riddles for their Clanmates to solve.
EchoClan queens name their kits before they even see them. Because of this, a cat's name might not match their appearance like one would expect from the Clans above. A queen might name a kit Hawkkit not because her pattern is reminiscent of a hawk's plumage, but because she has a fierce personality and a cry that reminds her mother of a baby bird. Descriptive names like Soft-, Gentle- or Tall- are also more common. It is a very important occasion when a queen brings her kits to the surface to see them for the first time.
EchoClan has a special cat called the Callcaster, who is trained to throw their voice across the tunnels, communicating and coordinating distant patrols at a distance. This cat also acts as a battle strategist alongside the leader and is second in command in times of war. All cats are trained to Callcast and many become proficient at it, but only the Callcaster is expected to know every technique of the art.
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BORDERING CLANS
MistClan - A Clan of cunning and creative cats that live in a low, watery territory between IvyClans ridge and DawnClan's hills in the south. They are EchoClan's only allies and often share herbs with them; in exchange, EchoClan uses their tunnels to spy on the other Clans and share what they learn with MistClan, who, being surrounded by the others and the most vulnerable, needs to know what Clans are strong enough to raid them to stand a chance defending themselves.
BorageClan - A Clan of prideful and vengeful cats that live in an open field with many isolated groves of trees to the north of MistClan. BorageClan is always trying to prevent EchoClan from using the wide caverns beneath their territory and is the only Clan brave enough to try and fight EchoClan on their own turf. They have been learning to navigate their section of caves and are leading a movement to try and convince all the Clans to protect the tunnels beneath their territories.
IvyClan - A Clan of playful and watchful cats that live on the sharp incline before the mountains in the west. They don't interact with the other Clans much, content to keep to their own territory and do their own thing. They are curious about EchoClan's cave-dwelling lifestyle, but aren't threatened by them. They don't fight often, but are hardy and are the best fighters if they put their minds to it.
DawnClan - A Clan of haughty and nimble cats that live in the forested hills of the east. They have a mercurial nature and are always shifting from one position to another, just as fast as they can run across their hills. They have a love-hate relationship with their neighbor, BorageClan--the two are both emotion-driven, and they are either tight allies or vehement enemies, depending on the season. Right now, they're at war with BorageClan, but EchoClan fears they might soon turn allies: a dangerous prospect if BorageClan gets DawnClan on board with taking control of their tunnels and cutting EchoClan off from their most productive hunting grounds beneath the hills.
EchoClan claims all the tunnels and caverns below the other Clans' territories, as well as a small bit of aboveground territory south of MistClan: a rocky, forested hillside that connects DawnClan's forest to IvyClan's ridge.
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TERRITORY
Only a small portion of EchoClan's territory is on the surface, located south of MistClan, between IvyClan in the west and DawnClan in the east. This bit of land is heavily forested with evergreens, blocking out the sun almost entirely. This is good for EchoClan, who, spending a lot of their time underground, can't tolerate bright sunlight. Even the dim light that filters through the conifer needles is enough for EchoClan's warriors. The ground here is extremely stony with little undergrowth and only a fine carpet of pine needles that makes the rocks slippery. This land is arguably so EchoClan can gather herbs, but few actually grow here, forcing EchoClan to trade for the herbs they need.
In practice, EchoClan only uses a single clearing, which hides the mouth to the cave system that leads to their camp. Here, EchoClan warriors can relax in the sunlight and enjoy the fresh air. EchoClan carefully patrols their above ground borders each morning, creating a buffer so that cats can feel safe letting down their guard in the clearing and ensuring that no danger can creep too close to the entrance to their camp.
The caves below EchoClan's territory extend towards IvyClan's ridge: they are long, narrow tubes eroded by water. Occasionally, a more open space creates a small chamber. These tunnels have little to no prey, but allow access to the bottoms of ravines and the peaks of ridges in IvyClan's territory that are otherwise inaccessible to even the bravest climber. Birds are plentiful in both the high and low hunting grounds the tunnels unlock, and because IvyClan is often neutral grounds, this is the safest region for EchoClan to hunt.
The caverns below MistClan's territory are also directly connected to EchoClan's tunnels. They are the most dynamic, with flowing water from MistClan's creeks and rivers creating all sorts of crazy shapes in the stone: tall, vertical chutes; deep crevasses; wide, open spaces full of stalactites. These are the deepest and chilliest caves. EchoClan uses this territory to fish: there are plenty of odd-looking creatures in the lakes, ponds and rivers that flow through this central region of EchoClan's hunting grounds.
Below DawnClan's territory are earthen tunnels close to the surface. They are the most labyrinthine, which isn't helped by the fact that they are constantly crumbling and being rebuilt, making them impossible to memorize. But these dirt tunnels are also EchoClan's most productive hunting grounds, absolutely filled with rabbits, rodents, and, if the Clan is feeling ambitious, fox and badger dens they can raid for the young pups and kits. Unfortunately, this region isn't always easy to get to: the fastest route, a shortcut through MistClan's caves, often floods, forcing EchoClan's hunting patrols to take the long way around, all the way through BorageClan's caverns in the north to wrap back around from the other side.
Under BorageClan's plains are real caverns: tall, empty and echoing, large chambers connected with smaller tunnels pockmarking the side like a wasp's comb. Unlike the other underground systems, which don't have their own internal ecosystems and rely on wandering creatures from above ground to populate them, the caverns under BorageClan are full of creatures that have never seen the surface: eyeless amphibians, slimy fish, and plenty of crayfish. Bats frequent the caverns closest to the surface, though are challenging to hunt. This territory is the most dangerous: not only are the caverns themselves full of sudden drops and thin ledges, but BorageClan has taken to ambushing cats that have split off from the rest of their hunting patrol and starting fights in the caverns closest to the surface and richest in prey.
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CAMP
EchoClan's camp is underground. There is no large, open space in EchoClan's camp: in the utter darkness of the caves, a cat would be disoriented without a wall to ground themself. Instead, a long corridor forms the backbone of EchoClan's camp, just wide enough for three cats to stand shoulder-to-shoulder and tall enough that even the tallest cat wouldn't need to duck. Generally, the left wall (oriented as a cat entering camp would see it) is the passing lane: most of the tunnels and coves that make up dens are on this wall. The right side, then, is reserved for loitering: cats waiting for companions to wake up, sharing prey and tongues, or simply cat-watching can step to the other side of the tunnel to wait, so they aren't blocking another cat's way. The space in between serves as an "express lane" and it's impolite to stand or walk there unless passing a group of cats or taking a message in a rush.
The first alcove on the left is shallow, only half the height of the tunnel's ceiling; many growing apprentices forget to duck and take a nice bonk on the head once or twice before they learn, a lesson few warriors ever forget. This alcove is where a camp guard would sit. It's also where dawn patrols for the surface territory can gather before heading out, or for cats that wish to lounge in the surface clearing can find a small group to join them.
The next entrance, also on the left, leads to the warrior's den. A short passage bottlenecks the space, making it easy to defend against attackers. The entire Clan might shelter here in a pinch, though it would be a tight squeeze, but the defensively shaped narrow entrance could be held by a few cats against hundreds if the need arises. The den itself is shaped like an equilateral triangle, with the tunnel opening in the middle of one side. The corner in the far back corner drips water into a shallow pool.
The apprentice's den is a few pawsteps away on the right side of the main hall. This den doesn't have an entrance tunnel; instead, a crack in the tunnel wall opens directly into a tall, oblong space. There's a secret ledge on the right side of the den, big enough for two or three apprentices to sleep. It's tradition for the older apprentices to keep the ledge a secret for as long as they can, as in the dark, one would never think to jump up above their head for a secret cubby. Usually the ruse doesn't last very long, especially if one of the older apprentices snores!
Moving down the tunnel, the next den is the leader's den. Like the ledge in the apprentice's den, the leader's den is simply a notch carved out from the side of the tunnel itself, just above the height of a cat's ears. There is only enough space for one or two cats to sit on the ledge. This space allows the leader to always be listening to their Clanmates walking and gathering below, and to quickly get to either side of camp in emergencies. Because the leader's den is above a cat's head, EchoClan brings pine needles down the tunnel to scatter about the tunnel floor so a cat can feel it with their paws. It is the apprentices' duty to bring fresh needles every summer, and to maintain the patch so that they aren't scattered about by the paws moving up and down the tunnel every day. The needles make the entire camp smell of pine when they're fresh.
The pine needle carpet also marks the Vigil Chamber. This is the largest open space in the entirety of camp: a wide entrance with a shallow incline leads to a low, circular chamber. When an EchoClan warrior dies, their body is laid out in the center of this chamber. Warriors make a circle around the edges, each touching the wall with their tail and their nose to the fallen's fur, allowing the dead warrior to use the living's bodies as a bridge to enter the stone and join StarClan's ranks. Cats too small to bridge the gap might ring the deceased's body, being a link in the chain so the most distant corners of the chamber can reach.
At the very back of the Vigil Chamber is the entrance to the nursery. A snaking tunnel leads downwards, eventually opening into a cozy, rounded chamber. This room is stuffed with soft mossed, pine needles, and is where the excess bedding for all the dens is stored. The elders often also sleep here, as it's easily the most comfortable and quiet space in all of EchoClan's camp. The acoustics of the tunnel is perfect for trapping sounds inside the nursery: kits can play as loudly as they want in this space, and the Clan above wouldn't hear a single peep. Because of this, EchoClan never allows a queen to be in the nursery with her kits alone: it's impossible to call for help and there should be another cat that's able to climb the tunnel and call for the leader if there's an emergency.
Just past the Vigil Chamber on the right side is the fresh-kill pile. A narrow trough in the floor and wall makes a nice space for storing prey and arranging it so that cats passing by can browse by scent and touch.
On the left wall is the entrance to the elder's den. A small descent down a gently sloped trail leads to a slightly wider space where the elders can stay. It isn't large, only big enough for two or three cats to comfortably nest, and many of the elders prefer the warm, cozy nursery, but the elder's den is always reserved for their privacy and solitude if they wish it. This den hides EchoClan's most guarded secret, though: a boulder at the back hides a secret passage that eventually leads to the surface. The boulder can only be moved from the inside, and only the elders and leader know of it. In great desperation, this exit could allow a single cat to break free of siege and send for help, though the passage is extremely narrow and claustrophobic: only an apprentice or small warrior could hope to make it through without getting stuck somewhere along the length.
Also on the left wall further down is the healer's den. If a cat somehow missed the tall and narrow entrance and missed the pungent smell of herbs that clouds the hallway around the den, they'd still find it by hearing the gentle tumble of water. Through a zig-zag crevasse, the space opens into a tall, long but narrow, hall of it's own, jagged and shaped like a lightning bolt. The first elbow has nests on multiple tiers of stone: beds for the sick or injured. The second elbow holds the healer's nests, far enough away from their patients to give some privacy. Along the two straight edges are shelves lined with fragrant herbs. At the very point is a waterfall: a stream spills from the top of the room, creating a small pool of fresh water. The shallow edges are safe, but going close to the waterfall is very dangerous: the water exits a chute at the back of the chamber and can easily suck a cat down if they lose their footing.
The last alcove marks the end of EchoClan's camp: a mirror of the small cove near the entrance, where a cat can sit guard or gather for patrols that venture into the depths.
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LEADER
Curlystar - A black and white curly-furred tom with amber eyes.
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DEPUTY
Sedgefrond - A long-furred black cat with exceptionally long whiskers and copper eyes.
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HEALERS
Smallfox - A tiny long-furred black-and-ginger brindled tortoiseshell molly with pale green eyes.
Twistedshiver - A very pale grey tom with a twisted hind leg and yellow eyes.
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SOUNDCASTER
Nimblecry - A medium-furred thin fawn-and-cream calico molly with blue eyes.
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WARRIORS
Stoneflight - A medium-furred white and ginger tom with a deep voice and grey eyes.
Silverdawn - A beautiful long-furred silver and white molly with blue eyes. Once OakClan.
Keenpounce - A black ticked tabby tom with yellow eyes. Blind.
Rushingstrike - A medium-furred cinnamon tabby molly with yellow eyes.
Thornperch - A medium-furred grey tom with amber eyes.
Softstorm - A long-furred pale grey classic tabby tom with green eyes.
Brightfoot - A long-furred black-and-chocolate calico molly with orange eyes. Very nearsighted.
Fluffraven - A long-furred ginger tom with silver eyes.
Badgerdusk - A large grey molly with dark markings and yellow eyes.
Shiningstream - A long-furred white molly with green eyes. Blind.
Gentlespark - A long-furred white tom with grey eyes.
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APPRENTICES
Wishpaw - A long-furred pale grey molly with hazel eyes.
Birchpaw - A long-furred white and grey tabby molly with green eyes.
Icepaw - A long-furred silver smoke tom with blue eyes.
Freezepaw - A grey ticked tabby tom with clouded yellow eyes. Blind.
Tinypaw - A small, medium-furred cream classic tabby molly with amber eyes.
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QUEENS & KITS
Rainheart - A medium-furred ginger spotted tabby molly with green eyes. Mother of Curlystar's kits
Mosskit - A curly-furred calico molly with green eyes.
Sharpkit - A short-furred ginger tom with copper eyes.
Quickkit - A short-furred tortoiseshell molly with amber eyes.
Cherrysong - A dark grey and silver mottled molly with green eyes. Nursery queen.
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ELDERS
Spikyleaf - A long-furred grey ticked tabby tom with yellow eyes. EchoClan's former medicine cat.
Rosecrash - A tiny, long-furred black ticked tabby molly with amber eyes.
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