RIVERCLAN TERRITORY

The river cuts through the heart of RiverClan territory before curving to form the Clan's border with Thunder. In some places, it flows wide and powerfully; in others it is narrow and not at all difficult to ford. The RiverClan cats are expert swimmers, and the river is also their source for their primary prey - fish. It can be deep in places, occasionally even with drop offs, so cats unfamiliar with it or who are not good at swimming can drown. Despite that, the depth of the river is often very shallow, which the RiverClan cats use to their full advantage. The banks of the river are muddy, and reeds line this shore except where the water cuts through the forest. The river's bottom is pebbly, and sharp or slippery rocks always need to be watched out for if you go wading.

Near the border with ThunderClan, the river curves and begins to flow through a territory spotted with trees. The trees are not thick enough to really be called a woodland or forest, but they do provide a shade in the hot summer weather. Mossy rocks, bark, grass, and fallen leaves line the floor of this space, making the ground soft and comfortable. Next to the river, the air is perpetually cool, and it's the perfect place to go if you're overheating. There is much prey to be found here, though the proximity of the river means that fishing is more common. Mice hide in the shelter of rocks, thrushes trill from the branches of trees - maple, oak, and beech - and voles scurry into their riverbank homes. The RiverClan Wood, as it is often called, is a comfortable place, peaceful and beautiful. At night, the gleaming stars can be seen in the gaps between leaves.

At the back edge of RiverClan territory, a huge rock rises like a sentinel out of the ground. It curves outwards, creating an overhang of sorts, and vines hang over it, creating a kind of curtain. This rock is also surrounded by reeds, and once one slips into the space made between vine and rock, you find a comfortable, surprisingly spacious hollow carpeted with moss and mushrooms. A hole in the rock above allows a small view of the sky, and at night a single star twinkles there. This place has a peaceful feeling to it, rather like the moonstone cave. In fact, some medicine cats and leaders of RiverClan claim to have had very vivid dreams of StarClan here. It is usually used by RiverClan cats as a retreat, a place for meditation and reflection. When they feel stressed, angry, or just need an escape, they come to the Rock-Shelter. The soothing gurgling of the river is audible in the distance, and the chirping of birds give it both an ordinary and a magical feel. The space is large enough to hold several cats, though there is an unspoken rule that if multiple cats share the space, they will not speak with each other.