THE WAREHOUSE

The medicine cat has a fairly roomy den. Along the left wall, two missing cargo boxes on the floor level has left an alcove large enough for about ten cats to fit. Surrounded on three sides by boxes, the alcove sits about four feet away from the wall. A box laid lengthwise over two other boxes serve as a ceiling, about five feet up, to create a roomy area. However, it is often dark in this den; except when the light is slanted just right, the whole back of the alcove is thrown into shadow. The front of the den is blocked by whatever the Clan could get - everything from old steel drums to tangled messes of wire. Inside, the den has been made comfortable by blankets and cloth scavenged from other areas of the city, and despite the dim light and somewhat threatening barriers out front, the medicine cat (who makes their nest in the corner) and any patients have no reason to complain. Some herbs are kept in the den; others are kept just outside, and even more are stored on the hanging bridge and under the scaffolding.

Set about nine feet up from the floor, the third layer of scaffolding is prime den material because of how accessible it is via the cargo boxes, which create a sort of 'stair' that an agile cat could leap up with no problem. However, at the end nearest to the door, one of the wooden planks has rotted away, leaving a gap - so it is also accessible from the second layer of scaffolding, if you're willing to take a three-feet leap up. Though fairly unprotected, height gives it an advantage, as well as walls constructed by some of the warriors. Nests span the length of the layer, and a season based rotation has been established where cats take different turns being in the middle, far end (close to the doors; less protected and colder), or against the cargo boxes (best protected and warmer). Because of the difficulty in accessibility, warriors get both the best offensive and defensive vantage point, but must always be in excellent shape in order to leap up to the den.

There is good reason for the apprentice's den to be dubbed 'the eyrie' - it brings to mind a roost of sorts, where birds come to nest. Set about six feet into the stack of cargo boxes, a dark and shadowy space stretches upwards towards the ceiling like some sort of gloomy square chimney. Here, the cargo boxes were stacked rather awkwardly, leaving ledges of various sizes sticking out into the empty 'chimney' space. With the proper dexterity, it's possible to reach nearly all these ledges, using a main sort of 'staircase' up that circles around in a spiraling fashion. All the ledges are at various heights and sizes, fitting no more than four at the most, but most are quite roomy and surprisingly comfortable. There are only two entrances/exits - the one that leads back out to the main warehouse floor, and the one that leads all the way up to the top of the chimney and onto the cargo boxes, some 20 feet up. Rather soundproof, with only little squares of light, the place is perpetually dim but cozy. By default, the oldest apprentices get their pick of ledges, but one must always be at the top of the chimney - so that if a battle signal is called, the apprentices will be alerted.

Haven is the name that the queens have given to the Nursery. There's really no surprising or fantastical element to this naming - simply put, the queens call it haven because out of all the dens, it is the safest and most inaccessible - perfect for kits. Situated at the back wall of the warehouse, the haven is a small clearing, surrounded on three sides by crates and on a fourth by the wall. Large enough to easily fit fifteen full-grown cats, natural light trickles down from low-set windows to illuminate the haven. A particularly long cargo box creates a ceiling for half the den; in the other half, you can see clear up to the rafters of the warehouse. Reached only through a dark maze made by the cargo boxes, it's equally difficult to find and to get out from. Food and water are brought daily, while a bin for waste is tucked neatly in an out-of-the-way spot in the maze and cleaned every so often. It is entirely possible for kits to never know anything outside of the haven until it is time for them to become apprentices.

The elder's den is the closest to the huge double doors of the warehouse and therefore quite vulnerable. However, it is firmly protected by metal pillars that have been pushed and pulled to form a square around the corner, creating a space about 7 feet wide and 5 feet deep. The pillars themselves are practically impossible to move without coordinated effort, and are about a foot wide and 5 feet high. The entrance to the den is set against the wall, and small enough that only one cat at a time can slide through - in that respect, with the exception of the nursery, it is the safest den of all, with only a siege being the real worry. It has excellent lighting, although it can be rather claustrophobic due to the tall, silver walls, and they can also be rather bright if the sun or moon is shining directly on their surface. Barring all that, if the risk seems to be too great, elders can be moved to Haven, though that means a walk many of them are unwilling to take. Depending on the amount of elders, this den can also serve as overflow for the medicine cat's den, despite being on the opposite side of the warehouse.