Actus Reus

[Rachel]

Actus Reus Plot Page:

MarshClan had a plentiful amount of kits. They liked to boast that they had more than any other Clan. They called it a blessing from StarClan, however they were proven wrong. After training and teaching these kits the way of the Clan and the Warrior Code their was a disagreement in the Clan. Hawkstar had gotten very religious, severe punishments were handed out for the slightest error. It wasn’t that the young cats didn’t believe in the Warrior Code, but they believed their leader went too far. The cats that had grown up together were disgruntled and angry. Usually this would have died down after a moon or so, but then the worse thing happened. Doestep had been hunting for a starving Clan and was caught. Usually this infraction would be punished, but Hawkstar went farther than any other time. He banished Doestep from the Clan. The cats who had grown up with Doepstep were angry and left with their friend. This was a huge blow to MarshClan because they lost a large amount of their cats in one day. Hawkstar was angry and demanded they come back, but being the adolescents they were they refused. The rogues, including the angry family of Adanna, were in a fury at their territory being invaded. Both the family of rogues and the four original Clans prepare for war to bring back the rebellious young cats of MarshClan.

What is Actus Reus?

Actus Reus means “Wrongful Act” in Latin, and the name is to represent the wrongful acts Hawkstar did in the false name of StarClan. They are like a Clan in some ways, but also not in others. They still keep by the Warrior Code, but it is no longer the law of the land, just guidelines that they sometimes follow. The chain of command is different in Actus Reus as well. There are 3 parties, one led by Sleet, one led by Ibis and one led by Willow. Willow, Sleet and Ibis make up a council that makes all of the decisions for Actus Reus. Each party represents different ideals that are important to the cats of Actus Reus, so cats aren’t dominated by rules that only a single cat thinks are right (*cough cough Hawkstar*) They also don’t follow the traditional rules of naming. In shedding of Clan ideals they also shed the suffixes they had been awarded by another cat, signifying that they choose who they are, not a Clan leader.

What is happening during the plot?

ACTUS REUS:Actus Reus is in its infant stage at the point of the plot. They still only consist of the young MarshClan cats, not having yet grown to be a group to be reckoned with. One of the party-leaders, Ibis, tips the balance of the council when he leaves Doe and becomes mates with another party-leader, Sleet. He uses his relationship with Sleet to push Actus Reus into more aggressive anti-MarshClan endeavors

THE FAMILY: The Family has grown used to ruling the uncharted territory with no contest. They are enraged that Actus Reus just thinks they can come in and take over their home. They kill straying Actus Reus cats, but frame MarshClan for the murders. The Family figures that if they make Actus Reus angry enough at MarshClan that they will attack them, which would weaken both Actus Reus and MarshClan enough that it will allow for an easy takeover by them.


THE CLANS: Hawkstar is enraged that all of his young warriors have abandoned the Clan. He wishes to draw them back under his iron fist, and feels that they are going against StarClan by going against him. He and the remaining cats of MarshClan convince the other Clans that Actus Reus is a danger that must be eliminated by bringing the young cats back to MarshClan.

Who all is leaving the Clans?

Currently the cats leaving MarshClan include: Doepaw, Isbispaw, Ergretpaw, Ochrepaw, Willowpaw, Gorsepaw, Sleetpaw, Quillpaw and Redpaw. All of them will be new warriors at the point of separation. Other cats from different Clans are allowed to join Actus Reus, but they must go through an acceptance process by the council to keep out Clan spies. The older the cat joining, the more heavily they are questioned