Ranger

Rangers are adult cats in the Colonies that serve their Colony in a variety of ways.

Description
Rangers are adult cats in the Colonies who understand what it means to be a good member of their Colony, having graduated from a new-claw position. Their names consist of two parts, their kitten/new-claw name followed by a suffix, or their kitten/new-claw name preceded by a prefix (For example, Stone's Ranger name could be "Stoneheart" or "Steadystone"). They patrol the Colony's borders, hunt for the Colony, and fight for the Colony when needed, being jacks-of-all trades that can help their Colony wherever and whenever they are needed at the time.

As advancement to Ranger status is considered a major life change in the Colonies, it is handled on the day of the full moon so that the Spirits Beyond may see and deliver their approval. To become Rangers, new-claws require a proper assessment of their training, which usually comes in the form of the Sunrise Ceremony/Sundown Challenge. When new-claws pass their assessment, their Colony holds a ceremony on the day of the Moonlight Gathering to give the new Ranger their name, then the Colony leaves for the Moonlight Gathering. If they fail their assessment, they are exiled from Colony territory. Newly-named Rangers will make their vigil at their territory’s border that night, which ends when the Colony returns from the Moonlight Gathering. After the Colony returns from the Moonlight Gathering, the Colony celebrates the Ranger's successful training by praising the new Rangers, spending time together in the base, eating food the Rangers brought back, and telling stories. Newly-made Rangers will then attend the next Moonlight Gathering with their full Ranger name and rank.

Once Rangers receive their full names, there are more paths open to them in terms of specialized training. These positions are: mentor, keeper, herbalist, and envoy. While the envoy position requires a Ranger to be chosen by the Captain and Second of the Colony, the mentor, keeper, and herbalist positions can be chosen as soon as a cat becomes a Ranger, at any time they choose. Once a Ranger retires from active duty, they can become an elder, a cat who serves in their Colony's Council.

Physical limitations do not automatically retire a cat from Ranger status. Sometimes if a cat is injured, like Missingfoot, their Captain can suggest a change in 'career’ path or early retirement, but it is ultimately up to the Ranger in most cases.

Education
Colony cats become Rangers once their new-claw training is complete. The periods of new-claw training, both Base Training and Field Training, vary from Colony to Colony. New Rangers are assigned to the next new-claw immediately after them, and each Ranger will train at least one new-claw during their service to the Colony. Different Colonies handle new-claw training differently; for example, two Field Colony new-claws in Base Training, Tabby and Horse, are trained by the senior-most Rangers who have not yet taught a new-claw. The priority of who gets a new-claw tends to go in the order of mentors-in-training and mentors, then to new Rangers, then to other Rangers. Rangers can also choose to become mentors, cats who oversee the training of new-claws.

Trivia

 * "Ranger" is often used as the general term for a Colony cat.
 * Rangers are similar to warriors from the Warriors series.