The duties of a Gardener are vast and rigorous; From caring to the earth's gifts, to protecting VerdureClan when they need it the most- This is a collection of what Gardeners do for their Clan;

Growing and Harvesting

The main task of a Gardener is to... Garden!
Gardeners grow a variety of essential native herbs, fruit, and flavorful roots within the cradle of Thyme Grove- the nursery for Gardeners. Growth of these plants are sometimes sped up by Gardeners, but it often makes the plants less nutrient dense- thus, is often used as a last resort. Gardeners, instead, use the decaying bodies of plantlife (Like bamboo), animals remains, and manure to fertilize their gardens. Gardeners are skilled at tearing through fruit to harvest small seeds, and it is a large part of their jobs to grow these seeds into sprouts.
Instead, Gardeners are careful caretakers of their green. Plucking snails and ladybirds from their leaves, snipping away infected plants, and watering their gardens with the use of dried coconut halves and kindly woven baskets. These baskets are also used to carry herbs and fruit back to camp in the evenings. Most Gardeners wear them.

Camp Repairs

Surrounding the camp of VerdureClan are tall walls of vine and root woven between trees. By hand, this task would be terribly tedious, and even with Guardians using kinetic abilities are quickly burned out. Gardeners are the strongest magic users in the Clan, and are able to repair and raise these walls easier than a Guardian can.

Clan Protection

Being the most powerful kinetic users in the Clan, Gardeners are on the frontlines of battle in the rare occasion VerdureClan chooses violence. Using their fine-tuned knowledge of their abilities and the magic that washes through their blood, Gardeners are some of the most dangerous kinetic users in the entire Valley. 

Gardeners are a close knit community of cats, and Captains choose their new members carefully during field days! 

Field Days

At 9 moons old all Apprentices go through a Field Day- A part-interview part-competition to showcase herbal knowledge, kinetic abilities, and strength.
Gardener Captains will take a group of apprentices, usually 2 or 3,  and have them partake in 3 of the activities listed below (But can be changed depending on Captains.). They judge them not only on their successfulness, but also their attitude towards it and their peers. A talented Apprentice won't get very far if they're a horrible cat to be around.

· Kinetic sparring
· Plant growth
· Herbal knowledge

· Forest maneuverability
· Anything to show kinetic ability

Consider checking out our Field Day page for more information!

Mentorship and Apprenticeship

When an Apprentice is chosen after their field day, they are assigned a new Gardener mentor. This mentor takes over their training, and begins training them on the duties of a Gardener (listed above.)
Gardener Apprentices are often trained for an extra 2-5 moons, depending on when their Captain deems them ready to graduate. Once graduated, Gardeners are given their Amulets like regular Guardians. Mentors are usually 25+ moons, and are chosen by the Captains, not the Leader.

Gardeners were created under the reign of Verdurestar by a tom named Vastvalley. Vastvalley was raised a Hunter for the Clan, but when VerdureClan was given their abilities and forced to become herbivores, had to become a Gatherer in the wake of his previous rank.

But a lifestyle of gathering for a stationary Clan was dangerous. Many plants surrounding VerdureClan camp were harvested to death. This forced the Clan to venture into the far ends of their dangerous and uncharted territory in search of more food, getting hurt, unknowingly eating poisonous plants, and some beginning to even eat meat once again out of hunger- only to have their bodies begin to fail on the herbivores. 

Vastvalley knew that gathering was not sustainable, and began a small garden nestled within the arms of the Thyme Grove. At first, most of the plants were grown from kinetic abilities- being short of proteins and nutrients that VerdureClanners need. But after much experimentation and learning how to cultivate the land, grow plants from seed, when to stop harvesting to insure a plant would live, and how to properly fertilize their land, did VerdureClan begin to prosper.
Vastvalley found help in his friends and young Apprentices, including a young Lambnose. When Lambstar became Leader, herself and Vastvalley declared a Gardeners a real rank with a strong training system.

Vastvalley was the first in a long line of powerful kinetic users who play a key part in VerdureClan's life.

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