diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 2b4fd5b..351e035 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ dmypy.json
 # logging
 nextcord.log
 
-# data file for bot
+# bot files
 highscores_data.json
 highscores_config.json
 deleted_backups/
@@ -139,4 +139,5 @@ TODO.txt
 sql_tester.py
 conf
 outputs
-database
\ No newline at end of file
+database
+dakiny-messages/
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/cogs/clan_messages/__init__.py b/cogs/clan_messages/__init__.py
index 9d479a9..1e85952 100644
--- a/cogs/clan_messages/__init__.py
+++ b/cogs/clan_messages/__init__.py
@@ -1,16 +1,25 @@
+import os
+
 import uvicorn
 from fastapi import FastAPI
+from git import Repo
 from nextcord.ext import commands
 
 app = FastAPI()
+REPO_URL = "https://gitea.cheezers.org/imcompiling/dakiny-messages.git"
+REPO_DIR = "./dakiny-messages"
 
 
 class ClanMessages(commands.Cog, name="Clan Messages"):
     def __init__(self, bot: commands.Bot):
         self.bot = bot
+        self.clone_repo()
 
     @commands.Cog.listener()
     async def on_ready(self):
+        """
+        Triggers when the bot is in ready state. Adds the webhook listener to FastAPI and serves.
+        """
         app.add_api_route("/message/", self.hello, methods=["POST"])
         config = uvicorn.Config(app=app, port=5000, log_level="info")
         server = uvicorn.Server(config)
@@ -18,6 +27,7 @@ class ClanMessages(commands.Cog, name="Clan Messages"):
 
     async def hello(self):
         print("we did a webhook")
+        await self.update_messages()
         return {"message": "webhook get"}
 
     async def update_messages(self):
@@ -30,6 +40,16 @@ class ClanMessages(commands.Cog, name="Clan Messages"):
         # new one. the message could be deleted, which would cause a new message to be sent and database updated.
         pass
 
+    def clone_repo(self):
+        """
+        Checks if the repo exists and creates repo object, clones if it does not.
+        """
+        # check if repo has been cloned. open repo object
+        if os.path.isdir(REPO_DIR):
+            self.repo = Repo(REPO_DIR)
+        else:
+            self.repo = Repo.clone_from(REPO_URL, REPO_DIR)
+
 
 # This function will be called when this extension is loaded.
 # It is necessary to add these functions to the bot.
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 205c64d..c397c41 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -4,4 +4,5 @@ pytz==2022.7.1
 hydra-core==1.3.2
 sqlalchemy<2.0
 pandas==1.5.2
-fastapi==0.111.0
\ No newline at end of file
+fastapi==0.111.0
+GitPython==3.1.43
\ No newline at end of file