Post by Novice Creeps on Sept 17, 2017 21:28:52 GMT -5
I have had this idea for a while, but never posted it because I was unsure of the amount of interest that people would have. But this is a clan based around a type of spirituality, if you will. The idea is, that the cats have this connection/respect for birds, viewing them as a sort of messenger between the spirit realm and the natural realm.
They also have a rite of passage where they first become apprentices, the first bird that they catch, becomes their spirit guide, connected by a feather, usually a primary feather from the wings or a tail feather, which they either have attached to their fur or made into a sort of necklace with plant materials. This connection is used by the spirit of the bird as it becomes the cat's guide, often appearing in dreams as the spirit of the first bird that the cat killed, or as a living entity.
Every cat has a guide and the clan believes that if they die without the feather of their companion, their spirit will be either trapped to wander the earth or lost entirely.
Location- Eastern Washington coast, the red blob shows the approximate location of the camp
Welcome To Brothers in Flight: The Tribe of Wings
About our Tribe - The Tribe of Wings is heavily based around spirituality and spirit guides, or birds, to be more specific. Each cat in the tribe is chosen by a bird spirit from a young age, usually before they leave the nursery. Then they will spend a period of time as a fledgling, learning from the cats of the tribe as well as from their spirit guide. By the time that their training is complete, they will have earned their feather, which solidifies their bond with their guide and gives them a way to the afterlife, where they will be free to 'fly' with their Brother and watch over the tribe. Sometimes when a cat dies, they will be reborn as a bird, if they wish. However, each cat must live and die with their feather on them, or their soul will be cursed to wander the forest until they can be laid to rest.
Plots
News
Clan Rules -
✩ Follow all forum rules.
✩ This is a semi-advanced, semi-literate rp. Do not join if you can't handle more mature plots. Also, do not attempt to god-mod, spot light, or hijack plots. We love to hear plot ideas that you may have! But for the love of all that is pure, please discuss them with Novice, Silver, or Glory first! Failing to do so will likely get you kicked from the clan after three warnings.
✩ Keep it PG-13 at most, we've done a lot of work on this rp and we don't want it deleted!
✩ Please use some form of brackets or indication for when you are talking out of character.
✩ No one-liners! I get it, sometimes you can't think of what to type. But please, for the love of spirits! Don't just put down one sentence of rp!
✩ Please don't do script-style roleplaying. It makes me cry.
✩ LGBTQA+ characters are allowed, but be aware that some of the characters may be rude to your cat because of this. I will not allow any of that to drain into out of character talk. If it does, let me know.
✩ This is a spiritual roleplay, but please keep religion and actual beliefs out of this. They're cats. Code is Peregrine.
✩ No kit-___ing.
✩ Prefixes may only be used once, until the character that has that prefix dies. You may save a prefix ahead of time, but you must pm it to Milk or Novice first. A list of taken prefixes will be posted below.
Our Story
"We kill birds and eat them. Nothing more, nothing less." That's what a young tom cat has been told all his life. His parents never named him, believing he should figure out and earn his name as he goes through life as a simple rogue. He was a normal kit in all aspects. Fur was brown with black patches, his eyes were a typical green color... No sign of any abnormalities. He was just an average rogue kit through and through. One thing DID set him a part, however, and that was his fascination with birds. This kit loved to sit under trees and watch the birds. He loved nothing more than to listen to their singing in the trees, carefree and content. Other cats didn't understand his fascination. They were prey, lesser than cats, why did they deserve any sort of thought or care? This kit didn't care if he seemed odd to the others, he was happy watching the birds and that was that.
One day, the kit was out wandering in the woods, blissfully unaware of danger approaching him. A fox attacked the defenseless kit, and he was unable to escape by the time he realized the danger. Pinned by the fox he just knew he would die, so he screwed his eyes shut in terror, waiting for the pain. That pain never came, however. The fox had let go and, opening his eyes, the kit saw an Owl flapping around the fox, getting it away from him. The fox ran off, and the Owl perched on a branch above the kit. The kit, unable to move from shock, looked up at the Owl. It was broad daylight, this Owl should be asleep. Besides, Owls ate young kits, right? Before he could move, the Owl spoke.
"I am the Spirit of Wisdom. I do not sleep, and I do not eat. You have no need to fear, young one. I've been watching you."
The kit was still gaping. Was he crazy after all? The Owl shook his head, as though reading the kits thoughts. "No, you are not imagining me. I am a bird spirit, and normally only appear in front of other birds, but the spirits have been watching you. You are different from other cats. Other cats kill and eat birds with no regard for the birds' honor. You, however, show respect to us. Even when you eat a bird, you take extra care to bury the remains instead of leaving them to simply decay. You watch birds with no intention of hunting. You enjoy our singing, even when your own family scorn you for it. You alone respect us, therefore we respect you. I wish to teach you the ways of the birds, spiritually of course. Spread that knowledge to your fellow cats, and all of us bird spirits will bless those who follow these ways."
The kit's eyes were wide, but excitement sparkled in them nonetheless. He let out a small squeak. "I knew I wasn't crazy! Birds really are fascinating, I knew they were more than just prey!" Tail waving excitedly, he continued. "I would love nothing more than to learn from you, Spirit of Wisdom!" The Owl let out a small hoot, sort of like a chuckle. "Very well, young one. I will begin teaching you right away. Now, what should I call you?"
The kit frowned, realizing he hadn't yet earned his name. Then he thought about it and realized he had! He knew he earned his name, and looking at the Owl Spirit, he meowed confidently. "Bird. My name is Bird."
Story created by KittyClearsight
Joining Form
{Name} DESIRED RANK
Gender | Age in Moons | Spirit Guide
Detailed description, including fur, eyes, and markings. Detailed personality, including weaknesses and strengths, and more. Family, background, history, past, etc. Add anything else as well.
[ Screenname ]
Other(Code here):
Territory -
The red spot indicates the location of the camp (Camp details listed below), while the pink represents the location for the falls, which is a common place for mates to visit to watch the beauty of the waterfall. The orange represents the training grove, where fledglings are trained and fighters hold daily mock-battles. The green represents the Dark Woods, the darkest part of the forest as well as the creepiest. Most cats avoid going too deep into this section of the woods for many reasons; it's very difficult to hunt in, it's easy to get lost in, the chance of losing their feather is also greater in this shadowy place. On the outskirts of this grove is the Burial Ground, where deceased cats are taken and buried.
Camp -
So to get into the camp itself, you will take a small but hidden path that leads down to the left of the waterfall. It will allow you to safely enter the waterfall without getting wet. It also keeps us hidden from view. The path leading to camp is big enough for a cat to safely walk, but small enough a two-leg wouldn't be able to access our camp.
Inside the camp you will find that the area behind the waterfall is a surprisingly bigger cave than it looked like from the outside. Inside the cave you will find several dens. There is also a small opening in the ground above the cave, but a bit away from the river so water doesn't flow in.
_____
Healer Den: The Healer's den is off to the left of the entrance, and like most of the dens, is made up of rocks and and sticks. There is moss being used to cover the leaves. The den is big enough for 2-3 sick cats at a time, along with the Healer.
Proxy Den: This den is built the same as the Healer's den, just smaller. It is off to the right of the entrance across camp from the Healer's den.
Hunter and Fighter Den: This is the den that is closest to the nursery only a few fox lengths away and to the right of the nursery entrance. The clan decided to build the Hunter and Fighter's den there to make sure the kits were safe if the camp is ever attacked.
Fledgling Den: This den is Also close to the nursery, it's about the same distance away from the nursery as the Hunter and Fighter den, how ever it is to the left.
Nursery: This den is where the Queens and No-feathers sleep. It is located at the very back of the cave, accept unlike the other dens, it is a smaller cave inside of the main cave. This den was picked because it also had a small passage that lets out right behind the Proxy's den, close to the entrance of the camp that is hidden with moss and bramble. This is so if there is ever an attack the queens and kits are well protected, but also has an emergency exit if things go wrong.
Old One's Den: This den is in between the Healer's den and the Fledgling's den, the ground inside of the gen is soft and sandy which is easier on the old one's bones.
Shining Rock: This is a rock that sits under the opening in the top if the cave. The rock is a large geode that has been cracked open revealing the amethyst that resides inside. This is where meetings are called.
Fresh kill pile: This pile of food is close to the shining rock.
Warrior Code-
✩ Defend your Tribe, even with your life.
✩ Do not hunt or trespass on another cats' territory.
✩ Old ones, queens, and no feathers must be fed before fledglings and hunt-cats or fight-cats. Unless they have permission, fledglings may not eat until they have hunted to feed the old ones. If any cat or fledgling is sick or injured, they may eat while the old ones, queens, and no feathers are eating.
✩ Prey is killed only to be eaten. Give thanks to the spirits for its life. Birds are to be treated with the utmost respect when they are killed.
✩ A no feather must be at least six moons old to become a fledgling.
✩ Newly appointed hunt-cats and fight-cats will keep a silent vigil for one night after receiving their adult name.
✩ A cat cannot be made Proxy without having helped one fledgling.
✩ The Proxy will become Healer when the Healer dies, retires or is exiled.
✩ After the death or retirement of the Proxy, the new Proxy must be chosen before moonhigh.
✩ Boundaries must be checked and marked daily. Challenge all trespassing cats.
✩ No cat can neglect a kit in pain or danger, even if the kit is a rogue.
✩ The word of the Healer is the warrior code.
✩ An honorable fight-cat does not need to kill other cats to win their battles, unless they are outside the warrior code or if it is necessary for self-defense.
✩ A cat rejects all contact with twolegs.
✩ A cat must have hunted for a spirit guide before becoming a warrior or a Healer. Furthermore, a cat should never purposefully abandon their guide.
✩ Only a Healer can have the Soul suffix and must have their name changed when they become Healer
Ceremonies and Traditions
Daily mock battle for fighters to keep skills sharp
Mating ceremony vows
I take you to be my partner in life and my one true love
I will cherish our friendship and I will love you today
I will love you tomorrow and will love you forever
I will trust you and honour you
I will laugh with you and I will cry with you
I will love you faithfully through the best and the worst
I will love you through the difficult and easy
What may come I will always be there
As I have given you my hand to hold
So do I give you my life to keep
The offering
The Offering is something that is done at the beginning of leafbare and at the beginning of newleaf. At the beginning of leafbare, the tribe will leave a large rabbit outside of a coyote den, as a peace offering for the coming winter and an attempt to dissuade the coyotes from hunting the cats. At the beginning of newleaf, the tribe will leave a trout or some other large fish outside of a bear's den as a way to appease the waking giants and keep them from possibly attacking the tribe for food.
Greenleaf Festival: day filled with games and rejoicing to celebrate surviving leafbare
fledgling to fight-cat/hunt-cat ceremony
The ceremony for becoming a fight-cat/hunt-cat is a very complex one, and may take course over an extended period of time. The fledgling will first be determined ready by a council of senior members of the clan, the proxy, and the healer. Once it is determined that the fledgling is ready, the real ceremony begins. The fledgling then must spend the night in the middle of the camp. During the night, a bird will come to them in their dream, proclaiming that it is to be their spirit guide. That bird will not be the spirit guide of any other cat. In the morning, the fledgling must say nothing and leave the camp. Once they have left the camp, they must hunt down 4 of that bird. One for themselves, one for the healer, one for the proxy, and one for the cat who helped them the most through their training. The fledgling must spend as long as it takes by themselves hunting for the 4 birds. They must not return without those 4 birds caught. When the 4 birds are caught, the fledgling must return to the camp. Before the feast that night, the healer will pluck a feather from the fledgling's bird, say a few things about that cat, and give them their adult name. This name must be based off of one of the characteristics, either physical or temperament, of the fledgling's spirit bird. Once this is done, the clan and the fledgling are allowed to eat. This will be the last time the new adult may eat or hunt this bird until they become an old one. At the end of the night, the new adult shall take the feather that the healer plucked, and put it into their new nest in the den. If they shall ever lose this feather, it is a sign of bad things to come to that cat. They will also pluck a feather themselves, this feather will be worn around their neck, dangling from a woven vine necklace.
old one ceremony
When a cat wishes to become an old one, a special ceremony will take place over 2 days. The first day is the whole clan working together to hunt that cat's spirit bird. The cat may also join in on the hunting as the second and last time that cat may hunt that bird. For that day, only that spirit bird can be consumed by any member of the clan. One the second day, the cat will not be allowed to do anything until sunset. At sunset, they must climb the Largest tree in the Camp, and on the lowest branch, place their spirit bird's feather in the nest. This symbolizes the cat giving up their role in the clan to live the rest of their days in peace. It also frees up that spirit bird for an apprentice to then take on. With that feather now placed in the nest, the healer of the clan shall then speak, giving a summary of the cat's achievements and praising them for their service to the clan. However, they will keep their feather necklace, as a reminder of their life and as a transport to the afterlife.
Credit for creating ceremonies goes to flamestar5 and *MorningGlory*
Death of a cat
In this tribe, dying is seen as something to celebrate and the tribe will celebrate in the memory of the cat that died. The reason for the celebration is to remind the tribe that the fallen cat is passing on to a better life or place where they will not know pain or suffering. The celebration is typically led by the Healer, who will give a speech about the cat's life and a firm reminder that they are now able to fly freely. In the case of a young cat that died without obtaining their own feather, one of their parents or the cat that raised them will hunt for the bird that the young cat had been seeing in dreams and retrieve a feather for the dead fledgling or no feather. These deaths are treated more somberly than those of an adult cat.
Bird Counting
Some birds are often seen as messengers that bring omens. So there is a counting tale passed among kits and queens, talking about what different numbers of those birds mean. The birds that are most commonly used for this are ravens and birds of prey, but is not limited to those birds. The counting rhyme is as follows:
One for sadness, two for mirth;
Three for mates, four for birth;
Five for laughing, six for crying:
Seven for sickness, eight for dying;
Nine for luck, ten for gold;
Eleven a secret that will never be told.
Three for mates, four for birth;
Five for laughing, six for crying:
Seven for sickness, eight for dying;
Nine for luck, ten for gold;
Eleven a secret that will never be told.
This is widely regarded as a no feather's tale or a tale of the old one's. Some cats may actually believe the rhyme to be accurate, but many disregard it.
Spirit Guides and their Abilities
Waterfowl
These birds are known to make cats better swimmers and divers, sometimes even aiding cats that are starting to drown. Cats with these guides are fantastic swimmers and usually enjoy getting their paws wet.
Great Egret
Common Loon
Canada Goose
Tundra Swan
Great Blue Heron
Sandhill Crane
Black-Crowned Night Heron
Pelican
Sharper Senses- These birds are known for their sharp senses and can give their charge a small boost to the sense that they represent.
Smell - Better trackers
Turkey vulture
Common Raven
Black-billed Magpie
Sight - Better night vision and can see slightly further.
Bald Eagle - TAKEN
Merlin
Common Nighthawk
American Kestrel
Osprey
Red-tailed Hawk
Northern Goshawk
Northern Harrier
Pelican
Killdeer
Robin
Sound - Slightly more sensitive hearing and can hear further away.
Western Screech Owl
Great Horned Owl
Robin
Speed - Gives a cat a slight boost of speed to be faster than average cats.
Peregrine falcon - TAKEN
Shrike
Charisma - These cats are known to be charmers and often have a way with words.
Western meadowlark - TAKEN
Goldfinch
Yellow-Breasted Chat
Yellow Rumped Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Mourning Dove
Killdeer
Wild Turkey
Dusky Grouse
Ruffed Grouse
Gray Catbird
Red Winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird - TAKEN
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Rufous Hummingbird
Song Sparrow
Violet Green Swallow
Chipping Sparrow
Hunting - These cats tend to be some of the better hunters of the tribe, picking up on hunting techniques more readily than anything.
Western Bluebird
Western Tanager
Lazuli Bunting
Northern Shrike
Spotted Towhee
Say’s Phoebe
Shrike
Sandpiper
Willow Flycatcher
Wood Peewee
Fighting - These cats tend to have a better grasp of fighting techniques as well as slightly longer claws.
King bird
Shrike
Hiding - These cats tend to have longer attention spans and can sit still for longer periods of time.
Chukar
California Quail
Clark’s Nut Cracker - TAKEN
Northern Flicker
House Wren
Varied Thrush
Sandpiper
Robin
Junco
White Crowned Sparrow
Thrush
Snipe
Climbing - These cats tend to have a slightly better sense of balance and can scale rocks and trees with relative ease.
Oriole
Hairy Woodpecker
Lewis’s Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Brown Creeper
Allegiances
Healer
[Peregrinesoul] | Healer
She-cat | 40 Moons | Peregrine Falcon
Peregrinesoul is a long-legged dusky brown tabby with amber eyes and pale stripes. Her left ear is torn and she has a set of scars on her left flank from her time as a fighter. Peregrinesoul is a generally friendly cat when confronted with newcomers, especially if they seem injured, sick, or with no feathers. However, this friendly queen doesn't stand for insubordination and will readily punish cats for disobeying rules, usually with putting them on menial tasks or being forced to stay in camp. The she-cat however, hates being stuck in one place for too long and can often be found wandering the territory, rather than sitting in her den and sorting herbs. Peregrinesoul has always been restless, though she tries to take her time with making decisions regarding her tribe. On top of this, she is a firm believer and supporter of traditions, making her rather stubborn and generally cautious of any new ideas.
[ Novice Creeps ]
Proxy
Hunters
[Grasswhistle] Hunter
Tom | 36 Moons | Brown-headed Cowbird
Grasswhistle is a sturdily built, short-haired Bengal tom with a dark brown pelt, tan spots with black rings, and grassy green eyes. He has a notch in his right ear and scars on his right foreleg and on his left hind leg. Grasswhistle is a relatively friendly cat, though he is also a trickster, much like his guide. However, Grasswhistle isn't cruel and he tries to keep his pranks and jokes relatively harmless, such as trying to convince a cat that there's a leaf on their back when there isn't. He has a soft spot for apprentices and kits though, as he lost his sister when they were fledglings, having lost her during a rock slide during a hunting trip. He tries his best to protect younger cats, even if he isn't much of a fighter.
[ Novice Creeps ]
[Cricketsong] Hunter
Female | 31 Moons | Clark's nutcracker
Cricketsong is a pretty golden-brown she-cat with brown points and a patch of white on her chest. Her piercing eyes have different shades of bright blue. As a natural extrovert, Cricketsong is sweet, and charming with a good sense of humor. She finds making friends a fun and easy task due to her love of laughter and natural kindness. Cricketsong cares a lot about other cats' thoughts and feelings and loves sharing secrets, though, she would never do anything malicious with the secrets she promises to keep. She loves hearing stories about the mysterious world outside the tribe and dreams of traveling. She is determined and intelligent, always thoroughly thinking through each problem and completing each task but she tends of over-think and worry. Sometimes she fixates too hard on small issues in her character and becomes determined to fix whatever she deems bad about herself. She is calm and collected most of the time but is hard to calm down once agitated. Though Cricketsong is great at making friends, she's not always good at keeping them as she becomes attached to others very quickly and can be a bit clingy.
[ Morningglory ]
Fighters
[Doespring] Fighter
Female | 31 Moons | Eastern Meadowlark
Doespring is a long-legged shecat with a spotted tabby pelt in a shade somewhere between brown and ginger. A pair of large, gently sloped eyes sit above her long, narrow muzzle and delicate brown nose. Her left eye is a brilliant corn-flower blue and the other is gray like ice on a lake. She spends a lot of time grooming her sleek fur to keep it shiny.
Friendly and eccentric, Doespring loves to chat with her clanmates and is hardly short on friends although she chooses to only be close to a select few. She doesn't know when to stay quiet which can lead to arguments with her clanmates. Being liked is vital to her, and as such, she tends to avoid controversial topics in the clan; however, when she does decide to put her (admittedly minimal) weight behind a cause, not even the leader can sway her. Doespring loves to be the center of attention and thrives in social situations. She strongly dislikes being alone, and as a result, she can be found wherever the action is. Though kind and well-meaning, Doespring can be over excitable and a bit nosy; still her friends see her excitement as rather charming and she possesses the unique ability to keep up a conversation with even the cost reluctant interlocutor. Blessed with a quick wit, Doespring is haughty, intelligent, and an excellent liar. She can be a bit of a bully when she feels offended by someone but is sweet to her friends.
[ Morningglory ]
[Flameclaw] Fighter
Male| 22 Moons | Bald Eagle
Flameclaw is a young tom with a mostly jet black thin pelt, ginger fur on his sides, paws, and tailtip and emerald green eyes. Speaking of his tail, it is slightly longer than most, which fits into his rather lithe figure. Don't let this fool you however, as he has an incredible amount of power hidden in his body. This power and body shape allows him to have incredible burst of speed and power, very handy in fights. Speaking of fighting, this is where Flameclaw excels. He is an exceptional fighter, especially when outnumbered. He is not unbeatable however, as his ability to fight in trees is good, but not remarkable, and he struggles to fight in water, as well as confined spaces, where he is not able to use his explosive power. Flameclaw was formerly a member of a group of rogue cats, who having disagreed with the ways of the group, decided to leave his friends and family behind to walk a different path, and that is where he came across the clan. Flameclaw is a very caring cat, always putting others over himself. However he can also be a little arrogant and head strong, as he almost always believes himself to be right, and will not be afraid to disobey others to do what he thinks is right. He is also rather quick to come to a judgement, making this an annoying collection of personality traits to deal with at times.
Flameclaw has also mastered an ability with the aid of his spirit guide, which he calls eagle vision. Eagle vision is a trait that those in his family had and is the ability to combine all of one's senses into one special vision to quickly identify exactly what is around an individual, what is happening, and where everything is. Flameclaw, while being a rogue, was one of the best users of this ability, using it to help him in fights that he was outnumbered in. His claws are also unique, as rather then having a natural curve to them, they are almost perfectly straight. While making it easier to make quick attacks with, his ability to hold on to objects is impeded, as well as hindering his ability in a sustained run.
[ flamestar5!]
Fledglings
Queens
No-Feathers
Old Ones
Taken Prefixes
Cricket | Flame | Grass | Orchid | Peregrine
Taken Suffixes
(Each suffix may be used a total of 5 times before I will no longer allow its use.)
Original idea goes to Novice Creeps
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