Post by Novice Creeps on May 21, 2018 21:56:32 GMT -5
-banner here-
Welcome to Brothers in Flight - Tribe of Wings
"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."
◈◈◈
About the 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
Feathers, Feathers, Feathers
It has been several moons since Owlstrike, the former Proxy, was killed and found without his feather. Everyone has done their grieving, but there are whispers about what might have happened to him. Questions of his loyalty or the possible presence of rogues
-Everyone-
◈◈◈
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 Glory or Novice first. A list of taken prefixes will be posted below. If you need help coming up with some, look here.
✩ Rogues may be rp-ed, but only as part of the plot. Rogues in the rogue group do not have spirit guides or believe in having them.
Welcome to Brothers in Flight - Tribe of Wings
"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."
◈◈◈
About the 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
Feathers, Feathers, Feathers
It has been several moons since Owlstrike, the former Proxy, was killed and found without his feather. Everyone has done their grieving, but there are whispers about what might have happened to him. Questions of his loyalty or the possible presence of rogues
-Everyone-
◈◈◈
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 Glory or Novice first. A list of taken prefixes will be posted below. If you need help coming up with some, look here.
✩ Rogues may be rp-ed, but only as part of the plot. Rogues in the rogue group do not have spirit guides or believe in having them.
◈◈◈
Tribe 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 law.
✩ 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 Fighter, Hunter, 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
◈◈◈
Credits
Original idea goes to Novice Creeps
Layout goes to *MorningGlory*
Camp and territory setup written by Silverwind and *MorningGlory*
History written by KittyClearsight
History written by KittyClearsight
Territory
Forest
The red spot indicates the location of the camp 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.
The Shining Falls - This is a relatively hidden area by the waterfall that is near the twoleg campsite, to the northwest of camp. It's well hidden from sight of the twolegs, but gives the cats a great view of the falls. It's accessed by a narrow ledge that is concealed by brambles, which leads to a small rocky outcropping that is covered by moss, due to the constant dampness from the waterfall. This place is very popular with mates or cats that intend to become mates.
The Training Grove- This is a mossy and pine needle filled clearing surrounded by western fir trees and is set to the northeast. With the soft ground cover, this grove has been chosen as the primary location for battle training. This is also where the fighters gather every day to keep their battle skills sharp.
Dark Woods - This section of woods near camp is populated by very close growing fir and cedar trees and often blocks out most sunlight. This causes most cats in the tribe to avoid it, as prey is also hard to come by in the thick trees and the eeriness of the area tends to ward off most cats. There is also an increased chance of cats losing their feathers in this area.
Burial Grounds - This relatively barren and sandy area is on the edge of the Dark Woods and is where the tribe buries their dead. There is an old, rotted stump at the west end of the clearing where the Healer or oldest member of the tribe will make a speech about the deceased cat as they are being buried.
Camp
To get into the camp itself, you will take a small, hidden path that leads down to the left of the waterfall. It will allow you to safely enter the cave behind it 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 a cave surprisingly bigger than it looked like from the outside. Inside the cave you will find several dens. There is also a small opening in the roof of the cave to let in light; it is near the river but not near enough for water to flow through.
Healer's 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 a maximum of three sick cats at a time, along with the Healer.
Proxy Den: This den is built the same as the Healer's den, but 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 den 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.
◈◈◈
Ceremonies & Traditions
Daily Training- Every day, the fighters get together and have a mock battle a a group. It is usually held in the training grove but sometimes they'll practice elsewhere. The training is mandatory for all fighters (unless sick or with kits) and is used to keep their skills sharp.
Mating Ceremony- When two cats decide to take each other as mates, a special ceremony will be held at the Shining Falls for all who would like to attend. The Healer will give the two cats an oath to repeat to each other.
"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 I will love you always
I will trust you, and honor you
I will laugh with you, and cry with you
I will love you faithfully through the best and the worst,
through the difficult and easy
Come what may, I will always be there
As I have given you my heart to hold,
and my love, and my life, to keep."
The Offering- This happens at the beginning of each leafbare and each 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.
Fledging Ceremony - When a no-feather is old enough to begin training, they are summoned before the entire tribe and are sorted into either a hunter or a fighter. This is generally decided by their body type and what sort of bird spirit has decided to guide them. There is no set mentor for any Fledgling, they are trained by each cat in their faction and given basic training of the other faction.
Old One ceremony- When a cat wishes to become an old one, a special ceremony will take place over two days. The first day is the whole tribe 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 tribe. One the second day, the cat will not be allowed to do anything until sunset. At sunset, they must climb the largest tree near 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 tribe to live the rest of their days in peace. It also frees up that spirit bird for a fledgling to then take on. With that feather now placed in the nest, the Healer shall then speak, giving a summary of the cat's achievements and praising them for their service to the tribe. However, they will keep their feather necklace, as a reminder of their life and as a transport to the afterlife.
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 that way they can be buried with their feather and move on to the afterlife. 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. It is widely regarded as a tale of the old ones. Some cats believe the rhyme is accurate, but many disregard it. 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."
Forest
The red spot indicates the location of the camp 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.
The Shining Falls - This is a relatively hidden area by the waterfall that is near the twoleg campsite, to the northwest of camp. It's well hidden from sight of the twolegs, but gives the cats a great view of the falls. It's accessed by a narrow ledge that is concealed by brambles, which leads to a small rocky outcropping that is covered by moss, due to the constant dampness from the waterfall. This place is very popular with mates or cats that intend to become mates.
The Training Grove- This is a mossy and pine needle filled clearing surrounded by western fir trees and is set to the northeast. With the soft ground cover, this grove has been chosen as the primary location for battle training. This is also where the fighters gather every day to keep their battle skills sharp.
Dark Woods - This section of woods near camp is populated by very close growing fir and cedar trees and often blocks out most sunlight. This causes most cats in the tribe to avoid it, as prey is also hard to come by in the thick trees and the eeriness of the area tends to ward off most cats. There is also an increased chance of cats losing their feathers in this area.
Burial Grounds - This relatively barren and sandy area is on the edge of the Dark Woods and is where the tribe buries their dead. There is an old, rotted stump at the west end of the clearing where the Healer or oldest member of the tribe will make a speech about the deceased cat as they are being buried.
Camp
To get into the camp itself, you will take a small, hidden path that leads down to the left of the waterfall. It will allow you to safely enter the cave behind it 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 a cave surprisingly bigger than it looked like from the outside. Inside the cave you will find several dens. There is also a small opening in the roof of the cave to let in light; it is near the river but not near enough for water to flow through.
Healer's 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 a maximum of three sick cats at a time, along with the Healer.
Proxy Den: This den is built the same as the Healer's den, but 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 den 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.
◈◈◈
Ceremonies & Traditions
Daily Training- Every day, the fighters get together and have a mock battle a a group. It is usually held in the training grove but sometimes they'll practice elsewhere. The training is mandatory for all fighters (unless sick or with kits) and is used to keep their skills sharp.
Mating Ceremony- When two cats decide to take each other as mates, a special ceremony will be held at the Shining Falls for all who would like to attend. The Healer will give the two cats an oath to repeat to each other.
"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 I will love you always
I will trust you, and honor you
I will laugh with you, and cry with you
I will love you faithfully through the best and the worst,
through the difficult and easy
Come what may, I will always be there
As I have given you my heart to hold,
and my love, and my life, to keep."
The Offering- This happens at the beginning of each leafbare and each 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.
Fledging Ceremony - When a no-feather is old enough to begin training, they are summoned before the entire tribe and are sorted into either a hunter or a fighter. This is generally decided by their body type and what sort of bird spirit has decided to guide them. There is no set mentor for any Fledgling, they are trained by each cat in their faction and given basic training of the other faction.
Fighter/Hunter Ceremony- When a faction has decided that a Fledgling is ready to become a full-fledged hunter or fighter, the senior members and cats that helped the Fledgling the most will meet with the Healer and the Proxy. Once the ceremony is approved, the Fledgling is called to stand before the entire tribe and questioned on their progress with their guide before they are sent out into the forest for one night and one day, to hunt and survive by themselves to prove their strength and capabilities. Once they have returned to camp, they are to receive the first fresh kill of the day as a reward for their success.
Old One ceremony- When a cat wishes to become an old one, a special ceremony will take place over two days. The first day is the whole tribe 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 tribe. One the second day, the cat will not be allowed to do anything until sunset. At sunset, they must climb the largest tree near 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 tribe to live the rest of their days in peace. It also frees up that spirit bird for a fledgling to then take on. With that feather now placed in the nest, the Healer shall then speak, giving a summary of the cat's achievements and praising them for their service to the tribe. However, they will keep their feather necklace, as a reminder of their life and as a transport to the afterlife.
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 that way they can be buried with their feather and move on to the afterlife. 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. It is widely regarded as a tale of the old ones. Some cats believe the rhyme is accurate, but many disregard it. 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."