Tribe of the Shrouded Mist
There is a tale, handed down from Stoneskipper to Stoneskipper, from prey-hunters and tribe-guards to their to-bes, and from kit-mothers to their kits, that explains the origin of the Tribe of the Shrouded Mist, and it goes like this...
"Many, many moons ago... So many moons ago that no cat but the Tribe of Endless Hunting can recall... There was once a Clan of wild cats far from here, known as BirchClan. This Clan lived like us, with no Twolegs to control them. They worshipped their own ancestors, called StarClan. They were a proud bunch though, and one cat in particular in that Clan was prouder than any cat- their leader Wolfstar. Named for the fierce beasts that sometimes roamed the land, the large gray tom loved to challenge any and all trespassers and loved to punish any cat who had no right to be there. A cruel, proud cat, Wolfstar never asked for help when badgers, vicious beasts like wolves, came to attack his Clan. They all perished at the end, save for a cat named Rockfang. He was a brave fighter that was forced to run away when his father, Graytail, made him do so. He traveled away from his former home, asking constantly for help from StarClan. But they never answered him. Moons and moons passed, and eventually Rockfang gave up. He declared there was never such a thing as StarClan, as he never received help from them. He began to retrace his steps, and ended up here, in these mountains. Stopping to rest one night, Rockfang met a pale gray cat that made him change his ways.
The cat was called Mist That Shrouds the Mountains. He explained that he was a spirit, long dead to the living world. But he was there to help, along with the spiritual Tribe he was part of, called the Tribe of Endless Hunting. Rockfang asked if they were really there, and Mist answered yes. The tribal ancestors would guide him if he were to leave his Clan days behind him forever and start a Tribe in the mountains. If he did, Mist would become an all-encompassing mist that would protect his Tribe from the wolves that lived there. When Rockfang agreed, the Tribe of the Endless Hunting gave him his new name- The Teller of the Skipping Stones, and that he would become a leader to his new Tribe, the Tribe of the Shrouded Mist. Mist That Shrouds the Mountains kept his promise. And to this day, the Tribe of Endless Hunting protects us by shrouding us in the protective mist of the ancestor who provided a cat with a traumatic past with a new lease on life."
The Territory
The Tribe of the Shrouded Mist makes the mist-shrouded mountains of the Pacific Northwest region of the western United States their home. And as such, the area is hilly, mountainous, and the ground moist and wet, making for a pretty harsh place for cats to live; however, these cats have learned how to navigate through the treacherous boggy, rocky, or otherwise hard places for cats to tread using the thick pawpads they have developed over the years. The territory’s boundaries are marked by four distinct markers in the four cardinal directions.
To the west, a large cliff abruptly ends into the rushing waters below. This cliff is known as “Branch’s Last Stand”, where, according to legend, a cat named Branch of Strong Oak was driven to this cliff by a large bear. In desperation and defiance, the cat jumped to their death, rather than be mauled to death by the dangerous beast. The sheer cliff was named in their honor, and young Tribe to-bes and young prey-hunters are forbidden to venture out there by themselves, in fear of losing them to the waters below, just as Branch of Strong Oak had perished.
To the north, a small grove of silver birch trees line the border, beyond which an abandoned Twoleg nest lies. The nest is an abandoned barn, where mice thrive; however, due to their pride, no Tribe cat will venture further than the silver birch grove, unless desperate for prey during the heat of greenleaf or the cold of leaf-bare. The Tribe calls the grove “Silverleaf Forest”. Within this forest lies a pack of wolves, known as the Silverleaf Pack, with which the Tribe co-exists harmoniously, all due to a pact made between cat and wolf countless seasons ago. As long as the Tribe cats do not go past the boundaries of the abandoned Twoleg nest, the wolves would not harm them.
To the east lies an old Thunderpath. Though no Twoleg or monster has been spotted in recent seasons, the acrid scent of both monsters and Twolegs linger there, and not many cats like to go there during patrols, even if the Thunderpath marks the border.
To the south lies a river, where the Clan uses as a hunting ground for fish and other prey easily found nearby. In newleaf, however, the river swells and overflows its banks, forcing Tribe cats into the camp for many days at a time.
Notable Places
The Camp: The camp of the Tribe of the Shrouded Mist lies within a sheltered valley between two peaks. It is covered from the peering gaze of flying predators, such as eagles and owls, by the thick foliage of the trees growing tall above them. The cats of the tribe have fashioned dens out of hollowed out logs and between the massive root systems of fallen trees. They like to make nests out of the fallen leaves of the ground, and some may like to collect pebbles from the river by the southern borders to decorate the outside of their nests with.
The Pool of Shimmering Ripples: A pool located near the northern edge of camp, led back to camp by a narrow trail, it is where the Teller of the Skipping Stones, or Stoneskipper, resides. This is where the Tribe-Healer makes his or her home, and this is where he or she skips stones across the pool to interpret the signs of the Tribe of Endless Hunting.
Silverleaf Forest: A small forest of silver birch trees growing at the Tribe’s northern borders, this place is full of prey all year. However, this is where the most sightings of bears and wolves have been reported from, and only the most experienced prey-hunters and tribe-guards go to hunt and patrol.
Branch’s Last Stand: A cliff at the west border of Tribe territory, this is where the mythical Branch of Strong Oak perished when they chose to leap to their death instead of be mauled by a bear that had cornered them there. Many a to-be dare one another to try to reach its edge; however, no one actually is able to go there due to the danger it poses. Only the most cautious and experienced tribe-guards go to patrol there, while prey-hunters, whatever experience they have, are forbidden here.
Sky Pine: An easily recognizable landmark in the area, and the one landmark tribe cats who travel outside the territory use to pinpoint their location relative to their territory, the Sky Pine is an ancient white pine tree, rumored to have been planted by the Tribe of Endless Hunting themselves, where to-bes, especially those training to becoming prey-hunters, train their climbing skills. This is where the monthly climbing competitions take place every full moon, during the day, encouraging young cats to prove their climbing prowess and experience.
Ranks Explained
The Tribe of the Shrouded Mist, being a Tribe, have the following ranks: Tribe-Healer, Tribe-Healer To-Be, Prey-Hunters, Tribe-Guards, To-Bes, Kit-Mothers, Kits, and Elders.
Tribe-Healer: the healer of the Tribe, known as the Teller of the Skipping Stones (Stoneskipper for short), this cat also doubles as leader of the Tribe. He or she sees to the order of the Tribe’s everyday activities, as well as take care of any injuries or illnesses Tribe cats face on a daily basis. He or she also uses the Pool of Shimmering Ripples to interpret the Tribe of Endless Hunting’s signs.
Tribe-Healer To-Be: This cat is a cat who has been trained in the ways of a Tribe-Healer, for the day when the current one dies. This cat is only picked when the Tribe-Healer deems a cat is worthy enough to train as a Tribe-Healer.
Prey-Hunters: These cats usually have smaller builds, with shorter fur better suited to running swiftly. They are meant to be fast cats who use their strength for prey-killing, not for fighting.
Tribe-Guards: These cats are stockier of build for the most part, and are better suited to brushing up against rogues and predators that prowl around and in the territory. These cats’ main responsibility is to guard the Tribe camp, go on border patrols, and assist prey-hunters when there is news of predators nearby.
To-Bes: the Tribe equivalent of Clans’ apprentices, these young cats who are old enough to meet the requirement (six moons of age) will be brought before the Stoneskipper to be appraised. The Tribe-Healer will determine if the kit will make a better prey-hunter or tribe-guard, or even his or her own to-be.
Kit-Mothers: The Tribe equivalent to queens of the Clans, these she-cats are nursing or expecting kits, and are the most protected of all Tribe cats, even more so than the Stoneskipper.
Kits: Younger than six moons old, these young kittens are the future of the Tribe. As such, they are not usually seen separated from their mothers or the nursery, spending their early lives sheltered by the fierce cats of the Tribe.
Elders: These are cats who have retired from active prey-hunter or tribe-guard duty. As older members of the Tribe, elders are respected for the wisdom and experience they often share with others of the Tribe.
Traditions
The cats of the Tribe of the Shrouded Mist have many traditions that set themselves apart from most other Tribes or even Clans, the most important of which is how the Tribe-Healer interprets the signs of their tribe ancestors, the Tribe of Endless Hunting. Outside of this tradition, there are the different words spoken during the different ceremonies, the choosing of a kit’s path of life, the final assessment before a to-be becomes a fully-fledged prey-hunter or tribe-guard, and the most peculiar of them all, the Heartstone Ceremony, conducted during a to-be ceremony.
Stoneskipper’s Way of Interpreting the Ancestors’ Signs: The Teller of the Skipping Stones, or Stoneskipper, performs this by using a common skipping stone in the Pool of the Shimmering Ripples to cause the stone to skip across the pool. Stoneskipper will then interpret the number of skips, as well as the ripples that move across the surface of the water, into signs from the ancestors.
Predators / Prey
he Tribe of Shrouded Mist has dealt with many different dangers, both living and nonliving, as they go about their lives in the heavily-forested territory they have made for themselves. Some of the animals who threaten the safety of the Tribe of the Shrouded Mist include:
Bears: These large brown, sometimes black, creatures lumber around the forest, usually looking after their own cubs and minding no business to cats. However, if they think that the cats pose a threat to their young, these bears will lunge at a cat and easily crush the life out of them, using their considerable bulk and their powerful paw swipes.
Deer: While these animals do not pose a threat to cats in terms of actively hunting them down, these animals are known to wander into camp and cause alarm to many a cat.
Wolves: These dog-like animals pose the greatest threat, as they actively hunt larger animals like deer and cats. Coming in many colors and sizes, these creatures live in packs consisting of many members. While they do not venture outside of the Silverleaf Forest, wolves will not hesitate to attack cats seen within the forest, which they have claimed as their own.
Badgers: These creatures are known for digging holes in the ground to make dens, called sets. They will often venture into camp to try to steal kits to eat, and are highly aggressive, especially mothers with cubs. When battling, it is advised that cats fight in at least twos, as even a young badger can be extremely dangerous to cats.
Foxes: These cunning animals look somewhat similar to wolves, but do not travel in packs; instead, they will often live by themselves and come into camp at night to try to steal kits and other helpless cats to eat. When chasing foxes, cats are advised to attack in groups due to their size and aggressive behavior.
Rats: While one may make a treat for the Tribe cats, a swarm of many different rats may pose a danger, as their sharp teeth can slice through a cat’s fur and flesh, which can become infected if not treated early. Many rats are reported to live near the abandoned Thunderpath.
Eagles: These flying birds of prey are large, formidable birds who are large enough to carry a to-be off into the air. When fending off against them, many tribe-guards and prey-hunters must work together.
Hawks and Falcons: While not as big as eagles, these birds of prey are capable of causing a lot of damage to a cat with their sharp talons and beaks.
The types of prey animals found within the territory of the Tribe include mice, shrews, voles, squirrels, many different kinds of songbirds, and the occasional hare or rabbit.
May I request a silver tabby as my healer please? Also, requesting descriptions for now - they will be transferred to lineart when possible!