━━ " 𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒗𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒆 " ✧ 𝘸𝘤 ; 𝘰/𝘢

My gallery · by **nightmyth** » Wed Jun 02, 2021 7:13 pm

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we of driftclan are unlike any other.
everywhere and nowhere, our tight-
knit ranks travel the world beneath
the open skies -- many a place we
call home, but never long. you are,
of course, welcome to join us, and
you may leave at any time; we will
miss you, though. should you depart,
and certainly if you stay, please:
remember to live ━━━━━━━━

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My gallery · by **nightmyth** » Wed Jun 02, 2021 7:26 pm

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driftclan cats are nomadic -- that is, they have no permanent home. their only real
claims consist of a white-season (leaf-fall through leafbare) territory where they
know they will be able to find good prey and shelter; during the green-season
(newleaf and greenleaf) they spend their days travelling wherever their hearts
take them, stopping only to birth and wean their kits before continuing onward.
driftclan is split into four tribes, each with their own specialty that allows the
clan to thrive in its travels: tribe ignis, tribe caelum, tribe rivulus, and tribe viridis;
despite such divisions, driftclan remains extremely tight-knit (more info here)

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driftclan has never had a problem arriving to their white season hunting grounds until
now: first, they were held up by a group of rogues who had settled along their usual
trail -- and now, they have been met with a premature birthing of kits, forcing them
to make camp at the base of the mountains they need to cross in order to reach the
proper territory. the area is alright, at best, suited more for a temporary stay than
an extended one. there are numerous predators about, and few places to shelter
in the open grasslands. the tribe matriarchs cannot agree on a course of action:
some believe the queen's tribe should remain behind while the others move on to
the white-season territory; others believe splitting the clan would spell disaster, and
go against all they stand for. what they all know is that leafbare is bearing down on
them, and if they don't make the right choice, all could perish.

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My gallery · by **nightmyth** » Wed Jun 02, 2021 8:17 pm

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follow all site / forum rules
no power-playing or god-modding
limit four cats per person
you may only have up to two cats per tribe; exceptions will be dealt with case-by-case
one high rank per person (matriarchs)
reservations last 48 hours ; do NOT pm me reservations
one week of unannounced activity will result in removal from the rp
please disable signatures on the rp thread
no calico / tortoiseshell amab toms
no permaqueens or orphan kits
forms go to the discussion thread
please do not create a serious roleplay event without prior permission
please try to vary names
try to keep genders even
no one-liners
kits and apprentices will have -kit and -paw, respectively. everyone else will have either ancient tribal (e.g. "Gray Wing") or modern tribal (e.g. "Brook Where Small Fish Swim") names

My gallery · by **nightmyth** » Wed Jun 02, 2021 8:32 pm

𝑻𝑹𝑰𝑩𝑬 𝑰𝑮𝑵𝑰𝑺 𝘰𝘧 𝘋𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘯

“tribe ignis cats specialize in battle; those of their
blood are the largest cats in the clan, built of solid
muscle. this tribe is responsible for the clan's battle-
training curriculum and excels in strategy and strength.”

cats born of this tribe have fire/light-related names

𝑻𝑹𝑰𝑩𝑬 𝑪𝑨𝑬𝑳𝑼𝑴 𝘰𝘧 𝘋𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘯

“tribe caelum are the tribe's navigators, responsible
for guiding the clan using stars and marking techniques.
the matriarch of this tribe may interpret signs and
receive dreams from the clan's ancestors”

cats born of this tribe have air/sky/bird-related names

My gallery · by **nightmyth** » Wed Jun 02, 2021 9:14 pm

𝑻𝑹𝑰𝑩𝑬 𝑹𝑰𝑽𝑼𝑳𝑼𝑺 𝘰𝘧 𝘋𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘯

“tribe rivulus cats are the best hunters in the clan,
breathtakingly fast with their lithe bodies and tall
statures. they can track down almost anything and
have fear of neither heights nor water.”

cats born of this tribe have water-related names

𝑻𝑹𝑰𝑩𝑬 𝑽𝑰𝑹𝑰𝑫𝑰𝑺 𝘰𝘧 𝘋𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘯

“those of tribe viridis are the clan's healers: they
know of every herb and plant across the lands and can
patch up a wound quicker than you can say 'mouse'. they
are the smallest tribe of driftclan and take few mates”

cats born of this tribe have plant/earth-related names

My gallery · by **nightmyth** » Wed Jun 02, 2021 9:27 pm

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note: most driftclan cats are polyamorous; thus, it is not uncommon for multiple cats
to be mates, or for one single cat to have more than one mate. monogamy isn't "banned,"
just uncommon. some cats may also have kits with another cat, but may not consider
them their mate -- this is also okay! kits are generally raised by everyone in the tribe and
clan. also, apprentices are mentored by all the warriors of their tribe, and may sometimes
train with a warrior of another tribe for the day

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𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄
orcapaw simply adores wing of golden feathers
quiet of the lonesome night and hidden grove have fun lesbian crushes on each other

𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘
quiet of the lonesome night is related to light cloud and dark sky
spark of new flame is the mother of sparklekit
fawn beneath the hawthorn is the parent of adderkit
frost that shimmers in light and otter that swims at dusk are siblings

My gallery · by **nightmyth** » Thu Jun 03, 2021 7:43 am

𝑯𝑰𝑺𝑻𝑶𝑹𝒀

driftclan was founded countless moons ago when they were driven out of a territory shared by a total of four clans. sympathizers from the other clans went with them, and representatives of each decided to divide the new clan into four different tribes to help quell the fierce loyalties the cats had to one another. after several moons of travelling and no luck finding a suitable territory, the clan decided that they would instead live a nomadic lifestyle. eventually, they chose a suitable place to go to during leaf-fall and leaf-bare (termed the "white-season"), but otherwise, they agreed to never truly settle anywhere permanently, and would only find temporary camps to be able to birth raise their kits until they are old enough to travel.

𝑻𝑹𝑨𝑫𝑰𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵𝑺 & 𝑳𝑰𝑭𝑬𝑺𝑻𝒀𝑳𝑬

over the years, the clan hostilities among the tribes faded and the cats of driftclan grew closer and closer. the traditional laws of taking mates were rewritten as cats grew more accepting of polygamy and raising their young as a collective group. kits take on the tribe of their birth and are named accordingly; the tribe a cat is born into remains their tribe throughout their entire life (they can change tribes, but this is uncommon and usually happens when a cat wants a different specialty); thus, each tribe tends to be made up of a generational clusters of kin.

driftclan doesn't mind outsiders as long as they have no intent to cause them harm; in fact, new blood is always welcome. on the flip side, cats of the clan are free to come and go as they please.

apprentices are trained by all of the warriors in their tribe and thus have no assigned mentor. if there are an abundance of apprentices in a tribe, they may be rotated out to cats of a different tribe to ensure that no-one is overworked. apprentices will have a traditional "namepaw" structure until they earn their warrior name, at which point they will be given either ancient tribal or modern tribal name. it's common for a cat's full name to creatively use the prefix of the apprentice; for example, a cat named "troutpaw" may be named "stream of shimmering trout"

tribe matriarchs function as a sort of mini clan leader and are female-presenting cats a majority of the time (other gender presentations are acceptable, though traditionally, males are usually excluded). the matriarchs are responsible for the members of their tribe, and together they make driftclan's big decisions. matriarchs are permitted to take a mate, and the next matriarch is usually a descendant of the deceased one. if a matriarch dies or leaves the clan, the other matriarchs will appoint a new one from the ranks of the tribe with the vacancy.

there is no "medicine cat" in driftclan; tribe viridis is responsible for healing the clan, while the matriarch of tribe caelum can receive dreams from the ancestors and interpret signs in the stars. driftclan's ancestors are not starclan, but instead may appear as apparitions when they so chose.

⛮ 𝑻𝑹𝑰𝑩𝑬 𝑰𝑮𝑵𝑰𝑺

these cats are driftclan's first line of defense: they're the largest cats in the clan and excel in battle. tribe ignis sets the fighting curriculum for the rest of the clan, though their apprentices will receive special training in more complex moves, as well as lessons in strategy. when they aren't practicing battle moves, tribe ignis is responsible for patrolling the area and making sure driftclan is out of harm's way. tribe ignis cats may also scout ahead for safe routes with the help of tribe caelum. common traits of tribe ignis cats: confident, bold, protective, sharp, intelligent

✶ 𝑻𝑹𝑰𝑩𝑬 𝑪𝑨𝑬𝑳𝑼𝑴

the cats of tribe caelum are the clan's navigators. they guide the clan using the stars and also use many different marking techniques to ensure the clan can easily travel to and from different places. caelum's matriarch serves as driftclan's main connection to the ancestors: she receives dreams from them and interprets signs in the stars. common traits of tribe caelum cats: independent, aloof, calm, level-headed, good memory

❅ 𝑻𝑹𝑰𝑩𝑬 𝑹𝑰𝑽𝑼𝑳𝑼𝑺

specializing in hunting, tribe rivulus cats make sure that every cat in driftclan has a full belly. all cats are welcome to hunt for the clan, but are usually busy doing their main tasks of patrolling, navigating, and healing; thus, the brunt of the prey-catching goes to this tribe, and they certainly excel at it. rivulus cats can hunt anywhere: burrows, grasslands, forests; trees, water, cliffs -- no prey is safe from their skilled claws. common traits of tribe rivulus cats: sharp-minded, loyal, helpful, accommodating

☘ 𝑻𝑹𝑰𝑩𝑬 𝑽𝑰𝑹𝑰𝑫𝑰𝑺

driftclan's healers make up tribe viridis; they are the smallest of the tribes, but their knowledge is vast and mighty. it doesn't matter where the clan may be: you can bet they'll know every herb available. to carry their herbs from place to place, viridis cats usually fashion a crude carrying pouch using animal skins -- or even found twoleg objects. common traits of tribe viridis cats: adaptive, creative, homely, wise, strict

My gallery · by **nightmyth** » Thu Jun 10, 2021 1:07 pm

two moons ago, the tribe ignis queen, spark of new flame, gave birth to
a premature kit; because the kit is too young to travel, the clan is
currently stopped at the base of the mountains they need to cross
to reach their white-season hunting grounds. the clan is deciding
what they should do before leafbare arrives

My gallery · by **nightmyth** » Fri Jun 11, 2021 1:26 pm

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𝚚𝚞𝚒𝚎𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 ─ 53 moons ─ [ ˈkwīət - nīt ] xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
𝖬𝖠𝖳𝖱𝖨𝖠𝖱𝖢𝖧 𝖮𝖥 𝖳𝖱𝖨𝖡𝖤 𝖢𝖠𝖤𝖫𝖴𝖬. a glossy black molly with vivid, light green eyes
location: driftclan camp ; tags: other matriarchs
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It was well into the morning now, and most of the Clan was awake and going about their days. For about two moons now, since Spark of New Flame gave birth, the four tribes had made camp at the base of the mountains that they needed to have crossed by now. But they couldn't risk the life of a kit who was unfit to travel; the journey across the jagged monoliths was perilous, tough even on the strongest of them all. "I still believe we need to relocate DriftClan somewhere better." the ebony molly mewed, her vibrant gaze flickering over the other three matriarchs. "If these hunting grounds could sustain us through the white-season, why bother crossing the mountains? We're more familiar with this territory than any other; my tribe can lead us somewhere safe." Her chest lifted as pride punctuated her words. This was probably the third meeting the matriarchs had called to discuss the fate of the Clan, but each time their discussion ended in lashing tails and ruffled fur: no one could agree on what to do.

Quiet Night sank her claws into the dirt as she waited for the response of one of the other mollies. She tried not to look too long at any of them, especially not Hidden Grove; they'd grown close lately, and not only did the Caelum matriarch not want her affections to creep into her gaze, but she didn't want to pressure the other she-cat into agreeing with her. Right? Well, Quiet Night could be a bit of a bully at times, but she certainly wanted to avoid the other two leaders thinking their relationship was the only reason that Hidden Grove might feel the same way. Hmph! As if I have ever let them make a wrong assumption about me; but, this is no time for bickering amongst ourselves. We need to make a decision!

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𝚌𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚔𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚕𝚊𝚖𝚎𝚜 ─ 35 moons ─ [ ˈkrakliNG - flāmz ] xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
𝖶𝖠𝖱𝖱𝖨𝖮𝖱 𝖮𝖥 𝖳𝖱𝖨𝖡𝖤 𝖨𝖦𝖭𝖨𝖲. a bobtailed calico molly with pale green eyes
location: driftclan camp ; tags: matriarchs mentioned; open
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The calico had her eyes trained on the trail the matriarchs had taken to go have their meeting. She desperately wanted to eavesdrop on the conversation, but they were all a prickly bunch of mollies who would have nothing but fury for her if she were to be caught. Crackling Flames had already been in trouble with Smoke lately, and she certainly didn't want to be put on apprentice duties for stirring up more trouble. She sighed and bent down in a stretch, her bobtail wriggling from side-to-side like an earthworm emerging from the grass. None of the apprentices were in sight, so she couldn't take them out for a training session. Maybe she could work on a new move to show Smoke later; if DriftClan decided to stay in these hunting grounds, they'd need to be able to defend themselves from the predators that lurked in the shadows. Part of her tribe's duties was to keep watch at night, and it was common to hear coyotes cackling out in the grasslands at night.

Their current camp was hardly more than a dusty clearing surrounded by gorse and some boulders, backed up against a cliff at the foot of the mountains. There were a few groves of trees to hunt in, but for the most part their prey came from the prairie. Crackling Flames couldn't say she was very good at hunting out in the open and figured it was best to leave that to Tribe Rivulus -- this meant that her best option was to patrol the area and make sure her Clan was safe. She sprang into an easy lope and shouldered her way out of the camp, her nose watering from the morning's chill. Another tribe cat might have been weary at the thought of heading out on patrol alone, but she was Tribe Ignis: one full-grown warrior could fight as well as two cats together.

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𝚘𝚛𝚌𝚊𝚙𝚊𝚠 ─ 11 moons ─ [ ˈôrkə - pô ] xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
𝖠𝖯𝖯𝖱𝖤𝖭𝖳𝖨𝖢𝖤 𝖮𝖥 𝖳𝖱𝖨𝖡𝖤 𝖱𝖨𝖵𝖴𝖫𝖴𝖲. a black and white tom with pale hazel eyes
location: grassland ; tags: various mentions
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"Aha!" Orcapaw landed square on the mouse, dispatching it with a quick nip to the spine. He'd been tracking it carefully the past several minutes, and was glad to have caught it at last. It was a skinny little thing, but he knew every mouthful counted in leaf-fall. He was glad he was going to be a warrior soon: DriftClan would need him in the hard moons to come. This was the first time the young tom had been to the mountains and thus, this would have been his first time crossing them. He wasn't sure if he was disappointed or relieved that that might not be the case after all. Personally, he felt that the Clan was strong enough to make the journey. If they all took turns carrying Sparklekit, he wouldn't have a problem making the journey.

Unfortunately, these decisions were not his to make. The matriarchs were off somewhere private to have yet another meeting -- as if they were ever successful at it. The tom had overheard some warriors talking about the tribes splitting up, an Orcapaw thought that was absurd. How could they survive without the other tribes? He shivered at the thought of being left vulnerable without the mighty Tribe Ignis, literally lost without Caelum (or caught in a storm), and in danger of illness without Viridis. All the tribes depended on one another for survival; surely, they wouldn't part ways? Oh, and how horrifying it would be to leave his beloved Wing behind! Perhaps Tribe Caelum would accept him into their ranks; he could teach them how to really hunt...and Wing would be so impressed, too.

Orcapaw snatched up his mouse and began plowing through the tall golden grasslands back to the cliffside where they were camped at. He technically wasn't supposed to be out on his own, but he'd been up early and didn't want to wait for a warrior to wake up an take him out on a hunt. I'm nearly a warrior, anyway!

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𝚏𝚊𝚠𝚗 𝚋𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚠𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛𝚗 ─ 42 moons ─ [ fôn ] xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
𝖰𝖴𝖤𝖤𝖭 𝖮𝖥 𝖳𝖱𝖨𝖡𝖤 𝖵𝖨𝖱𝖨𝖣𝖨𝖲. a silver-tan torbie feline with vivid blue eyes (they/them)
location: camp nursery ; tags: queens ; adderkit
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Fawn passed their tongue once more over Adderkit's ears before releasing the kit from their firm grip. "All done," they purred. "Don't wander too far now, we don't want you getting lost." Stretching out in their nest, the queen's gaze flickered to their denmates. It was strange, being thrown into a den with these cats -- their clanmates, yes, but not ones they'd ever thought they'd be spending so much time around. After a moment they rose to their paws and arched their back in a stretch. It was time they got out for some fresh air. It was too easy to stay cooped up in the nursery where it was safe from the biting leaf-fall winds, but Fawn could never stay put for too long and was starting to feel restless.

They blinked against the sunlight and yawned, surveying the camp. Most of the Clan was off doing their duties, leaving the clearing scarce and peaceful. Fawn flexed their claws in and out of the cold, dusty earth, then turned to Adderkit before she could scamper off. "Why don't you help me look for herbs? You'll be apprenticed soon, best to get a head start, no?" As they waited for their kit to respond, apprehension gnawed at their belly. DriftClan was supposed to be safe across the mountains by now. What would happen to them if they stayed here? What if they tried to find somewhere better but only ended up somewhere worse? Fawn trusted Tribe Caelum to lead them safely from place to place, but this was far different than letting the winds guide their paws wherever they pleased.

My gallery · by **Laetificat** » Fri Jun 11, 2021 5:05 pm

Frost That Shimmers In Light - Tags: Other Matriarchs
Since Spark of New Flame had given birth- no, since it was announced that Otter was expecting again, Frost had been extremely stressed. It was one thing for a cat from outside your tribe to give birth - the kits were old enough to be carried across the mountains in her opinion - but entirely another for a cat from your own tribe, let alone your sister to be close to giving birth. Otter still had a moon left, thank the ancestors, but if they waited any longer they may be stuck permanently. "I agree that we must move somewhere better, but where? While my warriors can hunt in even the sparsest territory, there's no guarantee that we can find enough for everyone. I say we cross the mountains before the worst of the white-season sets in. The kits are old enough to be carried and with your tribe at the head, there's no way we can't make it," Frost said fervently, tail lashing. "No matter what, we must make this decision now. We already have another queen expecting and cannot wait any longer!"

Otter That Swims At Dusk - Tags: Open
Otter lay in the warmth of the nursery, lightly dozing. It had been a few sunrises since she had been told that she was expecting, which definitely explained why her balance had been off lately. Frost had taken the news poorly of course, but had ushered her into the nursery at once. Sky Walker loved kits though, so she hadn't been too worried about his reaction. She yawned and shifted deeper into her nest, longing for the added warmth of her mate by her side.

Light Cloud - Tags: Dark Sky, Open
She sat with her brother, watching the clouds as if for a sign. After all, she had to practice reading them for when she became her tribe's matriarch. Maybe more... No. Focus on one thing at a time. "The weather is getting colder," she commented to her brother. "Hopefully Quiet Night settles things with the other matriarchs. We can't wait much longer here with how exposed we are." If Light Cloud were matriarch, she'd read the signs to see where their ancestors wanted them to settle. But she wasn't. It stung, but she figured it wouldn't be too long until her time came.

Dark Sky - Tags: Light Cloud, Open
He shivered as a brisk breeze swept through his thick fur, further cementing his sister's words that the weather was getting colder. "Yea, you're right. There could be a landslide, or a coyote attack. They wake me up at night sometimes and if it wasn't for the Ignis tribe, I'd be too worried to sleep. Maybe our ancestors will send Quiet Night a sign on what to do? Surely they can't keep silent when we're in such danger," Dark Sky murmured, tucking his paws beneath his body to try and warm them up. Quiet Night was their kin - he trusted her just that much more due to it. She wouldn't let ruin befall their clan.