
The "best" spots are typically mistaken as being the best, purely because so many cats enjoy hunting within them. The word "favorite" spots may be better for the cats of the Heart of Decay. And the best spot to them is, of course, the flourishing river! This river has plenty of fish and other aquatic creatures, making hunting far easier here than anywhere else on the territory. Because the river is away from human life, there is no trash in the water. Paired with minimal pollution, and the fact that most cats opt to groom themselves rather than bathe, makes this an amazing spot for fish to grow and thrive.
However, if the cats aren't considering the vast amounts of fish within the river, the second best place to hunt would definitely be by climbing the trees. The Heart of Decay has an abundance of birds as well, and as a result, a ton of bird nests. These bird nests can have eggs, or unsuspecting birds resting within. It isn't so much hunting as it is just ambushing the innocent little feather bearers. Nonetheless, it keeps the clan fed. Within the tree tops, squirrels are also plentiful, typically burrowing mounds of nuts and other trinkets within.
There are actually quite a few predators in the Heart of Decay's territory! Since the forest is decently far from any humans, animals feel rather comfortable making their permanent home somewhere within the Heart of Decay's territory. With multiple caves, an immense amount of tall trees, and plentiful food, predators have plenty to work with. That's only enhanced by the presence of over 40 domestic cats, who are easy targets to steal from or even kill.
The most common type of predators is actually one that most view as innocent - deer! There is actually a decent amount of deer in the forest, and though many view them as harmless, their skittish nature is actually dangerous. If you're caught in the path of a deer fleeing from something, those dainty looking legs and hooves suddenly aren't so harmless anymore. Since deer are the jumpiest creatures in existence, cats of the Heart of Decay are actually trained to be hyper aware of their surroundings, and know to leap out of the way when they hear galloping.
Another common predator are big birds, such as falcons and hawks. Though these are less of a threat due to the amount of trees in the forest, and their large leaves blocking most of the cats out of their view, there is one area where these cats are easy pickings for the birds, and that's in the large field just outside the forest, towards the mountains. Whenever a cat wanders through here, any large birds in the skies can see them without an issue; the risk of being taken off the ground and soared into the air is much higher in this area.
Then you have your typical smaller, four legged foes - foxes, badgers, and surprisingly... raccoons! Foxes are far more common than the other two, but there's been more than one instance of these creatures curiously waltzing into the camp. Of course, 40 cats against one is an easy enough fight, but if a cat is caught off guard by one of these, it can prove a lot more troublesome. Then there's the biggest one of all - bears. Bears are the most elusive of the creatures, but when a bear is spotted, cats are urged to quickly turn back where they came from.
Bears are actually the only predator that the Heart of Decay allows to have any claim over their territory - they actually take priority! There's one cave that cats are forbidden from going to since bears have made it their main home. And no one messes with a mama bear.
The predators that call the Heart of Decay's forest home stay the same year round; the only things that change are how frequently they see each one, and how active they are.
Winter is the month where predators are effected most. For starters, all the birds will migrate elsewhere to somewhere warmer, and with more prey. That eliminates the hawk and falcon threats in the open field; which is a good thing, because the Heart of Decay needs to be able to traverse every inch of their territory to find food or herbs without fear of fighting an avian foe.
Though badgers and raccoons don't hibernate in the winter, their activity does rapidly decrease. They prefer to stay within dens and slow their metabolism, so they don't have to go out and hunt as often. Bears, however, will spend the month prior to winter hunting for food and stockpiling it, before staying within their cave for the winter season. This is the only time the cats can actually get close to the cave and look at the bears within, if they're curious enough. Most cats wouldn't dare though.
The only predators that are consistent problems during the winter months are the fox and the deer. The fox's activity, though slightly less, is still noticeable. Foxes actually grow a thicker coat in preparation for the winter, so that they can hunt and forage as normal. Many cats are advised to avoid any spots they frequent, due to their more hungry nature. Deer adapt similarly, but not because they want to be awake - deer actually can't hibernate due to their build! They can't store enough fat to hibernate. [something I found out while writing this prompt!]
Unfortunately for the animals of the forest, the Heart of Decay is eager to bring back any and all resources. As a result, there aren't many species in the forest that are considered "neutral". Some of the cats will eat bugs, bird eggs, among other unconventional things. The thing that matters most to those of the Heart of Decay is ensuring they have enough resources to help other clans in their times of need.
However, there are a few species that the Heart of Decay will go out of their way to avoid harming. One of the most surprisingly examples are Snakes. This is because Vex, one of the members of the Heart of Decay, has a pet snake who can communicate with both cats and other animals through telepathic means. Because of this, Vex has made sure cats do not go out of their way to harm snakes, and let them live in the forest peacefully. There are actually a couple cats in the Heart of Decay with pet snakes, with Floss, Baby's sister, being one of them.
Another example is butterflies. Butterflies aren't necessarily spared just because the Heart of Decay can't kill them, it's because to the cats, they're really pretty. The array of colors they come in and their fluttering about the scenery makes the forest feel more alive than it ever would without. A butterfly's beauty is worth preserving more than filling one's appetite.
Due to the GREEDY - I mean, considerate nature of the Heart of Decay, they don't have many neutral parties. However, the two that they do have, the butterflies and snakes, are around for most of the year.
Snakes are plentiful in the forest - there's plenty of water and small prey for the snakes to feed off of. In fact, most snakes of the forest are relatively plump! However, the snake population drastically dwindles whenever winter begins. Snakes of the forest actually hibernate, and take cover under a variety of things. These can be cold stones along the rivers edge, or burrows made into the side of trees. Anything and any place where they can keep themselves away from the cold snow is good enough for the snakes.
Butterflies, however, are a little more complicated. Butterflies, being insects, don't technically hibernate. For butterflies in the larvae or caterpillar stages, they will typically just cocoon themselves and not blossom into beautfiul, vibrant flying insects until after the cold season passes. For butterflies that already exist, most of them will just flutter elsewhere in search of warmer conditions. Most of them make their way to the twoleg city, and hide around or within twolegs homes, or any where with a source of heat, like fire or light bulbs.
As far as plants that naturally appear in the forest, without the intervention of any humans with their pesky pesticides, the forest has plenty of flowers. This includes daisies, roses, lavender, roses, borage, bright-eye, among plenty of other common herbs. Due to no human intervention, the forest does have quite a few weeds, which the Scavengers will harvest to act as a backup binding agent in the event they can't find cobwebs to patch their wounds.
Another plant that is surprisingly abundant in the forest, for whatever reason, is mint. Some believe that a cat in the past was obsessed with the scent, and grew an abundance of it. However, the mint is scattered throughout the forest, making cats believe it could also just be naturally growing. Mint is one of the clan's favorite scents as a whole, and used heavily throughout the graveyard to ensure it never smells poorly.
As far as fungi goes, there's only one type that the cats of the Heart of Decay have actually seen - and those are oyster mushrooms! They grow on the side of most of the trees, and the clan's local cook, Coco, absolutely loves to harvest these mushrooms and experiment with them. Being a plant that is safe to consume definitely helps their popularity. However, they CAN get in the way when trying to scale trees, so Scavengers are encouraged to harvest them and bring them back to the clan whenever possible.
There are a few herbs that are plentiful throughout the territory! Most of these are plentiful because they grow along water, and with the Heart of Decay's forest having a river that claws through the entire length of it, these herbs can be found just about everywhere in the territory.
The most prominent herb is fennel. Visually, it looks like a series of thin leaves with small, barely discernable yellow flowers scattered throughout. The herb itself isn't too useful, having the niche purpose of relieving hip pain, but there is plenty of it to be found. Another herb that is extremely plentiful, and actually quite useful, is Feverfew.
This herb, being donned with dark green leaves beneath yellow and white flowers, is great for treating cats with fevers, as well as addressing aches throughout the body; particularly headaches. Cats of the clan often need this herb in times of stress or immense hardship, especially during the winter and spring seasons.
Another type of herb that's present abundantly are poppy seeds! Shaken from dried poppy flowers, these seeds are used to ease shock or distress, or even help a cat sleep in some cases. These are actually important given current events in my lore, and for the first time in a while, the supply of them has dwindled.
Any herbs that aren't plentiful in the Heart of Decay's territory aren't relied on - in the absolute worst case scenarios, Lily, the mage, will try to conjure something with magic or unconventional items.
There are a couple of herbs or plants within the Heart of Decay's territory that are considered dangerous, or at the very least unpleasant to interact with. One of these things are what the clan calls "spike balls". These things are not very common, but often wind up on the floor of the forest. If a cat steps on one of these, the thistles burrow into the paw, and it can hurt quite a bit. In some instances, if a cat is running when they step on one of these, scars can potentially form right on the paw pad, which is painful.
Another dangerous plant is the Deadly Nightshade. This plant is mostly dangerous to kits. Little black or blue berries that look enticing dapple the leaves of these plants, and while they look harmless, they are poison, and can be lethal in the right dosage for both kits and the frail old cats. Because of this, cats are encouraged to avoid eating berries unless they have been brought back to the camp by Scavengers, whom have learned what each herb and crop of the forest looks like. This is to ensure no one accidentally gets poisoned, while also ensuring the camp doesn't have any herbs that could be used in... less than desirable ways.
One resource that's abundant in the Heart of Decay that isn't a plant or an herb is actually something great for building - and that's the resource of Clay! Clay can be molded into a variety of things, and with talented paws in the clan, it's a resource that is heavily used.
For example, Clay is used to make bedframes for cats to place their moss beds atop, so that they don't have to be right against the cold ground. It's also used to craft things that the cats need based on their tasks. Kit, the farmer, actually has a watering can for her crops made out of clay.
Mink, the cat of the clan who likes to build structures, uses clay quite a bit. Clay is often paired with decorative paints made by crushing the berries found throughout the forest, and mixing them with water. A lot of cats actually dabble in playing with paint in their free time. Because Mink is one of the only cats who actually knows how to use clay to build new things, he enjoys showing off his talent and ideas to others. He is always looking for more practical ways to utilize his talents. Pop helps him, but she mostly just crafts accessories like bracelets and necklaces out of the clay he gathers and molds.
The Heart of Decay really tries to limit how much stuff it wastes - however, on that side of things, they unintentionally hoard things. This "don't waste anything" mentality is actually why the Scavenger's den is in such disarray and almost overflowing. This is because the Heart of Decay always donates their excess supplies to those who need them. As a result of this constant kindness, the clan is always afraid of running out, despite that never happening! However, the cats are aware that sometimes, things need to be thrown out... They have a couple creative ways of disposing junk.
For starters, Baby is excellent at finding fun ways to utilize unused supplies. If anything is about to be trashed, Baby will sift through it, and take out what she wants for future fun. This honestly eliminates MOST of the waste, as she is playing pranks and jokes nearly daily, but there is still enough to need more than one method of clean up.
Another way the cats of the clan maintain their territory is by actually picking up any trash, and putting it into anything the scavengers have brought home that can carry stuff [i.e. baskets or plastic bags]. Once a moon, a patrol of scavengers is tasked with taking these things full of stuff to the twoleg city, and properly discarding them in a dumpster. The only reason they know these dumpsters exist is because of kittypets who have wandered through. No, I do NOT know how these cats open dumpsters. I think they're open constantly for the sake of this.
Animal bones are actually saved for two different cats of the clan - Sage, for her fortune telling, and Coco, for her cooking. Coco will boil the bones with water and turn it into bone broth, which is then used to enhance the flavor of any crops that she grows. The addition of broth also keeps cats fuller for longer, stretching their food in times of need.
Then, there's Ray! Ray absolutely loves fire, and will start controlled fires to burn anything not of use. He'll start the fire, and let cats chuck in whatever they want to be rid of. Of course, this is a little dangerous, and the clan always has several buckets of water nearby incase things go wrong.
The role name, "Scavengers" should actually be something like "Hoarders" or "Foragers". These cats bring back anything and everything to the camp that they believe may prove useful someday. The things these Scavengers bring back to the clan can range to things as small as stones and feathers to things as large as blankets from the two-leg city nearby. Because the Scavengers were bringing back so many things, the clan actually have to make a designated "Storage Den" for all these things.
This den is, by far, the largest in the entire camp. It's the only den made atop the cliffside, burrowed into a large oak tree. Inside of the den, there are makeshift tables, made out of old buckets or plastic containers that the scavengers ALSO stole from the city nearby. This den houses everything the scavengers find that isn't herbs or fresh kill. Just to name some of the things found in this den...
- Anything of interest from twolegs; this can include things like baskets, blankets, and one time, a patrol of scavengers actually rolled a whole shopping cart back here. Don't ask how they got that one back to the clan in one piece...
- Anything that can be used to store water. This is particularly important for the winter and spring seasons, when the river becomes inaccessible. This includes water bottles, buckets, and bowls.
- Packaged twoleg food that doesn't belong in the fresh kill pile. This can include things like chocolate bars, eggs [much to everyone's dismay, these are one of Baby's favorite weapons], canned food, among other things.
This den is atop the cliffside because it has YEARS of work within. The leader, Hope, didn't want to risk the Scavengers findings inevitably being spoiled when spring came, and opted to make a den atop the cliffside, where its' safer.
The Heart of Decay cats, overall, feel great about the location of their clan! A lot of the cats in the Heart of Decay came from a background of trials, or a different life entirely. Whether that be struggling to eat, or being bored of the pampered kittypet life, the Heart of Decay's location is optimal for both loners looking for purpose or kittypets looking for adventure. The Heart of Decay's territory was selected to ensure that cats could leisure and feel safe, while also still being able to fulfill their duties without it feeling too much like a chore. That second reason is actually a huge reason as to why Envy picked the location in the first place.
It had everything she wished for as a kit. A place to adventure, a place to escape it all, and a place to hide from those who would wish her hurt like her father. Of course, some cats wish it was even further away from the twoleg city nearby, while the Scavengers are grateful to have such an array of resources to find and pillage for themselves.
Following Envy and Onyx disappearing, the general feeling of the clan is that they are very attached to the territory. This was Envy's dream, for her family to live safely within the heart of a forest. They, as a whole, are very attached to the space. They couldn't imagine relocating, because one question lingers in their mind - what if Envy comes back some day?
When Envy fought her father for control of the fighting ring, she opted to disband it, and instead start a new life with her then mate and an adopted kit, Howl. When her mate, Rose, and she left the city, they wandered for several days until they found the forest. In particular, the two of them had found themselves atop the cliffside, and watched as the sun breathed a beautiful array of oranges, purples, and pinks to life within the horizon. The view was enthralling, and a peaceful sight for the excited Rose, and the bloodied, but equally as excited Envy.
This territory is all the Heart of Decay has ever known. Though their claims around the territory have evolved over time, the camp beneath the cliffside is what the cats of the Heart have always called home. None of the cats currently could ever fathom leaving it - why leave a place with both so much peace and so much beauty? The Heart of Decay has everything a budding warrior could ever want - easy water, shelter from any cats with bad intentions or the harshest of winters, thanks to the large trees and their sturdy leaves. The territory is perfect in everyway for their needs, and has been from Day One.
The only instance of the territory being changed due an event would be the revelation that the river floods during the Spring. This was something that was unknown to Envy. In fact, the first time the river flooding ever happened, a couple of cats were swept away entirely. Fortunately, they made their way back to the clan in one piece, but had there been any younger cats unsupervised, it could've been a very different story.
Over time, the flooding of the river has actually claimed some of the dirt, very slightly making the river larger as each spring goes past. The camp as a whole may eventually have to be relocated, but for now, it's such a minimal difference each year that it doesn't make too much of a difference. There was one very close call with a fire, where a twoleg had ventured out into the field near the Heart of Decay to set off a firework, which set a tree ablaze; the tree ultimately had to be chopped down, which while that may seem small to anyone whose not in the Heart of Decay, the tree that got burnt was actually the one they marked on their border patrols towards the field everyday!
The fire was promptly put out, and after that, twolegs were actually forbidden from setting off fireworks anywhere near the Heart of Decay's forest. That was the first and only instance Envy has seen a twoleg get close to the forest, and it was enough for her to be wary and make sure cats report if they see anything out of the ordinary.
When the Heart of Decay was first founded, they had intended to only call the forest and the river within their own. With how vast the forest was, and how plentiful the prey and herbs were, the cats didn't think they would ever need anything else. And this has mostly stayed true - at least as far as border patrols to mark their territory goes.
However, when a clan is maintaining the livelihood of 40+ cats, on top of assisting other clans in their hour of need for minimal or nothing at all in return, that fantasy is quickly squashed out. As a result, the Heart of Decay has gradually claimed other places nearby. Not through war, violence, or intimidation, but rather through earning the respect of all the neighboring clans, rogue packs, and loners throughout their land. Cats around their forest know the Heart of Decay is ready to help, so long as you genuinely need it - they don't mind letting the Heart do their job most of the time.
As time went on, the Heart of Decay unintentionally lay dominance and claim to all the scraps found within the twoleg city nearby. In fact, rogues and loners actually sometimes help gather stuff whenever a Scavenger patrol comes through, just to save them time. It makes kittypets think the Heart of Decay are some badass mafia, but really, they're big teddy bears who just want to help where they can, and repurpose what everyone else calls trash.
★ 







★ 
Users browsing this forum: Fleckihund, Racetrack, ⚝Ludikit⚝ and 29 guests