Tribe Figures

## Claw That Falls From Tree (Mother Claw)

A long-furred, dusty calico she-cat with a thick, shaggy pelt, a fluffy tail, and light green eyes. As the Tribe's founder, Clove was born and raised in the lower parts of the mountains. Her family scattered after the deaths of one of her parents and several of her siblings turned the relations between the living sour, leaving them all to their own devices, and teaching Clove firsthand the immense difficulty of trying to survive alone in the mountains. In her young adulthood, she became mates with a tom, but this relationship soon became abusive when they found out that Clove could not have kits of her own. However, rather than break completely under the weight of loss and betrayal in her life, Clove left her mate and struck out for the peaks of the mountains, collecting cats who would soon become her Tribemates along the way. Her determination to create a better life for herself and for the cats that she took in is well-known and widely praised in stories of her. She was said to know every stone and crag of the mountain like the fur on her own pelt, and while she was fiercely protective of her own cats, she set the precedent for not marking the Tribe's borders or laying "claim" to any of the mountains, teaching the rest of the Tribe to respect the might and power of the mountains. She was said to be the strong, quiet type, but with a deep sense of compassion, allowing her to connect with her Tribemates and behave in a motherly manner towards them. Though she could never have kits of her own, she still became the Tribe's very first Mother, acting as an actual mother figure to many cats, and was greatly respected throughout her life.

## Adder That Strikes From Bush (Hunter Adder)

A slender, long-legged black she-cat with large ears, a pointed muzzle, and green eyes. Keen-eyed and austere, Adder was raised higher in the mountains than most other cats in the early days of the Tribe, brought up in a group of cats that ritualized combat with predators in the area, and the potential for subsequent death in combat. Adder herself was often the subject of criticism and ridicule due to her leaner build and lack of brute strength, and was eventually driven from the group under the assertion that she would bring bad luck to the group, and that her blood would weaken them. Her upbringing led to Adder being very serious and sharp-tongued, slow to trust and quick to scold. Though her mannerisms seemed aggressive and the training she endured earlier in her life might have made her a decent fighter, she was said to be abhorrent of battle, always fiercely advocating for nonviolent solutions to any problems that presented themselves to the Tribe. She is said to have been quite patient and kind as a teacher, especially for younger cats, in spite of typically being difficult to impress, and she is often credited as a mediator between other cats in the Tribe. Her preference for peace and quick reflexes landed her the title of the Tribe's first head prey-hunter, a title she carried with pride.

## Snow That Blankets Stone (Guard Stone)

A large, thick-furred white she-cat with silvery tabby markings on her legs, face, and tail, and round blue eyes. She was a relatively young cat when the Tribe began to take form, abandoned by her family after her mother's death due to being the only daughter, but she proved herself to be an invaluable member of the fledgling Tribe early on by defending others from predators and hostile cats that they encountered as they ascended towards the peak where the Tribe would soon make its home. Though large, strong, and good at fighting, Snow was always said to be a lighthearted and cheerful cat, never one to be in low spirits for long, and always willing to entertain casual conversation with others. She was believed to have an unshakeable optimism that guided her through even the toughest of battles, emerging victorious no matter what the odds simply through her faith that she could succeed. She was quick to jump to the defense of others, sometimes to the detriment of peaceful resolution, but she would step down if asked to do so by other authorities, and she is commonly thought to have been good at smoothing things over, even if she was the one at fault for ruffling fur in the first place. Her strength, skill in battle, and levelheaded and positive approach to conflict earned her the position as the first head cave-guard of the Tribe, despite her relatively young age.

## Smoke That Clouds Sky (Queen Smoke)

A long-furred, very dark brown, almost black, she-cat with pale yellow eyes. Due to the deaths of her parents, Smoke was mainly controlled by her brother for the first part of her life, having been taught to obey him, and was used as a bargaining chip to gain the allegiance of a few strong cats living by the base of the mountains when her brother's ambition and greed for land and prey began to grow. Rather than go along with his plan, however, she fled, ascending the mountains alone until she happened to bump into the Tribe in its fledgling stages. While initially wary and quiet, Smoke opened up under the care of the Tribe, showing herself to be a very kind and caring she-cat, motherly to those around her, particularly younger cats. She was always fiercely independent, and would unwaveringly demand the respect of those around her, even when she proved to not be suited to the job of a prey-hunter or cave-guard. She took on the role of an educator and nurturer instead, acclimating any and all new cats taken into the Tribe to the group's ways of life. She is said to have been kind and friendly, but unwilling to deal with disrespect from anyone, and stern in any punishments that she would dole out to those under her care and authority. She was deeply fascinated with and respectful towards nature, and is commonly depicted in stories as closely attending to the Star Blossoms, Sky Bursts, and Blue Shines that grow nearby the Tribe. Her kind, motherly nature and talent for education led to her becoming the first head kit-mother of the Tribe.

## Oak With Deep Roots (Branch Oak)

A large, long-furred brown marbled tabby tom with yellow eyes. He was the first tom to be born into the Tribe, the only kit in his litter, and Smoke's only son. He was a bright and curious young tom from the moment he was born, despite some initial unease that surrounded his birth in the Tribe that had, until that point, been wholly composed of she-cats. His attentive nature led him to be very connected with the mountains, and especially with the plants that grew there, even learning some of his knowledge of herbs from Mother Clove herself. Though he was widely welcomed by the Tribe, Oak was aware early on that most if not all of the she-cats who made the Tribe their home had had poor experiences with toms in the past; his connection with plants and the mountains drew him to the Mist Petals, and stories say that he had a spiritual awakening, leading him to volunteer himself to be a teacher and mentor to any other toms who were born into the Tribe, whether they were pure of heart through the Mist Petal spiritual test, or not. He established himself in a separate cave from the Tribe, which later became known as the Cave of Deep Roots, after Oak himself. Oak is often described as the perfect Branch in stories: kind, patient, intelligent, selfless, and endlessly hardworking. He was said to be able to find beauty in everything, and was always diligent in training and caring for the other toms born into the Tribe after him. His actions established him as the first Head Branch of the Tribe.