Snow Leopard

***PAGE WILL BE EDITED TOMORROW. Please don't touch before Victory can edit, as she has a specific plan in mind for this species.***

**Snow leopards**, also known as **ounces**, are a species living in Cold Cattia, which are a personal favorite of VictoriousQueen88 and were developed by her. One does not need permission to create a snow leopard character.

Snow leopards are based on the real-life species of the same name, though with some notable differences, including the magical powers of iceborn and their sentience. They, like cold cats, cold lions, white tigers, and any others I've missed, are just one of the many feline species living in the diverse Cold Cattia.

## Description

Snow leopards are smaller than most big cats, averaging at twenty-four inches in height at the shoulder and four to five feet long from head to tail. The tail is about thirty-six inches of this length. On average, snow leopards weigh between sixty and one hundred twenty pounds.

Their thick fur ranges from whitish to medium gray, with black rosette spots on the coat. Smaller spots cover the head and neck. Their underbellies are white or very light, whitish gray, and their eyes are green or gray in color, although other colors, such as blue, yellow, or even pale purple, have been documented. Their muzzles are short, and their foreheads domed. Their bodies are stocky, short-legged, and, as mentioned before, slightly smaller than other large felines.

Snow leopards show several adaptations for living in a cold, mountainous environment. Their small, rounded ears help to minimize heat loss, and their broad paws well distribute body weight for walking on snow (and they have fur on their undersides to increase the grip on steep and unstable surfaces; it also helps to minimize heat loss). Their long and flexible tails help to maintain balance in the rocky terrain. The tail is also very thick due to fat storage, and is very thickly covered with fur, which allows the cats to use it like a blanket to protect their faces when asleep.

Most snow leopards, due to them having a militaristic society, are well-muscled and have scars, although not everyone in this species agrees with that standpoint, and thus, not all of them have scars/are muscled.

## Society

(The snow leopards’ culture is based very mildly on that of ancient Scandinavians (more commonly known as Vikings), though much of their society is original.)

Snow leopards are a very militaristic society, who place great importance on their militia and take pride in their ability to quickly win battles. While they are not the most populous species in Cold Cattia, they are one of the most respected, although some find their common behavior to be all too brutal. This is incorrect, as snow leopards are *not* barbarians; they are simply very enthusiastic to fight for Cold Cat.

Generals, lieutenants, colonels, and other high-ranking members of the military are valued highly and respected by snow leopards of all ages, although none will outrank the highest Brass, Cold Cat.

Not all snow leopards fight in the military, however. Although being in the army is the most common and most respected job, many other snow leopards become medics, authors, teachers, and builders. Less common jobs include dancers, actors, and servants for Cold Cat. This is, by no means, a full list of jobs.

Cubs are trained to defend themselves from a young age, and young snow leopards will often play-fight during recess in the schoolyard of the many schools littering Cold Cattia. However, younger snow leopards may play rougher, which is why all cubs are taught basic medical procedures by their parents and teachers. As the cubs grow older, their medical knowledge grows, and snow leopards are the unlikely healers of Cold Cattia. (However, they’re not the best medics. That role is taken by the ice lizards.)

Romance is not a very common topic in snow leopard conversations, although they do have several customs for showing affection. One of the most popular is to catch a lemming for another, then place it directly in front of their paws and bow. This is an ancient tradition, meant to mean “I value you,” and it dates back from the first days of Cold Cattia, when food was scarce, and snow leopards only hunted for their family. Blinking slowly is a gesture that is universal to felines, meant to signify trust (due to the fact lowered vision would mean that the feline would trust the creature they’re blinking at, as the cat couldn’t see very well). A popular practice for proposing is for a snow leopard to bow before their significant other, state the reasons they love this cold creature, say, “May Cold Cat bless you. May Cold Cat bless *us*,” and ask if their significant other will marry them. If the significant other proposes at the same time, the two say the Cold Cat blessing phrase in unison.

Although most snow leopards don’t wear very much jewelry, war medals are highly valued in the community, and if a leopard has one, they will wear it everywhere they go. Pendants with metal in the shape of snowflakes, Cold Cat’s paw, icicles, frozen raindrops, and other Cold Cattian symbols are worn commonly by soldiers. As they are very adapted to the cold, they don’t often wear scarves or shawls. Iceborn often use diamonds and crystals to create intricate crowns and tiaras, partially for fashion, partially to warn others about the danger they pose if provoked.

Snow leopards are just one species that is part of the fighting force of Cold Cattia, and yet they are often one of the most dangerous waves for the Hot Cats in battle. In spite of their size, they often arrange very smart, very lethal battle plans designed to either kill as many enemy warriors as possible or to capture the leader of the enemy’s side, possibly both. Before battle, they will gather in small groups to pray to Cold Cat and ask for her blessing. They then tilt their heads back and screech a wailing, haunting battle cry, which is meant to strike fear into the hearts of the enemies. They charge and fight fiercely, teaming up into duos to bring down a larger foe in a dangerous frenzy known as Savage Mode, in which they will claw, kick, and even bite to bring their rivals to their knees. Snow leopards have no mercy, and will fight until their enemy waves the white flag or they are called back.

Snow leopards have a strong alliance with polar bears (see *Relationships*), and they have a bartering system. Typically, polar bears will create suits of their famous ultra-strong armor for the snow leopards, and in return, snow leopards will give polar bears some of the herbs they harvest and medical tools they create. It’s not uncommon to see a snow leopard and a polar bear walking together as allies in a large Cold Cattian city.

Iceborns are very dangerous on the battlefield. With their ability to freeze water droplets in the air and thus freeze other animals, they could kill an enemy in a split second while the poor creature watched, horrified, trapped within a cold, hard prison. Iceborns are trained relentlessly to gain control of their powers. They have a motto--“We are iceborn. We are legion. We are here for Cold Cat!”--which is cheered as they charge into battle. Special armor is created for iceborns, to keep them cold than normal. Some iceborn become messengers, as their ability to travel oceans by temporarily freezing the water beneath their paws allows for otherwise impossible journeys.

Many things can be said of snow leopards, but the most prominent is that they are very loyal to Cold Cat. They will charge into battle, possibly losing their lives in the name of their all-knowing queen. She is worshipped as a goddess, with several temples dedicated to her frequently visited by the snow leopards.

(@Timberdash: While I was exploring the wiki, I think I remember seeing that cursing was allowed if censored? If this paragraph isn’t allowed, I’ll remove it--thanks!) Although snow leopards don’t have much slang, a notable fact to remember is that words associated with heat (such as “blaze”, “flame”, and even “cinder”) are considered to be as bad as curse words. Heat words should never be said around cubs, although generals are famous for heat-swearing black and blue after battles, either enthusiastically after a victory or coldly after a defeat. Saying the word “fire” is equivalent to “dropping the f-bomb” in real life, and many other fiery words (“firecracker”, “firework”) are equal to variations of a certain curse word starting with the letter *f*. To call someone a firecracker is to call them a m\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*; to say that someone is behaving like a firework is to say they’re acting like a dumb\*\*\*\*. Saying “What in blazes?!” is like saying “What the h\*\*\*?!” and claiming that somewhere is “going to blazes” is like saying somewhere is “going to…” and so on. Calling someone “cinders” is similar to calling someone a certain word beginning with s. A notable outlier is “flame”, which resembles the common f-bomb substitute “frick”. Older cubs will try to use this to seem cool in the schoolyard, though stern glares from teachers has made this less common.

Like (as VictoriousQueen88 assumes) all Cold Cattian species, snow leopards have no king or queen of their own. They are ruled by Cold Cat, and Cold Cat alone.

Snow leopards live in the more mountainous areas of Cold Cattia, and make their homes in caves, ravines, and other formerly dangerous places that have been fixed up by the leopards. A typical home for this feline has several rooms, lanterns hanging from the ceilings that provide light, and storage areas. An armory, where most of the weapons are stored, is a must-have in all houses.

### Relationships with Other Cold Cattians

Relationships to be finished when the other species are, although leopards most likely have a strong liking to polar bears.

## Diet

Snow leopards aren’t picky eaters and will eat whatever they can in hard times, although they commonly feast on oxen, lemmings, mice, and the occasional reindeer.

## Abilities

### Iceborn

Snow leopards, like white tigers, have iceborn, although it is much more common in snow leopards, with one out of every five leopards being iceborn. [info about iceborn goes here] Being iceborn is genetic.

The plural of “iceborn” is “iceborns”, although a snow leopard saying “I’m iceborn” is not incorrect; it’s similar to saying “I’m [insert race here]” or “I’m [insert gender here]” in humans (although being iceborn is having a power, not being a gender or race).

## Known Snow Leopards

* Mirror
* Name

## Trivia

* Snow leopards were developed by VictoriousQueen88.
	+ She got the idea of snow leopards cursing via fiery words from a meme about how someone kept cursing in ice cream flavors. Of course, she thought of this as she was about to fall asleep, and tried to remember it by associating her bedroom ceiling with snow leopard slang. Now, every time she looks up, she's reminded of angry leopards cursing. *Thanks, ideas.*
	+ They were the first species that she really got into, and her favorite.
* If a paragraph says the words "snow leopards" multiple times, it is acceptable to say "leopards", although snow leopards *are not* true leopards, and most hate being called such.

## Gallery

Art is welcome, and appreciated! VictoriousQueen88 would especially love a colorable snow leopard base.

Mirror, VictoriousQueen88's OC, is a prime example of a militaristic snow leopard.