A/N: So, I felt inspired awhile ago. I decided to create The Great Plain's Tribes! These tribes take place in the days of Native Americans! Little notes here and there, these are not your average cats, they are much larger, like Lynx size or slightly larger! I'll post the Tribe's Law down below the alliances, which is sort of the "Warrior Code" for this day!
Also, I just wanted to say, on my forum, I posted a topic for naming these cats, so not ALL of these cats are mine. I owe them to my creative friends here on FFN. So thank you all who contributed!
So everyone, let's meet our first Tribe and our main character now!
Prologue: An Odd Sight
At first, everything was blurry and fuzzy. She blinked her eyes several times before her vision became clear. From that moment on, her eyes never blinked again. The large smokey blue spheres of a young kit looked around and landed on another blue-eyed kit. He stared right at her. He was large with grey fur and darker, jagged stripes. He looked at her with caution. She stared at him with the mirror expression, then gave a soft smile at him. He edged closer and sniffed her carefully. "Oh! It's you, Eagle Cry!" He squeaked happily.
She cocked her head. That's right! Her name was Eagle Cry, her mother gave her the name when she was born. And what was her brothers name? That's right, his name was Roaring Puma, and this was the kit that spoke to her. "Roaring Puma? I didn't know you'd be so big!" She exclaimed as she inclined back on her haunches clumsily.
He crinkled his nose up when she batted him in the face with her clumsy paw. "Yeah, I didn't know you'd be so small and clumsy," he laughed as he pushed her over with ease.
"Now, Roaring Puma, don't be mean to your sister," a soft voice meowed.
Eagle Cry turned her muzzle around to stare at a much larger cat. She was gorgeous. She had long hair of many different shades and colors. The brightness of the sun made her squint. The beams blasted from behind her mother. "I'm sorry Dancing Lilly," Roaring Puma meowed as he lowered his head.
"Don't apologize to me, apologize to your sister!" Dancing Lilly instructed.
Her large blue eyes glistened with love as they landed on Eagle Cry. Her brother looked at her with genuine kit-blue eyes. "I'm sorry, Eagle Cry," he meowed as he sniffed her and helped her up.
"It's okay!" She replied as her tail flew through the air.
Her ears twitched with interest as her gaze locked on her tail. She leaped after it, but it just moved with her. She cocked her head and chased it some more. Eventually, she was running in circles. Once she stopped the nursery kept spinning, making her legs wobble. "Be careful, young one," a cat stated as she used a large, strong paw to stabilize Eagle Cry.
"Who are you?" She ask the she-cat that spoke to her.
Soon, her vision cleared once more and she stared at a battle-scarred ginger she-cat. She had a torn ear and a claw scar just above her eye. "My name is Red Sunshine, and this is Burning Oak, my son and future guard," she meowed with prideful eyes landing on the huge dark brown tabby.
This tom was easily twice the size of Roaring Puma. "Woah," Eagle Cry gasped as the large tom padded toward her.
His eyes were a brilliant shade of amber. "What color are my eyes, Dancing Lilly?" She asked as she turned to stare at her mother with round kit-blue eyes.
A deep rumble echoed in Dancing Lilly's chest as she spoke, "They're blue - for now, they'll change when you get older, you're still too young to tell."
Eagle Cry scuffled the ground with her paw. "Oh," she stated, obviously disappointed.
"Don't worry, Eagle Cry! From where I'm sitting, you'll have gorgeous eyes," Red Sunshine meowed as she looked from Dancing Lilly to her.
Eagle Cry felt her tail curl over her back with delight. She saw Burning Oak lift his head and stared out of an opening in the large nursery. "Can I go out, Red Sunshine? I've been awfully good today! And Crashing Wave was supposed to show me the swift paw attack!" He asked with pure excitement.
"You're not seven moons old yet, Burning Oak. Crashing Wave cannot teach you a single move until you reach that age, understand? However, I will go out with you. Some warmth from the sun would be delightful," she remarked just as she stood and urged the dark brown tom forward. "Coming, Dancing Lilly? It would give Eagle Cry and Roaring Puma a good look of the camp."
Eagle Cry looked at her mother pleadingly. She wanted to go out and see the camp! She wanted to explore! She felt curiosity burn deep in her chest as her mother thought for a moment. Her mother's blue eyes reflected with worry for her kits, but she reluctantly nodded, "We'll be out as soon as I'm finished grooming them. Night Gazer will want to see and approve their duties."
Red Sunshine nodded in understanding, "Don't take too long, you know this is her basking time as well."
Eagle Cry watched the dark ginger she-cat pad out of the nursery with her son, Burning Oak. The little kit cocked her head and padded toward her mother. "What's grooming?" She asked as she settled down in front of her mother.
"You won't like it, when you're older at least," she purred as she grabbed Eagle Cry by her scruff with her teeth.
It didn't hurt, but when she landed on the ground, she felt her mothers tongue comb through her pelt. A rumbling sound echoed deep in her chest as happiness shook through her body. "That looks gross," Roaring Puma meowed with a curl of his lip.
"It feels relaxing!" Eagle Cry purred as she felt her paws knead the ground.
Her claws extended and dug marks into the dirt until her mother had finished with a final lick over the fur on her forehead. "There you go! Now your fur is flawless," Dancing Lilly meowed just before she lifted Roaring Puma and began to groom him.
Eagle Cry saw her brothers fur begin to turn glossy and fluffy again. He looked polished and clean. Then it made her wonder, what color is my pelt? She turned her head and saw the brilliant shades of orange, black, and white all over her pelt. She looked at her mother then squeaked, "We have the same pelt color, Dancing Lilly!"
Her mother looked up immediately then purred with delight. "I know, dear. Yours is much brighter since you're much, much younger than me," Dancing Lilly purred.
Eagle Cry saw Roaring Puma stand and pad to her. "Come on! Let's go, Dancing Lilly," he exclaimed as his fur fluffed up.
Their mother rolled her blue eyes as she stood and padded out the opening in the nursery followed by Roaring Puma. Eagle Cry leaped with joy then padded after them. The sun blazed into a grassy clearing. Flat stones laid on too of each other where Eagle Cry saw Red Sunshine and Burning Oak. The dark ginger she-cat laid in the sun and talked to a dusty brown she-cat, who laid beside her. Burning Oak laid at his mothers belly with amber eyes full of boredom. Eagle Cry flicked her ear and called, "Red Sunshine, we're all clean!"
Dancing Lilly placed her tail over her daughters mouth. Her eyes were wide as she looked around apologetically. "You mustn't speak out, unless you're spoken to. You don't have a cast yet, when you have a cast, that's when you may speak," Dancing Lilly scolded.
Eagle Cry flattened her ears against her head and looked at her mother. "I'm sorry, what is a cast?" She asked curiously.
Her mother began padding toward the flat stones and meowed, "It's when Night Gazer decides your duties to the Tribe."
"Oh, can I apologize to her?" She asked as they padded onto the stones.
"No, I will for today," she meowed then looked at the dusty she-cat and dipped her head. "Greetings Night Gazer, I do apologize for Eagle Cry's sudden outburst. It is my fault, I didn't explain the casting first."
The dusty she-cat opened an eye to reveal gorgeous green eyes. "That's alright, Dancing Lilly. All kits do it," she purred then looked at the kits in awe. "I see the tom has a strong build like his father, as for Eagle Cry, she has the leanness of a Hunter, but broad shoulders like a Guard, her cast will be difficult to make out," she meowed with careful looks at both kits.
Eagle Cry noticed that Dancing Lilly laid down beside Red Sunshine and Night Gazer and began to talk. She turned her attention toward the camp. Several cats padded around the camp, all were several different colors. Some bright, some dull, and even some were glittering! Eagle Cry turned to her mother and prodded her with a paw. "What is it, Eagle Cry?" Her mother asked as she looked at her daughter.
"I didn't know the Tribe was so large!" She gasped as she returned her gaze to the several cats that padded in the camp.
Her mother looked at the camp then back at her in utter confusion. "I'm sure it'll be even bigger when Running Storm's patrol returns," her mother meowed hesitantly.
She flicked an ear. Her mother was acting strange. Just as she laid down, a huge patrol returned, but they carried a body of a cat in with them. Night Gazer stood, alert, and with her tail high. Red Sunshine and Dancing Lilly joined her. "What happened?" The dusty she-cat meowed as she leaped off the stones.
A molten, dark grey tom with large golden eyes padded up to her. "A boulder was disturbed by a fawn we were hunting and killed Swaying Grass, I'm sorry, Night Gazer," he reported as he flattened his ears and lowered his head.
Dancing Lilly flicked her tail at the molten dark grey tom. "That's your father, Running Storm. He's Tribe deputy, and is Night Gazer's successor," her mother meowed with love and pride.
She nodded at her mother, but returned her gaze at the dead cat. Eagle Cry cocked her head when a young, lean brown tom gently laid the she-cat down on the ground. He lowered his head and hunched his shoulders. Night Gazer padded toward the dead cat and lowered her head and licked she-cat's grey fur. "My sister served this Tribe well, may she be welcomed into Streaming Star Tribe," she meowed then looked at the young tom. "Painted Skies, your mother was a brave cat."
"I know she was, thank you, Night Gazer," the lean brown tom murmured as he flattened his ears against his head.
Eagle Cry flicked her ears when a dull-pelted grey cat padded up to Painted Skies and padded around him with her ears pinned to her head and her green eyes wide with sorrow. "Dancing Lilly, who is that grey cat walking around Painted Skies? She looks awfully sad," she asked out of curiosity.
Dancing Lilly looked at Painted Sky's and stiffened. The Tribe mates around him had padded away by now, but Eagle Cry saw the she-cat sit beside the tom and leaned against him. "There is no one there, Eagle Cry, are you feeling okay? Maybe I should take you to Clear Water," her mother meowed as she grabbed Eagle Cry by her scruff.
"No! I see the grey she-cat! She was circling around Painted Skies!" Eagle Cry wailed, and with that the grey she-cat snapped her gaze at Eagle Cry with shock.
Alliances:
The Tribe of Roaring Brook
Leader: Night Gazer- lean dusty brown she-cat with white bobtail and green eyes
Deputy: Running Storm - molten, long-furred dark grey tom with lighter tabby markings and ears; golden eyes
Healer: Clear Water - white tom with unusual pale grey markings and large, pale blue eyes
Hunters: Steeping Deer - leader of the hunters; stunning longhair jet black she-cat with striking clear, dark hazel eyes (Apprentice - Ivory Fawn)
Starry Sea - lovely longhaired pure white she-cat with pale aquamarine-green eyes
Lark Feather - lovely she-cat with stunning, pale silvery blue eyes
Moonlit Sky - beautiful snowy-white she-car with luminous purple-blue eyes and silvery white flecks
Leaping Deer - slender, short-haired dark brown she-cat with lifter patches and amber eyes
Arrow Feather - lean dark brown she-cat with thin tabby stripes and dark amber eyes
Painted Skies - lean dark brown tom with thin tabby stripes and mint green eyes
Guards: Leaping Sparks - leader of the guards; dark ginger tom with pale creamy stripes and blue eyes (Apprentice - Crashing Wave)
Dark Water - dark brown tom with black markings and amber eyes
Crooked Branch - light brown tabby tom with thick, jagged dark stripes and amber eyes
Charging Moose- thick, long-furred dark brown tom with white dash on cheat and deep, amber eyes
Short Pine - light brown tom with darker brown paws, tail-tip and belly; hazel eyes
Creeping Tiger - large tom with fiery pelt and darker stripes; golden eyes
Apprentices: Ivory Fawn - pretty fawn colored she-cat with ivory specks and ivory bobtail; light amber eyes (Training to be a hunter)
Crashing Wave - handsome, large golden tom with green eyes (Training to be a guard)
Queens: Red Sunshine - dark ginger she-cat with amber eyes (Mother to Dark Water's kit: Burning Oak - dark brown tabby tom with white paws and bright amber eyes) (One of the only she-cat guards)
Dancing Lily - beautiful long-haired tortoiseshell and white she-cat with large blue eyes (Mother to Running Storm's kits: Eagle Cry - beautiful, silky tortoiseshell and white she-cat with large unblinking golden eyes and Roaring Puma - large, handsome molten grey tom with jagged darker stripes and big blue eyes)
Elders: Swooping Dove - elderly white she-cat with hazel eyes; once hunter
Hunting Tigress - large dark gold and black stripped she-cat with amber eyes; once she-cat guard
Billowing Wind - large grey tom with white flecks and blind blue eyes
The Tribe Law
1) Leader must have been the apprentice of the previous leader, unless that deputy cannot go on to become leader due to illness or lameness - deputy will then train the lead guard of the Tribe to become the leader
2) Healers must never have any relationships or ties to other cats of their Tribe or any other - if one is caught, they must forfeit their duties
3) All apprentices must be trained to be a hunter/huntress or guard, depending on birth of parents and build
4) Any cat with a handicap will be forced to retire (i.e. blindness, no use of limbs, deaf, etc)
5) All kits must remain in camp until they reach the age of seven moons
6) All kits must wait to become an apprentice until they reach the age of seven moons
7) Hunters/Huntresses must all train to defend themselves and the Tribe if it is needed
8) Guards must learn how to hunt in case their is a shortage of hunters/huntresses
9) All Tribes meet in the days of "Silent Moon" (NEW MOON) for rituals and the sharing of news
10) Healers go to the Sparkling Stone to share tongues with Streaming Star Tribe during the "Whole Moon" (FULL MOON)
11) Before cats become guards, the apprentice must be at least 15 moons and battle and survive a fight with a fox, wolf, or mountain lion, depending on fighting ability and size (These cats are larger than your everyday house cat)
12) Before cats become hunters/huntresses, the apprentice must be at least 15 moons and venture away from tribe territory to go on a moon hunt. The cat can not return unless it catches several pieces of prey or a prize kill (two hawks, wolf, fox, etc.)
***SUBJECTED TO CHANGE***
A/N: Huh, this is odd. What was Eagle Cry seeing? Or I should say, who? What will Clear Water say once he's met with her. What is the truth about our dear Eagle Cry? How will her mother react when the truth comes out? Only one way to find out! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!
Let's see how many one prologue can get! State your opinions! Come on! And don't forget to follow and favorite! Thanks guys!
- Nightspirit