A Cold Morning

Leaf-Bare | Month 1

After the recent passing of their Commander, Marshstar, General Morningember would take her place and appoint Thunderbird as his general. They made for a promising pair, both giant tom’s seemed to get along quite well and shared a desire to better their tribe. Their strong presence would be a boost of morale for the Tribe after Marshstar’s lackluster performance, And many were eager to witness their reign.

In accordance with their customs, Morningember and his Herbalist, ___Name Here___, would make the dangerous journey towards the Pathfinders. They would greet the new Commander and escort him into the pool of stars where he would spend the next few hours receiving his nine lives. All seemed to go smoothly, yet something was about to quickly go wrong. While receiving his nine lives, Morningstar is approached by a spectre and warned of a plague coming to destroy his home. An illness born of hostility and rotten flesh. He will either save his tribe, or help this illness to destroy it. Shaken by these words, the new leader stumbled out of the caves and confided in the Pathfinders about what he’d heard. They warn him to take this seriously and advise him to alert his tribe about the impending danger, but on the way back down the cliffs Morningstar cornered his Herbalist and threatened them to agree not to speak of what they know. For fear of bringing this prophecy to life.

Once settled back in among his people, Morningstar would waste no time preparing. He’d rule with an iron fist- overworking his tribe to the point of exhaustion to stockpile food and enforce the borders. Yet, he’d refuse to explain why, and his tribe could only wonder what had caused this promising leader to turn into the paranoid cat before them.

New Leaf | Month 3

For a while it seemed nothing would come of the warning that was given, but hunting patrols would begin reporting the discovery of rotten carcasses littered across their territory. They’d also speak of prey growing more sluggish and easy to catch. Something that would seem like a blessing for those accustomed to the harsh environment. But Morningstar knew this was only the beginning of something truly terrible. Cats begin to grow horribly ill- some kind of sickness from the prey they’re catching. The combination of illness, cold and exhaustion made the spread of this plague near instant. And the once healthy clan would soon erupt into panic as this new illness would seem to spread overnight. At first the symptoms would appear like a normal cold and lead the infected into a false sense of security. But the rapid pace of the disease would lead to far more deadly heights.

~ Refer to the Plague Guide here for the steps ~

With the growing panic, paranoia would spread among the tribe leading to increased hostility. Fights would spark over the smallest things, and within weeks cats began to drop and infect the rest of the tribe. The higher ranks would do their best to control the panicked group, but without Morningstar providing a stable quarantine for the sick, things only got worse. Thunderbird could only witness so much tragedy before he’d had enough. He would approach Morningstar in camp and demand something to be done. The leader, fearful that the end of his tribe is near, overreacts and exiles his General for speaking out against him. A few others voice their displeasure and support for the exiled General, calling Morningstar foolish, and he swiftly casts them out as well. Commanding his loyal warriors to chase them out of camp. Thunderbird and the few that were exiled with him would travel up to the Pathfinders to tell them about what was going on and seek sanctuary. The religious cats, horrified by what they heard, would allow them to stay while they figured out what to do. They quickly realize that being so alienated from the tribe they served was proving to provide more harm than good.

The Rebellion

Green-Leaf - Leaf-Fall | Months 6 - 12

While Thunderbird and the Priests build up their army, Morningstar replaces his old Commander with an intimidating tom named Cursedsoul. This brutal combination of fear and deadly loyalty would lead to horrific acts committed against their own warriors- Driven by paranoia, Morningstar would begin to order public executions and beatings of any cats suspected of being traitors within the tribe. These cats weren’t the only ones in danger, however. Many times these suspected double agents’ families would be harmed to get the message across or to extract confessions. This atmosphere would do nothing to help those who continued to suffer due to the plague, and tensions would rise to tremendous heights within their camp. The few months of suffering were sure to cause long-term emotional and physical scarring for all involved.

Once gathered, Thunderbird would launch his first attack against the mad tribe, but due to their small numbers they were easily driven off. This initial effort would not be in vain, however. Cats within the tribe would use these attacks as opportunities to flee Morningstar to join Thunderbird’s rebellion. As their group grew, attacks on the camp would occur more often, and the continuous push and retreat would wear down the Tribe’s defenses. This war would last for two weeks, the freezing temperatures and constant threat of the plague making things challenging on both sides. But every failure would only urge the rebellion further. They would win as long as they never gave up.

Before the final battle, Thunderbird is approached by the priests and told he must speak with their ancestors to get some kind of advice to help them. The large tom would make his way towards the sacred pool, and is greeted by the spirits of all the cats who have died because of Morningstar’s stubbornness. He is told to collect as many members as he can and travel with the pathfinders to find a new home and form a new tribe. If he is successful in this mission, he will be granted the title of commander and given 9 lives.

With the knowledge of the ancestors' support, Thunderbird would gather his troops for one final attack. As they made the final march towards the Tribe’s camp, the winds would rise and snow would begin to speckle their pelts like a comforting hand. Or… perhaps it was a warning. Thunderbird first arrives with his warriors in an attempt at restoring peace. One last effort at helping his old leader see reason; He tries to tell them what their Ancestors had said, but Morningstar refused to hear it. His pride was at stake and he would not go down without a fight. The first battle cry would pierce the frozen air and the two groups would charge. The light dusting of snow would grow only more deadly as the battle commenced until a violent blizzard would strike, as if the skies themselves were showing their disapproval. Thunderbird and Morningstar meet on the battlefield with echoing roars. The two titans would fight tooth and claw, and most would halt their own battles as the horrible storm would wear down on them. Instead, many would turn to watch in awe as their leaders tore at each others pelts. Once he gained the upper hand, Thunderbird swiped down hard on the other tom’s throat and knocks the tyrant to the ground. Morningstar loses a life and the fighting stops completely. An eerie silence would fall over the gathered cats as herbalists ran to their fallen leader’s side to tend to his wounds. When he returns, he calls off his warriors and admits defeat. Allowing cats to leave if they wish. And they do. He refuses to look Thunderbird in the eye as they slowly pad out of camp.

Finally free, many decide to leave the tribe and journey far away to start a new life somewhere else with Thunderbird’s group. Some cats stay by Morningstar however, either because of some lingering loyalty to their true leader or because of fear. The camp had never been so silent, and the smaller tribe is slowly able to recover from their wounds. Even the illness seemed to dwindle as those afflicted would recover or pass on. Cursedsoul, leading in Morningstar’s place as he healed, would run a tight ship. Discarding infected bodies and quarantining the sick. Without the threat of war on their shoulders the tribe could slowly find their footing once more.

Leaf-Bare | Month 13

The old tribe stayed in their old territory for about a moon as they waited for Morningstar to return to his position. The tom had remained hidden in his den since the war, spiralling into a deep depression. But what cuts through the pain and misery is the wails of Morningstar’s mate, Honeyroot. The she-cat had been one of the few lucky to survive her tangle with the plague, but unknown to her she had passed it on to their children. All had died except for one.

This was the final straw, and after speaking with his high ranks Morningstar would face his shame and collect the remaining members of his tribe to follow where Thunderbird had gone. With the death of his own children and the guilt of knowing he’d caused one of the greatest disasters his tribe has ever known, he was finally ready to move forwards to a safer plague-less land.

A New World

Leaf-Bare | Month 13

With the snowy cliffs far behind them and the old tribe recovering from their losses, the pathfinders would lead Thunderbird and his group towards a new home. After a while of travel they would discover sprawling fields by the sea scattered with small sections of thin forests and rivers. It was beautiful, and unclaimed by twolegs or other packs of dangerous creatures. They begin building a camp within one of those small stretches of forest.

It didn’t take long for Thunderbird to set up well in his new home. It might have been easier for his new tribe to settle in a terrain that was more familiar, but he had decided he’d seen enough of the mountains. If their new tribe was going to survive, they didn’t need the constant reminder of their struggle on their shoulders. Learning how to survive in a new climate would prove to be a challenge, but they’d quickly learn that tunneling their sleeping quarters into the ground would provide them shelter from the sun. They could tolerate the heat, but the flatlands made hunting far more difficult. How was one supposed to catch prey if they couldn’t hide among the rocks and trees like before?

As the cats adjust to this new way of living, Thunderbird helps the Pathfinders decide on a new home of their own. They needed a place that was separate from the group, but close enough that any and all could speak with them. The plague had been a painful lesson, and they weren’t keen on repeating it again.

Soon, they’d discover a steep mountain at the base of a lake. A short climb would reveal a winding labyrinth of caves and a small pool of water at the end. A perfect place to speak with their ancestors.To reward him for all he’d done, Thunderbird is granted nine lives and appointed to the rank of Commander. He takes Duskflight as his General, and then decides on a new name for their tribe; The Tribe of Runner’s Valley. With a new name and a new way of life, the tribe needed to expand. So, Thunderstar would extend invitations to nomads and house cats in the area. He is met with a surprising amount of hostility from the locals. It seemed many were angry with the loss of hunting grounds; though some did prove friendly and decide to join. These cats would gladly share their hunting tips with the newcomers, and slowly the Tribe would master the art of hunting in the grasslands. And with the help of the kinder land and the pathfinders, all those still injured or sick would heal.

Leaf-Bare | Month 14

Peace would not last forever, though, and Morningstar would arrive a moon afterwards and discover that Thunderstar had started his own tribe in the large flatlands. He’d set up his tribe on the other side of the river in the mountains and chose a new name for them: The Tribe of Cliff’s edge. These new mountains were drastically different from their old home- Instead of endless snow there was lush green shrubbery and thick pine forests. Like their neighbors, it would be a struggle to adjust to the heat. But the shallow caves at the base of the mountains would provide much needed shade. Their camp would form under a large overhang with a small pond in front of it. Knowing they needed more members, Morningstar hesitantly opened his arms to outsiders to join their ranks, but many of the cats who remained with him continued to hold onto conservative beliefs. While technically welcome, this environment would prove to not be the safest for new members.

After a short while, Morningstar would send a messenger to tell the pathfinders and The Tribe of Runner’s Valley that he had set up a territory there. He couldn’t keep them a secret forever. The news that Morningstar’s tribe had managed to find them would spark a new wave of anxiety among the new group, but Thunderstar agrees not to be hostile for now. It was a peace offering, but there was also some fear lingering there. If there were still those afflicted within the enemy clan, any fight would lead to the spread of the plague once more.

So, there is an awkward allegiance set up between the two, and once it seems certain that the tribe is no longer contagious, Pathfinders suggest holding monthly truce gatherings in their territory where the two can share news and mingle once more. Both tribes seem hesitant, but… perhaps it could be worth a try. The first will be held sometime during the coming season.

And this, dear reader, is where your characters will begin their journey. During the final month of leaf-bare, what will you do as the tribes await their first gathering?

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