the-world-of-ignavus

[the-world-of-ignavus]

Healing and Medicines: Intravenous Therapy (IVs)

Due to how I handled the Cinderpaws/Ember situation, I realized I needed a way to treat a cat who is unconscious for long periods of time and is unable to receive food or water or nutrients. That led me down the path of doing a little bit of poking my head into the invention of the IV.

I'm not going to even pretend to fully understand the entire process, but I think I have a general schematic for it.

For the needle, I am using a reed or a bamboo rod that is dipped in gold to prevent splintering or the worse of the absorption on the tip. It should be noted that in Ignavus, the Tayilivina have hollow quills that could be used similarly and probably have been albeit, the barbless varieties are preferred because the barbed ones would tear up the skin badly even if it would hold it in place.

The bag would be a simple waterskin pouch or a cleaned animal bladder, given I confirmed the existence of leather tanning and stuff already, though if anyone else has a better idea, I'm open to suggestions. The first one created in real life was made with a pig-bladder and a quill.

The flexible tubing will be made of natural rubber which can be tapped from trees, poured into a mold with a solid golden rod in the center that is later removed to create the opening.

[the-world-of-ignavus]

Empire Names: THE DISGRACED - MARKED AND CURSED

In addition to the names granted to valorants in the name of the gods to display honor and greatness, there are also a set of names that can be used to exhibit punishment and make it clear to others that a moggi has committed some form of crime. The Marked are often those who’ve broken an important rule of the guidelines and have thus because Bindbreakers.

BILE - Vile

A name affixed to those who turn their backs on the story of Piyothima the Lost Cub and commit a betrayal or cruelty against one’s own littermates though it has also been been for someone who has committed a crime against Mayazzo’s teachings to a lesser degree than an outright bindbreaker. Although, this title is often used as a softener, within the borders of Tayilivina given their prioritization of Mayaazo, this is considered a very serious mark.

BITTER - Sour

A name affixed to those who have turned their backs on Mayaazo’s teachings and are neglectful, aggressive or abusive towards their kin. As she holds a domain in revenge and is known to be fiercely protective, the entire Empire is always on edge when it comes to crossing Mayaazo’s line.

BLEAK - Laze

A name primarily given posthumously to ineffectual and uninvolved caesars, a remark on their lack of effort in assisting their faction in reaching greatness. It is very rare that this affix is given to a non-caesar but such reasoning could be from valorants who lead half-hearted battles, lecturers that don’t teach truly or even diplomats who do not put their all into a deal as Aloŕazo demands. 

FESTER - Scorn(ed)

A name mantled upon those who turn their backs upon the word and wisdom of Milolazo - cowards and traitors are the primary reciprocants of this heavy burden of a name but it can also be placed if someone is agreed to be the complete antithesis of a valorant of the Empire. This is one the most serious marked names a moggi can receive and often, those who receive this name have their claws or their canine teeth removed.

PEAK - No Alternatives

A name assigned to those who fall into the pawsteps of the Banished One, the old leader of the fallen faction, acting with cruelty and selfishness at every potential turn. These are often granted to caesars who abuse their powers or neglect their responsibility to ensuring the survival of their factions.

REND - Splinter

A name assigned to those who have offended Nichazo, committing acts such as breaking oaths and grave-robbing. Nichazo also holds a particular distaste for false prophets using their name to enact policies or rules in direct contradiction of their teachings.

ROT - Wilt

A name forced upon those who turn their backs upon Tayaazo and her lessons who most frequently end up being fallen healers - those who choose to use the power of healing to further harm, manipulate or extort those in need of their services.

SMOTHER - Cruel

One of the most commonly affixed marks after 'Waste,' used to identify a moggi who themselves have not done any true wrongdoing or crime but have stood by or accepted evils happening around them often to attain some form of benefit for themselves or because it would be inconvenient to them to speak up about them.

STAGNANT - Still

One of the most commonly affixed marks after 'Waste,' used to identify a moggi who themselves have not done any true wrongdoing or crime but have stood by or accepted evils happening around them often to attain some form of benefit for themselves or because it would be inconvenient to them to speak up about them.

WASTE - No Alternatives

The most commonly given affix for a moggi to shoulder, ranging from a temporary mantle of shame to an extremely serious indicator of wrong-doing, this is given to those who turn their backs on Kaŕozo's lessons and overhunt, needlessly take another creature's life or eat more than their share during a famine. Natisilapo takes this to a new level with a solidified system of how the 'waste' affix is applied, to who and for how long.

[the-world-of-ignavus]

The Olden Tongue: Kinsmur

From the exploration squad that left the mountains that would one day become the Greenwood Empire came the language of Kinstalk - a language still spoken by the Saultkin and their not-so-far neighbors and the Seiskin in the modern day. But this language came into contact with the various lone-travelers located at the base of the mountain - mongrel and moggi alike. This contact resulted in a few more changes that truly began the first changes towards what would one day be known as the language of the Greenwood Empire and almost surprisingly to some, the language of the nomads.

Sound Changes

Word final consonants (barring fricatives) are lost

Intervocalic /θ/ become /h/

Word final /e/ opens to /a/

Intervocalic voiced velar plosive /g/ is de-voiced to /k/

Word final vowel clusters simplify to the second vowel

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Phonotactics List

Onset - n s h f y rr r m k sh ny w th v t p

H Clusters: hr hw 

Nucleus: rr r w f v s n ny h sh ch p m t

Final Vowels - a i o u

Vowel Clusters: aa ii

Coda - f v s sh

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Word Order

Primary - SVO | Subject Verb Object

Ma haka in rriti “I hunted the bird”

Secondary - SOV | Subject Object Verb

Noun - Adjectives | Narru nara (river white (white river))

Noun - Number | Lo yu (rocks two (two rocks))

Noun - Genitives | Maa fes fiwa (whisker of mother (mother’s whiskers))

Noun - Relative Clauses |

Adjective - Adverb | Serrifi (strongly)

Yes/No Particles  | Post-Sentence

Question Words - Post-Sentence

Proper Noun - Common Noun |

Modifier Order 

Modifier Example

Compounds | Noun-Adjective (forest = tree.place)

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Noun Cases

The budding display of noun cases that had begun in Kinstalk became official here:

Accusative (-ko): In paa’ra haa in maŕoko (the dog carries the cat) Locative (-fa): In paa’rafa na in maŕo (the runs towards/at the cat) Instrumental (-osa): In paa’raosa erra thi sho (the dog smells with/using their nose)

Alongside picking up a handful of cases from the nearby forming and deconstructing Republics:

Genitive (-no): In paa’rano hwi (the dog’s elk/elk of the dog) Ablative (-va): In paa’rava na in maŕova (the dog runs away from the cat)

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Tense and Aspect

Though Kinstalk had managed to evolve both a distant past and a distant future, but sound changes cause a little bit of conflict. When word final consonants dropped, the near-perfective and imperfective became the same, as did the near future.

This example uses the word, yesa (to sleep) to demonstrate this new-found information

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Developing Honorifics

Contact with the Republics and the local Cabal - alongside nomadic packs - has encouraged a sense of respect and authority to sink into the pronouns used by the speakers of Kinsmur. For now, they’re mostly imitating the system that had already formed by the Republics, creating three levels of respect - lower, equal and higher.

Unlike the Republics and Cabal who have developed a firm honorific system, Kinsmur is currently using the augmentative (his-) to denote greatness or importance when they wish to speak as if they’re above someone. 

Hisma - I/me, of great respect vs. Ma - I/me

And a diminutive is used to make the words smaller and less severe:

Wima - I/me, of no threat vs. Ma, I/me

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[the-world-of-ignavus]

The Greenwood Empire: The Five Sacrifices

The Greenwood Empire are a ferocious and powerful group that celebrates and glorifies the struggles that come with living attuned to their ways, to the point that orbiting around the solid laws of their charter and faction specific cultural expectations are the Five Sacrifices.  A valorant’s life is all about sacrifice and so, there are five expected sacrifices said to be looked upon favorably by the aazoli.

1. The Sacrifice of Preference

The smallest tier of sacrifice and considered one of the first that anyone in the Empire learns as a cub. The Sacrifice of Preference is often encouraged in the form of sharing prey, nests or even den-space with the understanding that joy and happiness being expressed by another is enough to satisfy any desire that could be used to express selfish behavior. 

2. The Sacrifice of Need 

The first of the harsher sacrifices of the Empire valorants, the second sacrifice is to give up some form of bodily need for another to preserve their life or simply because it’s obvious they need it more. This is often expressed through caesars who allow themselves to go hungry while their faction eats during a famine, water granted to other factions during a drought or sharing herbs during some form of outbreak. 

3. The Sacrifice of Honor

The third sacrifice of a valorant is to lay down your morals or values, to cross some form of personal line or belief in the name of a brighter future for another or to prevent one that you care for from having do as such. The Mimaŕanil role of the Executioner exists specifically for this reason, with the executioner dirtying their own claws and muzzles with the blood of someone unable to resist in exchange for their caesar’s claws and paws staying clean though this is not exclusive to them.

4. The Sacrifice of Freedom

The fourth sacrifice is to relinquish your choices or desires for the greater good - not just a sacrifice in honor of one cat or even a few, but rather a sacrifice for the good of an entire faction or even the empire as a whole. This can take many forms such as surrendering to a foreboding enemy for the continued survival of your patrol, giving up opportunities for a mate and cubs, or in the case of a Calling, the sacrifice of what you’d prefer to do with your life in exchange for the averting of a faction-wide crisis. 

5. The Sacrifice of Life

The one true sacrifice all valorants are expected to make from the moment they earn their full names and onward, even after retirement - the Fifth Sacrifice is that of one’s life. Life in the Empire is far from easy, willfully turning away from certain ‘easier’ solutions and living between the horrors that emerge from the Vastweild, pirates and raiders, alongside their horribly bloody history - the chances that someone will die in battle or from illness or famine is far higher than a peaceful death in sleep. And this is the sacrifice meant to be honored and celebrated.

[the-world-of-ignavus]

in the mood to con some langs

[the-world-of-ignavus]

If anyone is interested, I'll probably be doing word of the day again with the various languages of Ignavus though this time, I might try to include the various versions of the word and what it means in the other languages!

I discovered via Strelles that tumblr has a link-number limit so instead of a masterlist of words, I'll just link the previous and next words

[the-world-of-ignavus]

The Languages of Ignavus (WIP)

While there is a world-wide lingua franca in the world of Ignavus after the Great Connection, the various creatures of the world hung on to their various languages to differing degrees. Please keep in mind that I took no linguistic classes nor do I study languages in any deep capacity - I'm just someone willing to watch/listen to a large pool of YouTube videos for a few months so this isn't exactly perfect

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Mowglish - The original language

Empire Langs - Kinsmur | Weta

Regency Langs - Old Mogglish | Middle Mogglish | Modern Tema

Republic Langs -

Cabal Langs -

Nomad Langs -

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[the-world-of-ignavus]

Empire Names: The Blessed - Godkin

On rare occasion, the gods descend from their place beyond the Eternal Falls and disguise themselves as mortals to see the world anew. During these times, there’s the possibility that a demigod - a child sired between the disguised god and the mortal they adore - is born, bearing a mixture of mortal and clearly godly features. These names are derived both from the names granted to the combined traits of specific gods with mortals and the very names of the most prominently remembered demigods themselves. Though less eye-drawing than names granted specifically in the image of the gods, godkin names are said to still draw a lot of attention and put a substantial amount of pressure on a moggi’s shoulders. 

BENGAL - Ocelot

One of the more general ‘catchall’ terms for those suspected of godly descent, referring to the moggi seemingly draped in divine traits. From wide, round eyes, braided bands and strips of distinctive rosettes, it seems that every god had left it’s marking on these moggi. As such, this name carries the meaning of god-spawn or a more broad association of blessed. It’s alternative, ‘ocelot’ typically refers to smaller or weak looking cubs, with the hopes of granted them great power and strength.

BREEZE - Gale

A name for those who seem to have been made in the image of Natesilapo’s founder, Breezecarvings with long, leggy chocolate fur with black spots dappled across their bodies, a long spinal mane and a whipping tail. This name carries the meanings of free and abrasive. 

CARACAL - Serval

A name that supposes evokes those of Ether’s kin with their short and thick, solid coats, black ears with wide paws and large hindlegs. There is no specific coat color associated with this name, but those of a bronze or dusky color are more likely to receive the suffix - this name carries the meanings of accepting and sprightly. 

CHEETAH - No Alternative

A name that supposedly evokes those of Mayaazo’s blood, with their long slender legs, distinctively mantled spines and most pointedly, the black tear-like marks streaking from the corners of the eyes and wrapping around their muzzles. There is no specific color associated with Mayaazo, and the name is thus usually evoked by clarity of pattern. This name carries the meanings of nobility alongside agile and quick-witted.

ETHER - No Alternative

A name for those who appear to be of Ether’s descent, created in her image with a warm cinnamon coat, long and slender legs, with a distinctive white spot on their ears and a lighter underbelly. This name carries the meanings of virtuous and benevolent.

FENN - No Alternative

A name for those who seem to have been made in Mimaranil founder, Master Fenn’s image with a dark canvas seemingly striped with orange and gold streaks of sunlight, long and curled claws - especially ones that are too long to be properly sheathed - and carries the meanings of independent and patient. 

JAGUAR - No Alternative

A name said to evoke those of Waving Shores’ bloodline, with large stocky bodies, dark and distinctive rosettes with a lighter overside and particularly, powerful seeming jaws. This name becomes more likely if a cub has the same short and glossy, water-resistant coat. This name carries the meanings of strong and swift-footed.

LION - No Alternative

A name said to evoke those of Azaazo’s blood, referring to the large manes guarding their necks and bellies, often with golden pelts and brilliant orange eyes. As Azaazo the merciful is most well-known for her sacrifice of plucking her eye to burn as the sun, this name is also given to those with a distinctive eye-color, eye scarring or are blinded. This name carries the meanings of mercy and protective.

LYNX - No Alternative

A name said to evoke the blood of Olympia’s kin and especially the entourage of moggi who accompanied her when she spread medicine to the empire, usually indicated by a naturally short tails, long-tufted ears, spotted underbellies and large paws. This name carries the meanings of healer and compassionate.

OLYMPIA - No Alternative

A name for those who seem to have been created in the image of Tayaazo’s own precious herald, Olympia referring to a short, thick golden brown coat with large paws, a short tufted tail, long feathery cheeks and most specifically a distinctive pale-ish splotch on their foreheads. The combination of short fur except in key places is often what gets this name chosen. This name carries the meanings of champion or prophet and savior. 

SHORE - No Alternative

A name said to have been made in the image of Palanarra founder Waving Shores, with a large cool blue body with a pale underside, distinctive and dark rosettes dappling their pelts and especially if they also possess his long and large, full spine sail. This name carries the meanings of exalted and welcoming. 

STORM - No Alternative

A name given for those said to have been created in the image of Rumbling Storm, founder of Tayilivina in the form of a massive mane going all the way down their belly and up to their chins, small rounded ears, large paws and often with marbled swirls among their flanks. This name carries the meanings of virtuous and courageous. 

[the-world-of-ignavus]

Empire Names: Purely Divine - General

At the most prominent and recognizable of the affixes handed out the Greenwood Empire to valorants are names that directly invoke the common tongue variants of the major gods of the Empire’s mythos. These are among the most highly regarded names to receive and almost no one is born with them. In general, a moggi is renamed with a divine affix if they’re serving that god particularly truly, or as a means of granting them additional strength if they were a sickly cub. Because of this, divine names are near exclusively meant to be used as prefixes.

BRAVE - N/A

Directly invoking Milolazo’s common name, this name is most often granted to heroes of war. Considered the one who established the baseline rules for separating an Empire Valorant from a common street thug, the name is held in high regard. There are almost no valorants known for this name.

MOON - N/A

Directly invoking the common name of Nichazo, this name is primarily granted to heroic diplomats, those who’ve managed to avert wars. They’re often secret keepers that prioritize the peace and wellness of their factions. Natisilapo uses the name as a suffix specifically for their second caesar who traditionally oversees the deepstalkers. 

RIVER- N/A

Directly invoking the common name of Narrazo, this name is often granted to those whom are confirmed to be prophets and particularly skilled starspeakers within Palanarra. 

SLY- N/A

Directly invoking the common name of Kaŕozo, often granted to the most skilled hunters in the Empire. Traditionally, Sly- is granted to hunters who save their faction from some sort of famine or catch a particularly impressive prey such as taking down an eagle, a deer-stag or a hog-boar in honor of their skills. Some hunters are even given the privilege of outright changing their binding to Slybound in recognition of their efforts. 

SUN- N/A

Directly invoking the common name of Azaazo, who is the most forgiving of the pantheon regarding having her name used and as such its the most commonly seen name, often granted to skillful leaders and nesthands for their kindness and mercy to those too weak to look after themselves. 

SWEET- N/A

Directly invoking the common name of Mayaazo, the most vindictive and vengeful of the aazoli, a contradictory sort of name granted to the harshest of the gods. That said, its also a name of comfort and loyalty, the burning fire of a parents’ love - this name is often given to nesthands who show their dedication to their wards not just through raising them, but through fangs and claws too. 

TREE- N/A

Directly invoking the common name of Tayaazo, this name is often granted to particularly skilled healers - especially those who come from the outside much like the ancient herald, Olympia herself.

WISH- N/A

Directly invoking the common name of Aloŕazo, the most whimsical and flippant of the the aazoli, making it incredibly uncommon to be handed out. It is primarily granted to those who survive extraordinary circumstances such as wildfires, coming back from the dead or have accomplished great feats of talent. 

[the-world-of-ignavus]

Empire Names: The Ancient - Outside Gods

Within Empire mythos, there are a few names, a few beings that are every bit as long lived as the gods themselves with powers to match albeit, they are not specifically members of The Aazoli and often act as antagonistic or peace-claiming force in the tales they’re part of. The Outsiders are rarely looked at with aggression or anger, and are often viewed as forces of nature - aspects of the very world itself given life through its interaction with their gods. These Ancients are often treated as beings to be appeased or guardians of special divine locations on the earth itself.

ANACONDA - Boa, Leopard, -strangle

A name invoking one the Strangler who liberated the Mimaranil founder, Fenn from the cruel claws of the first tyrant emperor by granting her one of its skins so that she would be capable of turning into a serpent and melting into the shadows. A rarely granted name given its carried meanings of savior and adaptable. Its suffixed form -strangle is only granted to those seemingly chosen by the aazoli themselves and thus means successor or the chosen.

COUGAR - Puma

A name invoking the immortal Faerie Queen, trickster and guide of the wild world. A being said to be as ancient and knowing as the Aazoli themselves, bearing an uncanny resemblance to Azaazo with her flames diminished. This is an uncommon name as it’s very rare for the Empire to want to intentionally draw the eye of faerie queen and so, this is typically reserved for cubs born during Godless Days - specific times, areas and circumstances where the Aazoli have no power. This carries the meanings of ethereal beauty and trickster with the undercurrent connotation of being blind and deafened to guidance from the aazo often referring to moggi who must carve their own destinies.

CROCODILE - No Alternatives

A name invoking the Devourer who rests with a starspear through its chest, a being of great hunger said to never be satiated no matter how much it eats. This name is most often granted to the youngest cub in a litter during a famine, with the meaning gluttonous or survivor to encourage them to grow. 

WOLF - No Alternatives

A name invoking the Outsider, father of mongrels who was said to have united with the Aazoli to defend the mortal lives below from the legion of the Abyss. This name is primarily granted to dark gray or even black furred cubs, although Natisilapo and Tayilivina are known to grant it to new members. The name means outsider or charismatic and is meant to grant them the additional protection of The Outsider in the face of the harsher judgment of the Aazoli due to having diluted valorant’s blood.

WOLVERINE - No Alternatives

A name invoking the Peacemaker, the lone wanderer who is said to speak the million tongues of the world’s creatures and has been known to take mortals under her tutelage if she believes they deserve it. This name is often granted to cubs dedicated to expanding their own knowledge or eager to learn, and means studious and wise.

[the-world-of-ignavus]

Madness of the Storm: Ch3 - Unease

A raging storm is a balm in a drought, but one that rages continuously… that's when the destruction wrought is the worst.

Onset Census - Previous Chapter - Next Chapter

“Well done Petal, keep your eyes on your opponent!”

“Reach, try rolling with the blows instead of tanking them!”

Both cadets gave cries of affirmation circling each other for a moment before launching themselves towards each other once more.

Pumastrike had slowly fallen into a routine over the passing days, bringing Reach around the territory borders and introducing her to all of the most important landmarks before bringing her to the Old Basin for battle conditioning and spars. Sometimes she traded conditioning for basic hunting lessons, ensuring that she could at least catch a mouse or a squirrel to sharpen her cadet’s skills in stealth which Reach seemed to enjoy. The longer she spent training Reach, the more comfortable she became with having someone that looked up to her, that cared about her opinions and relied on her to teach them correctly. She understood the will of the aazoli decreeing that any caesar who wished to rule, should first have the experience of training a cadet now. It was a world altering sensation, realizing that you had someone so young and small who depended on you - whom would echo your ideals and act on what they assume to be your will.

It was the first time she’d ever truly considered what being a caesar must be like.

It must be so stressful, she remembers thinking at the end of her first day.

She watches Reach perform a few perfect dodges, her little cadet was shaping up to be a quick study in the ‘not getting hurt’ department though she was more surprised by Petal. Embarrassed as she was to admit, she’d made a few assumptions about the young molly given her shy and quiet demeanor - she’d thought that Hawkfray would likely be spending the first half of her training convincing her to throw her blows like she meant it.

Proving her completely wrong however, the young molly was the aggressor in the situation. It was like a flip had switched in her head, turning her from demure and soft into something that would probably scare off even a starved rat. 

The spar ended not long after this realization, with Petal taking a bold leap towards her sister who dodged and retaliated with a swipe. Rather than perform a dodge of her own, Petal lunged forward slipping just out of the way of the outstretched paw, launching her paw directly into the molly’s chest. Reach squealed as her paws left the ground, her sister lightly gripping her sides then slamming her directly into the ground. 

“Aurgh-” Reach gasped, trembling on the ground in pain.

“End! Petal wins!” Hawkfray called out immediately, getting to his paws to stop the spar physically if he needed to.

Immediately, the mental switch flipped again and Petal - panting hard, her paws spread a bit wide to support her new weight - flattened her ears and peered over her shoulder, offering a meek expression.

“Did I do alright?” she asked her instructor hopefully.

“Alright? Petal that was wonderful,” the tom laughed, ducking his head to nudge her proudly. 

“I feel like a tree slammed into me,” Reach groaned in agreement, slowly pushing herself to her paws. Once she stood, she gave a fierce shake, dislodging the soft sand trapped within her pelt from the impacts against the ground and offered her sister a friendly nudge. “What even was that move? Pumastrike didn’t teach me that!”

“That move is the difference between an ordinary guard and a lieutenant,” Pumastrike said, only half-joking as she moved forward to lick down the messy spines of her cadet. “I tried that move once when I was a cadet - sprained my paw and landed myself in Blackbirdleaves’ care for half a moon.”

“Woah,” said Reach, shocked.

“But I saw you use it in our last border scuffle with the Regency,” Hawkfray said, offering her a grin of his own. He glanced at the two cadets watching them and added, “Pumastrike is the fiercest valorant this faction has seen in a while - with Slateflower due to retire any day, I wouldn’t be surprised if she was selected as the next legate.”

“I’m just working hard like any proper valorant would,” she said, though she felt herself preen a little with pride. It was nice to find her time and effort put into bettering herself recognized by her faction’s own lieutenant. It said good things about her career that Hawkfray was essentially already claiming to look to her as legate. Still, she had to be careful not to let the praise go to her head - if she let her skills falter after this, she could find herself being overlooked by a younger moggi who worked even harder. It wasn’t uncommon after all for a lieutenant's cadet to succeed them and Petal was already proving herself to be a skillful fighter.

When the two cadets had dislodged enough sand to be feel comfortable again, the two valorants led the way from the Old Basin and back into their forest. The training grounds weren’t all that far from the barracks themselves, something to assist in allowing the cubs to watch the training sessions in preparation for their own training days. 

“Alright,” Hawkfray voiced as they slipped into the main clearing, flicking his tail towards the den on the corner. “If you think you need to, head over to Blackbirdleaves to receive muscle salves but otherwise, head straight over to the veteran’s clearing so you can begin your history lessons.”

“Yes Hawkfray,” the two cadets chirped, and Pumastrike was proud to watch them both bravely bypass the mender’s den to go to the rocky cavern of the veteran’s den.

“I think I’ll get a nap,” Hawkfray said, his jaw parting in a wide yawn. “I agreed to replace Heavyscar on tonight’s moonpeak patrol along Palanarra.”

“Do you think they’ll make a move?” Pumastrike asked with concern.

“While they already have the Suncairn?” Hawkfray shook his head in the negative, arching his back a little bit to loosen his muscles. “No, The Styrman isn’t a fool - he’ll hoard those stones all snow-season. But Mousetongue says they’ve been dealing with a small party of bandits that were recently chased out.”

“On the Western side?” Pumastrike inquired, a little baffled. It wasn’t impossible for bandits to come from that direction but still, it hadn’t happened before in her lifetime. 

Hawkfray chuckled at her expression, “Pirates. As the snow sets in, they’re starting to target more snow-season rations. It probably isn’t something we’ll have to worry about but it’s always good to keep a careful eye on things.”

Pumastrike nodded slowly, processing the information - it was a little embarrassing to have allowed their other neighbors to slip her mind in the wake of this war against the Regency.

“Well I’m going to see my cubs,” Pumastrike asserted after a moment of consideration. She still had quite a bit of energy thrumming through her, a desire to head back into the wider forest that she quickly deferred for the moment. “Then I’ll head out for a hunt I think.”

“Isn’t that what Weaselslash is for?” 

“Yes but I never pass up a chance to beat him in his own trade,” she winked, earning a laugh from her lieutenant as he padded off to join the rest of the valorants in their den.

The molly chuckled to herself, trotting toward the nursery with slightly hurried steps from her eagerness. She had gotten better and more confident about leaving her cubs to train and perform her duties as a valorant, but she doesn’t think she’ll ever fully relax until they’d been assigned their own instructors and were capable of defending themselves against their enemies. Especially given Hawkfray’s attempts at dissuading his father from this war with the Sun Regency being so slow-going.

She gave a gentle meow of greeting as she slipped in, whiskers twitching with pleasure as her cubs squealed with delight and charged toward her.

Her only son - Hawk - was the first to reach her, medium furred with hs father’s brown coat as he skittered to a halt in front of her with his tail standing straight up with joy. A moment later, he rammed his face into her legs and rubbed his cheeks against her legs. He only took a step back as his sisters Honeyfruit (a medium furred, cream and gray molly that resembled Pumastrike) and Spiceberry (a little chocolate furred molly that the older moggies say looks like her father) caught up them.

“Ma!” he squealed happily.

“You back!” Honeyfruit cheered. 

“I’m back,” Pumastrike agreed, ducking her head to touch noses with her cubs. “For a little bit - I’m going to go hunting and I wanted to see what you wanted.”

Her cubs all exchanged disgruntled expressions and she suppressed the laughter that wanted to bubble out of her muzzle. Her attempts at weaning her cubs had been semi-successful, in that they were willing to take a few half-hearted bites from the fleshy meals that she retrieved for them. But just because they ate it didn’t mean they liked it, all three of them screwing up their faces dramatically with every little bite they tried to take. She’d asked the nesthands about it but she’d been reassured that it was a normal reaction, that cubs tend to be a bit disdainful of the big change from milk to solid prey but as they got older they’d be more receptive. 

And privately she couldn’t wait - their teeth were getting bigger and sharper and she she was tired of being accidentally nipped.

“I wanna mouse,” Hawk decided after a moment, a sentiment echoed by Honeyfruit.

“I want a sparrow,” declared Spiceberry.

“To eat or to play with the feathers?” Pumastrike asked, amused.

“...I’ll eat it,” the cub said reluctantly. She offered her a hopeful expression, “Can I still have milk too?”

“Of course,” Pumastrike purred. Beebright said that attempting to force cubs to only eat prey would only turn them away and that she suspected her three little comets were a lot closer to being fully on solids than they appear. If she just kept giving them the option of ‘both’ eventually, they’d find milk gross - especially when it started upsetting their bellies. She looked at her last daughter encouragingly, “What about you?”

Honeyfruit looked between her siblings, her tiny ears flattening as she thought extra-hard about what she wanted.

“Mouse too,” she decided.

“Of course sweetness - I’ll be back before you know it.”

“You’re leaving?” said Spiceberry devastated, looking up with big sad eyes.

“I have to get your food.”

“No! I’ll drink milk instead!”

“Spice…”

“No!”

A pelt brushed gently against hers and Pumastrike was relieved to see Beebright, evidently woken from her nap by the pitiful cries of her cub. It didn’t change the fact that she felt like the worst mother in the entire world as she backed out of the nursery. She knew she was wearing her feelings on her pelt when she stepped outside and Whitejay paused, listening to the insistent wailing of her daughter.

“My Sycamore was the same way,” she said sympathetically. “She’ll get better about it.”

“I feel terrible,” Pumastrike admitted heavily. “Mayaazo must think I’m horrible.”

“Or that you’ve been a very present mother,” Whitejay corrected. “Something hard to do when you already have a cadet. Spiceberry will calm down when she realizes you will always come back for her.”

“Are you sure?”

“Sycamore couldn’t wait to sleep in the cadet’s barracks once she was five moons old,” the older molly confided. “This is your first litter, it’s normal for you to feel so attached - but as long as you come back for them, Mayaazo will know your love for them is true.”

The russet and cream furred molly took a deep breath, steadying herself with the reassurance of the nesthand. It was nice to have someone older confirm that Spiceberry wouldn’t grow to resent her when she was trying so hard to be a present mother.

“...I’ll go hunting now,” she decided, straightening up a little. “The sooner I leave, the sooner I can come back.”

Whitejay offered a pleased expression and with a light nod of acknowledgement, ducked into the nursery.

Pumastrike moved at a brisk pace towards the garrison’s entrance, slipping into the wider forest. She wasn’t hunter by any stretch of the imagination (she preferred fierce, loud attacks under the eyes of Azaazo to prove her ferocity) but any moggi could catch a mouse. Admittedly the sparrow would be a bit harder but mostly because the steadily setting cold made birds less and less commonly seen. 

She opened her mouth, taking in a small breath of air, allowing the scents of the forest to brush against the roof of her mouth. It took her a couple tries to remind herself not to filter out the extraneous scents of prey like she normally does, the wind funneling the smells of the various targets directly into her mouth.

Finally one of the scents felt closer than the others and she set off, clambering down the ridge.

She kept her steps light and careful, orange eyes carefully scouring the undergrowth for any sign of even the faintest movement in the leaf litter. Just because the wind was blowing towards her, didn’t mean she had all of the advantage - mice were skittish creatures, and another predator could easily send her quarry diving for cover.

She picked her way towards the Suncairn - if there was prey anywhere, it would be near the large stones providing hidey holes for them. 

She launched herself forward when she heard the skittering of tiny paws, landing firmly atop a startled mouse before it could retreat to the brush.

Got you! She thought victoriously. Although, now she wondered what had scared-

Her ears twitched as the scent of Palanarra abruptly strengthened in the air, her eyes drawing up to the sight of a creamy ginger molly wandering along the bank of the river. She dropped her mouse, hissing angrily which drew the now spooked looking molly’s attnetion.

“What are you doing so close to the border?” Pumastrike growled.

“We have possession of the Suncairn this snow-season so I could ask you the same,” the molly snarked, her own fur bristling for a brief moment. Her pretty blue eyes narrowed at the mouse resting between Pumastrike’s paws, pointing accusingly. “You’re poaching.”

“You don’t even eat mice,” Pumastrike scoffed.

“True,” said the palanarra molly flippantly. She lowered her head, seemingly uncaring of aggressive guard only a few stones across from her. Sure, Pumastrike would have to scale the towering stones and cautiously edge her way across the rapids but she could do it if she wanted! She could be a serious threat! “It doesn’t matter much to me. I’m full and well-fed so my cubs will be fine.”

“Cubs?” Pumastrike echoed, feeling a bit guilty for the way she lost so much of her hostility but surely Milolazo would understand? She was a new mother herself, with three precious cubs waiting for her back home. Now that she was looking, she could see the gentle curve of the molly’s belly, protruding out like her own had only a few moons ago - she couldn’t imagine getting into a claws-out fight, risking the lives of the little ones in her swaying belly.

“Our Speaker says I’ll be in due in a moon or so,” the palanarra molly said, seeming just as eager to boast about her cubs. Her paws kneaded the ground anxiously, “I can’t wait to finally see them - and for them to stop kicking me.”

“Like they’re fighting a whole battle in there,” Pumastrike joked.

“You have cubs too?” the molly inquired.

“Two mollies and a tom,” the guard said proudly.

“Congratulations,” said the ginger molly, sincerity threaded through her tone. “Rival factions or not, I hope all three of them grow up to be valorants to be sung about.”

“Thank you,” Pumastrike said, a bit touched. “I hope your cubs are all born safe and healthy.”

The molly gave her chest an anxious lick, “Me too. One of the other queens… her cubs were all born still.”

Pumastrike winced, she had been terrified when little Hawk hadn’t been breathing when he;d first been born and had feared the worst. Luckily, Blackbirdleaves confirmed that he’d just had a bit of birthing fluids caught in his little nose and throat - when it was cleared out, he’d squealed so loudly he woke up his siblings once more. But some poor molly hadn’t received that breath of relief.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” she said honestly. “I’m sure Mayaazo kept them comfortable as they rose.”

“I feel terrible for hoping I don’t turn out like that.”

“It’s normal to hope your cubs are born healthy,” Pumastrike pointed out lightly, electing to change the topic. “How’d you convince your faction to let you leave the nursery by the way? When I was a moon from cubbing, my mate practically shed himself bald every time he caught me in the forest.”

“I snuck out,” the other molly admitted bashfully, scuffing her paws through the gravel. She hesitated seeming to debate with herself for a moment before admitting softly, “...my cubs’ father is one of your own.”

Pumastrike paused a bit surprised. She hadn’t noticed any tom lingering on the border or even around the Suncairn for the warm-season - maybe it had been a sweet-season fling? Though Pumastrike was loyal and committed to her mate, she could admit that Palanarra moggi could be really handsome. Even the molly in front of her likely would’ve made her stop in her tracks and do something stupid as a young cadet - a single sweet-season fling wouldn’t be the craziest thing she’d ever heard of. 

“...just keep it away from our storm for a while,” Pumastrike cautioned her. 

“You won’t tell?” the molly asked, relieved.

“It’s not like you’re breaking any of the charters,” the muscular guard said, offering a shrug. That was what mattered really - so long as no charters were being broken between the two of them, there was no point in informing her storm while he was still so hostile to everyone. Of course she did make a mental note to inform Hawkfray - this molly was probably the Palanarra scent he’d been worried about brushing the borders. “Why not meet at the Kirkyard?”

The molly slumped a little bit, “...we used to, but lately he says he’s been busy. I haven’t even gotten to tell him I’m pregnant yet.”

“He’s probably on a lot of patrols,” Pumastrike was quick to reassure, pushing down the brief flash of indignation that temporarily took flame within her. Her faction was already struggling to keep up with the demands of their caesar, and one of her faction mates was neglecting his mate? Everyone knew that Mayaazo took the responsibilities of a parent very seriously and if their faction ended up cursed because of some lame tom, she’d have something to say about it. “There’s a KIrkyard Meeting in a few days, maybe you can convince your caesar to let you attend and you’ll see him then.”

The molly gave a little laugh, the tenseness in her shoulders unwinding for a moment, “I can try but it’s like you said - I’m practically being held hostage by my faction.”

She straightened up, “I should be heading back to camp now, before they send a search party.”

“Thanks for the talk, I feel a bit better now - may Mayaazo watch over your cubs and Milolazo guide you towards glory!” The pretty ginger called, giving her long, tapered tail a friendly wave towards her and turned to venture deeper into her faction’s borders. 

“And may Mayaazo guard you verily against Tayaŕuthima’s many agents and allies,” Pumastrike replied, turning to make her own way back into the forest. 

She still had one more mouse and a sparrow to find.

/ / / /

Weta Translations

Aazoli - gods (god-PL)

Empire Culture

Ateŕitho - The Messenger Wind, minor god of the wind, merchants, freedom, communication, recreation and of course, messages. As one of the most relaxed of the Greenwood Thimali, he’s said to send messages on the wind for mortals to hear.

/ / / /

Onset Census - Previous Chapter - Next Chapter

[the-world-of-ignavus]

Empire Names: Noble and Sacred - Animals

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Another method of invoking the gods without directly using their names is granting a cub the name of a god’s sacred animal. These messengers are often forbidden from being hunted outside of very specific, religious instances, and are widely recognized to carry desired traits for a cub to develop. A few of these sacred animals however are encouraged to be hunted, often considered to be a challenge left by the gods themselves for mortal-kind to pursue. 

BAT - No Alternative

The sacred animal of Nichazo, often referring to a specific breed of all white bats that inhabit the chest-cavity of the Devourer and are said to deliver messages from the Eternal Falls. This name as such is often used on generally light furred moggi, encompassing everything from white, to cream, to light gray to even pale tan moggi. It carries the meanings of herald and dreamy. 

BOAR - Hog, Tusk

A sacred animal of Mayaazo, said to be simultaneously a punishment for those who break her laws and a challenge for only the bravest of hunters, referring specifically to a large, black furred breed of boar with a distinctively bristled mantle and long, slightly curled tusks. This name refers to dark brown or black furred cubs, those with overbites, or simply the largest cub in a litter. This name carries the meanings of frightening and fierce - and given how they appear in myths, it also carries the undertone of vengeful and righteous. 

BUTTERFLY - Moth, Swallowtail

A sacred animal of Narrazo, that is often used by him to draw the attention of mortals and speak through them, usually referring a special breed of metallic blue butterfly with black edges and white spots. As a result, this name often refers to brightly colored moggi with distinctive markings or bright coats, even more often with glittery coats. This name then carries the meanings of clever, bold and sensitive to omens. 

CARDINAL - No Alternative

The sacred animal of Azaazo, this name is referring specifically to the brilliant scarlet red of male cardinals rather than the softer, gentle gray of the females. This name often refers to a moggi who is bright red or orange all over, though occasionally with black markings like the animal itself. This name carries the meanings of striking and bold.

CHIPMUNK - No Alternative

A sacred animal of Tayaazo, often referring to the tiny brown creatures with blotchy white spots down their backs and shortened tails. This name often refers to moggi who are blessed with marbled coats and distinct, bi-coloring. This name carries the meanings of calculated and crafty. 

CROW - No Alternative

A sacred animal of Nichazo, seemingly granted almost sapient intelligence by Iwiloya as a gift of thanks for the protection of their kin. This name is often given to all black or at least very dark gray moggi and those with relatively sharp features. This name holds the meanings of intelligent and tricky, with connotations of irritating and loyal given a flock of crows is liable to swarm and attack a predator that attacks one of their own.

ELK -  No Alternative

A sacred animal of Aloŕazo, crafted and sculpted to be a dangerous hunting challenge between Howlingsky of Tayilivina and Saberheart of the Peakrise to determine who the greatest hunter in the Empire was, referring specifically to a large blonde-elk with gray and white antlers like it was stalking around with birch branches for antlers. Moggi granted this name are often the largest of their litter and are physically imposing - among Tayilivina, it’s often granted to cubs with the longest quills. This name carries the meanings of imposing and blessed. 

FIREFLY - No Alternative

A sacred animal of Milolazo, birthed to light the way and guide the eyes of mortals, this one specifically referring to the herbivorous variant that lights up a gentle blue and primarily lives around the mouth of the Devourer though in the warm-season, they rest in the Kirkyard. This name is often given to brightly colored moggi or at least those with fairly distinctive markings, and carries the meanings of alluring and soothing. 

HAWK - No alternative

The sacred animal of Kaŕazo simultaneously a challenge and a watcher, soaring over mortals and picking off any who aren’t vigilant while reporting back to Kaŕazo what they see of mortals - refers specifically to the particular breed of ruddy-brown hawks with brilliant white tails and gray legs. This name is often granted to cubs from long lines of hunters, brown cubs or merely those with a white tail. This name carries the meaning of observant and threatening.

SWAN - No Alternative

A sacred animal of Narrazo, considered a warning to the Empire about moderation regarding hunting in the river, said to have chased an Ancient member of Palanara into the ocean for poaching eggs his caesar had declared off-limits. This is referring to the specific large, white-feathed birds with gray legs, and is thus often given to white or at least light gray cubs with long limbs. It carries the meanings of ferocious and elegant. 

[the-world-of-ignavus]

Empire Names: Ancient and Divine - Taboo

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A method of invoking the gods in the name of one’s cubs without directly drawing their attention or the attention of the enemies, the taboo names are most popular among Mimaŕanil who believe that the lives of mortals tend to bleed together for the immortals watching over them or lurking around them and as such, naming your cub directly after a god will confuse some spirits into believing they truly are gods and will thus, send god-level threats their way. The taboos allow you to invoke the god but in a fundamentally distinct way that allows spirits with bad memories to tell the difference.

BRAIDED - Twined

Evoking Tayaazo and any of her kin and those she blessed, referring to the distinctive stripe pattern of tightly wound markings. This is often paired with a bicolor pattern of a lighter or white underside in tandem with a dark-canvas overside and long, sharp claws. This name is often used to mean powerful and beautiful. 

COMET - Star(ry), Twinkling

This name doesn’t necessarily evoke any specific god though it’s associated with Nichazo given his domain of the night-sky. This name often refers to pale or light colored moggi when used on living cats but is predominantly given to cubs and cadets who’ve died young or those in spiritual roles who’ve committed to the Fifth and Fourth Sacrifices. This name is used to mean mystical and observant. It’s alternative ‘Twinkling’ is more commonly assigned to those with speckled with lighter colors.

HOWLING - No Alternatives

One of the least commonly used taboo names given, it refers to The Outsider. Though not a cursed or even stained name, this name isn’t often granted to cubs given its undertone of unpleasant surprise or interloper. That said, those who use the name often grant it to stout or powerful moggi, cubs traditionally of a deep gray cocoat,at with the meaning commanding and charismatic. 

MANTLE - No Alternatives

A name heavily associated with Miyaazo given that a ‘sign’ of divine blessing or heritage from her is a distinctly colored line of fur down one’s back from their head to their tail - this is particularly used if the cub’s mantle piece is of a lighter color, such as white or a pale gray. Partial mantles (that is, patchy ones) are also accepted for this name, which means youthful and beloved.

PANTHER - No alternatives

A common taboo with no direct association, given it’s the common title for all of the Aazo specifically. Often granted to particularly large or sturdy cubs, those who display one of the divine markings, and of course granted the sickly or weakened runts in the hopes that it would grant some form of power-boost or blessing. It’s fitting then that this name means godly and strong-willed. 

PRIDE - Mane(d)

Evoking Azaazo and the brilliant mane of light that bursts from her empty eye, this name is often given to cubs with golden or bronze coats, with matching manes and are traditionally fairly large in size as well. The alternative ‘maned’ is most commonly used for those with truly massive manes that don’t just cover their necks no, they trail down their bellies and link into their legs. This name carries the meanings of sociable and protective.

ROARING - Thundering, Rumbling

Another taboo calling attention to all of the gods thought many will insist that it more closely aligns Azaazo or Kaŕozo, both of whom are said to have roars that can cause the earth to tremble and when Azaazo took a mortal mate, this powerful roar was passed down to her cubs. There isn’t really any appearance based reasoning for this name, it’s usually given to cubs born during a storm or when one is on is way. This name thus carries the meaning of intimidating and force of nature.

ROSETTE(D) - No Alternatives

This name evokes Narrazo in the form of his distinct form patterning that is rapidly passed down through any kin of his. A point of contention in the past has been the inability of some moggi to tell the difference between his rosettes, the circular markings of Milolazo and the simple spotted pattern of Miyaazo. This is another name often given to one with a lighter belly and a darker overside, though a glossy, waterproof coat is also preferred. This name is used with the meanings of headstrong and noble.

SABER - No Alternatives

A name meant to invoke Aloŕazo, as ill-advised as nesthands would tell you that is, this name is often granted to sturdy cubs with large teeth or fangs and sometimes those with short-tails. Not many cubs are granted Aloŕazo’s taboo given that it may incite her into taking an interest in your cub and giving them a series of challenges to overcome - it is however, known to be used for cubs suspected to be special or born in dangerous times as a method of granting them strength. This name thus carries the meanings steadfast and ferocious.

[the-world-of-ignavus]

Do you have tips for creating a timeline of leaders? I'm working on a massive story and I am trying to pinpoint certain events by leadership so I wonder how you would recommend that!

ooh, I may not be the best example haha, but I can give it a shot!

So for me, I have it so that the world of ignavus has been around a lot longer than I estimate the canon clans have been, so I tried to expand it out to show that through eras while compensating for the fact that multiple lives means that one leader will reign for a while.

Regarding events, the best way to go about it is making sure to include some clear Succesion Strangeness

For example Natisilapo/The Gales have a pretty obvious tyrant era for example:

You can also show some rank reshuffling happening in the same way, such as the way Mimaranil/The Fenns came to have their healer/leader role merged and become an inherited rank

Here, a series of tragedies and outstanding circumstances made it so that healer cubs stepped into leadership roles. It didn't take long for this to first become assumed, then expected and finally law in their faction.

So really, my best advice is to look at how long you want that history to stretch and come up with a rough idea of how many leaders you'd want while keeping in-mind any special conditions that could lengthen (additional lives) or shorten (war, assassination) many leaders' lives. Assign a few of those leaders to explicitly be your Key Events and flesh out the other leaders around them. Showing instances of multiple successors can be a good, clear marker of internal strife.

Hope this helps in some way!

[the-world-of-ignavus]

Okay- so funny little thing. Every time I see Starmender, instead of reading it as 'Star-mender' as it's likely intended to be read as, I keep reading it as 'Stram-ender'. Not too sure why my brain reads it like that, but it's fun to say lol.

XD you're right, it is 'star-mender' but that's funny - the brain is gonna do what it wants I suppose

[the-world-of-ignavus]

Empire Names: Noble and Sacred - Colors

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One of the most common and subtle ways to invoke a god in a cub’s name without risking looking arrogant or drawing ire from one of their enemies is to use a color based name. The colors used in a valorant’s name are usually associated with one of their primary deities or minor gods and, thus, has minor undertones to its usage. Colors are generally ascribed as a prefix  

AMBER - No Alternatives

An ambiguously intentioned name, often referring to a moggi’s coat or eye color. Given its origins in Tayaŕuthima’s common name, it often means ruthless, dangerous or fear-invoking.

AGATE - No Alternatives

A name referring to a multi-colored valorant primarily of made of reds and bronze, frequently a tortoiseshell of a cinnamon color. This name is associated with Azaazo and Tayaazo and refers to a cat who is friendly, affectionate and intelligent. 

BLACK - Obsidian

A name that refers to a mostly or completely black furred cat, though it’s not uncommon for it be used when a moggi simply has very distinct black markings as well. This name is associated with both Nichazo and Narrazo, thus giving it the meaning of spiritual, whimsical and dreamy. The alternative ‘obsidian’ carries the undertone of dangerous or sharp-witted.

BLUE - Cobalt, Cerulean

 A name that refers to a mostly or completely blue furred cat primarily, with its alternatives usually referring to the color of their eyes. This color is associated with Narrazo and has the meaning of impassive, ethereal and charming. The alternative ‘cerulean’ carries the implication of wise, while cobalt carries the undertone of precious and desired.

BROWN - no alternatives

A name referring to a primarily or completely brown furred moggi, regardless of the shade. It’s in the strange place of being considered extremely common and uncommon at the same time, invoking the goddess Tayaazo. It carries the meaning of reliable, humility and pragmatic.

CINNAMON - Cassia, Jasper

A cat primarily or completely of a ruddy or russet color, often considered to be an alternative to flame or fire. It’s a less common name, apparently borrowed from the Tidechasers and its alternatives are more commonly used in place of it. That said, the color is associated with Kaŕozo and thus conveys the traits of mysterious, intelligent and clever. The alternative ‘cassia’ is borrowed from merchants and carries the undertone valuable while ‘jasper’ carries the undertone of wanted and beloved.

COPPER - no alternatives

Another borrowed word from the outside, describing a particularly rich form of golden coat with a reddish tint. This is a surprisingly popular affix, considered to be strongly linked to Azaazo with the association of beauty, affectionate and mercy. 

CREAM - no alternatives

A primarily or entirely cream furred moggi, often encompassing any light coat that isn’t white or gray. One of more exclusive names given how uncommon this color is in any faction but Natisilapo. Because of this, Nichazo is the god associated with this color and it carries the meanings of swift-footed, clever and diplomatic.

GREEN - no alternatives

Traditionally, a name given to any cub with green eyes but has also seen use as a hame commonly given to any of their cubs born in the warm-seasons. It’s a double-edged name, given its association with Tayaazo bringing the associations of capable and intelligent while its direct link to her daughter, Viŕithima the plaguebringer gives the meanings of dangerous, ominous or born during tragedy.

GOLD(EN) - no alternatives

Referring to a specific shade of deep-rich ginger, often with a slightly orangish undertone, and is associated with many gods. This is among the most common color affix in the Empire, with many golden or yellow furred pelts passed down through many bloodlines. When invoking Azaazo, the name grants the meanings of honesty, inviting or loving; when invoking Alorazo, it grants the meanings of carefree or flamboyant while it’s association with Milolazo brings the meaning of courage and determination.

HAZEL - no alternatives

A specific rich shade of brown, deep, with varying tones across a moggi’s pet. Occasionally it’s used to refer to a moggi’s eyes on the rare occasion that they darken. This name is linked to Tayaazo and often conveys a moggi who is stubborn, passionate or ferocious.

LAVENDER - Lilac

Not a very common name altogether, often referring to a moggi’s eye color. One of the few color names frequently used as a suffix as well. It’s linked to Aloŕazo evoking the meanings of watchful while using it as a suffix brings the meaning of soothing or comforting.

PINK - no alternatives

A very uncommon name, rarely ever given to any moggi except as a backpawed comment to begin with implications of non-empire blood. Because of this, however, those that are given this name often fought back harder and more aggressively against teasing resulting in the further meanings of scrappy and skilled-fighter.

RED - Blood(y), Bleeding

Referring to a moggi who is a specific shade of dark ginger or is merely distinctive in color or pattern. This name is transparently linked to Iŕozaaliya and evokes the meanings of rebellious, sacrifice, and selflessness. Its alternatives link deeply to Iŕozaaliya, usually granted post-mortem to someone who was either ruthless or who committed to the Fifth Sacrifice. 

RUSSET - Ruddy, Rust(y)

Referring to a moggi who is predominantly or prominently russet (a deep, rich red) in color, which is considered rather beautiful to Mimaranil. The name is loosely linked to Kaŕozo and Tayaazo alike, bringing about the meanings of resilient, stoic and hardworking. 

SILVER - no alternatives

Refers to a moggi who is predominantly or glaringly silver in color, a color mostly commonly seen in Palanarra. Silver is considered a cool color with no additional undertones and is also often used to distinguish a glossy or shimmering over-coat. It’s linked primarily to Nichazo, giving it meaning of talkative, stealthy and creative.

TAWNY - no alternatives

Near exclusively refers to a tortoiseshell moggi, with the occasional exception of being used on reddish or orange individuals. Tawny is one of the few colors not linked to any specific god, though it can be associated with Tayaazo due to the colors reminding most of rich earth and fallen leaves. Tawny holds the meanings of headstrong, strong-willed and independent. 

WHITE - Milk, Ivory

Refers to a moggi who is mostly or predominantly white, although some nesters have also begun using it to refer to a cub with a very distinct white mark. This color is linked to Nichazo and sometimes Azaazo, bringing about the meanings of fair, selfless and gentle. Using the alternative ‘milk’ also carries undertones of maternal while the alternative ‘ivory’ carried the undertone of precious or rare.

QUARTZ - no alternatives

Refers to a moggi who is mostly or completely white, albeit this term usually implies that the cub possesses an interesting feature that makes their coat glitter in the sunlight and oftentimes, a cub is named specifically for that glitter sometimes called ‘stardust.’ It has no direct links to any god though it’s usually associated with Nichazo and carries the meanings of otherworldly, clairvoyant and unconventional. 

YELLOW - Straw

Refers to a moggi that is mostly or fully yellow-ish in color, a ginger dilute and is linked to the gods Milolazo and Azaazo, carrying with it the meanings of daring, welcoming and tender. The alternative ‘straw’ also carries along the meaning of humility.

[the-world-of-ignavus]

Madness of the Storm: Ch2 - Dishonesty

A raging storm is a balm in a drought, but one that rages continuously… that's when the destruction wrought is the worst.

Onset Census - Previous Chapter - Next Chapter

/ / / / /

Pumastrike sank her teeth into the mouse she’d been stalking, grunting as her belly smacked the ground in a distinctly painful way. She straightened up, quickly sitting back on her haunches to pat it worriedly. She had been getting bigger and bigger for about a moon now, it seemed her belly was finally at the size where it would be a major problem for her to continue her duties.

It had taken a couple of tries - and a few nights volunteering for the moonpeak patrol - but Blackbirdleaves had finally confirmed her new status as a pregnant molly. Pumastrike had been glowing for all of two seconds before the nesthands had pounced, constructing a new nest in the back of the nursery away from the usual paw-traffic faster than she’d thought possible and they’d hounded her for days over her preferred nest softeners. Blackbirdleaves had been giving her milksap every day since her cubs were confirmed, and then she’d watched with trepidation and interest as the fur on her belly began to thin out, exposing the steadily swelling nipples.

When she finally told Weaselslash, he’d immediately taken to harassing their caesar for more inner-territory duties, begging out of any patrols that could have even the slightest hint of scuffle.

She could see that her leader was getting more and more impatient with Weaselslash, but honestly, Pumastrike was privately relieved. Tansyswirl - a new mother herself - had only recently lost her own mate, Torntalons to another violent scuffle over the neutral stretch, leaving her a widow with their two young cubs, Bullsnake and Garter. The molly had been despondent for days, blankly taking whatever herbs Blackbirdleaves offered to her without speaking.

Weaselslash had taken to purring gently against her belly, whispering how he would always be there for his cubs, while he eyed the empty space the brown molly continued leaving for her mate.

It comforted her to see how dedicated he was to their cubs, determined not to leave them alone. Pregnancy had always made Pumastrike feel a bit uneasy - it always seemed painful, smelled horrible, sounded worse and left even the most powerful and skilled moggi out-of-commission for days. Sometimes even moons.

The russet and cream molly was confident it would be worth it - she was already in love with their cubs - but the idea of facing all of this alone? That there was the potential that mere moments after bringing her little stars to earth that she would just… die…. 

The idea terrified her.

A bit of nausea rolled through her stomach, earning a grimace as she reflexively gagged in the cooling air, collecting her mouse to begin making her way back to the cool and cozy nursery. Technically, she was supposed to be safely back in the barracks, having long since passed the point where hunting alone was dangerous for her. But she’d been so stir-crazy, pacing and rolling in her nest, that Morningdaisy had unceremoniously kicked her out.

“If you wake up Bat and Lily again when I’ve just gotten them to sleep, I’ll claw your ears and feed them to you,” the molly had threatened.

So she took the opportunity to sneak out into the wider woods, taking a deep breath in from the crisp and clean air. She hadn’t caught as much as she liked, the unwanted changes her body was growing through dredging all of the fears she’d tried to bury in love for her prospective cubs. She was heavier now and the sway of her belly was affecting her balance, forcing her to adapt to her new center of gravity. She felt nauseous most mornings - sometimes in the beginning, or simply out of the blue from moving a bit too fast.

Her stamina had been eaten away as well, she noted sourly. This single, scrawny mouse seemed to have drained her more than the sprints she’d been sent on as a cadet. She dreaded the idea of getting back into shape when her cubs were weaned - it would be difficult, maybe even harder than when she’d first trained as a cadet, but it would be necessary in the turbulent climate her faction was in.

You all are lucky that I already love you so much, Pumastrike thought to the cubs her in belly, affection flowing through every part of her.

She offered a nod to the current tunnel guard as she slipped through the brush covering the entrance, grunting a little as the thorned branches grabbed at her like she was an outsider. She made a bee-line for the nursery, claiming the hard-earned mouse for herself while studiously avoiding the caesar’s ledge. She didn’t want to meet Redfray’s eyes even by mistake - with Palanarra firmly in possession of the Suncairn and unlikely to release their hold before the end of the snow-season, his already aggressive campaign against the Shining Sun had increased in intensity. 

“Warina believes that obtaining exclusive use of the Neutral Stretch is the only way we’ll survive the coming snow-season,” Hawkfray had admitted on patrol. “Though we’ve yet to come to an agreement on whether it’s truly worth the resources we spend on it.”

While the rest of their border patrol had begun speaking up, Pumastrike had remained silent. Admittedly, she agreed with Hawkfray - the Neutral Stretch could be a massive boon during the snow-season given there was always at least a few birds or squirrels bounding through the territory, seeking out the plants that Regencies cultivated. But maybe her pregnancy had turned off the aggression and pride that typically filled a proper valorant because she felt her stomach roll with discomfort at the idea of constant battle patrols.

Her cubs were due soon and all she could imagine was the mender's den, with all the nests filled with wounded valorants before outsiders would storm in, fangs bared. What if Palanarra with their prey-rich river and snow-strong bodies took advantage of their focus on the Regency? Or what if the Skua, Heatdawn wanted one last major victory as the Mimaŕanil caesar and raided their barracks? Who would defend the nursery if all of their valorants were beaten and battered, constantly left at only half-strength on any given day?

Worse, what if one of the many hungering beasts from the Vastweald crossed into their territory and everyone was too bloodied to fend it off? A creature with no capacity for reasoning or mercy… they would be doomed. 

He should’ve backed off, she fretted to herself, her tail swishing nervously. At least until the snow-season ended. 

Then at least they could’ve been warm-season strong instead of fresh from the harrows of Kaŕazo’s most ferocious test while facing down an enemy with more soldiers on paw than there were leaves in on the ground during the harvest. 

Pumastrike shook her head, slipping into the nursery as quietly as she could, taking care not to wake any of the young cubs snuggled safely into parent’s bellies. It was quiet in the nursery for once, a rarity she’d discovered with all of the rowdy cubs alternating between when they wanted to be bounding about and when they were willing to take their naps. It probably had to do with Nettle and Grass being deemed old enough to begin training, removing two of the older cubs often corralling their den-mates into silly games. 

She offered a nod to Batpelt who was only a couple nests away from her. 

The brown molly just offered her a tired blink, her recently born son kneading fiercely at her belly while Pumastrike slowly lowered herself into her nest. She couldn’t believe that one day, in only a moon or so, she would be like that - exhausted and a bit irritated but ridiculously happy. Albeit, she’d be less suspicious than Batpelt.

She tried not to judge too much about the molly’s decision to keep her son’s father to herself, when little Elk’s pelt was clearly marked with the swirls and twists of a moggi not usually from Tayilivina. It wasn’t like it was her business and besides, Elk was young - only a few sunrises old. He hadn’t even started growing his milk-teeth yet, and maybe his ears would stay folded like his mother’s instead of standing up like whomever his father was. 

She allowed a quiet sigh of relief to escape her the moment she was off her paws, shifting a little to get comfortable. She dragged her prized mouse close to herself and started crunching away as subtly as she could - a few of the cubs were in their weaning stage and Pumastrike might have to smack the next cub who bounded up to her, determined to ‘try a bit’ of her prey.

“Pumastrike!”

Mayaazo, your worship, what have I done to displease you?

The molly twisted around to look at the approaching whisper-shouting cub. 

“Did you catch that mouse all by yourself?” Reach asked, practically trembling with excitement. 

“I did,” the guard agreed. “It never saw me coming.”

“That’s so cool!”

The cub was harshly shushed immediately as a few of the younger cubs began fussing at the sudden uptick in noise. The nesthands quickly sprung into action, soothing the various cubs before they could fully awaken their parents, sending scolding looks towards the now sheepish looking Reach standing before Pumastrike.

“That’s so cool,” Reach repeated, keeping her voice much lower, though she was still trembling with excitement.

Unbidden, Pumastrike felt a little purr break from her chest. With Redfray practically having declared war on the Sun Regency, cubs were being made into cadets the moment the charter deemed it acceptable. Reach at only four moons old would be ready to begin training by the time Pumastrike had exited the nursery and had been all but promised to her - something the cub seemed thoroughly delighted by.

Pumastrike for her part was a little torn - on one paw, she wanted to stay in the nursery with her cubs for as long as possible. She'd always envisioned herself as one of the mollies who would remain off-duty, raising her cubs until they were of age to start training themselves. She hadn't considered that she would become a mother in such a turbulent time, when their enemies of all sides were reacting with intense violence.

On the other paw, their liege Redfray was a lot more serious and harsh than caesars previous. This offer to train a cadet might be the one and only time she would get this opportunity. If she turned it down, her caesar may think she doesn't have their faction's best interests at heart and look to other moggi for this chance even after her cubs had become cadets.

At least their eyes will be open by then, she reassured herself. She was about ready to burst any day now according to Blackbirdleaves and in two moons, her cubs will have been weaned enough for her to return to her duties. She couldn't imagine having to leave the barracks even before her precious little stars had begun to open her eyes.

"Aazoli!" she cursed abruptly, feeling a sharp pang in her belly as the skin protruded out in the shape of a tiny limb. She groaned, catching the sympathetic looks from the other nesters as she glared at the wiggling shape. "Thimali, it's like they're playing moss ball in there."

"Are those your cubs?" Reach whispered with awe.

"Yes," Pumastrike said with pride. "Do you want to feel them?"

The cub looked up with delight and nodded. Pumastrike obligingly rolled over a little, to better expose her belly allowing the cub to gently press her nose against the warm skin. Reach jumped a little, squealing at the cub's movement against her nose.

The valorant chuckled, shuffling over to make space for the cub to clamber in alongside her.

She lowered her head and listened to the cub ramble all about her day and the adventures she had with her sister, Petal. She'd had a full day of stalking grasshoppers through the clearing, watching Bear and Apple practice their moves in the Basin and trying their hardest to replicate the moves only to be sent away for a nap when they clawed poor Beebright's tail in their tussle.

"Are you gonna teach me those moves?" Reach demanded, staring up at her.

"I'll teach you even cooler ones," Pumastrike promised, listening to her release another quiet squeal and closed her eyes as her future cadet began to ramble.

| | | |

Pumastrike shuffled a little bit, trying to ensure that she looked as happy as possible while Redfray recited the words that would declare his son Hawkfray as the instructor of the last new cadet, Petal. Anxiety rolled through her stomach though she tried to push it down - it hardly felt like any time at all had passed between her having her cubs and standing before her faction as a new instructor. They were all three moons old of course, fully weaned and capable of digesting small prey but she hadn’t been away from this like this since they’d been born.

She peered through the crowd, looking at three precious cubs all huddled together by the entrance of the nursery. One of the nesthands - Whitejay she thinks from the expanse of white visible to her - was sitting by them, occasionally tugging them back into place when they tried to wander off.

A tail brushes her tail and she turns her gaze to the yellow eyes of her mate, watching her with sympathy,

His own cadet, Sycamore was sitting beside him, much stiller and more proper than the excitedly dancing paws of Pumastrike’s own cadet. She could see the similar nervous energy in his body - he wasn’t so sure about leaving their cubs alone anymore than she was. Even worse (or better depending on who you asked), his cadet was already someone of a prestigious lineage - that kind of additional pressure on a brand-new instructor felt almost cruel.

She brushed her tail against his in mutual assurance as the ceremony finally crawled to a close, the cheering of their faction-members steadily quieting down.

“Split up,” Redfray’s voice commanded and Pumastrike immediately snapped to attention. Her caesar was an intimidating tom, covered in scars and half-healed wounds. While she didn’t approve of continuing their losing battle against the Shining Sun, she couldn’t say that her caesar was all command and no claws. He led practically every other battle patrol against them - in fact, after this ceremony he would probably be off to yet another battle. “I don’t want all of the new cadets on one border. We need to minimize any potential displays of weakness.”

“Of course my liege,” Singingrobins said, glancing towards her fellow instructors. “I’ll take the Mimaranil border with Bear.”

“I’ll join you,” her sister, Sunlightshiver said quickly. “Bear hasn’t been on that border in a while.”

“I’ll take Petal along the Palanarra border then,” Hawkfray stated.

“Then Reach and I can cover the Vastweald,” Pumastrike offered. It was rapidly approaching the snow-season so hopefully, the worst of the dangers had already begun their hibernation or migrated. It was a longshot but it was all she had. 

There’s a poignant silence for a moment as one border remained unclaimed. They avoided meeting each other’s gazes, not wanting the question to be asked.

“Well?” Redfray snapped impatiently. “That leaves Weaselslash to take the Regency border.”

“Forgive me my liege but I don’t think that’s a good idea with a fresh cadet,” Weaselslash said quickly, shrinking back at the sharp glare he was given.

“A valorant isn’t afraid of a little bloodshed,” Redfray growled.

“She doesn’t know any official battle-moves,” Weaselslash said weakly.

“Warina,” Hawkfray stepped in quickly, when the caesar unsheathed his claws in open frustration. He stepped between the new instructor and his father placatingly, “It wouldn’t look good for us to send an untrained cadet to battle. They might attempt a counter assault if we wend them someone so easily defeated.”

Redfray paused, his tail lashing slowly with narrowed eyes. Finally he sighed and straighted up, nodding in acceptance.

“Right…” he grumbled. “I’ll lead an official patrol then - can’t let those softpaws get too comfortable. Send your brother to me if you see him, I want him and Smallspeckle to meet me on the border.”

The imposing tom didn’t wait for a reply, aware that Hawkfray do as told and stalked away.

Singingrobins released a quiet sigh of relief when he was out of earshot. It seemed like she wanted to say something to them but with their cadets, young and impressionable standing at their paws, looking up to them she remained silent. 

“... I guess she should get going,” Pumastrike said eventually, earning murmurs of agreement. They slowly descended from the Caesar’s Ledge and back to the ground, walking directly to the entrance of their home with swift steps.

Sunlightshiver broke off immediately, her own cadet falling into step behind her as she lead the way for Singingrobins and Ermine without another word. Pumastrike started going in the opposite direction, ready to head around the backside of the barracks to the eastern-most border that brushed against the Vastweald. She purred a little, raising her tail in welcome affection when Weaselslash darted after her, brushing lightly against her flank and starting to fall into step alongside her.

“Hey hey,” said Hawkfray, gently stepping between the two of them with an amused look. He levied Weaselslash with a stern expression, “I know better than to send you two on patrol together.”

“That was one time,” Weaselslash said sheepishly, but he gave her one last affectionate lick then slunk towards Mazzardwhisker with his cadet trailing behind him. 

Pumastrike shook her pelt out, embarrassment flowing off of her at the memory of that patrol - she’d told him they should’ve waited until it was over. With a slightly flustered cough, she signaled for Reach to fall into step beside her and made a brisk escape from the situation. Thankfully, Reach didn’t ask any questions despite the curious looks the cadet kept shooting her. She would’ve preferred to have taken a larger party with her - at least one other moggi - but their lieutenant was right. She was so easily distracted by Weaselslash - his eyes, his scent, his voice - they would probably end up flirting and teasing rather than properly instructing their cadets.

In the name of a good impression, it’s for the best that we stay apart, she admitted to herself. 

There was a crunch of bracken on the ground, leaves kicking up Reach bounded forward with her tail held high.

“Wait for me!” she called out, simultaneously pleased and impressed when the cadet skidded to a halt only a tail-length away despite the obvious excitement in her paws. “Good job, thank you for listening. I know you’re excited but this is a dangerous border.”

She tried to do the same sandwich of praise and warning that Slateflower had done when Pumastrike had been a cadet, giving a stern warning without dampening Reach’s enthusiasm. It seemed she’d managed to strike the balance perfectly, watching the way Reach straightened up pridefully at the praise she’d been offered and strutted alongside her. 

Pumastrike decided she’d lead her among one of the major routes through their territory - one of the obvious ones used by Tayilivina moggi and trespassers alike. She watched from the corner of her eye as Reach’s head swiveled like it was only holding on by a thread, the cadet attempting to catch a glimpse of everything all at once. Pumastrike let the forest do the talking, saying nothing as the brambles and brushes began to grow thicker and more denes, with moss coating more and more trees in thick blankets. Ivy created a cushion on the earth, bursts of orange and red in the form of falling leaves and shed bark waving in the cooler wind.

Reach let out a squeal as she stumbled over one of the many large roots of the area, crashing into the ground.

“Ouch!” she complained, getting back to her paws while Pumastrike sniffed her with concern. “That root is huge.”

“It is,” Pumastrike agreed, relieved that she wasn’t hurt. “My old instructor said that the Vastweald has some of the oldest trees in the world - so tall that if you climbed to the top, you can brush the bottom of the Eternal Falls.”

“Woah…” Reach breathed, slowing her paw-steps as she tilted her head back. Pumastrike followed her gaze to one of the towering giants, her own tail flicking a bit nervously as the peaks of a couple trees seemed to disappear into the sky. “Has anyone ever tried?”

“No one has ever made it to the top,” Pumastrike said quickly. “Though they say the first emperor tried once.”

“The Banished One?” Reach gasped. “What happened?”

“Azaazo saw what he intended to do and called down a bolt of lightning to strike him and the tree,” Pumastrike recited, motioning to the tall form of a permanently charred tree that she’d carefully led them towards. It was barren with no leaves and only a few branches left, yet it seemed to grow and live on regardless. “He fell from the top as she tore one of his lives from his body. But when our own founder climbed up and was struck, he was gifted with umal. That’s why that tree is called Judgement - only those who are willing to look the aazoli in the eye should be willing to climb up there.”

She tried to tell it with the same amount of mystery and awe that Slateflower had told it to her. She’d occasionally felt the desire to visit the tree, maybe clamber up a few branches and ask what she’d done in a previous life to deserve both her mother and father’s deaths but had never had the courage to truly cross the border.

To cross the border would be to enter the realm of the godless, those who were under much harsher scrutiny from the Aazoli than those who were born of their blessed ones. She didn’t want to risk the climb, turning an eye to Azaazo herself and being found unworthy of answers.

Pumastrike tasted the air a few times while she let the story sink in, following the faint sound of steadily flowing water to guide her.

“We’ve reached a crossing point,” she announced, stepping out from the tree-line where a large, murky river with lazy waves slid back them. Not far from there was a pair of large logs that had been felled across it, not blocking the river but forming a bridge. The branches and roots had been cleared enough to allow a moggy to clamber aboard and the sleek, barkless top-side had been heavily scored.

She opened her mouth in preparation to repeat the same grand speech Slateflower had given her one, only to drop and lunge forward. She grasped Reach by the scruff when the cadet tried to dart towards the bridge, quickly depositing her back at her side.

“Didn’t I say be careful?” she snapped, her tail bristled with alarm. “Kin of the Strangler live in those waters - if you’re not careful, you’ll be swallowed alive.”

That stopped the cadet in her tracks, the little gray molly turning wide, horrified eyes on her. 

“Swallowed alive?” Reach echoed in horror.

“Nightsaber swears on her quills that she once saw a strangler so big it could’ve swallowed a grown bear in that river,” Pumastrike revealed with a shiver. 

The cadet took a wordless step back.

Good, Pumastrike thought to herself with satisfaction. She led them among the bank, careful to stay closer to the tree-line than the shores, keeping their paws dry and out of sight of any potential stranglers lying in wait.

“Technically our territory ends on the river shore but when you perform a territory-patrol, you’ll only mark near the edge of the bushes,” Pumastrike explained to her now carefully listening cadet.

“Because it’s too dangerous to be near the water?” Reach predicted.

“Exactly,” Pumastrike agreed. “In the rain-season, when prey animals are coming together with mates and having younglings, the river can trap you between a strangler and an enraged stag. It’s only really safe in the hot-season, when the river has shrunk too much for large stranglers to hide.”

“But ma said that’s when all monsters and beasts come back to our territory!” Reach gasped.

“As a valorant of Tayilivina, you’ll learn how to defeat any monster and take down any beast that crosses your path,” Pumastrike tells her. “We are the storm that guards the Empire from that which lurks in the shadows. Say it to yourself.”

“We are the storm that guards the Empire from that which lurks in the shadows?” 

“One day when you earn your name, you’ll say it with confidence to the aazoli watching you,” Pumastrike promised. 

“Really?”

“Really.”

Pumastrike continued to lead them along what remained of the border - there weren’t many marks or prominent landmarks so close to the River of Serpents. Large predators and even larger, easily bothered prey animals tended to lurk along the shoreline, watching for anyone foolish enough to be out in the open. There were a few fleeting markings on the far-side of the borders she could point to - directional claw marks on smaller trees, brightly colored threads tied upon the branches of the brush and faded or smeared berry paints conveying warnings - but otherwise they moved smoothly with little to notice.

Reach was a good cadet. 

When she wasn’t darting ahead to explore, she asked good questions and seemed to be committing everything they saw to memory. She pointed out the sounds of creatures in the undergrowth without prompting and was able to identify most of the scents that touched her tongue.

I think I have the best cadet of them all, Pumastrike thought to herself smugly. It was going to be easy to shape Reach into the greatest valorant that had ever touched paw in this forest.

Eventually, the River of Serpents seemed to split into two, divided by a massive rock that the river flowed around. The much wider stream continued to meander onwards, its lazy bends disappearing into the distance. The branching river on the other paw was mostly straight, cutting through the land sharp determination as it forced the earth out of the way.

It didn’t take long after they began following the water for it to begin to widen, merging with the other, much clearer watered river with faster, harsher rapids. 

“Welcome to the southernmost part of the Empire - the border between Palanarra and Tayilivina,” Pumastrike announced. “The further we go inland, the wider this river will get and-”

She cut herself off, her ears pricking at the distinct sound of pawsteps scrambling up the pebble laden shore. The molly arched her back, immediately pushing her cadet behind her and released a threatening growl. 

“Show yourself!” Pumastrike bellowed, feeling the sparks of her umal beginning to jump between her quills in a threatening display. “If you don’t, I’ll be forced to assume you’re an enemy and you won’t like what happens to enemies.”

The forest was still for a moment, only the bubbling river and the hushed rustling of leaves in the cool air in her ears. She flexed her claws and opened her mouth to call another warning only for a familiar form to step into view.

“Weaselslash,” she sighed in relief, allowing her fur to smoothen out with relief. “It’s just you. Why are you wet?”

And indeed, the tom was beyond wet. He was drenched. Water drizzled from his thick, short pelt and puddled on the ground beneath his paws and dripped from her whiskers. He seemed like his limbs weighed several additional pounds from the stiff way he stumbled towards her.

“I was trying to show Sycamore how to catch a squirrel,” he said, dropping his head in a sheepish manner. “I wasn’t paying attention and when the squirrel lept onto a tiny bit of bark and bounced across…”

“You dove right in?” Pumastrike laughed, shaking her head. That sounded just like him, leaping before he looked where he was going. 

“I didn’t even get the squirrel,” he said with a defeated sigh. 

“Of course you didn’t beetle-brain,” she teased and turned her attention to her now visibly amused cadet who was kindly holding in her own laughter. “I think we’ll cut this patrol short - get this idiot of mine back to the barracks to dry off.”

“Okay,” Reach giggled. “Will we go back out to find Sycamore?”

“Hawkfray was still with us,” Weaselslash said quickly, giving a little shake. They both quickly backed up to minimize the amount of water being flung at them. “He can bring her back.”

“Alright,” Pumastrike chuckled. “Let’s get you back to Blackbirdleaves before you catch a cold.”

/ / / / /

Weta Translations

Warrina - father (lit. dad-AUGUM.)

Aazoli - gods

Thimali - spirits

Umal - mana, magic

Empire Culture Notes

The Strangler - title referring to the mother of all constricting snakes, the powerful fairy who granted a shed skin to Mimaranil founder Fenn to aid in her escape of the tyramt emperor. ‘Stranglers’ in general refer to constricting snakes

/ / / / /

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