Banyanwood Pride
Banyanwood pride Life
The Banyanwood pride's camp is located high in the twisting branches of an ancient banyan tree. From up above, the Banyanwood cats reign over their lush forest territory. An ancient pride, the cats of Banyanwood live a regal, noble life, where station and lineage mean everything and the most important goals in life are rising through the ranks and passing on your bloodline. Beneath the surface of this pleasant, well-groomed pride runs an ever-present current of intrigue and distrust. The cats of Banyanwood are unique in their single-minded focus on keeping any and all intruders from their home and out of their carefully manicured bloodlines. Bordered on almost all sides by Bramble, Seaport, Wintersands, and the pride-less cats of Port Town, Banyanwood finds itself on constant guard, defending its bountiful territory jealously from any wandering paws. It is this omnipresent fear of outsiders that seems to bind the high-minded Banyanwood cats so closely together, seconded only to the never ending quest for strength and perfection among its own cats.
Banyanwood pride and the Gods
The gods are of particular importance to the Banyanwood cats, because it is believed that it is from the gods that cats receive the blessing required to move up through the ranks, becoming leaders, second, or pride leader. Pride, in particular, is seen as the god of leadership and personal growth within Banyanwood. Pride, representative of personal ability and the importance of passing on worthwhile traits to future generations, is looked to for blessing all promotions and pregnancies within the pride. The god Loyalty is equally valued within the pride, his teachings of personal duty and his reverence for the cats who provide for the pride, such as hunters, of particular importance. Hunters are so valued within Banyanwood that the lesser god Hunter is given offerings after every hunt int he hopes of maintaining the pride's prey lush lands. Leadership, another lesser god, is given offerings of his own before every moon meeting, and when ever a cat moves up into a leadership rank.
Banyanwood pride and non-pride and pride-less cats
Banyanwood pride has no welcome for non-pride cats, and defends itself against that intrusion at all costs. Any non-pride cat found in the territory has better be able to run fast, because if they find themselves int he clutches of the Banyanwood cats they will not make it back out without injury (if they make it out at all). Pride-less cats are very occasionally welcomed into the pride in a servant level position, but are never truly accepted into the pride. They may not gain rank within Banyanwood, and will never be allowed to breed.
On joining and leaving
No cat is allowed to leave Banyanwood, and any that does is risking their life. Any cat through of abandoning the pride will be punished with death if captured, and so defection from the pride should not be undertaken lightly (or slowly, as getting out of the territory should be a defectors first and only priority). Non-pride cats will never find welcome within the borders of the pride's forest, and is risking serious injury if they tread into this carefully guarded land. Pride-less cats are the only cats who stand a chance at entering the pride, though many who are expecting to join the exciting pride life of wild cats will find themselves quickly disappointed when they are relegated to the role of carefully watched servant cat, tied to a single cat and forbidden from ever leaving the camp, let alone the territory.
On mates and kits
Taking mates in Banyanwood is a matter of bloodlines, not love, and it is common for cats to choose a mate that they might not actually be in love with. Mates must be approved of by the leader and the star cat, and are brought together in a midday union that must have the approval of the goddess Pride (as determined by the star cat). Cats are not allowed to mate with non-pride or pride-less cats, and any found doing so are considered deserters and held to the same punishments. Kits may only be born to cats who have been allowed to mate by the leader and the star cat. Any cats found pregnant without this approval will be banished, and any toms found breaking this law will be treated as deserters. Pride-less cats may not breed within Banyanwood, and any found doing so, along with their mate, are subject to the same punishments as a deserter, and their kits abandoned to the unclaimed lands.
On traveling
Only hunters and patrol cats may travel around the territory, and only along the routes predetermined by the pride leader. Only the patrol leaders may travel openly, and no cat may leave the territory (and found doing so will be declared a deserter).
Banyanwood Pride and Growing up
Kits lives begin in a sea of decision making. Kits are prized above all else as being a way for a cat to pass along their lineage and skills, and such kits parents are watching them from day one for signs of inherited skills. As the kits age, the parents encourage any signs of exceptional skill in their children, preparing them for becoming an apprentice. When it comes to apprenticeship, rather than one-on-one mentoring, kits in Banyanwood are mentored by an entire group. The patrols and hunting parties of Banyanwood, which are made up of fixed groups of cats, start watching the kits from early on, looking to see if the kit is one that they are open to taking on as an apprentice. The groups have to vie for an apprentice, and have to take their request to the pride leader before being allowed to take on an apprentice. The apprentices are announced at daybreak at a regal announcement ceremony. From then the kits are full time apprentices with their group, whose members take turns training the kits before they begin shadowing the patrols and hunts. The final step to adulthood requires the kits to undergo a lone mission, following a planned route in which they must either fight off a threat or take a kill to prove their worth to the pride. If a cat proves to be particularly exceptional, they will remain prominent within the pride for the entirety of their life, and in old age will be treated with respect and reverence by their peers.
The Tasks
Star Cat: The star cat of Banyanwood is, first and foremost, a keeper of records. Like a matchmaker, the star cat knows who carries what lineage, and which mates will produce the best kits. It is the star cat who gives the final okay on all partnerships and pregnancies, as well as leading the ceremonies to celebrate these events. Star cats also serve as judge within the pride, and it is up to the star cat to decide the guilt of cats in instances of desertion, inter-pride relationships, and other crimes against the pride.
Second: The second in command, this cat is the right hand to the pride leader, and serves to manage the movements and daily life of the entire pride. Where the star cat serves as judge, the second is the executioner, carrying out whatever punishments the star cat or pride leader decides upon. A beacon of strength in the pride, a second must have mastered their hunting skills and achieved the rank of patrol leader before they may take this rank.
Medicine Cat: The healer of the pride, the medicine cat is both wise and compassionate. However, even the medicine cat is held to the expectations of the pride when it comes to travel, and they may not leave the camp unless accompanied by a patrol. The medicine cat is bound in a constant struggle between loyalty to the laws of the pride and being true to their drive to heal, as the pride leader has the power to declare that a cat be refused medical treatment, even a mother in labor (if she is pregnant by a non-pride or pride-less cat, for example).
Patrol Leader: Fierce and painfully loyal to the pride, patrol leaders are in charge of a patrol group, and are the only cats allowed to lead expeditions into previously unexplored land. These cats must be unflappable in a fight, and are agile and cunning. They are intended to be prime examples of elite skill in the pride, therefore only the most masterful cats may take this position in their pride.
Patrol: Patrol cats are in charge of guarding the territory's borders and maintaining the security of the land. Patrol cats cannot back down from a fight, and must be willing to do what ever it takes to defend their home and punish those who trespass on Banyanwood land. Between hunters and patrol cats, the patrols are seen as the more honorable position.
Hunter: The providers of the pride, hunters live in a duel world of honor and disdain. Their stealth, speed, and teamwork are unmatched, and without them the pride would surely starve, and offerings to the gods Loyalty and Hunter are a regular part of pride life. Yet, these cats are also seen as lower ranking, and are thought of as secretive and even untrustworthy because of their stealthy lifestyles.
