Single post in A Shadow's Tale

~Dropping this here for later reference~ Guardian Spirit: Feather Blown by the Breeze (Feather) ♀ Adapted Traits: Enhanced Hearing & Balance, Mimic Other Animals Lifestyle: Travelers are a diverse group consisting mostly of nomadic loners that can't stand the idea of staying in one place for too long. Most travelers have a special love of the wind and high places and prefer passing from tree to tree during their journeys to avoid the 'stationary' cats that live in the lower places. Despite this tendency to avoid others they also have a deep love of collecting and sharing stories (what they call 'trading tales') and will occasionally gather useful things to offer in exchange for 'traveling protections' so they can cross into a clan/tribe's territory. In order to communicate and maintain their traditions over such distances they've developed the 'Howling Network' and the Council. The council is a group of older experienced travelers that have partially retired from their travels and a small selection of young 'runners' for when normal calls are considered too dangerous. These council elders are responsible for ensuring traditions are passed down and for calling gatherings to share news among travelers in the area. The Howling Network is their main means of communication which was created by mimicking wolf howls and consists of a warning call (a single 'note' repeated thrice that roughly translates to 'listen closely') and then the message which will be passed from traveler to traveler until it's run its course. For short-range communication (or when the network is deemed dangerous) they mimic bird calls instead. Young cats born to travelers tend to spend their early moons with one or both parents before being given the choice to join properly. Those that want to join are then given the task to find their 'destiny mark', a sign that represents who they are and is usually more abstract than literal (though some do mark themselves or carry their sign to show their status as 'full' travelers). During this first journey alone they're referred to as 'little' travelers and upon completion they're recognized by the council during a special gathering to welcome them fully into the network. When a traveler passes their spirit continues 'running with the wind' and may watch over their descendants much like StarClan does for the clans.