Skyfall Clowders: The Skypelts
Skypelt Clowder written out in English on the left and then in ClowderMew on the right. The ClowderMew translation to English is as follows: yaawrl 'sky' + borrl 'pelt' + ulnyams 'clan/clowder'. The center symbol is the standard heraldry of the Skypelts. It depicts three stylized twayblade flowers and a pair of buttercups at the bottom sides.
Warriors of the Cliffs
The Skypelts, also known as Skypelt Clowder, are one of the five churl clowders. They are a revived version of the Skyclaws, their ancient counterparts who were driven from the Forest by human development many generations ago. The modern-day clowder named themselves in honor of the Skyclaws but with a different suffix to better differentiate themselves from the ancient clowder. The Skypelts originally lived on the outskirts of the town in an abandoned mill but have since moved to the Lake. There they live to the north between the Rivertails and Thunderhearts. The new clowder was founded by Leafdapple, a former rogue and Bloodfang descendant, Skywatcher, a former rogue and Skyclaw descendant, Fireheart, thegn of the Thunderhearts, and Sandstorm, Master Hunter of the Thunderhearts. The new clowder is a mix of cats of rogue, Bloodfang, housecat, and loner origin and as a result they are the only clowder of the Five that does not speak exclusively the Forest dialect of ClowderMew. TownMew and the Town dialect of ClowderMew are the most commonly spoken tongues in Skypelt Clowder, although ClowderMew is becoming a much more common tongue for the younger generations born around the Lake.
Skypelt Territory
The Gorge
The precursors to the Skypelts lived in loose coalitions in and around the Gorge, a steep set of cliffs around a half-day walk from the eastern edge of the Town. The sparse woodlands and limestone crevices provided ample food, but also space in the shadows for packs of rats. The Gorge was dangerous, but still home for many of the cats that would one day call themselves Skypelts.
The Lake
When the Skypelts arrived at the Lake, they were offered a rocky, cliff-strewn stretch of land that was a little used part of Rivertail territory. Their eastern neighbors are the Thunderhearts. This territory is made up of several cliffsides and quarries that stretch up the hillside, creating stair-like terrain. These cliffs are covered in young deciduous trees that form a light canopy overhead.
Distinct Cultural Traits
Come One Come All
The Skypelts are the most likely of any of the Five to let outsiders join their clowder. Being a young clowder who are either themselves former outsiders or who have parents who were outsiders they do not have the insular nature the other clowders do. If a cat comes to them for help and wishes to join the clowder, they are nearly always allowed to at least give it a shot.
Sky Before Stars
When the Skypelt's namesake and ancestors, the Skyclaws, were driven from the Forest they turned their back on the Stars, vowing only to respect their direct ancestors rather than those affiliated with all of the clowders. This vow has continued into the present day Skypelt clowder. Those cats who do believe in the traditional clowder faith system do so through the Sky rather than the Stars. Many Skypelt cats practice faiths other than the Sky and several are simply agnostic or non-spiritual. The Skypelts don't care what you believe in so long as you are kind and respectful of others and their beliefs.
The Art of Food
Food is the heart of Skypelt culture. Cats gather to share news and gossip over a good meal, and the Skypelts are known for their superb seasoning and cooking skills. Clowder cats have a limited ability to create and control fire for cooking but most often produce cooked meals during the height of summer when dark, flat stones are used to heat up and sear food. The Skypelts are the most adept and both fire and sun-based cooking techniques.
Democracy
The Skypelts are the only clowder that uses a fully democratic system to make decisions and choose a reeve. Significant decisions, such as going to war, picking a reeve, rationing food, or exiling a cat, are made as a whole clowder. Each cat gets one vote except the mediator, who forfeits their vote to referee the discussion. A decision is made when at least half the churls and all but at most two council members are in agreement. Ties are broken by the thegn.
Mediation
The mediator is a unique council role in Skypelt clowder. This cat's primary duty is to lead clowder voting, but they also provided emotional support and relationship mediation. They are the main problem solver of the clowder and are a key advisor to the thegn in matters of diplomacy and clowder emotional well-being. They take on a role partially held by the reeve and priest in other clowders, allowing the Skypelt reeve and priests to focus on the other parts of role (logistics and spirituality specifically). There is usually only one mediator at any given time. The mediator does not take a formal apprentice and instead informally trains a churl if they wish to take on the role. This trained churl does not become a mediator until the passing or retirement of their predecessor.
The Daylight Churl
Unlike the other clowders, the Skypelts have two unique positions rather than one. Daylight churls are cats who serve the clowder as churls during the day and return to their outsider home at night. With few exceptions, daylight churls are housecats who are allowed outside during the day and return to their humans' home at night. This allows for safety and fulfillment for those cats at night and provides the clowder with extra paws for patrols and hunting during the day. Daylight churls are welcome to leave or join the clowder full-time at their own discretion. Any cat wishing to become a daylight churl must first pass an apprentice assessment, whether that requires they be trained for a while or they come to the clowder already possessing the necessary skills.
Words Over Claws
Skypelts prefer to work out issues via diplomacy and discussion rather than physical fights. They will exhaust every other avenue available to them before going to battle with another clowder. As a result, declarations of war or other such attacks are very rare and mean that you have truly angered the Skypelts.
Patient and Adaptable
A young clowder that has already moved territories three times, the Skypelts are known to be adaptable and patient. They have had to make their home in a few, very different places and have succeeded in sticking together each time through that hardship. They believe in each other, perhaps more so than the other clowders around the Lake. More traditional cats may scorn the clowder of "outsiders and housecats", but they are churls just as much as any other clowder cat.
