Leader: E'endra (female)
Area:Tropical lush lands of Falori
-Live in the trees
-Hunters/Gathers/Patrol/Guards/Healers/Teachers/Bards
-high rainfall,annual rainfall between 1750–2000 mm


E'endra, Eminence of the Shadowmane, is a storyteller and a bard. While she might be in charge of a clowder of Meosians, there's little more she likes to do than sing a good story to a rapt audience. He favorite is that of the birth of the clan, for it is a tale of adventure, of love, and of her very own family. A listener would hear her name her genealogy, all the way back to an intrepid female called Marien. Marien had three sisters; Mina the Scarlet, Johanna the Small, and Ellen-Dell, while she herself was Marien the Maned, so called for the ruff of dark grey and black fur about her face. The four females were rogues, their parents exiles of the clan that would one day come to be known as the Serealie. Domoria was a hard, horrible place for the warmland-bred cats, and Marien and her sisters clung together at night, dreaming of a better life. Even though it seemed like they would be trapped in Domoria forever, Marien, cleverest of the four, came up with a way. Their parents were concerned for the safety of her plan, for their former clan's leader was a fierce tyrant known for his harsh judgment and pride, but the girls were determined. Domoria was no place for their aging parents to freeze to death, and so, they quietly began to live on the borders of the warmer lands, moving as quietly as they could towards the Sahar in the center. It was there that they found their refuge, and, for Marien, love. A handsome young healer named Sparrowhawk was quite taken with her from the beginning, and she with him. But there were troubles for the family: While her parents integrated nicely into the Sahar clan, Marien found it lacking. She didn't like the desert; it was horribly dry, and while the Sahar were nice enough, she felt like a refugee. One day, while walking with Sparrowhawk, she began to ask about the jungle that surrounded the Sahar territory to the south.
Now, this jungle was said to be haunted by the spirits of long-gone Meosians and inhabited by demons, but Marien didn't think it was so. When she pressed him, Sparrowhawk had to reveal that nobody had ever actually heard of cats living in the Falori jungle. Another plan began to form in Marien's mind. Sparrowhawk attempted to put it out of her head by asking her to become his mate, but she had to decline his offer. She had jungle fever, and she had it bad. So, together with her sisters and Sparrowhawk, they began explorations of the Falori. What they found was astonishing.

There wasn't a single demon in the jungle; however, there were several superstitious bands of rogues living there! They were living paw to mouth, with no leader to guide them. Under Marien's charismatic paws, they coalesced into what became known as the Shadowmane clan. All the sisters contributed in some way. Mina, the strongest, taught them how to stand together to hunt and defend themselves. Ellen-Dell taught them stories and songs, weaving superstition into legends, which were spread all around the Talisereran continent. And Johanna the Small, youngest of the sisters, told Marien and the clan of the disappearing trick. It was a way of seemingly melting into the scenery. Any cat could learn it, but to the untrained, it looked supernatural. While this originated as a defensive technique for protecting the young and old against possible antagonists and as a valuable hunting technique, rumors of this strange talent spread to the other clans. Marien led the clan for years; when she grew old, her and Sparrowhawk's eldest son, Robinwing, took over. She and her beloved traveled to the misty island off the shores of Shadowmane territory, where it is rumored they still live today, her will and their love keeping them alive...

As she finishes her tale, her audience notices that all they can hear of her is her voice. She's no longer there; she's disappeared into the trees like a good Shadowmane. Laughing, she comes back, stepping quietly out of the trees. She's fooled her audience, and she knows it. Jokes are an integral part of the young Eminence's personality; she tends to repress her problems and hide them with laughter. In truth, the Shadowmane is in a spot of trouble. As it was born of a loose confederation of rival groups, so it seems to remain at times today. The Shadowmane leader must be strong enough to hold the clan together, yet flexible enough to listen to the needs and wants of all. And this time, it's E'edra herself the factions are arguing about. Shadowmane rule has been hereditary for generations, with the most capable kitten of the current leader inheriting the position. The reasoning is that if one family has been capable for so long, it's likely that there's something about their spirit that keeps the Shadowmane together. Upon the retirement, abdication, or death of a leader, the clan gathers and names the successor to the throne. The other interested children, along with the relatives of the previous ruler, serve as an advisory board combined with a conscience for the new leader, keeping them in check and giving them valuable insights about the state of the clan. However, E'endra, is an only child. While she seems to be doing a very good job, a few cats have begun to speak up about a change in leadership, grumbling that this time, they didn't really have a choice in the matter. E'endra is doing her best to come to terms with these rebels; while she's no tyrant, she also doesn't want the clan to be torn apart from the inside; a house divided simply cannot stand...