Leader: Deceased (Askane)
Area: Jadde
-Live along the coast

On the Serealie...

Travelers along the coast often tell tales of these cats watching them, but who's to say that they're telling the truth? After all, they might not have seen anything! The Serealie prefer to keep to themselves, really, for they know than an outsider would probably try their hardest to take advantage of their leaderless situation. When an outsider enters their lands, the Serealie use their knowledge of the terrain to conceal themselves perfectly, hiding with great ease to observe the intruder. If it appears that the stranger is intent upon staying, more observation is given, and it can be weeks before an outsider is unknowingly accepted into the clan. The only exception is for the sick or injured, who they take care of immediately, as their leader always did. A thin, suspicious bunch, this clan has seen much strife since the passing of their leader. There are dangers in even their relatively kind lands: Every year, three or four perish in the bogs, or disappear on the moors, never to be seen again. They whisper amongst themselves that perhaps the gods have whisked away their loved ones to serve them, but deep down, they know that this is probably not the case. As such, families are very close, parents and siblings incredibly protective of their kittens. A religious bunch, they believe that the gods are not merely watching them, but take a hand in day-to-day activities, communicating with the clan through dreams. While their gods are many and varied, there is one celestial being that each and every member of the Serealie hopes with all their heart to be blessed by. Her name is Askane, and she was once their leader.

Askane was a delicate, beautiful, and most importantly, old female. Her bones were thin, like a bird's, and her coat was white with age, and there were whispers that her grandchildren did all her hunting for her. But those were reserved for a few grumbly dissenters who would snap at the chance to insult anything. The clan dearly loved Askane, for she was wise, even beyond her lengthy years, and braver than any expected. With a maternal paw, she settled disputes between even the largest and angriest of her followers, creating friends from enemies. A weathered nymph, her greatest joys were playing with and teaching kittens, and she could often be seen on sunny days rolling and tumbling with them in the grass, leading them on safe paths through the boggy wetlands, or reciting myths to them in dramatic voice.

The clan was happy. Very, very happy. But time pays no attention to mundane, mortal things like the balance of power, and as the years continued to pass, Askane began to lag behind. Her whiskers, once proud and stiff, began to droop, and waking up became harder as each morning dawned. Although the clan did not notice (or simply refused to), time was finally catching up to their beloved leader. Askane was dying, and there was nothing anybody could do about it. No magic herb or sacred water could save her, and she knew it. Much to the protests of the clan, she accepted this and took it in stride, living each day to the fullest until one morning, she simply couldn't get up. Calling her clan to her side, she briefly explained to them that now was her time, and she was going to go to sleep now if they wanted to say goodbye. She dozed peacefully, occasionally stirring to depart some final wisdom to her clan. Eventually, she stopped stirring, merely waking up every now and again. "Don't be sad," she said, "And don't try to bring me back. I've earned my rest, and besides, death is but the next adventure." Hours later, she briefly roused herself and raised her head for a final time. "If I can, I'll let you know how it goes." She left smiling amidst the weeping of her clan, leaving no set heir. For all her wisdom, she'd forgotten that one important thing. The Serealie were left leaderless, which, in their minds, made it as if she'd only left on a brief trip. Some of the clan is still waiting for her to come back and are violently opposed to the taking of a new leader