Seaport Pride
Seaport pride Life
The cats of Seaport pride live among the people who live and work along the ports of Port Town. While their camp is located in the remains of a small quarry behind the town, the hunting territory of this pride extends almost exclusively through the streets of the town. Stealthy and cunning, Seaport cats have learned to get their food in multiple ways, as they both hunt the rats and seabirds that flock to the docks and pilfer what fish they can from the boats and crates of fresh catch. Because their source of food fluctuates so unexpectedly with human movement and the success or failure of fishing trips, the cats compensate with a rotation of twenty-four hour patrols and hunting parties. The this end, the working cats of the pride are divided into four patrols, each with its own mini-camp at one of the four cardinal points of the town (the North, East, South, and West patrols). Although the care of the pride as a whole matters to all cats, the tight-knit bonds and constant companionship of the patrols serves to bring a constant sense of uneasy division to the pride. It is only their united concern for the pride, and their strong willed Leader, that keeps the pride together. That, and the constant threat of lost food and territory at the hands of the local alley cats.
Seaport pride and the Gods
Their close proximity to humans and non-pride cats, combined with their divided life style, has dulled the Seaport cats' devotion to their ancient legends. They hold a minimal reverence for certain cat gods, although their names are minimally invoked outside the den of the Star cat (except in angry oaths and spit curses). The gods that shape the Seaport pride the most are Cunning and Deceit, deities of self-reliance and versatility, and stealth and secrets, respectively. Due to their hard lives and constant conflict with the alley cats, the pride also looks to the lesser gods of Death and Battle, beings that, to them, shape the brutal lives they live.
Seaport pride and non-pride and pride-less cats
Uncertainty and distrust are a constant undercurrent within the pride, whether when interacting with pride, non-pride, or pride-less. Any cat not of Seaport is unwelcome among the streets of Port Town for the simple reason that they are competition for food, and food is scarce enough as is. This pride doesn't have the resources to take prisoners, and is much more likely to fight and run an interloper off if they are a non-pride cat. Pride-less house cats are equally unwelcome, however Seaport has an unusual relationship with the alley cats that share their streets. Some cats are unwelcoming, and treat alley cats like any other intruder, but others see opportunity in their alley-wandering brethren, and take advantage of the alley cats to discover additional food sources and safe places.
On joining and leaving
The addition of new adult cats happens almost exclusively in the patrols where cats are beginning to form connections with local alley cats. If the patrol feels like the alley cat adds a continual element of success to their work that would be lacking without the help, they may chose to begin integrating the cat into their patrol. The decision to welcome the new cat officially to the pride lies solely with the Leader, and while a cat can join in on patrols, they cannot enter the pride camp without the Leader's acceptance. Leaving the pride is an act not undertaken lightly, as it is usually seen as a sign of disloyalty or lack of trustworthiness. Although a cat who has left may still wander to the streets of Port Town, their patrol is likely to ignore them and they will not be welcome back into the pride camp. Attacks on the deserting cat would not be disapproved of by the pride.
On mates and kits
Any adult aged cat is allowed to mate and get pregnant, as long as they have the permission of the Leader (who may deny their request if she feels that food availability does not support having a pregnant or nursing cat). She-cats who belong to a patrol are still expected to continue their patrols until they are two-thirds of the way through their pregnancy. Kits are seen by some as little more than extra mouths to feed, so it is usually safest for kits to remain in the mother's den until they are yearling age, and old enough to apprentice.
On traveling
All cats belonging to a patrol are free to roam the full range of the pride's territory, and beyond, if food can be gained for their actions. Entering the territory of other prides is not recommended, but neither is it discouraged, as the cats of Seaport put survival of their own above the petty territory disputes of other cats. Their wandering is most accepted by Wintersands pride, while many a cat was sent limping home from even the fringes of Bramble pride territory. Seaport cats will, on rare occasion, venture as far as the Gardens in search of food.
Seaport Pride and Growing up
Growing up in Seaport is a serious case of sink or swim. While the adults of the pride will usually entertain the curious questions of little kits, once a cat hits yearling age their learning becomes their own responsibility. A meager ceremony, attended by the Star cat and usually only a handful of other cats, accompanies the naming of mentors (mentors are not even always present when their apprentice is named) after which it becomes the job of the yearling to chase down their mentor and demand they be taught. Usually yearlings are absorbed into their mentor's patrol, and are left to learn quickly and pick up their own slack. Although this method might seem mean-hearted, it actually creates an apprentice situation where a yearling finds themselves mentored by not one cat, but an entire patrol of them. The yearling usually joins that patrol officially upon adulthood, and will remain working in their patrol for as long as they are able. Like kits, the elders of Seaport are usually seen as a burden over a gift, and any cat who cannot pull their own weight is usually left to wander off, either to find a place at the heels of a human or to disappear into the wilds outside of town.
The Tasks
Star Cat: The Star cat of Seaport is a remainder from a time when the pride was much more spiritual. Now this cat serves the duel purpose of maintaining the rituals and stories of Sky Pride and standing as adviser to the Leader. The Star cat is in charge of assigning mentors, helping yearlings decide their tasks, and blessing any matings, should the pair desire it. The Star cat does not join patrols, and does not mate.
Medicine Cat: Seaport maintains four medicine cats, one for each patrol. The medicine cats know how to bandage wounds and heal sicknesses, and as such tend to be popular targets for alley cats looking to weaken a patrol's strength or receive some healing themselves. Healers are particularly important in patrols with a pregnant she-cat, where they shadow and monitor the expectant mothers religiously until they are able to retire to the safety of the mother's den.
Patrol Leader: The patrol leader is the cat in charge of making all the main decisions for their patrol. In conjunction with the other three patrol leaders, they decide when and where each patrol will hunt, as well as how they will handle conflicts, whether or not they will venture into other territories, and how to handle conflicts with other cats.
Hunt Leader: The hunt leaders help the patrol leader make decisions concerning where and when to hunt, and what food sources they are likely to find. They serve as a second in command to their patrol, and take over when the patrol leader is unavailable.
Patrol: Patrol cats are the explorers of the pride, and usually there is only one or two in a patrol party. These cats explore new routes and buildings, looking for safe paths and new ways to get to fruitful hunting locations. Patrol cats are also the most cunning and personable, and it is usually left to them to butter up the humans into giving them food hand outs, or distracting them while the hunters make a steal.
Hunter: Hunters are a combination hunter/gatherer cat. While they might spend one of their patrols hunting down birds and rats, another night might be spent snagging fish and stealing tidbits from behind food places with in Port Town. They are a little more course than their patrol companions, so they aren't always as good at befriending humans, but they are certainly good at getting past them unseen.
