Clouded Moon Official

The official art blog of Star Cat Studios, creators of "The Alliance Saga: Clouded Moon"! Public art resource and place to ask questions. Check the featured tags to look for specific characters or colonies!

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Clouded Moon Masterpost

For all your "I want to get into this but don't know where to start!" needs: Meet the characters: Field Colony: Drawing a ___!

Oak Colony: Drawing a ___!

Marsh Colony: Drawing a ___!

River Colony: Drawing a ___!

Clouded Moon Trailer

Shifting Roots Episode One (outdated, still uses Warriors lore, but the story beats are the same and we worked really hard on it LMAO)

Book One: Shifting Roots Amazon-Barnes and Noble (Physical or E-Book NOTE: we unfortunately have no control over how or when these sellers ship things, depending on demand, shipping may take a while. ALSO: Formatting on the e-book should be updated so if you downloaded the book early on, try deleting and redownloading to fix formatting issues.) Avalon's Kofi-buy the e-book for as little as $1, and/or limited physical special editions with sticker sheet, bookmark, and signatures from Avalon, Tennelle, and Snap. (Limited availability)

Extras:

Clouded Moon videos playlist (animations, speedpaint stories, lore videos, ect)

Field Colony tag

Oak Colony tag

Marsh Colony tag

River Colony tag

Followers of the Wind tag

Unbound tag

Q&A's

Fandom Wiki (We are not involved in upkeeping this, but figured it's a fun resource to share)

I'll try to add/edit this post as we mosey along!

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Patch 

Marsh Colony New-Claw

Parents: Blueflower and Crowstalker

Sibling: Wildfur

“C’mon, Wild! Follow me!”

Patch and Wild were a problem from the beginning. That much they both knew. Blueflower, their mother, was very sick. And it was their fault. They knew that as well. Patch couldn’t really understand how, but no one had really tried to explain it either. It was just a known fact. Wild was especially affected by how other cats would look at them. Every disappointed sigh, every glare, every time a cat would hiss and swat at them when they crashed about the camp. Orchemantis would hiss some particularly rude things if they got anywhere close to her precious kitten, and Shrewbelly had his paws full with Frost, the half drowned kitten that had recently been found in the swamp.

No one seemed to bother themselves with them. Not even Crowstalker, their own father. They would just have to take care of themselves until…well, Patch wasn’t really sure when. Maybe when they were New-Claws? Proper New-Claws! With the Mentors and allowed to leave the base! For now, they were supposed to be learning from the Keepers, but since the only Keeper was busy, Patch and Wild mostly spent their time play fighting, getting in trouble, looking for sunbeams to lay in, and generally causing mayhem.

Maybe they could prove themselves ready to be proper New-Claws? Then they wouldn’t be in the way! That gave Patch an awesome idea. Wild would need some convincing, but if there was one thing Patch was good at, it was egging his brother on.

This’ll be great!

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Orangebrook 

-River Colony Herbalist

Kitten: Silverblaze

Mate: Blazeheart

A change in a Path is not something most cats as old as Orangebrook do, but when your Captain says it’s where you are needed…It’s impossible to argue. 

Orangebrook curses himself for not listening to his mate, Blazeheart, closer when she would talk about her herb stores. And now she was with the Spirits and Orangebrook had no one to ask. 

He would grumble about his predicament more but really, what good would it do? The job needs doing, regardless if he is any good at it. He’s been able to get a few scant, precious tips from the other Colony’s Herbalists, but there’s still herbs Orangebrook isn’t sure about. How long do they last? What is the best way to apply them? It’s enough to give an older guy like him a headache.

At least Orangebrook understands enough about how to stop a wound. Any cat can at least do that. He’s pretty good at telling cats to get some extra rest as well. Nothing a little rest can’t usually help. And he’s been alive long enough to know a few things about helping a pregnant mother with her kitting. 

So Orangebrook guesses that things could overall be worse.

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Timberleg

-Field Colony Mentor-in-Training

Parents: Amberyes and Volefur

Siblings: Lilyfire and Peach

Timber and Fire were the first litter that Ambereyes and Volefur had together. While Ambereyes decided to stay with her kittens as a permanent Keeper for the colony, Volefur couldn’t have shown much less interest in his newborn kittens if he had tried. Timber was sad to not have his father around much, but at least there were so many other wonderful cats to look up to! Timber was much like any kitten, playful and curious, but even from a young age, he enjoyed watching and learning from what he observed adults doing.

When little Night was found on the edge of Field Colony territory, Timber was the first to make friends, at least, after she was no longer confined to Mistysnow’s den. Night had a lot to catch up on to be a New-Claw with him and his sister, Fire. She didn’t know anything about being in a Colony! But that was okay, because it meant that Timber could show off all his favorite places to play, and tell Night all his favorite stories, and show off how fast he could run and pounce things! Becoming friends with Night, and teaching her all the things the Keepers had taught them, was perhaps the first time Timber considered making Mentor his future path.

Being Goldenpelt’s New-Claw was what really spurred him to become a Mentor. His days following Goldenpelt and Spottedshadow as she learned to become a Mentor have always been some of his favorite times. Hunting, patrolling, playing and battle training with Fire and Night, and the idea of teaching New-Claws all the cool things that his teachers taught him seemed like the perfect way to contribute to his Colony. 

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Brackenfoot

Former Oak Colony Second

Kitten: Dawnfrost

Mate: Flamecloud

Brackenfoot was a stoic tom, he never said very much at Moonlight Meetings and he was very practical and tactical; that is all most cats really know about him. His own colony was closer with him, sometimes some would even see him smile… He always came across as angry or prideful to cats from other colonies, when really he was just quiet and often annoyed at others’ excitement for chatter after business was finished. Elmtail chose him as Second because of his seriousness, the Captain felt that it would help keep himself in line with what was needed.

Brackenfoot developed an illness over his lifetime that made him irritable, but even before that, he had little time for anything more than his job as an Envoy. His young years were a busy time for Envoys, as they were often the leaders of strike teams in the conflict with Marsh Colony. Peacetime brought free time and Brackenfoot thought that maybe he could try to settle down… Flamecloud was willing to give him a chance, she may have even loved him. 

When their daughter, Dawn, was born, Brackenfoot found it difficult to connect to her, or even to Flamecloud. His mind was always stuck on thoughts of the past, his illness or Marsh Colony’s possible betrayal of their new peace treaty. He became estranged from his family while looking for more meaning in his life; he felt that now that the war was over, he had no place anymore. Perhaps he would have found what he was looking for had he lived to see his daughter become Captain.

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Of the Followers of the Wind that we have seen, which is your favourite?

Obviously Dragonfly and Ardentwind are the most developed Followers we know of at this point! And both are strong contenders, especially as a dynamic. We all love an optimistic youth and hardened older mentor. <3

Personally tho, I love Blazewind :3

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Have you changed much of the medicinal plants after the stories switch, do you keep principles because of common benefits for cats or has it been changed completely because of the sub-tropical environment?

We have our own list of plants and such that the cats use! We got a lot of good inspiration from reading various books, like 'Wild Medicine" by Shelby Bundy and Kate Belew. And diving through wikipedia lol. Of course there's a lot of overlap, and of course the uses of these plants are based on human applications. Just liberties taken when working in a fantasy world.

We try to find interesting new ways for our cats to use their environments, such as Marsh-Landers mixing mushroom into the mix, and Oak Colony's Cliff Gardens.

And as hinted at in the first book, the Colonies have a lot to learn about different medical applications, such as the Followers being able to use splints and stitches, which is able to save Wildfur's leg. (Versus what happened with Missingfoot, who's paw was amputated due to Field Colony not having the "tech" or knowledge to save it.)

As we continue, you'll see how the characters learn a bunch of new medical tech, some more fantastical than others. There's a duo of Medicine I'm excited for you guys to meet in the future... >:3c

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How much time passes in Shifting Roots?

From beginning to end, about 3 months. And then a few weeks pass between the end of Shifting Roots and where we want to begin Shaded River.

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What was Catcher’s name before he left the Colonies? Was it still Catcher?

Yup! His name has always been Catcher! He left before his graduation.

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Are there any names that are tabboo in the colonies? Obviously "MagicUser" or "HexMaster" would be a big no no but are there other names?

Not really! Most anything is on the table, as long as it makes sense in the narrative. But there aren't any names that the colonies outright would ban or think are disrespectful.

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I absolutely LOVEEE Flutteringbat and Pantherwind they adorable! I have a question what do they think of their grand daughter or were they dead prior to her being born? If they died before her birth, did they ever have their own opinions on their sons relationship? (If they died after the accident what was the reaction to his name change? They definitely had to not be very happy)

They both unfortunately died before Spottedshadow was born, so they never saw what happened to their son.

They loved Whitebelly as their son's mate. Flutteringbat would've been a mentor to both of them, and Blackpelt became a mentor like their parent. (Yes, Bat is also a Quinn!)

Had Pantherwind still been around, he might have been able to sense the danger they were in. Pantherwind always had a sixth sense for Bat's misadventures.

If Spotty got a chance to meet the both of them, she would've loved them. Probably would have related much more strongly to her father's side, and Whitebelly would have been more than happy with that.

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Lilacstripes-Former Field Colony Ranger

Mate: Shadowclaw Kitten: Jaggedstripe

Was this it? Was this all life was?

Lilacstripes had never stopped to think about her life. She took every day in Field Colony for granted. She had friends. Family. Responsibilities. Every day was the same. She had no grand ambitions, in fact it all seemed kind of banal.

When Shadowclaw began courting her, Lilacstripes went along with it because it just seemed to be the next step in her life. Graymist was with Fleetfoot after all…And Forestleaf with Hazelfur. Maybe having a mate would make her feel more whole. Maybe she would care more.

And then she was pregnant. Everyone in the colony fussed over her and congratulated her and told her how happy she must be. Was she? It was just the next logical step in life, she supposed. Was it supposed to feel new and exciting?

When Stripe was born, Lilacstripes waited for the feeling to come. The love she should feel. Her life changing. She would stare at Shadowclaw’s kitten and will it to overwhelm her with…something. That’s how life should work, isn’t it?

One day soon after, the colony woke up and Lilacstripes was gone. Search patrols followed her scent to the Eastern Wastes, but there was no sign of a struggle, no conflicting scents, nothing to indicate that Lilacstripes had been taken against her will. And no one has seen her since.

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Berry, Hunter, Sky, and Spot

Nightpool's kittens

They'll be right around 3 months old at the beginning of Shaded River

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Flutteringbat and Pantherwind

Mentor and Ranger of Field Colony

Bat- Wide eyed angel. Adventurous and slightly airheaded. Willing to throw themselves into something without overthinking it. Encourages young cats to also be adventurous.

Pantherwind- Sly, quiet type. Always felt like a bit of a loner and outsider, having no parents or family inside Field Colony until he and Flutteringbat got together. Very quick for his size and always seemed to have premonitions about danger, especially regarding Flutteringbat's misadventures.

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Canaryrush

Field Colony Second (Dead before Shifting Roots)

Eager and Confident. Friend and second of Captain Skyfang. Quick footed but slow thinking. Willing to take a risk.

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Asterstorm

Field Colony Herbalist

Likes to be mysterious and a little chaotic. Takes joy in the usual and offputting. Goth.

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Fennec-Unbound

Brother: Reed Niece: Gosling

Getting involved with Mages was dangerous business. Fennec had met plenty of harmless mages, and his brother Reed had always been slightly enamored with them. Maybe that was what gave Fennec more reason to be cautious. Reed clearly wished to learn magic for himself and Fennec saw how that ambition made Reed careless.

When the two brothers ran into a Fire Magling who seemed to promise Reed everything he wanted, it all seemed too good to be true. Reed was completely smitten however, and nothing Fennec said would get through to his foolhardy brother. The Fire Magi, Pur'Tra, promised to teach Reed all she knew about her magic. She would show the brothers how Fire wasn’t just an element she could control, but how it was a higher being. It hungered. It wanted. And part of being a good Fire Magi was to appease this hunger.

Apparently, part of this hunger included Pur'Tra having Reed’s kitten. Something about how the Fire would bless them both for passing the Flame onto another. It all sounded crazy to Fennec.

Despite his misgivings, Fennec couldn’t prove Pur'Tra had ill intentions. The Fire mage became more disapproving of Fennec by the day. She convinced Reed that Fennec would only make him a weaker mage with his disbelief. 

After an argument, Reed told Fennec to leave him and Pur'Tra for good. Fennec couldn’t believe his own brother would abandon him, and things only seemed to be becoming more and more suspicious. Fennec wouldn’t go far. He only hoped Reed would eventually see sense.

One fateful night, Fennec smelled the Fire that Pur'Tra always lit at dusk, but this time a horrible smell came with it. The smell of burning flesh and fur.

Fennec rushed to the scene, but Pur'Tra was already gone. A scream came from the nest that Reed had shared with Pur'Tra and their kitten. It was ablaze and Fennec watched in horror as fire ate his brother alive. He jumped in to try to save him, but it was too late. Left to die with his father, Reed’s Kitten sat in the Fire and didn’t burn, merely crying over her father’s charred remains. 

Everything afterwards has been a blur, but Fennec and his niece, Gosling, are getting as far away from the Fire Magi as possible.