Feral Heart

Date of Creation: 2011/09/30
Release Date: 2017/08
Website: http://stormcats.webstarts.com/

What is a StormCat?
If you were to ask a common person what a StormCat was, an image of a cat with lightning powers
may come to mind, However there are no real interpretations of what a 'StormCat' is.
unfortunately the species is considered unknown and the term 'Stormcat' is not used properly.
The earliest concept of the StormCat has existed since the year 2011
and was under development until 2014. The StormCats are now a semi-open and regulated species.
StormCats are a realistic fictional cat-like creature created by a young artist and its roots are based
on a dream she had, and was inspired by her cats. Eventually the first StormCat was created and dubbed 'Shocker.'
The 2 main qualities of a StormCat are physical appearance and the Lore of the species.
They are a Legendary species that all have the same physical traits:
* cheetah-like anatomy
*Long Ears
*Very Long Tail
*Fur coat
*Feathered wings (optional)
* No genitalia

Appearance
The anatomy of the Stormcat species is best referenced with the modern cheetah, "perfectly built for speed."
However the cheetah is dwarfed by the size of the Stormcat, they can vary greatly in size and shape, and look
very different from each other. they can be as small as a house cat or as big as an elephant.
Some notable features in their anatomy and appearance are the digitigraded stance in their hind legs which are
longer than the forelegs and have 5 toes, the forelegs have hand-like paws with 5 fingers. their paws have sharp
claws and the paw pads are hard like the rubber on a tire. their tails are incredibly flexible, able to grab objects
and keeps the Stormcat in balance, it is 2 times the length of the body.
 
Science & Mythology
The Scientific name of the StormCat is 'Cattus Tempestatis'
the name is derived by the 2 Latin words 'Cattus' (meaning Cat) and 'Tempestatis' (meaning Storm)
A brief summary of the lore is that StormCats are semi-immortal creatures that live in multiple
dimensional planes of existance, and are one of the most powerful beings in the universe,
able to harness and manipulate energy in various ways, granting them special powers
and abilities, such as super-speed, flight, or elemental powers. the list of powers is endless,
but is limited to what a StormCat can possess. StormCat are only allowed to wield up to 3 special powers.
Their timeline of existance reveals that the StormCats were created by 2 ancient god-like beings
and were classified as a mythical beings themselves, that could wield the power of Lightning at will,
and was seen as a creature of darkness, evil and villainy.

Behavior & Life
StormCats are generally curious and social creatures and are considered empathetic by nature.
with an intelligence equivalent to that of a human teenager.
StormCats can be found living a solitary life, traveling alone or in groups called Tribes.
If in pairs, the StormCats are likely soul mates or friends for life.
StormCats have a wide range of vocabulary and can imitate the sounds of things they find appealing,
usually in other animals. If a Stormcat finds a sound it likes, it will likely stick with that sound.
Unfortunately, They do not have a developed language or a universal sound for means of communication,
But they can just as easily understand each other like any other animal would through body language.
StormCats are ageless and semi-immortal, which means they cannot die of natural causes such as old age
and disease they have no reproductive organs, so they can't reproduce by sexual standards,
if a soul mating pair were to die together, their soul sparks will unite and a new baby StormCat (called a kit)
will form from a cloudy ball of energy and life force created when the 2 soul sparks become one.
the young StormCat will inherit certain traits from its parents, such as coat colors and physical traits.
having no genitalia however, doesn't make them genderless, males can be quite distinguishable from females
as they appear larger in size and more muscular looking, while females can be slightly smaller.

Character Creation Guide Lines
Hybrids, Taurs, and shape shifters of the StormCats are disallowed.
Avoid copying existing characters and their markings as much as possible.
Designs can be inspired by popular media and concept, such as food and other animals.
It is acceptable to see the species represented in cute, toony/chibi, or otherwise stylized variations.
It is also acceptable to draw the Species with an anthropomorphic stance and human
characteristics, But when drawn realistic, their cheetah-like elements must be clearly visable
as well as the the physical features of long ears and long tail.
StormCats do not have reproductive organs, so it is recommended that when drawn anthro,
the character does not feature these human organs such as female breasts.
Some individuals may possess whiskers, horns, spikes and feathered wings,
theses features are not required, but are included for functional reason.

Examples of StormCat characters

Cloudy the StormCat


Flash the StormCat


Poseidon the StormCat

All these characters are stormCats, their color patterns and markings are inspired by other animals,
but they all feature the same physical traits: long Ears, Long Tail, and cheetah-like elements.