Things Thunderan

I. A Thunderan Glossary --

Here are some ground rules: Thunderan words, as well as foreign words of Third Earth origin (i.e., non-English such as Greek) are italicized; proper names are not. If I have left anything out, please excuse me. I think, however, that I have everything to date listed (but you know Murphy's Law!).

A'dale -- Bengal'i's father, white tiger clan; a swordmaker.

A'drin'a -- Priestess.

AEtna -- Sicilian volcano.

Ala -- Cheetara's mother, cheetah clan; a historian.

Altair --Tygra's son by Cheetara.

Altin -- Male cougar and basket weaver.

A'mhar -- Tir'sarla's betrothed.

A'mrina -- Female snarf, mate of young Snarf (Oz'burt); a merchant's daughter.

A'tri'i -- Outcast.

Ah'mik Pass -- Pass through northern mountains on Thundera which connected the towns of Ker'ani, Ny'rel and Mehtar.

Aidan -- Starborn male from Crete (Idoea); the unicorn master.

Ak'ti -- Loincloth; also called hunting cloth.

Alina -- Lion clan queen of Thundera; wife of King Claudus, mother of Lion-o.

Althea -- Starborn female from Crete (Idoea); wife of Aidan.

Am'mril -- Daughter of Tygra and Talitha; mixed race (red and white tiger clan); slain by Slythe.

Am'ral'im -- Firstborn; term used to refer to purely feline ancestors of the modern Felinari; also used by Thunderans to refer to native feline forms of Third Earth.

An'ifer'amen -- Felinari of mixed race whose conception was formally approved by the appropriate councils.

An'li -- Young female mystic.

Aquenil stone -- stones (crystals) used for healing.

Arran -- Chi'ris'rin (chief) of the white tiger clan.

Ash'i'ri -- Son of Trel; cousin of Tygra who died by drowning at the age of six seasons; red tiger clan.

A'si'mi -- Term meaning "son".

Asira'savi -- Inhabitant of the world of four-forms (orri'savi); water-form, serpentine.

Asnafrin -- A type of poison

Asri'i -- Panther clan whose members are tall and slender.

Atdira'savi --Inhabitant of the world of four-forms; earth form, bipedal giant with yellow fur and brown spots.

Athena -- Starborn female from an alternate universe.

Awakening -- First sexual encounter of a male of the Felinari necessary for adult sexuality to develop.

Ayasha -- Guardian of human lineage who gave up her place to conceive the newest Guardian by using Tir'shan. Mother of Cenatua, the youngest Guardian.

Ba'ai -- Zeran noble responsible for the rape of Pum'y'ra. Inhabitants of Zera resemble sinda'am'ral'im.

Ba'sir -- Obese merchant who saved several Felinari from slavery on Zera; he is also a mage and a shape-shifter; he appears to be of the panther clan, but is actually of mixed race: northern red tiger and panther clans.

Balkin -- Sheep-like villagers living to the south Cats' Lair.

Batra -- Weavermaster of the Balkin village and elder; husband to Bellena.

Bellena -- Weavermistress of the Balkin village and elder; wife of Batra.

Ben'yir -- Male mystic-priest; white tiger clan.

Bengal'i -- White tiger clan, son of A'dale and Ven'ka; swordmaker; rescued from Zera by Ba'sir.

Bentrin -- Balkin smith.

Berbil -- Small robotic bears that live to the south and west of Cats' Lair; farmers; origins unknown.

Beskir -- Balkin warrior killed by Slythe.

Bintira -- Expression meaning beautiful.

Briz'bazim -- Felinari God of Luck.

Bri'sa'han -- Term meaning dancer/courtesan.

Casaphi -- Father of Talitha; white tiger clan; weaver and trader.

Cats' Lair -- Home to the Thunderans on Third Earth made from the wreckage of their spaceship; designed by Tygra; Berbils assisted in building by use of magic.

Cenatua -- The newest Guardian. Daughter of Ayasha and Tir'shan.

Chand'ra -- Female of the snow leopard clan who is a priestess of Syrii and a jan'nirri; rescued from Zera by Ba'sir.

Char'ran -- Cheetah clan captain of the palace guard of King Claudus; killed by Slythe; Cheetara's lover.

Cheetara -- A Thundercat (Servant of the Sword of Omens); cheetah clan; historian.

Chi'ris'rin -- Title given to clan lord who leads all the clans of his race.

Chi'tra'si -- Formal Thunderan for cheetah clan.

Claudus -- Last king on Thundera; father of Lion-o; husband of Alina; lion clan.

Cori -- Female mystic-priest who is also a ri'sar'ri; white tiger clan.

Cyrin -- Male warrior leader of Mehtar; lion clan.

Da'san'i -- Female mystic-priest; white tiger clan.

Dar'di -- Noble lady of the lion clan.

Dabir -- White tiger weaver; Talitha's eldest brother.

Dagen -- White tiger weaver and merchant; Talitha's middle brother.

Dah'ri -- Stranger who becomes a desert cat Thunderan.

Dandara -- Goddess of All That Grows.

Danior -- White tiger weaver and merchant; Talitha's youngest brother; deceased.

Denorian -- Snarf housekeeper in service to mystics.

Dera -- First king on Thundera; lion clan; world takes its name from him.

Din'ya -- Thunderan life form similar to fish.

Draco -- Constellation of Draco the dragon.

E'dar -- Male mystic-priest; white tiger clan.

Eff'ri'tran -- Curse; bastard.

Elidi'a'ra -- "Light of the Goddess"; power absorbed by a ri'sar'ri to transform combined mystic energy of a Circle into one frequency for healing.

Elin'ar -- Snarf dialect term meaning "eternity eyes"; nickname given by Snarf to A'mrina.

Elma -- White tigress who can see auras.

Eri'mintálí -- Atdira'savi friend of Tir'shan. Thunderan meaning "sad music."

Esfra -- Snarf dialect term meaning sex.

Fav'i -- Red tiger father of Mei, a cub who died young.

Felinari -- The race of feline Thunderans; also, a person who is a feline Thunderan, as opposed to a snarf.

Felinari'i -- Specifically, a male Felinari.

Felinaria -- Specifically, a female Felinari.

Feliner -- Skycraft built by Panthro from spare parts of the royal cruiser.

Fia -- Warrior woman helped by Talitha; human.

Firestone -- A red gem found on Thundera.

Flamemane -- Nickname given to the dollmaker of the lion-clan, Si'ta.

Frin -- Customer of Lynxana's.

Fritril -- Curse; bitch.

Guardians -- Originally beings from the stars who saved the peoples of Third Earth; current Guardians are people of Third Earth to whom power has passed.

Homeworld -- World left by Felinari and Snarfri on first interplanetary exodus.

I'k'ta -- Thunderan life-form similar to the horse.

Idoea -- Island of Crete.

Ibari -- Planet on the space trade routes frequented by Ba'sir.

In'risi -- Thunderan life form equivalent to a butterfly.

Irri'in -- Felinari Winged God of Knowledge.

Ja'cin -- Male mystic who lived in Mehtar; white tiger clan.

Jackalian -- One of the Mutant races that appears jackal-like; primarily operated slave trade in association with reptilian clans.

Jafar -- A male centaur, and servant of the Guardians.

Jaga -- Lion clan sorcerer and advisor to Lion-o; creator of the Sword of Omens for King Claudus; died before reaching Third Earth.

Jan'nirri -- Thunderan equivalent of a ninja.

Jarita -- Female warrior leader of Mehtar; lion clan.

Jawhar -- Male wolo elder.

Jevrar -- Reptile-like innkeeper on Zaben; old friend of Ba'sir.

Jondu -- Native healer among the Wolos; male wolo.

K'trik -- (To) fuck.

Kalinda -- White tigress; mate of Danior; deceased.

Ka'frin -- Red tiger warrior who was with Tygra's father when he died.

Kaleela -- Thunderan astronomer and basket maker; female of the cougar clan.

Kalyn'ri -- Red tigress, aunt to Tygra; former mate of Lord Trel.

Kamali -- Harpist among the warrior women; killed by Mumm-Ra; human woman.

Kanika -- Healer among the warrior women; human woman.

Kasia -- Female mystic-priest; white tiger clan.

Katren -- Real name of Wilykat; young male of the small cat clan; healer in training; Thundercat.

Kazir -- Member of the guard in the palace of King Claudus; cheetah clan.

Keena -- Baby from the warrior women that Talitha nursed after the loss of her daughter Am'mril.

Ker'ani -- Town along Ah'mik Pass.

Kerwithe -- Old balkin male who is a herbalist.

Ki'a -- Lion queen wife of King Lir.

Kitra -- Real name for Wilykit; young female of the small cat clan; historian in training.

Krystallos -- Device used by Tassos for far-seeing.

K'tin -- Shorter form meaning "brother".

Ky'ril -- Thunderan honorific specifically used to address one who is a warrior.

Kyknos -- The constellation Cygnus.

Lan'i -- Female mystic-priest; white tiger clan.

Li'am'ra -- Head priest of V'sri'sar, Felinari God of Love; snow leopard clan hermaphrodite named Ryndi is the current leader.

Lion-o -- Current Lord of the Thundercats, i.e. king of destroyed Thundera; lion clan; son of King Claudus and Queen Alina.

Lir -- King of those Thunderans in exile on the world of the four-forms; lion clan male.

Little Ursa -- Constellation of the Small Dipper.

Lynx-o -- Lynx male; jan'nirri; Chand'ra's counterpart; instrument maker.

Lynxana -- Female lynx jan'nirri/bounty hunter; works as a book binder as a cover.

Makani -- Surviving daughter of Kalyn'ri; female red tigress who is an historian.

Marcus -- Panthro's son by Cheetara.

Marini -- Female relative of Kalyn'ri helped by mystic healing; red tigress.

Masagi -- Wolo merchant, male.

Masika -- Daughter of Tygra and Willa from an alternative Third Earth.

Mehtar -- Town along Ah'mik Pass.

Mei -- Young red tigress who died.

Men'di -- Historically, first town on Thundera invaded by Mutants.

Meryt -- Female, mummy sorceress-priestess who lives in a pyramid east of the Lair; an agent of good on Third Earth.

Mia -- Young daughter of Trel. Red tigress. Deceased.

Mif'tar -- Northern red tiger who betrayed Tir'sarla; killed by Sartren's people.

Mi'wa -- Daughter of Kalyn'ri that died on Thundera's last day, red tiger clan.

Min'k'tin -- Younger brother.

Mintálí -- Felinari Goddess of Music.

Miritana -- Felinari Goddess of Female Mysteries.

Monkian -- Mutant race that is simian.

Mri'cesstra -- Term meaning "Eldest daughter of a clan chief"; northern expression.

Mri'lien -- Legendary red tigress who led a clan.

Mri'rai'den -- Xian sorcerer who saved Ba'sir from slavery, and became his teacher.

Mrísena -- Felinari Goddess of Healing, always depicted as a white tigress; she is also beloved by the Snarfri, and adopted by them as their Goddess of Healing as well.

Mrisenin -- formal Thunderan term for mystic.

M'stera -- Blue mountain poppy.

Mumm-Ra -- Evil mummy sorcerer-priest who lives in a pyramid east of the Lair. Chief Thundercat nemesis; true name is Seti.

Mumm-Rana -- Local name for Meryt.

Mur'i'sa'a -- Fanatical warrior.

Muri'a -- Mother of Mei; red tigress.

Mutants -- Beings from the planet Plundarr of different races who are the second enemies of the Thundercats.

Myr'an'dra -- female panther jan'nirri possessing a tail; Ba'sir's apprentice, former enemy.

Myril -- Deceased warrior woman; human; mother of Keena.

Mysria'savi -- One of the inhabitants of the world of the four-forms; air form; mist-like.

N'tun -- Buttock(s).

Nayda -- Sister of Queen Willa; Princess of the warrior women; human female.

Nes'ta -- Snarfri Goddess of Fate.

Ni'tara -- Felinari Goddess of Fate.

Ny'rel -- Town along Ah'mik Pass.

O'ba'ti -- Kirtle.

O'lathi -- Hermaphrodite.

O'ril -- Homosexual; can refer to males or females.

O'tam'ti -- Any adult male of the Felinari who rejected awakening; this male remains sexually inactive permanently, and possesses a short life span.

Oasis -- A place where the desert clan of Thundera may live; thought to be extinct.

Omnastari -- Sentient sea dwelling race on Zaben.

One Who Brings the Silence -- Thunderan Deity of the After Life respected by both the Felinari and the Snarfri.

Orin -- Tabbot merchant; male; porcine creature.

Orri'savi -- Name given by Thunderans in exile to beings of four-forms that saved them, and allowed them to stay on their planet.

Oz'burt -- Real name of Snarf meaning "virtuous".

Panthro -- Thundercat male of the panther clan; warrior and engineer.

Phase -- A quarter of a Thunderan season referring to spring, summer, fall or winter.

Physis -- Device developed by Tassos for healing.

Plundarr -- Homeworld of the Mutants.

Pum'y'ra -- Female of the cougar clan saved from Zera by Ba'sir; raped by Ba'ai; jeweler.

Qaletaqa -- Another Guardian known to Cenatua.

Quat'ri -- Name meaning "bringer of lightning.

Quiria'savi -- One of the four-forms; fire being.

Ra'ri'trin -- Mountain tiger of Sartren's folk; wounded by Ba'sir.

Ra'sa'ba -- Mama.

Rahildi -- Harem.

Reggaj -- Creature from Thunderan legend; equivalent to a demon.

Rhodos -- Island of Rhodes.

Ri'sar'ri -- Mystic priest with special powers; can channel the power of the Goddess Mrísena.

ROBEAR-BOB 598 -- Male berbil.

ROBEAR-BEL 328 -- Female berbil who owns a inn.

Ruan -- Male Mystic-priest; white tiger clan.

Rum'ni -- Trel's mate; new rahildi leader.

Ryndi -- Current Li'am'ra; snow leopard clan; hermaphrodite.

Sa'ba -- Parents.

Sa'k'tin -- Term meaning middle-brother.

Sa'lan -- Male of the cougar clan who was one of Thundera's greatest jewelers; friend of Snarf.

Sanuri -- Disgraced one.

Sar'i'rahildi -- Prime Consort; refers to the first (most favored) female in a harem.

Sarad -- Male mystic-priest; white tiger clan.

Sartren -- King of the red tigers of northern Thundera who opposed the rightful Thunderan king, Claudus, and wished to overthrow him.

Savar -- Felinari God of Male Warriorship.

Season -- One Thunderan "year" is equivalent to 2 Third Earth years..

Servalla -- White tigress mystic who was the mother of Tygra.

Seti -- True name of Mumm-Ra.

Sev'rati -- Panther clan whose members are powerfully built, as opposed to their taller, slender cousins the Asri'i.

Shakaba -- Egyptian human male; high priest of Anubis; brother to Seti.

Shaktar'ri -- White tiger mystic; o'ril; vowed to Sri'rin.

Si'ta -- Female dollmaker of the lion clan.

Si'va'ka -- Teacher.

Siberan -- Red tiger clan lord, father of Tygra.

Sil'ral'im -- Ancient one; last feline form prior to the modern Felinari, differing only in the possession of a cleft in upper lip, as in a cat; Felinari ancestors.

Sinda'am'ral'im -- Offspring of the first-born; many different feline forms that arose from the am'ral'im; Felinari ancestors.

Siy'hiat -- Curse; asshole.

Silence (the) -- Death.

Shri'na -- Shaman; northern expression.

Slythe -- Reptilian mutant leader who killed Tygra's daughter, and in return was slain by Tygra.

Snarf -- (Colloquial usage) Race of mammal-like reptiles that work together with the Felinari.

Snarf -- A servant of the Thundercats, "nursemaid/companion" to Lion-o; due to his courage, he is considered a Thundercat in his own right; true name is Oz'burt.

Snarfri -- Formal Thunderan term for the Snarf race, or an individual member therein.

Snarfria -- Formal Thunderan term for a female snarf

Snarfri'i -- Formal Thunderan term for a male snarf.

Snr'y't -- Curse; shit.

Sri'rin -- White tiger mystic; o'ril; vowed to Shaktar'ri.

Starborn -- Elf-like race occurring on Third Earth; inhabitants from Crete.

Surati -- White tigress and weaver; Talitha's younger sister; has a genetic condition.

Su'ti -- Son of Tiren; current head of all the red tiger clans.

Sum'ri'san -- White tigress, mother of Talitha; a weaver.

Sun (a) -- One Thunderan day which is equivalent to one Third Earth day.

Surya -- Prime Guardian.

S'vi -- term meaning "son-in-law."

Sword of Omens -- Magical sword created by Jaga and given to Lion-o; it is keyed to the king and those who serve the sword (and thus, by definition, the king).

Syrii -- Felinari Goddess of Female Warriorship.

Tanthri -- Thunderan physicist famous fo space-time theories.

T'nitar -- Snarf dialect term for soul mate.

Ta'hir -- Red tiger engineer who inadvertently saved a spaceship load of Thunderans from Mutant slaughter during the second exodus by breaking the star drive.

Ta'k'tin -- Elder brother.

Talar -- palace guard; panther.

Ta'leeka -- First Dancer; principle temple dancer, usually a priestess as well.

Ta'sa'ba -- Papa.

Ta'shunn -- Felinari God of Male Mysteries.

Tabbia -- Sea kingdom to the north of Cats' Lair; home of the tabbots.

Tabbot -- Porcine-like inhabitants of Third Earth; famous merchants.

Tai -- Ancient white tiger clan male; village leader.

Taija -- Red tigress who was the best harpist on Thundera; gave Tygra his awakening.

Takar -- Creature from Thundera's legends akin to a giant eagle.

Talitha -- White tigress mystic; soul mate of Tygra.

Tam'ri -- Female mystic-priest; white tiger clan.

Tas'mir -- Zeran who tried to help those Thunderans slaves given to him by his evil cousin Ba'ai.

Tamil'ren -- Mountain tiger jan'nirri in service to Ra'ri'trin; deceased; name means "oppressor".

Tassos -- Human female born on the island of Rhodes; sorceress and physician.

Te'sara -- Servalla's fraternal twin sister; mystic; current head of the Mystic Council; friend of Tir'shan.

Tenira -- Wife.

Teniri -- Husband.

Terztar -- Thunderan tree with purple leaves.

Teva -- A snarf who is a healer and priestess of Mrísena.

Thalia -- Human female of the warrior women helped by Talitha.

Third Earth --Planet currently populated by Lion-o and the Thundercats; evidence suggests this world may be Homeworld.

Thundera -- Planet populated by Felinari and Snarfri after exodus from Homeworld; named after the first king on this world: Dera.

Thunderans -- Felinari and Snarfri exiles from Homeworld who ventured into space, and found a new home planet which they called Thundera.

Thundercat -- One who serves the Sword of Omens.

Thunderkittens -- Nickname for Wilykit (Kitra) and Wilykat (Katren).

Thundertank -- Vehicle of transport and defense made by Panthro from spare parts of the royal cruiser.

Thundrillium -- Crystal energy source that powers all the devices in the Lair.

Ti'dani -- Cheetara's father, cheetah clan; a historian.

Ti'ghr'i -- Formal Thunderan for tiger clan.

Ti'ras -- Thunderan sea creature.

Tilzi -- Female mystic; white tiger clan.

Tir'am'ral'im -- Nickname given to domestic cats by Thundercats which means "little firstborn".

Tir'k'tin'a -- Term meaning "little sister".

Tira -- Female mystic priest; white tiger clan.

Tiren -- Eldest brother to Siberan and Trel; former leader of all the red tigers.

Tir'sarla -- Mountain tigress of a red clan favorable to Claudus; Tir'shan's mother; name means "little comet."

Tir'shan -- Male mystic priest and ri'sar'ri; a giant standing seven feet six inches tall of the white tiger clan, but mysteriously of northern origin his name means "little mountain".

Tirselina -- White tigress seeress.

Tir'zer'in -- mystic of ancient times.

Titir -- Name given by Mei to a doll given to her by Tir'shan.

Tran'i'tiren -- Red tiger clan; Tygra's grandfather, Siberan's father.

Trel -- Red tiger clan; mystic-hating brother of Tiren and Siberan.

Tril'i -- Male Cheetah guard; friend of Lynxana.

Trinacrina -- Island of Sicily.

Trin'dir -- warrior of ancient times.

Tsa'nir -- Mountain tiger jan'nirri in service to Ra'ri'trin; deceased

Tsu'zin -- Term meaning "cousin".

Turning -- One Mutant "year".

Turrin -- Brother to Chand'ra; priest of Savar; snow leopard clan.

Ty'gra -- Sinda'am'ral'im from Homeworld's past; priest of Savar; red tiger clan.

Tygra -- Thundercat; architect, physician, mystic, etc; of mixed race: red and white tiger clans.

Tygra from the other place -- Alternate universe Tygra who fathered Masika.

Tymar -- Legendary tiger clan Consort of Mri'lien; male.

V'sri'sar -- Felinari God of Love.

Valdi -- Thunderan merchant who runs a pleasure hall; lion clan.

Veezmar -- Avian race mutant; scientist.

Ven'ka -- White tigress; Bengal'i's mother; swordmaker.

Ven'ris -- Old one.

Vertraxian -- Bipedal flying dragons from the world of Vertrax.

Willa -- Human female; Queen of the warrior women.

Wilykit -- Kitra.

Wilykat -- Katren.

Wolo -- Dog-like inhabitant of Third Earth.

X'trint -- Curse; Fuck (you).

Xar'li -- Male mystic and philosopher from Thundera's past; white tiger clan.

Xerxes -- Young starborn; nephew of Aidan and Althea; future unicorn guardian.

Xi -- Star of the planetary system in which Ba'sir has made his home (Xi Four).

Z'rin -- Enemy.

Z'zar'yn -- Mutant expression meaning murderer or slayer.

Z'zin'da -- Zaben female who works at inn owned by Jevrar; reptile-like; a favorite choice of Ba'sir for pleasuring.

Zaben -- Planet along the trade routes that Ba'sir frequents.

Zak'shan -- Thunderan expression meaning "annoying mountain".

Zamla -- Thunderan beast of burden.

Zefu -- Buttock(s).

Zera -- Planet of bipedal felinoids who favor slavery.

II. Some Notes on Biology --

A. General Biology of the Felinari (Feline Thunderans) --

1. Notes on Aging and Reproduction -- The Felinari represent different races, not species. Thus, members of different races can interbreed and produce fertile offspring.

A Felinari is considered a cub from birth to the age of 3 seasons. The cub, weighing about 5 to 7 pounds, is born both blind and deaf, and has but a very thin coat of fur. This state of affairs lasts for the first 30 days of its life. It also must be stimulated by its parents to excrete waste during the same period of time. After thirty days, sufficient maturation of the nervous system has occurred to make this no longer necessary. The cub ages rapidly in the first 3 seasons of its life. Its growth and development parallels humans, so that by age 3 seasons, it is the equivalent of a 6 year old human child. At age 3 seasons, it is termed a kitten. Until the age of 6 seasons is reached, no real change occurs in growth or development of the kitten. At the age of 6 seasons, aging once again speeds up, but at a paces lower than human aging. At the age of 11 seasons, the kitten is ready to undergo physical maturescence, and is similar in development to a human aged 11 to 12 years. The changeover can start from age 10.5 seasons to 11.5seasons. When the change begins, the kitten becomes a youngling (catling). In this phase of development the catling rapidly develops physically, and essentially attains its adult form by age 14, although, especially among males, additional muscle mass (filling out so to say) and height can be added at age 21. Although secondary sex characteristics and genitals have reached adult dimensions, the catling's nervous system is not primed for sex, and its body and mind are not sexually responsive. A catling only feels interest in others (i.e. infatuation, romantic love, etc.) approximately a 0.5 seasons before the onset of full sexual maturity and adulthood at age 21. However, mating still cannot occur until awakening is achieved in males or fertility commences in females. This final change to adulthood takes place between age 20.5 seasons and 21.5 seasons.

When a male is ready for awakening, his body signals its readiness through erection. In order to awaken his full sexual response a male must mate; at this stage, masturbation is completely ineffective. His first joining is usually done with an older non-fertile female (although an adult male can also be chosen) who gently guides the male to first climax. Once awakened, a male may enjoy sex at his own choosing, and is not subject to the stress of awakening ever again during his life.

The awakening urge to mate is strong and bothersome, but can be resisted. If a male does not mate within 30 days of onset of symptoms, he never achieves full sexual response in his life. He enters into a state whereby response becomes impossible. Such an individual is called an o'tam'ti (an unawakened). An o'tam'ti generally does not live past the age of 40. Although many do not understand such a choice, the o'tam'ti is respected for his unique perspective, as he does not live with the distraction of sex and knows that he will live a shortened life. Some become servants of the One Who Brings The Silence, a religious order that oversees the rites for the dead.

A female's body awakens itself by entering into a cycle of fertility indicated by the discharge of changing vaginal mucus which indicates readiness. A cub can only be conceived during fertility. The cycle lasts 30 days. Fertility occurs once a season after first initiation. A female can choose to mate or not at the time of fertility. Although the urge to mate is strong, it can be resisted without damaging consequence. A female not desiring a cub is kept from adult males. The special pheromone that she produces during this time excites any adult male and increases his sperm production. Tempers can flare among males in the presence of a fertile female as they try to suppress the mating urge. The start of maximum fertile scent (and readiness)occurs 5 to 7 days after fertility commences, so there is an opportunity fora female not desiring a cub to head to the nearest temple of Miritana, Goddess of Female Mysteries.

Usually during the fertility cycle, only one ovary will be primed to produce eggs. The ovary that is active can vary from cycle to cycle over the seasons of reproductive life. A single egg will reach maturity in 5-7 days, with or without sexual stimulation, once the fertility cycle commences. Intercourse with a male will immediately trigger the release of only a completely ripened egg, due to the stimulation of the female's reproductive system by the fur on the male's penis. A male's penis is not barbed, but it is furry. The hairs perform the same function as the barbs on the penis of your average tomcat, and so, do stimulate ovulation during the fertility cycle of females. Thus, females are induced ovulators within the cycle of their fertility. Within 24-48 hours after this ejection, another egg will begin to ripen within the female's active ovary as before, and this egg will reach maturity in 5-7 days if its development is not terminated.

Now, if the first egg is fertilized by the male's sperm, it will implant in the uterine lining at 6 days from ovarian expulsion. If the implantation occurs, maturation of the second egg will cease and the cycle of fertility will come to an end as a true pregnancy has begun. This unreleased egg will be reabsorbed. If the first egg does not implant (infertile, unsuccessful implantation or some idiopathic reason), the second egg will be released when mature as long as there is sexual intercourse to trigger its ejection. If the second egg is released, a third egg will begin to ripen within 24-48 hours of the release of the second egg. The general rule is that when a mature egg is released, a new egg will start the maturation process in the active ovary unless its development is terminated by the natural cessation of the cycle(time runs out in the 30 day cycle) or the implantation of the egg that was previously released.

As you can see by the timing, the fertilization of one egg, and thus, a single birth is the general rule; however, fraternal twinning can occur in two ways. If the second egg is released immediately prior to the implantation of the first egg, the second egg can be fertilized if sex continues, and so can also implant in the rich uterine lining. The result will be two developing embryos of different ages. Depending on the length of the pregnancy (a normal gestation vs. a shortened one), the "younger" cub may face difficulties at birth with the possibility of death being very real.

Very rarely, the two ovaries will both be active during fertility, and an egg will ripen in each. While their rate of maturation is the same (5-7days), the eggs may start to develop at different times (i.e. one ovary may experience a lag in activation), or simultaneously. The release of these eggs is subject to the criteria already discussed. In this type of twinning, the difference in age between the two embryos may or may not be significant as an indicator of possible problems at birth.

Identical twinning is exceedingly rare among the Felinari. Records of triplets are almost unknown. Fraternal twinning, when it does occur, is more common in certain races, i.e. lion clans, or in those families with histories. Identical twinning appears to happen randomly across the races. Because of their rarity, twins of any type are highly cherished by their parents and the community. Among all clans, the parents of twins are honored for their achievement.

To close, if no mating occurs during the fertility cycle, menstruation will occur at the end of the 30 day cycle and lasts for 7 days. Any egg that has not been released is reabsorbed by the ovary.

Please note, I decided that artificial insemination does not work for the Felinari.

If a mating does take place, a cub can be expected after 240 days. Fertility recurs one season after birth. During the non-fertile time, adult females eagerly enjoy sex with adult males, without the risk or worry of pregnancy. In males and females the change to adult offers one last sharpening of all senses.

Prime lasts from age 21 to age 50. From age 21 to 30 seasons, aging matches a human 21 to 30 years. From 30 to 50 seasons, it matches a human 30to 40 years.

Middle life begins at age 51. For a female, fertility ceases 2 to 3 seasons after the entry to middle life. Two successive seasons without fertility must pass before she is considered infertile. There are rare incidents of pregnancies occurring in technically infertile, middle-aged females. Although the symptoms of fertility do not manifest, the body does produce an egg that can be fertilized. The mechanism for this is unknown, confounding mystics, physicians and the unsuspecting couple who accidentally conceives. A male's fertility decreases in middle life, but does not cease. The middle life lasts to age 80, and is equivalent to the range of 41 to 60 years in humans. The Felinari enjoy a vigorous middle life with little physical deterioration, unlike their human counterparts.

At the age of 81, a Felinari is considered old. An individual can live up to 126 seasons. It is during this last phase of life that feline Thunderans begin to experience the effects of aging as shown by their human counterparts. This time in life is equivalent to 61 to 90 years in a human.

2. The Fur of the Felinari --

a. General -- It appears that most of the Felinari have adapted for hotter climates, and so their fur is generally short. The northern races of tiger and snow leopard have thick pelts suited to cold environments. Among these northern races, the fur will thicken in response to cold weather. In addition, additional fat will be deposited on the hips and flanks. The southern races show only a slight change in fur length in response to the cold, and tolerate severely cold weather poorly.

In all races, clothing is worn for comfort and adornment. The northern races utilize far less clothing, but will done heavier garb in severe cold weather.

Among all the races, the palms, soles and external genitalia are covered in a thin, silky layer of fur. The hair of the palms and soles grows continuously in response to friction. Although the epidermis of the soles is very thick in all races, the vigorous hair develops nonetheless. Palms and soles are considered erogenous zones because the fine hairs increase the sensitivity of these areas. The fur of the penis provides additional stimulation during mating at fertility that facilitates the expulsion of the ovum by the female. The hair of the genitalia grows as needed.

b. Red tiger -- In the southern race of red tiger, the orange colored fur extends to the hands and feet. In the northern race, the hands and feet are of an off-white/cream color. Thus one can easily tell a red tiger's ancestry by a glance. Both races have:

1. White fur on chest and mane.

2. Off-white/Cream fur on the face patterned with orange.

3. (Excluding the face) black stripes on the orange portions of the mane and the body.

c. White Tiger -- When a white tiger cub is born, the individual has pure white fur and dark brown stripes. A white tiger does not develop his/her lighter brown facial patches (nose and cheeks) until he/she becomes a catling (adolescent). At this time, the white fur takes on ivory highlights, but the boarder of the mane stays pure white. At the time of sexual maturity, the crown of the mane darkens to a light brown that matches the color of the facial patches. At middle age, the ivory-white fur picks up silver highlights from hairs that lose color. This gives a shimmery appearance to the fur of elder white tigers that increases with further aging. The ruff of elder males when it develops in middle age grows in a pure white.

A rare recessive variant does occur with regard to white tiger coloration. These individuals possess black stripes; they never develop the lighter brown color on the face or the crown. Their white fur stays an immaculate white devoid of ivory highlights, although it does pick up silver as they enter middle age. These individuals are cherished for their beauty.

3. Sweat Glands of the Felinari -- Without going into great detail, here is some info on sweat glands. First, they are found all over the body and are of two types: apocrine and eccrine. Apocrine sweat glands produce a milky fluid. Some apocrine glands are indeed found on the temples. The main functions of apocrine sweat are as: a sexual attractant; a territorial marker; possible hair lube in addition to the sebaceous glands. Apocrine sweat has little cooling effect, unlike the sweat produced by the eccrine glands which is watery. For Felinari, I have postulated that watery sweat mainly comes from the palms and soles, the areas of the thinnest layer of fur (excluding the genitals) on their bodies. An alternative way for a Felinari to lose heat, like any other feline, is by panting.

4. Some Miscellaneous Comments -- For those who must know, yes, feline Thunderans do possess a rough tongue, so oral sex is approached with great care.

In my stories I tend to concentrate less on the felinity of the Felinari for two reasons. First, I have postulated that they have a mixed line of descent (feline\human). They are descended from Earth born ancestors genetically engineered from Human and Feline stock. Nuclear war, ecological disaster, alien invasion, sorcery, etc, all had a hand in the destruction of First Earth (Earth), and led to the first Exodus, the trip to Thundera, by the Thunderan ancestors. They are thus less overtly feline than some of their furry counterparts in fantasy literature. For example, the Felinari do possess claws, but not retractable ones. Their teeth are more like human teeth(flattened) except for the points on their back teeth that are required for the chewing of raw meat. They are omnivorous, but have a dietary requirement for animal flesh.

Second, I prefer to allude to their cathood rather than use it like a club. This is strictly a personal preference.

B. The General Biology of the Snarfri (Snarf Thunderans) --

The Snarfs, the non-feline members of Thunderan society, are small (up to 3.5 feet) reptile-like mammals. Females are generally slightly smaller than males, and overall, more slender. The most polite adjective one can use for their figures is pear-shaped. Snarfs maintain healthy reserves of fat on their hips, especially in response to cold weather.

The main method of locomotion is quadrupedal; however, a snarf can walk for short periods of time using bipedal locomotion. When a snarf walks upright, it frees his hands for performing tasks. As with humans and feline Thunderans, snarfs have five-fingered hands. The thumbs are opposable. A thick prehensile tail also can be utilized for tasks. Because snarfs usually walk on all fours, they do not wear clothing. Snarfs have five toes on each foot. Snarfs have large red pointed ears that, although on the side of the head, are turned slightly forward. Numerous muscles allow for a range of expressive ear movement. The clawed hands and feet of snarfs are devoid of fur. A set of rectangular, tan scales runs from chest to and along the underside of the tail. Snarfs have no external genitalia, and no nipples. The rectum and urogenital system empty into a common cloaca. This single opening is well hidden in the arrangement of scales directly under the tail.

The main covering of a snarf consists of a plush coat of red fur. A stripe of tan, yellow or orange fur runs from the crown of male snarfs to the tip of the tail. In females, the stripe begins at the shoulders, and is white or rose. The head of female snarfs is not covered with red fur but white fur which also forms a ruff along the jawline. Except for white eyebrows, the face of a female snarf is devoid of fur. Snarf skin is tan in color. A male's face is covered with bushy, white fur except around the eyes giving him a whiskered look. In both sexes, at the elbows and knees are small patches of fur that have the same color as the stripe. Snarfs have small, pug noses. In males the skin of the nose is a bright red.

It appears that snarfs are creatures adapted to an environment of extreme cold. During the winter, snarfs store abundant fat on their hips. The scales and skin thicken. The fur lengthens to provide insulation. Even in the frozen wastes of northern Thundera, a snarf never required any protection other than what nature provided. A snarf is unhappy in a hot environment.

In matters of reproduction, snarf females are oviparous. Once mature, a female enters fertility once per Thunderan season until the arrival of middle-age. A female possesses a duplex uterus. However, the right ovary is vestigial, and only the left ovary functions. Between day 5 and day 8 of the14 day fertile cycle, a yolk rich ovum is ejected into the oviduct. A male snarf's testicles are placed abdominally in the body cavity. The penis is a simple groove in the floor of the cloaca. During mating, this tissue swells so that a channel for the passage of sperm is created. The tip of the penis does poke through the cloacal aperture so that the male may enter the female. As with the Felinari, artificial insemination does not work with Snarfri.

Fourteen days after fertilization, a tough leathery egg is laid by the female. It is 100 mm in diameter, and 120 mm in length. If fertilization does not occur, a non-fertile egg is passed.

Once the egg is laid, it is buried in the ritual sand bed of snarfs. Before this cultural development, snarfs incubated their eggs with body heat. After 30 days incubation, the egg hatches. When the egg begins to move under the layer of sand, it is removed to a hatching bed of dry grass. The snarf cub utilizes an egg tooth to break free. It is born blind, deaf and hairless. Fur growth begins almost immediately. After 14 more days, a snarf cub can both see and hear. Development in a snarf is rapid. Most of the development of the brain takes place outside of the uterus. A snarf cub is fed rich milk by the female. The fluid is secreted through pores in her chest scales. The cub laps up the milk for nourishment. It is weaned after 40 days. It then takes water and softened plant matter. Snarfs are regarded as herbivores. They can eat foods made from grain, milk or eggs. They cannot tolerate animal flesh of any form.

In the first two seasons of its life, a snarf cub reaches the development of a human of 6 years. From this point to age 6, it parallels the development of a human child to the age of 10 years.

Adolescence generally begins from age 6.5 to 7.5 seasons. By age 11 the snarf has completed full maturation; snarf sexual maturity can commence from as early as age 10.5 seasons to as late as 11.5 seasons, depending on the individual. Like feline Thunderans, a snarf can have feelings for the opposite sex at 0.5 seasons of age before full sexual maturity (i.e. as early as 10 seasons of age). Unlike feline Thunderans, males do not require awakening, and as such, there is no equivalent to the o'tam'ti in snarf society. First erection and emission mark a snarf male as sexually mature. A female's cycle of fertility is heralded by a watery secretion from the cloaca, which has a characteristic sweet scent. Although males find this scent pleasing, it will not drive them to fight other males. Snarf adulthood is equivalent to humans of age 21 to 40 years.

A snarf is considered middle-aged from age 41 (human equivalent, 41 to 60 years). It enjoys a healthy middle life. A female snarf will stop producing eggs approximately 3 seasons after entering middle-age. A male snarf is fertile throughout life.

At the age of 61, a snarf is considered old (human equivalent, 61-90 years), and physical decline takes place. A snarf can live up to 90 seasons if in good health.

III. Some Notes On Time --

A. The Thunderan calendar -- Before it exploded, the planet Thundera had a "year" that was, by Third Earth standards (our own), 730 days long (the Thunderan day equalled a Third Earth day of approximately 24 hours). At the end of every other season (a season being the term for a Thunderan year), an extra day was added to the Thunderan calendar in the same manner that a day was added to the Third Earth calendar every fourth year. Felinari and Snarfri measure their age in terms of seasons. On Third Earth, a Thunderan's birthday occurs every other year.

B. The Thunderan Journeys and Aging -- After Thundera exploded, the royal cruiser, escaped the attacking Mutant fleet, and travelled for 5 seasons(10 years) at approximately 0.5 light speed. During this time, most of the Thunderans in suspension chambers (Tygra, Cheetara, Panthro, Kitra, Katren, and Snarf) aged but 0.5 seasons. Lion-o's suspension capsule experienced partial failure. Although he was not revived, he aged 3 seasons in suspension. The sorcery of Lord Jaga, who manually piloted the ship and had not entered suspension, sustained Lion-o. Jaga's efforts, however, drained his own life. Jaga died when the ship entered the planetary system which contained Third Earth. Mysteriously, his body was never recovered after the crash.

The ship of the mystics, Talitha and Servalla, crashed on Third Earth one season (2 years) to the day after the royal cruiser, on the first of May by our calendar. At the time their ship landed, Lion-o had recently completed his anointment trials. The approximate ages of the Thunderans already on Third Earth at the time of Talitha's arrival, plus the day of their birth as reckoned by our calendar, were as follows:

Tygra -- 30 (February 11)

Panthro -- 40 (April 6)

Lion-o -- 15 (April 10)

Kitra/Katren -- 9.5 + (June 4)

Snarf -- 63.5 + (July 4)

Cheetara -- 25.5 + (December 8)

Talitha travelled in suspension for 6 seasons, but aged only 0.5seasons. She was 20.5 + seasons old on her arrival to Third Earth. Her birthdate as reckoned by our calendar is given as October first.

One other group of Thunderans escaped the explosion of Thundera. Their ship was a large ark ship. The engineer Ta'hir, in an attempt to take out the attacking Mutant fleet, broke the spaceship's thundrillium light drive crystals. This did not destroy the ship. Rather, the vessel crossed both time and space in an instant. It left its original location in normal space, and reappeared around another planet. However, complete emergence back into normal space was impossible because the ship became trapped in a special pocket of hyperspace where time ceased to function. This strange intrusion into normal space alerted the inhabitants of the planet below, creatures that believed that they were responsible for the creation of the known universe. Using their vast powers, they freed the ship and rescued its passengers. They allowed the Thunderan refugees to settle on their world. The Thunderans, besides being shocked to find that they had survived, also discovered that they had crossed instantaneously a great distance in space and two full seasons of time.

IV. Some Notes on the Author's Conventions and Odd Facts --

To start, let me say that I have rejected a good deal of the aired Thundercat material. What I have specifically changed is usually apparent from my stories, if the reader has followed the series. If the reader has not followed the series, what I have changed becomes a moot point, so I don't feel that I have to list everything I have altered. However, I will mention here some of the more dramatic changes.

A. I decided that the sorcerer-warrior Jaga made the Sword of Omens specifically for the King of Thundera. I also decreed that Jaga coined the term "Thundercat", and defined it as "one who is a servant of the Sword of Omens", and thus, by definition, the servant of the king.

During the exodus from Thundera, Lion-o picked up the Sword of Omens, and as the rightful heir to King Claudus became automatically tuned to the magical sword. Jaga, by his magical skills, then keyed the nobles on the royal cruiser to the sword. He also provided his newly appointed Thundercats and the young king with uniforms of office. I see the Thundercat symbol on the uniforms as only one of office. It does glow respectfully when the sword activates, but from my own point of reference, that is all that it does. It is not an enhancer of power or a locator. This is a different spin then what actually occurred on the show, mainly because they were never really that consistent on the show.

B. Pumyra, Bengali and Lynx-o did actually appear in the second, and later, seasons of Thundercats. I have changed the spelling of their names, their origins, and somewhat, their physical descriptions in my stories. Lynx-o was indeed blind in the series, and Bengali was a smith. Pumyra was fairly nondescript, except for being very acrobatic.

C. My view of Lion-o's anointment trials is quite different from what was televised in that I believe that he only bested the Thundercats. He was not tested against Mumm-Ra. In addition, my ideas on Tygra's psionic illusion abilities makes for a different tale of Lion-o's trial with the architect.

V. Some Notes on Culture --

A. There were two main groups of red northern tiger on Thundera (there were no northern white tigers). One owed allegiance to the self-proclaimed King Sartren who sought to dispose the lion house from the throne of Thundera. The other group was loyal to Claudus, but desired the privacy of the north. It has been said that a white tiger has never been born among either group (but as we know, rules were made to be broken). Any white tigers found by Sartren's folk were put to the sword as it was assumed that they served Claudus. The other group usually tried to assist a white back to his home; although this group would not kill whites, they did not wish to be "contaminated" by them genetically. By special arrangement, members of both groups were allowed on Ta'hir's ship. Both are now part of the population of Thunderans that exists on the world of the four-forms. This has led to some problems. As a final note, the red tigers of the north are the tallest and strongest of all Thunderans, and surpass the lions easily.

B. On Thundera, according to clan custom, mixed race affairs were tolerated; however, a mixed race mating that produced a cub was considered unlawful and against custom if it had not been approved by the respective clans. With the unpromising situation on Third Earth, we can speculate that the old laws might change.

The Felinari as a rule are not particularly monogamous. A formal bonding ritual to claim only one mate for life is culturally considered a quaint aberration.

C. Regarding Thunderan celebrations, I create them as I need them, so I cannot provide a list. It is safe to say that some of the things Thunderans celebrate are solstices and equinoxes; the birthdays of nobility; the anniversaries of great battles; and so on.

D. I never felt that Snarfs formed a lower caste, and I'm sure that they don't consider themselves so (at least, that is my opinion).

E. On the matter of language, whenever the Thundercats are among themselves, they speak in their own language. The conversations read by you are a 20th century English approximation of their language, and not necessarily a verbatim translation. The same holds true for the common tongue spoken by the peoples of Third Earth, which arose out of 20th century English, and the other different languages used by these natives. This is one reason why the Thundercats did not initially notice the similarities between their given names and the names of certain felines of Third Earth, i.e. lion and Lion-o. In addition, one must remember that since these stories take place approximately 7000 years in the future, certain animals may no longer exist, or if they do, what they are called by the natives of Third Earth may have changed. The Thundercats after their arrival on Third Earth learned the common tongue of the land from the Berbils.

I do occasionally like to play with the various languages, and make up words, but too much of this can clutter a story. I have tried to be consistent in my usage and the guidelines that I have established for myself, however, being human, I reserve the right to make mistakes from time to time.

Back to the Thunderans, there are variations in their native tongue found among their different races, what we would think of as dialects of their one language. The King's tongue is the high form of the Thunderan language, and is known by all who ever lived on Thundera. It was the standard of communication on Thundera. The snarfs do not possess a separate snarf language, instead having adopted the language of the feline Thunderans, but they too have a unique dialect of this common tongue.

F. On Thundera, there existed four great cities. The King's city formed the center. At a point equidistant from the King's city, one found a city at the following cardinal points: east, south and west. The northern races never built cities. They inhabited small villages or enjoyed strictly a nomadic existence. Among the non-northern races, the people constructed many villages between and around the 4 great cities. Most villages possessed minimal technology, if any, because the people preferred instead to live simply and employ natural magic. The use of science and technology with few exceptions was limited to the cities. The bulk of Thundera's people favored village life to city life, and population demographics reflected this fact.

Often, one could determine which region a Thunderan came from by his/her accent. Panthro, for example, has a marked lilt to his speech indicative of his eastern origins. As the other Thundercats are quite used to his speech patterns, they take no notice of his accent.

G. When Thundera exploded, the Mutants finished their act of genocide by destroying every Thunderan spaceship except for the royal cruiser (note--when Ta'hir's ship warped space in his suicide attempt, it looked to the Mutants as if the Thunderan ship had exploded, because the maneuver did indeed annihilate several Mutant vessels. The Mutants, as well as Jaga and his crew, never realized that this group of Thunderans had actually escaped to another world by this bold act.) After a failed boarding attempt on the royal cruiser, the Mutants discussed their next move against the king's household. During this lull, Jaga deceived the Mutants by employing a cloaking device that made it appear as if the disabled cruiser had escaped. The angered Mutants immediately headed for the Thunderan rendezvous figuring that the last ship would head there. By the time they realized that they had been tricked, the royal cruiser had escaped, and its destination could not be easily traced. Slythe vowed to find the wayward ship and its inhabitants, but Mutant intrigues kept him from quickly following through on his oath. With a cold trail, it took him many turnings (Mutant reckoning of time) to deduce the final course that the ship had taken. Once he had the information that he needed, however, his superior FTL (Faster-Than-Light) ship took him and his mixed-race Mutant crew to Third Earth. The Mutants arrived on Third Earth soon after the completion of Cats' Lair (a little more than 6 months after Thunderan landfall). Recognizing the usefulness of the Mutants, Mumm-Ra permanently disabled their ship to strand them on Third Earth. The chaotic mummy did, however, reform their ship into their desert fortress.

VI. Some Notes on Felinari Gods and Philosophy --

The material herein does not consider all the deities worshipped by the Felinari. The Snarfri generally worship their own deities. However, Mrísena has been adopted by them as their Goddess of Healing too, so beloved is she. Some Snarfs do actively worship Felinari deities because their is no animosity seen between the two groups of gods. The Felinari don't generally worship Snarfri gods.

A. Savar is the deity of male warriorship. Syrii is the female equivalent. Although the philosophies represented by both gods are the same, the methods of training may differ. However, a consecrated warrior of either group is expected to study with the opposite sex counterpart to appreciate his/hers skill.

There are four stages of warriorship in both groups as determined by the

warrior-priests:

1. The sphere -- Your basic warrior.

2. The closed spiral -- A warrior growing in enlightenment; most brilliant generals (Panthro) and the majority of warrior-priests.

3. The open spiral -- A warrior already on an enlightened path chosen by destiny. They become aware of their role and knowingly submit to the workings of destiny (Siberan and Tygra).

4. The star -- A greatly enlightened warrior who shapes the workings of destiny in a direct manner (Jaga).

B. The following explains what happens to a fertile female feline Thunderan who does not wish to conceive. First, the start of maximum fertile scent (and readiness) occurs 5 to 7 days after fertility commences, so there is an opportunity for a female not desiring a cub to head to the nearest temple of Miritana, Goddess of Female Mysteries. Within the temple walls ,there are priestesses responsible for all rituals relating to the female. A female avoiding conception (and horny males) remains in the temple until menstruation ceases, even though her scent (and readiness) slowly disappear in the last few days before her cycle ends with bleeding. The visiting females help the priestesses, but are free from their regular obligations on the outside, so in a manner of speaking, they can be considered on holiday. Many of the females in the temple (priestess or visitor) will please each other as a release of the sexual tension that fertility causes, but individual wishes are respected, and no pleasuring is ever forced. For those females who desire pleasuring, but deny the help of their sisters, a lone infertile male can be

brought in to assist. For an infertile male, answering such a request is considered an honor. The pleasure he derives certainly makes his "sacrifice" worthwhile. Except for the lone infertile male, no other male is ever allowed to enter a temple of Miritana.

If a Felinari couple desires to conceive, generally, they will leave their village, and mate in seclusion in the wilds. However, for the city dweller, a different strategy is required. A priestess of Miritana is brought in to run the household. She kicks out all the other males (adult or immature)in the household, and ensures that the couple is left in peace. After a conception takes place, the female's fertile scent disappears quickly. The priestess then returns to the temple, and the banished males come home.

C. The deity of male mysteries is Ta'shunn. Clan leaders as a rule pray

to him to ask for sons. He oversees potency and male rituals.

VII. Some Notes on Felinari Psionics --

A. Tiger Telepathy --

In my interpretation of things, I have limited the telepathic abilities of both white and red tigers. Telepathic ability also does not include the ability to communicate with someone whose language an individual does not understand. With that in mind, here are the differences between the telepathic abilities of white and red tigers:

1. White Tigers -- All white tigers are gifted with telepathy that has limitations. They also inherit other gifts, but these are variable (i.e.,mystics are rare even among white tiger clans). The powers manifest when a kitten becomes an adolescent (this happens between ages 10.5 to 11.5). First, all white tigers develop telepathy at adolescence at the same time that at least one other mind gift develops. They can easily transmit telepathic sendings up to 400 miles to other white tigers, and receive sendings from white tigers across the same distance. They can send telepathic messages only at a distance of 100 miles to non-telepathic individuals. In the matter of reception, white tigers can only receive the thoughts of a non-telepath, if the individual is beside them. The white tiger must be concentrating (i.e. in telepathic mode), and the thoughts that the non-telepath sends must be specifically directed at the white tiger. The white tiger can only pick up the directed thoughts of one non-telepath at a time.

2. Red Tigers -- Red tigers possess only limited and rudimentary telepathy that is not very effective mainly because use of this ability exhausts the individual. The other ability of red tigers, which does not exist at all among the whites, is the power to cast powerful illusions by psionics. The costs of these gifts are so high that most red tigers never call upon them. All red tigers develop the mind power of illusion and telepathy at adolescence. However, their telepathic ability is rudimentary compared to the whites. Amongst themselves, red tiger individuals can send or receive telepathic messages only over a distance of 60 miles. They can send messages to white tigers only over a distance of 60 miles as well; however, they can receive messages sent by white tigers from as far away as 400 miles. They cannot receive the thoughts, no matter how hard they try, of non-telepaths. However, red tigers can send a telepathic message to a non-telepath up to a distance of 15 miles. In general, red tigers almost never use their telepathic ability because, as is also true of their gift of illusion, any use of mind power is exhausting. They generally only use such power in emergency situations.

3. Tygra and Talitha -- Although he had opened to a restrictive and tiring form of healing power, Tygra's other mind abilities of illusion and telepathy explicitly followed red tiger rules until his first joining with Talitha. After he fully opened to his mind power because of this mating, he discovered that all of his mind powers functioned with ease, and his telepathic and mystic ability matched those found in the white tiger race. As illusion is only found in red tigers, he discovered no enhancement to this power, but he did find it easier to draw upon (i.e. not exhausting). Tygra and Talitha will eventually discover that because of their completed soul bond, they can communicate with each other telepathically beyond the 400 mile limit, but under special conditions.

B. Illusion in Red Tigers -- For a red tiger to cast an illusion by means of his mind gift, a line of sight must be necessary to where he wishes to place his illusion. The maximum distance the illusion can be cast is up to 50 yards. The red tiger must concentrate on what he is doing, and see what he is doing. Movement or any other defensive measures by him are impossible while the illusion exists. The individual can create a single thing: animal, vegetable or mineral. He can make the illusion speak and move by projecting his thoughts and intentions through his mind gift (i.e. it is not necessary for him to verbalize to give speech to an illusion, or to move to cause it to react). Through his will alone, for example, he can even cause the illusion to smell like the real thing he is trying to recreate, or to radiate heat. Essentially, what he creates appears to be real to the senses of the witness. The illusion, however, can not actually cause harm. It is a defensive manifestation only. The illusion appears real and solid to the person witnessing it, but if the person touches it, he will quickly discover that it has no true substance. This does not dispel the illusion, but the value of the illusion has effectively been negated. The illusion does not disappear until the one casting it chooses to make it fade.

A red tiger can make himself invisible by remaining completely still, and projecting the illusion over himself of himself as being invisible. A very difficult skill, and a tiring illusion to cast. Any movement disrupts the illusion.