Progress Post - The Meadow Colony

This is the second piece of either four or six. There are six colonies, but two of them branched out from the original four and developed relatively independently. They, therefore, do not have the same sense of unity as said original four.

Here is a description of Meadow Colony culture:

The Meadow Colony evolved for agility. Their thin, lanky bodies allow them to squeeze through tight cracks and catch prey in the open. As such, they split their providers into two ranks: The tunnel-hunters and the moor-hunters. Tunnel-hunters, as their name suggests, use tools to expand and traverse systems of caverns beneath their territory. These caverns are escape routes, gardens, and shelter from harsh weather, and they are essential to the Meadowcats' way of life. To compensate for their daintier build, tunnel-hunters use custom-fit gloves suited to various tasks such as digging and hooking prey. Their job is to hunt as much as it is to maintain this vital infrastructure. The moor-hunters, meanwhile, work above ground. They maintain the camp, patrol the borders, and hunt whatever roams the meadows. Both ranks must work in groups in order to maintain safety and/or effectively corner prey. This has developed a culture of community and tradition.

Because Meadowcats survive by working together, they are always granted their provider suffix for what they contribute to their colony. Some examples of names are Peatglider, Moorscratcher, and Pigeonseeker. Having a suffix that does not end in "-er" is considered incredibly special and means that a cat has done something historic. For example, Shineheart was once named Shinesprinter but was renamed after leading the way in an important movement that reintegrated a long-isolated colony.

Meadowcats are lovingly protective, resourceful, and fierce. They prefer peace over needless violence, and they have a deep-rooted alliance with the Night Colony due to their shared emphasis on spirituality. They use wood from ruins to create items such as beehives, campfires and support beams for their tunnels. Additionally, harsh times, scarcity, and gratefulness toward their ancestors for providing them with bounty have taught them to use every part of their prey. Bones can often be found woven into their dens for support. The lack of leaves within the area means that fur, feathers, and wool are common components in bedding. When it's clear out, they sleep under the stars to be close to their ancestors.

One of my goals is archetypes, and the Meadow Colony absolutely fits into the archetype of the innocent (in search of happiness, trusting, belief in inherent goodness and harmony).

I am in love with this piece so far. I think the colors and perspective are coming together really nicely, and I think their culture comes through. They're my favorite colony right now, which is a sign that it's going well. If it doesn't make the piece too cluttered, I'd like to eventually add some representations of their spirituality, even if that means doing it after the critique.