Geography

The Mounty population is split up into various citystates located in the mountains. Most of these are built directly into the tops of mountains. This is to conserve the flat areas for growing foods and grazing livestock. Roads through the mountains themselves are virtually non existant. The Mounty's rely on a complex system of tunnels within the mountains to get from one place to another.

Biology

Mounties can be any of the 30-40 (counting subspecies) species of cats. They're as small as 4 foot in stature for domestic cat types up to the towering 7-8+ foot tall Saber Toothed Mountain Lions. They can be any species of feline, save the Cheetah which are a little bit different in make and not very adapted to mountain life. The domestic cat types are fairly rare, and considered very exotic by other mounties. They, like the Lynx, Bobcat, and Cheetah are semi Digitigrade. These smaller species are not completely Digigrade, like the Wolf. Their feet are similar in size ratio to human feet, but a little longer and wider, with more padding to support their weight while walking on the toes. They rise up on toes to walk, but typically stand flat footed.

The smaller felines have cat slit pupils, the larger lions and tigers have full round pupils, although the largest, the Saber Toothed Mountain lions which are also most prominent can dilate their pupils to slits or circles depending on the light and their mood. All of the felines have retractable claws, except the Cheetahs, who are an exception. (Lynx based Cyanthians are listed under Alpines as that is where they are typically found, but it is possible for Lynx to be raised among the mounties.)

Psychology

They are a very laid back people in a rush to do nothing.

Politics

As far as Inter-species politics goes, the Mounties most resemble Switzerland. They don't want to get involved in other peoples problems, and they don't want other people to get involved in their problems. Their system of laws is based on a Monarchy and traditions run strong among the Mounties. There is a custom among the Mounty that any other Cyantian child found and not claimed is to be reared in the King's home as his own child. This is done to provide an ambassador to that particular child's species. Something that is very useful in trade as they look like who they're trading with, but were brought up in a priveleged life under Mounty customs and laws. This has so far lead the current king of the Mounties to have five children, four daughters and one son. Brix, his full daughter, Sar, his son, Alexandera, adopted female human, Silver, adopted Silver Fox, Tira, adopted White Fox. Alex's parents had lived with the Mounty's their entire lives until a fire claimed their lives and Alex as a tiny baby was rescued by the King himself.

Economy

They like to keep to themselves when hostility flares, but are allies to the Wolf nation and trade openly with all in food and medicines.

Family

There are no social taboos that would prevent the different Mounty subspecies from interbreeding other than most parents prefer that their children marry into their own spots and stripes. In addition there are certain practical considerations that ensure that most Mounties choose mates of roughly their same size. Mounties are however capable of mating across all size divisions. Traits mix as they do in most hybrid species. (I.E. some children resemble the father, some resemble the mother, and some are an even mix. Mounties are also one of the only Plantigrade species to be capable of mating and producing offspring with a Digitigrade species. This is not common, as the children are typically born with deformities, but it does happen. It also means that the occasional Mounty is born with Digitigrade feet, due to past interbreeding. Mounties generally consider scent to be the primary trait when determining how attractive a mate is. Following this, they tend to look for coloration that matches their own.

Technology

They embrace technology and use it in everyday life when speed is called for.

The Mounties don't use Shivae as much as the others do. Transportation from city to city is usually done via horseback, underground as above ground travel can at times involve encounters with the vicious and highly territorial Arturrel. It also helps them avoid travelling through extreme conditions. Because of the underground roads, the cities are never disturbed by mass amounts of snow.

Mounty Technology is for the most part similar to the Wolf technology, but in almost all respects a little lower.