Patriofelis

"Your sails are made for gliding, not flying." Darkwing is a stand-alone prequel to Silverwing. The info in this article may not be relevant to other books in the series.

Patriofelis
Species	Felid
Gender	Male
Allegiance	Patriofelis's prowl
Story Information
Status	Deceased
Cause of death	Killed by bird
First appearance	Darkwing
Last appearance	Darkwing

Patriofelis is a character appearing in Darkwing. He is the leader of a prowl of felids working to fulfill the Pact.

Appearance

Patriofelis is an older felid who walks with a slight limp in his legs. He has pale brown fur with streaks of grey from age, which are especially prominent on his throat. His voice is somewhat hoarse.

Personality

Patriofelis is a seasoned, wise leader. He is diligent about his prowl's loyalty to the Pact and expresses pride for his most skilled hunters. He is friendly and sociable with the members of his prowl, and forgiving when it comes to granting second chances. He is determined to deal justice, even if that means exiling or fighting against his fellow felids. He is generally well-liked by the members of his prowl.

Biography

Darkwing

Patriofelis welcomes Carnassial and Panthera when they return to the prowl after a month long hunting excursion with praise. He informs them that they are the last group to return, noting that the other groups did not find any saurian eggs. Carnassial explains that he believes they destroyed the last nest, to which Patriofelis exclaims his jubilation and cries out in celebration to the rest of the prowl. He climbs back up into the poisonwood tree and announces to the prowl that no beasts had found any saurian nests in over a month, excitedly concluding that the Pact had been fulfilled.

Later, Patriofelis joins Carnassial as he lays and grooms himself on a branch. Carnassial observes that the prowl has grown exponentially since he has been gone and posits whether it could pose an issue in providing enough food for the whole prowl. Patriofelis shrugs his concerns, pointing out that the world is large and suggesting that they can simply expand their hunting grounds if food ever becomes scarce. He fondly encourages Carnassial to take some time to rest now that the Pact has been fulfilled and the world is at peace. Carnassial says that he suspects the beasts would soon begin to turn on one another, to which Patriofelis firmly states that beasts have never hunted each other. Carnassial suggests that it would be wise if the felids were the first to do so, causing Patriofelis to growl and question his statement. Carnassial continues to explain that, as the world changes, the felids will have to adapt and change their ways before finally stating his suggestion that the felids begin hunting other beasts. Patriofelis is appalled at this, explaining that the other beasts were their allies and that felids are not flesh-eaters, though Carnassial is unconvinced. In anger, Patriofelis harshly rejects Carnassial's ideas, ordering him to correct his deviant appetites.

One of the felids of the prowl reports to Patriofelis that Carnassial had killed another beast. When Carnassial returns after a few days' absence, Patriofelis greets him curtly. He presses Carnassial on if what he hears is true, asking if he has any remorse for his actions. Carnassial argues that the felids already kill grubs and insects without remorse. Patriofelis is unimpressed and scoffs at Carnassial's rebuttal, again declaring that it is unnatural and wrong to kill another beast. He states that, if the beasts were to hunt each other as the saurians once hunted them, the world would descend into anarchy and bloodshed. His anger falters for a moment and he reminds Carnassial of what a revered member of the prowl he is, imploring him to denounce his actions and cravings for flesh and return to the prowl. Carnassial rejects his offer, and Patriofelis declares he must leave. In retribution, Carnassial attempts to challenge Patriofelis's leadership by urinating to mark his territory and demanding Patriofelis come down and fight him, but he is fended off by several felids who attack him before chasing him away into the forest.

As word of Carnassial's prowl of flesh-eaters spreads throughout the land, many of the beasts send messengers imploring Patriofelis to track down Carnassial and put his carnage to an end. In response, Patriofelis sends many of his prowl's soldiers to track down Carnassial and observe his whereabouts on the island. He sends some of his felids, including Montian, as messengers to the other beast kingdoms, explaining his plan to trap Carnassial's group on the island until they eventually starve to death.

Patriofelis eventually decides to deal with Carnassial himself, travelling to the island with a group of forty-five other felids. The group blocks the sand bridge to the mainland and Patriofelis confronts Carnassial. Upon learning of Miacis's death, Patriofelis remarks on the perilous life Carnassial has chosen for his prowl. He cites the rumors of the predator birds and the increased aggression of the birds, explaining that the world is becoming more dangerous and Carnassial's prowl stands in the way of any new alliances. Carnassial tries to justify his prowl's actions once more, but Patriofelis shuts him down and announces that he has come to offer them one last chance at redemption. He invites Carnassial and any of his cohort to return to the prowl and a life of peace. Carnassial urges his prowl not to give in, angrily rejecting the offer and claiming his group will not obey their exile from the mainland. Patriofelis replies that the beasts will be monitoring the island and will kill any who step foot on the mainland, though Carnassial doubts his resolve. After another invitation to return to Patriofelis's prowl, the call of a couple predatory birds is heard, prompting Katzen to sheepishly accept Patriofelis's offer. Five other felids also stepped forward to join him. Patriofelis praises their choice and mockingly comments on Carnassial's dwindling numbers. Before the prowl can leave the island, Patriofelis is suddenly snatched by a large predatory bird flying overhead. Panthera attempts to fight the bird off, but it lunges at her before flying off, carrying Patriofelis's gored body off into the forest.

Etymology

Patriofelis is a genus of extinct prehistoric carnivorous mammals in the family Oxyaenidae that lived in North America during the late Paleocene into the middle Eocene (approximately 50 million years ago). Patriofelis had teeth designed for crushing rather than shearing meat like modern cats and are believed to have preyed mostly on eggs and insects. Scientists believe Patriofelis may have been semiaquatic or even related to modern day otters. Patriofelis is latin for "father cat", named for its skull's cat-like resemblance, however it is not to what extent Patriofelis is similar to other felines.

Trivia

• The extinct Patriofelis genus had teeth specialized for crushing rather than shearing meat. This likely served as inspiration for the dichotomy between Patriofelis and Carnassial in Darkwing.
• Patriofelis's name is misspelled as "Partriofelis" on page 96 of Darkwing.

Gallery

Illustration of Patriofelis being seized by a bird