Hey everyone! Here's an awesome new pic I got from  Blazbaros

It's of my cosmic kitties, Ragna and Mira, striking a pose with each other. Now aside from being members of the same race of space felines known as "The Pumari", both Ragna and Mira also just so happened to be two of the most wanted fugitives of their kind as well.

Now to understand how these two wound up with such hefty bounties on their heads, you first need to know who "The Pumari" are and what they're all about.

The Pumari are a race of space-faring jungle cats who once after becoming the dominant species of their home planet, sent their sights to the stars. Fierce and territorial, the Pumari show little restraint when it comes to matters of war, only resorting to diplomacy when the negotiated outcome favors them greatly. Now fighting isn't the only thing the Pumari are good at - they're also master shipwrights, boasting by far the most powerful fleet of ships in the galaxy known as "The Armada". It is said that the Armada is so feared that battles have been won without firing a single shot - because the mere sight of it in all its grandeur drove their enemies into submission.

Now to maintain their prowess over their opposition, the Pumari have a very militaristic and authoritative society. They see every right as a privilege, one that has to be EARNED and not given. Even having children is an aspect governed by the state, with them deciding not only who gets to have kids but with who as well. "Through service and sacrifice, one proves their worth" is their creed, with those that do so being given the best treatment and luxuries their people have to offer. As for those that fail to meet their standards, they quickly discover the Pumari have no need or want for them in their ranks, and are essentially given the most lowliest of stations in their society - or effectively expelled from it. And this is where Mira comes in.

Growing up in Pumari society, Mira had a hard time getting used to all their rules and regulations. They wanted her to be just another cog in the machine and to fall in line whenever they demanded, which she wasn't all about - but seeing what happened to those that didn't submit, she figured she would at least fake it just to stay out of their crosshairs. It wasn't until she joined the military that she decided that enough was enough. As required of all Pumari citizens, every member of their race has to serve in the Pumari military once they reach adulthood. It's said that this will allow everyone to become better members of society and improve the well-being of all Pumari everywhere, but in reality - it's simply just their way of breaking down and molding everyone into what THEY wanted. Seeing this, Mira decided the regimented military life wasn't her thing and decided to "explore" career opportunities elsewhere. Now as you can imagine, in a military-focused society, desertion is perhaps the gravest of crimes to them - even more so than piracy itself. So as a result of Mira abandoning her post, not only is she on the Pumari's most wanted list but if she ever does get apprehended, she would be promptly sent back to her homeworld where she would be publicly executed for all their citizens to see.

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Now with Mira's rap sheet out of the way, next is Ragna's, and her's a bit different because it all begins with her mother. You see, Ragna's mom was a distinguished member of the Pumari military, who after years of dedicated service, was given birthing privileges by the state. Now a key thing to know about the Pumari, aside from their temper and love of ships, is that their population is comprised of virtually all females. The reason for this is that their ancestors selectively bred their males to be HUGE, hulking juggernauts. As a result, they kept their male population low so they wouldn't strain their resources - meaning they would euthanize "unwanted" males but keep enough around to ensure their species' survival. Now this practice is certainly barbaric, but it was a necessary evil in the Pumari's eyes - that is until they were able to advance enough as a race to develop gene therapy technology. With it, they could ensure their children would be born female, thus only allowing males to be conceived if they needed new donors for their sperm catalog.

Now the reason all this plays a part in Ragna's backstory is that it's one of the ways the Pumari government controls its people. Not only are they able to decide who gets to have kids and how many will be born in a given period, but it also creates a sense of normality that ensures they stay in power - because if something can be predicted, it can be controlled. If everyone they govern is virtually the same, then they know what they're up against (and how to deal with) should an uprising ever occur - and if there are really no bold differences in physical characteristics between one person and the next, then a mindset geared towards community rather than individualism is more likely to take place - which is why someone like Ragna being born is problematic in their eyes.

You see, unlike the rest of the Pumari females whose features they primarily take from their mothers, Ragna was born with traits more reminiscent of her father. Her taller stature, her larger muscle mass, and her more aggressive temperament were all things bestowed upon her by her dad instead of her mom. Now as you can imagine, the Pumari ruling class doesn't like it when someone like her is born. They're harder to control; to order around - and if they don't fall in line, then it'll only inspire others to do so as well. That is why, under normal circumstances, if a child is found to be more "male-dominant", they are immediately confiscated and "Pacified". What that means is they're essentially lobotomized to ensure their submission. Now because of her mother's high standing and influence, Ragna was spared immediate Pacification and was instead placed under probationary watch where she would have to prove that she could become a part of Pumari society. But unfortunately, despite her and her mother's best efforts, Ragna just couldn't meet the ruling body's standards, and at the age of 12, was sentenced to Pacification.

Now during her transport to the Pacification facility, the sedatives Ragna was given suddenly wore off, causing her to wake up and break free of her restraints. Escaping her captors, Ragna fled to a nearby spaceport where a freighter, owned by a group of smugglers, was preparing to take off. Sneaking on board while they loaded the last of their goods, Ragna was unknowingly ferried off the Pumari homeworld as her newly found rescuers made their departure. Now upon reaching their destination, they found the frightened young feline hiding amongst their wares, but before they could even begin contemplating what they should do with her, Ragna instinctively began attacking them, showcasing her immense power and strength. Impressed by her abilities, as well as the injuries she inflicted on a good portion of their crew, the band of outlaws offered Ragna a place in their ranks - one which she happily accepted.

And so, from that day on, Ragna would go to become one of the most feared space pirates in all the core systems - where she would eventually team up with her fellow Pumari outlaw and outcast, Mira.

Anyway, those are the backstories of how these two became such wanted feline felons. I got some more kitties to showcase in this sea of stars, so be on the lookout for what's to come next! XD

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Artwork by  Blazbaros

*If you want to see more of Blazbaros's awesome work, check out his Fur Affinity account at https://www.furaffinity.net/user/blazbaros/