slugcats do not speak, they make noise, but not much, normal slugcats can communicate through body language, here are some examples: - small hop of forearms while hind legs stay grounded = stay here - pounce-hop on all fours = play with me - small hop on hind legs = stop playing - pawing ground (or "making biscuits") = I feel safe here - purring = I am happy slugcats also make facial expressions: - ears up + wide eyes = cautious - ears down + half open eyes = sad - ears resting position + half open eyes = tired - ears down + wrinkled snout = angry slugcats also use body language; - tail flicking = annoyed - arched back and tail up(to appear larger) = fear - lashing tail = aggressive slugcats with the mark of communication not only understand a verbal version of the iterator language, that they cannot use due to limited vocals, they are also "awakened", or given self awareness, slugcats are not naturally self aware, this causes them to often worship the iterators who gave them the gift, sometimes groups of self aware slugcats group together, sometimes they bring other slugcats to also receive the gift, slugcats have created their own sign language based on their base language, it includes words from the language, with a few new ones for more specific things: - nod = yes - head shake = no - head tilt = not sure - pointing at open mouth = hungry - point at open mouth then at other slugcat = you hungry - tongue sticking out and pointing at mouth = thirsty - tongue sticking out and pointing at mouth then at other slugcat = you thirsty - loud wah = danger - quiet wah = interest - moderate wah = needs attention - loud wah while pointing in a direction = danger this way - quiet wah while pointing = I like this - moderate wah while pointing = look - paw flick = water - loud wah and paw flick while pointing = this water is dangerous - pawing other slugcat = I feel safe with you - nuzzling other slugcat = I am happy around you - quiet wah while nuzzling = I love you - point to self = me - point to other slugcat = you - point to other slugcat and then self with closed fist = we are friends - point to other slugcat and then self with open paw = we don't know each other - point to other slugcat and then self with only index finger out = are you talking to me - point to other slugcat and then self with only thumb finger out = we are siblings - point to other slugcat and then self with only little finger out = we are enemies - point to other slugcat and then self with closed fist and paw over heart = we are partners - point to other slugcat and then self with open paw and paw over heart = we used to be partners - point to other slugcat and then self with both paws - this is my parent - paw over heart and bowing head = thank you - paw over heart and paw on other slugcats shoulder = sorry drawing the symbol on an iterators head on their head with their fingers is how they say that iterators name, weather referring to the iterator themselves or the superstructure, if the symbol on the iterators head is too hard to draw, the slugcats just call the iterator friend: - two fingers over each eye are drawn down = five pebbles - circle on head = looks to the moon - fingertips placed on head and opened until palm meets their head = seven red suns - drawing a diamond on their head = no significant harassment - drawing an x on their head = silver of straw sometimes slugcats need to say where to go: - point to other slugcat, point to self twice = meet me at _ - point to self twice = I am going to _ - point to other slugcat twice = go to _ - one tail flick = outskirts - two tail flicks = industrial complex - three tail flicks = shaded cathedral - four tail flicks = garbage wastes - paw flick with one tail flick = drainage system - paw flick with two tail flicks = shoreline - wave paw once down = the exterior - wave paw twice down = chimney canopy - wave paw once up = sky islands - wave paw twice up = farm arrays - stomp once = subterranean - paw flick and two stomps = submerged superstructure - front right paw stomp = pipeyard - front left paw stomp = metropolis - stomp twice = rubicon - down wave and stomp = undergrowth - pat heart twice = outer expanse (this is also the word for home) slugcats also have words for other flora and fauna - right ear down = plant - left ear down = animal - left ear down and pointing to self = slugcat - left ear down and tail flick = lizard - left ear down and down wave = vulture - left ear down and up wave = dropwhig - left ear down, paw flick, lashing tail, and loud wah = leviathan - left ear down, paw flick, and loud wah = leech - left ear down, open and close paw = spider - left ear down, stomp front right paw = centipede - left ear down, stomp front left paw = centiwing - left ear down, stomp front right paw while opening and closing left paw = coalscipede - left ear down, hind left paw stomp = miros bird - left ear down, hind right paw stomp = long legs (cont v)
(cont ^) - left ear down, point to mouth = edible creature - left ear down, point to eye = overseer - left ear down, four tail flicks = garbage worm - left ear down, paw flick, up wave = squidcada - left ear down, head pat = rain deer - left ear down, down wave = scavenger - right ear down, loud wah, one tail flick = pole plant - right ear down, loud wau, two tail flicks = monster kelp - right ear down, loud wah, three tail flicks = worm grass - right ear down, point to mouth = edible plant food words - fist on snout = blue fruit - fist on ground, then raised up = bubble fruit - fist on ground, opened as raised up = popcorn plant - slide paw on ground twice = slime mold - wave paw up and down = batfly
