Post by Arche on May 27, 2015 23:16:58 GMT -5
OOC
Name: Rita
Years RPing: A lot
Other: Fourth Slot (approved by Zenny ^.^)
How You Found Us: --
General
Name: Arche
Birthday: May 3, 2013
Gender: Male
Species: Grey x Arctic
Physical
Height: 39 inches
Length: 59 inches
Weight: 144 pounds
Coat Color: The heavy fur that covers his muscular physique is primarily a shade of milky white. Much like his sire, Arc’s darks markings mask his face, running along his spine in a spectrum of ashen hues. Hints of earthy brown
Eye Color: Jade green (inherited from maternal ancestry)
Health Issues: --
Other Information: Increased size (inherited from paternal ancestry), Adopted from Sage/Jay ^.^
Mental
Mental Stability: Sane
History:
He is the son of the longest reigning alpha still remaining on Anikira, Toiro, and his beloved mate Aludra. Arche’s origin was picture-perfect. The litter was created in love, unlike so many of the wolves roaming Anikira’s shores. The brute was born into a life of privilege, along with two brothers and a little sister. Shyia was an idyllic place to grow up: lots of hills to climb, siblings to play with, and the safety and serenity of a home protected by the Airila pack. He adored his parents. Toiro was a hero in his young son’s eyes, fearless and capable, the epitome of what it meant to be an alpha. His mother healed the sick and made other wolves feel better, and he was very proud of the wolves that had produced him. A year rushed by and the pups grew swiftly, but the innocence of youth still lingered, and life seemed long and full of promise.
A beautiful life is tentative, at best – the early happiness was not meant to last for Arche. One day, he followed his mother as she left the family to gather up herbs. She seemed to know everything about herbs and roots, and even though Arc was not the most astute student when it came to memorizing names and healing properties, he had taken an interest in the talents of the shaman. Aludra instructed her offspring to stay within the pack’s invisible borders while she attended to her business. Arche was not normally a defiant boy, but that day, he wanted to leave Shyia, too. He was growing into an impressively sized wolf; even though he was not yet fully grown, he had his father’s bulk, and he was confident in himself – too confident.
He was not supposed to follow. He knew better than to disobey. Quietly, he had crept a fair distance behind Aludra as she tended to her collection along the banks of a river, swollen by recent rains in the highlands. The mud was slick, and the still-growing wolf stumbled awkwardly as he tried to catch up to her. The earthen ground beneath his weight crumbled suddenly, weakened by the rains, and Arche barked a startled cry as he tumbled into the frothy waters below. Oversized paws splashed desperately and he gasped for breath as he bobbed like a twig in the power current – horror, the feeling of an unknown terror as he called out for his mother. The healer already knew he was there, cognizant of his lurking presence since they had departed their homeland. She did not think twice before throwing herself into the angry river to save her son. Overwhelming panic seized Arche as he tried to swim closer to the shore, fighting against the frigid flow, towards his mother. Aludra shouted to him – he could not make out every word, only bits and pieces of her anxious voice calling to him, but he knew his only hope was to find a rock before he was flushed further downstream.
He could not see her, but she was there and fighting, a mother determined to save her child. A sudden shove from the left sent Arche careening into a massive boulder – one firm kick before Aludra was carried away by the waters. The cold liquid had numbed his body as his form was crushed against the rock, but finally, he was free of the river’s grasp. Every muscle quaked with exertion and fear as Arche dragged himself onto the shore, eyes wide and chest heaving painfully. His blurred focus shifted from left to right. No other wolves were there. His mother was gone.
The brute sprinted down the muddy banks, but the she-wolf was already lost from sight. Still, he ran alongside the roaring river, certain that if he continued on, he would find his mother. He refused to believe that the river had claimed her for itself. Aludra’s body never washed up on the shore. He never saw a floating corpse, even after he had walked for miles and could barely stand. For all he knew, she was still alive. He could not give up his search – and he could not bring himself to return home without his mother. How could he explain what had happened? What would his father think if he knew of Arche’s fatal mistake?
The passing hours were a blur of fear and shame, hunger and panic overpowering the young wolf. He had never been away from his family before, not even for a night. Why? The question nagged at him day and night for nearly a weak. Starving and gaunt, Arche followed the river until he was too exhausted and heartsick to carry on. Without his family to return to, he had nothing but the shame of knowing he had killed his mother.
When all hope was gone, a new light appeared in his dismal new life – a young female, about a year older than Arche himself, called Deva. She had no good reason for taking pity on the enfeebled male, too weak to even offer his name, but she was a kind soul and she felt sorry for the ragged wolf laying stuck in the mud. She brought him a rabbit, stayed with him through the long, excruciating night. As the sun reclaimed its place in the firmament, Arche had regained some of his strength. Instantly, he was smitten. Deva was a no-nonsense sort of wolf who spoke plainly and was always exceedingly honest and opinionated. She was not frilly or feminine. On the contrary, she was tough as nails, but Arche had witnessed her gentle side for himself.
Deva was a petite arctic femme, with a silky white pelt and intricate charcoal markings decorating her pretty façade. The fae had been living alone for almost a year, banished from her natal pack for refusing to choose a mate – something that was expected of her, but Deva could not abandon her freedom. The she-wolf’s survival talents were impressive, and the two became fast friends and allies. Arc had hunted before with his siblings, but with Deva, the partnership was so precise that the duo nearly always caught their prey. She treated him more like a kid brother, but Arche loved his companion more than he was capable of expressing. He did not wish to compromise their friendship with unrequited feelings, so Arc contented himself with what he was given. He was happy enough just to be around Deva, in spite of the ache in his chest when he thought of being with her, dreaming of being more than just a brotherly presence in her life.
As the winter months came again, Arche was stunned to learn that his traveling companion (and only friend) was expecting, pregnant by a stranger. She would never reveal the brute’s identity, but she seemed genuinely happy about the prospect and motherhood. The pups were obviously not going to be his, but that did not matter to Arc. He would love the little ones no matter who sired them. Deva was excited, and so was Arc. Now, he would prove how much Deva meant to him. She had saved him, and he would help to raise her beautiful pups. He was still young, but eager nonetheless.
Even with someone to travel and hunt with, living a loner’s life was a challenge. Very quickly, Arche discovered the hostile savages of the outside world. They would appear after a hunt, menacing and threatening, to steal away the duo’s prize. Separately, Arche and Deva would be an easy target for the lone thieves, but together, they were a force to be reckoned with. As Deva’s belly swelled with new life, Arche became their sole defender, a duty that he took seriously. He hunted alone to provide for his friend and her impending brood. As the time for the litter’s arrival loomed, Arche returned from a hunt to find Deva pinned to the ground. The assailant was a rogue male, an aging brute, madness clouding his senses. The raging brute had dirty fur and strange yellow eyes, so desperate for meat that he was prepared to eat his own kind to satisfy his suffering.
There was no time to think twice. Arche threw himself at the deranged stranger, and the male, in spite of his weakened state, was not ready to give up his fight just yet. Fangs sank into tendon, and Arche howled in pain. He had to protect Deva and her pups. A flash of ivory directed for the mad male’s throat instantly subdued the struggle. The stranger fell limp beneath him. For a few days, Arche could not bring himself to speak. Every time he closed his eyes, he could see the crazed wolf’s eerie yellow orbs. Deva reassured him: he did what was needed. He had saved her, in heroic fashion. This did little to suppress Arc’s guilt when he thought of the life he had taken.
Finally, the anticipated birth day finally arrived. Deva disappeared to whelp her litter as the sun began to rise, and Arche stayed close by, anxious to see the pups she had been carrying. He could barely stand the wait. The morning dragged on slowly into the afternoon, and still, the pups had not arrived. Deva was supposed to call him into the den when she was finished giving birth. As the daylight melted into dusk, Arche’s excitement descended into distress and concern. How long did it take to have puppies? Arche had no clue, but as the sun descended behind the western mountains, he sensed that something was terribly wrong. As he ventured closer to the birthing den, the brute was greeted by a disturbing silence. Arche summoned his courage as he peeked into the dark dug-out. Inside the shelter, there was no movement, no teeny tiny infant cries or the moans of a laboring mother. Hours before, he had envisioned a litter of squirmy little newborns. Inside the den, there were no pups. The stench of blood assaulted his nostrils, and seconds later, he saw her there – dead, eyes still wide open in agony, unable to pass the first of her puppies through the birth canal before the life drained from them both. No Deva, no pups – again, he had nothing but the free lands stretching out before him.
Despondent, Arche began to wander aimlessly, toying with the notion of a solitary life. The loneliness and the guilt soon became unbearable. He was a wolf, a creature meant to live with others of his kind, born to exist with those to whom he owed his existence. He was the son of his ancestors. He had been distant from the old life he had unwittingly abandoned that day. It had been nearly a year since he had last seen the ones who had loved him first. His father… Was he alive and well? Did each of his three siblings make it through the difficult first two years of life? Arche longed to be near them again, in spite of the lingering regrets he harbored. As a loner, he heard very little about the business of packs. Did Airila still exist in the mountains of his youth, the happiest days of his life?
The next day, Arche happened upon a familiar river. Choking down the anxiety and the memories, he began to follow the winding path that would lead him home again.
Personality:
To strangers, the massive wolf is imposing and stoic, his façade revealing little about his thoughts or feelings. He is fair in his dealing with others, though he may appear distant to those who do not know him. In spite of his appearances, he is a wolf know for his deep sense of loyalty and honor. He is thoughtful and considerate, the type who will help a starving stranger just because it is the right thing to do. Deeply empathetic, Arc has been to the bottom, as low as a wolf can fall, so he feels deeply for those who are suffering. He is especially moved by the plight of those who are disempowered and struggling, with no place in the world to feel safe.
Resilience is a hallmark of the wolf’s character. A tumultuous past has created a highly adaptive, experienced wolf, nimble-minded. A loner must think twice or live to regret it. Arche has made mistakes, but when all is said and done, the errors of his youth have etched out a strong personality: bold but compassionate, practical, and intelligent. He is a wolf of action. If Arche says that he will do something, he will stop at nothing to accomplish this task, determined not only to assist another, but to uphold his own sense of worth. He is the son of a peaceful alpha, one who treats his pack mates as if they are family, and Arc was fortunate enough to spend most of his first year watching Toiro as the pack prospered, thriving while other packs failed across Anikira. Arche considers those days to be the happiest in his life, and he has always held his father in especially high regard as a wise wolf and kind leader, traits that Arc himself aspires to.
Arche is an endlessly patient wolf, but once his mind is made up, he is equally stubborn. He stands firmly behind what he believes and will defend his values. The wolf has developed a cautious outlook when it comes to the world around him. The island of Anikira can be a dangerous place, beyond the safety of claimed territories and pack law. It can chew up a wolf and spit him out, those who could not maneuver the merciless landscapes and ruthless wanderers. He has witnessed the worst of lupine nature. In spite of the hardships, Arche is not bitter or demented, but he is wary of others until he is convinced they can be trusted. He is a very discerning individual, carefully watching for any signs of deception in others.
His previous nomadic lifestyle has groom a wolf that is both strong and skilled. He possesses the talents of hunting and he is knowledgeable in self-defense. While Arche does not intentionally seek out trouble, his experiences as a vagabond has hardened him, both body and mind. He will not hesitate to defend himself or those around him, should violence arise. He has killed before, and should he find himself in a desperate situation, Arche is capable of doing what he feels is necessary to save his loved ones or himself. Brute strength is a last resort, but that does not mean he is a coward. On the contrary, he is a brave wolf with a strong sense of justice.
Finally, an emotion that follows Arche like a shadow is the incessant guilt he feels regarding his painful history. He still firmly believes he is responsible for his mother’s untimely demise. He is convinced, after years of dwelling and grieving away from his home. In Arc’s mind, he is the one who destroyed the lives of each of his siblings and his father, who dearly loved his mate, the mother of his offspring. The lingering shame surrounding Aludra's death is a topic that Arche is unlikely to address with anyone. He cannot face the prospect of the truth behind his mother's accident or having to admit to the others that he was there that fateful day. He was not the same after that, and the memory haunts him still. Arche feels that he has failed his family in the past, and to compensate for their loss, he will work harder to build Airila up, to make their home a happy and prosperous one.
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