Ara (Clan Nihil)

Clan Nihil

## Background

Ara used to be so happy and kind. Her clanmates adored her. She knew just the best thing to do to cheer them up. She liked to shower them with gifts, and she was one of the most popular dragons in the clan. She also had a talented gift with Arcane magic. She would use her magic to perform fantastic stunts like firework shows and tricks. She left dragons around her staring at her in awe.

Her life was perfect. There was nothing missing from her life. She had friends and family. She was happy, and she made others happy.

But of course her life didn't stay this way for long. She was not destined a life of joy.

Ara had climbed a particularly high cliff to perform her fireworks. It was in celebration of the clan's anniversary, and she was determined to make these fireworks her best. The clan would be talking about it for years. And for years indeed they would talk about the event. But not the event that was planned.

Instead every year Ara's old clan talk about the tragedy that happened the day of their celebration.

When it was getting late with no sign of the show, they flew up the cliff to check on Ara, only to find her unconscious. Her head was a bloody mess. Blood leaking from her eyes, ears, nostrils and mouth. Her mane was burnt and smoking, and her claws desperately curled around the smashed pieces of her pearl.

It was thought that it was her magic that backfired on her. Though certain foul play was suspected.

In any case, regardless how it happened, Ara woke up distraught. Her pearl. Her precious pearl. Her essence. The one thing that made her,*her*, was gone forever. She tried to glue the pieces back together, but it was no use, and it just wasn't the same.

The non pearlcatcher dragons didn't understand. They tried to cheer Ara up by reminding her, that *she*was alright. That*she* survived.

Ara only laughed at this. No. No she was not alright. She felt as if she'd lost her mind. Who even was she now without her pearl? Certainly she wasn't happy little Ara? No, now she was lost.

Lost in her own mind.

She ran away from her home and became a simple beggar. She went door to door, begging for food from other clans, because she had forgotten how to hunt for herself. She wore filthy rags in order to hide her face and she lived with shame. She didn't bother with grooming, and her crystal scales faded with dirt and poor nutrition. Her mane was a knotted, greasy mess. No one wanted to come near her.

The solitude and shame drove her mad. She became delirious. To random dragons she'd run up to them, screaming "Who am I? Do you know where I am? I'm lost, so lost, so very lost. Help me," If the stranger tried to answer Ara would only shake her head and say "I'm lost. Help me."

Eventually dragons learned not to bother answering her. Because no matter what they said she only repeated that she was lost and needed help.

That was when Andromeda found her.

Andromeda was in need of someone to keep a close watch on Cassiopeia's pearl. Since the fae was not a pearlcatcher she wasn't sure how to watch over a pearl, and she figured that Ara the pearlless pearlcatcher was just what she needed.

She told Ara the Cassiopeia's pearl was her own, and Ara was desperate to have her pearl back that she lapped up the lies.

Ara joined Andromeda's clan happily clutching a pearl that was not her own.

## Personality

Ara is a clean freak and hates the tiniest amount of dirt. Blood frightens her and because of this she stays far, far away from Scutum and Scorpius. She thinks Vulpecula is disgusting too, but luckily for her they're usually locked up and out of sight.

She loves her pearl, and is constantly cleaning it and hugging it. It is the thing that matters to Ara the most. If anyone dares to go near it, Ara snaps at them. She will defend the pearl with her life.

It's questionable about whether she remembers her past at all. If asked she's quick to deny it.

She repeatedly mutters to her pearl and whispers *mine* to it.

She loves her mate Orion, and she likes to talk to him. He's the only one that has real conversations with her. But she will still always love her pearl more. Nothing matters more than the pearl. She won't even let Orion go near the pearl.

Ara claims that she has a 'friend' in her head. A friend that warns her of any danger to the pearl. The voice is actually the spirit of Cassiopeia manipulating her, but she is unaware of this.

Ara claims to be happy, and is cheerful to the majority of the clan (She dislikes Scutum, Scorpius and Vulpecula), but in reality she feels a heavy sadness within her, that's constantly dragging her down. She puts on a friendly smile, but all she really wants to do is cry. And she doesn't know why.

In the end, Ara is still lost.

## Relationships

Orion: Her mate

Cassiopeia: Her ghost

## Trivia

* Theme: redemption by Innerpartysystem
* Bisexual
* Named after a constellation