Rue

## Application Sheet

Rue was a brown-furred she-wolf with pale blue eyes. Born outside of the Domain, in the same pack as Akela, she left the pack after the pair had an affair. She arrived in the Domain and lived as a loner, eventually joining Shiloh's traveling band of loners, before she chose to leave the Domain once again. She was designed by Macy-Draws, and edited, created, and RP'd by SilverPocky.

## Personality

* ***Open-Minded.*** Since leaving her isolated pack Rue has discovered many of the wonders of the world and different cultures other individuals were raised in. Rue is very open-minded and eager to learn and embrace things previously unheard of to her. She is particularly interested in religions and the legends behind gods and traditions.
* ***Empathetic and Sympathetic.*** Despite her always attempting to hide her own pain, she is always very cautious and considerate of others partly because she's constantly worried she's the cause of the stress. Whenever she becomes aware of a wolf in pain the female always feels a deep sympathy and while task herself with doing anything she can to help them though the extents she will go may sometimes come off as annoying or pushy.
* ***Loyal and Tenacious.*** Even with her past scars Rue can't help but stand by her friends and loved ones when faced with a threat or adversity. Though she isn't the strongest in the heat of the moment Rue will never waver from protecting those she cares for and stands firm by her actions and principles. She will not hesitate to defend her friends whether that be by physical or mental means.
* ***Shy and Coy.*** When first approached or approaching a new wolf Rue can be very tentative and reserved until she deems them safe or friendly to interact with. After deciding a wolf is safe to approach Rue takes her time and prefers to "test" them by leaving evidence of her presence or running off after letting herself be seen or partially approached. This is a product of her lingering playfulness, but to some it can be seen as her attempts at flirting or teasing.
* ***Wistful.*** When alone, or given time to think Rue almost always thinks of her past and often feels regret at her choices, and a longing to return to her home and what could have been. Though she tries to stay active to avoid her yearning for the past Rue can't help but think of what she ran from.
* ***Emotional.*** Though she tries not to, Rue is easily lead by her emotions especially anger and has a habit of reacting by how she feels rather than stepping back and assessing what actually happened. Because of such she can be easily baited by others. However emotion isn't a complete crutch as her they have aided her in being attuned to other's tempers and feelings.
* ***Self-Deprecating.*** Rue is nearly incapable of talking about or seeing herself in a positive light, since running from her birth pack any confidence she had acquired was quickly culled and in her eyes she isn't worth much. When complimented she will either politely try to shrug it off or give an awkward smile in return, but even if she tries she can never fully accept or agree with praise given to her. Most see her as just being a modest wolf but in truth Rue can't help but undervalue herself.
* ***Naive.*** Despite having intelligence when it comes to skill Rue is not at all "street-smart", being raised in a sheltered/isolated pack has caused her to be quite naive about the evils of the world and with the right words could likely be persuaded into things better left undone. While she isn't stupid and has learned to trust her instincts Rue isn't extremely challenging to convince or win over due to her inexperience.
* ***Feeble and Clingy.*** Rue is incredibly clingy once she feels a deeper friendship or connection with someone and becomes somewhat of a shadow, following them anywhere and everywhere quite like she had in her past. She has an irrational fear of being alone and sometimes wonders if wolves she cares for will leave her behind. Though she is usually able to assure herself such a thing wouldn't occur, she can't help sticking close whenever she can.

## Pre-Group History

Rue's birth-pack is one spurred by the need to prevent inbreeding at any cost and as such pairs were picked by the Alphas. Rue's parents were originally loners and as such she is not related to anyone, heightening her value to middle and lower ranking wolves

Rue was born to first-time parents and was originally planned to be birthed in the same season with the other expected pair's pups (as was their pack's custom) but due to poor planning Rue was born a season after them. Though the age gap wouldn't seem all that significant to an outside eye, inside the pack it was a rather big block as age was considered the largest factor for training and rank assessment. Despite her circumstances, however, the pack's alphas looked upon the family with forgiveness and decided Rue would be included and trained alongside her slightly older peers. Being the youngest of the bunch not many of the older pups wished to be stuck with the "runt," this was the first hit to Rue's confidence but furthered her drive to fit in. She didn't make many if any gains however until a youth named Akela approached her; unlike the others, he was raised by two betas who believed very firmly in not judging a book by its cover, and due to his open-minded disposition, he and Rue became friends on the spot. Despite Akela's acceptance of her, the other pups still refused to acknowledge her as an equal causing her to cling and stay by Akelo's side whenever possible which he didn't mind in the least.

As they aged and began their required training it was apparent Rue was the weakest of the group but she ignored the criticism as she believed if Akela was by her side she could persevere and keep pace with her peers. Most days after training the pair would pal around together and play, though as time progressed and they became aged juveniles the line between Akela and the other's maturity and that of Rue's became quite clear. While she would crack jokes and attempt to bring a the light-hearted nature out of her friend, Akela was beginning to feel the pressures of his parent's rank and their expectations and wished to focus entirely on training. A slight rift began to shake their friendship as the two had vastly different priorities, but as Rue's age caught up, she began to understand her friend's position better and strove hard to keep up with him and the others. Her aging had also started to accentuate her features and fill out her body which shed light on her simple but striking pelt and bright eyes. Suddenly her male peers began to acknowledge her but not in the way she wished, and while she didn't quite understand the intent behind the attention Rue could sense that her peer's new wonder with her was not genuine or looking for friendships. Often during endurance lessons when she'd begun to pull ahead of the others she'd get a feeling along her spine that she was no longer being raced against, but rather she was being chased. Akela soon noticed his fellow youth's attentions and felt a rush of protectiveness for his soft-hearted friend, though they hadn't seen eye to eye as of late Akela was closer to her side than ever as he warded away the unwanted attention during lessons, and during the trainee's free time. After a while, the pair began to spend time almost exclusively with each other.

During their time in the other's company Rue began to feel something she never had for Akela or anyone. It took her a little to explain the flutters in her heart but she quickly realized she was attracted to Akela way more than a friend should. The young male also found this to be true as during their breaks he found he was unable to help staring at her face whether it be resting, laughing, or concentrating on a task. Even so, Akela tried to remind himself that his parents wouldn't be expecting him to be paired with her, but with the Alpha's pup Lapiz. In his eyes, the female was pretty, but her brittle nature and strictly serious/diplomatic views were the complete opposite of Rue and left him entirely disinterested. Regardless he hardened himself to this truth while Rue remained blissfully unaware and would give the young male small nuzzles and affectionate licks from time to time and despite himself, Akela would respond only deepening Rue's like for him until it turned to love. The same was true for him, and eventually, the two confided in each other and started a secret relationship. Akela's fears, however, became true when his parents and the Alphas officially announced their intentions to have him and Lapiz be made not only a pair the next dawn, but also the future leaders of the pack. While Lapiz was completely indifferent on the matter and would do as her parents told Akela couldn't help the burn in his heart as he pondered how Rue would react. Though strong-willed as he was Akela was still young and saw his parents and the Alphas as un-definable forces of nature and could not will himself to speak his real wish of being paired with his best friend. Heartbroken after the meeting Akela approached Rue with a heavy heart and confessed the duty he was given. Stunned Rue could do nothing but quiver before completely breaking into a body wrenching cry. Instantly Akela surrounded her and repeated that he did truly love her, but at that moment Rue couldn't simply believe his word.

Thinking she wasn't only losing her mate-to-be, but also her best friend and all they shared, Rue desperately clung to Akela and at that moment saw only one way for them to stay together; She offered her body to him. Overcome with the emotions he felt and his want to be with her Akela was quick to accept and the two spent a passion-filled night together. Believing that this had righted all in her world Rue awoke happily only to realize that Akela was not sleeping next to her, confused the she-wolf stood to search for her partner but was stopped by the ringing of the Alpha's call. Immediately Rue felt anxiety creep in her heart though the female couldn't fathom why. As she approached from a hillside overlooking the pack's gathering area, Rue's heart dropped when she spotted Akela standing beside Lapiz as the Alpha's began to announce them to the pack as mates.

The shock was all that hit her and unconsciously Rue began to sprint toward the gathering not stopping till she stood in front of the future Alpha pair. Akela struggled to look her in the eye, and she could see his muscles tense as if he strained to keep himself from reacting to her. Rue's heart pushed her to give a furious outcry as she singled out Akela as a traitor, he stood clearly affected by her words but remained silent until a few pack members moved to intervene, and were quickly blocked by a furious growl from Akela. Once calmed he turned to her with a sorrowful look and only said, "You're not good for me Rue." At that moment the young she-wolf's heart began to shatter, and she turned with a cry of anguish as she ran off, promising herself that she would never return to a pack and a lover than had never wanted her.

## Group History

Rue's initial arrival in the Domain was marked by an attack by a wolf pack. She had been chased away after inadvertently crossing their borders, and wounded...and left for dead. Fortunately, she was found by Samwell, a friendly loner, who helped tend to her until she was capable of moving on by herself. She teamed up with another loner named Kaiser for awhile, because she struggled to be alone, but eventually realized she needed to leave his company.

She encountered a traveling band of loners, led by a she-wolf named Shiloh. After realizing that the group was almost entirely composed of females, Rue accepted Shiloh's offer of a place alongside them. Rue got to know her new 'packmates', the other few females in the band: Alice, Aydan, Calumina, and Keeva, as well as the only male, Magnus. Another she-wolf quickly joined the group, named Belladonna, and Rue liked her just as she liked the rest.

But Belladonna's dark past caught up with her, and when Hellion of Vektren revealed that there was a bounty on Bella's head, Rue was initially disgusted. She loathed the ways of Vektren as described by Hellion and Bella, but she felt a rush of pity for her 'packmate' when she understood why Belladonna had been there in the first place, and why she'd run.

Still, when Hellion suggested they kill another wolf for him to bring the heart back, and thus complete his bounty, Rue was unwilling to do so. Rue chose, instead, to leave the group for a time, to reassess her situation and find her old friend Samwell.

While on her own, she tried to hunt a doe, and ended up with her leg hurt and trapped by a river. Fortunately, she was saved by another young loner, named Sarin, who also gave her some of his food.

Rue finally arrived back at the spot she'd always been able to find Samwell at, but he was no longer there. Not even his scent. She wondered if he had made his way closer to Highvalley, or maybe even joined them...in any case, she was certain that the noble wolves would be able to point her in the right direction.

She worried about handling the high altitude and rough terrain, but was willing to do it for her family. Yet, by the time Rue had arrived in Highvalley's territory, the Highvallians were long gone. The place was desolate, the dens, empty. She had no idea that the wolves of Highvalley had left the territory under the orders of High King Vladimir, when their previous king died.

Rue was overcome by despair, unsure of whether to try and track Highvalley, and perhaps find Samwell. She felt like she couldn't return to Shiloh's group, or go back to her old pack.

In the end, she decided that she needed to just...*leave.* She didn't know where she was going, but she knew that her paws weren't to walk the lands of the Domain anymore. Rue left, and hasn't been seen since.

## Trivia

* Rue was more suited to running and long distances than feats of physical strength. She wasn't really equipped to hunt more than a fawn on her own.
* The scar on her thigh was from when she failed to hunt a doe and got stuck in the river, and needed to be rescued by Sarin.
* Even after everything that happened with Akela, she still can't forget about him and how she felt around him.

## Quotes

* "But to grow even more, I have to rely on my own paws. See where I’m destined to go, who I’m destined to be.” (to Kaiser, *Bittersweet Farewell*)

## External Links

* Official Application Sheet
* SilverPocky's deviantART Gallery