Nova (Mountain Lion)

## Application Sheet

Nova was a female mountain lion with light brown fur and green eyes. She lived in the territory around Riverfell, where she was accepted by the predator-friendly wolves. She returned to the Domain in the midst of the Hive Wars after being away for some time, and her story is ongoing, alongside her mate Artem. They had three cubs together: Mar, Kainda, and Lyra. Nova was created and RP'd by 4everhound.

## Personality

* ***Easygoing**.* Nova is as relaxed an individual as they come. She likes to enjoy the finer things in life, and invites her friends to follow her lead. She takes time to really appreciate what the world has to offer, and the fact that she is alive to do so. Such things are gifts not meant to be taken for granted.
* ***Adventurous**.* A life full of excitement is the only life worth living, in her opinion. Nova loves chills and thrills, and will scarcely pass up a challenge when she sees one. Though a normally laid-back cat, she will leap first and ask questions later, and will not shy away from danger unless she is hopelessly outmatched.
* ***Confident**.* Nova's every movement speaks of her high self-confidence. She can be right or wrong, but she isn't *uncertain.* After all, if she doesn't believe in herself, who will? So her stances are always firm and not a hint of insecurity is ever present on her face, for her own sake and the sake of those who place their faith in her. Maybe cracks form in her resolve every now and then, but they are never visible to the untrained eye.
* ***Carefree**.* Nova is nothing if not a blithe spirit; she takes her challenges as they come, and not a moment before. Even the best-laid plans can be scattered to the wind in an instant, can't they? So instead of wasting time worrying about things that may or may not happen, she will tackle only the issue that's right in front of her. It's worked out fine for her, more or less...
* ***Mischievous**.* Few things please Nova more than successfully getting a rise out of someone. It's all in good fun, of course–in her eyes. Whoever is on the receiving end of her teasing and other antics might agree or disagree depending on the situation, but Nova isn't concerned with that. What matters is that she herself enjoys the shenanigans, and so will continue to engage in them.
* ***Childish**.* There are times when Nova acts more cub than cougar. She goofs around a lot and hardly takes anything around her seriously, both behaviors she should have outgrown long ago, but for some reason hasn't. Her frivolous attitude can grate on the nerves, especially when paired with her daredevil escapades.
* ***Careless**.* Nova is perhaps not as cautious as any cougar should be. She knows how to keep herself out of danger just fine; it's just that, half the time, she can't be bothered. She exists to test any and all limits, just to see how much she can get away with. It's just as fun for her as it is detrimental to her being.
* ***Stubborn**.* Nova is not quick to adopt the ways of other individuals. She prefers her own way, and will say as much to anyone who asks (or doesn't). This results in her digging in her heels even when yielding or compromising would be the better option, making her a willful creature whose mind is not easily changed.

## Pre-Group History

Nova's early days were rough ones. When she was very young, living with her mother and brothers, a fire had swept through the territory and cornered the little cougar family. Though her mother had done everything she could, she was only able to save Nova from the flames inside their den. Even then, the frightened pair would have perished in the blaze surrounding them on all sides if not for the timely arrival of wolves from a nearby pack. They called themselves Gold Feathers of Riverfell, sent by their pack to aid the predators desperately trying to escape the inferno.

The following weeks were a time of grief and recovery, and the memory of the fire would be forever seared into Nova's mind. But other details about that day also stuck, including the faces of the ones who'd saved her and her mother. They would never forget, and as Nova grew her mother made sure to tell the cub about the distant pack known as Riverfell, and of the laws they and all predators abide by while in their territory. Nova would listen in awe, and the lesson would stay with her throughout her life, and shape her into the cougar she would become.

Nova's fascination with Riverfell and wolfkind in general continued well into adulthood. Even after she'd grown old enough to be able to seek out a territory of her own, she always stayed in close proximity to pack territory. She visited as often as she could, and while some wolves were less appreciative of her presence than others, there were still a few she connected to. Among them were an older male and a young female, and a great deal of what Nova learned about Riverfell that didn't come from her mother was taught to her by those two.

The young cat found herself far more interested in the goings-on of wolf society and culture than that of her own kind, much to her mother's concern. Nova didn't see it as a problem, though. These were noble, remarkable creatures. They worked in groups and helped each other, unlike the solitary lifestyle cougars adopted. If anything, she and her kind could learn a lot from them. While her mother didn't deny that, she still cautioned against placing too much trust in wolves.

They fought amongst themselves constantly, and there were more than a few who believed they were inherently superior to other creatures. They weren't *all* good. But her mother's warnings went right through one ear and out the other. Nova knew how to handle herself. She'd be fine.

As much as she felt at home near the Riverfellians, the wanderlust that called to all her kind eventually came for her as well. Bidding a fond farewell to her canine friends, and with a promise to return soon, Nova set out for lands unknown. And almost immediately, her mother's warnings came to be. Nova had forgotten at some point, but the truce that protected her and all non-wolf creatures only extended to Riverfell territory. The animals living *outside* of it were under no such rules.

Wolf attacks unfortunately became common. There were a few willing to give her the time of day, but most were unfriendly or even outright hostile towards her. Whether or not she meant them harm (and she never did) didn't matter; she was a cat, and that was reason enough. Nova couldn't understand it. Did there really need to be such animosity between them, just because of their species? Try as she might, she never found the answers she wanted. Her journey *was* an eye-opener, in a way.

Nova realized that, while she did enjoy traveling every now and then, it didn't compare to home, where there were creatures who understood her, and she them. But just as she'd made up her mind to return to her old territory near Riverfell, winter set in, the coldest and fiercest in living memory. Nova had no choice but to hunker down and wait for the storms to pass, and when they did, she quickly learned that a few cold spells were the least of her problems...

Disillusioned with the life of solitude and facing a menace of unknown origin, Nova longs to return home now more than ever. Slowly but surely she makes her way southwest, eager to reunite with long lost friends, and completely unaware of the great many changes that have happened in her absence...

## External Links

* Official Application Sheet
* 4everhound's deviantART Gallery