Calumina

Three Brothers (NPCs)

## Application Sheet

Calumina is a warm silver she-wolf with sage green eyes. She joined Highvalley as a young adult and was appointed as Steward to Meister Yuaei. She was quick to become the best of friends with Yuaei, and loyally followed her and Mohawk as they led a band of loners who worshipped Havir. When Yuaei and Mohawk left the band, Calumina sought a new pack, for a fresh start, and followed Shiloh to Riverfell. There, she began training under Howl as a Gold Feather. Her story is ongoing. Calumina was created and RP'd by xCinderfrostx.

## Personality

* ***Compassionate, Protective, and Loyal.*** Calumina leads primarily with her heart. She generally shows compassion and empathy toward all wolves, and she will never turn her back on someone in need. It isn’t very difficult to befriend her, and she carries a great deal of love and warmth for those who earn her trust and loyalty. She will actively strive to maintain the happiness and well-being of her loved ones, and she’ll grow especially protective of and affectionate toward those who are closest to her, willing to give her life for them and preferring their company above all others. At times, this can cause her to appear clingy or possessive of her loved ones, but she never intends to smother them in any way. Very patient and understanding, Calumina is a good listener, and she will always do her best to advise those who ask for it, or simply be a shoulder for them to cry on. There is little she values more than integrity and loyalty, and thus she isn’t very forgiving of those who break her trust. Those who find themselves on her bad side will be met with teeth or simply cold silence. She has little tolerance for dishonesty and disloyalty.
* ***Playful, Adventurous, and Instinctive.*** She relies heavily on her instincts, as they very often guide her choices and actions, and she will rarely follow others blindly. Calumina will always try to listen to her gut-feeling, especially upon meeting new wolves or encountering new experiences—if a newcomer gives her a bad feeling, she’ll take leave very quickly. She’s quite adventurous, and she greatly enjoys the excitement of new experiences but can grow bored and restless if left to go with stimulation for too long. Despite this, she can appear rather shy when first placed in unfamiliar situations, but this is simply her way of quietly observing and judging her surroundings, and she warms up quickly to those who she takes a liking to. In fact, once she’s comfortable, Calumina rarely stays silent. She enjoys rough-housing, exchanging stories and playful banter, as well as sharing the occasional deeper conversation. She secretly craves intimate moments with loved ones, and will dearly treasure those who trust her enough to share any with her.
* ***Resourceful and Creative, but Emotional and Stubborn.*** Calumina spent much of her adolescence surviving on her own, thus she learned quickly how to handle herself and how to adapt to her surroundings. As a result, she’s rather resourceful and creative, and she holds the belief that, if used properly, one’s environment can become their greatest weapon. Despite this knowledge, she often struggles with balancing her heart and her mind, and she struggles to keep her emotions in check, especially when matters of passion are involved. She will fight valiantly for what she believes to be right, and those who oppose her will find her to be a rebellious, sassy, unrelenting force to be reckoned with. She holds the belief that respect should always be earned rather than demanded, and that words without action are meaningless. Thus, she will never back down from a challenge, nor will she give up once she has her heart set on something. Endlessly determined and stubborn, Calumina rivals the mountains themselves in their unyielding nature. She despises being underestimated for any reason and strives to prove herself as capable to anyone who would assume otherwise. For this reason, she can grow irritable or withdrawn when she feels vulnerable; she dislikes showing weakness to those she doesn’t trust—and sometimes even then! Always prideful and fiery, Calumina exudes passion for her beliefs, and she will fight on the side of justice whenever she deems it necessary.
* ***Ambitious and Altruistic.*** Much of her more fiery and rebellious traits have proved fruitless, however, as she struggles to find an outlet for them. For much of her life, Calumina has longed to become a part of something bigger than herself—to finally feel a sense of belonging and be certain that she’s exactly where she’s supposed to be. While there have been places and wolves in her past that have come close, she has still never felt wholly satisfied. For this reason, she feels somewhat lost and lacking in direction, quietly searching for a meaningful purpose worth serving. She dreams of making a difference somewhere, of helping others, and building something that will outlast her and carry on to impact future generations. Unfortunately, no pack nor wolves have yet given her such an opportunity—not one that she had acted upon, anyway. She shoulders a great deal of regret regarding her inaction as a member of the once-great Highvalley, believing she should have done more to better the quality of life for her fellow lowbloods. She had been too afraid and selfish to risk her own safety and the safety of her loved ones, but she refuses to make that mistake again moving into the future.
* ***Privately Self-Doubting, and Reckless.*** Calumina doesn’t like admitting to her mistakes or being proven wrong, and she will often indignantly attempt to justify her actions when questioned. Despite this, she secretly harbors a great deal of anxiety regarding the consequences that her actions may have on those around her, as she greatly fears unintentionally hurting others with her choices, and she can struggle to make difficult decisions for this reason. While her impulsive tendencies have had yet to land her into any serious trouble, she once feared that it was only a matter of time before an action taken without forethought would spell disaster for herself and her loved ones. But, after leaving Highvalley and her golden family behind, Calumina now has nothing to lose and everything to gain, and she’s grown much more reckless because of it. There are no rules, no restrictions or responsibilities to confine her, and she intends to enjoy the freedom while it lasts.
* ***Yearns for Family, but Afraid to Bond.*** However, a more carefree attitude was not all that came out of saying goodbye to her home and loved ones. Leaving her golden family behind was one of the hardest decisions she’d ever had to make, and one of the most painful by far. Calumina secretly longs for familial connections to make up for her lack of a childhood family, and thus she forms these special bonds with others very easily. However, this is something that she’s now trying to limit herself from doing, as she fears the pain of severing another deep attachment to a loved one should she have to bid them farewell once again. As a result, she’s warier and more hardened, and far less willing to build especially deep or meaningful relationships with those around her. But despite her best efforts, she can still find herself growing attached to certain individuals—she simply forces the underlying fear of losing them far beneath the surface.

## Pre-Group History

Far north of the domain resided a small, mountain-dwelling pack. A very harsh and patriarchal society, their wolves were brought up under their very strict and sexist principles. From a very young age, instilled within each of them was the ideology that males were superior to females, and, as a result, the latter were raised to be placid and submissive towards their male counterparts. Calhoun and Eira were the quintessential members of their pack. They each accepted their pack’s laws without question, for their way of life was the only one they’d ever known. After reaching adulthood, the pair were married, and together they set out to start their own family. After the heartbreak of losing their first two litters, the pair’s resilience was rewarded with four, healthy children; three sons and one daughter. While enormously happy to finally have the family she’d always dreamed of, Eira couldn’t help but feel burdened by the different manner of life she’d seen outside of their canyon. If raised the way she had been, her daughter would lead a life without freedom; one where she would be made to feel weak and worthless, as Eira herself did. While *she* lacked the courage to go against Calhoun and the world she was brought up in, Eira decided that she wanted more for her only daughter, her little dove, Calumina.

Endlessly curious and hungry for adventure, little Calumina often wondered about the world beyond her family’s densite and longed to explore it. However, she learned quickly that leaving was forbidden, and any attempts to sneak away were usually thwarted by her ever-present father. Hoping to stifle the young pup’s wanderlust, Calhoun would explain to his daughter the “dangers” of the wild, and insist that it was no place for a she-wolf as “delicate and fragile” as she was. After hearing this spiel time after time, Calumina nearly began to believe it. That was if her mother hadn’t been working to convince her of the opposite. During their shared time together, Eira would weave her daughter spectacular tales of a world far beyond their home; one where she would be free to do whatever she pleased, be it exploring or hunting or otherwise. And when there weren’t stories, Eira would sing soft lullabies that also often told of freedom and distant lands. It all sounded like mere fantasy to Calumina, the way her mother spoke of it, but she wanted to believe that it was real and out there somewhere, only waiting for her to find it.

Growing increasingly restless, Calumina managed once to sneak away from her family’s densite and experience her first taste of freedom. To her delight, she discovered that her mother’s stories of the world beyond the canyon were real, and she became joyously overwhelmed by all of the new sights and sounds. Unfortunately, her exciting adventure was cut short when, after accidentally startling a young buck and narrowly avoiding a mighty blow to her head, Calhoun rushed to Calumina’s aid only to discover her far beyond their family’s borders. The young she-wolf was promptly dragged back to the densite and scolded harshly for her disobedience, and though she looked to her mother for reassurance, Eira offered her none. Her inaction sparked frustration within Calumina, for she knew that her mother, too, longed for freedom. This caused a rift to form between the pair of she-wolves, and Calumina no longer found solace in her mother’s stories and songs, for now, she saw them for what they really were: not wonderful fantasies, but empty promises. There was no hope of Calumina ever resuming her previous ignorance. She’d had a taste of the real thing, of freedom. And now, it was all she wanted.

Even as she grew older, Calumina’s life of confinement did not improve, and every tedious day spent within the walls of her family’s canyon pushed her to one day make a decision: she could bite her tongue and stay, forever trapped, forever passive, as her mother had done, or, she could leave, and run away from this place until she could run no longer. She refused to become as submissive and pathetic as her mother had become, and instead, resolved to leave that very night. And so, under the shroud of night, she fled the canyon, leaving behind her parents, her siblings, and the only world she’d ever known.

Her decision haunted her and would continue to do so for many seasons to come. The massive weight of her guilt prevented her from soaring, as she’d dreamt of, and instead, she spent several cold, lonely nights obsessing over the choice she’d made.

Traveling alone in the wild was anything but easy. Calumina lacked all but the most basic of survival skills, and instead, the young she-wolf was forced to learn everything the hard way, relying only on herself and her instincts to survive. The mountains were harsh, but Calumina was resilient. Eventually, she learned to improve and hone her skills out of necessity and determination alone, managing to survive long enough to stumble upon another mountain-dwelling pack of wolves. Discovering the very scrawny and malnourished she-wolf, they took pity upon Calumina and warily led her away to meet with their leader, High King Rodwen. Curious about this new pack, and certainly in no condition to refuse, Calumina followed these strange wolves and was soon accepted as the newest member of Highvalley.

## Group History

However, as a newcomer, she shared no blood with the *highkin* and held very little status within the pack. She was, as the other Highvallians called her, *lowborn*, and therefore considered expendable and insignificant. Again. The highbloods all seemed to look at her the same way; with their muzzles turned upward just slightly and a rather judgemental glint in their eyes. While most would have shrunk beneath their icy glares, Calumina found that their silent challenge only sparked a fire in her belly. She would *not* succumb to weakness, and she would *not* become the submissive, sniveling *servant* that they wanted her to be. Instead, she would rise up, stay true to who she was, and prove them *all* wrong.

Over time, she grew accustomed to Highvalley’s lifestyle, becoming rather popular among the lowbloods and even earning the favor of several highbloods. She came to realize the many benefits of living in adversity and strives to use these strengths to help lift up her fellow lowbloods. In many ways, they reminded Calumina of her mother, and the guilt she still felt for not doing more to convince her of her true worth. She vowed, then and there, that she would not make that mistake again with the other lowborn. She hadn’t saved Eira from such a life of misery and oppression, but, if she could do nothing else as a member of Highvalley, Calumina would do her everything in her power to save *them*.

But she would never have the chance to see her goals come to fruition. The glacial flood struck without warning, wiping out most of the territory and stealing the lives of many Highvallians, including Highking Rodwen. Disheartened by the loss of their alpha, and with the threat of starvation looming above them, Calumina and her remaining packmates were forced to turn to Prince Vladimir, who declared that they must leave their home or die. Unwilling to follow Vladimir, Calumina chose to leave Highvalley’s territory with her golden family. As the small band of wolves left behind the only home they’d known, she promised herself she would do everything she could to keep them alive. It was all she *could* do; the only purpose she felt she had left.

Little did she know that *she* would be the thing to endanger them, but the writing was on the wall. The Ades had been angered by the group's previous affiliation with those who renounced the Havirian Gods, so they'd left, and yet they knew nothing of Calumina's own dwindling faith. The loss of both Yuaei and Mohawk weighed heavily on her heart, but the golden princess had entrusted Calumina with her family's safety, and that final promise was one that ex-Highvallian intended to keep. And, as much as it hurt, she understood the truth: she couldn't possibly hope to protect them if danger followed her. The Ades would surely smile upon their little group of devout Havirians... as long as Calumina was not among them. She needed to keep them safe. For Yuaei. To do that, she knew she needed to leave. And just like that, history repeated itself. She left in the night, whispering her goodbyes. She would always remember them. In the end, she hoped they would understand. And perhaps, someday, she'd see them again. Calumina was on her own again, entering lands unknown. But she moved forward knowing one thing: she had kept her promise. They would be safe. And, though her sorrowful heart might have argued otherwise, she knew that was all that really mattered.

## Trivia

* She's very, *very* protective of the feather that Yuaei gave her; she clings to it as a symbol of those she considers to be her true family.
* Calumina was never taught how to swim. After surviving the terrible flood that ravaged Highvalley, she's developed a fear of water and will avoid it whenever possible.
* Calumina will *never* break a promise. It's one of the few morals she actively strives to uphold. However, she rarely makes promises for this reason.
* She'll typically fidget when she's nervous or uncomfortable.
* She'll occasionally count the stars to help herself fall asleep.
* She was partially named after her father and grandfather: Calhoun and Kal, respectively.
* She has very vague memories of her mother’s lullabies, and will sometimes find herself softly humming them when she isn’t paying attention. She can’t remember the words, however.
* Her favorite seasons are winter and spring, and she very much enjoys frolicking in snow or relaxing in a bed of wildflowers.
* With her background as a steward, she's grown accustomed to serving and actually feels more at peace when she's helping others.

## Relationships

* ***Yuaei*.** Calumina's closest friend and confidant during her time in Highvalley. Assigned to serve the Havirian Princess as her steward, Calumina quickly developed a very strong bond with Yuaei, swearing her loyalty to her and her family. In turn, Yuaei taught Calumina much about medicine and diplomacy, as well as educating her about Havirian culture. Her efforts would even convince Calumina to place her faith in the Havirian Gods, the Ades. Calumina even sacrificed her own life to save Yuaei's during Highvalley's Glacial Flood. Luckily, she survived the torrent and was eventually found by Yuaei. Unfortunately, Calumina began losing her faith in the Ades during the aftermath of the flood, causing a slight rift to form between the pair of she-wolves. Yuaei accepted Calumina into her family nonetheless, gifting her the feather of an albatross as a symbol of their family and faith. While the pair would eventually part ways when Yuaei left to pursue her brother, Mohawk, Calumina still harbors a great deal of love for the golden she-wolf... as well as all that she had taught her about the world.
* ***Mohawk*.** Calumina's friend and first crush during her time in Highvalley. Though their first meeting hadn't been under the best of circumstances—she had found herself beneath Mohawk's massive paws after he'd mistaken her for an intruder—the pair developed a bond through their shared connection with Yuaei. With Mohawk being Yuaei's sibling and Calumina being her steward, interaction between the two of them was basically unavoidable, but fortunately they grew close as a result. Mohawk taught Calumina basic fighting techniques so she could better defend Yuaei should trouble arise. At some point, Calumina developed romantic feelings for him, only realizing them after recovering an injured Mohawk during the aftermath of the Glacial Flood. Before Calumina could confess these feelings, however, Mohawk left their family's traveling group without warning. His sister soon followed suit, forcing Calumina to accept that the two wolves she treasured most were no longer going to be in her life. Though she's accepted that she will likely never see him again, Calumina still employs the combat techniques Mohawk had taught her as a way of honoring his memory, and she hopes he would be proud if he could see the warrior she was capable of becoming.
* ***Zinnia*.** Calumina's friend and member of her adoptive Havirian family. Zinnia's innocence coupled with her cheerful, bubbly nature was especially endearing to Calumina. The pair grew close through their shared low blood status within Highvalley's hierarchy, and Calumina did her best to show Zinnia how best to survive and act as a slave among the royals. Their bond remained strong even after leaving Highvalley's territory, with Calumina eventually becoming an adopted member of Zinnia's family through Yuaei. Unfortunately, their relationship was shattered when Calumina made the difficult decision to leave her adoptive family, despite her good intentions. Calumina hasn't seen or heard from Zinnia since, and secretly she fears that Zinnia may resent her for abandoning their family.
* ***Silas*.** Calumina's friend and member of her adoptive Havirian family. Silas joined Calumina's traveling group soon after their departure from Highvalley, thus Calumina didn't know him as well as the others. However, they would soon bond over their shared loyalty and love for their family, working together to ensure their loved ones were kept safe and well-fed. One such hunting expedition resulted in them running for their lives from a massive mudslide, which would force Calumina to confront her lack of faith in the Ades. Though their shared survival of such danger strengthened their relationship, it also spurred Calumina's fears that she was endangering her family by incurring the wrath of their Gods, which is ultimately what forces Calumina to leave them. Like Zinnia, Calumina hasn't seen Silas since that fateful night, and she both dreads and longs for the day that she may see him again.
* ***Joseline*.** Calumina's friend and one of her only remaining links to her Highvallian roots. Both being lowborn, Joseline and Calumina bonded easily over their less than desirable status within the pack as well as their shared desire to stand up against the royals who oppressed them. While neither she-wolf ever acted upon these feelings, they built a strong friendship, with Joseline providing Calumina with some much-needed fun and laughter, and with Calumina doing her best to help improve and build up Joseline's self-image and esteem. Though the pair separated after Highvalley's disbandment, they would eventually reunite once Calumina joined Shiloh's traveling group, journeying together to Riverfell and fighting alongside one another in Shiloh's revolution. Now, both residing in Riverfell as more than mere slaves, the pair remain good friends while each pursuing their own respective paths.
* ***Shiloh*.** Calumina's friend and alpha. Calumina first encountered Shiloh as a lone wolf cornered by an especially angry grizzly bear. She fought the beast to help Shiloh escape, eventually earning her friendship and trust, as well as a favor to be cashed whenever Calumina should need it. Such a debt came in handy when Calumina left her adoptive family and no longer had the protection of a pack. Shiloh accepted Calumina into her own family, and the pair grew especially close over time. Calumina followed Shiloh to her homeland of Riverfell in order to overthrow the pack's tyrannical alpha, fighting alongside her to ensure Shiloh's victory and her place as Riverfell's rightful leader. Calumina now trains alongside Shiloh as a Young Feather, and the pair maintains their close bond.
* ***Howl*.** Calumina's friend and mentor. Howl entered Calumina's life during Shiloh's revolution, saving her life when she was nearing defeat. The pair reunited several days after the battle, expressing mutual respect and admiration for one another. Calumina expressed to Howl her desire to become a Gold Feather, just as he was, and in return Howl agreed to take her under his wing and teach her all that he knew about the program. Since then, the pair began training together, and Calumina works tirelessly in the hopes of making her mentor proud.
* ***Bourne*.** Calumina's friend and potential romantic interest. Bourne and Calumina became fast friends due to their similar senses of humor and Bourne's relaxed, fun-loving nature. It was Bourne who first taught Calumina about Riverfell's game-paths, helping her learn to navigate through the territory's lush forests. The pair grew closer when Calumina revealed to Bourne her fear of water, who comforted her and offered to teach her how to swim. They continue to work together to help Calumina slowly overcome her fear, and generally enjoy one another's company. While Calumina is reluctant to admit that she may be developing feelings for Bourne, she can't deny that she finds herself seeking him out to spend time with him whenever she can.

## External Links

* Official Application Sheet
* xCinderfrostx's deviantART Gallery