Mila

Mirakel, Makenna, and Faucon (Sisters)

Ataw and Eustace (Brothers)

## Application Sheet

Mila was a brown-furred she-wolf with autumn-orange leaves. She was born to two wolves of Chandor - Navindru and Dayanara - in the pack of Heyl, where Daya was being treated for poisoning. Mila had two littermates, Makenna and Mirakel, and three younger siblings: Ataw, Faucon, and Eustace. She lived in Chandor as an Owl Totem for most of her life, but disappeared from the pack along with a wolf she was falling for named Valentino - presumably, they went together. In any case, Mila has never been seen in the Domain since. She was designed by yvsrael, and created and RP'd by smimley.

## Personality

* ***Curious, but a Blabbermouth.*** Mila is often consumed by a natural curiosity about the world around her. Between the few teachings her mother provided about herbs and healing and befriending the loner Braigiel, a newfound spark of wanderlust has begun to burn in her chest. Slowly, Mila has come out of her shell of fear, and now wants to explore and learn what the Domain has to offer. When she does discover something new, Mila really just cannot shut up about it. She wants to share her newfound knowledge with everyone she can and give them all the details she possibly can, hoping they too will share an interest in it. Mila as well is always willing to lend a listening ear if someone else shares the same sort of enthusiasm for this subject, and is eager to learn what they know.
* ***Empathetic, but Obnoxious.*** In the same sort of line, Mila always puts other’s needs and feelings before her own and offers a listening ear or a shoulder to cry on should anyone feel comfortable enough to approach her with their issues. Even if they do not wish to speak, she is always willing to just be a comforting presence and be there to help them through it. However, in doing so, Mila tends to neglect her own problems and emotions. She never deals with her own issues, and always pushes them off to the side and keeps a smile on her face. She’s always been the happy-go-lucky one, so she has to keep that persona no matter what, right?
* ***Social Butterfly and Naive.*** Mila will always try to keep herself surrounded by others, preferring the company over being alone. She wants to befriend as many wolves as she can, and in doing so, puts too much trust into others too quickly. Mila wants to believe that everyone has good in them no matter what, and that everyone can be redeemed. She is unfortunately quick to forgive, and easy to manipulate. Though she is not a dominant or aggressive wolf, Mila is not submissive either. She will stand her ground and be stubborn at times, but she generally does not prefer to take leadership roles or try to control others.

## Pre-Group History

Mila and her siblings were something of a miracle. Their mother, Dayanara, had fallen deathly ill during the early stages of her pregnancy, so she and their father, Navindru, rushed to seek help from Heyl. There, thanks to the skill of Beta Medicine Keeper Laur, they managed to save the life of Daya and her children. They were the first litter for the new couple, and the first litter Chandor had seen since Gregor and Mona's children years before. Though their life started out as a struggle, they still have all sorts of joys and challenges to overcome throughout their life.

## Group History

Mila and her sisters had an unusual start to life, it seemed, but were determined not to let that stop them. They were all bright and happy, and doted on by their father and their mother as she recovered from her illness. Like any pup, she was curious and playful, and happy to meet new wolves, like Barbosa and Sigurd. Sigurd was one of the alpha pair's sons, and he challenged her to a race up the mountainside - and it was here that she learned she was *not* like other pups. She had breathing challenges, and found herself falling unconscious, and falling down the slope, as a consequence.

It was this incident that caused her to hurt her back. She would carry scarring from the incident for the rest of her life, physically and mentally, even after her mother's careful treatments. It made her more wary of the world.

Dayanara and Navindru moved their pups back to Chandor, and they settled in nicely. They were first met at the border by packmate Arcuza, who was surprised and relieved to see the small family doing well. The sisters were happy - or so it seemed. One day, Makenna would go missing, leaving Mila and Mirakel leaning on one another for emotional support. For a long time, they wouldn't know what happened to their sister, but prayed she was alright, somewhere out there.

Time passed, and the loss of Makenna became easier for Mila to bear. She was very close to her remaining sister and her parents.

Mila decided that she wanted to be an Owl Totem, and took on the task with enthusiasm. She accompanied her packmates on their patrols to learn more about her territory as well; she also enjoyed exploring and had a strong sense of wanderlust. While with Arcuza and Kaen near the borders, they encountered a patrol of Fellfang wolves. They were on a quest, and though initially alarmed, Mila and her packmates were welcoming of Ludko, Lincoln, Gustave, and Shiantara.

As when she was a pup, Mila loved meeting new wolves, and so when they proved friendly, she was quite happy! She was also very eager to meet new wolves like Braigiel, a loner who she stumbled upon at the border. She'd been lost in thought at a pond when Brai came out of the weeds, chasing a rat snake. Mila offered to help her catch it, and then the two parted ways after pleasant introductions. Mila let Brai keep the snake for herself, pleased to have been of some assistance.

They would meet frequently, first on accident, but then by planning. The second accidental meeting they had was in winter - the coldest winter the Domain had ever seen, known as the Deep Freeze. As a snowstorm approached, Braigiel hid in an old grizzly bear's den, and Mila just so happened to find herself snowed in there as well. They got to know one another much better, talking about their families, Mila's pack, and eventually, Mila asked hopefully if Brai would join the pack. Braigiel was saved from answering by Mila dozing off, though.

They set up meetings throughout the winter, sometimes delayed by the weather. On one occasion, Mila presented Braigiel with snowy owl feathers - something they would be able to wear to match one another, and remember their friendship, even if conditions kept them apart. She treasured her new feathers.

The Deep Freeze also brought tensions with the pack of Xassa. Xassa had come for diplomatic reasons, but were attacked by Rajbera and forced to hold her captive while they awaited help. Rajbera would eventually be rescued, but as Nadia, Diablo, and a severely wounded Anakoni returned from the mission, Mila began to feel the pressures of her life taking a toll. Was *she* happy, or just happy that others were happy? She'd ponder this for moons to come.

Once the Deep Freeze ended, Navindru and Dayanara decided to establish connections with neighboring packs, and explore the Domain. Their daughters were old enough that they could afford to do so. Mila and Mirakel gave bittersweet goodbyes to their parents and wished them well, once again being left with each other to lean on.

Only, they didn't *just* have each other. Mila also had Braigiel, who she saw more frequently. She tried to instill lessons she'd learned in her friend, such as not to hunt fawns, because there was no guarantee the does would be able to produce more. Better to let the young ones grow up! To make up for ruining Brai's hunt, she offered to bring her friend a meal in exchange.

She continued her lessons as an Owl Totem, when she wasn't spending her time daydreaming and hanging out with Braigiel. Naiteru Kiri was the primary teacher to Mila and Mirakel, as the Beta Owl Totem of the pack. She also enjoyed showing newcomers, like Dare, around the territory.

Despite the threat posed by Xassa having long passed, Mila's life was filled with even more uncertainty than before. All of Chandor were threatened by a strange new enemy; mindless white wolves known as the Hive. Mila helped her packmates as much as she could, such as by helping Elk Totems collect herbs. She went out one day with Polarstag, who was quick to offer protection when they spotted a Hive drone in the distance. Mila hunkered down, hoping they wouldn't be spotted. She was no fighter, after all.

What she *was* was a skilled Owl Totem, and thus, adept at entertaining the pack's newest pups. The pack's three owls told stories and pup-sat quite frequently, especially since the pups' parents (Polarstag and Kaen) were Betas and extremely busy. Mila enjoyed tending to Sleet, Elderberry, Icicle, and Lunelle. Sometimes, though, one of her charges would sneak out. Mila raced to grab Sleet one day when she snuck out, but wasn't quick enough to stop the youngster from seeing a mutilated, rotting deer carcass left by the Hive. She hurried to bring Sleet back to the den, wishing she'd been fast enough to stop her from seeing something so gory.

Shortly thereafter, her parents returned to Chandor! Mila and Mirakel were happy to see them, but less than pleased with the news they brought.

Dayanara was pregnant.

Neither Mila nor Mirakel were pleased by this news. Times were bad, with the Hive encroaching on their territory and attacking Chandorians. Plus, their parents were a bit older - surely this wasn't a wise idea? They grappled with their feelings, with one another. Eventually, they approached their parents.

Mila demanded to know just *what* her parents were doing the whole time they were gone. Supposedly, they'd gone to establish connections with other packs, but all they'd managed to do was get attacked by one (Damasca) and practically chased off by another (Xassa - which wasn't entirely true). She accused her parents of wasting this time on some glorified honeymoon, leaving their daughters alone to grapple with the ongoing Hive Wars. In this heated argument, it was revealed that her parents knew *exactly* where Makenna was (in Vektren) and hadn't revealed it to Mila, who ran off, crying, her trust in her parents severely damaged.

While alone, rushing through the forest, trying to find Braigiel, Mila was suddenly ambushed by a Hive wolf. She ran as fast as she could, but her breathing was causing her to slow down, and she feared she was going to die, before ever meeting her new siblings. As she braced herself for death, however, a golden-furred wolf leapt out and attacked the beast. This was a loner - Valentino.

Immediately, Mila was ensnared by his selfless act of heroism. He was injured in the fight, and she offered to take him back to Chandor for medical aid. He was eager to return with the young she-wolf, only partially phased by the approach of her father. Navindru had gone after her, and was immensely relieved this golden stranger had saved her, happy to let Mila escort him back to Chandor - though vowing to keep an eye on this stranger, as he would with any.

Frightened by this situation she'd fallen into, and realizing she needed at least *some* ability to protect herself, Mila sought out lessons from Bear Totem Arcuza, who taught her the basics of self-defense.

Shortly thereafter, Dayanara gave birth to her pups. Mila was now big sister to Faucon, Ataw, and Eustace - two brothers and another sister. Despite the tensions with her parents, she loved her new siblings. She spent a lot of time with them.

She also spent more time with Elderberry, working with Mirakel to teach the youngster about being an Owl Totem. When she wasn't practicing her craft as an Owl, she was splitting her time between Valentino (showing him around Chandor, telling him a bit about her) and Braigiel. She worried for her friend, being out there alone with the Hive around.

Eventually, she tried to introduce Valentino and Braigiel. She expected the two most special wolves in her life to get along great, but Braigiel was not impressed by the slippery loner. He taunted Braigiel into saying something she didn't mean, and Mila was stunned by the implication that Brai didn't *care* about her. Mila was quickly swayed by Valentino's words, suggesting that Braigiel was using her for information about Chandor to give to the Hive, and cried that everything she and Braigiel shared was just *a lie!*

Braigiel stormed off, and Mila went in the opposite direction. Valentino ran after Mila, eager to be there as support, continue trapping this fly in his web of lies and schemes.

Personal battles could wait, though. It was announced that the pack was going southeast, in order to fight the Hive Queen and end the Hive Wars once and for all. Mila didn't fight, but went to support her packmates however she could. Valentino went along, too, and she was grateful that he did. At least *he* bothered to fight for her, even if Braigiel didn't (as far as she was concerned). The Hive Wars ended, and Mila went home with her pack and Valentino.

After they returned to Chandor, Mila was disheartened by the damage the Hive had done to their territory. Still, as she scouted with Dare, she was pleased to see signs of big game returning. She got back into the familiarity of sharing stories with her packmates, like Sleet, Ataw, and Eustace. She also got to share stories with wolves who didn't know all of her tales - Meriadoc was keen to listen, as was a visitor from abroad, Baby!

Still, Braigiel was an empty space in her heart. She tried to fill that space with Valentino, spending as much of her spare time with him as she could. He made her blush, and she found him handsome and witty, suave and charming. And, perhaps, she was still fawning over his rescue of her, several moons prior. In any case, she asked him to join Chandor to be with her. He didn't give a straight answer, remaining as a guest but not joining the pack officially.

The two vanished in the summer.

Nobody knew what became of them. Did they run off together? Did Valentino leave, and Mila go after him? Or did something more sinister happen? Nobody knows, but neither Mila nor Valentino have been seen in the Domain since.

## Trivia

* Mila almost always has a smile on her face, real or not.
* It takes a lot to upset Mila. She always tries to stay positive and upbeat, but if one pushes her too far, she will snap.
* Though she does not seek out hostility, Mila is fiercely protective of those she has built strong bonds with, and will do whatever she can to defend them.
* Mila has a strange quirk of humming when doing mindless work. These tunes are often picked up from the song birds in the area.
* She does not outwardly admit it, but she is very dependent on her friends and family. She struggles to imagine a life without them.
* Her emotions control her a lot more than she controls them.
* Mila is a natural story teller.
* Mila struggles extremely with her self-confidence and self-worth. She has never spoken outwardly about it, but she feels as though she just...exists. There is nothing special about her, she has no talents or skills, she’s mediocre at every task she picks up. She feels she has no purpose, and all she does is survive.
* The scars on her body are mostly from falling down the cliffside in Heyl as a youngster.
* The snowy owl feather she wears was meant to connect her and her best friend Braigiel, if ever they were apart.

## Quotes

* "If we hunt the young and pregnant, what would happen to the herd as they all get old and die? We could wipe out a herd if we do not allow their future generations to grow and prosper, so they may reproduce and bring in the next generation for our future generations to survive off of.” (sharing lessons with Braigiel, *Morality Lessons*)
* “I know it might seem a bit silly but… after all the things I’ve been through and witnessed this winter, I want us both to have something to remember each other by. Whenever we’ve been separated for a while, or should something happen to one of us that we can’t see each other again, we’ll have this.” (giving Braigiel matching feathers, *Birds of a Feather*)

## External Links

* Official Application Sheet
* smimley's deviantART Gallery