Briar

Briar relaxing in the Flower Fields, not knowing the situation her sister Ari is in.

### Relatives

Violet (mother)
Genesis (father)
Arrow (adoptive father)
Ari (sister)
Midnight (sister)
Feather (brother)
Zane (brother)
Crow (brother)
Pluto (brother)
Swan (daughter)
Raven (daughter)
Velvet (daughter)
Willow (child)
Lark (son)
Chiyono II (daughter)

### Affiliation

Meadow Pack (formerly)Pack of the Starlit

## About Briar

### Biography

**Briar** was born to Violet and **Genesis** of the Meadow Pack as the eldest (and also largest) pup, alongside her younger littermates Ari, **Midnight**, Feather, **Zane**, **Crow**, and **Pluto**, all of whom she would often tease because she was a few minutes older. Her birthplace was none other than the McBride Cliffside, as her mother preferred dens from which she could always see potential threats. Briar, however, never cared about things like that - she just wanted to roll around in the tall grasses with Feather all day. The two were particularly close, almost like their grandmother Tundra was with her brother Zen, and would spend their days running and playing on the coast of the lake. Their mother constantly had to lecture them on why it's dangerous to leave the densite all by themselves, but of course, they didn't listen, and just like that, Briar was nearly taken by an eagle. Her father Genesis just barely saved her, and she slightly toned down on the adventurousness. Since then, she was forced to spend all her time under his watchful gaze, but the two surprisingly ended up bonding over it. He would keep her entertained, tell her stories, play with her, and keep her attention away from the lingering darkness encroaching. She and her littermates never really had a clue about what was going on with the other packs, either, only recognizing the Crevice Lake and Junction Butte wolves as intruders who should be laughed at. Slowly, more and more shadowed figures started appearing to try and kill the Meadow Pack wolves, all because of the hex Everest had cast. One day, while Violet was out patrolling, the den was raided by rogue Crevice Lake males. At first, Genesis had the upper hand, snarling, growling, and biting them, but he was ultimately bested due to their sheer numbers. He limped to the den entrance and blocked it with his body, slowly bleeding out as he waited for his mate's return. When she did, she swiftly chased the rogues away, but Genesis was dying. His throat had been ripped open the same way Everest's was, but Violet had no way of knowing that, so she assumed they did this out of sheer will. As he passed on, Violet could only wail. She told herself she would protect her pack with her life, so why didn't she? It was the first time Briar saw her mother so defeated, and slowly, the realization of her father being gone seeped in as well. Her mother pulled out all the stops - she forgot about her wish to maintain the best possible reputation, and began slaughtering Crevice Lake wolves - both those who did this because of Everest's curse, and those who were uninvolved. The territory was expanded to be larger than it had ever been before, just so Briar and her littermates would be kept safe. They no longer recognized their mother - she used to be strict and she would always lecture them, yes, but this was something else. The obliviously carefree days of their lives were over, and their training began. Training that would, in their mother's eyes, help them survive and face the world's tests. They moved to the Grassy Bank a small distance away from their original home, and sharpened their hunting skills on mice, birds, and bugs - although Feather would still mess around. Then, they traveled a much further distance to the summer hunting grounds - the Wilted Petals of Violet, right beneath Skyview. Briar didn't understand why everything had changed so much, but for once, she kept her mouth shut - she didn't want to tick her mother off. One day, while rolling around in the sunlit grass with Pluto, Violet returned accompanied by another, unfamiliar wolf with a golden, tawny coat. She allegedly saved his life when he had been attacked by Junction Butte wolves, so he backed her up in her most recent battle. *Why did she not know about this? Why was everything kept secret?* His name was Arrow, and he became the litter's adoptive father, and thankfully, he brought them some relief from the training. He was very light-hearted and empathetic - unlike a *certain someone*. He would also let them play and mess around instead of marking or learning to hunt whenever he got the role of pupsitter, so they quickly grew to like him after all. Briar still missed Genesis, though, but her memory of him was slowly fading away. When it was time for the heir-picking ceremony, Briar *didn't get picked*. She was the last option due to her carefree nature, which Violet simply didn't see fit. Instead, Ari was chosen as the heiress for her toughness, prowess, and will to learn - or at least that's what their mother said. She didn't see the fighting spirit she spoke of - whenever she spent time with her, Ari was a total airhead. With a shrug, she set off towards Amethyst Mountain, sadly parting ways with Feather.

Ari was very close behind Briar during the entire journey towards the mountain range, yet wasn't saying anything whatsoever - she looked lost in thought as if she regretted her decision to become the heiress to the Meadow Pack. Concerned, Briar took her journey to a halt and laid down, and to no surprise, so did her sister. After thinking about what could be the matter for some time, she decided to ask her if she was alright. There was a long moment of silence as the two stared into each other's eyes, both hesitating to say anything more. Eventually, Ari spoke up and blurted everything out in an unusually fast manner, partially surprising her listener. *She didn't want to be the heiress and was terrified of carrying the legacy of such a widely known figure, and the only reason she acted tough and knowledgable around their mother was because she saw it as a nice way of getting close and bonding with her.* Briar figured just as much, and shrugged once more, taking some more time to collect her thoughts - which she rarely did anyway. Sighing, she let Ari know she would take her place as Violet's successor if *she* was willing to give the role up... and she accepted immediately.

Ari thanked her sister with every single fiber of her being, but it soon hit them both that Briar was likely no more fit to lead the Meadow Pack than she was. Nevertheless, the older she-wolf insisted that she had what it took and that there truly weren't any better alternatives. She cared about her sister's emotional health and wellbeing, so she would take over her sudden burden even if it meant disappointing Violet. With a boop to the nose, Briar said goodbye and set out to find Feather who had lagged behind. She knew he would love to help out, and impulsive decisions such as this were right up his alley anyway. .. Amethyst Mountain was extremely vast with tons of high-up cliffs and caverns, alongside valleys, creeks, and streams that all branched off the massive Lamar River. It seemed perfect for Briar, especially since the survival of the pack name was now in her hands. However, although she waited for the rest of her littermates to come to the mountain range, Feather was nowhere to be found. The two of them had been practically inseparable up until the journey, so being apart from one another for even a day was unusual. Now, a whole week had passed, and everyone else had made it to the Lamar Valley. It was just her clumsy, unserious brother's location that was unknown to anyone. Then, even more days passed without even the slightest clue as to where he was, and Briar began thinking about the worst. *He could've been spotted by the Junctioners and killed, or maybe he got lost in a recent rainstorm and wandered over to Hellroaring Mountain instead. Perhaps he got separated from his brothers whom he decided to hang out with during the journey, and starved because he couldn't hunt properly.* .. Shaking the thoughts away, Briar realized this was the exact reason neither she nor Ari were truly meant to be Violet's heiresses. She thought about what-ifs far too much, despite having many more responsibilities to fret about. *She needed to set her priorities straight*.

In the end, Briar didn't manage to find Feather and decided to look for a mate instead. She finally finished her journey to the valley, where she instantly came across a massive elk herd full of calves. She tried to hunt one of the weaklings, of course, but she was quickly shooed away by the herd's bull. Surviving without Feather was going to prove to be a challenge, she knew that, but she wasn't expecting to get defeated by her food this early on. It was clear she should've done more training back when she was still with her mother because even if it didn't work for Ari who had trained the most, it could've worked for her if she had put just a little more effort into all of it. ... Even more time passed, the days started to get shorter and colder as winter began closing in. Briar was scraping the bottom of the barrel at this point, her main source of food being her other littermates who had already found mates of their own. One day, she finally met a dispersal male who was at least somewhat patient with her. He was a pale silver wolf that went by the name Specter, and Briar could hunt and fight normally alongside him. She had finally made up for her initial lack of effort when she killed the very bull elk that had attacked her earlier, and at that point, Specter was willing to officially pair up with her. Once the first snow fell, the two decided to head toward Slough Creek. Briar feared what her mother would think after hearing the news of what happened between her and Ari, but with a silent prayer to the Starlit, she decided to finally embark on the journey back to the valley in which she was born.

When she and her mate arrived at the creek territories, they realized that the Meadow Pack's territory was still extremely strong, if not even larger than before. They were wondering what was going on when they came face-to-face with Arrow... and then, Violet herself appeared. This was the encounter that Briar had been dreading ever since her exchange with her sister, yet she still didn't feel ready for a proper conversation despite all the time she had to prepare. Violet was the first to speak, and everyone felt great relief when they heard what she had to say. Ari had arrived in the valley several days prior, and she had let her know that she didn't intend on playing the role of heiress anymore. Although there was confusion at first, they came to an agreement. The rival packs still believed Ari was the successor to the pack name, so she had to withstand all of their provocations even if Briar was the new leader. Violet and Arrow could no longer protect her because they were planning to have another litter in the spring, and they had ultimately given up on upholding a perfect reputation. Everything that went down with Crevice Lake and Junction Butte was far too much for them to bear, and as painful as it was, they had to focus exclusively on keeping themselves protected. As for the territory, Ari would have the northwestern quarter, Briar would have the south, and the pack's former leaders would of course get to keep the rest - they had kept it maintained for so long, and they needed it for spring.

Once their conversation was over, and Briar left with Specter, she thought deeply about the change in her mother's tone. She sounded so incredibly defeated as if her long-standing facade had finally crumbled. She had given up on her dreams of living a perfect life with the perfect family, and she just wanted to be done with it all. Her voice felt so hollow, so empty, and so, *so*, ***so*** numb. Numb to all the death she had caused while Briar was still just a pup, and numb to all the consequences. After that, Briar settled into the south of Slough Creek, her borders pushed against Junction Butte. One day, when the snow began to melt, she saw a familiar face in the distance, no longer able to blend in with the frost's whiteness. Feather, her brother and best friend whom she believed to have been killed or lost in a faraway land stood in front of her, clearly embarrassed and ready to tell her a long story. She didn't care that they had spent half a year away from one another, she was just happy to see him and wasted no time before tackling him to the ground as if they were young, play-fighting pups again. He had allegedly gotten lost in some fog late at night, so some human vehicle *hit* him. Wildlife researchers saved him, and he healed from the impact injury for a few months in a rescue center. Then, he was released at Buffalo Plateau, and it took him several weeks to get back to Slough Creek. *He never even got to see Amethyst Mountain*. He didn't even know how he survived this long, so the two siblings were in the same boat on that matter. Nevertheless, Briar remained as selfless as ever and allowed him to join her and Specter, and to act as a sort of pupsitter for them. He took the offer instantly, of course, especially since he never got the chance to look for a mate of his own.

At long last, five pups were born in the Flower Fields den a kilometer or so south of McBride Lake. However, that wasn't all. When Briar went to sleep, a special dream awaited her. In front of her stood **Chiyono** - the overshadowed sister of Tundra, Violet's mother. She didn't say anything; rather, she gazed up into the abyss of the sky, the stars looking back at her. Briar looked up as well, and when she brought her eyes down again, Chiyono was replaced by a small pup. Then, when she awoke, the pup was still there, making for a total of six younglings. The four she-wolves were named **Swan**, Raven, **Velvet**, and **Chiyono II**, while the males were **Willow** and **Lark**. Briar took Chiyono's apparent reincarnation as a sign that she was internally accepted as the true Meadow Pack heiress, which she greatly appreciated. Like that, Briar's story as the Meadow Pack's leader came to a close. She, Specter and Feather took great care of the pups, making sure nobody felt left behind or unhappy. They protected them from intruders such as coyotes very easily and seldom encountered stranger wolves. They were doing great all while Ari was going through the absolute toughest times of her life, despite giving up her initial role. *And they didn't have the slightest clue about it.* Raven was chosen as Briar's heiress, and everyone made sure that she didn't feel the same way that the Disgraced Heiress did. With that chapter of her life quickly concluded, Briar decided to set off on a journey to a faraway land, where she would be free from responsibilities. She didn't want to know what was going on with her sister or mother anymore; she just wanted to rest. And so, she rested. ...

Amid her journey across Yellowstone, Briar had another Starlit dream, except this one was a negative omen foretelling the fall of Ari's bloodline. Incredibly annoyed yet still determined to find out what was going on, she returned to Slough Creek for what seemed like the hundredth time. As it turned out, River - Ari's daughter and successor - had vanished tracelessly. She tried to investigate and ask the other wolves about it all, but she never got to make it work as they tensely shoved her away and dismissed her concerns. In the end, she told Raven about it and moved on with her life. She was ***done***. (...)

### Strength

Briar, despite subconsciously pushing herself to her absolute limit when exploring, doesn't actually have much stamina or overall endurance. Her strength and speed are simply average, but she's also a very healthy wolf, never having to worry about sickness.

## Personality

As a pup, Briar was a stunning warm brown she-wolf with dark brown points around her face, ears, paws, and tail, and she would later grow up to be dark gray with brown spots. She was very large due to her love of food - she would often leave the den in an attempt to search for something to eat. Her curiosity and will for adventure overwhelmed her, so she was a furball of energy, always itching to play, run around, and explore. She was a wanderer, constantly mischievously sneaking away with her brother Feather. The pair would constantly make problems for their packmates due to their rambunctiousness, always being purposefully difficult to control or handle. Briar would often make up her own rules, as she didn't like being told what to do. She was turbulently active and noisy, constantly spouting about things nobody could decipher due to her quick talking speed.

Later in life, Briar was still very similar to the way she was as a young pup and adolescent. However, she turned a lot more responsible once she took on the role of heiress from Ari, and also became slightly more irritable once she had her litter - which is understandable. She never lost her spirit for adventure and would spend her free time exploring the meadows as Specter and Feather watched the pups.

## Appearance

When she was young, Briar had dark brown points around her face, ears, paws, and tail, and she would later grow up to be dark gray with brown spots scattered across her coat. Most of her body - her head, ears, flank, torso, legs, and paws - are a dark gray color that slowly tinted black. She has a light brown spot in the middle of her forehead, and her cheeks are very light in color as well. Her neck is still dark brown, and so is her underbelly. She has a spotted pattern of a light brown color all over her back, and her tail has a brown point and tip. Her ears are completely unscarred, which is rare for a Meadow Pack wolf. Her eyes are a stunning darker brown color, and they complement the rest of her coat.

## Litters

### First Litter - Specter - Age 3

Briar had her very first litter with none other than Specter, but Feather was there to assist them with pup-rearing as well due to his unbreakable bond with Briar (and also his lack of a mate). Originally, five pups were born - four females, and one male - but after an intriguing dream, a sixth pup arose - another she-wolf.

Swan was an elegant dark gray she-wolf with a large, tear-shaped white spot on her chest. Unlike most of her littermates, Swan behaved very smart and capable, never doing too many reckless things yet remaining social and curious nonetheless. Her personality was calm and collected for the most part, but she didn't mind playing, adventuring, and hanging out with the others, as she enjoyed having company and just somebody to rely on. She possessed a soothingly gentle, soft voice, matching her eye-catching coat and allowing her to captivate others in an instant. Something interesting about her is that, despite being a runt and staying underweight her whole life, she ate normally.

Raven was a tomboyish light gray wolf with a very thick dark gray stripe connecting the top of her head to the tip of her tail, and she resembled her father Specter a lot. Since she emerged from the den, she tended to behave very independently from the others - although she was still very social and enjoyed spending time with them. Her bold and rather fearless personality traits shone very quickly, and she always gave off the feeling of someone who knew what they were doing - except she didn't. Things like chasing after intruding coyotes while she was still half their size were completely normal and justifiable to her. Sometimes she would act surprisingly territorial, especially over things she liked such as the plastic cooler her mother had brought back for her to play with. She instantly took it and ran away with it to play, and somehow she came back with dirt all over her. She constantly got into odd situations, and it was probably because of how loud she was.

Velvet was a brown and red female with lighter, white-cream tints. She was just like her mother, in the sense that she *absolutely never shut up*. All day and all night, she would talk about random things at such incomprehensible speeds that everyone would just nod and pretend to understand. Despite this, she had a lot of friends, and it was likely due to her adventurous spirit - she was rather energetic and hyperactive, so being with her never got boring. She was a morning bird, and would always wake up before her packmates only to shake them awake. Another notable trait of hers was how social she was - if anyone was having any kind of fun, she would instantly appear before them.

Willow was a black and gray wolf with a white spot like Swan's. Although they were biologically male, they didn't grasp the whole thing about gender, so everyone simply used neutral pronouns on them, making them the first (and to this day only) gender-neutral wolf. They were always the one that was willing to do literally anything, whether it was picking flowers or provoking coyotes (ahem, *Raven*). They were also very chilled out and relaxed most of the time, and one could trust them with whatever they wanted. Most of the time, they were hanging out, relaxing, and just casually talking to their brother Lark, since their personalities were very similar - except Lark was a fair bit more playful and generally active.

Lark was a stunning light brown male with a darker stripe on his back and white hues around his legs and face. From day one, everyone knew Lark would grow up to be a very peaceful, nice yet playful wolf; he respected those around him with kind gestures and polite mannerisms, but he never hesitated to join in on the fun when his siblings ran around and made a mess. He was always up for anything, as long as it wasn't outright dangerous to him or anyone else. Running around like an airhead, playing chase in deep puddles of mud during the rainfall, it was all far too fun for him to resist. He had a very deep connection with his sibling, Willow, and they were the only pups that never got into fights. They were far too peaceful deep down for that kind of stuff anyway.

Chiyono II was a dark gray and black she-wolf, just like in her previous life. Before her reincarnation, Chiyono was an extremely rambunctious, reckless, and carelessly playful individual, and she couldn't stop kicking her feet, running around, or just making noise in general no matter how hard one tried to get her to stop. However, she suddenly became very cautious and quiet as Briar's daughter, having only been given a second chance at life because her name's meaning was *meadow* and she could be used as a good omen teller. She never fully remembered her last life, though she would occasionally have flashbacks that reminded her of how careless she was back then. Because of that, she ended up pulling herself into more of a shell than the others, making sure she made all the right choices. She appreciated the fact her siblings were having fun prancing around in the sun, but she couldn't bring herself to join them as she would get lightheaded by old memories the moment she thought of doing anything even slightly out of her new comfort zone.

## Gallery

Briar sniffing flowers in the tall summer grasses, blissfully unaware of Ari's situation.Briar looking out at the sunrise in Antler Meadow.Briar carrying a hare through a dense patch of wildflowers.
## Trivia

* Briar was the only one in Violet's entire first litter that didn't have the Black Base coat - she had the Black-Brown coat.
	+ She grew up to look exactly like her father, Genesis