Raylan

## Application Sheet

Raylan was a dark gray male wolf with reddish markings and a white underside, and pale green eyes. The widowed father of Indigo and Atticus, he served the pack of Mhor as a Paladin. Raylan was dedicated to his pack, ultimately losing his life in the final battle of the Hive Wars. Raylan was created and RP'd by Bluebellpaws.

## Personality

* ***Honest.*** Raylan comes across as a very stoic and dutiful character. Serious in his manner, his tone is usually crisp and blunt giving others a sharp impression. Brutally honest Raylan doesn’t mind telling others how it is, he doesn’t believe in sugar coating. Being a realist he sees things for how they are, making the reality easier to accept in the harshest situations.
* ***Fatherly.*** Despite his upfront manner Raylan is anything but a simple individual, he has many complicated layers. One of which not many have the pleasure of experiencing is his immense fatherly side. Doting on his pups his life practically revolves around them, after the loss of his beloved mate it had felt like they were the only things tying him to the earth. He’s a very proud and protective father, though strict his heart has always been in the right place as he raised them in order for them to have the best chance in life.
* ***Composed and Dutiful.*** Deeply faithful to Mhor’s beliefs Raylan is strict on his judgment of others, though sworn to acceptance of all it does not mean his favor is so easily given. His close circle is kept small and restricted to the few he trusts, all of which are faithful Mhorians. He takes his duties seriously, intolerant of those who do not take theirs earnestly.
* ***Judgmental, Sarcastic, and Proud.*** Protective of his family and pack Raylan will defend them fiercely if needed. He doesn't take anything lightly after all he’s faced, strongly loyal to his Archqueen he can be known to be sharp tempered towards anyone who shows the slightest doubt in her. He’s cautious towards newcomers and until their loyalties are proven, skeptical.
* ***Grief-Stricken, but Religious.*** After losing his mate Raylan suffered great grief and is in the midst of mourning, however with his composed exterior he can come across the opposite, cold and avoidance of the topic. He’s changed a great deal since her passing and to those around him, it’s obvious that the tragedy had taken a deep toll on the individual.

## Pre-Group History

Born at the end of a long winter Raylan and his siblings were among a surviving horde of wolves, long descendants from the infamous Mhor pack. The sudden birth halted the bands usual nomadic lifestyle of traveling and were forced to make a temporary den site, luckily the timing was perfect with the relief of spring melting away the cold days. A much needed break for Raylan's young mother and her first litter.

His first season was relatively uneventful and quiet, mostly spent playing waywardly with his siblings as they grew stronger with each and every passing day. From as early as his attention could be concentrated Raylan was introduced into the rich culture of his bloodline, as a Mhorian he was a part of a legacy to keep the packs beliefs alive. There was never any question as to where he belonged or who he was. He was lucky to be taught by one of the band's elders and his grandfather, he was a wise and strict teacher who made sure to embed the religion deep into the hearts of his grandchildren.

Old enough for the band to continue on their journey Raylan came to know life on the constant move as normal, it was exciting for the young wolf, being able to venture further than he ever imagined with the freedom to embrace his own independence. It made him grow bold and ambitious. Though it had started as simply his band’s dream to rebuild their former glory it soon became deeply rooted as his own.

Determined to prove himself, he and his siblings were known to be children of fierce and daring spirits, teaming up to hunt from as early as they could. By the time they were yearlings they had already well integrated and contributed to being members of the small band. Raylan of which had always stood out as one of the more determined, quick to jump in head first he was renowned to be fearless and even reckless at times. Large and imposing even as a young wolf he was expected to become a fine protector and even enforcer in the eyes of his expectant parents, something Raylan was more than indulgent to put his mind towards.

It was during a solitary hunt Raylan came across a foreigner, not unusual since the group of wolves often came across strangers during their travels across the domain. However this stranger was a young she-wolf, from the moment Raylan's eyes had landed on her soft white coat he felt his heart beat in a manner he had never experienced before. Coming to know her as Anita, Raylan was quick to fall down the blinding haze of youthful love, after their first fateful encounter Raylan would wander off from his band every chance he could to meet with the fair loner.

However after some time things began to change within his band's life, more pups were born, this time in the depth of winter's embrace with only one survivor. To keep up with the need to feed and care for his family he was drawn away from Anita, forced to focus on the survival of his family. Before he knew it time had passed so quickly, and once again they were on the move. This time however there was a sense that something big was about to occur.

When one of the wolves, Renwythe decided to halt the group to hold a Vigil everything changed, during the holding something remarkable happened. The young only surviving pup from the previous litter had let out a howl during the reflection vigil, he would never have imagined the words that followed, it was the awakening of their Archqueen. Long awaited, prayed for, she was finally here.

Everything would change after that. It was easy to get swept away by the overwhelming events that had engulfed the wolves of Mhor but the only thing Raylan's found his mind constantly drawn to was Anita… Things were going to be different from that moment forth so if he were to do anything it were now or never.

During the celebrations one night Raylan slipped away, determined it took him days to track down the pale she-wolf once more. Just as surprised to see him as he was to see her there was a sense of relief when the feelings were sparked once more as if no time had passed. Raylan knew he needed her, making his intentions clear he asked her to return with him, to join him in the bright future he knew he and his pack was about to embark on. There was no hesitation and finally after the seasons apart he returned with Anita in tail as his promised mate.

Welcomed on his return, Anita was accepted with open hearts… little did they know that the numbers would be needed more than ever.

By the following winter a strange illness had fallen over the band, hitting the wolves hard with losses, including his father and grandfather among the deceased. Anita had also fallen ill but thankfully she had survived the devastation event. Now the band was even smaller than before having lost some of the most precious bloodlines of the original Mhorians.

The loss of family only brought Raylan closer to his loved ones, for some it seemed too much, including one of his sisters who decided to leave to find a calling elsewhere. With all the loss little did he know that a small ray of light would soon find him. In the following days Anita went into early labour, no one had even known she was pregnant with all the chaos in the pack at the time. A surprise and a blessing two small pups were born, thankfully healthy despite the early delivery however Anita’s body took quite the toll from the birth. Following the mourning a prophet came from their Archqueen, that the band would move north. It was needed to distract and give a new beginning to those of Mhor.

But thus the tragedies would not have reached its last trick, for one summer night an uproar erupted amongst the ranks. Arriving at the commotion Raylan was met with the arc queen's father fighting with his brother, during the bloodbath he was one among the wolves to tear the traitor from Renwythe’s body but much too late, by the time he returned from chasing off the renegades he was dead. Again this struck the pack incredibly hard, not to mention leaving the young Archqueen without the guidance of her father. Though Raylan wanted to protect her the best he could he was also split between the care of his young family.

This time when the pack once more set out on their journey, Raylan insisted that he and Anita would take their time following the pack from behind. Taking their time leisurely allowed them to raise their pups on the move at their own pace. They grew fast and strong under Raylan and his mates care, spending intermit moments as a small family before eventually the pups had grown into rowdy, spirited juveniles. Before long their time kept to themselves was to come to an end when reuniting with the pack once more.

When the cold winds returned, this time far more bitter than any winter he had experienced before. Having finally reached the promised land it was anything but what they had hoped for, the group took shelter in the depths of the cave which they’d spent the freezing winter. There, as far down in the cavern as possible Anita fell sick once more. Their pups had grown enough to remain strong but the new climate took a devastating toll on his mate's frail body. It broke his heart to realize the cold reality and in only a few days he’d loose her to the fever.

Losing his mate was devastating to Raylan, it broke him. To everyone who knew him the change was immediate and clear despite his composed demeanor, had it not been for his two pups it were as if he might of just disappeared...

## Group History

Shortly after Mhor had settled in the Domain, Raylan vowed to serve his pack as a Paladin. He took his Oath and marked the wall with his bloodied paw print. As the bitter cold of the Deep Freeze relinquished its hold on the Domain, Raylan put his skills to good use training some of the new arrivals to the pack, like Killian. He tended to maintain some emotional distance from his packmates, though, but he enjoyed walks with Reiwen, who respected his companionship in silence.

Aside from himself, Mhor's other Paladins included Rajbera (a new arrival from Chandor), Alderwen, and Wenlock. They all took their duties very seriously. Throwing himself into his work, and having distanced himself from his children in his grief over Anita's passing, Raylan now found himself mourning the lost connection with his children. Despite the abyss that had grown between himself and his now-grown children, he still kept an eye on them and hoped for them to find happiness in the pack.

Like many Mhorians, Raylan experienced strange dreams of a familiar, yet unknown, place, and familiar, but unknown, wolves. These 'visions' were cause for alarm for some Mhorians, though Raylan didn't seem to be too rattled by them. In fact, his vision was of a pair of wolves, with beautiful young pups at their side, clearly newborns. He felt the contentedness and peace rolling from the pair, and remembered how it felt when he first became a father.

As time passed, strange white wolves were causing trouble on the borders. One of their packmates, Akasha, was killed by these wolves of the Hive, and it rattled Indigo and Atticus. Raylan offered reassurance to them, starting the process of trying to mend the burned bridge with his children.

He increased his patrols that winter, spending more time away from the main den in order to keep a watchful eye on the borders, to make sure none of his packmates were surprised by the Hive again. In the winter, there were no more losses, but the Hive still managed to wriggle through the borders and attack Mhorians. There were efforts made by the alphas to unite to fight the Hive, and Chandor sent a war party to join Mhor.

Unfortunately, the Hive ambushed them at Flora Fields. Raylan fought ferociously to defend his packmates, dispatching a few Hive wolves and obtaining some scars in the process. They managed to survive the battle (though several Chandorians lost their lives). Raylan's own daughter, Indigo, was injured, and he fretted immensely over her during her recovery. He rarely left her side, doing so only briefly in order to search for Archqueen Rowena, who had gone missing after the battle. One search party, composed of himself, Reiwen, Faolan, Teagan, Cahal, and Maeve, traveled all the way to the river's end, wondering if Rowena had been swept away by the current...but she wasn't there.

Eventually her packmates would find Rowena. Raylan would suffer a more personal loss when Atticus vanished from the pack. He didn't know what became of his son, if he'd fled or been killed or gotten lost...all he knew was that Indigo was the only family he had left. And he would protect her *no matter what.*

The spring turned to summer, and summer shifted towards fall, when Rowena announced that they were going to *end* the Hive Wars. He wasn't afraid for himself as the pack readied for a final stand against the Hive Queen, but he was terrified for Indigo. What if she didn't make it out of this alive? What would he possibly have left to live for?

Raylan followed his packmates to the battlefield. There, he fought fiercely. *As the victory was declared by the alphas a mortally injured Raylan collapsed, the cheers of the aftermath slowly drowned out with the heavy rain. There was a moment where Raylan's aching body felt at ease. Indigo was safe… the pack was freed by the beasts that threatened everything that had worked so hard to recover. He wished his son had seen it… he wished she could have seen it.*

*Now it was time to go,*

*After all, he couldn't keep her waiting any longer.*

Raylan would be mourned by his daughter, as well as his pack, as one of the many terrible losses of the Hive Wars. Raylan had found peace, however, returning to the embrace of his beloved Anita in eternity.

## Trivia

* The scars on his face were received during the battle against the Hive at Flora Fields.

## External Links

* Official Application Sheet
* Bluebellpaws's deviantART Gallery