Teagan

Willa (Grandmother, NPC)

Yulier (Sister)

Harlow and Aeron (Siblings, NPCs)

## Application Sheet

Teagan was a reddish-brown she-wolf with white markings. She was born outside of the Domain. In the midst of the Hive Wars, she joined Mhor, where she was reunited with a younger sister, Yulier. Teagan rose in the ranks as an Artisan Paladin, but ultimately left the pack at the end of the Hive Wars to find the missing Yulier. Teagan was created and RP'd by PaperElk.

## Personality

* ***Easy-going, Charming, Level-Headed, and Confident.*** A relaxed, even-tempered character, Teagan is a solid, strong figure in any group she joins. Always open to help her friends and family, she does most anything with a soft, lazy-looking smile on her face and a pep in her step. Words come easy to the tall gal, and she has a tendency to always seem to know what to say. She finds it easy to talk her way in - and out - of almost any situation that might come up, has a good sense of humor, and doesn't like to take things too seriously. She is confident in her abilities, and doesn't tend to doubt herself when it comes to what she can and cannot do; failure is all part of the process, there's no need to be embarrassed about it.
* ***Passive and Patient.*** While others might shout and scream, Teagan usually finds herself as the voice of reason in high tension situations, offering a soft, solid voice and opinion on whatever might be going on - even if she has to wait for everyone else to calm down first. It's not her first rodeo. You won't be the first to snap or raise your voice to her but she's extremely unlikely to respond in kind, staying calm and quiet even in the face of direct aggression... to a point, of course.
* ***Stubborn, Codependent, and Needy.*** While her relaxed attitude is at the forefront of her personality, she is exceedingly stubborn once she's set on something. Getting her to change her mind might as well be like trying to blow a brick wall over with a paper fan; not to say *impossible,* but extremely unlikely. For all her composed attitude, Tegan suffers from a need to feel wanted and needed by those around her. This hardly reaches a point of bitterness, but she can easily spiral if her offers of help and/or affection are rebuffed, and will sometimes go out of her way to do something for someone just to receive thanks. While she tries not to do it very often, she can be caught jokingly referring to herself as a nobody - but once in a while, it doesn't sound much like a joke.

## Pre-Group History

Early life was a happy blur to Teagan. Born into a pack far beyond the Domain with her littermate, the red gal was in for a rather cushy existence as a potential future beta in their hierarchy. Her parents and grandmother, while outsiders, had done the Alpha a great service and in return he had offered them safety, a place to live, eat, raise their family, and if their children showed promise, a foothold in their ranks. The skinny loners were eager to accept.

The pack was vast in numbers, and while Teagan always knew who her birth parents were, a good portion of her raising was done by the den minders. She never wanted for anything; food, a playmate, a tail to chew on. Anything she wanted was provided for her, and despite her childish eagerness to take, she was always careful to mind her manners and say please and thank you. Those who supervised the pups were adept in instilling common courtesy and civility in the youngsters. And thank the stars for that.

As she grew, Teagan wasn't blind to how greedy and manipulative her parents seemed to be, especially in regard to food and anything they felt held value to them. She couldn't remember if it had always been like this, but more often than not, it seemed like her mother and father had a very secluded mentality - it was them (and *only* them) against the world. It didn't make sense to the young wolf. There was more than enough to go around, and whenever her green gaze caught one of them skulking off after another successful thievery, she could only do her best to quell the rising embarrassment. Her friends were starting to ask why her mom and dad were so *weird.* And she really didn't have an answer.

Her grandmother felt more like her true mother than the wolf that had birthed her. Kind, calm, and always ready with a lavish tale of adventure and charm, Teagan often sought out the old woman, bringing friends along for her to regale them with stories of places she'd been and seen in her long life. Her parents were weird, distant, and at times, they were cruel, but Willa was always a sturdy, strong, unchanging fixture in her life, being sure to tell her she was loved and important. On her worst days, when her friends were being mean, she'd find herself curled in the white she-wolf's fur, head nestled up into her neck.

It all seemed to happen so fast. Teagan was never privy to *what* it was that her parents had done, but the trial ended before she had a chance to ask, and before the end of the brief session, one word was echoed: Exile.

Now, this hadn't extended to their children, of course, but while Teagan couldn't help but follow her father out into the treeline, she shot a tearful look back at Harlow who was nestled in the fur of their closest friend. Teagan couldn't blame them - she didn't want to leave either. But she couldn't not be with her family.

This wasn't a family.

She was a juvenile before the first real horror happened. If her parents had had a plan coming out here, it certainly hadn't panned out, and as her mother’s stomach grew heavy with pups on their way it was getting harder and harder to find enough to eat. When they happened upon a friendly loner who showed them to his cave, happy to help a starving band, she could only watch in terror as her parents made short work of him, turning to tear through any food stores he had in the area. She would never forget his face. Or his name. Tadeo had lost his life to heartless, gutless wolves, and all she could do was stand by and watch him die.

It was a few short moons later when her parents enacted the second cruelty. Willa had been declining for weeks, unable to keep up the pace with her daughter and her mate, and while Yona had kept her mouth shut, Evander was growing restless, snapping at her when her old, tired legs simply refused to move faster. Before long it was a daily struggle, listening to him snarl and scream at the stoic old female, but any time she opened her mouth to say a word against it, her grandmother would catch her eye and give her a warning look. This was a storm meant for her, not Teagan, to weather. At the turning of the new moon, it came to a head. Willa's weary bones had reached their limit, leaving her immobile against the base of an old, gnarled tree.

Despite her screaming and pleading, her father forced her onward into the wilds, away from the one family member she could truly rely on.

*"She's dead weight. Forget her."*

Her fathers words echoed in her head like a clap of thunder, and her wild green eyes sought out those of her mother, who simply shrugged and moved along as though she hadn't abandoned her mother to the elements.

It was the only time she showed her teeth to her parents. And the last. Evander had made sure of that.

Life without Willa was far harder than she'd imagined. Without someone shielding her from the cruelty of her parents, life was bitter and painful, made even worse by her mothers growing pregnancy that seemed to make her more and more agitated with each passing day. Teagan was almost relieved when Yona finally gave birth; only to be suddenly, dreadfully shocked when her parents began discussing their 'options' in front of her.

*There isn't enough food. Puppies can't walk. We already have an extra mouth to feed.*

Looking down at the two bundles of fur at her mothers’ side, her heart ached like never before, stomach twisted into snaking knots as she tried not to vomit. She couldn't do it. She couldn't let her parents commit another horrendous act. But she couldn't provide for them either...

*An extra mouth to feed.*

Teagan was gone by the time the sun rose the next morning.

Living alone in the wilds was tough. She had made it to young adulthood at this point, and while her body had lengthened, she had yet to bulk out, leaving her lanky and awkward, and her clumsy paws weren't very coordinated, particularly when she was trying to feed herself. She had never been much of a hunter, but rabbits, while fast, were exceptionally stupid, and despite the lean meat not filling her stomach, it was still better than starving. It was on her third or fourth attempt on a deer that she met *her*. She could hardly miss the marbled silver pelt as the she-wolf soared past her, teeth inches from her face as the doe was snagged in an easy motion, barely able to bleat out one final note. Even with her face matted in blood, piercing amber eyes boring into hers, a clear indicator that she was an intruder, the stranger was the most beautiful thing Teagan had ever seen.

Blaise, however, had not been won over by Teagan’s' scruffy appearance, and though she had brought the red female back to her pack, she hadn't wanted anything to do with her. Lucky for Blaise, she had been stuck with Teagan as her ward for the next moon by the decree of the Alpha.

Albeit their first impressions not being on the same level, Teagan's goofy charm slowly broke through Blaise's hard exterior, earning first the esteemed huntress's trust, then friendship, and then something more along the way. Blaise was tough and gritty, didn't mince words and had little time for pleasantries and humor, while Teagan balanced her out in a way she hadn't expected. Words and feelings didn't come easily to her, but Teagan always seemed to know the right thing to say. Even better, Teagan could always tell what Blaise wanted to say, even without speaking. There was a deep, complex understanding between the two, developed over the better part of a year.

Which made them getting caught even more devastating.

Blaise, who had been chosen at a young age to ascend to the position of alpha, had been betrothed to the Alpha's son, and in the unfortunate circumstance, he had been the one to catch them out by the river. He had not been one to feel jealous of his future mate-to-be spending time with another, but when he saw Blaise's muzzle pressed into Teagan's neck in a clear show of intimacy, his hackles flew, and the fight began.

There was no winning. Teagan, while strong, knew that fighting back meant expulsion from the pack - he *was* the Alpha's son. But not fighting felt wrong. So wrong. It wasn't until Blaise's voice thundered did the two of them freeze. Her bark had been a concussive blast, and when Teagan was allowed to stand, she trembled. Those amber eyes were burning with a fire she hadn't seen before, straight at her betrothed, and she only offered Teagan a small, melancholic glance.

*"Go. Before they come."*

While Blaise's powerful glare kept the would-be alpha in his spot, tail tucked, Teagan knew her own fate. She couldn't stay.

Seasons passed as Teagan trudged onwards, making peace with herself and what had come to pass, though her heart still ached now and again. It was hard not to think while so hopelessly alone out in the wide-open world with no one to talk to, and even though being cooped up with her own thoughts wasn't an appealing thought, it only served to help her sort through her past. Things that had happened became memories, learning opportunities, a simple steppingstone of who she was, and before long there was a freedom in how she was able to look back on her life until that point. A twisting, winding river that stretched out behind her.

And that was her first vision. A river, long and rushing, a golden wolf at it's shore, beyond the peak of a mountain as she peered down into the valley below, the coast stretching out to the North.

At first, she brushed it off as a realistic dream, but when the same dream repeated for several nights, it became harder to ignore - it was like there was a tugging deep in her brain. It made her paws itch in a way she didn't like, but when the dreams morphed and changed to show her different angles of the same mountain, she couldn't put it out of her mind anymore. And so, she moved.

It took the better part of a moon to reach something that even approximated what she had seen in her dreams. She'd passed a few mountain ranges on her way, but none had felt right to her - not enough moss, stone too dark, not the right shape - there was always something just a little bit off. But these ones... She couldn't deny the way shape of the peaks matched the ones in her dreams.

She wasn't without company, however. She'd been noticing rotting prey here and there on her journey, but when she trekked into the craggy dips of the mountain trails, she soon came across the source, and for once, she was suddenly gripped with the wish that she was back out there alone. Whoever they were, they were deranged (*rabies, maybe?*) and wasted little time chasing her through the tight corners and crevices of the stone walls, only to lose her as she leaped a gorge. Her weight had shifted the rock she'd used as a springboard, leaving one dangling from her side before falling into the pit, while the others screeched and wailed from the other side. It was like a waking nightmare, but she slipped up over the rise, met with the sight of that familiar twisting river before she descended quickly into the valley below...

## Group History

Teagan arrived at the borders of Mhor, excited to see the beautiful sweeping valleys of the territory. She wasn't expecting a pack to be settled there - nor was she expecting to be yelled at by a she-wolf with an orange pelt! Yulier and Aislin, who were patrolling, weren't expecting to see a lone wolf encroaching on their borders, or, at least, not a friendly one. The Hive had been causing problems on the borders, for certain. Teagan wasn't a member of the Hive, though Yulier recognized the she-wolf's pelt as being almost identical to that of their shared mother, Yona (NPC): a mother who'd done terrible things to Yulier.

Once she realized Teagan wasn't Yona, Yulier and Teagan spoke more in order to determine their familial relation, concluding that they were sisters. Aislin and Yulier brought Teagan to Mhor's densite, in order to not be hanging around in the open where the Hive could find them.

Teagan was welcomed with open arms. She quickly became comfortable with the other Mhorians, joining them on patrols and whatnot. She was with Aislin when they came upon another lone wolf - a she-wolf named Ariadne. She was looking for her brother, Matthias. The pair offered to take Ariadne to the Court to see if the wolf she was looking for was, in fact, the Mhorian they were familiar with.

While going about her new life in Mhor, Teagan would meet a lovely newcomer: Charlotte. Charlotte, or Charlie, was new to Mhor after a long time living as a loner, and, before that, being a Princess of Vale. Charlotte thought Teagan was beautiful, but didn't tell her that. Instead, her standoffish personality made the situation a bit awkward. Charlie cut the conversation short and left Teagan wondering what on *earth* had just happened. Still, they would reacquaint themselves later, and the meeting would go much more smoothly. The duo would ultimately be consecuted into the pack on the same night!

She took the task of a Paladin, but didn't really enjoy the training. She found some comfort in working with the Mages, though, and had a lot of fun helping Aurith and Theia make votives! Teagan also got to know other packmates, showing Ilse the beauty of the territory, and trying to help Harvester Solune with her task (though the she-wolf was a bit brusque with Teagan).

More than anything, though, she wanted a chance to actually *talk* to her sister. Yulier had been avoiding her ever since she joined the pack. She and Teagan went on a patrol together and Teagan tried to learn more about the situation, and why Yulier was so upset with *her*, but Yulier didn't want to talk. Ultimately, though, the pair were attacked by a Hive drone, and they had to work together to defeat it. Fortunately, they succeeded, and the first attempts at bonding were a success.

Archqueen Rowena wanted to take a patrol into the Barbed Hills, and took Teagan with her, along with Serren, Maeve, and Charlotte. They discovered a potential natural obstacle they could use to barricade that portion of the territory from the Hive, and set about strengthening the barrier.

Teagan would put her strength to good use in other ways, as well. While patrolling with Aislin, she had the opportunity to flex her powerful muscles, helping Aislin to reach the squished remains of a bird and the feathers. Aislin, as a token of thanks (and in the midst of a gay panic), offered some feathers to Teagan to decorate her mane!

Teagan didn't let the darkness of the Hive stifle her spirited personality, and often engaged in adventures with her packmates when she could. For instance, she and Vendetta discovered a mutual love for fermented fruit and honey, and stole some honeycomb from bees! Unfortunately, that meant they had to flee the stinging insects with their prize, running into a Riverfellian who was staying in Mhor, named Ruby. They managed to escape with their honey though!

She also continued to protect her packmates by surveying the borders, often patrolling with wolves like Alderwen. Aislin always seemed to find excuses to join Teagan on patrols when her Mage duties weren't keeping her busy...

As time passed, Teagan found herself losing the wolves she grew closest to. Charlotte would disappear from the pack, and Yulier, too. She tried not to let the heartache show, because the pack needed her.

Indeed, eventually, the pack would call on Teagan's skill as a warrior. Archqueen Rowena sent Mhorians across the Domain, in order to call for the assistance of other packs in fighting the Hive. They had suspicions on where their Queen, their leader, was located, and they were determined to end the fight once and for all. Teagan and Theia went to Chandor to deliver the news to their alpha, Nadia.

She would fight bravely in the final battle against the Hive, and join Mhor in victoriously returning home (though, admittedly, not without losses). However, Teagan felt pulled to leave the pack. Though she had grown to consider Mhor to be her home, and had developed a fondness for Aislin, she needed to find her sister. Yulier needed her more than Mhor did. After a heartbreaking goodbye in Flora Fields, Teagan said farewell to Aislin and disappeared into unclaimed lands.

The wanderer was alone again.

And she has not been seen in the Domain since.

## Trivia

* The grouse feathers she wears in her mane were a gift from Aislin. In exchange, before leaving, Teagan gave feathers to Aislin to wear as well.
* She had a bit of a crush on Charlotte. Perhaps a bit of one on Aislin as well?

## Quotes

* "I don’t think it’ll be for good. You weirdos grew on me something fierce." (to Aislin before leaving Mhor, *Heartlines*)

## External Links

* Official Application Sheet
* PaperElk's deviantART Gallery