Ilse

Juniper (Sister, NPC)

Rowan and Nettle (Brothers, NPCs)

Orsu (Nephew)

## Application Sheet

Ilse is a dove-gray she-wolf with darker markings and olive-green eyes. Loving aunt to Orsu of Riverfell, she settled in Mhor before learning of his location, where she studied to become a Mage. Her story is ongoing. Ilse was created and RP'd by goosened.

## Personality

* ***Sociable and Genuine.*** If there are two things Ilse is known for, it is one: a mellow, open presence with always an ear to listen and words to offer, and two: their endless drive to learn more. In a world as strange and vast as the Domain, and Ilse’s strongest trait is their drive to learn more.
* ***Sensitive and Anxious.*** From the moment Ilse came into this world, they felt as if they were only welcomed if they were useful. After having been berated for being useless as a child, they found the only remedy was to do something for those around them. This manifests in several ways: a heavy burden weighs on them any day they return empty-handed or injured, knowing they will be less productive. In their mind, they are a burden unless they can provide for their community and will go lengths to make something of value. Their greatest fear is being deemed useless, and would do anything in their power to remain valuable.
* ***Inquisitive and Curious.*** Learning about the world is one way they feel they can contribute, better than any other. They question the world for many reasons. Firstly, to gain a better understanding of how everything works, the world at large; the systems which are naturally in place that balance the world, ebb and flow. The cycles of the moon, the rushing of streams, where and why toadstools grow, how a howl cuts the night, the signs of weather changing. Then, the natural order of wolves, the function and culture of packs, and the ways wolves interact.
* ***Odd, but Knowledgeable.*** Ilse, at times, feels like an outsider; an oddity. However, in those times, they take solace in stepping back to watch, picking up on the slightest details. A slight grin on one’s lips, a flick of an ear, a glance to the side. They are hyper-aware of these movements, if they’re truly looking. They are intimately familiar with how different some packs are and they can’t help but wonder why. Why are things the way that they are, in packs? How did this come to be? How does a pack’s culture play out more subtly, and how do different cultures interact? Finally, they question themself-- every moment is another moment to reflect upon their own being and gain a higher understanding of who they are. Their worldview is forever developing with every new piece of information, their mind a collection of facts and ideas and observations.
* ***Worldly and Self-Reliant, but Naive.*** Ilse values personal freedom greatly, and thrives on following their whims and taking on unexpected challenges. When approaching an unfamiliar wolf, they simply see the new face as a friend they haven’t met yet. There was a lot of potential in every wolf they come by, and they believe there was a reason that any two wolves cross paths: always, ultimately, to learn from each other. No one teaches you more than a friend, and never do they feel more at home than in the presence of companions.
* ***Idealistic.*** Ilse wears their heart out on their sleeve, and sees as much heart in everyone around them. They love their friends and companions, and would do anything to help those around them. At the end of the day, they always know the effort is worth it, whether they go an inch or a mile. Many wolves feel a connection to Ilse’s mellow warmth, and any amount of trust another wolf would feel with them would be returned. Although somewhat dense to the emotions of others when highly focused on a task at hand, they are highly emotionally intelligent and care very deeply about wolves around them. They want nothing more but to support their companions to be the best wolves they can be. In turn, they hope to be the best wolf they can be, too. They have much still to learn, and though they know more knowledge only means more questions, they feel equipped to persist and continue to grow.

## Pre-Group History

The Ferinoir did not take kindly to wolves like Ilse. Neither a pacifist, nor a scholar were valued, and no wolf would even bother sparing a child from their disparaging looks. From the moment their eyes adjusted to the dim light of the burrow they called their densite, a young silver pup knew they were not welcomed.

It’s true they had a mother, they had a father, and never was there not enough to eat. Pups were a rare occurrence in their territory, and every wolf put in their all to protect the litter. Ilse and their siblings were comfortable, and assured they would one day be as strong, cunning, and brave as their elders-- one day, exemplary Ferinoiri. The praise and encouragement of the pack elders, however, often fell flat when they faced Ilse. And they could tell.

Their only solace was leaning close to their sister, Juniper, for the two shared a special bond. To pass the time, they made up games and stories, playing queens and princesses, knights and beasts, birds, bears, and legendary wolves whose stories had grown up with them. Ilse, nicknamed “Bird” for a voice that so often squeaked as they played, was engrossed in these worlds, at times sure they’d always been an eagle atop a treacherous mountaintop, or a wolf whose howl rose the spirits of the sky and stars to protect her pack from evil. They insisted on the role of princess, queen, or matriarch in every game, and while Juni would never argue, they increasingly felt eyes burn into their back, watching. Judging.

Their other pass-time was exploring, under the watchful eye of a pack guardian, along with their siblings. Typically, their brothers, Rowan and Nettle, would take the lead. One of them would always be the first to spot a grouse or rabbit, and first to pounce-- an arrangement that fit Bird, for feathers and fur always remained for them to investigate. A new, powerful curiosity brewed in their chest upon seeing these things. While some discarded these as waste, Ilse cherished them as a chance to learn and observe the world around them. A common occurrence would be to find Bird with their nose pressed against a flower, or close enough to a leaf to see its very pores.

As they grew older, they started to see that the world wasn’t fairy tales. Once, while their siblings played in the clearing, Ilse was alone, investigating a trail of ants. It seemed they were all returning to one spot, they observed, but why? Were these ants in a pack, too? How odd it was, they thought, that there were so many ants in that single spot and none anywhere else.

In a flash-- which, to this day, Ilse still cannot fully remember-- they snapped their tail at the end-- a painful break that would never fully heal. The wolves of Ferinoir chastised them for wandering so far, for being so stupid, for *everything*. It seemed all the Ferinoiri tension was released all at once, and the feeling throbbed more than their tail ever would. They would not-- could not-- ever be what Ferinoir wanted.

Bird, disheartened and pained, retreated into themself. As the litter grew into their juvenile builds and were given more and more chances to develop their skills, they remained… hesitant. Their lanky legs disconcerted them, and their size was all wrong. Their voice, no longer a little chirp, sounded foreign to them. Time to time they’d confide in Juniper, and though she would give her love no matter how they felt -- and they knew that -- they felt alone.

Tensions between Ferinoir and another nearby pack grew, and with the first cold days of spring that year blood was shed between packs. All outsiders were deemed a threat, and Ilse was advised to kill a foreigner on sight. Only a beginner at the hunt, and having only wandered so far, the prospect of encountering a stranger terrified them. They feared death every moment a strange wolf entered their vision, and their heart pounded every second Ferinoir faced off with the outsiders. It wasn’t until they, themself, towered over another wolf that they saw humanity in the other wolf’s eyes.

Ilse couldn’t hurt them.

And that made Ilse a traitor.

They were given two choices: change their mind, or face punishment. And so they fought the other pack. They were called the Hear-river pack, with similar numbers to the Ferinoir, and they came from the East. They served under their leader-- to most, their grandfather. Their wolves were compact and sturdy, and whenever Ilse would observe them at a distance, they would see how deeply they cared for each other. In every wolf, they saw themself and their sister, Juniper. At the start of the war campaign, and as Ilse was dragged more and more into it, they had seen less and less of each other. Ilse vowed to change that.

As the war let up, they caught up with Juni, who had grown to be a prized hunter. They shared one night alone, and on that night, their feelings poured out. “My name is Ilse,” they said, each word fluttering from them, “and I’m your *sister*.” And when they were done, pride and anxiety swirled all up around them, their ears flushing red hot. Juni confessed she’d always wanted a sister. In turn, Juniper shared her secret: she’d been meeting a loner named Noah. She loved him, she said.

Before long, Juniper introduced her sister to Noah and his band of loners. The group is dynamic and Ilse finds each loner brilliant in his own right-- and for once, having come out and having fresh air, away from Ferinoir, they feel alright. Only days after meeting Noah’s band, the sisters leave Ferinoir. Ilse never regrets leaving for a moment.

Even among Noah’s band, a group now six members strong, Ilse felt like a third wheel among Juniper and Noah. Juniper’s infatuation was strong, and it was hard not to see why. Noah was gentle and sensitive, with a true worldliness about him. He had a level head, and just as many stories to tell as whiskers on his nose. Between Noah and his companion, Luke, Ilse learned the art of navigation under starlight, a skill they would never lose. With this knowledge, they knew they could always find their way back home.

With the following spring, Juniper had a litter of Noah’s puppies. Ilse could not believe how small and helpless they were, and loved being around them every minute. They couldn't be much bigger than a cattail, each one of them. But each baby had so much love. Being with them was unreal feeling, one they could never let go. The feeling of tiny breaths on their nose, or tiny paws reaching at their side was unlike anything they’d ever seen. The litter had a profound impact on them, and though they were their sister’s, they loved them with everything they had. Fortunately, the young couple was grateful for the help, so Ilse stayed close.

As the pups grew, Ilse began searching for gifts and trinkets to give them. They’d come back with a rabbit and some antlers, or a scrap of feathery meat. They helped with hunting for the little pack when they could, and everything seems alright.

Then came winter. It was not the most bitter cold they’d ever seen, nor the winter with the thickest snow. But this winter struck down their herds, killed their rabbits, and tore every scrap of life from their territory. There was nothing-- scarcely more than a running creek to lap at. The family exhausted-- just spent-- and every member could feel it. One morning, Juniper's oldest child, Orsu, had vanished. While his brothers, Pallas and Buck, insisted that he would be back soon, Noah feared Orsu was dead. With a storm picking up, it would be hard to know. Juniper was quiet, but Ilse sensed the tension in her. They tried to speak with her, but she shook her head and turned away. Realizing the couple needed a moment, Ilse took Pallas and Buck out searching.

The hike in search, all three forlorn and sorrowful, was a miserable one. Ilse only felt worse upon returning, finding that Noah and Juniper had been fighting all while they’d been gone. The tension was more than Ilse could bear-- and even with how much they loved their sister, and how much their heart ached for the loss of her son-- they couldn’t help but side with Noah. The wind was strong, the winter closing in on them. Would they look for him, they may perish, too. When gazing around the tired densite, Ilse sensed something was missing-- something that would neither return nor be healed. A change had come upon them. It wouldn’t be the same.

Long seasons pass. Time went on. Ilse distanced themself from Noah and Juniper, but stayed close to Pallas and Buck. The brothers needed guidance, Ilse thought. Their tight-knit brotherhood reminded Ilse so much of themself and Juniper when they were young, the way they could always bring a smile to the other’s face and the way the two always seemed to know what the other was thinking. So it pained them when Pallas delivered the news that they had found a pack they were going to live with from now on. But it was one where they could be together, and safe. Safe. By stars, they deserved it. Ilse could only hope it would work out better for them than it did for them and Juni.

They caught up to Juniper as they meandered back to the densite from Pallas and Buck’s new pack. Ilse took a good look at her for the first time in too long. She was sore, just beat; her face tired. The light that Ilse cherished so much in Juni had faded. Noah, reserved as ever, trailed after her.

“We’re going south,” Juniper said.

“I’m going North,” Ilse replied.

Neither looked at their sister. That was, until Ilse came right up to Juniper, pulled her in. Placed their nose on her shoulder, and breathed her in. Their sister. “I owe so much to you,” they said. “I love you.”

And she said, “I love you, too.”

From there, Ilse made the long trek North, finding themself in the Domain. A kindly stranger told them of a pack called Mhor, recently settling along the coast. A pack laying down its roots was just what they needed as they were doing the same.

As they traversed this land, they recalled a promise they'd made when they saw their sister for the last time. If they see Orsu, they would bring him home. But days went by, and no hint of him would ever come. They hoped he found as much peace as they had.

This new land was strange, but not scary. It was fascinating, but not overwhelming. They were alone, for a time-- but soon surrounded by warm, bright wolves, and a pack they could feel comfortable in. They hoped one day they could call it their home. Only time could tell.

## Trivia

* Her tail is bent and crooked due to an old injury.

## External Links

* Official Application Sheet
* goosened's deviantART Gallery