Jayana

Aria (Sister, NPC)

## Application Sheet

Jayana was a lavender-gray she-wolf with piercing yellow eyes. She arrived in the Domain with her pack of Hintertomb, where her story is just beginning. Jayana was created and RP'd by xCinderfrostx.

## Personality

As stoic and harsh as the mountains she grew up in, Jayana is far from a friendly-presenting individual. Her brow always seems to be just slightly furrowed, her maw always just slightly turned downward, and her eyes always just slightly narrowed as she flicks her gaze around disapprovingly from individual to individual. Most view her as unreasonably judgmental, or perhaps just irrationally angry at everyone around her, but this could not be farther from the truth. Though she may never admit it aloud, Jayana's heart is as big as they come. At a surface level, she can appear distant and standoffish, but in actuality, Jayana cares a great deal for her pack and those she's closest to, and she'd do anything to ensure their safety and well-being. She's protective and possessive of her home and loved ones almost to a fault, though her worry can, more often than not, come across as authoritative and bossy, especially to those she's already rubbed the wrong way. She will appear particularly cold and guarded around strangers and acquaintances, especially if she perceives them as a potential threat to the safety of the Tomb, but with consistency and time, Jayana will slowly warm up to those who make the effort to get to know her.

She's a creature of passion, and is very all or nothing when it comes to matters of the heart. She's reckless, energetic, headstrong, and unafraid to speak her mind, but her stubbornness also lends her the determination and will to work hard for what she desires, and she doesn't give up easily. She relishes her freedom, feeling most content when she's in control and making her own decisions, but she struggles to respect and follow authority figures that have yet to earn her respect and isn't afraid to be openly insubordinate. However, once her loyalty or interest is captured, Jayana will readily pour herself into said interest, devoting as much of her time and attention as possible to learn and invest all that she can. She can be very competitive and perfectionistic in this aspect, determined to be the best at what she does and refusing to accept anything less. Failure of any sort will affect Jayana's confidence harshly, which usually results in anger and frustration. That said, *healthy* competition between her and her fellow wolkin can fuel her desire to succeed and push her to be even better. It's just unfortunate that this balance is often difficult for Jayana to find.

She can be very blunt and straightforward in the manner that she addresses others, and doesn't always know when to "sugarcoat" things. This can cause her to appear insensitive and rude at times, but very rarely does she ever *intend* to be cruel to others. That said, her attempts to "be nice" can sometimes come across as awkward or forced, even when she's being genuine, but this is generally due to her feeling uncomfortable with offering praise or presenting vulnerability to others. Unfortunately, Jayana's initial response to most unpleasantness is anger or defiance, and it doesn't take much to set her off. For this reason, she can appear hot-headed and temperamental, choosing to yell or fight or push others away, when, in reality, she's hurting badly and desperately avoiding confronting feelings that she's failed to understand or properly process. Jayana may do her best to appear tough and intimidating on the surface, but beneath her thin veil of confidence lies a very sensitive and insecure wolf. She secretly—and sometimes not-so-secretly—craves approval and validation from her peers and loved-ones, relying on their opinions to an unhealthy degree to secure her own happiness and self-assurance. Though her fiery attitude and short-temper may lead others to believe that she wants others to fear and obey her, deep down Jayana truly only wishes to be loved.

Her struggle with genuine self-confidence and belonging stems primarily from the hardships she faced in her youth. While her parents were very well-respected among their fellow wolkin, this influence proved detrimental to Jayana's young career as a huntress, as her achievements were sullied by rumors that nepotism was the only reason she managed to rise through the ranks.

## Pre-Group History

Born beneath the full moon during autumn’s gentle grasp, Jayana was bathed in nightfall from the moment she opened her eyes.

Her early childhood was blissful, with nights spent frolicking in starlight and days spent snuggled up against her sister. Jayana and Aria enjoyed a privileged life, but were viewed, even as pups, with expectations and promise, for they were Aren and Caliana’s daughters.

Gifted Flame-Irises, Aren and Caliana were devoted wolkin and served their Omen and their Choir with great success. They would leave the Tomb only to return with bountiful profit—secrets and information and resources otherwise unobtainable within their home territory. The Tomb’s highest-ranking wolves saw great value in the couple’s skills, and they made sure to keep Aren and Caliana close as a result. Their talent for procuring information and goods was rewarded with an equally-precious resource: power. The couple’s relationship with the Choir awarded them a rather charmed life within the Tomb, gilded with reverence and influence. And when the pair were melded, this privilege would be extended to their children as well.

Or so they’d thought.

Raised among her fellow wolkin, Jayana was taught all that it meant to be a member of the Tomb. Their values, fears, and customs became her own, and instilled within her from a young age was an intense fear of the Great Ones and their power.

Large as a pup and growing ever larger as she matured, Jayana found that she did not take an interest in diplomacy or healing as her parents and sister had. While Aria excelled as a promising young Core, when it came time for Jayana to choose an attunement, she devoted herself to the Voxes. She would become a huntress, but not one that relied on speed or agility. Rather, she used her size and strength to her advantage, helping to bring down already weakened prey and often serving as the last effort needed to secure the pack’s latest meal. Ever a diligent worker, Jayana stuck to her duty, thriving within the starlight and moving steadily among the shadows. Despite her rather unconventional methods and skills, Jayana rose quickly from Cinder to Spark, much to the chagrin of her peers.

And, unfortunately, whispers echo loudest in the darkness.

At first, Jayana did her best to ignore the gossip; most wondered why the broad-shouldered wolfess had become a Vox in the first place, while many more wondered how she ever managed to rise above a lowly Cinder. And just as tiny sparks can grow to scorch and become a wildfire, so did the once hushed voices of her packmates. Word began to spread quickly, rumors that Jayana owed her rank to her parents’ influence, that the Choir had only been appeasing their valued confidants by promoting her, and it would be due to this same nepotism that she would ever advance further.

Jayana was determined to dispel these whispers, working harder than ever before and doing all she could to prove to the others that she deserved her title—but the voices did not silence and the criticism did not stop; nothing she did ever seemed to be enough. Jayana found comfort in her sister, who was struggling with similar accusations from her fellow healers. Aria would often console Jayana while patching her up whenever she would return injured from an overly-ambitious hunting escapade, but sometimes Jayana found it difficult to truly find solace in her sister’s words.

Though their parents’ reputations were poison to their own, Aria had the privilege of actually being talented at her work. Jayana did not. At least, not in the eyes of her peers. Aria’s success could be justified, but could Jayana say the same?

At some point, when the whispers had grown too loud and her frustration too great, Jayana truly wasn’t certain anymore.

It was her own pride, spite, and sense of duty to her family that kept Jayana going through it all. She kept working, kept pushing, kept trying to prove herself to everyone who doubted her. But now Jayana herself was among the naysayers, and when the time neared that she would undergo her trial to become a Flame, just like her parents, Jayana was forced to wonder if she *actually* deserved the opportunity.

Was she truly good enough to join the Tomb’s most revered hunters, or was this advancement simply the result of her parents pulling strings with the Choir, as they may have done before? Was their children’s success so important to them that they were willing to use their influence to ensure it happened? Had her previous promotions been nothing more than quid pro quos between her parents and the Choir? Were any of Jayana's achievements *truly* her own?

Sadly, she would never have the chance to find out.

There had been warnings. The sounds. The lights. Jayana had been a fool not to heed them. Her parents had just returned home from a scouting mission when it all finally came crumbling down. Their previous Omen was reported missing, then days later the mountainside fell, and Jayana’s parents and sister fell with it.

The Great Ones could not have presented a clearer sign. That Omen was no longer their leader, and this could no longer be their home. Jayana hardly had time to process the intense frustration and sadness she felt before the familiar face of the new god-marked wolf rose to address them. Change was coming, and it would begin *now*. Their ranks stripped, their belongings lost, and their land abandoned, Hintertomb's future laid before them as vast and unknown as the outstretched night sky.

But in this uncertainty, Jayana saw opportunity. Perhaps, with this fresh start, she could rebuild her reputation—one *worthy* of the admiration and reverence her parents had once been known for. Her work-ethic would be unparalleled, her skills envied, and her success undeniable. Within the icy crags in which they settled, Jayana *would* carve out a place of honor and respect for herself, and chiseled into the stone would be *her* name, *her* lineage. She would make her family proud.

And she would do it on her own.

## Trivia

* Tomb-born wolves may still wonder whether Jayana's previous high rank was rightfully earned, or if it was simply a result of nepotism.
* Jayana and her sister, Aria, were each named after their parents, Caliana and Aren, respectively.
* Jayana tends to shy away from physical affection, unless, of course, she's the one who initiates it.
* She has a habit of aggressively destroying twigs or pieces of wood when she's upset.
* She's very much a tomboy, and doesn't mind getting dirty or playing rough.
* Jayana actually enjoys arguing and will sometimes go out of her way to start a verbal quarrel if she's feeling bored.

## External Links

* Official Application Sheet
* xCinderfrostx's deviantART Gallery