Mishmish

Mishmish is a shedu that was given to Nahri by the Peri, who then decided to stay with her after the climatic battle in The Empire of Gold. Likes to eat apricots and make nests out of priceless rugs.

## History

### Events during The River of Silver

Mishmish was sleeping on a sun-drenched balcony in Nahri's hospital, in a nest he made by ripping up a priceless Nahid rug that was on loan from the Grand Temple. He then flew Nahri out of the city to Ali's river, where he was to act as a chaperone for an otherwise private meeting between Nahri and Ali.

## Characteristics

### Appearance

As a shedu, Mishmish is a large, muscular lion with tawny/pale golden fur, pale silver eyes that glitter like ice, and large feathered wings that contain all the colors of the rainbow. His fur is warm, and when injured has silver blood. When in a great deal of pain, his shrieks take on a bird-like quality. He is large enough to be ridden by Nahri, and can fly very fast and maneuver adeptly in mid-air.

### Personality

Mishmish does not speak but is very cat-like in his mannerisms. He purrs when he's happy and roars when he's angry. He only eats fruit, with apricots being his favorite. He also enjoys tearing up rugs to make a nest and being scratched behind his ears.

### Abilities

**Flight:** Mishmish's large iridescent wings are fully capable of flight, able to move very fast and maneuver adeptly in mid-air combat. He also may or may not be able to summon a sandstorm, or use one to mask his entrance/exit.

**Fighting:** Mishmish is a large, muscular lion with sharp teeth and claws.

**Nahid-sense?:** Mishmish was able to immediately locate Nahri and Ali when they first transported to Egypt, and examined them before he was recalled by the Peri. He also reacts to Nahri's emotions, whether protecting her when she's anxious, mirroring her rage, or comforting her when she's upset.

## Relationships

**Nahri:** Mishmish gets along well with Nahri, is protective of her, and can sense her feelings. He purrs powerful enough to rattle the floor when Nahri is affectionate with him, enjoys when she scratches behind his ears, and allows her to rub his belly. Nahri calls Mishmish by cute nicknames in Arabic.

**Ali:** We don't see Ali and Mishmish interact much, but there are mentions that Ali gives Mishmish fruit (and that Mishmish will nose through Ali's clothes to look for said fruit), and Ali knows to scratch Mishmish behind his ears.

**Jamshid:** During the battle for Daevabad, Mishmish catches Jamshid when Nahri pushes him off the palace, and allows Jamshid to ride him while they fight Dara in mid-air combat.

**Peri:** Although Mishmish lived with the Peri, he was immediately protective of Nahri when she met with them, and chose to live with her rather than return to the Peri.

**Other Shedu:** We do not see Mishmish interact with any other shedu, and learn nothing of his family.

## Quotes

**The Empire of Gold**

* "As if sensing her wrath, Mishmish roared, a bone-shaking sound that split the sky." (ch. 42, pg 615)
* "Mishmish landed with a flourish, spreading his dazzling wings against the sun and roaring at the sky." (ch. 42, pg. 616)

## Trivia

* Mishmish is Arabic for apricot.
* Mishmish is a common nickname for (orange?) cats in Egypt.
* When Mishmish and Nahri land dramatically on the Daevabad palace roof to confront Manizheh and Dara in The Empire of Gold, Mishmish's pose is a reference to the Nahid family crest: a roaring shedu with wings spread wide against the sun.
* Mishmish apparently counts as a chaperone when Nahri and Ali are otherwise alone.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 The River of Silver, ch. 15: Nahri
2. ↑ The Empire of Gold, ch. 39, pg 579
3. ↑ The Empire of Gold, ch. 42, pg 624
4. ↑ The Empire of Gold, ch. 42, pg 622
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 The Empire of Gold, ch. 43, pg 647
6. ↑ The Empire of Gold, ch. 39, pg 580
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 The Empire of Gold, ch. 41, pg 615
8. ↑ The Empire of Gold, ch. 42 pg 610
9. ↑ The Empire of Gold Epilogue, pg 749
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 The Empire of Gold, ch.1 pg 20
11. ↑ The Empire of Gold, ch.39, pg 582
12. ↑ The Empire of Gold, ch. 46, pg 720