Brambling

> "*I want to see how big the world really is. I want to taste the wind, I want to feel the river in my fur. If any wolf can find fault with that, then they will never truly know freedom.*"
> ― **Brambling**
>
>

**Brambling**is a slim, long-legged rugged male wolf with mottled brown fur, large ears, clumsy paws and pale amber eyes.

## Personality

Brambling seems to take everything a little bit too seriously. Even when he was a young pup, he would much rather engage in more practical activities rather than romping around with the other pups. He is a quick learner and dedicated to his goals, but rarely smiles. His seriousness can lead him to take easy offense to things that were intended as a joke, and he can frequently come across as abrasive or over-sensitive to criticism. He has a heavy dislike of killing other animals, though he knows it is necessary to survive.

He is true to his word and rarely breaks a promise. Brambling has very little respect for any wolf who lies or manipulates others and like everything else, takes such things very seriously. Once you befriend this surly wolf, he will stick by you no matter what. You can count on his loyalty and dedication to your happiness and safety no matter what obstacles he faces. While this is good, as it means he is reliable, it can also mean uncomfortable situations in which he owes a debt to a corrupt wolf. As previously stated, he never breaks his promises, so misplaced trust could easily lead him into a bad situation.

When it comes to Brambling, everything is a procedure. He needs things to be done in a certain order and in accordance with set steps and rules. He is heavily against anything that goes against the traditional and can be quite stubborn and set in his ways. His step-by-step approach to everything, though organized and often well-thought-out, can lead to things taking a lot more time than they need to. This means that in a split-second decision situation, Brambling's logic ultimately fails.

He is very thorough and never makes hasty decisions. Regardless of the situation, he prefers to stop and think rather than leap headfirst into something that could be dangerous. He believes that any wolf who acts impulsively will not last very long in the wild, and so far he feels that he has been proven right. He is a very thoughtful wolf and will never jump to conclusions. Trust him to treat all wolves fairly, regardless of coat colour or rank.

Though he typically prefers not to work as part of a team, he is very skilled at doing so when the need arises. Brambling himself feels as if he does thing better on his own, but isn't foolish enough to refuse help when he needs it. Ultimately, Brambling is very good at co-operating with other wolves in order to achieve a goal. This is why though he prefers hunting hares and other small creatures on his own, he is perfectly capable of bringing down elk and moose as part of a pack.

There will never be a moment where Brambling would go against the laws or teachings of his pack, which includes his religious beliefs. He strongly follows their teachings that killing is wrong and so lives on a diet of scavanged meat.

## Religion

Brambling believes strongly in the teachings of the Halaya Pack, who believe that the Great Wolf Grizzledface watches all with a kind eye. Grizzledface is the deity of the Halaya Pack, a beautiful black wolf who runs among the stars. She is supposedly a giant wolf who takes upon a physical form during the full moon to hunt the giant elk that appear. It is said that the ground shakes beneath her paws and her howls are so powerful that trees collapse when she bays. Grizzledface was born when the world was only new, just after the land emerged from the saltwater and all life formed from pure white light. Grizzledface was the first to emerge from the light and all wolves are supposedly her pups. Grizzledface is the protector of the forest, a wolf with a heart for nature and a strong passion for the wolves she watches over.

The Halaya did not believe in an afterlife or in spirits. They believed that death brought finality to a wolf's life rather than reunion with Grizzledface, though she comes to comfort dying wolves when their time comes. The Halaya believed that true wisdom could be achieved by praying and communicating with Grizzledface, and that if you are patient, she will share her wisdom with you. The Halaya pack were mostly scavengers, they believed that Grizzledface was against the killing of any creatures unless the pack was completely desperate. As a result, most of the food Brambling ate was frozen and hard. They believed strongly in the unity of the pack, and that the pack matters above everything else, no matter what.

Though Grizzledface is presented as kind and gentle, many wolves fear her wrath. Some even believe that if they kill another animal without cause, the giant wolf would appear to punish them. Another thing many wolves focus on is the building of their relationship with Grizzledface, hoping to earn her praise and wisdom before their lives are over. Kindness to others is strongly encouraged, and because of the general fear of the wolf deity, many wolves who worship her are selfless and kind.

A true wolf is expected to be constant in their values and endlessly selfless. Any wolf who hoards food is considered evil, as are wolves who run from danger and wolves who are proud of their achievements. Modesty is strongly encouraged and any alternatives are considered treason to Grizzledface. Halaya wolves typically avoid eye contact, as that is seen as a challenge. The wolves are forbidden from eating male moose, as they are considered the guardians of the forest and the upholders of Grizzledface's law. Female elk are taboo food, also, for the pure reason that it is considered cowardly to target animals who are at a disadvantage. Foxes are also strictly outlawed as food, as they are considered to be evil, sly and selfish creatures and eating their flesh would corrupt the wolf who ate them.

The Halaya heavily encourage story-telling, specifically of the many adventures of Martora, Queen of wolves, and her mate River, a beautiful she-wolf who could swim like a fish. Martora's main enemies include a huge wolf named Rimbalzo, a cowardly cougar named Topo, a moose called Meas, and a foolish cow elk named Yeon. Most of their stories conclude with River coming up with a great plan and Martora carrying it out with great bravery and courage. At the end of each tale, Grizzledface appears to thank them for their courage.

During ceremonies and celebrations, the Halaya pack paint their furs different colours using various berries. Rituals usually take place at midnight and last from one to two hours! The rituals include special recitings and odd speech patterns, as well as sacred items such as coloured stones and specific movements that are considered to draw Grizzledface's attention to the ceremony.

When a wolf reaches a year old, they are promoted to a guard-type rank and are required to meditate for seven days in a quiet space. After meditating, they must pass a test of strength to prove that they are worthy in Grizzledface's eyes. The mates of wolves are decided the moment they are born by their father, though courtships are allowed if something happened to the other wolf's arranged mate. Wolves must wait until they have passed their coming-of-age ceremony before they pair up with their arranged mate. When wolves are officially paired up, they must bring gifts of food to eachother, often scavenged.

When a wolf dies, a ceremony will be held where all wolves will be expected to speak about the wolf lost. A sacrifice of a baby elk, a cow calf or a coyote may be carried out and the blood spilled splashed over the body.

## History

Brambling was born just as the snow began to melt, in a den burrowed beneath the roots of a tree. His mother was forbidden from having pups, as Halaya wolves have a strict law that wolves must have permission from their Alpha before they attempt to have pups. As a result, Fire was forced to travel away from the pack territory in order to give birth. Ashamed by her treachery, she gave birth alone in the snowmelt, threatened at all sides by hungry coyotes and sly foxes. Kite, the father of the pups, stood guard outside the den, trying to protect them. The Alpha male of the Halaya, Cirera, got wind that two of his wolves had fled the territory. He sent a group of wolves to confront the runaway pair, only to discover that they had pups in secret. Cirera was shocked by the discovery, and ordered the family to be returned to the pack.

As punishment, Cirera outlawed both Fire and Kite, and told them that they could ever return to the Halaya lands. When Fire asked what would happen to her pups, Cirera promised that they would be kept safe by the pack, and should not be punished for the sins of their parents. He decreed that his mate, Turtlespots, would raise them as her own.

And so Brambling was raised believing that Cirera and Turtlespots were his parents. He only discovered the truth much, much later, when Turtlespots decided to tell him what had happened to his biological parents. Brambling wasn't too affected by the truth, It was Russet who was hurt the most by this revelation.

Brambling grew up to realize that pack life was too restricting for him, and currently wanders the valley as a loner, scavenging whatever he can scrounge up.