Cicero

Hekate (Sister)

Enyo, Kronos, and Deimos (Siblings, NPCs)

Dante, Damien, Vergil, Orpheus, Phaeton, and Thanatos (Nephews)

Persephone, Ravka, Helh, Hestia, and Epione (Nieces)

## Application Sheet

Cicero was a red-furred wolf who served as one of Vektren's highest-ranking Shades. He was the brother of the mistress Hekate, and uncle to her numerous children - though he only ever met three: Dante, Damien, and Vergil. He left the Domain on a mission to recover his memory, with another wolf suffering memory-loss named Valencia, and hasn't been seen since. He was created and RP'd by data-bull.

## Personality

* ***Incisive, Passionate, Resolute, Intense, Cautious, and Intelligent.*** A wolf of astute wit, Cicero has always possessed an advanced ability to read those around him. With renewed vim and vigor he has devoted himself to Vektren, and he will not be swayed from the path he has chosen. The aura he exudes is one of silent pressure. Though his actions may seem harmless, the workings of his mind match those of his body—sharp as a whip, his snakes' coils are tightly wound. Past experience has taught him to remain aloof when possible; he avoids making relationships personal, and trusts very few.
* ***Charismatic, Assertive, Competitive, and Articulate.*** Though he has become a polarizing figure, few can deny an inexplicable attraction towards Cicero exists. Life alone has taught him to take what he wants, regardless of the consequences others might suffer. And while he may have little care for the actions of strangers, he is surprisingly ruffled by the success of wolves he considers peers. Still, he is a wolf who wars with his words—they are his weapon of choice, and he is no amateur.
* ***Merciless, Unapologetic, Manipulative, Self-centered, Arrogant, Vengeful, Aggressive, Condescending.*** Looking out for number one comes naturally to him; he has always put himself first, and done as he pleases to attain that which he desires. Cicero's methods are cruel, as he's willing to stoop as low as is necessary. Confident enough to see his plans through, he thinks highly of himself and looks down on all who oppose him. In general he is calm around others, however when challenged he becomes possessed with the rage and ferocity of a serpent.

## Pre-Group History

Cicero cares little for the nature of his origins, though they are important nonetheless. Son of Norah and Kolju who lived within the original Vektren, he and his sister, Hekate, were born beneath a darkened star. The pack clung to the whims of their neighbors, carrying out others' deeds to keep themselves fed—it was only a matter of time before their actions warranted recourse. Rabies was spread among them; taken as an act of Xibalten, the wolves accepted their fate. Norah was infected, though she would not succumb until her pups entered the world.

When the strain on the she-wolf's mind and body had become inconsolable, she lashed out; attacking her mate and litter, Kolju managed to protect two of their offspring. Both parents passed from their injuries, and Vektren's alpha was able to retrieve Hekate. Cicero, however, was captured by the pack that had orchestrated the cult's downfall. They took him as penance, believing that his survival would protect them from the wrath of Vektren's gods. He grew as an outcast among wolves who viewed him with fear and disgust. Given a slave name that he dare not repeat, he was barely able to survive on the 'charity' provided to him.

Living in such a negative environment took a toll on Cicero's psyche. His resentment for the pack that kept him prisoner turned to hatred. Seething in his own rage, he was taken suddenly by the force of some entity, the nature of which he didn't fully understand. It welded his anger into a weapon and helped him turn it on his oppressors, tearing them apart. The words left on the tongues of his victims spoke of Vektren's return.

Traveling a great distance following the trail of rumors and mysteries surrounding this reborn Vektren, Cicero found himself running about in circles. He slipped in and out of different pack territories, took mates and abandoned them. Desperately trying to find a place where he could belong, the wolf desperately sought to fill the void that grew inside him. Befriending other wolves, groups small and large, he integrated himself into their families only to realize it did not satiate his loneliness. He was always the outsider. No matter who was with him, the hole in his heart couldn't be filled.

The constant movement and isolation shaped him into a cold, calculated adult who cared little for anyone or anything except his end goal: he was going to find the new Vektren, and join them. On the way he met Blue and she supplemented his need for companionship. They traveled together in mutual understanding—it was beneficial for them both, and the friendship that formed, genuine. He was begrudgingly content, until a fire ripped them apart. Escaping into a river, he believed Blue to be dead and proceeded without her into the domain.

## Group History

He found Hekate and instantly trusted her with everything he had. She was going to rebuild their pack - he was going to help her. Along the way, he (and a few others) joined her in forming Vektren in the Domain. Finally having rejoined Vektren, Cicero set to work honing his profiling and stealth skills. He traveled towards the Havirian border to scope it out, when he encountered Nadina. Nadina was determined to defend the borders, but, upon deciding that Cicero wasn't a threat, she didn't harm him - the pair shared some personal information before parting ways.

In Vektren, he sought to weave a web of connections. He approached one of the Enforcers, Daithi, to become his right-hand man - the muscle to serve his brains. Daithi agreed - for the time. Cicero helped to control his rage when he was upset. He worked hard to form these connections, seeking loyalty from wolves like Ragweed, and making some enemies of more...*difficult* packmates, like Jerikoh (who he tricked into falling into the Pits).

Cicero had some difficulty adjusting to pack life, and often skirted around the borders. This was where he met the ex-prince of Highvalley, Klaus. He demanded an audience with Hekate, and Cicero was willing to do so...perhaps hoping to gain another ally. Much to Klaus's distaste, Cicero insisted on calling him "Crook-nose." He confronted Imperia about the fact that she *warned* Klaus not to join, but didn't reveal her secret or punish her, wishing for her to be in his good graces.

Little did he know, at the time, that he was about to be reunited with a long-lost friend. A she-wolf, Octavia, was found near the border, where she'd been brutally attacked by Kaiser. Hekate approached her and ordered her subservience, in life or death, and Octavia passed out from her injuries, believing that she saw a vision of Sinisteros. When she had recovered her senses, she was shocked to meet Cicero. Their reunion was strained - each claiming to have searched for the other, but been unable to find them. She was upset to be held in Vektren - upset that Cicero couldn't use his influence as the alpha's brother to help her get out. They parted ways with strained pain between them.

Cicero would become an uncle before long. Hekate bore three pups with Andras, and Cicero was officially uncle to Dante, Damien, and Vergil. He set about manipulating the young princes, particularly the smallest, Damien. It wouldn't work, though - Damien was too loyal to his mother to be persuaded to favor his uncle over her.

His manipulations would be put on pause, though. Something was very, *very* wrong with Cicero. He began to realize that he was losing memories - names, faces of wolves like past partners and mates...they would flit through his mind, but he couldn't recall certain things. In a panic, he began to ponder the best way to overcome his struggles with memory. He encountered a she-wolf at the border - an Arynian named Valencia. She came calling for Vektren's services, to help her find her memory. Cicero, also interested in finding help with memories, left the Domain with her, seeking the same thing. They haven't returned since.

## Trivia

* Cicero is often compared to a reptile - without fat, just lean muscle and a lean, liquid frame.
* He was given his name by his sister Hekate - he shed his slave name upon arriving in Vektren, and didn't use the alias of Red unless he was on missions. However, when he left the Domain to find his memory, he took to using his slave name once again.
* Following his departure from the domain, Cicero (under another name) explored the lands to the west. He managed to recover the memories he'd lost, though he promptly buried them deep within his heart. Returning Valencia to her homeland, the call of Vektren reached him once more. And so, he began the journey home, though he never reached it. It is unknown what has become of the snake.
* While his sexuality is unknown, he has been attracted to Daithi and Ragweed, and previously had female mates.

## Quotes

* "We have received her summons and await the opportune time to converge on this domain. We will raze everything to the ground." (to Adrian, about the reforming of Vektren, *A Penny for Your Thoughts*)
* "Hm...I suppose it's because I'm worried. Worried that if I embrace the new name, I'll change. Names hold power, and they're part of who you are. When I didn't have one, I could become whoever I needed to be for survival, but now...Red really wasn't supposed to be a name either. It was something a traveling companion called me because... I didn't have one. I denounced my slave name when I escaped from the pack who kept me prisoner." (to Nadina, *Stranger Things*)

## External Links

* Official Application Sheet
* data-bull's deviantART Gallery