Roskel

"Deep down, you know you weren’t built for fighting
But that doesn’t mean you’re not prepared to try
What they don’t know is your real advantage:
When you live for someone, you’re prepared to die"

she/her | wanderer

Roskel gave everything for her pack. She hunted and fought for them, bore children (whom she ruefully outlived) for them, killed and would've died for them. All her life she was utterly devoted.

She lost her firstborn before he'd even earned his name, at the claws of a furious guardian. She almost took the life of his only daughter in return, but only managed to leave a gash in the young guardian's shoulder. He protected her so she could flee, and Roskel never caught her--though the elder guardian lost his life to one of Roskel's packmates, and almost seemed resigned to it. To Roskel, his death almost seemed merciful compared to the pain of her loss.

She was forced to move on. She would bear more children, children she continued to outlive. She met a beautiful tundra with stars in her fur who eased the pain of it all, but lost her too--it seemed Roskel was doomed to lose everyone she cared for.

Her pack was overtaken by a newcomer--he was young and strong, not to mention handsome, with a hide that glittered like stars, like Moonbeam's fur had. He charmed her, and she once again had a nest. Two beautiful children, a sweet son and a strong daughter, and despite everything, she became attached.

And then her son was cast out for showing weakness--refusing to harm a lone tundra from a peaceful clan. For defending him, so was she. Her final words to the pack she had once dedicated herself entirely to were denouncing them for being so willing to turn on her after all this time and everything she'd sacrificed for them, and on her flesh and blood.

She tried to convince her daughter to join them in leaving, but her daughter refused. Though she didn't turn her back on her mother and brother completely--in private, she caught prey for them, as a final offering to give them strength. As much as Roskel wished her daughter would join them, she was grateful for that, and wished her the best.