Calia and River

[Lily]

Er...I'll probably do this, in general, before she travels to the Varden.

Name: Calia [Salvora]
Race: Human
Age: 18

Appearance:

Still quite young, Calia has a lot of youth to her appearance, especially her face. When you look at Calia, the first thing you would notice about her is her hair. Her once beautiful blonde hair had grown messy and wild with twigs and leaves, and she rarely brushes it out - if she does it is with her fingers. Calia tends to stand out a lot in a group, especially after her years in the Spine. Her eyes evolved over time to change their look, not colour. They hold an awareness that most don't possess and are a startling blue. They also hold a mysteriousness; as if she has gone through some terrible ordeal that none but her should know about. If you saw Calia now, and was her childhood friend years ago, you might not recognize her or think she is a changed person, whether good or bad, you wouldn't know at first.

Carrying simply a bow and quiver and a small dagger, Calia is accustomed to using only what she has and what the forest offers and improvise if needed.

Personality:

When you meet this young girl, you instantly want to know more about her. Her personality at first seems to be distant as if she is in another realm; one you cannot reach. She is always slipping away, preferring to avoid human company and stay only with River. Isolation does not seem to bother her, but being without River can send her into dismay. If ever Calia came across humans before, she would have tried discreetly to go in the opposite direction. However, if they posed a threat to her or River she would confront with bow at the ready. But after a certain encounter with a man she knew only as 'Soleus', Calia began to watch the stranger for a while before leaving. Calia seems to, everyday, become more interested in other human beings.

Quick to react rashly, and slow to have platonic feelings for someone, Calia likes the company of River. Always, the werecat's emotions seem alien, but perfect for Calia to interact with. The cat seems to fit in perfectly with Calia's lifestyle, and Calia loves her more than anyone she has ever known or will know. River alone seems to understand Calia's strange habit to avoid company and her sometimes snappish or mysterious sad moods.

History:

Calia was raised in the Palancar Valley, brought up by a man probably in his late forties. He was, compared to most caregivers, a good stand-in parent, and she only ever knew him by Mr. Salvora hence her 'last name' but she never addressed him like this. Calia never knew who her parents were or how they had disappeared. She only knew that she was raised by an anonymous storyteller. And stories he did tell! When she turned five, he began to recount the old days, the Rise and the Fall of the great and mighty Riders and their magnificent dragons. Then, he began telling her of an evil man called Galbatorix, killing Riders here and there, and after destroying their leader, crowning himself king over Alagaësia. Back then, Calia did not believe she would have anything to do with the war of Alagaësia. Then, the man began telling her of the force called the 'Varden' rising up to meet Galbatorix, intending to strike him down from the throne, and take power for themselves. He reminded Calia - sometimes not very nicely - that neither were right, and until both forces killed themselves at war, he would never be content with the world. Calia held onto these stories.

Yet this somewhat 'happy' childhood didn't last very long. When Calia was ten, the man decided she was more than she was worth and handed her over to another man who desired to use her for nothing more than slavery. Being as young as she was, she hardly understood why she was being treated the way she was. But as the years passed and the cruel treatment worsened, she found out that she could do something about it. When she turned fourteen, she ran away. For a day, she was chased through the forests of the Spine by her owner and several dogs. They gave up chase unwillingly when she got deeper into the never-ending forest.

For the first few days, she wandered around, living off what she could find. At last, she realized that this might be where she lived until the end of her days. After all, she couldn't go back to her so called home. As the months went by, she adapted better to her environment and although she frequently moved to different parts of the forest depending on the season, she had discovered how to survive. Even though she was never content alone, she had toughened out the cruelty of the wilderness.

One night, she was scavenging along a river running through the Spine and connecting off of the Ramr when she came across what appeared at first as a young cat. Taking it back to her shelter with her, Calia slowly began to form a friendship with it, naming it River. The two shared many memorable days together, helping each other out, and with this discovery, Calia overcame her loneliness. She had made her first friend. Only recently, with the meeting of the man Taraak, she discovered that River was not an ordinary cat but in fact a werecat of legend. As of late, Calia's opinions about the Varden and the Empire both being evil have changed enough for her to seek a new lifestyle, different from the one she has lead all these years...

---

Name: River
Race: Werecat
Age: Unknown. Although Calia guesses she is around ten, she is older than she appears.

Appearance:

River is a medium sized, soft gray tabby-looking cat with a white belly and paws. For several years now, she has been mistaken for a normal cat with normal qualities. River, unlike other werecats, can easily slip into the full character of a regular cat, so can disguise herself quite easily. Also, she can stay as a cat for long periods of time although she likes being a human as well to fit in more with civilizations.

Her face is the most intriguing thing about her. River's eyes are a soft blue, like the late afternoon sky with a ring of magenta circling it. They are piercing and, if she looks at you long enough, it is like she is gazing into your heart. Yet, she has a gentleness about her, and a loyalty that most unallied werecats lack. Her eyes also change depending on her mood, flashing when she is angry and shining when she is happy. Her body was built for the forest in which she lives. She is lithe and sleek, being able to slip through tight areas and jump gracefully onto high levels. River is also equipped well for the water, although she has never revealed that trait to her human companion, Calia.

As a human, River resembles a sort of wild princess. She has long, ebony hair that flows to her waist, but the same eyes. Always the same eyes. Her front teeth are slightly pointed which is the only thing that gives away her true identity. Because of her mermaid-like features, she is sometimes called 'Adurna' which means 'water' by forest animals. As a human, she can easily abandon her cat form traits and unless you notice her mouth and eyes, can be mistaken for an actual human being.

Personality:

For about two years since Calia found her, River has concealed herself away. She hid every werecat instinct from her friend. Her mental communication abilities, her shape-shifting, her love for water and lastly some of her personality. Sometimes, she acted a little too intelligent and knowing for a normal cat, but of course Calia never suspected anything. Yet behind all that grooming, hunter, and the cat senses, River is a totally different creature.

For once, she is actually very social. Like almost all werecats, she may only communicate telepathically. She can prevent people from viewing her mind, and can probe other's minds in a polite manner unless they are heavily shielded. Unlike Riders and dragons, she does not have the technique to force her way into unwilling consciouses. Yet because she can speak mentally and only because of that, she is like a dragon. Unlike the mythical race, she does not have inherited knowledge from older generations. She can talk with forest animals, and other creatures alike. Even in her human form, River can only talk in people's conscious.

River is normally very quiet, which was fortunate when Calia came across her. River is good at hiding emotions, and secrets with which she is charged. She can also prevent her mind from slipping, and can stay in cat form without getting restless. Unlike Solembum and Angela, she cannot predict the future nor can she give any fate-changing advice although she is very wise. Like the race of dragons, she is wise beyond human brains, but unlike them, she has not witnessed times of old passed down to her by ancestors.

History:

River's birth was not an important fact of her life, nor was it a major part of living. She was just...born. She was left alone from there, and she forgot most of her childhood encounters excluding a few confrontations by other werecats or long-gone dragons.

A major part of her life was meeting and bonding with Calia Salvora. River had been roaming alone for years, meeting with whom she would and dealing with situations as only werecats could come across. She enjoyed talking with birds in particular because she was 'land-bound' while they were 'sky-bound.' She would also talk with horses, or dragons at any chance she got. However, she stayed solo until that fateful day brought her and Calia together...

River was traveling Alagaësia, exploring the wild parts of the country. She had so far been to Du Weldenvarden, but yearned for more wildlife, and left forever. Or so she wanted. On the banks of the Ramr River, she came across a dead werecat, slain by an evil spirit. Overcome by grief and rage, River curled up by the cat to keep vigil. She was still fairly young then, and so was quite small.

River awoke to a strange noise in the forest, and lifted her head, letting out a mew. In dangerous situations, River would merely imitate an ordinary cat so the enemy would pass her by. But this turned out different. A young teenager stepped from the trees and, the moment she saw River, she brightened. Running over, she scooped up River in her arms and swept her away. River probed her mind discreetly, and found no threat in this new person, only pure joy and pity. She decided not to reveal herself, and settled in with the girl, living with her for many years.

However, the girl's suspicions arose of the Spine when a mysterious man came wandering through the Spine, chased by men who seemed intent on killing him. New secrets began spilling to Calia. River wondered if this was the time to reveal what she had kept hidden for years...
She first decided to reveal her identity when they met up with a man who called himself 'Soleus'. She felt it was the right time, since she had a feeling something was about to change and Calia should know.

Roleplaying Example

See Beneath the Foliage, Secrets Lie

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[Angmor]

Accepted!