"All that we are, is a result of what we have thought,"
"Unlike most, my name holds no specific meaning, however... that means so much more to me. I can give meaning and life to my name through my character... though there are times I wish I could seek insight from it."
Personality ;;
Outwardly- Aeyris has all the characteristics of your average cub- hyperactive and bubbling with questions. She doesn't like taking no as an answer, and can be very persistent (read; stubborn) in her attempts to help those who need it, even if that means sticking her nose where it doesn't belong. She's very passionate about everything she does- giving it her all, which can seriously hurt her if she's never taken care of in return, though she'll never admit it. But with time, she's more than forgiving, as she cares more about making those around her smile at any chance possible. Inside, Aeyris is an older soul who is troubled by all the chaos that's happening to her home. She's perceptive and more than aware things are not how they should be, despite never having a 'normal' to refer to. And though she's never told directly what's happening, she listens and reads between the lines to piece together things that she's never meant to know, and as a result she carries a heavy anxiety under the surface. She's a good judge of character, and won't let these true thoughts be known to just anyone though. She's never had a childhood- her first one was ripped away from her cruelly and her second chance thrust her right back into havoc. Subconsciously she makes up for this by acting out sometimes, being too reckless in a way she's not known for. She blames it on following her instinct, but sometimes it really bites her. With time, those in the Pride accept her as being more than a cub. They treat her as an adult, finally informing her about what is going on. It easily overwhelms her at first, but it only strengthens her resolve to mend the broken souls she encounters. She does this in any way she can- from knowing when to back down to providing a distraction for troubled minds. She's learned her way around the emotional aspect of healing, and frequents those who are in mourning, stand alone, or those who just need a friendly face and someone willing to listen. |
Likes ;;
Deeper Meanings // Aeyris is always on the lookout for hidden meanings in things- some kind of reassurance that she's doing what's best or that she didn't just make a horrible mistake. She knows looking might just be in vain, but she'll never stop.
The Sky // And everything in it- she'll watch changing weather for hours: it's perhaps the only topic she can truly devote 100% of her attention to when all else fails. Stories // Her greatest weakness- Aeyris falls fast for listening (and telling) stories. She's got a gift for making them seem almost.. too real. She takes every chance she can to tell stories to anyone who's willing to listen. |
Quirks ;;
Aeyris has quite a few odd quirks, and while most of them are endearing, some of them are a bit... questionable. She, for instance, has a quirky, lopsided smile, and while most of the time she'll carry her sacred black feather around in her mouth, or tucked between her own feathers, she may balance it on her head or on the top of her paw, and walk around trying to see how long it takes before someone mentions it. She carries that feather basically everywhere, so most of the time others ignore her playful yet obnoxious games with it. When Aeyris is unable to voice with words how she feels, she'll give many unspoken signals- her ears twitching if she's listening, or her shuffling paws which mean she's anxious and trying to figure out how to word something possibly negative. These are just a few, but this cub has many subconscious ways to express her thoughts. |
Dislikes ;;
Large Bodies of Water // Small streams, rivers or nooks are alright for this cub, but the second her paws reach the uncomfortable reality of the sand bordering anything bigger and Aeyris is filled with a sudden, desperate need to get as far away as she can. This cub will be reduced to a shaking, curled up ball when she remembers what drowning felt like. What so many of those lions experienced in those last moments at the lake.
Hypocrisy // Aeyris is all but aware of lions doing exactly what they shun, and each and every time it happens, she bites her tongue to stop from pointing out the irony of the situation since it truly frustrates her. She'll avoid lions who practice the art as much as possible because its one trait that she truly can't stand. |
Aeyris takes great pride in her element and wields it masterfully though she is young. She puts most of her time into working with and developing her power over sound. She uses sound all the time, whether it be to mask her steps or practice with Inna- and she feels it is a vital part of what makes her... her. As such she has a deep connection with it, and she'd chose no other element if the choice was given.
Like most, Aeyris no longer sees flight as much as it's own element anymore (though she'd go crazy if she couldn't fly) but despite this she uses her wings as a weapon like any other element, which works great for defensive movements. Flight;;
Whisk- Using her wings and whipping them forward, she sends a large amount of air rushing at an enemy. Used mostly at close-range since the air doesn't travel far. Knock Back- Exactly as it sounds, Aeyris uses her wings as both a shield and to knock unsuspecting lions over. For once, clumsiness is an advantage! Startle - Extending her wings to their full lengths within a half second or less.. it can be startling. Not really an attack move, mainly a defense-- but she uses it to play with the cubs |
Sound;;
Mask - Aeyris can use her element so that any sound she makes- or another- is muted. At night, she's practically invisible. Pulse - This sends sound waves, acting much like pulses, through any medium. The sound waves can slam into objects with great power and can disorientate. Feint - The (near) opposite of mask, Aeyris can create 'movement' with her sound wherever she pleases, a good distraction and more than convincing Frequency - Her jack-of-all-trades, she can create high or low frequencies to harm or use as echolocation within the dark. |
Views Towards the War ;;
Aeyris could care less about the ideals each side is fighting desperately to uphold. That doesn't mean she's indifferent to the war: she's more than aware how each side is getting more and more reckless with their attacks, and the silent effect that has on the lions all across the planet. War has a monstrous affect on the lives of lions- first uprooting their sense of security and then stealing too many lives, leaving only the battered and broken behind. Aeyris wouldn't participate in the war at all if she had a choice, but in the Pride, the war had become a way of life. If she fights for anything - it is an end to the war dividing them.
The war should have ended within months of it beginning, but it's been dragged on for so long Aeyris can scarcely see the end of it all despite wishing desperately for it. |
The Pride ;; In the very beginning, Aeyris was indifferent- almost afraid- towards the Pride. They treated her differently. Not in a harsh way, but it still had it's effect: Aeyris was seldom her bright personality in the first year she spent in the Pride's territory, save for the time she spent around the Pride's cubs. Her views of course have changed and she now feels a sense of loyalty towards the lions whom she lives among.
jThe Rebels ;; Aeyris has seldom run into Rebels, besides the spies she sees sniffing about along the borders. The encounters she has had, however, have instilled a deep fear. Each and every time these encounters have ended with Aeyris only narrowly escaping, leaving her shaking and nervous for days afterward. As such she feels a growing deep anger and shock at the ways of the the Rebels, despite her many attempts to look at the individuals within instead of the group as a whole. If she remembered her past, she'd be far less tolerant of the cowards that crowd their ranks. Luckily for them, she doesn't.
The Oasis ;; The Oasis is just a myth told to cubs, she knows better than to believe in it. Or.. is that changing?
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History ;;
"I have.. a single whole memory from before."
The words came out more desolate than the cub had been expecting, and she frowned, brows knitted apologetically. She gives a tiny smile to show she wasn't being dramatic on purpose- just trying to push past the lump that grew every time she thought of her past and what she was missing. "It's of the day I met my fate. It's also the only memory that isn't just bits and pieces." |
// Before (Part One) //
Today was the day. My whole body thrummed with an anxious energy as I walked. Today was the day I was finally going to see the lake, the one place I've been told about since I could barely walk, yet always prevented from seeing. And, I had begged for my sister to let me see her fly, which she reluctantly agreed to. I guess.. I was jealous. She walked ahead of me in graceful strides, practically glowing and as always, in a bright mood. Taysha- she didn't understand. I had crippled myself in a stupid accident when I was young, and since the bones in my ankles had never truly healed properly I was left with a heavy limp that the healers in our pride were unable to fix. There had been too much time between our family's beginnings in the Unknown Lands and our welcome; it was too damaged to fix. Usually I didn't mind the looks the other cubs gave me for it because maybe they didn't hail from a similar circumstance like me. Maybe all they knew was the easier life of this pride. But looking at Taysha ahead of me, negative feelings pulled at my heart. Enough of that. Crouching low to the ground, I was silent. The moment Taysha turned to check on me- I was already airborne. My paws collided with her shoulder, and with a playful shriek we were sent rolling. We were near the cliff of the lake, so we stopped rolling and instead resorted to batting at each other. I would have been outmatched for Taysha, who was dancing around me, but I placed my glancing blows carefully, always hitting the mark. One of my swipes dislodged a feather from her wing, and we both graciously accepted the distraction to regain our breath. The beautiful dark feather sunk lower and lower.. twisting in the air before it sunk out of view. I'd have to step closer to the edge to see whether it touched the lake or not. Glancing back at Taysha, she nodded. A strange sense of.. anxiety englulfed me. This was it, the source of so many legends and stories. Many had attempted to describe it to me but none had even come close to the sight. It was turquoise near the shallows, a shining, brilliant color I had only seen on gemstones that was just as reflective. Farther out, it grew darker, hinting at the depths no lion alive had ever known. Yet looking at it long enough, I wondered faintly if the twirling shapes in the darkness could be exactly that- the shapes of lions twisting under the surface.
"I uh, I've already seen it, Aris."
At first I stared at her with confusion. She had been so excited before, so why now was she reluctant? I started moving towards her just as an unfamiliar shape slid into existence. Several unfamiliar shapes. The largest of whom, drew forward with a nasty snarl on his features, eyes glinting with excitement. "Oooo," He cooed, brushing past my sister, who flinched involuntarily. "A winger who's afraid of heights? How.. unfortunate." His voice was ice. "And you- the cub. I remember you." His gaze slid to me, and my heart dropped in fear. He remembered. "You both chose to escape with your coward of a father, raiding our supplies as a good-bye gift. Luckily I eliminated one of three." A faint smile played upon his muzzle. Disgust welled up in my heart, and a fierce, burning hatred I had felt for nothing else in the world nearly burned me alive. I was already about to open my mouth when Taysha beat me to it. "You're the coward!" Her whole posture was stiff, and if it weren't for the other lions accompanying him, she looked like she would have tore him apart. "You're the one who-" He began clicking his tongue, shaking his head lazily back and forth "Oh yes, I know. Many horrible things. Oh how the lions preach about my evil. Bores me to death." "Speaking of," The breeze began roaring, become not just a natural phenomenon but something stronger. With a sinking feeling, I realized just who was before me. Merikh. The air elemental. He shot forwards towards me faster than I could react, claws out and ready to tear me apart. But they reached my sister first. Taysha was blown backwards by the attack. Too late I realized that she was being blown too far. She disappeared over the edge. I jumped forward, ready to follow after her, but the unfamiliar lions accompanying Merikh held me back, covering my eyes. Bindings bit into my flesh, but I still fought even though I knew it was useless. They were adults, I was crippled. Still, I yelled for my sister, who I realized too late why she wouldn't near the edge of the cliff- she had never learned to fly. That was why she was afraid of heights. I never heard her answer my cries. // Before (Part Two) //
It was dark, and crowded when I opened my eyes. The first thing that hit me was the smell. It was the scent of fear, and I realized dumbly that I was being carried on someone's shoulders. I tried to move off- but my body only half responded, letting me hit the dirt with a solid thud. "Ohh, little one I'm so sor-" The male turns, and I scoot back in fear. I hit another lion’s paws and received a deep growl from a lion dressed in armor. Armor..? The male who had been carrying me before quickly helped me to my paws. His kindness is the only thing I care about in the face of my slowly overwhelming panic, and I quickly meld to his side. As he ushers me gently through the herd of lions with bent backs and sorrowful eyes, I don't notice that he has purposely moved us away from the edges, towards the center of the crowd to disappear among the rest. Only then does he tilt his head, ready for my questions. "My sister- my sister Taysha. She looks like me, but with wings- have you seen her? Please tell me-" The lion stops me with a quiet shush, eyes roaming once again to the lions that roam about in armor. The air grows thick with silence every time we near them. "No, I'm sorry. I've kept an eye out but.. no one like you." "Do you know where we're going? Why am I here?" He hesitates, falters in his stride. His eyes roam over my face for just a moment, uncertain what to say. "You don't even...? Oh little one, you should not be here." He hasn't told me anything I don't already know. "This is punishment. I lost my own cubs." His mouth opens and shuts- fumbling for what else to say to me. But in the end he closes it, and we keep walking forward. My mind is still too muddled to make out why I was still alive, how I had gotten here. Where my sister was- though I thought that was an answer I didn't want to face. So I keep quiet and in pace as much as possible with this lion. He slows every so often, increasingly more so as my leg begins to spasm and ache with pain. He doesn't say anything else, but he doesn't push me away, glances back every so often to make sure I'm near. I was certain this was Merikh's doing. Suddenly, the lions ahead of us pull back in alarm. I hear several shouts and a few whimpers of distress. Are there other cubs here too? I try to push forward to see if I can catch a glimpse, but stop after I see one or two other small forms. ‘How and.. why? Why are you here?’ The guards begin to push forward, shoving us all together. The air is heavy with panic, the contagious sort that spreads wildly. I begin shaking even though every ounce of me is still reeling in confusion. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot the reason for all of this. Merikh, standing safely a dozen yard away. He's grinning with pure undiluted delight at us here, struggling. For the thousandth time that I've seen this lion, my stomach churns in disgust. I don't have time to focus on Merikh however, I need to make sure I'm not trampled by the adults around me. I’m harshly shoved to my paws, sent tripping over and between bodies on every side. It’s then I realize the source of the pandemonium. The lake. Another shove. The cries are becoming louder now, and lions are trying to escape through the guards, only to be brutally pushed back with claws and elements. Everyone is shouting now, and I shrink into a ball, shaking like a leaf. I want Taysha here beside me, to whisper sweet words of comfort. She was good at being there. Why isn't she here? Where had that lion gone? We had never even shared names, though I shouted desperately for him, until a heavy smack to the face winded me, sending me stumbling back with the taste of blood in my mouth. It's inevitable, my reaching of the lake. I hadn't been expecting the waves of pain that spasmed through my very core, however. It was a sharp, biting pain that seemed to turn my limbs into jelly. Every single nerve in my body was screaming, this is not right. Water shouldn't burn. It doesn't matter. Because before I know it, I'm drowning. I kick feebly to keep myself afloat, but I'm already sinking farther than I know I can swim. Everything hurts. And when I can't hold my breath any longer I'm choking on the water that invades my lungs. I open my eyes- when had I even closed them?- and everywhere I see sinking bodies. Bodies, I realize numbly, my brain echoing what I see to try and make sense of it all. But this is senseless- all I can feel is the waves of pain washing over me. I'm ready to sink too, I think. I hear words, mumbled in my ear. They're softly spoken, and muffled by the water. But I know the voice as well as I know my own. Taysha. I struggle wildly, trying to open my eyes against the stinging of the water. All I want is to see her. Tell her I'm sorry, that we should head back home and visit the lake another day. I make out the sight of a wing brushing past my face. Her dark feathers are soft and dry, which should be impossible, but all I do is surge towards her, reaching out. But only a single claw grasps one of her feathers. She's real, she's here. I open my mouth to say something- anything that I'm thinking- but the water comes rushing in and before I realize it, I'm choking. "Close your eyes, little sister. It will be okay." |
"After I came out of the lake, everything was strange- foreign and yet so very similar.
I didn't yet realize I was in an entirely different world. But I was alive and breathing, even if I had fought for every breath I now took. I refused to be paralyzed with fear because I had won." |
The Awakening;
Panic is the first real thing I experience. At first it is muted by the drowsiness of something like sleep. Or something closer to confusion- I can't tell where I am, but it's dark and I'm floating. It's almost like safety but something feels horribly wrong, and then I'm quickly aroused by this panic that overwhelms me, and shortly after the pain. I'm burning; from the inside out, like a star about to explode. One moment I will be here and the next I'll be gone- and I open my mouth to cry out. Bubbles emerge, and they float upwards- upwards, I realize. And instinctively I start kicking out. I flail wildly against the current, following the tiny air bubbles like a path to safety, even as I'm dragged down by my fur. Hundreds of lions are beneath me, behind me, above me, each trying to grasp me and where they succeed I falter. I feel their shallow anger rise like bile in my mouth- they despised me for even trying to reach the surface. And slowly, they're winning. I'm trying my best, but my limbs grow weaker with every kick, and the dead weight of the souls around my legs is impossible to fight against. I'm sinking further than I can rise, I realize. I close my eyes to the sight, unwilling to face the reality that I cannot fight the inevitable. |
Relationships ;;
// Inna // Owned by Nizo // Aeyris adore this lion, and she's become close to him. His soft tone and kind words immediately left an impact on her and as such he was assigned to be her mentor. She knows many cubs and even adults have fond memories with their trainers, but Aeyris often jokes that his patience with her was unending, so she's inclined to return the favor as often as she can. She trusts Inna, and will often confide in him for any reason. She knows he's a lion who will take action when needed but not endanger anyone without reason.
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tba (hmu if you've got a lion who you're interested in her knowing! she needs more relationships <3)
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tba
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Gallery ;;