[EVENT] Living Memories || A Moongate Pup Contest!

[Shia bean]

Quote:
This here is a contest for two youngsters born into a rather unfortunate family dynamic. Joy Departed and the late Cloud by Night have given birth to a litter of six pups with four males and two females. I'll be keeping this short and sweet, but the drama here is leagues deep and I'm going to be a bit picky about the outcome of the contest.



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A lot of the Moongate information is being reworked, but please take a peek so you can get a feel for the environment!



Starts: 8/20
Ends: 9/1


Rules:
• Anyone can enter!
• You may enter for both but can only win one.
• Pups must remain in the Moongate until they are adults.
• Participants should enter knowing they are active within the shop and will make an attempt to RP and/or create head canons/plots/flings (non-RP things but still things you can do with your characters!)
• Read over the history bullet points to make sure you understand the family dynamic you're entering.
• I reserve the right to close the contest without choosing a winner from it.

 

[Shia bean]

Family


• Ashfall | [Adopted sister] | [Alive] | [Ars]
• Silver Lining | [Sister] | [Alive] | [Zing]
• Six Feet Under | [Sister] | [Alive] [Nym]
• Rain Streaked Cloud | [Brother] | [Alive] | [Mosh]
• Phantom Pain | [Brother] | [Alive] | [Shia]
• Joy Division | [Sister] | [Alive] | [Dani]




Cloud by Night
[Father] | [Deceased (at the time of his pups birth)]

Personality: Devoted to showing strength and protecting pack. Is hard on self, and equally hard on children. Neglects relationships that are not elevating in status or built upon mutual strength. Is particularly neglectful of his mate, prizing pack and children over her. Admires alpha greatly. Admires and envies captains. Aspires to ‘level up’ but has consistently been overlooked, likely from an endured injury that left permanent scarring and stiffness in back right knee. Is bitter about it. Takes out frustrations on family and other warriors. Expects a lot. Is easily disappointed

History: OG Moongate kid. Watched Black Forest rise to power and was always in support of his reign. Sustained injuries during the skirmish that have left permanent scarring and a stiffness in his back right knee. He expected to be promoted to captain upon the overthrow, but was overlooked. He is bitter about it. Made the mistake of capturing a rogue female to be his mate. She came with two young pups from an old pack, which he attempted to kill but was thwarted. Together they've attempted to breed multiple times but have only had one successful go at it, with one surviving child as a result. He always wanted a son...

Note: Joy Departed will make sure his children know just how incredible he was. She will oversell his accomplishments, make those who underestimated him sound foolish, and overall be the best wife even after his demise.









Joy Departed
[Mother] | [Alive]

Personality: wildly devoted to pack, mate, and children. Was captured in her late adolescence and forced into packs ranks. To some degree brainwashed, but willingly went along with it; seduced by power. Paired with mate not by her own choosing. Trained for combat but prefers not to fight, is sneaky and impish strategically. Soft spoken, slightly neurotic, possess a back bone when in direct defense of her home/belief or her mate. Is loyal to a fault. Distrusting of outsiders. Fanatically religious, claiming to see the moon walk amongst them. Dotes upon her children but can be just as demanding/harsh as father. Slightly more judgmental of them and their actions. Pines for her mate’s attention/affection, in denial over their loss of love. Or the lack of love to begin with. Attacked by mate early on in their union, wounds scabbed over poorly due to infrequent treatment – a part of the punishment.

History: Captured in her youth and taken in as Cloud's mate, she's successfully been brainwashed to follow the lore, purpose, and faith of the Moongate. Took in two pups when Cloud's raid killed most of her old pack, who were nearly slaughtered but she intervened. The scars are proof of her efforts. Their hideous scabbing a result of minimal cleaning (a part of the punishment). And her life sustained only by Cloud's mild sense of approval. Since then, she's given birth to one pup, after many failed attempts to breed with Cloud. She prizes Silver Lining. She's also been tasked to gatherer, keeping her squirrely tendencies contained within the pack borders. She is great at what she does, however. Which makes her incredibly lucky.

Note: She will be over protective and in love with these kids, mostly because they are from Cloud and she was obsessed with him. If anything happens to her kids she will stab someone. Anyone honestly.







Ivory Laced
[Adopted Brother] | [Alive]

Personality: Never good enough. Battles with self-worth and acceptance daily. He is driven by a need to be seen and will do anything and everything to appease his step-father. It's almost to the point of obsession, with every failure fueling his aggressive need to be loved. He is capable of anything at this point. With the other hunters/his 'acquaintances' he can be quirky and fun, playful when the mood suits him. His persona changes when in front of his father.

History: As the oldest of his adopted siblings, Ivory knows the most about his previous life -- relative to just how much a young pup would retain during a traumatic period. Stolen from his home pack and moved to the Moongate, under the care of Joy Departed, Ivory Laced has come to adore his environment and strive for the greatness his pack preaches of. Although his upbringing leaves much to be desired, he is now an adult with adult responsibilities... seeing the world through a new pair eyes. Recently however, he has committed quite the crime and is currently keeping this secret close.

Note: By the time the puppies are old enough to know better, Joy will have found out about Ivory's betrayal and disowned him. She will speak ill of Ivory, if she ever speaks of him at all, and warn her children never to go near him. He is considered a threat and a vile wolf. She will not say why, however.

 

[Shia bean]

The Kids

Both pups were born male.

Naming: Joy would name her children after things that remind her of Cloud by Night. Strong, names associated with the sky/weather, etc.

Something else to keep in mind: the pack emphasizes strength and aims to eliminate weakness. This can come about in a multitude of ways. Primarily individuals are beaten down so they can be built back up, hardened by experience. There is a training period for all pups ICly, although it hasn't be established just yet, so before they can take any rank they will first have to prove they can survive the harsh realities of their new world. These are all things your characters will endure as they grow up in the Moongate. I highly encourage you to remember this when thinking up your kid!


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Form
[b]Gray or Black pup?[/b]: [u](Your answer here)[/u]
[b]Pup's Name[/b]:
[b]What's his greatest passion?[/b]:
[b]What is his greatest flaw?[/b]:
[b]How does he handle the cold?[/b]:
[b]How does he handle conflict?[/b]:
[b]What's his quirkiest trait?[/b]:
[b]Is he a follower or a leader?:[/b]

[b]Any other tidbits of personality/information you want to share or expound upon:[/b]

 

[Shia bean]

[ O P E N ]

 

[AlicornPlayhouse]

Gray or Black pup?: Black Pup
Pup's Name: Lost In Thunder
What's his greatest passion?: His greatest passion is to one day become something his mother and family can be proud of. He wants to protect them.
What is his greatest flaw?: His hesitation. While he's desperate to become better, it hurts, it can hurt a lot. The fighting can make him ache and his paws feel so heavy, and sometimes his want to just be a pup gets the better of him.
How does he handle the cold?: He loves the cold, it can make him seem all the stronger when he pushes through it.
How does he handle conflict?: Conflict scares him, as much as he pushes past it. He'll stand up and bark when he sees someone who needs defending, but it isn't hard to notice the shaking.
What's his quirkiest trait?: He absolutely adores nuzzling little piles of snow onto his muzzle and blowing out, watching it all fly off into the sky. He also started to hop from side to side when he gets excited.
Is he a follower or a leader?: He's instinctually a follower who has been conditioned by himself that he has to be a leader.

Any other tidbits of personality/information you want to share or expound upon: He would lay down his life for his family, and every word his mother speaks is law to him. She is the only one he trusts and believes unless she tells him to trust someone else. He doesn't quite know who he is anymore, though. As his name suggests, his true self has been lost in the thunder of anger created by his mother. When he's around others he's aggressive and loud, he's gone so far into this charade of trying to be who he thinks his father was that he doesn't know who HE is now. He knows he's being mean, and he knows, deep down, he could stop.. but he's scared that if he stops there'll be nothing underneath.

Gray or Black pup?: Grey Pup
Pup's Name: Cloud Of Silver Linings
What's his greatest passion?: To do what his father never could, and live, live and prove how powerful he is.
What is his greatest flaw?: His determination, he never sits, never waits. He fights to his last breath and he doesn't know when he should be afraid of something.
How does he handle the cold?: It's a nuisance to him, but he doesn't pay much mind to it, it isn't the end of the world.
How does he handle conflict?: He's very good with conflict, and always puts his paw down when needed. Though, if he's wrong, it's a struggle to get him to back down.
What's his quirkiest trait?: He would never tell a soul, he is determined to just be serious, but when he's very mad or, rarely, upset, his back paw will scratch at the earth behind him.
Is he a follower or a leader?: Leader

Any other tidbits of personality/information you want to share or expound upon: Silver has spent most his life looking up to and detesting his father simultaneously. He loves and respects the stories his mother tells, but he finds himself bitter, If he was oh so amazing, how come he never got to meet him? How come he never became the captain he always wanted? He began to work tirelessly, if his father couldn't do it, he could! His mother deserved so much more than a dead, forgotten memory could provide her. He would become her rock, and nobody would stop him, even if it got him killed. He would live up to his name, and be the silver lining his father left behind.  

[medigel]

Gray or Black pup?: Black
Pup's Name: Midnight Grin
What's his greatest passion?: Serving his mother, and in turn the pack, and rekindling her happiness. How that shapes up is up for debate: at the moment it seems like he plays the wise fool, showing just enough insolence without getting kicked out of court, with the goal of outing anyone not Moongate-worthy in his eyes. On the other paw, Midnight Grin is incredibly loyal if you pass his tests.
What is his greatest flaw?: He believes his way is justified, regardless of how heinous or petty or misinformed he is. Midnight Grin is the victim and never the perpetrator if caught - unless he can spin it as being a necessary evil to act in the first place.
How does he handle the cold?: At its fiercest? Not his favorite. It'll be the worst part of his Upbringing to be sure, so he'll be seen constantly moving or sidling up to willing members. On the up side, it means cuddling with Mom? He'll get acclimated eventually but jokingly complain.
How does he handle conflict?: Angering, goading, and antagonizing the enemy into doing something that hurts them - politically, physically, emotionally, Midnight Grin believes pushing and pushing and pushing an enemy until they break or give in is the best way to win. This can be paired with manipulation. The exceptions are if it's something from the king or his mother, in which case he's cowed quite quickly and the very picture of regret.
What's his quirkiest trait?: Always, always smiling regardless of the actual emotion he feels; may be accompanied by laughter at inappropriate times.
Is he a follower or a leader?: He's a semi-sociopathic follower, but on occasion can get some ideas that require him to be more...active.

Midnight Grin thinks of himself less as the leader and more the standard or measure that decides who gets to be something. Not King Arthur, but the sword Excalibur that marks him as worthy of pulling it from the stone in the first place - and deadly as a sword all the same. He'll switch from social position to position among his siblings and the pack all for the love of testing, making his own Upbringing among them. He'll dance the line on civil disobedience if he suspects someone is lacking, though never to the point that it upsets Joy Departed. After all, strength is paramount, but only if you have the cunning and wisdom to catch the weaklings first.

Any other tidbits of personality/information you want to share or expound upon: An absolute Momma's Boy who probably doesn't really care about his siblings unless they share his love of puns (which greatly angers and confuses others when you use them mid fight, let him just say). That is to say, he's neutral towards them unless they show themselves to be worthy of poking at - or weaklings to be spotlighted and mocked. His attention-seeking centers on Mom, and most everything he does that isn't one of his schemes is in the hopes of making her smile and be happy again. (That may also be a reason why he's always smiling as well, to try and encourage it.)

Toying with the idea that he sees Cloud By Night, either in his dreams or daydreams, and believes he is learning from him and the stories Joy Departed tells. (When really this is an overactive imagination at work.) This would reinforce his "my way is the correct way" self-centeredness, since Dad Himself is happy to talk to him which means Midnight Grin is the only one who truly knows him besides Joy Departed. He's special, you see: just as Mom can see the Moon walking among them, he too is visited.

Puns are his worst weapon. Groan, and he will only grow stronger.

Most likely will become a secret snitch through his personal testing of others, attempting to brown nose with the upper echelon or his mother. "You know, when I asked So and So about XYZ, they paused before affirming..." If a trusted sibling or friend wanted to ascend in rank, for instance, he'd be happy to rumor mill and bother other candidates out of the running. Maybe even go so far as to injure one quietly if he can. Call it "Cloud's Curse".

Debating ultimate goal as either loreteller or keeping humble as a lower rank such as medic or scout.  

[Ctrl F Greenie]

Gray or Black pup?: Gray Pup
Pup's Name: Moon's Embrace
What's his greatest passion?: His greatest passion is promotion within the pack. Growing up he will have heard conflicting stories about his father. Positive, supporting, and triumphant from his Mother - while the pack gives details that say otherwise. Moon wouldn't dare to turn his back on his Mother's story though and he will do what it takes to live up to his Father's accomplishments. He will pursue the rank of Captain.
What is his greatest flaw?: Moon's greatest flaw is an anger that boils beneath the surface. From a very young age he will witness the anger, and even hatred that will boil beneath the surface for Ivory Laced. He won't understand why for a long time, if ever, but he is perpetually angry beneath the surface for her. He will carry this anger well into his adulthood and during times of celebration he may wonder why the anger is ever present. Like a poison.
How does he handle the cold?: The cold is a comfort to him. Moon won't seek this until his adolescence when the hormones really get toiling, but the cold will become a friend at his most angry times. This love is likely sparked following a heated argument between him and a sibling or his Mother. Or should he face his first significant failure.
How does he handle conflict?: With a flaw like anger it is no surprise that handling something like conflict goes over like a lead balloon. Moon is aggressive, assertive, and defensive. With anger boiling beneath the surface just about 24/7 he reacts immediately instead of considering angles. These actions will have consequences as he grows older. (See additional details for plot opportunities.)
What's his quirkiest trait?: A nervous tic, a twitch which he cannot control. This twitch, which is small and perhaps unnoticeable by those unfamiliar to him, happens when he is under pressure and lies. Foregoing the truth, like all youngsters is normal and tends to protect the Mother from whatever it is they have going on in their lives. Unfortunately for Moon this tic has possibly cost him, and his siblings, dearly from time to time. Into his adulthood he will still have this twitch, it's his left brow that gives him away each time. It jumps just slightly, enough to warn his family and perhaps a right hand that Moon doesn't truly believe in the objective, direction, etc.
Is he a follower or a leader?: Moon's Embrace is a leader. He believes this to his core and it would be very difficult to tell him otherwise. In fact to do so would put the teller in a very dangerous position. His goal to become Captain wouldn't be possible if he didn't believe that he was meant to lead. Of course believing is only half the battle.

Any other tidbits of personality/information you want to share or expound upon:

Support or Detriment - Moon's Embrace has aspirations of becoming a influential member of society within Moongate. His goal is to become a Captain like his Father had dreamed to be. As he grows his anger will only intensify. A possible plot opportunity may be to have him meet someone, establish a relationship - does not have to be romantic or physical - and that relationship either talks him down from the edge or encourages him to boil over. Talking him down could mean building up a firm and passionate leader, while encouraging him to act on his anger may cause him to do things he will grow to regret.

What's wrong? - He's just given his speech to those working beneath him or to his family and following that he his pulled to the side by a loved one or right hand. The question 'what's wrong' does not catch him off guard, instead he beats around the bush. Feelings are not an easy thing for him to grasp or express - even if it is concern. The only feeling he tends to be in touch with is anger. It's like that the question spurs an aggressive defense in which he may or may not respond. This plot would be ideal for a death in the family, perhaps he does settle down and his mate perishes during birth, or they lose the pups. Something his Mother is familiar with.  

[magnadearel]

Gray or Black pup?: black
Pup's Name: Dark Tempest
What's his greatest passion?: Dark Tempest lives to prove his strength. He wants his shoulders to be viewed as if he holds the strength of the glacier barely contained below his pelt, so that others may lean on him in times of need. He wants to be the pillar of power that inspires his pack mates. It doesn’t matter how many times he gets beaten down, as long as he gets back up again.
What is his greatest flaw?: His arrogance, his assuredness that he is the greatest gift to his pack. Dark Tempest will never question or doubt his self-worth. He always walks with a confident gate, power in the arch of his neck, and perhaps just a bit of a chip on his shoulder.
How does he handle the cold?: Dark Tempest thrives with the cold. It’s never cold enough for him and he lives as close to the glacier as he possibly can.
How does he handle conflict?: Dark Tempest always answers a conflict with his fangs first. To him it doesn’t matter who started it. He will finish it.
What's his quirkiest trait?: He wants to live up to his mother’s stories of his father. Whatever her stories paint Cloud by Night as, will be his goal to achieve. His father will be held upon a pedestal.
Is he a follower or a leader?: Always leader. Dark Tempest will start with his siblings; he will try to keep them in line and get them to follow him. To accomplish this, he will use any means at his disposal- flattery, coaxing, bribery, or a bit of bullying. Any of it is justified to get the results he wants.

Any other tidbits of personality/information you want to share or expound upon:
- Dark Tempest will be very curious why his mother warns him away from Ivory Laced without giving an explanation. He will do his best to find out the information from her. Once he does, he will want to extract revenge upon Ivory Laced for the death of his father should he ever find him.
- He will start very biased towards his father and hero worships Cloud by Night based on his mother’s stories. As he enters adulthood, other pack members tell him less than flattering stories about his father that he must come to terms with.
- Dark Tempest will eventually find a mate (male or female) from out of pack that will temper him slightly. A mate who will teach him that a little softness/kindness doesn’t mean one is weak.  

[Shia bean]

Alright guys, Joy has birthed herself a brand new, shiny pup. Wow, the magic of Kells biology amiright?

This new pup is an-almost twin to their brother, The Haunting! There is no information on him yet, though, so there's potential to build up some FUN STUFF TOGETHER in the future!! If you would like to alter your entries in any way/shape/form please feel free to!


This contest has been extended to September 1st!

 

[RuIerr]

Gray or Black pup?: Gray
Pup's Name: Clouded Memory
What's his greatest passion?: Cloud's greatest passion is piety. He views nothing more worthy of his heart and the depths of his soul than his pack and his family.
What is his greatest flaw?: Clouded Memory, bless his heart, is a very steadfast and diligent wolf who, while he will accept help, will never ask for help. On occasion, he can be seen floundering under the mountain of responsibilities he has piled up for himself, but for the most part he keeps his cool. He's actually so cool that it's often impossible to tell when his head's about to dip below the water.
How does he handle the cold?: Refusing to show any weakness (see: above), he grins and he bares it. Cloud will never readily admit to defeat, even if by something as uncontrollable and monstrous as the weather, and so, even when his bones are worked through with shivers, he will pretend all is fine and dandy. Such is the way of a good wolf.
How does he handle conflict?: Cloud is calm, cool, and collected. He has an even-keeled voice, even in the midst of severe conflict, and can often be seen as an objective arbiter. He tries to avoid getting in conflicts himself - he really doesn't enjoy them - but does find pride in mediating the conflicts of others. He is trained in the art of keeping the peace, even when peace is the last luxury on one's mind, but despite that, like any good Moongate member, he is very much not afraid of using his claws to settle a disagreement. He finds a bit of ego on his side due to his mother's retellings of the life of Cloud by Night, and every bit as much wants to fulfill those large pawsteps. No matter what the cost.
What's his quirkiest trait?: Okay, maybe not quirky, because he is a relatively regular dude, but Cloud absolutely loves children. Nothing brings him greater joy than helping to raise up the little rascals who will one day have greater standing in the Moongate. He dreams of nothing more than taking up a position as instructor, teacher, mentor for those youths born in the pack and adopted into the territory. This may come from a bit of "daddy issues" with his absent father not being around to tutor him as Cloud would have liked, but regardless, he absolutely adores being in the presence of the future of the Moongate.
Is he a follower or a leader?: For the most part, he's a leader, but knows how to follow when it's time. He wishes to carve out his own, special place within the pack to fill the void his father, who obviously did so much for the good of his wolves, left in his untimely death.

Any other tidbits of personality/information you want to share or expound upon: The name Clouded Memory is a misnomer. The gray wolf has a near-perfect memory, able to recall things instantly and without much difficulty. It's this keen memory that makes his father's death all the more painful - he remembers everything his mother tells him about who Cloud by Night was, and it absolutely kills him that he never got to bond with his superhero of a father before he passed on. Cloud very much wishes his father had been around to raise him up, along with his mother, but understands that life ends, sometimes, and it's not always fair.

He has a deep, deep devotion to his pack and his family. Cloud sees his mother as the strongest wolf he's ever met (gods, have you seen all those scars?) and absolutely puts her (and his father) on a pedestal. Caring deeply for his siblings, he always tries to be the leader among them, but sometimes gets shuffled out of the spotlight by stronger personalities. Considering he is so even-keeled, he is not very emotional. Although, he does heavily romanticize the relationship Joy Departed and Cloud by Night had. He dreams of one day capturing his own wife to bring back to the pack and accidentally (or intentionally, really) indoctrinate her into the Moongate's ways.

As alluded to above, Clouded Memory would very much covet a role as a Camp counselor to mentor and drill into youths all that he has learned in his time since birth. He feels he has much to teach others - even adults, really (that ego is pretty strong) - and sees that as his life's work. If he is unable to win that coveted position (which, I checked the hierarchy thread, and didn't see anything like this, so I v much understand if that's an OOC role, just brainstorming!), he will fulfill his duty within the pack as a guard for his notoriety in mediation.  

[Straye]

An old Wolf is teaching a younger wolf about balance, “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the younger. “It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is dark – he is anger, sorrow, regret, arrogance, self-pity, resentment, inferiority, lies, and he is Weak of Heart, and The other is good – he is joy, love, serenity, truth, compassion, faith, and he is Strong in Character. This is a fight that all who live will face in their lifetime.” The pup thought about the words of his elder, and then asked, with his brows knit and nose wrinkled, “Which wolf will win?” The old Wolf simply replied, “The one you feed.”

Gray or Black pup?: Black Pup
Pup's Name: Thunder in the Night

What's his greatest passion?:
The Moon, Survival, Strength – mostly strength, though, it would seem. Especially as he got older. The Moon was his light, his guide, his path. The Moon gave him purpose, gave him strength. He had to be strong. For Mother. For Littermates. For Pack. To fill the space, the void, left by his father. To surpass expectations, to make sure that he only had to see her Smile, because the absence of his mother's smile left a hollow hole in his soul that echoed with it's eerie silence.

Strength would fix everything. He would be stronger than even Berserkers.
That was what he was supposed to be, wasn't it?
Isn't that what they all wanted?

What is his greatest flaw?:
Dual Personalities; He's unpredictable, a Loose Cannon. He has a split mentality – the aggressive loner who wants nothing to do with anyone, and the loyalty bound family wolf who just wants to make his place in the pack.

How does he handle the cold?:
Thunder seems pretty well adapted when it comes to the cold. In fact, if anything, the cold helps him to... focus. His coat obviously was not made to blend in the snow, but in a landscape of white, his dark fur was a boon, holding more heat from the sun than the paler pelted wolves.

How does he handle conflict?:
Not... Well. He can turn the other cheek once or twice, but – there's a side to him that has a tendency to 'bite back' so to speak. He's calm in the face of adversity, and he has no problem walking away from unnecessary confrontation, but if you push him, or the conflict pertains to his immediate family, he's going to make it very evident that he does not approve. In such situations, you've as good as forced his hand in revealing his Hidden Monster.

What's his quirkiest trait?:
He's a little psychologically damaged. He keeps this well under wraps, and it's rare that anyone sees any indicator that he's not okay.
His usual signs, if one knows what to look for are;
His inability to stand still – either he's shifting paw to paw, or rolling his shoulders.
The almost consistent, borderline paranoid swivel of his ears. Rarely do they stop.
The stiffness in his form when someone comes into physical contact with him.
His aversion for eye contact – most assume it's submission, but frankly, it's equal parts anxiety, and concern that the inner monster might rear it's head to respond to a challenge.
The almost perverse lengths he'll go to in order to avoid one on one confrontation in general.
Lastly, when he's overwhelmed or he's at risk of losing himself, he whispers to himself, so softly that not even the strongest ear can hear well enough to make out the words, “The Moon is my Strength, I shall not Falter, her Light leads me in the dark towards the Dawn.” Over and over, like a mantra.

Is he a follower or a leader?:
That depends on who you ask – he himself is happy to follow; he can watch over his pack from the back, he can stand between them and a threat that attacks from the rear. He is content to let another lead the way, and to follow by their side, but should he who leads fall, and the group or pack fall into chaos or danger, he can, and will step up in the absence of choice – in a situation that requires it, he can collect himself, knowing that there are those who count on him to make a decision. It is rare that he finds himself in such situations, but when light falls on him and he is called to task, he shines. He more than has the potential and capability to lead, but does not have the motivation necessarily to do so.

Any other tidbits of personality/information you want to share or expound upon:

So much was... broken by the time he became an adult. Not his body – certainly not; he was strong, able bodied, his figure solid and thick with muscle.

But – over the years, through the training and the struggle and the fight to be good enough, to make her proud, to keep her safe, to overcome every challenge without flinching or showing weakness... His consciousness had... fractured.

Much like the marking on his face, his mind had become a duality. There was the version of himself that he put forth for his mother, his siblings, his pack. The version of himself he built to be strong. Worthy of his Father. Good Enough.

Then there was his true self – withdrawn, a wolf of few words with a wild heart who wanted nothing more than to be left alone.

Sometimes the Wild one reared it's head and his personality changed and he grew short tempered and aggressive, sometimes the two halves warred and his mind was in chaos, while his body was stiff, still, expression blank and impassive; and sometimes he lost track of time. He'd go to sleep and wake up somewhere else, unsure of how he'd gotten there or how long it had been.

Pretending, covering, was exhausting. But he knew if he failed to hold it together it meant he was weak.

He was anything but Weak.

My secret side I keep hid under lock and key
I keep it caged but I can't control it
'Cause if I let him out he'll tear me up, break me down
Why won't somebody come and save me from this, make it end?
I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin
I must confess that I feel like a monster
I hate what I've become, the nightmare's just begun
I must confess that I feel like a monster
I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin
I must confess that I feel like a monster
I, I feel like a monster
I, I feel like a monster
It's hiding in the dark, it's teeth are razor sharp
There's no escape for me, it wants my soul, it wants my heart
No one can hear me scream, maybe it's just a dream
Maybe it's inside of me, stop this monster
I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin
I must confess that I feel like a monster
I hate what I've become, the nightmare's just begun
I must confess that I feel like a monster!  

[RozeyBear]

Gray or Black pup?: Black Pup
Pup's Name:  Darkness Eternal
What's his greatest passion?:  Darkness's greatest passion is neither his family nor his status in the pack. Instead, his interest is held by the night sky; more specifically, the stars. He spends most of his time mapping out the constellations and stars hovering above the pack's territory. His ultimate goal is to one day implement his map so that the more directionally challenged of the pack's fold can always find their way home no matter the obstacles before them--as long as they're strong enough, that is.
What is his greatest flaw?: Darkness is emotionless and manipulative. He shows no joy or sorrow and takes the drama of his family ties as no more than a grain of salt.
How does he handle the cold?:  He despises the cold. It's practically the only thing that in existence that garners an emotional response from him.
How does he handle conflict?: With quiet contemplation in most cases. In more rare or severe cases, he can be quite the wall of blunt force.
What's his quirkiest trait?:  Darkness holds a secret close to his heart, one he swears no one will ever know. He has a deep fear of crickets. He can't explain it and there's no real reason why he's afraid of them, but he is.
Is he a follower or a leader?:  A leader with no interest in leading. After all, if he leads then he has followers and followers mean he has to listen to them and their problems. No.

Any other tidbits of personality/information you want to share or expound upon:
Darkness will have a happy, loving puphood with his family (even if they get on his nerves some times). He wasn't always the blank, cold embodiment of darkness. I wonder whatever happened to him to make him that way?