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Description
Basic Information

Name :
True Name : Sooka ( Soo-KAH )
Kit Name : River ( Riv-err )

Gender : Female

Breed(s) : Egyptian Mau-Ocicat Mix

Age :
Came to the Tribes : Nine Moons
Current : Twenty-four Moons
Birth Season : Autumn

Tribe Information

Tribe :
Tribe of Origin : N/A
Current : Water Tribe

Tattoo : Orange-Water

Rank : Warrior

Ability : Primary

Soulbond : N/A

Apprentice(s) / Mentor(s) :
Past Apprentice(s) :
Yellow-Water | Tuari

Current Apprentice :
N/A

Skillset : Water Walking | Basic Water Control | Rising Water | Freezing Water | Rising Water 2 | Rising Water 3

Physical Appearance

Physique :
Sooka's build is very thin and lean. Her legs appear longer than most cats, but she is actually just slightly under the average size of a she-cat. Her paws are small to match her slender frame. As a warrior, she is strong and muscular. However, her strength is better served for running and climbing than it is for fighting. Her small build makes her easy to knock off balance. When it comes to balancing on branches or small stones in the river, however, Sooka is an expert. Her tail is very long, giving her an advantage. It allows her to balance her weight and tread easily across thin branches or wobbly stones. When it comes to fighting, she uses her speed and nimble paws to her advantage rather than trying to match her opponent's strength. In addition, she prefers to flat out chase down her prey instead of stalking it; she can often outrun her meals. Despite her very thin look, which sometimes is mistaken for starvation, she considers herself well-fed and in-shape.

Pelt & Markings :
To match her speedy frame, Sooka's fur is thin and smooth, lying flat across her skin. It is pale silvery, save for the few exceptions: her paws, chest, belly, and muzzle are white, blending carefully to a light grey; and her ears, back, and tip of her tail are a dark grey, almost black. Her pelt is speckled with spots of white, grey, and black giving her pelt an almost sparkly look in the sun. Stripes appear underneath her eyes, on her cheeks, on most of her tail, and on her legs. Also, she has a dark grey 'mane' which stretches from the back of her head down her neck and over part of her upper back. The fur there grows thicker and longer than the rest of her body.

For most of the the year, her coat is sleek and shiny from her diet of fish in the Water Tribe. This makes her coat water repellent and more aerodynamic under the water. However, in the Winter, her fur becomes thicker over her slender frame, giving her the appearance of a more well-fed cat. It also loses most of its sheen due to a different diet when the rivers and lakes freeze over.

Accessories :
Silver barbell pierced over her right eyebrow | Given to her by her father
Industrial barbell with an attached orange-brown owl feather pierced through her left ear | Given to her by Green-Air Serphiel

Scars :
A small scar on her forehead, often hidden by her bangs | Given to her by her feather

Personality

Positive
Neutral
Negative

Loyal | Sage | Sunny | Honest | Intellectual | Rash | Insecure | Reserved

Summary :
Upon first meeting her, Sooka appears quiet and reserved, speaking directly in an almost blunt fashion. Her stiff and serious demeanor is only broken by the occasional fumble of her words as her nerves get the better of her. However, despite her seemingly cold and distant personality, Sooka’s true self runs much deeper. Once she moves past her initial awkwardness, she becomes easygoing and relaxed, laughing often and even playfully teasing on her own accord. Her quick wits and calculating mind make her a good tactician, but her tendency to overthink things makes her a poor choice when with any sort of decision making. Her fear of failure drives her to make ill-thought out and rash judgments, making her a bit more impatient than most. Any choices she does make tend to be based on her fealty to others. Loyalty to everything to her, and she will often think of how her actions might affect someone close to her before she thinks of the consequences for herself. However, through all the mistakes and experiences in her life, Sooka’s become quite the wise she-cat, quick to give advice and even quicker to offer her assistance. She’s the type to sit down and listen to others fears and problems before she voices her own.

| Loyal
More than anything, Sooka strives to be as loyal as they come. She’s a firm believer in having someone’s back once they’ve gained her trust, no matter what the costs. Sometimes she can come off as a bit overbearing, or even a bit like a suck up, but she cares very little for what others might think. She places her loyalties with few, but swears to stay by their side through thick and thin. Among those who she pledges herself are those she greatly respects, or close friends she feels comfortable around. Whoever it is though, Sooka is the type to trust in them always, even after being betrayed. Trusting them once is enough for her, and rarely does she ever lose faith in someone. However, on the down side, her adamant sense of devotion puts her on the vulnerable side.

| Sage
Despite still being in her youthful stages of adult life, Sooka is mature for her age. Much to her own surprise, she’s found herself the type to console others and even offer decent advice. Until being assigned an apprentice, she had never quite thought of herself as anyone remotely close to a leader or mentor. Yet somehow, being a kind of guide to a younger feline caused something inside her to surface. Since then, she’s discovered the effect her simple words seem to have on those in distress and has taken to the idea of giving wise, yet practical, counsel when the need arises.

| Sunny
After warming up to someone, Sooka’s cold personality shifts into a more delightful and pleasant one. She’s the type to smile often and see the joy in all the little things, no matter how many times she’s seen them. Her simplicity makes her a charmingly gentle she-cat with little desire for confrontation or hurt feelings. It isn’t unusual to find her apologizing unnecessarily for something, nor is it out of the ordinary for her to be affected by insults. She’s the type to ignore spiteful words thrown at her, and rarely bites the bait to land herself in an argument. However, she’s the first to jump in when the situation is reversed and the words are directed to someone else. She’s a fierce defender, often going out of her way to fight someone else’s battles for them.

| Honest
Sooka’s straightforward and devote nature makes her one of the most honest cats to come across. She’s uncomfortable lying to those close to her, often shuffling her paws or darting her eyes here or there. Simply put, she’s a terrible liar, which is perhaps half the reason she’s truthful. While normally impassive with strangers, she becomes honest to the point of being blunt and insensitive with those who know her well. Sometimes she’s mistaken as being rude or cheeky, although in reality she’s only spitting out whatever is on her mind for fear they’ll catch her lie, no matter how small, and no longer trust her. Sooka’s stubborn honesty often lands her in misunderstandings, resulting in hurt feelings anyways.

| Intellectual
Calculating and clever, Sooka’s considers herself to be on the more intellectual side. She enjoys solving puzzles and riddles, and often finds herself thinking of multiple solutions to a problem. While she rarely opening exhibits this pride in herself, she does occasionally offer her thoughts when it comes to strategizing. However, since she barely speaks up in a group, her verdicts are usually gone by unnoticed. Sometimes, her mind gets her into trouble though, as she can drift off into her own thoughts during conversations or when she should be focusing on a task at hand. She’s a bit of an air head in the sense that she daydreams often, making her clumsier than once would expect for her graceful stature; when her mind is wrapped around something, all bets are off. Even worse though, is her unfortunate habit of overthinking. She obsesses over the most insignificant aspect until her overactive mind spirals into her ridiculous imagination, working herself up over nothing. As a result, she is inclined to become very anxious over the smallest detail.

| Rash
Her fear of making decisions makes Sooka a surprisingly reckless feline. Too impatient to think everything through, yet too afraid of picking the wrong one, she goes with her first inclination and hopes for the best. She seems to land herself in frequent trouble, making the whole thing worse than it was to begin with. She’s a poor choice for anything ambiguous, and does far better with more straightforward tasks where she isn’t forced into picking one way or another. When she is dragged into a situation though, she does her best to get it all over with as quickly as possible, resulting in rather sloppy and rushed work on her part.

| Insecure
Although Sooka has discovered a new confidence in herself as she’s gotten older and more comfortable, the underlying uncertainties and doubt still remain. She questions her ability to do most anything that requires her being a leader, and shies away from responsibilities. She fears disappointing her tribe, and most of all her leader and deputy. Mostly, these insecurities lie in communication with other felines. She knows she has poor social skills, and although they’ve drastically improved in the past year, she still fears making a poor first impression. She does her best not to appear so shy and reserved, but this tends to backfire. She becomes too embarrassed to even attempt being outgoing, and only crawls further back into her shell. Sooka’s more awkward than most, and worries relentlessly over saying the wrong thing.

| Apprehensive
While she’s modest and tends to keep to herself, Sooka takes this to the extreme sometimes. She avoids others and sometimes finds herself completely unable to speak in the presence of more than one cat. She prefers interacting with others one and one, and even dreads walking in front of a small group. She dislikes being noticed, and often completely shuts down compliments directed her way, especially if they’re given by a complete stranger. She’s wary of other’s words, and constantly repeats them in her head, wondering if perhaps there’s a hidden message in them, or if they’re point out her numerous flaws. She’s neurotic in a way, and quickly jumps to conclusions.

Family

Father : Tartok ( Tar-tock ) | Exile / Grey-Shadow | Alive
Mother : Anyu ( Ahn-yoo ) | Exile / Grey-Light | Alive
Brother(s) : Tulok ( Too-lock ) | Exile / Grey-Air | Deceased
Sister(s) :
Nukka ( Nu-kah ) | Exile / Grey-Air | Deceased
Panik ( Pahn-neek ) | Exile / Grey-Water | Deceased
Tikaani ( Tee-kahn-ee ) | Exile / Grey-Fire | Alive

Uncle(s) : Calais | Exile | Alive
Aunt(s) : Reua | Exile | Deceased
Cousin(s) : Akida | Orange-Earth | Alive

Adoptive Sister : Tuari | Yellow-Water | Alive

Backstory

A Blackened Heart

Tartok and Anyu had both been born into exile during the first war with the Golden Butterfly. Both were rather serious cats, as they had been raised to be so by their own parents, hardened by the turn of events. When they met and started their own family, they raised their kits to be the same.

Constant fighting between the tribes coupled with the bitterness of being an exile made Tartok a harsh and cold father to his kits. Anyu's litter of four daughters and a single son did nothing to melt the ice in his heart either; he had been hoping for a stronger bunch. He worried for his daughters, fearing they'd never be able to fend for themselves or be swept away by the war if it were to continue much longer – although he had a funny way of showing it. Instead of being protective, Tartok neglected them, even to the point of pushing them away, perhaps out of his own fear of losing them. His mate Anyu noticed how distant and short he was with them, but like Tartok, she felt the same pangs of fear for her daughters and did nothing to quell him.

For most of Sooka's early kithood, she spent her time wandering through the area with her sisters. Tartok never supervised them as he was too busy vigorously training his only son, Tulok, whom he had high hopes for. Yet Tulok had a weak body from the lack of nourishment Anyu had received while pregnant. The scarceness of food took a toll on them all, and with the intense training from his father, Tulok's weak body didn't last long - he was the first of the kits to pass away.

Undaunted, Tartok turned to the strongest of his daughters - Sooka. He separated her from her sisters nearly night and day, forcing her to become a strong and quick footed cat. While Sooka saw his intensity as punishment, Tartok viewed it differently. He didn't want to lose any more of his family to weakness, and was determined to give his daughter the best chance of survival he could give. Yet even he have foreseen the consequences far worse than struggling to live. Sooka grew into a rather closed off cat, never learning how to properly communicate with others. She knew nothing of friendships or even love for her parents. Deep inside, a dark hatred grew, poising her every thought and driving her further and further from her desperate family.

Yet Sooka's other sisters fared no better. They resented her for being Tartok's new 'favorite', refusing to speak with her and only further hardening her heart. They felt betrayed by her, since she had once used to play with them; now, all her time was for her father, unbeknownst to them that it was beyond her choice. Had she known that not all of her sisters would survive their first year, perhaps Sooka would have felt differently towards them, as she herself felt like the one that was truly betrayed. However, like Tulok, they suffered from Anyu's undernourishment during her pregnancy. Slowly, disease and starvation eventually picked them off, and in the end it was only Sooka and Tikaani left of the litter.

Tartok and Anyu give birth to a litter of five.
Tulok passes.
Tartok alienates and heavily trains Sooka – she becomes closed off and resentful.
Nukka and Panik pass.

Quiet Words

As Sooka grew into adolescence, she found she could no longer stand her usual routine. She and Tartok were the only ones to provide food, as Anyu never quite recovered from her weakness, and Tikaani had little training when it came to hunting. Truth be told, even if she had, Tikaani was not the type to provide for others – she was more the type to manipulate others into provide for her. Eventually Sooka began to care for the broken family on her own. Tartok chose to stay behind on hunting trips, keeping close to his mate and daughter out of worry. He grew every more paranoid as the days passed. Every subtle sound caused him to flinch and lash out in blind fury, even once going as far as to mistaken Sooka for a stranger.

Day in and day out, Sooka hunted and returned dutifully. Out of envy and bitter resentment, Tikaani poisoned Sooka’s mind, planting strange delusions within her thoughts.

”Doesn’t it hurt to know daddy and mommy are only using you?” she would ask innocently enough over an evening’s fresh kill, her eyes boring into Sooka’s as she watched. Sooka would never respond, never finding herself able to utter the words in her heart.

Yes, it bothered her to think such things – she didn’t dare think them - not until Tikaani. Her sister’s words would whisper to her in her sleep, causing her to doubt her very loyalty to the ones she called family.

Oh, but what have they done for you? a voice would always, always ask her. Sooka would not reply, pushing her emotions away…just as she had been taught by her father.

Yet it was never enough to simply ignore the voices in her mind. Faced with the choice of having to believe them or deny them altogether, she fled. She could not bear to think she was merely a puppet of her family, but at the same time could not remain with them in constant doubt of her worth. She slipped away; traveling south into strange lands she had only her rumors and whispers of from her parents – into the tribes’ land.

It wasn't long before Sooka found herself in Water Tribe territory, placed there by some strange mark on her shoulder and a nameless voice - she knew little of what it meant at the time. Suddenly being surrounded by other cats made her nervous. Other than her siblings, she had never once interacted with another, yet here she was, in the midst of strangers, and what was worse – faced with the prospect of living and working with them.

Yet somehow, she felt safe with them – just slightly.

Sooka flees her family and comes to the tribes.
Sooka receives her true name and is placed among Water Tribe.

An Unexpected Departure

Although nervous by being around so many strange cats at first, Sooka grew used to them. She no longer shied away from those within her tribe, and even began to give them shy smiles in passing. She felt at ease in the camp, finding comfort in being near them now. Slowly, they seemed to become something more than just tribe mates to her. They became something like a family – even those she had yet to interact with. The tribe had accepted her as she was, never once asking for more from her than her loyalty to the land. With everything they did for her, she vowed to protect any cat bearing the mark of the Water Tribe – her tribe.

After a few moons since gaining the proper colors of her tattoo, Sooka began to get a handle on her powers with the help of Vitani, the Silver-Water – leader of her tribe. She started off rather shakily, having no confidence in herself. While she still refused to use them for hunting, preferring her claws and teeth, she continued to practice dutifully, determined to use the gifts given to her.

Outside of her boarders, Sooka found herself surprisingly more at ease with cats of other tribes, particularly Air Tribe cats. Although still nervous and anxious when it came to meeting strangers, she slowly grew used to crossing their paths in the Neutral Lands. However, she still had much to learn – especially concerning other tribes' boundaries. It took her some time to learn all the scents of the other tribes, and even found herself getting lost within her own boarders. Yet, despite the occasional mistakes of crossing into another’s territory, she grew attached to the land of Nandryx, especially the land within her own boarders.

But with one meeting, and the appearance of a dark-furred stranger, her newfound home was to disappear, torn apart and left to die by the same Spirits that had once watched over it with such a tenderness that was to be rivaled by none.

Sooka grows more comfortable within her own tribe, despite the number of strangers.
Sooka makes friends outside of Water Tribe.
Jazlyn announces a prophecy, and the tribes are forced to migrate north to new lands.

A Steady Growth

The minute it was decided that the tribes would leave, Sooka hated the idea. She dreaded the day of the migration, hoping that somehow it would all be a dream. More than anything, she was worried about losing touch with all the friends she had made - the Green-Air Seraphiel in particular.

What if I don’t see him again…? Or anyone?

The very thought of losing touch with anyone - even those she had met only briefly - frightened her.

However, the migration went as smoothly as any such move can go, and she soon found herself settled into the Water Tribe's new territory. Much to her shock and regret though, the healers of her tribe were gone; Light Tribe had its own territory now. Their territory remained open to all, yet she found herself feeling pangs of remorse for never having spoken to her tribe's healers in the first place. No matter where the resided, they would always be Water Tribe to her.

New Exiles seemed to join their ranks as they settled into the newer boarders, but somehow, the made her nervous. Once again, she found herself shying away from her new tribe mates. Although they were part of her tribe, she wasn’t quite ready to make new acquaintances, which could be in part due to her grief over the death of a friend - Ross from the Air Tribe. She had only met him briefly once before the move, but his sudden and untimely death had affected her more than she was willing to admit. Death was, and still is, something uncomfortable and disturbing to her, perhaps because of her familiarity with it from her youth. Ross's death only reaffirmed her fears for her.

However, as time went on, Sooka has found herself growing into an adult. Her tattoo no longer had the slight pink hue of adolescence, but faded into orange, bright and jarring against her silver spotted pelt. She missed the pink, but with her steadily increasing confidence in herself, the orange seemed to almost suit her. Much to her surprise, she hadn’t been the only one noticing herself growing in strength in maturity. Her own leader and friend, Vitani, was quick to assign a newcomer to the tribe as Sooka’s apprentice - the young beauty, Tuari. Although she was worried and nervous at first, Sooka found herself unusually comfortable being a teacher - a leader; sometimes it even surprised herself.

New Exiles join the tribes.
The Green-Air Ross passes, reaffirming Sooka’s fear of death.
Vitani assigns Sooka as mentor to newcomer Tuari.

Betrayal

Just when Sooka was beginning to believe the new lands would be peaceful, the Spirits proved her wrong once again.
Caimans. Great, ugly, reptilian brutes seemed to materialize out of the bogs, forcing their way into the land. Sooka had been sure they would be safe, with Water Tribe being further than most from the bog and safely protected by the great waters surrounding them. But again, she was found wrong.

Despite the precautions taken by her tribe, and the relentless hours they spent securing their camp, the caimans seized two of her tribe’s members – a young warrior tom, and the once beautiful and impressive Yellow-Water, Sterling. Sooka had only shared words with her briefly once, but had walked by her side with Vitani during the first meeting of the tribes. She had grown to respect the long-hair she-cat, and even strove to be as sure of herself as she was.

The Spirit did this… she found herself thinking spitefully, the darkness in her heart rearing its ugly head once again, gnawing at her insides every time she got a moment to herself. She refused to forgive them.

Yet out of the darkness grew a tiny speck of light, beautiful and innocent. In all the darkness that seemed to be consuming her very existence, the Spirits had given her an ounce of hope. With the Deputy gone, her former apprentice, Tuari rose to the challenge, handpicked by the Spirits and blessed with the transformation of her once orange tattoo, to the beautiful glow of Yellow-Water. Somehow, the Spirits’ choice set her at ease, burying the hatred once again inside, only to go dormant for the time being.

Caimans invade the land, taking the life of Xander and the Yellow-Water, Sterling.
Sooka grows to hate the Spirits, feeling betrayed by them.
Sooka’s former apprentice, Tuari, becomes the new Deputy.

Additional Character Information

Relationships : Sooka's Heartchart

Tumblr : Ask Sooka!

Featured in :

Informing the Tribes
Water Walker
TGB Headshots
TGB Stocking Cats
TGB Assignment - What?
Promise
All the TGB Cats
Seraphiel's Hypokits
Caelum's Hypokits
Kehri's Hypokits
Stuck
Water Tribe
Sooka :: Request
Cats Remembered : Part 2
Water Tribe Headshots
TGB Sketches 5
Ice-Bridge
TGB Chapter 3 Assignment

Roleplays :
A Fresh Start (Part 1) - Sooka & Tuari
A Fresh Start (Part 2) - Sooka & Tuari

Assignments :

Assignment #1 : Fish Hunt
Assignment #2 : Ice-Bridge

Roleplay Example
Taken from a private RP with Sooka & Seraphiel from #The-Golden-Butterfly

The young she-cat grimaced at her wet paws as she padded through Water Tribe's camp. With the sudden approach of Spring, the warmer weather drove out the overcast skies, replacing them with warm breezes and bright sunshine. Unfortunately, the last of the Winter snow and ice was quick to melt, causing the river surrounding the camp to engulf half the place. As a result, many of the cats, Sooka included, tended to vacate the place during the day.

Lucky there are no kits in the camp...or it'd be even more of hassle, she found herself thinking, thankful that the youngest member of their tribe was at least old enough to take care of himself. He was one of Nobuo and the Silver-Fire's kits - a lookalike of his father.

The dappled she-cat padded onward, away from her water-logged camp. Not that it mattered much where she went since it seemed everywhere the ground was still soaked through and thoroughly muddy. She followed the river, heading towards the end of her tribe's territory, hoping that beyond their boarders perhaps things were a bit drier downstream although she doubted it. Maybe I'll head to the rocks by the river...they should be high enough to still be above the water, she thought hopefully, still trotting alongside the bank. It wasn't long before the looming stones and the tree trunk lodged between them came into view. It was just outside of the Water Tribe's scent markers, and often Sooka had come by it while on patrol. Although this time, there was another sitting atop the bridge. The she-cat pricked her ears hopefully, wondering if it was perhaps a friend. Ever since the move to the new lands, she hadn't once come across any of her old friends in the neutral territory, and not seeing one in particular had been leaving her rather gloomy these days.

I wonder if he's forgotten about me, she wondered, her mind once again back to the Green-Air she had met moons ago in the Rabbit's Forest. A small smile flickered across her maw as she recalled the time they spent in the woods, hunting and bird watching. It's been ages since then. A glance at her tattoo, which was once pink and orange when she met the tom told it had been too long. It no longer had its adolescence hue. Instead, she bore the orange mark of an adult - albeit a young one.

Lost in her thoughts, the she-cat hadn't been watching where she was going. It wasn't until striped paws met chilly water that she came back into reality, but by then it was far too late. Too caught up in thinking about her closest friend, whose tribe was no longer so conveniently next to hers, the spotted feline had walked herself straight passed the bridge and into the river. Luckily it was a short fall from the bank and the waters here were shallow, but it didn't change the fact they they were incredibly cold. With a sudden yowl of surprise and distress, the she-cat sprang out of the freezing water up onto the high rocks of the bridge, nearly slipping on the slippery surface with her wet paws. The second she caught her breath, the she-cat froze; she was not alone on the bridge. Large white paws stood in front of her. Her amber eyes slowly glanced upward, her body crouched low to the stone and her claws unsheathing. However, almost immediately she sheathed them again, her expression changing rapidly from one of fear to one of disbelief.

"S-Seraph...iel?" Sooka choked out, unsure whether she hit her head on something or not. He couldn't be here...he wouldn't be here - it was so far from Air Tribe territory. But there was no mistaking the dark tabby fur and plump tail of the tom in front of her. The green Air Tribe tattoo spread across his shoulders confirmed it, as well as the piercing in his ear. Sooka's amber eyes locked onto it, taking in the familiar silver ball that had once been her own. She had given it to the tom as a sign of friendship, and as a promise to find him again in the new land.

Still frozen from a combination of shock and the cold water, Sooka could only stare at him, unable to believe it was him. After all, they had been in the new territory for a while now, and she hadn't even caught the slightest glimpse of him. Occasionally she had thought she caught his scent on the wind, but she had long since given up on believing he was close. She thought she was merely inventing things in her mind out of a desire to see him.

"W-what're you doing here?" she suddenly blurted out, coming to her senses. She stumbled to her feet, moving closer and sitting on her haunches in front of him. "You're so far from Air Tribe...B-but why?"

PLEASE DO NOT USE OR HEAVILY REFERENCE

Sooka & Co. (c) ~ShhItsDark
#The-Golden-Butterfly (c) *Tzurai & ~Atalae

Description
Basic Information

Name :
True Name : Sooka ( Soo-KAH )
Kit Name : River ( Riv-err )

Gender : Female

Breed(s) : Egyptian Mau-Ocicat Mix

Age :
Came to the Tribes : Nine Moons
Current : Twenty-four Moons
Birth Season : Autumn

Tribe Information

Tribe :
Tribe of Origin : N/A
Current : Water Tribe

Tattoo : Orange-Water

Rank : Warrior

Ability : Primary

Soulbond : N/A

Apprentice(s) / Mentor(s) :
Past Apprentice(s) :
Yellow-Water | Tuari

Current Apprentice :
N/A

Skillset : Water Walking | Basic Water Control | Rising Water | Freezing Water | Rising Water 2 | Rising Water 3

Physical Appearance

Physique :
Sooka's build is very thin and lean. Her legs appear longer than most cats, but she is actually just slightly under the average size of a she-cat. Her paws are small to match her slender frame. As a warrior, she is strong and muscular. However, her strength is better served for running and climbing than it is for fighting. Her small build makes her easy to knock off balance. When it comes to balancing on branches or small stones in the river, however, Sooka is an expert. Her tail is very long, giving her an advantage. It allows her to balance her weight and tread easily across thin branches or wobbly stones. When it comes to fighting, she uses her speed and nimble paws to her advantage rather than trying to match her opponent's strength. In addition, she prefers to flat out chase down her prey instead of stalking it; she can often outrun her meals. Despite her very thin look, which sometimes is mistaken for starvation, she considers herself well-fed and in-shape.

Pelt & Markings :
To match her speedy frame, Sooka's fur is thin and smooth, lying flat across her skin. It is pale silvery, save for the few exceptions: her paws, chest, belly, and muzzle are white, blending carefully to a light grey; and her ears, back, and tip of her tail are a dark grey, almost black. Her pelt is speckled with spots of white, grey, and black giving her pelt an almost sparkly look in the sun. Stripes appear underneath her eyes, on her cheeks, on most of her tail, and on her legs. Also, she has a dark grey 'mane' which stretches from the back of her head down her neck and over part of her upper back. The fur there grows thicker and longer than the rest of her body.

For most of the the year, her coat is sleek and shiny from her diet of fish in the Water Tribe. This makes her coat water repellent and more aerodynamic under the water. However, in the Winter, her fur becomes thicker over her slender frame, giving her the appearance of a more well-fed cat. It also loses most of its sheen due to a different diet when the rivers and lakes freeze over.

Accessories :
Silver barbell pierced over her right eyebrow | Given to her by her father
Industrial barbell with an attached orange-brown owl feather pierced through her left ear | Given to her by Green-Air Serphiel

Scars :
A small scar on her forehead, often hidden by her bangs | Given to her by her feather

Personality

Positive
Neutral
Negative

Loyal | Sage | Sunny | Honest | Intellectual | Rash | Insecure | Reserved

Summary :
Upon first meeting her, Sooka appears quiet and reserved, speaking directly in an almost blunt fashion. Her stiff and serious demeanor is only broken by the occasional fumble of her words as her nerves get the better of her. However, despite her seemingly cold and distant personality, Sooka’s true self runs much deeper. Once she moves past her initial awkwardness, she becomes easygoing and relaxed, laughing often and even playfully teasing on her own accord. Her quick wits and calculating mind make her a good tactician, but her tendency to overthink things makes her a poor choice when with any sort of decision making. Her fear of failure drives her to make ill-thought out and rash judgments, making her a bit more impatient than most. Any choices she does make tend to be based on her fealty to others. Loyalty to everything to her, and she will often think of how her actions might affect someone close to her before she thinks of the consequences for herself. However, through all the mistakes and experiences in her life, Sooka’s become quite the wise she-cat, quick to give advice and even quicker to offer her assistance. She’s the type to sit down and listen to others fears and problems before she voices her own.

| Loyal
More than anything, Sooka strives to be as loyal as they come. She’s a firm believer in having someone’s back once they’ve gained her trust, no matter what the costs. Sometimes she can come off as a bit overbearing, or even a bit like a suck up, but she cares very little for what others might think. She places her loyalties with few, but swears to stay by their side through thick and thin. Among those who she pledges herself are those she greatly respects, or close friends she feels comfortable around. Whoever it is though, Sooka is the type to trust in them always, even after being betrayed. Trusting them once is enough for her, and rarely does she ever lose faith in someone. However, on the down side, her adamant sense of devotion puts her on the vulnerable side.

| Sage
Despite still being in her youthful stages of adult life, Sooka is mature for her age. Much to her own surprise, she’s found herself the type to console others and even offer decent advice. Until being assigned an apprentice, she had never quite thought of herself as anyone remotely close to a leader or mentor. Yet somehow, being a kind of guide to a younger feline caused something inside her to surface. Since then, she’s discovered the effect her simple words seem to have on those in distress and has taken to the idea of giving wise, yet practical, counsel when the need arises.

| Sunny
After warming up to someone, Sooka’s cold personality shifts into a more delightful and pleasant one. She’s the type to smile often and see the joy in all the little things, no matter how many times she’s seen them. Her simplicity makes her a charmingly gentle she-cat with little desire for confrontation or hurt feelings. It isn’t unusual to find her apologizing unnecessarily for something, nor is it out of the ordinary for her to be affected by insults. She’s the type to ignore spiteful words thrown at her, and rarely bites the bait to land herself in an argument. However, she’s the first to jump in when the situation is reversed and the words are directed to someone else. She’s a fierce defender, often going out of her way to fight someone else’s battles for them.

| Honest
Sooka’s straightforward and devote nature makes her one of the most honest cats to come across. She’s uncomfortable lying to those close to her, often shuffling her paws or darting her eyes here or there. Simply put, she’s a terrible liar, which is perhaps half the reason she’s truthful. While normally impassive with strangers, she becomes honest to the point of being blunt and insensitive with those who know her well. Sometimes she’s mistaken as being rude or cheeky, although in reality she’s only spitting out whatever is on her mind for fear they’ll catch her lie, no matter how small, and no longer trust her. Sooka’s stubborn honesty often lands her in misunderstandings, resulting in hurt feelings anyways.

| Intellectual
Calculating and clever, Sooka’s considers herself to be on the more intellectual side. She enjoys solving puzzles and riddles, and often finds herself thinking of multiple solutions to a problem. While she rarely opening exhibits this pride in herself, she does occasionally offer her thoughts when it comes to strategizing. However, since she barely speaks up in a group, her verdicts are usually gone by unnoticed. Sometimes, her mind gets her into trouble though, as she can drift off into her own thoughts during conversations or when she should be focusing on a task at hand. She’s a bit of an air head in the sense that she daydreams often, making her clumsier than once would expect for her graceful stature; when her mind is wrapped around something, all bets are off. Even worse though, is her unfortunate habit of overthinking. She obsesses over the most insignificant aspect until her overactive mind spirals into her ridiculous imagination, working herself up over nothing. As a result, she is inclined to become very anxious over the smallest detail.

| Rash
Her fear of making decisions makes Sooka a surprisingly reckless feline. Too impatient to think everything through, yet too afraid of picking the wrong one, she goes with her first inclination and hopes for the best. She seems to land herself in frequent trouble, making the whole thing worse than it was to begin with. She’s a poor choice for anything ambiguous, and does far better with more straightforward tasks where she isn’t forced into picking one way or another. When she is dragged into a situation though, she does her best to get it all over with as quickly as possible, resulting in rather sloppy and rushed work on her part.

| Insecure
Although Sooka has discovered a new confidence in herself as she’s gotten older and more comfortable, the underlying uncertainties and doubt still remain. She questions her ability to do most anything that requires her being a leader, and shies away from responsibilities. She fears disappointing her tribe, and most of all her leader and deputy. Mostly, these insecurities lie in communication with other felines. She knows she has poor social skills, and although they’ve drastically improved in the past year, she still fears making a poor first impression. She does her best not to appear so shy and reserved, but this tends to backfire. She becomes too embarrassed to even attempt being outgoing, and only crawls further back into her shell. Sooka’s more awkward than most, and worries relentlessly over saying the wrong thing.

| Apprehensive
While she’s modest and tends to keep to herself, Sooka takes this to the extreme sometimes. She avoids others and sometimes finds herself completely unable to speak in the presence of more than one cat. She prefers interacting with others one and one, and even dreads walking in front of a small group. She dislikes being noticed, and often completely shuts down compliments directed her way, especially if they’re given by a complete stranger. She’s wary of other’s words, and constantly repeats them in her head, wondering if perhaps there’s a hidden message in them, or if they’re point out her numerous flaws. She’s neurotic in a way, and quickly jumps to conclusions.

Family

Father : Tartok ( Tar-tock ) | Exile / Grey-Shadow | Alive
Mother : Anyu ( Ahn-yoo ) | Exile / Grey-Light | Alive
Brother(s) : Tulok ( Too-lock ) | Exile / Grey-Air | Deceased
Sister(s) :
Nukka ( Nu-kah ) | Exile / Grey-Air | Deceased
Panik ( Pahn-neek ) | Exile / Grey-Water | Deceased
Tikaani ( Tee-kahn-ee ) | Exile / Grey-Fire | Alive

Uncle(s) : Calais | Exile | Alive
Aunt(s) : Reua | Exile | Deceased
Cousin(s) : Akida | Orange-Earth | Alive

Adoptive Sister : Tuari | Yellow-Water | Alive

Backstory

A Blackened Heart

Tartok and Anyu had both been born into exile during the first war with the Golden Butterfly. Both were rather serious cats, as they had been raised to be so by their own parents, hardened by the turn of events. When they met and started their own family, they raised their kits to be the same.

Constant fighting between the tribes coupled with the bitterness of being an exile made Tartok a harsh and cold father to his kits. Anyu's litter of four daughters and a single son did nothing to melt the ice in his heart either; he had been hoping for a stronger bunch. He worried for his daughters, fearing they'd never be able to fend for themselves or be swept away by the war if it were to continue much longer – although he had a funny way of showing it. Instead of being protective, Tartok neglected them, even to the point of pushing them away, perhaps out of his own fear of losing them. His mate Anyu noticed how distant and short he was with them, but like Tartok, she felt the same pangs of fear for her daughters and did nothing to quell him.

For most of Sooka's early kithood, she spent her time wandering through the area with her sisters. Tartok never supervised them as he was too busy vigorously training his only son, Tulok, whom he had high hopes for. Yet Tulok had a weak body from the lack of nourishment Anyu had received while pregnant. The scarceness of food took a toll on them all, and with the intense training from his father, Tulok's weak body didn't last long - he was the first of the kits to pass away.

Undaunted, Tartok turned to the strongest of his daughters - Sooka. He separated her from her sisters nearly night and day, forcing her to become a strong and quick footed cat. While Sooka saw his intensity as punishment, Tartok viewed it differently. He didn't want to lose any more of his family to weakness, and was determined to give his daughter the best chance of survival he could give. Yet even he have foreseen the consequences far worse than struggling to live. Sooka grew into a rather closed off cat, never learning how to properly communicate with others. She knew nothing of friendships or even love for her parents. Deep inside, a dark hatred grew, poising her every thought and driving her further and further from her desperate family.

Yet Sooka's other sisters fared no better. They resented her for being Tartok's new 'favorite', refusing to speak with her and only further hardening her heart. They felt betrayed by her, since she had once used to play with them; now, all her time was for her father, unbeknownst to them that it was beyond her choice. Had she known that not all of her sisters would survive their first year, perhaps Sooka would have felt differently towards them, as she herself felt like the one that was truly betrayed. However, like Tulok, they suffered from Anyu's undernourishment during her pregnancy. Slowly, disease and starvation eventually picked them off, and in the end it was only Sooka and Tikaani left of the litter.

Tartok and Anyu give birth to a litter of five.
Tulok passes.
Tartok alienates and heavily trains Sooka – she becomes closed off and resentful.
Nukka and Panik pass.

Quiet Words

As Sooka grew into adolescence, she found she could no longer stand her usual routine. She and Tartok were the only ones to provide food, as Anyu never quite recovered from her weakness, and Tikaani had little training when it came to hunting. Truth be told, even if she had, Tikaani was not the type to provide for others – she was more the type to manipulate others into provide for her. Eventually Sooka began to care for the broken family on her own. Tartok chose to stay behind on hunting trips, keeping close to his mate and daughter out of worry. He grew every more paranoid as the days passed. Every subtle sound caused him to flinch and lash out in blind fury, even once going as far as to mistaken Sooka for a stranger.

Day in and day out, Sooka hunted and returned dutifully. Out of envy and bitter resentment, Tikaani poisoned Sooka’s mind, planting strange delusions within her thoughts.

”Doesn’t it hurt to know daddy and mommy are only using you?” she would ask innocently enough over an evening’s fresh kill, her eyes boring into Sooka’s as she watched. Sooka would never respond, never finding herself able to utter the words in her heart.

Yes, it bothered her to think such things – she didn’t dare think them - not until Tikaani. Her sister’s words would whisper to her in her sleep, causing her to doubt her very loyalty to the ones she called family.

Oh, but what have they done for you? a voice would always, always ask her. Sooka would not reply, pushing her emotions away…just as she had been taught by her father.

Yet it was never enough to simply ignore the voices in her mind. Faced with the choice of having to believe them or deny them altogether, she fled. She could not bear to think she was merely a puppet of her family, but at the same time could not remain with them in constant doubt of her worth. She slipped away; traveling south into strange lands she had only her rumors and whispers of from her parents – into the tribes’ land.

It wasn't long before Sooka found herself in Water Tribe territory, placed there by some strange mark on her shoulder and a nameless voice - she knew little of what it meant at the time. Suddenly being surrounded by other cats made her nervous. Other than her siblings, she had never once interacted with another, yet here she was, in the midst of strangers, and what was worse – faced with the prospect of living and working with them.

Yet somehow, she felt safe with them – just slightly.

Sooka flees her family and comes to the tribes.
Sooka receives her true name and is placed among Water Tribe.

An Unexpected Departure

Although nervous by being around so many strange cats at first, Sooka grew used to them. She no longer shied away from those within her tribe, and even began to give them shy smiles in passing. She felt at ease in the camp, finding comfort in being near them now. Slowly, they seemed to become something more than just tribe mates to her. They became something like a family – even those she had yet to interact with. The tribe had accepted her as she was, never once asking for more from her than her loyalty to the land. With everything they did for her, she vowed to protect any cat bearing the mark of the Water Tribe – her tribe.

After a few moons since gaining the proper colors of her tattoo, Sooka began to get a handle on her powers with the help of Vitani, the Silver-Water – leader of her tribe. She started off rather shakily, having no confidence in herself. While she still refused to use them for hunting, preferring her claws and teeth, she continued to practice dutifully, determined to use the gifts given to her.

Outside of her boarders, Sooka found herself surprisingly more at ease with cats of other tribes, particularly Air Tribe cats. Although still nervous and anxious when it came to meeting strangers, she slowly grew used to crossing their paths in the Neutral Lands. However, she still had much to learn – especially concerning other tribes' boundaries. It took her some time to learn all the scents of the other tribes, and even found herself getting lost within her own boarders. Yet, despite the occasional mistakes of crossing into another’s territory, she grew attached to the land of Nandryx, especially the land within her own boarders.

But with one meeting, and the appearance of a dark-furred stranger, her newfound home was to disappear, torn apart and left to die by the same Spirits that had once watched over it with such a tenderness that was to be rivaled by none.

Sooka grows more comfortable within her own tribe, despite the number of strangers.
Sooka makes friends outside of Water Tribe.
Jazlyn announces a prophecy, and the tribes are forced to migrate north to new lands.

A Steady Growth

The minute it was decided that the tribes would leave, Sooka hated the idea. She dreaded the day of the migration, hoping that somehow it would all be a dream. More than anything, she was worried about losing touch with all the friends she had made - the Green-Air Seraphiel in particular.

What if I don’t see him again…? Or anyone?

The very thought of losing touch with anyone - even those she had met only briefly - frightened her.

However, the migration went as smoothly as any such move can go, and she soon found herself settled into the Water Tribe's new territory. Much to her shock and regret though, the healers of her tribe were gone; Light Tribe had its own territory now. Their territory remained open to all, yet she found herself feeling pangs of remorse for never having spoken to her tribe's healers in the first place. No matter where the resided, they would always be Water Tribe to her.

New Exiles seemed to join their ranks as they settled into the newer boarders, but somehow, the made her nervous. Once again, she found herself shying away from her new tribe mates. Although they were part of her tribe, she wasn’t quite ready to make new acquaintances, which could be in part due to her grief over the death of a friend - Ross from the Air Tribe. She had only met him briefly once before the move, but his sudden and untimely death had affected her more than she was willing to admit. Death was, and still is, something uncomfortable and disturbing to her, perhaps because of her familiarity with it from her youth. Ross's death only reaffirmed her fears for her.

However, as time went on, Sooka has found herself growing into an adult. Her tattoo no longer had the slight pink hue of adolescence, but faded into orange, bright and jarring against her silver spotted pelt. She missed the pink, but with her steadily increasing confidence in herself, the orange seemed to almost suit her. Much to her surprise, she hadn’t been the only one noticing herself growing in strength in maturity. Her own leader and friend, Vitani, was quick to assign a newcomer to the tribe as Sooka’s apprentice - the young beauty, Tuari. Although she was worried and nervous at first, Sooka found herself unusually comfortable being a teacher - a leader; sometimes it even surprised herself.

New Exiles join the tribes.
The Green-Air Ross passes, reaffirming Sooka’s fear of death.
Vitani assigns Sooka as mentor to newcomer Tuari.

Betrayal

Just when Sooka was beginning to believe the new lands would be peaceful, the Spirits proved her wrong once again.
Caimans. Great, ugly, reptilian brutes seemed to materialize out of the bogs, forcing their way into the land. Sooka had been sure they would be safe, with Water Tribe being further than most from the bog and safely protected by the great waters surrounding them. But again, she was found wrong.

Despite the precautions taken by her tribe, and the relentless hours they spent securing their camp, the caimans seized two of her tribe’s members – a young warrior tom, and the once beautiful and impressive Yellow-Water, Sterling. Sooka had only shared words with her briefly once, but had walked by her side with Vitani during the first meeting of the tribes. She had grown to respect the long-hair she-cat, and even strove to be as sure of herself as she was.

The Spirit did this… she found herself thinking spitefully, the darkness in her heart rearing its ugly head once again, gnawing at her insides every time she got a moment to herself. She refused to forgive them.

Yet out of the darkness grew a tiny speck of light, beautiful and innocent. In all the darkness that seemed to be consuming her very existence, the Spirits had given her an ounce of hope. With the Deputy gone, her former apprentice, Tuari rose to the challenge, handpicked by the Spirits and blessed with the transformation of her once orange tattoo, to the beautiful glow of Yellow-Water. Somehow, the Spirits’ choice set her at ease, burying the hatred once again inside, only to go dormant for the time being.

Caimans invade the land, taking the life of Xander and the Yellow-Water, Sterling.
Sooka grows to hate the Spirits, feeling betrayed by them.
Sooka’s former apprentice, Tuari, becomes the new Deputy.

Additional Character Information

Relationships : Sooka's Heartchart

Tumblr : Ask Sooka!

Featured in :

Informing the Tribes
Water Walker
TGB Headshots
TGB Stocking Cats
TGB Assignment - What?
Promise
All the TGB Cats
Seraphiel's Hypokits
Caelum's Hypokits
Kehri's Hypokits
Stuck
Water Tribe
Sooka :: Request
Cats Remembered : Part 2
Water Tribe Headshots
TGB Sketches 5
Ice-Bridge
TGB Chapter 3 Assignment

Roleplays :
A Fresh Start (Part 1) - Sooka & Tuari
A Fresh Start (Part 2) - Sooka & Tuari

Assignments :

Assignment #1 : Fish Hunt
Assignment #2 : Ice-Bridge

Roleplay Example
Taken from a private RP with Sooka & Seraphiel from #The-Golden-Butterfly

The young she-cat grimaced at her wet paws as she padded through Water Tribe's camp. With the sudden approach of Spring, the warmer weather drove out the overcast skies, replacing them with warm breezes and bright sunshine. Unfortunately, the last of the Winter snow and ice was quick to melt, causing the river surrounding the camp to engulf half the place. As a result, many of the cats, Sooka included, tended to vacate the place during the day.

Lucky there are no kits in the camp...or it'd be even more of hassle, she found herself thinking, thankful that the youngest member of their tribe was at least old enough to take care of himself. He was one of Nobuo and the Silver-Fire's kits - a lookalike of his father.

The dappled she-cat padded onward, away from her water-logged camp. Not that it mattered much where she went since it seemed everywhere the ground was still soaked through and thoroughly muddy. She followed the river, heading towards the end of her tribe's territory, hoping that beyond their boarders perhaps things were a bit drier downstream although she doubted it. Maybe I'll head to the rocks by the river...they should be high enough to still be above the water, she thought hopefully, still trotting alongside the bank. It wasn't long before the looming stones and the tree trunk lodged between them came into view. It was just outside of the Water Tribe's scent markers, and often Sooka had come by it while on patrol. Although this time, there was another sitting atop the bridge. The she-cat pricked her ears hopefully, wondering if it was perhaps a friend. Ever since the move to the new lands, she hadn't once come across any of her old friends in the neutral territory, and not seeing one in particular had been leaving her rather gloomy these days.

I wonder if he's forgotten about me, she wondered, her mind once again back to the Green-Air she had met moons ago in the Rabbit's Forest. A small smile flickered across her maw as she recalled the time they spent in the woods, hunting and bird watching. It's been ages since then. A glance at her tattoo, which was once pink and orange when she met the tom told it had been too long. It no longer had its adolescence hue. Instead, she bore the orange mark of an adult - albeit a young one.

Lost in her thoughts, the she-cat hadn't been watching where she was going. It wasn't until striped paws met chilly water that she came back into reality, but by then it was far too late. Too caught up in thinking about her closest friend, whose tribe was no longer so conveniently next to hers, the spotted feline had walked herself straight passed the bridge and into the river. Luckily it was a short fall from the bank and the waters here were shallow, but it didn't change the fact they they were incredibly cold. With a sudden yowl of surprise and distress, the she-cat sprang out of the freezing water up onto the high rocks of the bridge, nearly slipping on the slippery surface with her wet paws. The second she caught her breath, the she-cat froze; she was not alone on the bridge. Large white paws stood in front of her. Her amber eyes slowly glanced upward, her body crouched low to the stone and her claws unsheathing. However, almost immediately she sheathed them again, her expression changing rapidly from one of fear to one of disbelief.

"S-Seraph...iel?" Sooka choked out, unsure whether she hit her head on something or not. He couldn't be here...he wouldn't be here - it was so far from Air Tribe territory. But there was no mistaking the dark tabby fur and plump tail of the tom in front of her. The green Air Tribe tattoo spread across his shoulders confirmed it, as well as the piercing in his ear. Sooka's amber eyes locked onto it, taking in the familiar silver ball that had once been her own. She had given it to the tom as a sign of friendship, and as a promise to find him again in the new land.

Still frozen from a combination of shock and the cold water, Sooka could only stare at him, unable to believe it was him. After all, they had been in the new territory for a while now, and she hadn't even caught the slightest glimpse of him. Occasionally she had thought she caught his scent on the wind, but she had long since given up on believing he was close. She thought she was merely inventing things in her mind out of a desire to see him.

"W-what're you doing here?" she suddenly blurted out, coming to her senses. She stumbled to her feet, moving closer and sitting on her haunches in front of him. "You're so far from Air Tribe...B-but why?"

PLEASE DO NOT USE OR HEAVILY REFERENCE

Sooka & Co. (c) ~ShhItsDark
#The-Golden-Butterfly (c) *Tzurai & ~Atalae