Stormcloud: A History

History from profile:

Stormcloud was born outside Recognition. Her mother, Skybolt, had many lovemates and shared furs freely, so it has never been established who was her actual sire. Skybolt was, and is, not a motherly elf, much more interested in perfecting her hunting skills and looking for company for pleasure-games than raising her daughter, so Stormcloud was mostly looked after by her grandmother, Stormwind. Stormwind was a strict, firm upbringer who made sure that Stormcloud learned to respect her elders and obey her chief. Young Stormcloud grew bored under this surveillance and often escaped to have adventures of her own.

When Stormcloud was 20, it was obvious to all that she would not grow any taller. Her mother is above average height, so the tribe reached the conclusion that Stormcloud's sire was probably an elf called Redfern, who had been short, too, and also one of Skybolt's longtime lovemates. Unfortunately for Stormcloud, the knowledge came too late to get to know him better, as Redfern had died in a hunting accident four turns of the seasons before this.

When Stormcloud became an adult and a huntress, Skybolt found it easier to be around her daughter. They hunted together, and Skybolt taught Stormcloud many useful skills. One day, about 30 years ago, Skybolt challenged Stormcloud to a contest of throwing knives, and promised that they would have these contests until Stormcloud bested her mother five times in a row. When that happened, Skybolt would give her daughter the valuable brightmetal knives, the 'Four Lightnings' that had been in her family a long time and were always passed on to the next generation in this fashion. They competed against each other about once a moonphase, and it took Stormcloud 12 years to achieve the level of skill to defeat her mother five times in a row. When this happened, she did inherit the knives.

12 years ago, Stormcloud, having recently lost her wolf-friend to old age, bonded with a very friendly little wolf cub she named Bigpaws, since the cub did indeed have big paws and showed signs that he would grow very large. And that happened, exceeding all expectations. Bigpaws ended up being bigger and stronger than any other wolf of the pack, and thus he became the alpha male about four years ago. Stormcloud feels that her bond with Bigpaws is stronger than with any of her previous wolf-friends, and they are well suited for each other.

One of the biggest losses of Stormcloud's life was when her grandmother, Stormwind, was killed by a longtooth cat. This happened 8 years ago. Skybolt got some measure of revenge by killing the longtooth, but an emptiness remains in the hearts of both mother and daughter, and they remember Stormwind at every Howl.

Stormcloud has lived with the WolfFolk all her life. Her world is the forest and the Hunt. She is not closely associated with any of the SeaFolk, though she has shared furs with some out of curiosity. She has never Recognized or had children. She knows it might happen some day, and does not see a problem in that, but for now her life is fine the way she is.

Timeline of Stormcloud's life:

62 years ago:
birth of Stormcloud

50 years ago:
Stormcloud bonds with her first wolf-friend, Blacktail (female)

46 years ago:
Death of Redfern

45 years ago:
Skybolt begins to teach Stormcloud to hunt. Training continues until present time

42 years ago:
The tribe realizes Redfern was probably Stormcloud's sire

36 years ago:
Blacktail dies of old age
Later the same year:
Stormcloud bonds with Shiver, a rather weak and shy wolf female

32 years ago:
Skybolt's first challenge to Stormcloud over the family heirloom knives

20 years ago:
Stormcloud succeeds in the challenge and inherits the knives known as the 'Four Lightnings'

12 years ago: Shiver dies of old age
Later the same year:
Stormcloud bonds with Bigpaws. Bond lasts until present time

8 years ago:
Stormcloud's grandmother, Stormwind, killed by a longtooth cat