Kiwi
Description
Kiwi was small and delicate with chocolate brown fur and vivid green eyes. There was nothing dainty about her personality; she carried herself with a haughty hubris that bordered on insufferable.
The girl had no empathy for others unless the image of it in some way benefitted her. She was the personification of pride and took both rejection and insults extremely badly. Jealousy consumed her and she expected to be the center of attention; she was often deeply insulted when this failed to be the case.
Kiwi was a perfectionist and tended to twist situations so that she always came out in the right, even within her own mind. She judged others unfailingly, but the degree to which she did so depended on how highly they placed her. If she felt she was a priority to them, she was often more forgiving.
Defining Characteristics
- Narcissistic
- Driven
- Paranoid
- Intense
- Cruel to anyone "weak"
Connections
Family
- Thuringwhethil - mother/"nomi"
- Wildfire Redhawk - (biological) mother
- Étoille - biological father
- Artaax Drakru - brother/former mentor
- Blixen Vixen Drakru - sister
- Robin Drakru - brother
- Rorqual - sister, littermate
- Tux Drakru - brother, littermate
- Silkie - brother, littermate
- Whisky Jack Redhawk-Blackthorn - sister
- Elwood Jr. II - brother
Other
- Sequoia - considered a sister through childhood (potentially more)
- Yami - only family Kiwi acknowledged for a time, also more than a friend, not exactly a sister
History
Drageda
Kiwi was born to Wildfire within Drageda. She only knew Thuringwethil to be her Nomi, though her sire was Etoille. She led a fairly uneventful childhood within the cliffs, growing and learning eagerly. From a very young age she had a proclivity towards proving herself, and she tended to correct her siblings as well as adults around her. She aspired to one day be Heda, though that dream would prove to be impossible. Hedas were chosen only from children born with no living siblings.
When she and her sister were still young, and Thuringwethil recovering from injuries, they chose to go off exploring. While out, she was separated from her sister, but found by a former member of Drageda. After spending some time with Eva and Mallaidh, they were able to track down Blixen and return her to her older sister and family. When she arrived home Bat was already there and she was in trouble. But she settled back fairly quickly into a routine of playing with her siblings and training with the adults (including her older brother, Artaax).
Shortly after, when nomi had recovered from her wounds, she took Ephraim and a few others and went north to one of their sister kru. At first it did not sink in, but when Bat disappeared as well, Kiwi was left alone with Wildfire and her brother Tux. She grew resentful, angry that her sister had gone to explore without her and that nomi had chosen to take an outsider over her. It was then that she met Sequoia, and her friendship with the girl helped some. Even when Silkie eventually returned, she held his departure against him as well.
Her resentment soured especially heavily against Thuringwethil, who had been her idol before departing. She felt utterly betrayed that her mother would leave her behind, so when Wildfire stated that she was leaving Drageda, Kiwi chose to follow her. In doing so she was tossing aside her kru, but her loyalty to her mom outweighed her loyalty to heda. She was afraid of losing both mothers. Fortunately, Sequoia agreed to come with as well. Her family had scattered too and the girls had bonded in their mutual distaste.
Redhawks
When they arrived at the Redhawks claim, where Wildfire said her family was, they also found Bat. Kiwi was relieved to find her sister alive, but also extremely resentful. She was hurt both on her behalf and on the behalf of their mother, who Bat had allowed (in her estimation) to think she was dead this entire time. She was also jealous; she felt undercut in her support of her mom when it seemed (to her) that all Wildfire cared about was finding Bat again. She refused to forgive her and instead wrote her off, declaring Sequoia as her 'new sister' instead.
After staying for a time, Artaax showed up on the borders, stating that he was there to take them home. Kiwi responded that with Nomi gone, they could build a new kru here, and that he should stay. Instead he threatened them and deemed them natrona, traitor. This only stoked Kiwi's resolve more, and she vowed to prove to them that she was stronger than him or Drageda. After that, she grew closer to her mother and began to train with the Redhawk wolves (Niamh in particular).
Firebirds
After some time, Wildfire took Kiwi and Sequoia to see Sun Mote Copse and showed them what soon would be her new claim. She'd chosen to move because of the thread of Drageda as well as overcrowding within the plateau. Kiwi didn't mind so long as her mom and Sequoia came with, and said that she liked the territory. So all together, they decided to found the Firebirds.
As they began work on founding, Wildfire informed Kiwi that she would be made Honoree, with plans to be made Regent as soon as she was old enough. Kiwi was thrilled to be trusted with a rank and leadership alongside Sequoia, who would be given the same.
Just after the pack was officially founded, Tegan returned with news that Bat had fallen through the ice and presumably drowned. Kiwi ran, upset, but her mom followed her. Together they mourned and Kiwi confronted the guilt she felt over never having made things right. She came to blame Tegan for what had happened, determining that he was the reason Bat had drowned - if she was there, she would have saved her.
When Wildfire came forward with the news that she wished to have more kids with Eljay, Kiwi was immensely jealous. She thought that Eljay was far too weak to ever give worthwhile siblings and she didn't like the idea of sharing her mother's attention or legacy. She did begin to take healing lessons from Eljay, though, which allowed her to at least spend a bit of time with him. Her feelings were further assuaged when Wildfire informed her that her pregnancy would mean Kiwi needed to step up as Regent. But she still felt that Wildfire was replacing their Drageda family with a new one, and her accusations caused tension between the two. A chat with Colt changed her perspective, however, as he revealed that it would be on her to train her younger siblings and to teach them what to do. She quite liked the idea of that. While in the Firebirds, she made close friends with Clover as well, and things began to look up.
Then Towhee came with news that Bat was, once again, alive and well. Kiwi was a little shell-shocked and wasn't sure how to react; she'd already lost her sister a few times over, only to get her back, and the yo-yo it caused was beginning to fray. She couldn't feel much of anything and it frightened her. Nothing aside from resentment, because it seemed that every time something important happened, Bat showed up just in time to steal the limelight. She struggled with that for a while, but finally opened up to Wildfire about not wanting Bat back in her life as her sister. Her mother accepted the decision, lightening her guilt.
All through this, though, Drageda did remain on her mind. Eventually, the drive sent her north, just to see the cliffs again. But on her way, she met Artaax, who savagely attacked her. Nomi had died, and he sent her away. Something in Kiwi shifted with that encounter... and with the blows she'd taken. The PTS gave her light seizures and slowly, her personality began to shift... about her nomi's death, she felt practically nothing. The same about her brother's betrayal. Everything was consumed by a need to prove herself better and stronger than any of them.
Plagued with headaches, she began to take more responsibility in the pack regardless, though her tone got meaner. She was particularly bullying to Maia, who she saw as an easy target (and a slacker). She grew ruder, more dismissive of others, and more sure of her own unfailing abilities. She built more and more walls, spurning an apology from Artaax, and began to twist facts for her own benefit.
Then Sequoia left. If anything, after that, Kiwi's mood grew worse. Though the parting was amicable, she began to pick a bit on her younger siblings too when her mother wasn't around. She was a harsh teacher and an unforgiving critic. Slipping deeper and deeper into a downward mood swing, Kiwi finally left, disappearing to revisit Drageda once more. She needed to see what had become of it with Heda's death.
Lone Wolf
She found the cliffs deserted; Drageda was no more. Rather than leave, she entered a race of sorts with Dacio; this was her chance to finally take the role that should have always been her, claim the title of Heda and make her mother proud. Why she thought Wildfire would care was a mystery... but somehow, her mind had convinced itself that her goal was her mom's as well. Besides - Wildfire had a new family now. So began her quest to build Skairipa. It was an attempt that also brought her head to head with Caiaphas, who claimed a pick of her first litter for the exchange of settling the cliffs. Kiwi refused, convinced she could claim it regardless of good will.
Then Kiwi met Yami, and once more she had a confidante and partner in crime. Rather than face Caiaphas straight off, they claimed Nova Peak instead, setting up a base and beginning to recruit in hopes of one day taking the cliffs. She and Dacio laid out a tense truce, his claim in a neighboring forest, and they made tentative plans to join forces against the common threat. Unfortunately, Kiwi's pride and aggression made her a singularly bad recruiter. She never managed to achieve the numbers for a proper claim. They did fight a few threads, however... including a bear, Dacio and his sister Opalia joining to drive the creature off.
She and Yami ended up getting into it when Kiwi accepted her brother, Revui, into the cause. She still sought to reclaim the cliffs, but Yami felt they should give up on it and keep the mountain. Kiwi was unwilling to compromise on her mission, however, causing a slight rift between them. When Revui disappeared shortly after, Kiwi's patience began to thin. It had been a long time away, so she decided to go south once more and visit her mother.
When she arrived, she found no trace of Wildfire's scent. Instead Colt was now in charge. Furious, Kiwi demanded answers, but refused to accept the explanation that her mother had died of an illness. Instead she was convinced, in her grief, that Colt had conspired with who knows who else to kill her and to take her position as Soverign. She attacked him, and after a bitter fight, both were severely wounded. In the end, Colt bested her, chasing her from the territory.
She did not make it far before she was forced to hole up. Eventually Wraen found her, unconscious, and decided to show her mercy. She helped her to a hiding place and assisted her in healing up enough to disappear. Kiwi told her about Yami and the woman fetched her as well. When her friend arrived, they made plans to leave entirely, abandon the mountain and start over someplace new.
