Contest Entry Cailyn Ross

Name: Cailyn (Kale-lynn) Maclean Ross
Nickname/Given Name: Kale
Race: WindKing
Age: 24
Gender: Female
Height: 5' 1"
Eyes: Purple
Fur/Hair Color: Light Brown
Hair Style: Short bob that the hair flips out at the bottom.
Clothing: Though her clothing varies by outfit she generally wears lighter grey with deep purple trim. While it is a masculine color she loves the way it accents her eyes and it tickles her pink that all but one of her muses have purple on them. She calls it the team color.
Hometown: Svelhenwood
Current Town: Luloch her parents were friends with the owner of a technology shop there and he was looking for someone to make deliveries. Knowing that she wanted to see the world they recommended she apply, when she got the job she was able, with her parents help, to buy a house on the outskirts. It's a bit small, but there is room to expand. When she obtained Lucee they built an addition onto the house that Lucee could use as his living area.
Current Relatives: Her mother and father live in Svelhenwood. She has an older brother who is deep in study of the legends of the world in Riverdell.
Occupation: Delivery person/traveling sales person. When her boss receives an order to be taken to another city he sends her (and some of her muses) to deliver it. She always takes at least one bag full of small, useful gadgets that are easy to sell and she tries to sell them on the journey. Often she uses this as an excuse to take a bit longer then she ought and explore the cultures and cities she is exposed to.
Abilities: Excellent at figuring out how to use technology. Can ride a hover board, though she cannot do tricks on them.
Faults: Cannot fix technology if it breaks. Is not fond of heights.  
Notable Items: She owns a hoverboard, cell phone, messenger bag (Black with a white stylized dragon sewn on),  a necklace that she often wears that is black metal twisted into a tribal design with one of Lucee's feathers in the center.
Goals: To experience all that the major cities have to offer. To live in each of the major cities for a year and learn about the other cultures (She does not currently have the finances to do this so she just visits as she passes through).
Back Story: Though she had always been aware that she was a descendant of the great Svelhen Samiter she shuffled it away as an interesting piece of knowledge. To her it just meant that her father got to be important in a few ceremonies of memory and that her older brother would take over that role after him. If there are any prophecies they are either long forgotten or have simply not been mentioned to her by her family. To some it may seem strange that she does not carry the illustrious name of her predecessor, but many generations ago a woman from another strong family line insisted on keeping her last name and naming any daughters she might have with her last name. Her daughter did the same. From then on in the line of Samiter the females kept their names and the daughters carried the mother's names.


Those who know her father or brother know she is of the Samiter line, but she does not trade upon it. It wasn't until her boss exchanged emails with her parents when she was very sick that even he found out about her familial connections. It is not that she is not proud of her heritage, but many people seem to think that just because she is descended from a famous person that she is in some way special. That she should be dedicating her life to some great cause. They also expect her to have memorized all the tales of Svelhen's bravery and to tell them when asked. She does know a few different variations of the retelling however she does not like to retell the same story over and over. She wants to learn new stories to tell and new ways to tell them. She has a folder on her home computer dedicated to the stories and whenever she hears a new one she records it on her cell phone and types it up when she gets home. If the story is suitably different or has a new element she has not heard she always sends a copy of it to her brother to see if he can verify or disprove the new information. To the few who have accused her of not owning up to her lineage she points out her bag. She proudly carries her messenger bag with her wherever she goes and it bears the symbol of the muse and of peace. She follows the values of her ancestor, except for the thievery, but tries to follow her own moral compass more than his.


It was not very long after she acquired Shadi that she had an unfortunate encounter with one of the few elements that have never changed through the myths. Those of the Eziers.

Three travelers walk down a lonely winding road deep within the Dark Forest.

"How far are we from a town?" Khana asked pleadingly. Despite the fact that the Cheshire had not walked a step she was complaining of weariness.

Cailyn sighed shifting her messenger bag and trying to think of how long they had been walking. "I'm not really sure. I know we're still headed North like we wanted, but I've never  taken this path before. It winds a bit more than I expected."

"It's dark and I'm hungry." Khana complained. "That friend of yours had nothing but happy dreams and who manages that when they live secluded in the woods? It's not fair!"

Cailyn carefully counted to ten watching the path illuminated by Tywood's blazing mane. "I am so sorry that he didn't have nightmares and he's not particularly a friend of mine. I'm interested in his research and he keeps placing large orders for parts which makes my boss happy. He knows that I don't mind going this deep in the forest and most of his other runners would. I know I've got you guys to keep me safe."

She ran her hands through Tywoods harmless fire and scratched him behind the ears. Few things scared her massive Blaze Lion and she knew he would defend her if someone attacked. Khana she wasn't as sure about. The little Cheshire often acted like a friend of convenience. There when the road was smooth, but a few bumps and Khana would make her own path without a moment's hesitation.

Khana managed to remain  quiet for nearly an hour more before staring up again. "What time do you think it is?"

Out of habit Cailyn fished her cell phone out of her bag before realizing it wouldn't work. "I forgot to bring a watch. Probably about ten."

"I think it's midnight. Do you know what they say comes out at midnight?" Khana whispered floating just behind Cailyn's head.

"You're going to try to give me nightmares and it won't work. It's ten, not midnight, and nothing comes out except the Driptoids and Chocolate Butterflies."

"The undead servants of Aurich rise from their graves and eat travelers who get lost in the woods. They settle their bones beneath the dirt and when someone steps on the ground above them they SNATCH them."

As Khana said snatch her paw wrapped around Cailyn's foot. With a yelp Cailyn jumped causing Tywood to whirl and snap at the thin air where Khana had been.

"Don't do that." Cailyn gasped still trying to catch her breath and leaning heavily on Tywood's shoulder. She was not paying particular attention to her surroundings, but she felt every muscle in Tywood's body tense and she heard a great rumble start up. Knowing that he had a tendency to misunderstand what another's intentions where and not particularly wanting Khana to get hurt she petted his shoulder. "It's alright Ty. She didn't mean it. I'm fine."

Tywood shoved past her and stared intently at a patch of darkness just beyond the reach of his light. Now truly worried Cailyn stepped closer to him trying to decide what it could be. Footsteps came slowly forward until she finally dug her flashlight out, and then realized that it wouldn't work any better than her phone. Cursing the forest's peculiarities again she waited with baited breath for whatever was approaching.

At first when the creature stepped into the light she thought it was Blaze Lion for the flaming mane it had, but it was far too tall. As she took steps backward she noticed it had four tails like a Pygmy Fawke yet each tail was tipped with a piece of bone that looked sharp. She really did not want to find out if it was sharp. There seemed to be only a small portion of its body where there was skin the rest simply a skeleton and flame. The eyes worried her the most. Not flames as she would have guessed but dark pits. She started to take another step back, but was stopped by Khana's cry.

"Behind you!" The Cheshire shrieked floating up into the air out of reach.

Turing she saw another creature and the world seemed to pause. She had technology to repel pests on the plains, but had forsaken some of the heavier gear that could be used in the forest. It was a simple  run and she'd been planning on being home far before dark. She could think of nothing that would save her. Freezing with her back to Tywood she tried to come up with something that might get her out of this alive.

From far above her head  Khana hollered. "There's a guardhouse just a bit farther. Most of them are abandoned from what I've heard, but there's someone there. I see a light. You can make it if you run. I'll go ahead and tell whoever it is to be ready."

Cailyn turned and ran yelling at Tywood to follow. Part of her said that if he fell behind she would absolutely stop to save him, but a more pertinent part said that she'd get to safety first and come back if she had a weapon. There was no sense in getting both of them killed. The creatures were slow to react to their running and she thought for a moment that they might have a chance however when they began it was as if they had some of the speed of a Flash Hare.

They rounded the bend and she saw the guardhouse just as she tripped. It always seemed such a silly thing to do, and yet there she was belly down realizing that she was likely about the bite the dust. Tywood ran several steps further before realizing that she was not with him anymore.

The Ezierktza, for she knew that was what it had to be, closest to her saw it's chance and leapt reaching out with its long, thin finger like claws. Tywood jumped as well intent on protecting her as she struggled to get her feet back under her. She managed just as Tywood sailed past her. The two foes claws nearly touched when both seemed to hit an invisible wall. Both fell back, Tywood looking confused, and the Ezier looking angry.

"I have got to work on my shielding abilities." Said a deep voice from behind her. Jumping for what seemed like the trillionth time that night Cailyn stepped so that she could see both this newcomer and the Ezier.

"Thank you very very much. How long will that hold?" Cailyn said looking the newcomer up and down. He was dressed in Nightling fashion and had red eyes.

"You're very welcome and it should hold until sunrise. They don't much care for sunlight after living so long in the Forest. It takes a bit for me to set one, but it's a circle, a nice solid shape, and they can run round it as many times as they like, but it won't break." She caught a glimpse of his teeth when he responded verifying his race.

"I'm Cailyn Ross." She said extending her hand.

"I'm Trenton Tavasky. Why don't we sit down in the guardhouse and I'll make you some hot chocolate. My mother always said that nothing helps keep away nightmares better then hot chocolate." He smiled and made a grand gesture toward the house.

"Hot chocolate sounds wonderful." She replied smiling back.