"...pending..."
Name: Cnámh
Meaning: Bone
Pack: Warugaruga
Position: Omega (junior omega)
Personality: If someone is getting bullied and picked on, it is probably Cnámh. His personality is totally submissive and his build is small, and as far as threatening goes…he is not. He does resent being picked on, but views it with a kind of helplessness as something he cannot do anything to stop from happening, and so he never tried. Perhaps he simply had a defeatist attitude or maybe it was something that got forced into his personality until he did give up, but it seemed like nothing would ever change until one of the big tough gammas took an interest in him. Suddenly there was someone who stopped the picking-on, and, though the red gamma continued to push and pick at him, at least it kept him from being bothered by anyone else. Pathetically loyal to the one who defended him, Cnámh tried again at his insistences to stand up for himself and learn to fight…and while he admittedly has almost no talent for it at least the red gamma seemed satisfied that he was trying and picked on him less.
He still goes a bit helpless and hopeless when someone pushes him around, but now the cringing omega has some teeth and if pushed enough he has learned that he can bite back. It may not be enough to make it stop for good, but it might make it stop for now. And if he can make it stop for now then he can go running to Fuil and the red gamma might make it stop for good. Cnámh might someday, with enough motivation, learn to look out for himself by himself, but for now he is content to go running for his protector at any given moment, and woe is Cnámh on the day Fuil is not there. If it is ever Fuil who is in danger, however, then Cnámh finds it within himself to finally stand up for something, and he will rise to the rare occasion his protector needs rescuing. In those moments, the tiny meek little omega can become a force to be reckoned with, though afterwards he reverts to his insistence that he is just pathetic and weak and useless. Since meeting the wolf Shuk, he has had some interest in learning how to heal but does not know how to go about learning this without finding a teacher.
History: Born into the same pack as Fuil, he always found himself at the bottom of the pile no matter what he did, and it never seemed to matter that he did not want to be a part of the pile at all. He tried to avoid others, but that did not seem to work. And the harder he tried to not bother anyone, the more everyone seemed to find him a convenient target. It got worse as he grew and even his mother stopped defending him, claiming him to be an adult now that should be able to handle things. It was around then that Cnámh simply gave up. He was always going to be little, and always going to be pushed around by everyone and anyone else. For a time he considered leaving the pack but, of course, he would just be picked on by whomever else he met. So what was the point of even trying?
Apparently he was ‘wrong’ in his way of thinking, and a tough red gamma ‘bully’ took a special interest in him. And by special interest, apparently he meant a determination to make Cnámh stop being a target. While the gamma was just as mean as anyone had ever been, he was mean with a motive which somehow made it less upsetting. Kind of like an army sergeant yelling at raw recruits to whip them into shape. At least, though Cnámh remained hopeless when it came to standing up to himself, the red gamma did snarl and snap anyone else who picked at him away. Cnámh was his special project after all. Or his chew toy. Whichever.
After a time Fuil grew more than simply tired of his pack. Sure he grew up there, and yeah it was kind of the only home he’d ever really known. But it was so dull, there was little excitement and less challenge, not to mention no proper respect for him. And there were the most fascinating rumors … Rumors of a pack where strength like his really was the key to earning respect, where a tough adolescent had carved his name as alpha and was allowing others to join his great pack of what could only be warriors. And so without much in the way of goodbyes, much less any of the tearful variety, Fuil determined that it was well time for moving on and finding his own place. And Cnámh, suddenly realizing that his protector was leaving him hurried to give his own sad little goodbyes to his mother, who didn’t really seem likely to miss her pathetic runt son, and scrambled after the red wolf.
Their journey was far from uneventful, and seeking the Warugaruga pack seemed to place them as enemies of all those who had been harmed by the pack. Fuil fought many angry young wolves, most of which Cnámh cringed and tried to avoid or flee. There were victories, and there were draws, and there were some shamefully frustrating defeats, but slowly they moved along following the rumors. Fuil was eager and excited as they drew closer, certain that at last he would have a place that would be the perfect place for him. Cnámh was noticeably less enthusiastic, for a pack that was known so for its ruthlessness would doubtless find little use for him. Surely, the young omega thought miserably, such a pack would only bully him more mercilessly than the old pack had.
But Fuil was going to this pack. And if Fuil was there then, well, so Cnámh would be too. And Fuil would protect him still…right? Right. So really, anyplace Fuil was would be a good place for Cnámh to be as well. Because Fuil wouldn’t let anyone bully him, the only one Fuil allowed to pick on Cnámh was Fuil. Hopeful that things would be alright, he followed his sort-of-friend ever-loyally, and Fuil continued to tolerate and look after him.
It wasn’t until they were quite close to the source of the rumors, or so they thought, that the pair ran into a real fight. A small pack, furious at the mention of the Warugaruga, decided that any potential new allies for the ones who tried driving them off their lands needed to be eliminated. Fuil fought hard as usual, but this time he was outnumbered and he had started to lose even before one of the other wolves took his eye.
As soon as Fuil went down and the others didn’t stop, Cnámh lost it. Without his protector, whatever was he supposed to do? In a blind panicked rage, he joined in the battle and managed to cause enough damage on top of what Fuil had already inflicted that the pack determined that this fight wasn’t worth it and left the pair to lick their wounds. Distressed by his protector’s injured state, and at a loss for what to do, Cnámh went to look for help, and found it in the way of another omega wolf named Shuk. Half-blind himself, Shuk tended to Fuil’s injuries, particularly his lost eye, and when he was through the gamma wolf was fairly well patched up…as was Cnámh who still hadn’t quite figured out how he managed to do anything like that. Fuil was probably not as kind to the healer as he might have been, though in a moment of embarrassing weakness he did ask what the world was like half-blind. After that he was slightly less snarly, though Cnámh was certainly pathetically grateful enough to make up for an entire pack of grumpy wolves.
Once Fuil was mostly recovered, as he refused to lay about doing nothing where there was any manner of doing to be done, they continued to search for the Warugaruga pack. Fuil was, despite his injuries, more determined than ever to reach them and earn a place in their power. Cnámh worried for his friend, and stuck closer to him than ever in hopes of helping him to keep an eye out…in order to replace the vision he’d lost. He fretted that perhaps a pack of fighting wolves was not a good idea anymore, not when his friend was half-blind and likely to be viewed as weak forever more. Maybe in time Fuil would adapt to his newly impaired sight, but in the meantime he was struggling to maintain the same level of abilities as he had previously possessed.
It was during this time that Cnámh truly proved his mettle as a fine hunter, for all he would never turn the skills Fuil bullied into him on another wolf if he could help it in any way, he had no qualms whatsoever about ripping a preybeast to shreds. It gave Fuil the notion that there might be some hope for him yet, which unfortunately meant Cnámh was subject to more pushing and shoving. Particularly because, desperate not to let his handicap make him an invalid, Fuil was forever insisting on ‘sparring’ with the only partner he had available at the time.
Almost by accident they did happen upon the young alpha of the Warugaruga pack. Upon learning his identity, and having a good idea of the manner in which outsiders gained entry into the pack, Fuil challenged him, eager to prove himself. Unfortunately, even the most dedicated practice bouts if they are with Cnámh are not entirely good preparation. Unable to fully compensate for his still relatively new partial blindness, Fuil was utterly and pathetically beaten by the alpha. Cnámh folded instantly, without even attempting to fight, and looked as though he would have fled if his protector wasn’t currently unable to do so. Ralastor made no secret of his opinion of a handicapped wolf and a weakling omega. The disappointment of his rejection and his humiliation at his performance cut Fuil much deeper than the alpha’s fangs had. Poor Cnámh was subject to a great deal more grumpiness in the days that followed, and his timid suggestion of just forgetting about the Warugaruga did not go over even remotely well. Fuil would earn entry into their ranks, his thrashing at Ralastor’s paws had only made him even more eager to join them. Cnámh’s opinion was rather…different. But if Fuil was going then, well, he was too.
Many of the wolves in the nearby territories, and even some who lived further off, still hated the aggressive pack and anyone associated with it. So it had been easy for Fuil to find some opponents to ‘practice’ his fighting with that would present some degree of challenge. Cnámh was miserable almost the entire time, but loyally stuck by his companion through all the verbal abuse. Fuil was frustrated was all. He didn’t mean it, right? And besides, someone needed to help keep an eye on him, and look after him whenever he was too badly injured to hunt. Cnámh was growing quite good at hunting, and a few dredges of memory from their meeting with the healer wolf Shuk helped him with keeping his protector from suffering anything more than the injuries inflicted upon him by adversaries. Cnámh was certainly no rival to the lone omega, but the idea of asking Shuk to teach him more did come to mind from time to time. He would be so much more useful if he knew how to heal properly… but he didn’t know where to go to find him and would not leave Fuil’s side regardless.
It was months before the half-blind gamma returned to the place where Ralastor had beaten him before. Months of training and dedication and determination. Again he asked to be tried for a right to join their ranks, set to stubbornly refuse to take ‘no’ for an answer. He’d attack the alpha flat-out if need be, anything to get another chance. This time the fight lasted a while longer, all the practice he’d had to learn compensation for his sight in combat paying off nicely. He lost again, but this time he defeat was not nearly so total. And so while he did lose the fight, he had done well enough that Ralastor’s opinion of him was slightly more favorable this time. Fuil was accepted into the Warugaruga pack to his great satisfaction.
Cnámh, on the other hand, was left to feel distinctly out of place. He did not want to fight the alpha, and any attempts to push him into fighting for his right to entry had the small omega shaking and rolling over in submission. Fuil was not particularly pleased, and naturally Ralastor was not particularly impressed by the display of weakness. For a moment it seemed that Cnámh was going to be rejected, and sent away all on his lonesome. But, perhaps more attached to the meek omega than he’d anticipated, the red wolf spoke to his new alpha on Cnámh’s behalf. The little wolf, he explained, could fight adequately when he had proper motivation and no alternative. And he was an excellent hunter. No war was won on an empty stomach, was it? Cnámh might be a pathetic wimp, but he had other merits after all and could still be of use to the pack of warriors…even if he himself was not much of a fighter.
The omega still had some trouble fitting in, and was much intimidated by all his new packmates. Fuil on the other hand loved it. Every tough snarling inch of every other packmate delighted him to no end. Finally, finally a place where he could fit properly. He pushed at the others around him, and got pushed back. Almost no one ever seemed inclined to roll over when he snapped at them, and most of them snapped right back at him. It was perfect. He could earn his way higher if he wanted to, but it would be earned his way, by fighting, and not by bloodlines or some other such silly thing. Strength and determination would be their own rewards.
The pair of them stayed with the Warugaruga, Fuil thrilled with his new pack and Cnámh happy enough because Fuil was there. Not to mention, he had never been not the only small wolf before. The pack’s existing omega Dumaka was also smaller than an average adult wolf, and also not particularly aggressive. Perhaps they could not-quite-fit-in together?
Neither of the pair are inclined to leave the pack any time soon, if ever at all. Cnámh is tentatively hopeful that he might make a friend in the other omega, and Fuil is looking forward to earning his way into more respected positions on his own strength.
Physically: Small, he is well below average adult size and weight both. His ears have a chewed-upon look, his posture is scrunched and submissive at all times, and he has the air of trying not to be noticed too much about him. He is very quick and agile however, and is an excelent hunter due to sharp reflexes. As far as fighting goes, he cannot, but that is more of a mental block than a physical one.
Colorist: Ryuu
Obtained Semi-custom
Family
Parents: ??? x ???
