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Name: Shayleigh (Irish female name meaning "Fairy Princess")
Nickname: Shayla (Will only allow those she's close to call her by this name, no one else. No exceptions.)
Age: 19
Gender: Female
Sexual Orientation: Straight
Craft/Rank: Weaver - Junior Journeywoman: Tapestry
History: Shayleigh was 7 when her little sister was born. At first she wasn't too keen on being a big sister, but after a while, she started to like the idea of having a little sister and even started enjoying her role as a big sister.

Two years later though, just before her 9th birthday, while she was out watching her father work with the runnerbeasts, she was attacked by a large, wild feline. It managed to hook its claws into her neck, ripping at her voicebox before she had the chance to utter another cry of surprise and fear.
Her father, who had turned to look over to her at her initial cry, came running over as soon as he saw the feline attacking her. He managed to get it away from her by swinging a large stick he had picked up at it, catching it by the shoulder and again on the head during a second swing. But on the third swing though, the feline had already learned and caught the stick in its jaws, quickly breaking it in two with a powerful bite. Both of them knew that he was in trouble now as he threw the remains of the stick in his hands away from him and it started pacing around him.
By the time the Dragonriders and Healers that had been summoned and dispatched to their small cothold, through use of a neighbor's firelizard who had witnessed the incident, it was already too late to save both of them. The feline had already mauled him to death and had dragged his body off into the woods, probably heading back to its den, leaving Shayleigh for dead. So the Healers set to work on saving Shayleigh.
They managed to stop the bleeding after a few hours, but there was nothing they could do for her voicebox. It was damaged beyond repair. The best they could do for her was to remove the worse of it, leaving her mute for the rest of her life, and let her heal the best she could. Which she did after several months. Though she would bear the scars, both physical and mental, for the rest of her life.

During the healing process, Shayleigh had to learn a different way to communicate seeing as she would never be able to speak again. She found that the most easiest way to communicate was through writing as very few people knew sign language.
Another thing she did while she was healing was to take up reading and story writing as a hobby. She found both activities calming and that they allowed her to flex her imagination. She's still working on her style and technique, but has come along way from where she was when she first started writing.

It was after Shayleigh had healed that her mother had decided to move them to Trine Weyr. She sold the runnerbeasts (only keeping two to pull a wagon) and the cothold to another, much younger master of the craft who had only just recently achieved his rank. Once that was done and they had finished packing and loading up their small wagon. Both Shayleigh and her mother took one last look at their former home before they climbed up into the seat, Shayleigh holding on to her little sister and their mother taking up the reins, and getting on their way with a firm flick of the reins.
They adjusted quickly and quite well to life in the Weyr. It was louder and faster in pace than it had been at their old cothold. But that only seemed to help them adjust to and flourish within the Weyr.

Two months after moving to the Weyr and getting settled in, her mother started teaching her everything she knew about weavercraft in the hopes that Shayleigh would take after her and be able to make some kind of living for herself. Shayleigh had trouble with it in the beginning, but after a few years she started getting better and better at, learning the basics along the way. She eventually moved into the more advanced know-how of weaving and chose to go into tapestry, following in her mother's footsteps.

When Shayleigh turned twelve, she had hopes of becoming one of the Searched. But due to her disability, she was overlooked. Though during each of the Hatching, you could and still can find her in the Stands hoping and praying that one of the newly hatched dragons would reject all of the Candidates down on the Sands and choose her instead.
She's well aware that with every turn the chances of her Impressing grow slimmer and slimmer. And now that Áine has been Searched and selected as a Candidate, she has given up on Impressing her own dragon and instead (silently) cheers for her little sister. That doesn't mean that Shayleigh hasn't stopped hoping to Impress, though. She'll always hope for that to happen until she ages out.
Mind you, it still highly annoys her that she keeps being overlooked during the Search simply because she can't speak outloud.

Description:
- 5'7"
- 122.6 lbs.
- Build: Curvy/Athletic
- Skin: Lightly tanned
- Hair: Intense auburn, straight, hip-length, kept in loose braid
- Eye: Light, forest green
- Birthmark(s): One light-coloured freckle right above right eye (Only freckle she has)
- Scar(s): Claw marks running across her neck on top of her voicebox

Personality: Shayleigh was always quiet by nature even before her accident and as a direct result of it is shy, hates to be in the spotlight (because she thinks that everyone will automatically stare at her scars) and is extremely self-conscious (again, because of the scarring). She has a poor sense her own worth and beauty due to her having low self-esteem and self-confidence as another direct result of her scars. Another result is that she is highly protective of Áine because she never wants to see her little sister go through anything like she went through. She'll also put others and their needs before herself and her own needs, never asking for anything in return.

Shayleigh is kind-hearted to everyone, giving even someone she doesn't know and that other people talk poorly about the benefit of the doubt. She's loyal to those she cares about and will always lend an ear to rant in and/or a shoulder to cry on to a friend or loved one. Shayleigh is a hard worker and always willing to learn. She detests violence (for obvious reasons) and has a gentle nature.

Other:
Farther - Terrace [Beastcraft Master: Runnerbeast] (Deceased)
Mother - Katherine [Masterweaver: Tapestry] (Living)
Sister - Áine [Candidate] (Living)

Political View: Shayleigh has an odd view on the political world. She's traditional, but accepts new ideas and has taken quite a liking to the Atypical dragons to the point where she's always wanted to be Impressed to one.

Hopes for Impression:
1) Crimson
2) Any other female colour
3) Any other Atypical colour

Strengths: Kind-hearted, protective, loyal, hard working, willing to learn, great listener, gentle nature

Weaknesses: Mute, shy, self-concious, self-sacrificing, lacks self-esteem and self-confidence

Hi.

As with Áine I need more detail in Shayleigh's personality and history, obviously I can't make these additions myself! Please have a look at some other profiles and add to Shayleigh when you're ready.

Please also note that 19 is only just only enough to progress from Apprentice to Journeywoman so she would be a Jr. Journeywoman not a Sr Journeywoman.

Best of luck! Let me know if you have any questions. :3