Aruna

Basics

Identity

Genetics

Rank

Theme Songs

Hard Way Home - Brandi Carlile

Hard Sell - The Crane Wives

Infinitesimal - Mother Mother

Ramalama (Bang Bang) - Róisín Murphy

A World Below - Vincent Diamante

Appearance

Tall and gangly, Aruna is about as graceful on land as a fish out of water. He never quite grew out of his awkward phase, and his paws and ears are still disproportionately large. This slender build hides wiry muscle built from a lifetime spent in the water. The longer fur on his cheeks and tail can be braided, but Aruna usually leaves it free. Aruna’s claws are naturally black, but he enjoys painting them blue to match his clothes and eyes. A collection of small scars, caused by numerous scrapes over the months, are littered across his legs and face. However, these small details tend to be invisible, as the majority of the time Aruna is spattered in mud.

Aruna’s fur is short and a combination of dull browns, creams, and dark grays. It’s not all that impressive until you look closer - around his face and paws, his unique markings mutation gives him a unique appearance unlike any other in the packs. Perhaps the most immediately striking feature of his face, however, is his eyes – bright blue like clear water and glowing at all times. Aruna is quite shy about these; having long considered them his most beautiful feature, it’s strange to adjust to having to be handsome instead.

Inventory

What Aruna lacks in vivid coat colors, he makes up for with his fashion. Just because each piece serves a function doesn’t mean he can’t make them pretty. His mother helped him make some of them when he first started training to be a Veoia, and after her death he still treasures them.

His hat is woven from straw and decorated with fishing hooks that he can unclip and use if necessary, his bandana can be tied into a makeshift sling to hold fish in a pinch, and his legwarmers help protect his ankles from brambles, sharp rocks, and thorns. The sheath on his side contains a fish-cleaning knife that is unsuited for actual combat, and the waterproof bags near them usually hold snacks and other supplies. Both the satchels and the sheath can be unclipped from the harness if necessary; the harness itself is useful but hard to take on and off, so Aruna rarely removes it.

Personality

After accepting his true identity, Aruna has become much more confident and social than he was previously. The fierce and wild personality he had during childhood has come back in full force, tempered by his adulthood responsibilities – and freedom! A force of chaos, Aruna’s ideal problem solving approach is not just to solve a solution – but flip the problem on its head. Unfortunately, this can lead to him disregarding authority, believing he has a better chance of solving the situation on his own than listening to someone else.

Aruna is also quite impulsive and reckless. He has little regard or care for his own safety and often escapes dangerous situations by the skin of his teeth, but this causes very little anxiety for him. Instead, he simply regards these as ‘learning experiences’ – and often learns very little from them. The life of a diver fits Aruna well but can easily become monotonous; as a result he finds danger exhilarating and sometimes takes active effort to put himself into it. This can manifest as jumping into a battle, volunteering to go on hazardous expeditions, or his favorite pastime – exploring underwater caves.

Underneath this bold and dynamic personality is a canine who’s still struggling to find himself. After the death of his mother Prophet, Aruna became withdrawn and reserved, and although the grief has subsided the consequences of it are still difficult to deal with. Aruna’s love for danger and adventure is partially because it serves as a distraction; left to his own devices, Aruna is quick to spiral and susceptible to bouts of depression. He’s pushed through these so far, though, and has proven himself to be incredibly resilient – both mentally and physically.

Familiar

Imbrifera

Atlantic horseshoe crab

they/them

Imbrifera glows blue. They are every bit as eccentric as Aruna himself. They’re not as impulsive as Aruna is, and in fact often serve as the voice of reason – although sometimes the advice they give veers towards being outright unhinged. When Aruna’s mischievous streak comes into play, Imbrifera is often the first to give him ideas to make it worse. However, they also serve as a calming voice during breakdowns and a guide to help Aruna discover himself.

Relationships

Jafari Okilu, Enzo Okilu, Adriel Okilu

Aruna’s immediate family. He loves them a lot, but over the past year has become increasingly isolated from them. Aruna misses each of them and hopes to reconnect soon.

Prophet Deluge

Aruna’s mother. She died when Aruna was barely a yearling, and her death greatly affected the young Aruna.

Ubci

A mentor-type relationship. Aruna can tell Ubci is hiding secrets about his past, but doesn’t push her for them. He greatly appreciates their guidance, especially when it comes to the realm of gender nonconformity.

History