Khione of Ginther
The brisk wind whistles as it weaves in and out of dead tree branches, reaching out like talons. It howls and screeches, attempting to push a small group of people back, threatening to cause the heavy, dense banks of snow to collapse. A steady stream of ice and gravel pelt down upon the already bleached white face of none other than a woman. Her skin is rough and coarse, toughened by the environment.
Her lips are permanently frozen into a scowl, chapped and dry, despite the heavy sleet raining down. Three stripes of cracked, faded, blue pain run across her eye vertically, another line is seemingly tattooed upon her chin, stopping at her lower lip. Matted, her once ebony hair has been dyed grey by the weather, white streaks making themselves known at the front of her scalp. It curls and lays restlessly upon her shoulders, like an enraged serpent.
Just in front of her now static feet stands a wooden spear. Her knuckles turn even whiter as her weathered hand fiercely grips the rough surface. The head of the spear gleams in the slight, almost non-existent, sunlight. She stands before the storm, facing it alone, head on, her tribe behind her.
She is Khione the She-Wolf, leader of the Clan of Ginther. A dirty white unidentifiable, animal pelt adorns her shoulders. The woman turns to reveal two curved marks on the side of her face, a black paint used for these two. Her simple tunic consists of an elaborate set of strappings, giving her an even more intimidating appearance.
Around her neck, a broken, woven necklace of cord has been pierced beneath her collarbones, a reminder to her people, to others, to Mother Nature, that she cannot be owned. Small, faint tattoos can be seen upon her skin. The Great Bear, Ursa Major, its likeness is carved upon the side of her neck, a rune sign, that of protection and strength can be found above her breastbone.
Letting loose a primal, guttural growl that even the fiercest of animals would shy away from Khione thrusts her spear up in the air as if saluting the heavens above. As she finishes her call the shouts and howls of her followers, her pack, echo through the sky. A rare, small smirk rests upon her aged lips. She is the She-Wolf, Mother of the Wild.
Appearance
Physical Description
Khione is quite a sight to see...especially when she's screaming and charging at you with a spear...in the midst of the night. In all solemnity and seriousness though, she is not what you would call a "traditional beauty." Khione possesses a very untamed and somewhat primal look. Whether it's her unkempt hair, her seemingly eternal scowl, or the broken streaks of paint which have stained themselves into her skin, she certainly possesses a rather unique appearance.
Her matted and tangled hair, when left as is and not tied up, hangs down to Khione's lower back. It's naturally curly state causes it to be quite a hassle to manage, so Khione doesn't bother wasting her time in attempting to do so. The white streaks are actually a hereditary trait, one that was passed down from her ancestors who intermarried with a clan who was known for their partial/full albinism. Her dark brown eyes are rather large for the environment that she and her people live in, but they are most likely the most elegant part of her body.
Clothing
The clothing of the Clan of Ginther is rather simple. They believe that it is not necessary to possess robes and dresses as they just get in the way of their duties. The dress code for the members of the Clan of Ginther is a long, burlap tunic, leather leggings, a burlap shawl, and they all must be neutral colors in order to blend in with the landscape. Knee-high, hunting boots ornamented with fur are optional, but Khione won't be sympathetic when your toes are frozen off from frostbite.
As chief, or leader, of the Clan of Ginther there are special articles of clothing that are unique to Khione only. One of these two things is the corded necklace. Each leader is reminded that society and others may attempt to "train" them in their ways, but the Clan of Ginther, especially its leader, cannot be harnessed. It's symbolic mainly, but it also shows toughness due to the fact that the cords are woven into their skin. The second and last article of clothing is the pelt of a wolf. It is a tradition that when the chief is only 10 years of age, they are sent alone to hunt down the vicious wolf. It is a sign of strength, showing that they are truly the Alpha in the "pack."
Personality
Khione really isn't a people person. That's one of the many reasons why she is better kept out in the wild instead of in the confines of city walls. That, and also the fact that she has really kept the dangerous predator population in check in the mountain range. She's cocky, arrogant, rude, and doesn't have any filter on what she says or does. Many men who have been infatuated with her strange appearances have attempted to try and introduce her into civilization, it all resulted in her being sent back and quite a few broken bones and bite marks.
She demands order, kind of ironic since her nature is to be chaotic, but Khione is a very strong leader. Respect is mandatory when it comes to dealing with this uncontrollable animal of a woman. She will respect you if she receives respect in exchange. Khione looks down upon the weak, but instead of exiling them, she encourages and trains the runts and weaklings of her clan and conditions them into amazing and formidable warriors. While she has a rough exterior, both literally and metaphorically, under that thick wolf pelt there is a heart which only wants the best for her people.
Abilities
Despite the fact that Khione is nothing but a simple, puny, weak human she has the blood of giants coursing through her veins. Due to natural selection, their size decreased so that it would be easier to hunt and lie in wait. However, their strength remained the same, heightened senses as well. The gradual evolution of this specific section of the human species was formed into what they refer to themselves as the 'Alpha Human.'
Khione has also been training to be the ultimate warrior from about one year and six months old. She was first taught to draw, aim, and shoot a bow and arrow, quickly moving up to using a hunting knife. Khione then became proficient with her spear as well as close quarters combat. She is aggressive and doesn't hold any punches. Fighting fairly is not something that Khione understands, and once focused in on a target, she never ever lets it escape.
Background Information
From an early age, a lot was expected of little Khione. Raised primarily by her father she was ripped from the comfort of her mother. In fact, it was around two years of age that she was taken on her first hunting trip. Her father was harsh and cruel but taught her the basic skills necessary for survival in a world that was more brutal than he. She didn't see it then, but his attitude towards her was out of love, knowing that his little girl wouldn't be accepted if she was like every other woman of the tribe.
At 10 years old after countless grueling and painful hours of bearing the elements, she was entered into the contest of the leaders. Up against the odds, and about 20 young boys, no one expected the little girl known as Khione to win. They were all incredibly surprised when the first one who returned, hauling a wolf upon her back, was none other than Khione. It was then that she began to be respected and treated with the honor that her father told her she deserved. However, it wouldn't be until years later that she earned the total respect and trust of her clan until then Khione would just have to claw and bite her way to the top.
Around 12 years old, still undergoing training to become the leader of the clan, Khione was exposed to a "civilized" person. It was a young soldier, around the age of 17. She was enamored by his eloquent way of speaking, and he spoke to her kindly, something that she had never encountered before. Head over heels for the foreigner, he attempted to take her back to his home city of Belgrath. She was in absolute and utter awe regarding the large buildings and the number of people in such a close vicinity.
However, she was returned back home after one of the females from the city made a degrading comment about Khione and her people, and Khione attacked her. She came back, a bit disappointed but now aware of how lucky she was to be living in such a free place. It was the first time Khione visited the big city, but it wouldn't be her last.
Only a year from her induction into being the leader of the Clan of Ginther, the 14-year-old Khione was blossoming into the perfect warrior woman. It was once again that she caught the eye of another "civilized" man, this one only a year older than her. He too attempted to introduce Khione to his family but once again Khione wasn't all that happy being looked down upon by a few weaklings.
She returned back to her clan, never visiting the traumatizing city ever again. She continued focusing on her training, and it was a year later that she was being made the official leader of the Clan of Ginther. The previous leader was proud of the newest one, and he stuck around as an advisor, counseling the adolescent girl through all trials and tribulations. Everything was peaceful for a short time.
However, it didn't really last that long. Entering her third year of leadership she encountered her first and last revolt. The group of young men were not too fond of being led by someone who had once been a little girl. They began to attack Khione's supporters and were scheming to eliminate Khione. She was puzzled, how was she, an 18 year old, supposed to quell this uprising?
She went about her business, not worrying about what was going to happen to her. In the middle of the night, Khione was attacked. Six young, strong, able-bodied men attacked Khione in her sleep. The rest of the clan awoke the next morning to six severed heads laying in snow covered in blood at the opening of her tent. Khione emerged, yawning casually as if nothing happened.
That was the last uprising that ever occurred. Throughout the next decade, Khione accomplished many different goals and accomplishments. She found a new home for her clan, fought off a small army, eliminated predators, and in her spare time, began to raise the next generation of warriors. While she is still young, Khione's only goal is to make the best life sh cane for her clan, for her pack, her family.