(by Raven on FurAffinity)
Name: Ustore
Universe: Qualdralis
Official Reference: Here (by Raven)
Species: Leothaun (Species by Raven)
Canonical Age: 27
Height: 6’0
Weight: 180 lbs
Personality in Three Words: Open, hesitant, remorseful
Official Partner: None
History: Ustore grew up near one of the hottest volcanoes in all of Qualdralis. She was a single child to a pair of Volcano Leothauns that were large and fierce, a female that was among the biggest in the tribe, and a male so aggressive that he could stand up to almost any female. So, Ustore had a lot of pressure on her shoulders from day one.
She was rather big, most certainly not a runt, which had her parents most pleased. She was not without her relationships as a child of course, and her parents loved her with the characteristic ‘tough love’ that ran in her tribe of Volcanoes.
So she grew, and she flourished as a warrior and a trainer for others. By age sixteen she was one of the best warriors of the entire clan, in fact. She traveled among the lands that belonged to the Volcanoes to fight other tribes for competition and honor, and she did very well, earning very many scars in the process.
This continued until age twenty four, when Ustore was up to replace the last leader of the tribe. She was young and nearly undefeatable in battle, and she was more than happy to take on the role of leadership for her tribe. It was the night before her coronation that something very odd happened.
It rained.
Her part of the hot lands almost never saw actual rainfall- their main water source was a narrow, but deep, river that ran from a natural hot spring up in the mountains. The Leothauns would gather water from the hot river and let it cool naturally before it was consumed, pure and without any sort of imperfection due to the high temperatures.
But, it rained.
When she was out gathering a supply of water for her home, Ustore got caught in the rain. It didn’t take long for her to realize that the rain was acidic after mixing with the volcanic emissions nearby. While she was trying to get back to the village to protect the buildings, she slipped in the newly made mud of the riverbank and fell in as a gust of wind knocked her off balance.
The river was hot, nearly boiling, and so deep that she couldn’t find the surface. Not only that, but with the rain coming down hard, the water levels rose and the river ran even faster. She was swept away almost immediately, and never even got to yell for help.
After a few hours of fighting the currents, she finally gave in and accepted her fate. The water had begun to cool as it flowed away from the volcano, and she felt cold for the first time. She closed her eyes and decided that she would be okay with dying.
When Ustore woke up, she couldn’t believe she was alive. The air was cool and she was dry. She opened her eyes, and was met immediately by a group of Water Leothauns looking at her curiously. The river had widened up and flower even deeper and faster than before.
As it turned out, the Water Leothauns saw her floating on her back in the river, and they got her out and made sure she was breathing. They’d kept watch over her overnight.
Ustore was more than a little grateful, but just as confused. She had proven herself to be weak by getting swept away and failing to save herself- why would they bother to save her? She was useless to them.
They explained to her that they saved her life because they thought she should live. The Water Leothauns were just as confused as she was; why would they just let someone drown?
They offered her food and shelter, and welcomed her into their tribe with open arms, never even once mentioning that she was a different sub species. They were friendly and light hearted, and she found herself quickly becoming less confused and more intrigued. These Water Leothauns were full of smiles and laughter, and shared everything among the tribe. They caught fish and contributed to a group food cache, and every night they would build a beautiful fire and eat together. She was welcomed like one of them right from day one.
Ustore wasn’t sure why she stayed so long, but she did; for three whole years she lived with the Water Leothauns, even after she was nursed back to health and was free to leave at any time. She found herself loving the cool feeling of the river, and the ripe taste of freshly caught fish, and the beautiful feeling that arose within her when she watched them sing and dance.
But the guilt did finally reach her; she felt bad about deciding to stay here. She was afraid of the shame, she supposed, but she also had no idea where she was! She had to find a way home, at least for now.
So she packed up her things and decided to follow the river all the way home.
When she got back she was given a hero’s welcome home, hailed as a survivor, and praised for the toughness of her feat. She didn’t tell anyone about the Water Leothauns, deciding instead to just enjoy being home.
Unfortunately during her time away, her father had perished in battle and her mother had taken a new mate. Ustore was surprised to learn that it didn’t bother her at all, and if anything it really ostracized her. She didn’t want to see her mother anymore, or any of her old friends. All she could think of was the water, and the lovely tribe of Water Leothuans that had taken her in as one of their own.
She didn’t enjoy fights anymore.
The food was bitter and tasteless now.
She hated the hot water source.
And oh, how she missed the sound and the feel of the river…
Finally Ustore decided. She was leaving, this time willingly. Even if it meant shame and potential banishment depending on what the Empress said, she was leaving. She wanted to be free, like the Water Leothauns.
So she left, and never looked back to find out if she had been banished or not. She began to travel, and every so often she went back to the Water Leothuans. She was having an amazing time seeing the world, and using her battle experience to protect others. She was finally happy.