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Deviation Actions

EBC: Flynn

Published: Feb 21, 2014

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Description

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Driven by desperation
A long road ahead
Keep running my son
Or you'll end up dead

General Information

What can be found here

Name, Gender, Age, Species, Traits, Rank, Accessories.

Name:

Flynn

Gender:

Male

Age:

Starting: 1 1/2 Years

Current: 1 1/2 Years

Species:

King Cheetah ( Acinonyx jubatus )

Traits:

Dominant Traits:
Slender build [AA], Blue eyes [Aa], Thick scruff [Aa]

Recessive Traits:
Bold patterns [Aa], Thick tail [Aa], Dual ear spots [Aa], Dark coloration (Not considered Melanism) [Aa]

Carrier Traits:
Brown eyes [aA], Melanism [Aa]

[[Note: Carrier Traits cannot be seen. They are the combinations that could have been but weren’t]]

Rank:

Gladiator

Accessories:

Necklace / Neck guard made of thick, soft leather and two flexible metal plates. Can occasionally be seen without it.
Bangle bracelets originally owned by his mother Jace, before she switched to her thick metal cuffs.

Personality, History, and Quirks

What can be found here

Personality Traits, Background Information, Interesting facts, and Character Quirks

Personality:
<[ Thoughtful, Wary, Patient, Curious, Sarcastic, Quiet, Blunt, Playful. ]>

<[ T h o u g h t f u l ]>

When he's not being put into a pit fight or being sent on errands, Flynn enjoys his free time thinking, wondering about the world and everything in it. He'd much rather watch the environment around him than engage in conversation, unless it's a rather insightful one in which he can share his opinion or knowledge. Inspired with a wanderlust, he used to spend his time wandering the city when allowed, or following his Master every time he left the house to learn and explore, hoping to get some new information about his world whenever possible.

<[ W a r y ]>

Due to his departure of the city and the events during, he's gained a bit of a cautious side, always keeping one eye and ear open for any indication of trouble. This little quirk is probably what makes him a good tactician, allowing him to see flaws in a plan and work over or around them to ensure a success. He isn't quick to trust, but he is just as slow to judge as well, giving anyone he meets a fair chance before he makes any kind of decision. This isn't to be mistaken with nervousness either.

<[ P a t i e n t ]>

While he isn't overly fond of cubs, Flynn is perfectly capable of being patient when the need arises. Whether it be in social situations or in hunting, he finds it all well and good to wait for something if he knows it'll come. He doesn't believe in waiting for good things to happen, and he'll make things work for him if he needs to. He can sit and listen to a complaint and then some, and by the end of it he can think out a way to help without directly giving the solution.

<[ C u r i o u s ]>

Even as a cub, Flynn would stick his nose in every place it didn't belong just so he could figure out what was in it. He always inquired to his mom before they were separated about things he didn't know about, and she would give the best answers she could. But even then, it wasn't enough, and he constantly tried to figure things out and learn about them. Almost like an itch he couldn't scratch, there was no end to the things he didn't know, and he always tried to satisfy his growing hunger for knowledge by listening to humans and the other felines around the city, and now the cats of his Empire are his teachers.

<[ S a r c a s t i c ]>

A trait he no doubt inherited from his mother Jace, Flynn is no less a smartass than she in his words. When he's not speaking straight and to the point or frustrated and exasperated, he'll resort to sarcasm and wit, replying in the typical manner until he's either finished with a conversation or brought full circle to having to be clear and up front. He can be playful when making a comeback, but he can also be aggressive in what he says. It really depends on the one whom he's speaking to.

<[ Q u i e t ]>

Very much one to follow the ideology of "Speak only when spoken to", he doesn't engage in conversation on his own, much preferring the silence of his own mind. He'll engage if he's seeking an answer or his curiosity is itching; as well as when he feels an input is needed, but as a whole, he doesn't tend to speak up without incentive or being dragged into it.

<[ B l u n t ]>

When he is pulled into anything more than small talk, he's straight to the point and speaks only the truth and what's on his mind about the subject. He can be opinionated sometimes but if he has cold hard facts and knowledge on his side, he isn't afraid to slam it down in front of those he's speaking to, unconcealed and without a hint of quailing in the face of judgement.

<[ P l a y f u l ]>

Though not as obvious or expressive in this personal trait as his mother was, Flynn has a playful side to him jut beneath the surface, past his serious and wary shell he harbors a love for play that can be seen in most cheetahs, and given enough time with close friends, it may begin to show. It can also subtly work its way into his sarcasm, allowing him to tease in good.

History:

<[ You better run ]>

Born in the dark confines of something akin to a cell, Flynn's first memories were of his mother and the small ball of fur later to be known as his brother. They were of warmth and comfort and darkness even beyond his unopened eyelids. It was safe, it was home. But not all good things last, and this was no exception.

He and his brother grew quickly alongside their dark pelted mother's side, drinking what milk she could provide, even though it was little and some nights they went without. Their eyes opened eventually, and they saw cobalt eyes and a yellow lightning bolt emblazoned over the left one; brown-grey fur marbled with darker spots and stripes, and a kind face full of love. But unbeknownst to the two cheetah cubs, she was sickly and malnourished, skinny to the point of her bones showing and scabs where her hips and ribs rubbed against the bare stone. They didn't know it, but she had pushed all the spare straw and bedding to spare to the corner, just for her two sons.

Every night a tall, deep voiced shadow would enter the cell and the smell of not-quite rotten meat would permeate the air in a thick stench; dinner for their mother, which meant milk for them, and so they didn't care, much. They played and they romped and rough housed usually when the Tall Shadow was gone, which was for most of the day, and at night after he had come and gone, their mother would speak to them and tell stories, catching their wonder and lulling them to sleep. Other nights, when she couldn't come up with a story, she would hum them a rhythm. Not quite a song, but a crooning beat that brought them peace.

Flynn and his brother loved their mom very much, but as time went on, she became nervous and wary of the Tall Shadow, some nights curling so tight around them that they could barely breathe, until he had left again, that same not-quite-bad smell of meat thickening in their noses. There came a time when they were four months old, when she sat silently by the door to their home, ears perked and eyes troubled- and that night she spoke to them, seriously and hushed.

"Soon we won't be able to see each other again." She had said, tears in her eyes. The cubs didn't understand why, and they questioned her, distressed. "The Humans will be taking you away to find new homes soon." She continued, curling her long plush tail around the two, just as she had always done when she had been struck with her moments of grief. Flynn was the more upset of the brothers; the other lacking the understanding of what was happening needed to feel too distraught.

"What will happen to you?" He had questioned, burying his nose into her fur. The fur that always smelled like milk and love. The fur that belonged to the one who was home. "I don't know, honey." She had crooned, laying down and curling around them tightly, holdng them close. "I really don't know."

It didn't take long for her predictions to become true. Not even a week later, and the Tall Shadow appeared with two more of his kind, bearing long leads and a spear to keep the cubs' mother at bay. She had hissed and snarled, growling harshly while they threw a rope around her neck, pulling her off of the two frightened cubs huddled in the corner together. One of the men lunged for the cubs before the elder cheetah had a chance to fight back.

The first cub was grabbed, pulled away from Flynn with a crying chirp, calling for their mom, calling for his brother. He was carried out of sight before either of them could do a thing about it.

With a vicious lunge, Jace planted herself in front of Flynn, bypassing the Tall Shadow's spear, hiding the cocoa colored cub from sight once again, fear etched into his features and horror in his eyes.

With a yell, she was yanked away from him, screaming "No!" at the top of her lungs as another Shadow's arm reached out, grabbing Flynn by the scruff and yanking him away with a choked yell, calling for his mother until she was shoved into the back of the cell and out of sight.

The door slammed behind Flynn with a finalizing thud, and he never saw her again after that.

<[ Better run ]>

He saw his brother once more, and only once. They were bundled up together in the same crate, terrified and crying silently as they were carried to some unknown place, farther and farther away from what had been home for so long. They didn't know what was going to happen to them other than what their mother had told them, but from the way she acted they had gotten the gist that they wouldn't like it one bit.

The next thing they knew, their crate had been opened, revealing bright sunlight and more Shadows than they had ever seen, but now, they weren't shadows silhouetted by dim lights, and they shied away from the hands that reached for them, slipping thick leather collars around their necks with long ropes attached to them.

Carried to a small area of sand, they were tied to a post, and many humans came to examine them. Not touching, but looking with crooked eyes and a strange greatness that the two brothers couldn't understand with anything other than fear.

Eventually the humans they knew came forward again, unhooking Flynn's brother from the post, pulling the scared cub away. Upon realizing it, he dug his claws into the soft ground, crying out in protest while Flynn himself strained at his post, distressed chirps echoing in the marketplace.

Just as the annoyed human began to backtrack to pick the fighting cub up and physically deliver him to his buyer, the robe near his collar snapped, releasing the cheetah and sending him rolling. Panicked, he jumped to his paws and bolted, skittering through the crowd in a disoriented flurry, farther and farther away from Flynn, whom stood in a shock, tail lashing. Flynn could remember the thoughts running through his head; 'why was he running away? Why is he leaving me?' but he knew later that fear is a strong motivator, and he would have probably darted away given the chance too.

A moment later, the humans yelling incoherently, presumably for someone to catch Flynn's escapee brother, he saw the similarly dark pelted cheetah skid into the open again, sides heaving and eyes wildly trying to find something. Finally they spotted Flynn, and he turned, about to sprint back towards his brother, eyes gleaming with hope.

It happened in a flash; a second so long that it may have been days and years and no one would have noticed, no one besides Flynn.

From somewhere beyond Flynn's vision, an arrow flew straight and true, piercing the free cub's side with a deadly speed, crumpling the cheetah as he tumbled forward, collapsing in the sand just inches away from where Flynn stood, eyes wide and jaw gaping in shock.

A safety precaution in the Markets; should a cat escape, no matter the size or age, they would be shot if they're unrestrained within the given time; it didn't matter if it was deadly force or not.

Blood began to pool around Flynn's brother, his hopeful eyes still wide and staring as though he were just moments away from being with his sibling again, no fear of being taken away or separated. It was a memory that burned itself in Flynn's mind for the rest of his life, and as the humans that brought them there approached, cursing and yelling in the language he couldn't understand, he watched. He watched with mindless horror as his small body was picked up and carried away, out of sight, never to be seen by the likes of anyone ever again.

It was in mute shock that Flynn himself was sold, dully aware of him being picked up, and carried away rather than led. He passed through hands and the only thing he could think of was how impossible it was. His brother couldn't be gone. He just couldn't.

<[ Outrun my gun ]>

The next few weeks passed in a blur; his suddenly solitary existence casting him into a deep bout of depression and seclusion, avoiding everything to do with this strange new human as possible, as well as his other felines, which were few. But even if he didn't want to, he began to learn about the others owned by the man. There were two cheetahs, one was spotted and the other had thick black marbling, more like himself. There was also a serval and a leopardess, but that was it. All but one of them kept to each other, avoiding the new-comer just as he avoided them. An outsider among their ranks.

The one whom bothered to pay a visit to Flynn became something as a substitute mother to him eventually. She wouldn't leave him alone, and always brought him leftovers of her own food, sparking up a conversation with him despite it being mostly one-sided and in his eyes, pointless. He wanted nothing more than to go home, back to his warm mom and his playful brother.

Though one thing was to be said about his new place of residence, and that was the drastic difference in housing. Whereas his birthplace had been dark and small, no bigger than a closet to some humans, the place the cats here lived was wide and open to the sky. They had something like stalls to sleep in, but in a semi-circle around a grassy patch of land with a single tree and a small pond. If he hadn't been so depressed and reclusive, he would have found it a wonder like he'd never seen, for it was quite beautiful compared to his previous experiences.

A month went by, and he was forced out of his secluded area within his stall, his new human coming to him with a soft voice and an even softer leather collar with an orange jewel secured on the front. Flynn didn't understand his words, but he didn't feel threatened- and this human had taken him away from the cruel ones that had stolen he and his brother away. The meat he fed his cats had smelled different too; sweeter, and healthy.

With tentative steps Flynn had approached him, the cheetah female whom had been visiting him daily standing back with curious but careful eyes, her own gem collar sitting proudly around her neck.

The human placed the black, silver, and orange band around Flynn's neck and spoke, his words sounding kind even if the cub couldn't understand him. A sturdy leather lead was hooked onto a part of it, and one step at a time, he was brought out into the open infor the first time in what seemed like years. A gentle expression on the man's face welcomed Flynn, and he began to understand a little bit, what this place could be to him.

The lead was attached to the female cheetah's own collar, and words were said to her very carefully and clearly, a package being slipped into the leather pouches draped along her back.

When the human left, Flynn pushed himself to speak, his itchy curiosity driving him to finally return the greeting she had given him before. He questioned what the pouches were for, and why they had been linked together. With a smile, she explained to him cheerfully;

"We're a messenger service for Massilia. We deliver things for people to other people; and I'm going to be your teacher!"

And from that day on life began to take a better turn. Flynn came out of his shell more often, even when he wasn't to be taken out for another lesson and tour of the city. He got to know the other cats in his Human's possession. He learned of their names and he came to know them as his friends, and he, theirs. Their human's name, he learned, was Verandus, and while not the biggest of them, was one of the more reliable men among their trade. The Cheetah, whose name was Feri, was the fastest of their group, and was the most dependable and known to always deliver her messages on time, the other cheetah he learned was named Iberius, while at first they were at odds, the two eventually warmed up to each other- perhaps too late, it would seem.

Anyway, for a good four months passed in this fashion, and he had a family again. He had learned during this time that Askari, the leopardess, was the resident fighter, and kept to herself mostly, but he was curious and asked her about the pits. And she told him- oh, she told him. She didn't believe in filtering life, and he learned from her how bad her own battles were- and that they were the merely the no-kill fights. She told him what she new of the other ones, the harsher matches that resulted in only one cat leaving the arena still breathing. She had been in those for the first two years of her career before their human had bought her, thankfully saving her from that brutality. She had told him she didn't mind fighting, but she couldn't stand taking the lives of her enemies. It was cruel.

Askari spoke to him of the rumors she had heard prior to being sold; the rumors of cats outside the city, escaping from the hellish coliseum and into a life of freedom. Even cats in comfort like she, Flynn, and the rest of them were known to think about it fondly. To return to the world that they knew of only through tales and legend- to the Wild. He was in wonder of her knowledge, and in awe of these 'Empires' she spoke of, but she warned it was dangerous to think of escaping. But he assured her he had no intention of leaving their home, no matter how amazing it sounded Outside. But he couldn't help but wonder if his mother had escaped- he had heard of one of these outbreaks during the last few months. It made him happy, worried, and sad all at once.

Though he would eat his previous words two months later.

During a solo run, Feri had been intercepted and her packs stolen. She had fought against the attack, and earned many a wound, but she wasn't a fighter. Never had been, and the easily overwhelmed her, sending her running back home to Flynn and the rest of their posse. Their human immediately knew what happened upon her return, and called Roman Soldiers to investigate it immediately. Apparently the package she had been delivering had been of importance to the Massilian Nobles.

The investigation begun and a wounded cat to worry about, their human left that night to the marketplace in search of medical supplies, and while unknown to the other cats, in hopes of finding a heavy-built cat, perhaps a lion, to protect them during runs. It was just before the moon rose above the horizon that the smoke began to spread.

Fire spilled out of the back wall of their homestead, sending the lot of them coughing and panicked into the grassy area beside the pond, yelling questions to each other, checking to make sure everyone was there, and asking where the fire had come from.

Flynn was the first out, having been the only one still awake when it started, yelling to the others in warning, but as they all pooled outside in the growing dusk, he noticed Feri was missing. Worried, he asked Askari to come with him in search of her- they couldn't do much about the fire, but they would be safe outside the stalls and away from the burning wood surrounding them on all sides. The leopardess agreed, and began to move towards the stables.

Iberius and Yeag intercepted them for just a moment, offering their help as well. Claiming that there must be someone around that could help them douse the fires, they spoke of a passage they knew of they could escape the property through, then, they would hopefully find Verandus and bring him home. Askari seemed unconvinced, but she and Flynn agreed it would be best to try. With that, the four cats split into groups of two, separating and heading towards their respective objectives quickly and cautiously.

Flynn and the Leopardess found Feri in her stall. The cheetah was trapped, having been tied to the post at the back of the wall by their human in fear that she would injure herself more while he was out getting things to treat her wounds. The fire was spreading quickly, and Flynn and Askari moved quickly to try and claw and bite the thick leather lead in half to free their struggling friend.

A yowl resounded outside behind them, and Flynn whipped around at the distressingly familiar sound that quickly faded away. Only moments later, shadows appeared from outside the stall; menacing and with eyes glowing in the firelight as it, and they, grew closer. Feri yelled an obscenity, warning that the felines approaching had been the ones that had attacked her, before she could finish, a blazing piece of wood fell from the ceiling and cutting Flynn off from her sight. He panicked, but he could still hear her, calling to him to flee.

Askari emerged from behind the flaming log, coughing and covered in soot. "I've freed her, but debris has fallen on her leg!" she cried, eyeing the approaching cats warily. To Flynn, she seemed oddly level headed in the panic. "You have to get out of here Flynn. Those guys are not something you want to mess with. I know killers, and that is exactly what they are." She warned harshly, her voice rising angrily as she retreated again, tugging at Feri's lead to try and break her from the wall that was rapidly being encroached by flames. Flynn turned to look at the advancing felines, they were watching he and his friends from just outside the billowing smoke that rose from the enclosed stall. His lungs burned, and he retreated behind the slanted log of fire to help with Feri.

"I'm not leaving without you guys!" He said harshly, coughing as he clawed at a beam. The trapped and wounded Cheetah placed her tail on his shoulder, and he looked at her, seeing the pain in her eyes as she spoke. "You have to. I'm not going to make it out of here- neither of you are strong enough to move all this before we all burn to a crisp." She had murmured to him above the roar of flames.

With an angry shove, Askari shouldered him towards one of the connecting doors into the adjacent stall, telling him harshly to leave. "I'll get Feri out of here Flynn, you just run! I have a bad feeling Verandus and the others aren't coming back. You have to get out of the city- find the cats I told you about. You have to." She told him, her eyes flinty with emotions he couldn't name. She continued, saying she recognized one of the closer intruders as a cat from another messenger service, a more violent and aggressive one than theirs. They were their rivals, and apparently they had enough of their business being stolen.

Flynn looked back at Feri pleadingly, angry and sad at the same time. He couldn't just leave them, they were his family- Another beam fell, and the leopardess shoved him away towards the empty stall, out from under the crashing debris, and he couldn't see them again. "Go! Run and don't look back!" He heard her words screech above the din, and with a final cry of distress, he did. He ran, even as the shadows pursued him past the gate they had broken into- he had briefly noted that a human had needed to open it for them- and he ran.

Luckily for him he knew the city well, and his pursuers were bigger in number and apparently not as skilled as he nor even the rest of his team had been. He lost them quickly, and he bolted as fast as his paws could carry him towards the gate, passing startled guards and cats alike- no escapes had run the bell in alarm, so they were unprepared as he sprinted through the gate, flying fast out into the open plains.

<[ Run, run, run ]>

Eventually he collapsed from exhaustion and dehydration, his lungs burning from smoke and exertion. He had run far from the city, and now lay in a land so foreign, so massive... so free, that he felt overwhelmed, and much to his later embarrassment, he fainted.

He later woke up to find himself curled up in the dark, the smell of grass and trees filling his nose, but more than that was the heavy smell of cat. Later, he was greeted by strange cats bearing armor, and introduced to what he presumed was their leader -he later learned it was their Silver Gladiator, and not their actual leader-. After something akin to an interview, he was permitted to stay, promised to be taught fighting tactics. He was too old to be an apprentice, they told him, but he would learn. And he would be accepted.

And that's how he became a Gladiator of Air Empire.

Interesting facts:

His bangles were given to him from his mom just before he and his brother were separated, and the humans hadn't bothered to take them from him. He frequently looks back on that and thanks the Gods they hadn't.

His armor was fashioned for him once he reached Air Empire, and he chose the color of the cloth himself. It matched his collar's gem, and it made him think of his mother.

It's unknown whether Feri and the other three cats of Flynn's posse survived. He presumes them deceased since they never joined him outside the city.

Character quirks:

While not as often as his mother once had, he infrequently hums the tune she used to coo to he and his brother.

He's got an amazing memory, and can map out plots of land better than most due to his old job as a messenger.

Training, Mentors, Apprentices, and Armor

Past Training Experience

Message gathering:
Extremely talented at receiving information that needs to be passed on. He's capable as a scout and excellent at passing by unnoticed thanks to his pelt and the need to stay out from under human's feet prior to his departure of the city.

Past or current Mentor(s):

Unnamed Empire cat:
Upon reaching Air Empire, he was taught the skills he needed to survive and provide for his Empire mates, but he's not particularly skilled in either hunting or fighting. He's much better at out witting opponents than he is brawling it out.

Armor:

Flexible metal plating along his back, capable of bending and twisting with his spine.

Leather and wool padding for protection from both claws and chafing, as well as elements.

Orange cloth used mostly for decoration, but it can be good for tangling claws and catching an enemy off guard.

Relationships

What can be found here

Family Relations, and Empire Relations.

Family:

--- Lineage:

Mother: “Jace” /
Status: Unknown

Father: “Unknown” /
Status: Unknown

--- Siblings:

Brother: “Kobe” /
Status: Deceased

--- Current and past mates

Current mate: “None” :bullet---:/:bullet---:
Status: ---

Past mate: “None” :bullet---:/:bullet---:
Status: ---

--- Offspring

---: “None” :bullet---:/:bullet---:
Status: ---

Empire relations:

Color key:

= Neutral

= Friend

= Close Friend

= Crush

= Love (Non-romantically)

= Love (Romantically)

= Dislike/Hate

= Family/Mate

= Jealous

= Respect

= Past apprentice

= Current apprentice

NPC Relations

Feri =

”I... I don't know if you're alive, but I miss you. You helped me a lot when I was in a dark place, and I'll never forget that. I just hope you're safe, and happy, wherever you are.“

Yeag =

”You were a good friend to me even though we never spoke much. We shared a home, and you were kind- I too hope you're okay... But honestly, I can't hold much hope.“

Askari =

”You were brave, courageous, smart, and kind. You would probably shred my fur if you were here to hear it, but you were the mother of the group back home. You were always the one to smack some sense into us when we were being dumb, and taught us little things to keep us safe when on our runs. You saved my life- in more ways than one. “

Outside Air Empire

Air Empire

Iberius = :bullet---:/:bullet---:

”tba“