name: Ila gender expression: male size: wolf origin: trespasser nature: stranded biome: forest boundary: old woodland cemetery nature features: magnolia branches masterlist entry // GP tracker |
✔ you are free to both draw and write about this esk! | ♦ this esk is selectively available as a creator; ask me about your idea!
quick notes
-four 'ribs' of magnolia branches; middle two are larger
- two scars on the left side of the face, one slightly star-shaped scar on the right shoulder
- anatomy and body language are very close to his old wolf self!
quick notes
-four 'ribs' of magnolia branches; middle two are larger
- two scars on the left side of the face, one slightly star-shaped scar on the right shoulder
- anatomy and body language are very close to his old wolf self!
nature
Ila keeps many of his past instincts, which in his case is largely a detriment. he was a solid pack member when he was a wolf, a good hunter and tracker, playful and thriving in his role and loyalty to his packmates and their friendly band of ravens. he had nothing in his life other than affection and hunger, the wild purpose of the hunt, the guarding of dens and the sharing in games. unfortunately, wolves are understood as vicious creatures by those not close to them, and even though Ila had never taken livestock in his life, he was shot to prevent this sin ever occurring. panicking and not wanting to compromise his pack, Ila was led by raven calls to elsewhere, where he succumbed to his blood loss and the offer of transformation. now, he wonders if death would have been kinder. as an esk, his old pack doesn't recognise him, and worse is his inability to explain to them who he is and that he still loves them desperately and instinctively. a lone wolf is a wolf that dies alone, and he feels that way as he tries to make sense of his newfound loneliness; not-living. he has the same wants and needs as he had before his transformation, and he yearns for belonging, for a mate, and for survival, although what survival looks like in the limbo he's found himself in, he can't say. he mourns for his past self and for his old family as he wanders the woods restlessly, trying to comfort himself with familiar sights and things and ways to keep himself busy. so far, it's not very fulfilling. just like any wolf, he is wary of new things, and will generally keep his distance from other esk, animals, and particularly humans. though with animals that are familiar to him and pose no threats to himself or his saddened memories, like birds, foxes, frogs and the like, he likes to engage them in occasional play or to just stop and admire them. he doesn't say much, not sure yet how to control a mental voice as opposed to a physical one. |
we have doomed the wolf not for what it is,
but for what we deliberately and mistakenly perceive it to be
but for what we deliberately and mistakenly perceive it to be
boundary
the old woodland cemetery Ila frequently strays from is somewhere in the Baltic states in Europe. the woods are plentiful and publicly accessible, and so a woodland cemetery was a natural idea at the time. there's a church nearby from the turn of the 20th century, but Ila shies away from it, finding it intimidating despite its fairly small size. the cemetery itself is sprawling, and there is a section that is free from trees, but many of the graves go plenty far into the fairly open forest. most headstones are small affairs, humble with simple engravings, and the older ones have mosses growing up the sides and weathered text that gets difficult to read. often, candles are lit by at least some of the graves, and on special occasions the whole cemetery lights up like a field of little stars. most of the trees are scots pine or norway spruce, but there's also plenty of birch, white alder, and aspen. the forest floor has plenty of bilberries, cranberries and many kinds of mushrooms in the fall, and many cemetery visitors will take moments to forage while they're there. frequent sightings include wolf, lynx, red and roe deer, wild boar, elk, and red fox. when it comes to birdsong and calls you're able to hear include the blackbird, jackdaw, eurasian jay, and many wrens, tits and finches. more rarely, you could spot a lesser spottle eagle, pygmy owl, capercaillie, or black kite. |
moodboard
credits: images from unsplash and wikimedia,
wolf skull pixel by akumiirako, moonlit ila art by tayaravena, ila pagedoll by keeskiwi
wolf skull pixel by akumiirako, moonlit ila art by tayaravena, ila pagedoll by keeskiwi