Fhua

Name Meaning: A traditional female name considered very old fashioned and a bit out of touch, Fhua means 'A perfect balance between confident and carefree, remaining humble'.

Year Four: Fhua joined the pack in early autumn, wordlessly following her new "mate" after her parents approved of him during a chance encounter. She was the last of her siblings to leave, and feels bitter at not being deemed worthy enough to stay, but not being able to roam freely due to the wishes of her family.

Fhua knows that Yai doesn't love her, and intends to keep her distance from him. Which is easy, considering how awkward and flighty the young male has been since they left her birth pack. She keeps quiet, avoids forming friendships, and secretly dreams of roaming the world.

Year 5: Fhua becomes a scout, using her role as an excuse to leave the pack for extended periods of time.
Despite telling herself that she will leave as soon as she's strong enough to fend for herself, Fhua finds herself spending more and more of her downtime with a kind young female from the sub-pack.
J'Laeni, mate of Yai's nephew Akaah, is also an "outsider" and tells her of her struggle to fit in to such an unusual family. With J'Laeni's help she gradually warms up to the rest of the pack whilst Yai is away, eventually no longer wanting to leave at all.

Year 6: With Yai apologising for past mistakes, and finally spending more time leading the pack, Fhua decides they should patrol together as a show of solidarity.

In time, she comes to appreciate her mate's struggles, and whilst patrolling the glacier together he breaks down and begs her forgiveness for not understanding her own. Fhua tells him that she'll need time to process things, but she's glad that they are friends.

Though their feelings for each other remain platonic, Fhua decides their newfound mutual respect and strong partnership is enough to try raising pups together.
Unfortunately, Fhua struggles with repressed feelings of abandonment and low self-esteem, and is unable to bond with her puppies. Fighting through her disappointment in herself, she decides to do what is best for her children, and let them be adopted by wolves who cannot have pups of their own.
Yai's support comforts her a little, but Fhua still feels pressured to provide an heir for the pack she now knows and loves. She tells her mate that she needs much more time to think things through before trying again.

When Fhua eventually decides to have pups again, she manages to at least raise them to weaning age without doubts settling in. Having grown close to Yai over the years, having her two best friends beside her helps her to find the joy in watching her pups grow. Unfortunately, she begins to regret adopting out her other pups, and her anxiety and grief strains the relationship with her latest litter. Only one pup ends up returning to the pack after a brief yearling roam, a somewhat shy girl called Uansah. Fhua is immensely grateful to her pup for not abandoning her, and finally puts some of her past failures behind her.

In year 10, Fhua and Yai are getting close to retiring, but when things finally seem to be going right, Fhua's world is turned upside down. Her beloved friend is mortally wounded and after she finds out it was during a hunt for her sake, she blames herself.

During this time, one of Yai's distant relatives, Yaafsai, comforts her, offering to do small errands around the den. She finds herself confiding in him more and more, pouring her heart out over her fears for the pack and her daughter. When Yaafsai brings up Yai's imminent death, seemingly out of the blue, and suggests he should be leader, Fhua loses it. She let's out her frustration on the younger wolf, refusing to believe that her friend is dying. A small part of her knows it's the end for Yai, but she isn't ready to accept it until it actually happens.

When it finally does, Fhua is devastated. She refuses to eat or drink or even to talk to jlaeni. The only thing keeping her going is her daughter, who silently rests beside her each night.
............
After a a month of barely eating or moving, Fhua gets up and leaves the den without a word.
............
Fhua's last wish is to revisit all the places she ever scouted with Yai one last time before she dies. She also hopes to keep her daughter safe by learning how the lands have changed. When she feels it is time, she will report back and spend her final days peacefully at home.