Esme

The First Queen of Lunar Valley

She/her

Esme was born at a time where wolves did not form packs, and instead roamed in small bands that were held together by the strings of fear and hunger rather than pacts of fealty. It was more likely for a wolf to be killed during their adolescence than to ever have pups of their own, and thus wolves were few and the world was quiet. The wolves of Lunar Valley refer to this era as The Age of Great Silence. She and many other wolves were a part of the revolution where wolves began to accumulate in great masses and swear oaths of loyalty to each other so that they would no longer go hungry and their pups could flourish. Ginger was the first wolf to join Esme, followed by Thorn. Together, the three of them claimed the land that is Lunar Valley and founded the pack.

Esme is a wolf who does her best to always appear calm externally, no matter the situation. She believes that it is the most appropriate behavior for a queen, and ensures that there won't be panic amongst the pack. This can cause her to come off as apathetic or inattentive at times, but in reality she is very vigilant and observant, and not many things escape her attention. Esme knows the name of every wolf in their pack and keeps track of their overall health and their bloodlines. She is a stickler for tradition, and firmly believes in the importance of structure and order. She rules with a firm paw, but with her claws sheathed.

A wolf known as Genevieve was Esme's biggest soft spot. She was often seen going on long patrols with the vibrantly colored magician, or sitting closely with her outside of her cave at night, Genevieve murmuring unknown things into her ear. Though Esme has a mate (as did Gene) and fulfills her duty of bearing daughters, Genevieve was the one wolf that she was the closest to, and the one she always turned to in times of need. After Gene's passing, many of the wolves of Lunar Valley felt that their leader lost some of her spark and became less lenient for anything breaking the structure she painstakingly built for the pack.

It is rumored that Genevieve and Esme bore a pup together that died soon after it's birth, but speaking this rumor out loud comes with the danger of banishment. It is also highly discouraged to refer to Esme's relationship with Gene as anything further than a "Strong friendship"

Esme is a dedicated, but strict parent to the pups she bore with her mate Saskha, always pushing them to be better. She is kind to her mate, but not known to be especially affectionate or attentive to her. Despite this, Saskha is undyingly loyal to Esme, and does not hesitate to bare her teeth at any wolf who dares suggest her disloyalty.