Named for the autumn color russet, Russ is a young, intelligent wolf born of Aksnicue and Ornlu to the Pack of Rabbits (a forest region pack). He lived there for his young puppyhood, until at about 3 months old, he and his guardians brought him to the Sisters of Selene in the summer of Year 2. Aksnicue, as the matriarch of her family, and the herbalist of the Pack of Rabbits, could not offer the attention his precocious young mind desired. Some of the sympathetic wolves of the pack told him about his father, Ornlu, living a less busy life as a stud in a nearby (smaller!) tribe, and he jumped at the idea to visit and potentially stay.
So, during a trade journey to the Sisters, Russ was dropped off, receiving the frequent attention of his father as one of the most clever pups he had ever taught. He is skilled in combat and especially in tracking, making him a proficient scout and stalker.