Scruff SELL

As a newly befriended wolf of Beastenguard, Nirvana was happy to gain some balance in her life. She always felt horrible killing large prey, since it felt like she was wasting. She also hated killing small prey, since she felt like it was unfair she had such a size advantage over them. Whenever she had too much on her mind she would go for long walks until her head cleared. Daewn offered a solution to her troubles: be a scout for Beastenguard. Not only did it give her a home to come back to after she went on one of her journeys, but she could help others instead of hurt them! She no longer had to feel bad at meal time, staring into the eyes of something she had personally killed herself.

However, an unfortunate accident took Scruff's life too soon. Using magic, Daewn put her life force into the body of a pup that was too sick to live on. Scruff's imbued essence strengthened the pup, and the two souls merged. The only drawback of this new form? The chance to have cursed pups that would be fated to die, to balance out Scruff escaping death. For as long as she kept having pups she could keep living. Nirvana felt horrible to have to resort to killing, but she wasn't ready to give up on life just yet. Her and Scruff had become one, and Nirvana became a sort of guiding conscience for the pup. Their body may not be capable of producing healthy offspring but they had a mother and daughter relationship that kept them from becoming too lonely. They became a pupsitter for the pack, protecting young pups with their very life. However, they missed going outside. They missed the hunt. So they became a chaser for Beastenguard. Their past life gave them an additional advantage over the other young pups joining hunting squads, which changed Scruff's personality from imaginative to conceited. When Daewn realized Nirvana was corrupting Scruff she forced them to become a pupsitter again, making them take a hard look at how cruel they were becoming. They weren't just self-centered because of their hunting skills, but because of the pain of losing pups over and over again. Nirvana withdrew into their mental shell, and Scruff fully took over. She enjoyed taking care of pups even if her own were fated to perish. Each time they passed she buried them in elaborately decorated graves. Perhaps one day she would be strong enough to fight against the curse and have even just one child of her own. Maybe if that day came Nirvana would talk to her again.

Scruff grew unbearably lonely, and she decided to take a risk; she would promise a favor to Mithran. He had been in the pack for an incredibly long time, and would occasionally fly off to a dormant volcano within their taiga region to do who knows what. He had made a name for himself by breeding with seemingly infertile wolves, though the offspring they produced were anything but normal. While he was still somewhat accepted in Beastenguard, it was a tad taboo to breed with him. There were a few wolves who did, but they didn't really care what anyone thought of them. She was lonely enough to take the risk. Scruff had nothing to connect her to the wolves her age, as they all had pups and she had nothing but her own thoughts and empty den to go back to.

So she traveled to the volcano, ignoring the blistering heat and the stench of sulfur on snow. He seemed surprised to see her, but his face soon changed to a demonic grin. He knew what she wanted. In exchange for a single pup that would never die she would owe him a favor. What that favor would consist of would be up to him at a future date.

When she gave birth she was in awe. One puppy stood out from the rest. She was strong, fearless, and had a fiery coat just like her father. Hushed whispers around the camp claimed that Scruff had made a deal with Mithran, and she was too happy to bother denying them. She ignored them and raised her pup. Phlegethon helped lessen the ache in her heart that her dying pups caused. Her devilish darling was violent; gnawing at the teat, growling at any sudden movement, and scratching relentlessly. But to her younger siblings she was gentle. She nudged them towards the nipple to help them nurse, and when her eyes opened before all her siblings she gazed on them somewhat fondly. As Scruff's other babes grew sicker she watched her daughter care for her littermates until their demise. Each time one died her howls grew more and more mournful. Soon she was all that remained. The two buried the dead in silence, but there was a peace in the quiet that hadn't existed there before.

Scruff began traveling to help packs who needed another watchful eye, bringing her daughter along. While little Phlegethon was downright horrid to adults, she was great at keeping puppies safe and secure. Maybe there was hope for Scruff's sweet little spawn after all. Scruff promised herself she would teach her daughter to protect puppies as she did, as her daughter had a natural gift of nurturing.

Interaction Logs:
7/30/23 - During the lesson: Not only was the nesting material important, but the right spot and the right time matter, too. Scruff learned how to choose wisely and save a lot of time.

7/31/23 - Today Inferno led Scruff to a place where hiding spots were not so obvious. Scruff had to think out of the box to outsmart Inferno.

8/5/23 - Inferno observed Scruff carefully and made sure that she stayed focused on scents and landmarks, but it was really hard when everything that was just a few steps away from the den was unknown.

8/6/23 - When you see a gift placed in your favourite spot, you immediately know it's from Scruff. They know you so well! This is a truly thoughtful gesture.

8/7/23 - Each time Scruff tells you about their day or describes anything that happened among pack members, you're amazed that they can turn even the blandest and most casual event into a breathtaking story.

8/24/23 - Scruff seems to freeze for a moment before baring their teeth and grumpily walking off. Looks like it worked! Her personality changed from imaginative to conceited.

2/14/24 - Scruff made a deal with the devil with Mithran, and today she had a daughter named Phlegethon! The puppy is incredibly violent even at this young age, though she seems somewhat sweet and protective of her littermates.

4/19/24 - Scruff nudges something over to you with a sigh that tells you they're not happy about it and would rather keep it for themselves. You're quite surprised to discover that the gift is actually useful.