Name
Nekti
(Nehk-tee)
Gender
Masculine
Age
6 years, 4 months
Personality
Nekti has always held his dignity above all else. He refuses to be humiliated or mocked, and his pride goes beyond noble and becomes stubborn, often causing him to butt heads with other wolves. He’s often too proud to admit when he’s wrong, the most obvious example of this being him staying with his mate despite her personality. He was something of a hero in his day: looked up to as honorable and stalwart in a time when the stoic and battle-hungry were respected above all else. Some say those were more barbaric times, but they weren’t really so long ago and things seem barbaric now as well. Nekti was once a wolf that the alphas trusted to turn to in times of trouble, and he hasn’t forgotten that. Those were the days, he’ll say. When wolves were happy with what they had, when the alphas knew what they were doing. As is so common with older wolves, Nekti looks back on his youth with a certain nostalgic blindness. Unlike some, he hasn’t given up on those memories yet. He may be getting on in years, but he’s still strong and he absolutely refuses to acknowledge that he’s not as full of vim and vigor as he was in his youth. He pushes his own boundaries and overestimates his abilities, leaving him something of a liability to the pack at times. But it also must be acknowledged that Nekti has grace and dignity that he never lost, and respect is due him for all that he did for the pack in his younger days. It’s hard to argue with such a proud creature, and it’s hard to tell someone they’re simply past their prime when you know it will destroy them. Nekti would never acknowledge these things himself. And if anyone was to mention it to him, he would defend his honor viciously.
When Nekti was a younger wolf, he was caught up in being charming. He was all smiles, eloquence, and hidden flattery. While Nekti’s pride hasn’t changed, his charisma certainly has. He was known as a “fine young wolf,” everything a wolf should be. He knew how to make people like him. Now, though, he finds much less to smile about. He’s an old wolf who has no real pull in the pack, and the power of his smile has certainly lost most of its potency. He has nobody to impress, and after years of carefully skirting around feelings and weaving words, he’s done trying to spare anyone’s feelings. Some are surprised by the change that’s come over him. He simply doesn’t care to be charming, though he can still be kind. He doesn’t give compliments, he doesn’t bother hiding his true feelings, and he doesn’t laugh at things that aren’t funny. When he doesn’t trust someone, he tells them so. When he doesn’t like them, he does the same. His temper has grown shorter, though he never loses his composure. He just can’t stand to talk in circles, feigning diplomacy and sugar coating words. This harshness sometimes puts a wall up between him and loved ones, especially his son, but another thing Nekti never does is apologize. He can say sorry in other ways than saying it out loud, but sometimes that’s not enough.
Now, Nekti might come off as a crotchety old wolf. But he would never in a million years stoop to griping and lazing around all day as he’s seen other elders do. He’s not the kind of wolf who thinks he’s entitled to anything, and he’s not the type to claim he’s earned the right to relax. He knows that if he’s not an asset, he’s a detriment to the pack, and he would do almost anything to avoid being a burden. He never asks for or accepts help, he works through injury, and he always pulls his weight. He’s a thoughtful and responsible wolf, and he keeps his head in every kind of situation because, after all, what could be worse than what’s already happened? He stays out of his loved one’s personal affairs and expects them to stay out of his. He’s not one to talk about the past, not because it’s painful but because he feels his stories would be akin to rambling, irritating and unwanted by the pack. He’s always been a very self-contained wolf, and feels that his life is his own, his talents and time owed to the pack but his inner workings to be kept to himself. In matters of logic and caring for the pack he readily offers opinions, but he doesn’t give personal advice and he doesn’t help other wolves with their problems. The wisdom of old wolves may be great, but if Nekti possesses it he’s keeping it to himself.
Nekti was always an advocate for change in the right direction, but he was never wild or spontaneous. Not at all like his son. He had routines, and he stuck to them. There were rules that a pack member never broke, traditions that lived on throughout the generations. Some, in the early days, were darker than others. Nekti stuck by those. Some say his loyalty outweighed his conscience, but he was never loyal to the alphas when he felt they were steering the pack in the wrong direction. Maybe the wolves then were just more used to that darkness. Maybe they’re about to get used to it again. Nekti never seemed to understand what death really was, and he never questioned nature in any of its forms. In a way he was always a bit naive, though he remained skeptical of anything that was told to him. Even now he accepts nothing without proof, though it’s not exactly that he’s suspicious of his packmates. He simply wants to know all of the facts, everything to back up their claim. He hungers for knowledge, though he doesn’t consider knowledge as truly a powerful thing as some might. To him, knowledge is without personality, and personality is all that a wolf really has. They may have their pack, and their loyalty must remain as long as the pack is good for them and has earned their loyalty. They have their body, and they have to keep in shape but refrain from being vain. They have other wolves, but they should never be so attached to a wolf that they can’t see when a relationship is ending. But most of all, they have themselves, and they have to know that that’s enough. That's part of why he judges Ophir so harshly.
The way that Nekti deals with most strife and trouble is to ignore it. He’s very good at ignoring things. He can ignore it when he’s in pain or when he’s unhappy. He pretends not to notice things awry with his life, and he overlooks things about his pack that might be considered more unsavory. He disregards wolves he doesn’t like. When he’s fighting with his son, he often stops in the middle and pretends he's not there. He doesn’t respond to annoyances and doesn’t let himself be goaded into reacting. If he doesn’t want something to be, he just acts like it’s not. Of course, he doesn’t do this with his alphas nor with annoying young pups - he has a surprisingly high tolerance for them. But if other wolves try to talk to him about these things, he often pretends he doesn’t know what they’re talking about. It’s not that he thinks they believe him, it’s just a way of avoiding the conversation.
Appearance
Photo by Johnathan Iajoie on pexels.com
Nekti stands at 31 inches shoulder height, with a nose-to-tail length of 5’9”, and he’s built in a sturdy but not particularly muscular or heavy-set way. He has long legs and large paws, with a bushy tail and great deals of fairly long fur. He has some scars, but most aren’t visible because they’re under his fur. His snouth has a few scars and is beginning to be mottled with grey hairs, and his face has fur bushed out to both sides. His nose is black, and he has dark grey claws with grey paw pads. His fur is thinner than it used to be, but still long and bushy. The skin underneath is rough and somewhat lumpy, and it feels strange to rub up against him. He has light, small whiskers.
His fur has an off-white base, somewhat creamy. In places where the fur is thinner, it looks darker and there are specks of black. The cream color intensifies near the nape of his neck and towards his sides, and turns into an earthy brown at the edges of his ears. His muzzle is speckled with grey hairs and is a whitish color, with brown on the top. The tips of his fur are black, looking like a haze of black over him. These darken in waves, with just behind his shoulder blades and above his rump having the highest density of black. The black lessens on his legs but there’s some on his greying paws, and it’s also dense on the bottom of his neck and in a small stripe atop his head. His ears have black and white insides, and black curves over and around his eyes, something like eyebrows. Nekti’s eyes are a light moss green, lacking a certain shine but still sharp. They’re slanted and outlined in black, and have small round pupils. They’re greener towards the centers, but around the edges there’s an amber color, especially towards the bottoms.
He tends to have a high-headed walk, straight and forward but unsteady as well. His footing is neither firm nor forceful, but it isn’t clumsy either. He has a light step, not because of grace or stealth but because he doesn’t have the energy to put his foot down with vigor. He tends to keep his tail stiff and his head up, and always knows where he’s going. He has a fairly deep voice, often not giving away much of his emotion, that has a rasp to it.
Rank Desired
Too late for that, Nekti says. It’s better to just stay where he is - or was. Wolves with so few years left don’t have time for ambition.
Strengths
Dignity
Nekti has, at the very least, the ability to keep himself together and to present a good face no matter what’s happening to him. He’d rather die than lose face, and while some scorn this, others admire it. He has the force of personality to never lose his way, and the nobility never to resort to desperate means. He can be trusted to do what is right - so long as his idea of right isn’t a bit off. And he would never betray anyone.
Bravery
Nekti has always been a heroic sort of wolf, and while he’s lost much of the energy and fighting, he still has the valor. He tends to value the lives of younger and more capable wolves over his own, and he’d rather die saving something he loves than of old age. He’s quick to jump into the action and never asks for help even if he needs it.
Logic
Not the type to believe what he doesn’t know about, Nekti is rarely under-informed, and he never jumps to conclusions. He’s a rational wolf who likes to know all sides and dig deep. He thinks things through and isn’t rash or impulsive, not making decisions based solely on emotion - though emotion certainly plays a part.
Willpower
Nekti has a very forceful personality, and he lets very little get in the way of doing what he feels he needs to do. He doesn’t buckle under pressure and he doesn’t let other wolves dictate the way he lives his life. He’s very strong, and he can keep going through a lot of pain, both mental and physical.
Wisdom
After living for so many years, it’s only natural that Nekti’s bound to have gathered up some wisdom. He’s seen a lot of crises come and go, and he’s seen enough strife to know how to deal with a lot of it. He’s often good to to for pack matters, though of course he never gives personal advice.
Weaknesses
Pride
The most obvious problem with interacting with Nekti is his immense pride. He doesn’t accept help and it’s very hard to get close to him. He can be distant with his loved ones, and aloof with wolves who could potentially be his friends. This has strained his relationship with his son. He often hurts himself by refusing to admit that he’s hurt, and he never lets himself relax.
Brutal Honesty
After being so charismatic for so long, Nekti’s stopped trying to tiptoe around other wolves’ feelings. He can be very blunt, and isn’t the best at dealing with wolves wh require more delicacy. He doesn’t always get along with others.
Ignoring Things
Nekti’s main method of dealing with hardship is to just ignore it. This isn’t usually the best way to go about things. Of course, he knows that this rarely works out, but he sticks to it stubbornly. It can cause more problems than it fixes, and makes talking to him candidly a bit difficult.
Frailty
Being as old as he is, it’s natural that Nekti’s not as strong nor as fit as he once was. He’s not exactly feeble, but he doesn’t have the same strength that he once did. He knows how to hunt, but finds it harder to take down animals. He’s not as fast as he once was, and he’s more prone to illness or injury.
Loyalty
Nekti’s loyalty to ideas that may not be totally safe or trustworthy can be a problem. This isn’t a huge thing, and for the most part it can be ignored, but he’s perfectly okay with things that most wolves would frown on. As long as he has other wolves to check and balance him, though, things normally turn out alright.
Likes
Being Useful
Nekti is always striving to prove himself an asset to the pack, and he’s very fond of doing things to help individuals or the pack as a whole. He likes to give advice on these things, and to be appreciated for helping with physical labor. As many wolves do, he also likes to be admired.
Confident Wolves
Nekti can respect a wolf who knows what they want and are willing to go the distance to get it. He may butt heads with assertive wolves, but he appreciates these kinds of wolves. He’ll walk all over softer wolves because they’re not strong enough to stand up for themselves. Personality and inner strength are very important to him.
The Cold
Although Nekti isn’t totally adverse to heat, he very much prefers the cold. Though he gets cold easily, he’ll always pretend he’s not. He also adores snow, and when he was younger it was a reason to frolic and roll around. Now he’s more interested in watching the snow fall.
Family
Like any good wolf, Nekti has always valued his family greatly. Despite his insistence that a wolf should stick with their family only as long as their family is good to them, he would stick with his through thick and thin. He hates to argue with his family at all. It seems that rather than liking his own family, he likes the idea of family. He wants to seem happy.
Being Left Alone
Nekti doesn’t prefer not to be around other wolves, he just prefers that they let him sit quietly without having to engage in meaningful conversation. He likes wolves, but he also likes to live quietly and to be allowed to keep his thoughts to himself.
Birds
Nekti's always liked the idea of birds and the freedom that that represents. Imagine being able to move about like that, soaring through the sky. He's especially fond of predatory birds, and is always pleased to see a hawk or eagle.
Dislikes
Being Talked Down To
This is a given for most wolves, really, but it’s one of Nekti’s least favorite things. He doesn’t want to be treated like a pup, with the tolerance and patience that comes with that condescending attitude. He hates it when wolves tell him to relax, hates it when they humor him. He can take insults, but it’s pampering that really bothers him.
Nosy Wolves
There are lots of wolves who just can’t leave well enough alone, and who are constantly wanting to know more. They push a bit too hard, trying to relate on a personal level or be friends. Nekti finds this irritating, and while he’ll put up with it, he’ll never give them what they want.
Flattery
Nothing is cheaper or more insincere to Nekti than flattery. Maybe it has to do with the fact that he himself used flattery to get what he wanted in his youth, but he takes compliments only from those he’s closest to. Give him an insincere compliment and he won’t trust a kind word you say afterwards.
Misinformation
Nekti thinks that knowledge, while not as powerful as other aspects of a wolf, should never be misused. He looks down on wolves who aren’t very smart, but more than that he looks down on those who speak before thinking. He especially hates false rumors.
Water
He can swim fine, but he greatly prefers not to. Nekti never liked getting wet, and he usually hides out from the rain. He also hates fish, though he’ll eat fish if he has to. He just doesn’t like the clammy way it tastes, or the strange texture.
Blind Loyalty
Nekti thinks that every wolf should be able to remove themselves from bad situations if they have to. They aren’t obligated to show loyalty to a pack that doesn’t show loyalty to them. No bonds, not of family nor of nature, can ever overshadow a wolf’s own needs.
Relationships
Acesco
Acesco might be one of the wolves that Nekti is closest with. They both respect one another's need to feel wanted and helpful, and they never make condescending allowances for one another. Although Nekti can be irritated by Acesco's mother hen nature, he often simply withdraws when it gets too much and then acts like nothing happened.
Choenyi
The two neither get along nor bicker. As long as Choenyi doesn't start any trouble with him, Nekti is willing to let her be. He sometimes overrides her and tends to be irritated by her complaining. They generally ignore each other, though.
Callidora
Nekti was friends with Callidora's parents, and when they died he tried to be a little closer with her. But the two never got along. They can be incredibly cold to one another, and although Nekti tries to avoid getting vicious, sometimes her words get under his skin. He makes an effort to look after her but doesn't have the patience to be kind to her.
Yalina
As with Callidor, Nekti tries to look after Yalina since her parents died. She's much nicer about it, and she understands that Nekti doesn't want her help. As long as neither pity nor look down on one another, they get along very well. They're honest with one another and they care for each other like a parent and child.
Peony
Nekti dislikes Peony quite vehemently. He's constantly telling Peony to shut up, overriding him and judging his materialistic nature. Peony has no respect for Nekti, which rubs him the wrong way. But because Nekti knows Peony is still young, he also tries to guide him and has hope that Peony can improve himself.
Ophir
Nekti and his son have a very strained and complicated relationship. Nekti tries very hard not to argue with Ophir in front of anyone, and he mostly just ignores his son. The more Ophir acts out, the less attention Nekti pays to him. He worries about Ophir - he's lost enough pups already. But he wants to let Ophir grow without him. If only Ophir would grow - he seems to take so much after his mother.
Family
Mother - Hyacinth (deceased)
Father - Soner (deceased)
Older Brother - Tural (deceased)
Older Sister - Moema (deceased)
Mate - Udara (deceased)
Son - Ophir
Other
Nekti’s mate, Udara, was one of the more desirable wolves in the pack, and for a while they were the happy couple. Of course, few wolves ever really liked Udara - she had a cruel streak that even the alpha found problematic. A lot of wolves thought she was going to wind up killing someone one day, but she was also a respected fighter of the pack. She and Nekti pretended to be in love for a while, and they had pups together. Eventually it became clear how much they hated each other, but they were both proud wolves and they would have died to maintain their reputations. They stayed together and raised their pups, but the winter after was a harsh one. Out of the four pups they had, not one of them made it through the winter. After that they carried on without pups for a while, not wanting to go through that again. But they were getting older and they still wanted little babies to keep them company, so they tried again and had a litter of six. This litter made it longer - three made it to adolescence, but of those, two died in a fire and one of illness. Nekti and his mate decided it would be better not to try again, and other wolves offered their condolences. But when they were both, everyone agreed, too old to have pups, Nekti's mate got pregnant again. She had only two pups this time, and one died, but finally they had the baby they'd always wanted. This was little Ophir, and they were happy to have him. Udara took over most of the duties of raising him, and though the two seemed to be drifting apart even more because of this, they never said anything. Udara raised Ophir and Nekti continued his duties to the pack which had eanred him a reputation of something of a folk heroes in the years before. But when the sickness hit, Udara was one of the first to succumb. She died very quickly, leaving Nekti with little Ophir. Ophir, lacking the guidance she had provided, started to act out. Nekti's solution to this was to ignore his son entirely. This only made it worse, and Nekti started to drift apart from Ophir just like he had with Udara. He hardly had anything to do with his own son. In fact, when Yalina and Callidora's parents died, he was more focused on them than his own son. He became something of a surrogate father, especially to Yalina, and most wolves who saw him would say he liked her better than he liked Ophir.
Winter 
Night 
Blizzard Moon: 
Gray Wolf Stock 24
She is on the shorter side.
