Gertrude

[Crow'sia]

GERTRUDE
____________________________________

AGE
three.

GENDER
female.

PERSONALITY
Young and curious, Gertrude is vibrant, full of life and imagination. Her curiosity is rivalled by her sense of loyalty, particularly to family, although when she was young she was very prone to wandering. Gertrude desires knowledge about all things strange and unknown, whether it is new territories, strange horses, or the stars that fall from the sky. Her loyalty and curiosity, though, are tempered by ambition; as she grows, so too do her dreams. Since leaving her family, her independence has become more defined, and the mare has become both confident and competent about survival. Naturally kind, Gertrude has a strong sense of what she believes is good. Although still a high-spirited individual, she is equally reserved and watchful, particularly since the cataclysm.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
A bit short for a horse, Gertrude stands fourteen hands high with a slender body and highly (in fact overly) defined muscle and bone structure. From her mother, she took a quick metabolism, from her father a coat of black fur, while her mane and tale are white. Gertrude has an elegant face, large, brown eyes, and short ears. Her voice is soft and melodic and she is expressive in her movements. Like all horses, she has an excellent sense of balance, but likes to think of herself as graceful nonetheless. Despite this thought, she often walks with extra care, almost jumpy, long fearing an injured foot or the ground to shift. She is always listening hard, wary of predators and disaster lurking behind every tree.

HISTORY
Born before the cataclysm on the Beach of Night Sky, Gertrude’s simple life was rarely interrupted by disaster. As a foal she was highly nomadic, traveling from herd to herd. Eventually, her family settled with Monsieur Valentine in the Rocky Mountains, after the stallion saved her from a wild cat. Often apart from her parents, the mare learned quickly to fend for herself and watch for predators. In the time leading up to the cataclysm, Gertrude left the Mountains and returned to her family’s old home on the shore until she was driven out by the wave. Although briefly reuniting with her mother, Gertrude has spent the months following the disaster watching the sky and searching for other survivors while acquainting herself with the Lush Fields.