I'm so in love with the cardinals that we have here that I HAD to try for this Shionnix!
Name you will give your Shionnix: Sambuca (scientific family of the elderberry, which can have reddish berries)
Gender: Female
Personality:Sambuca may come across as a rather brainless ninny at first, especially when she tries to make you guess what she overheard the night before when the older Shionnix gathered to discuss any daily problems. However, if you're patient enough and realize that she isn't perfect, you'll see that she's quite wistful for a good friend who will put up with her silly shenanigans. As an only kit, she's always wanted a sibling and her friends have to stand in. Her mask is that of a female Shionnix who knows she's striking with her crimson plumage and uses it to her advantage. Inside, she's tired of the attention that she gets every time she leaves, be it even one of those benign comments about how bright it is. She would love to be able to sneak away in plain sight and indulge herself in some vanishing artwork in the sand. Despite the fact that her bower is decorated in colors that make her plumage look more beautiful, it's actually an unconscious manifestation of what she wishes her colors were - cool blues, calm greens, deep violets. Her shenanigans have decreased as she's matured and some Shionnix actually miss them. She isn't a huge fan of arguing, preferring to keep things as light-hearted as possible. A physical altercation will make her quickly retreat into the foliage. In fact, her parents have been urging her to take up a hobby of sleight-of-paw - illusions and the sort. She's getting to feel more comfortable being in sight of a crowd, but it's slow progress.
History:The only kit of two very devoted and somewhat overbearing parents, Sambuca always found herself under scrutiny. Her father was the worst and it got to the point where every single thing he said felt like a criticism to her. She began to sneak out at night and take out her fury on hapless prey. That made her parents think that she was sick when she wouldn't eat breakfast in the morning, which brought more attention to her. Finally, Sambuca snapped and got into a huge fight with her parents that left everyone with hidden wounds. Her mother seemed more understanding than most and let Sambuca do her own thing. Her father is still wounded and has estranged himself from Sambuca. She drew more attention to herself with how good she was at catching her prey (thanks to those midnight forages at an earlier age) and it was only after speaking to one of the older Shionnix, with tears rolling down her face, that Sambuca realized how not all attention is a bad thing. That led her to her habit of practical jokes, as attention in the form of awe and encouragement from her peers was intoxicating. One prank went particularly badly, however, and made Sambuca think twice about certain slap-stick tricks. This made her mother suggest that she turn her energies and natural ingenuity towards the art of illusions. What better opposing concept than a brightly-colored Shionnix who could disappear completely? Sambuca is much more happy now with her safer hobby and how she still receives the kind of attention that she wants.
Likes and dislikes:Likes:~ Anything bright red in color (a certain berry, feather, snail shell...she even has a certain visceral fascination with blood)
~ That rush of victorious adrenaline when her claws slam into her hapless prey
~ Decorating her bower with opposing colors to her own plumage (emerald green, still-water blues, royal violets)
~ Drawing designs in the wet sand along the banks of the short rivers with her claws and watching them disappear
~ Listening to the chatter of the older Shionnix and then playing little games with the information (as in "Guess what I heard today?")
~ Her pet snail!
Dislikes: ~ Being caught listening in
~ Being put in the spotlight when she wants to remain one of the crowd
~ Physical fights where
she would get injured
~ Snakes over a certain size
~ Heavy rainfall
Art:
Extras (items):A leather length about her neck with a single feather containing her favorite cool colors.
Anything you want to add?:Looking forwards to seeing who wins. Good luck, all!
