[Caira's portrait by player Regina Carey]
 

Caira

When Daralee and Thomas McCray became parents, they vowed to give their child the best that the world had to offer, and they were true to their word. Caira, their only daughter, grew up in a loving and sheltered family environment.

An avid climber, Caira spent much of her childhood days climbing the trees in the woods behind the family home with her friend Dracor. She was very agile and her tiny size helped her to become and nimble and adventurous climber. One day, as the two were playing, a branch snapped under Dracor's feet. Flailing for support, Dracor fell to the ground. Half climbing, half jumping down from the tree she was climbing, Caira raced to her best friend's side. Kneeling beside him, sobs wracked her body as her eyes took in the sight of his crooked neck. That was how Thomas McCray found his only child; rocking back and forth holding the young boy's hand in her hands as darkness filled the air and as night won out the battle with day.

From that day forward, Caira's climbing days were over. Her fear of heights is so profound, that butterflies take up residence in her stomach just looking out second story windows.

After the death of Dracor, Caira became rather subdued, wanting only to help out in her father's general store rather than playing with the other children. Her childhood and hope seemed to have died with the little boy. Thomas and Daralee spent many nights praying that the Light would help to give them back the fiesty child they loved so much. Two years passed, and Daralee cried over the loss of the spark in her only child's eyes. Then, one day, an Uen Roug circuit rider came into Golden Lake. Picking up provisions at Thomas' store, the circuit rider struck up a conversation with the young red haired child who was stocking shelves. He told her who he was, and what he did, and about his bonded Unicorn. Seeing the girl's excitement, the Roug lead the girl outside to meet the unicorn, and the missing spark found it's way back into Caira's emerald eyes.

For two and a half years, Caira spoke of nothing except becoming a unicorn rider. Daralee and Thomas, though heartened to see Caira's lust for life return, worried about her safety as a Roug. A very petite child, Caira seemed oblivious to her size and had been known to start fights with boys twice, sometimes three times, her size. And, though she was passionate in her fights, she rarely won one of the battles. Most of the time, the boys simply picked her up and placed her where she could no longer be a nuisance. And, though her grief seemed to have ended, her fear of heights was still just as strong as it had been right after Dracor's death. Finally, after much prayer, Daralee and Thomas sent Caira to the Academy to fulfill her dream of becoming a Roug.

Five years later, the child who entered the Academy has grown into a lovely young woman. Still tiny, she stands at barely 5'0 tall, and weighs in at under 100 pounds. Hair as fiery as a summer sunset falls in a cacophony of curls down past her waist, and emerald eyes, full of sparkle gaze out from under dark lashes. She shows almost no outward signs of the sadness that had held her in it's grip for over two years, and most people would probably never suspect that under her confident, loyal exterior lies a memory that still reduces her to tears. Her past, however, is one of the reasons why she was drawn to the healing arts, and
everytime she touches her crystals, she wishes she could have done something for Dracor.

Caira & Rosebriar Bond: 5 ST 110 (late morning)

(Portrait by Rebecca Engelmann)

Rosebriar

A dreamer & a gentle soul, Rosebriar spent most of his time as a foal in the rose gardens outside the Academy, dreaming of adventures yet to be had. Optimistic, but a little naive - has the wisdom that comes only with innocence. A little insecure, but he is young yet; with guidance and a little confidence, Rosebriar could become a fantastic leader and is already a fairly adept fighter. Fiercely loyal and an excellent listener, Rosebriar can cause certain plants (mostly roses, but he has been trying others) to grow in even the most unfriendly conditions for short periods of time. Heatherbloom's twin brother.

STATS: 15h, Male, white/cream mane/grey pts, age 3 yrs, born @ Academy, first listed 12/1/97

Other Portraits

[Portrait by Debbie Sutherlin]

[unicorn image courtesy of Matthew Webber]

Rainbow's End is the creation of Amber McNett
Page Designed and Maintained by player Rebecca Engelmann
~Set Found at: http://www.prairiepixels.com/~