she's a wild one

Zola Abara boasts a pretty picture.

An Appaloosa by breed, she has a dappled rump and no formal markings that stand out. Purebred by design, she did not stand out among her people. They were all the same, from centuries of breeding and selection. Incest was never a thing - the elders' made sure of such unbecoming breeding - and her tribe kept detailed records of all family and their names. Outsiders were allowed in if they could contribute to the population and were the right breed. For Zola, she descended from a long lineage into the early days of the tribe's founding. Her people once revered the Abara as royalty.

But to this day, all are equal. Zola was raised in a society where the tribe leader and elders were in control, but also listened to the community. Women were expected to craft, birth and hunt. Men fought wars. Zola was the first among her people to become a warrior. She still wears the scars of her training upon her flank, with her hooves being extra sturdy from marching in place. She is not easily swayed by physical weakness; her body is hardened and muscular. It still speaks of a woman's slenderness though. The mare has a very long mane, with her tail's length either braided or cropped.

Her base colors are brunettes and soft ivory. The mane and tail are white. Three gold chokers round her neck, with a flowing red cape accompanying them. She typically and boldly wears her spear on her back. And while not ugly, she does not believe herself to be a picture of femininity. But ah! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder - or so they say. She is not a vain creature, tis all.

overcoming adversity

Zola is a wise yet sheltered woman. There is simplicity in her advice, but she will not readily give it unless needed. The world she has found herself in now is strange and new, though full of potential. She sees value in differences, finding no faults in others openly. Men will earn her ire quicker than women, especially the egotistic and chauvinistic ones. She will fight to prove she is just as good - if not better - with her highly competitive nature. Even if she loses a fight, Zola carries herself with pride and dignity. She will bow to her opponent, she will be respectful - even if they are not.

The woman is very religious; but does not submit easily to foreign gods. She has her own that she worships, seeped into her culture that she is unwilling to let go of. The woman will share her story freely, finding no fault and no shame in it. This goes for her gods as well. They watch her - even in strange lands. Zola, however, for all her seriousness is a very carefree woman. She likes to joke. She likes to laugh. Stories are her favorite way of passing the time - outside of worship and sparring. Confidence radiates from her, along with an easy and likeable cheer. Zola has a natural curiosity about every world and every culture. She seeks to understand.

Stubborn and crass, Zola will swear heavily in her nature tongue (Swahili) if opposed. She is not one to give up or in, and will fight to the death to defend her values. She makes for a loyal beast if you earn her trust. Be kind to others, be understanding... She is perceptive and not fooled by falsities. Too judgmental of others, she expects the best out of them. Hardened by her past, Zola does not take weakness or excuses into consideration. Patient she may be, but lacks some deeper understanding. Especially if you appear able-bodied and healthy - she rejects laziness in all forms. Work if you can. Do other things if you cannot work.

Has a natural unease around magic; in her culture, witches only have such abilities. They are considered dangerous and live on the outskirts of her former society. She will be wary around those with magical talent, sometimes even refusing to speak to them if they blatantly use it in front of her for mundane reasons. Magic is to be feared, it is not a gift of the gods but the devil.

the heart of africa

Zola of the Abara family was raised in a land far, far from Novus. Her people lived in tribes, scattered around the savannah she called her homeland. To those in Novus, Zola would be an oddity. She speaks the language of her people fluently with broken English. Yet that is not the only thing that is foreign about her; she much prefers to stick to her native gods over the ones in Novus. She also prefers to craft things associated with her home. Does this mean she is oft homesick? Perhaps. She hides it well, speaking of her faraway land if asked but only the positive.

Her history, however, is far from positive.

Due to the fact that Zola Abara was born a female, she has had to work twice as hard to prove herself in the eyes of her people. Women were traditionally only supposed to be mothers. Daughters were arranged into marriage when they came of age. The odd spinster existed - yet superstitious tribes assumed they were witchfolk. Cursed never to find a husband nor have children. Zola would be none of these things. She wanted only one thing in life - to be a warrior for her people. She longed for the challenge and wished to be the first woman in her tribe to do this.

Having a penance for roughhousing as a foal, she never took to the more delicate arts. Crafting was perhaps the only thing that entertained her, but much to her mother's chagrin it was often makeshift spears as a result. She was agile and quick thinking, clever and brave... a perfect candidate to join the training program. However, teachers laughed at her. They belittled her. Bullied her. So Zola sought the elders' wisdom. She displayed her willingness to learn and they issued a challenge; go on a journey, bring back something the tribe has never seen. Within a year. The then yearling Zola found herself leaving her homeland behind.

She was determined to make an impact and prove herself worthy. Though many she encountered thought she should bring back equality for women, her people were not sexist. They revered female gods, they blessed medicine women and celebrated a woman's beauty and birthing ability. She scoffed at such things, stubborn in her ways and knowing what her tribe thought. It was a tradition she had to break, not change their minds. As she traveled, she saw wonders. She saw more advanced techniques and weapons. This is what she thought to bring back, but it was pure luck she came across something of actual value to her people.

Settling in a cave during a storm, Zola happened upon etchings that proved her secluded people had in fact been in this land before. She made a cultural and historical find - it was something her people had never considered. Using a sheet of paper to make a rubbing, the young woman - now two years of age - traveled back to her tribe. The elders were impressed, for they had never heard tell of their culture and religion being celebrated elsewhere. They would send out experienced travelers to find these lost people, re-connect with them if they were still around. As much as Zola wanted to participate, they accepted her training with the men. She would have to complete that first.

And she did.

The struggle was to overcome sexist remarks and behavior from the other apprentices. Even her teachers looked down on her, but this was remedied with her advancement over the other students. Zola's training was exactly what she wanted; she would oft sneak and look on them as a foal so she knew it was brutal. Marching in place on thorns. Standing still under a blazing hot sun. Inflicting damage and taking it. Those were some of the techniques used to toughen their warriors up. Passed down by the warlord that founded their culture, Zola was honored to graduate at last. But instead of joining those expeditions, she sought to travel on her own. The wonders of the outside world had enchanted her.

She left her people, even if she loved them, and sought to better herself as a warrior. Coming to Novus after years of travel and training, she settled in Day Court. Their values resonated with the mare and she only wishes to do the best she could..