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Last updated: 10/24/2025

Disclaimers and Warnings

This entry contains themes of violence, religious abuse, mentions of SA, child abuse, and death.

Smallfeather and Reena’s backstories are very closely interwoven, hence why they are being released at the same time. Smallfeather’s backstory includes far more engaging detail in terms of story, and Reena’s backstory establishes extra context. Smallfeather’s story also extends further in terms of actual events, which provides a deeper dive into more present day details.

Context

This story takes place in my main universe, going by the name of Thadrofinica. Located within the western mountainous regions of the First Continent, (name is pending,) many members of my audience have probably noticed occasional mentions of a location named Rivertown.

Rivertown is a very shoddy town, located in an elevated valley within the remote east-northern mountain ranges. The town itself is very suppressive, dangerous and unpleasant, under the deep control of violent dictatorship and religious powers. Discrimination, social restriction, controlling religious values and incredible violence are all normalized. These practices create an unhealthily complicated environment, layered with government exploitation and misery. Rivertown will be where this story starts.

Multiple other regions are mentioned throughout Smallfeather’s journey. Below is a rough map of his exhibition to help with visualization.

Please excuse the crudeness, higher quality maps and developed geography are still pending.

Part One - Smallfeather's POV

Within the isolation of Rivertown, at the beginning of everything, a new life was brought into the Orman family. ‘Jing’ was the birth name that’d been bestowed upon this new soul. At the time of Jing’s birth, the Orman family consisted of two others. His mother Nita Orman, and his older sister Yuna Orman.

Nita was a cold shouldered, hardworking single woman who had become exhaustively trapped within her career. Working as a journalist in the restrictive, propagandistic environment of Rivertown, sustainable income and occupational success were taxingly difficult to achieve.

Nita had never wished to have Jing, (as he was the product of sexual assault,) invoking resentment and bitterness towards her unwanted son. Nita was not emotionally or financially equipped to raise a second child. Raising a child in a place like Rivertown isn’t easy - far less under financial strain.

Yuna, Nita’s first child and contrary to Jing, had been conceived into the world through far less unfortunate circumstances. Initially, Nita had dedicated considerable efforts to raising Yuna properly during the early stages of her life. Occasionally, though, Nita still couldn’t help but percieve Yuna as a financial stressor. Nita's resentment surfaced in random, unprecictable spurs of anger and abuse, destroying any healthy bond between the two. Nita and Yuna exhibit a highly unstable toxic relationship, which is highly noticable in their daily lives.

Up until the point Jing was born, the relationships in the Orman family had been considerably tarnished yet still functional. However, upon Jing’s arrival, Nita had withdrawn from her efforts to sustain an adequate relationship with her daughter and completely neglected any attempts to bond with her son. In Nita’s parental absence, Yuna was practically forced to raise Jing herself. She was subjected to immense pressure to look after her brother when Nita was working, which was almost constantly. Both children were commonly scolded or shouted at when they attempted to interact with their mother. Yuna quickly grew to resent Jing, feeling bitter and begrudging for the confiscation of her lifestyle that came with raising him.

Jing came to fear both his family members, keeping to himself and learning the safety of silence.

When Jing was old enough to leave the house, Yuna would attempt to salvage her previous lifestyle prior Jing’s birth. However, she was forced by Nita to bring Jing wherever she went, (outside of school hours.) Yuna attempted to reconnect with her problematic friend group (which is more appropriately labeled as a gang,) begrudgingly bringing Jing along with her. Jing's presence was highly unwanted, and he was severely mistreated when forced to spend time with the group. This mistreatment ranged from snippy remarks to verbal abuse to physical beatings. Yuna was never eager to defend him, and even engaged in further mistreatment out of bitterness and a desire to fit in with the rest of the group. His fear of Yuna worsened as the mistreatment intensified over time.

The suppressive, toxic ideals of Rivertown's religious powers hardly lent him any comfort. The Orman family would commonly attend church, as it is a standard for families in Rivertown. The religious ideologies taught Jing that he should be grateful for everything he had, even his suffering. If he was not grateful, then he was disrespecting God, and he only deserved to suffer more. Even violence was justified if deemed necessary or owed to God, and everyone embraced it. Jing couldn't understand why anyone thought this was acceptable. He never liked the church.

Between spending time at school, attending church, and being forced to entertain Yuna’s friend group, Jing would occasionally slip away from home to explore. He liked exploring, and would explore as much as he could manage.

This lifestyle continued for a significant portion of Jing’s early life.

One day, Jing successfully slipped away from Yuna and her friends in the midst of a particularly bad beating. Like the countless other times he’d escaped from them, Jing knew they were on his tail and they’d inevitably find him. Desperate to delay the impending pain, he continued with his retreat. He stumbled through groups of strangers, bustling wet streets, between stone paths, and through countless hidden alleys.

In a particularly concealed alleyway, Jing ran into another group of strangers. This was nothing new to him, but something seemed different about these people. These strangers didn’t ignore him or chase him away. They had not only shown immediate concern, but also a willingness to help him. This was completely alien to Jing. These strangers wanted to help.

After some gentle introduction, Jing learned that the group before him was unlike any of the countless others inhabiting the town. This was a group that wished for a place better than Rivertown. This was a group of others who’d broken free from the cycle of apathy and violence, and were seeking solutions to liberate themselves from the toxicity.

Their names were Layla Nithercott, Bloodmoss Whitlock, Reena Estelle, Quince Raynott and Moriko Beckett.

As the strangers quickly ushered the frightened, injured boy to safety, they introduced him to their motives and ideals. To Jing, these ideas seemed inconceivable. Things like physically leaving Rivertown, things like cultural and religious diversity, things like peaceful residence. A way out of the cycle of violence. Despite Jing’s naive skepticism, he couldn’t help but find himself appealed by these brand new ideas.

Over time, Jing attempted to connect with this group as much as possible. He escaped more often from home, as well as occasionally Yuna and her friends. He grows more and more accustomed to those new ideologies, learning more and more about the true size and ambitious goals of the previously unassuming group of strangers.

The group’s goal, (known as Operation Songbird,) was to secretly gather those hoping to leave Rivertown. They would depart on an expedition, and rebuild a new society northeast of the mountains. The entire operation was to be kept as much of a secret as possible for fear of prosecution by Rivertown’s government. Jing found the idea of the expedition especially appealing - he loved to explore, so it invoked his support and enthusiasm for the operation’s success on a much more personal level.

Jing gradually integrated himself into the undercover group, meeting the various individuals working on the operation. He eventually met Moriko’s parents, Dylan and Greggory Beckett, the hosts of the hidden organization. He’d grown especially close with the first group of people he’d met, and even closer with Reena. His first and best friend, and eventually his first crush.

Jing, in honor of the operation, also changed his name with the assistance of his new friends. From then on, he would go by Smallfeather. ‘Small,’ as he was rather short, (the Orman family is notorious for this trait,) and ‘feather’ for his enthusiasm for exploration. Free as a bird, yet soft and small.

Some more time passes. Then things start to get worse for him.

One day, Smallfeather and Reena are lost in the streets on their own. They’d gotten separated from the rest of the group. While attempting to find their way back to them, they stumble upon Rivertown’s mayor Kotori Whitlock viciously beating one of Moriko’s parents, Greggory, in a cramped back alley.

Kotori had discovered the operation. He was not aware of its specific details, nor how large it had grown, but he had discovered its existence nonetheless. Kotori felt the town's authority had been severely undermined by the Beckett family's attempts to revolt. In an act of anger, attempting to reestablish the previously unchallenged position of power, Kotori decided to make an example out of Greggory as both a reminder and a warning to the public of the consequences of defying those in power.

Reena, being the vocal idiot she is, stupidly attempts to intervene in the fight. Smallfeather tries to stop her, recognizing their severe disadvantage against Kotori. Both of these attempts are unsuccessful. The fight ended with Kotori killing Reena, near-fatally injuring Greggory, and half blinding Smallfeather. Both survivors had been seriously injured and publicly presumed dead.

The whole Songbird organization is devastated by their losses. Greggory and Smallfeather both needed to recover. Greggory and Dylan needed to relocate and reestablish their secrecy from the public. Everyone is grieving for Reena. Especially Smallfeather, who grieved horribly from the loss of his first ever friend. He loved her, and now she was gone.

Smallfeather, overridden by grief, eventually couldn't take living in Rivertown any longer. With the cautious encouragement of his friends, Smallfeather decided to leave Rivertown. Following the work-in-progress plans of the operation, he climbed up the mountain and traveled northeast by foot. Hopefully, he would find somewhere better to stay. Somewhere else. Anywhere else.

From here, his massive journey begins. Smallfeather was oblivious to what was ahead of him throughout his travels. He moves eastwards across the continent, traversing three major regions. The continental plains, the territorial expanse, and the misty settlement. This journey lasted about a year and a third. Only after he’d traveled part way across the continent does he finally arrive at the Twistwoods, the mysterious forest where he lives to the present day.

After his exhausting trek through the mountains, Smallfeather found his way to the flat hills of the continental plains. Smallfeather was unaware of this, but this was the living grounds of a tribe of Plantkin demigods. Early into his wandering through the rolling hills, Smallfeather stumbles upon a lone tribesperson by the name of Cama. Initially, Cama seemed very unfriendly, confused and surprised to find a commonperson in sacred territory. She considered, though, that Smallfeather was only a helpless child. Cama takes pity on Smallfeather, gently befriending him and deciding to help him through the rest of the territory. He was no demigod, after all, and he surely wasn't fit to pass through sacred affairs without a guide.

Cama brings Smallfeather through the living grounds of the Plantkin tribe, though is unwilling to abandon him when they arrive at the edges of her territory. Bordering the plains were the living grounds of the Geokin Tribe, and the tribespeople would not be as accepting as Cama had been. Despite the risks, Cama is unwilling to abandon Smallfeather in foreign territory and attempts to escort him through. A light skirmish takes place between the traveling party and the native Geokin, though Cama and Smallfeather emerge exceptionally uninjured at the edge of the region.

Smallfeather knew he couldn't stay in kin territory - He didn't belong there; he was no sacred being, and had no place in their affairs. His doubts had been solidified upon witnessing their abilities during the skirmish. He thanks Cama profusely, bidding goodbye to her and hoping to keep in touch. Cama, apprehensive to leave Smallfeather alone, eventually assumes that Smallfeather had a destination in mind, deciding he could make the rest of his journey on his own. Cama wishes Smallfeather luck on his journey, and they part their separate ways.

The next region Smallfeather crossed through is the territorial expanse. Here, warriors from a broken clan must fight to claim and keep their land. They must sustain their territory through fierce competition and frequent combat. Smallfeather was unaware of the hostility in this environment, and was very unprepared for potential encounters with aggressive inhabitants.

Fortunately for Smallfeather, he stumbled across a much friendlier inhabitant prior to a more aggressive one. He met a cougar named Miki, the younger sister of the area's keeper, Hakan. At first, Miki attempts to attack Smallfeather in efforts to enforce her brother's authority. However, she was disturbed by the idea of genuinely hurting the newcomer, and decided not to follow through with finishing off her attack. Smallfeather was no stranger to being attacked, but he was definitely shocked by Miki's retreat.

Apologizing, Miki convinced Smallfeather to follow her deeper into the territory with the promise of 'safety.' She explained the dangers of the area and the endless battling that shaped the land, so entering a safer zone sounded ideal to Smallfeather. Miki lived a very isolated life, confined to the lonely expanses of land her brother fought viciously to defend. Smallfeather was the first other child she had met in a very long while - she was excited to finally meet someone new, and attempted to befriend him. She naively hoped that if he stayed close, Hakan wouldn't do him any harm. Maybe Smallfeather could even stay with them, and she wouldn't be so lonely anymore. Miki shared these thoughts with Smallfeather as they walked, and he couldn't help but adopt Miki's hopes for himself.

Miki was very wrong about Hakan tolerating a visitor, a friend of hers or not. Hakan attacked Smallfeather on sight, but Miki was able to talk him out of violence before Smallfeather was seriously injured. Hakan then grudgingly agreed to give Smallfeather one night and one day to leave his territory if he hoped to leave in one piece.

Miki was upset about losing her new friend, though she had little control over Hakan's decisions. Smallfeather was also upset to abandon the idea of a new friend, but both children valued Smallfeather's safety more than a small friendship. He didn't belong there, after all; he was no warrior. His encounter with Hakan solidified that fact.

That night, Miki tended to Smallfeather's wounds, and the duo shared a quick meal before getting some rest. With that, Smallfeather thanked and said farewell to Miki, quickly left, and rushed through the rest of the territories in one continuous journey. He was too afraid to linger and meet anyone else.

The last region of Smallfeather's journey is where he spends the most time; the Misty Settlement. The Misty Settlement shelters two competitive sectors of communities. The wealthy, making up half of the population, and the bandits, making up the rest. Competition, resentment and mistreatment between these groups is a common occurrence, with each group believing the other to be the plague of the settlement.

Weary and exhausted by the time he’d arrived, Smallfeather quickly learned to keep out of the way of the wealthy. Their arrogant attitudes frightened him, reminding him of the common stranger he'd encounter in Rivertown. Smallfeather turned to what he knew as safety, returning to the concealment of decrepit alleyways. Out of the way of the main roads, Smallfeather eventually stumbled upon another presence. A very notorious bandit he found out was named Sulfur.

Sulfur naturally jumped to Smallfeather's aid - it was the way of the bandits to help those in need, and Smallfeather certainly looked nothing like the wealthy. It took no convincing for Smallfeather to accept Sulfur's help, and he was quickly introduced to the bandit community as they collectively aided him. Smallfeather quickly found himself quite at home in this community, deeply appreciating the 'one for all and all for one' functionality.

Smallfeather learned lots of survival skills during his time with the bandits - he learned how to fight, how to hunt, how to steal, how to retreat, and a plethora of other helpful skills. He mostly learned from Sulfur, with the duo growing fond of each other as time passes. Smallfeather enjoyed Sulfur's rebellious energy, and deeply respected his skill and incentive to aid everyone he could. He felt safe and confident in Sulfur's presence, which was a first experience for him.

Although Smallfeather was content in the Misty Settlement, his heart began to ache to explore like it had in Rivertown. By then, he had already explored every nook and cranny of the settlement, and longed for something new to discover. He eventually shared his thoughts with Sulfur, curious as to what advice he may provide. Sulfur suggested Smallfeather tried exploring the land around the settlement - if he wanted to be really daring, he could even attempt to explore the Twistwoods - the myserious belt of forest that spanned globally at the same uniform latitude.

Smallfeather didn’t mind Sulfur’s suggestion. If he didn’t end up liking it, the bandits made it clear that they would be there for Smallfeather if he ever decided to return. Finally, promising occasional visits and bidding goodbye, Smallfeather left the settlement to explore the Twistwoods. He travels through the ambiguous land around the Misty Settlement before arriving at Twistwood forest. He lives in these woods to the present day.

After Smallfeather arrives at the Twistwoods, the events of most non-fandom roleplays take place. Throughout the time that had passed since his entrance, Smallfeather has been attacked, abused and tortured severely by numerous individuals and/or organizations. These experiences are the reason he bears so many scars and complex mental traumas. Horrible, horrible things have happened to him during his stay in the Twistwoods; much worse than anything he had experienced in his entire lifetime prior. His mental state is at the lowest it has ever been, and he is too weak and afraid to return to the Misty Settlement.

Despite his pain, Smallfeather still persists. He has found those he cares about in the Twistwoods. He has even found himself real family, closer to him than he's ever felt before. He has found real love, and therefore has decided to stay. Or at least, he has decided to try.

There is no definitive ending to his story as of now.

Part Two - Reena's POV

Within the suppression of Rivertown, The Estelle family yielded their first and only daughter, Reena Estelle. At the time, the Estelle family consisted of two others. Her father, Thurston Estelle, and her mother, Tiana Estelle.

Reena was raised as an only child in an unstable household; most families are unstable in Rivertown, after all. Reena was immediately subjected to highly suppressive attitudes by her own parents, stifling her early years with a looming sense of disconnection and interpersonal separation. As a result of this, Reena quickly developed an abundance of outspokenness, inquisitiveness and sass, as well as a hint of selfishness. With parents who provide unreliable “support,” an obligatory sense of self preservation enveloped Reena's mindset. Without anyone else to really support her, Reena learned to be exclusively independant in the absence of guidance. She also became generally inquisitive, which stemmed from her desire to learn why she was being treated that way. If she was being forsaken by everyone around her, there must be a reason why. There must be. Her resulting personality can be interpreted as slightly selfish, demanding and arrogant, albeit Reena lacks any sort of malicious or immensely resentful intentions.

Reena always spoke out about her thoughts and opinions. She often asked an abundance of questions that were deemed taboo by Rivertown’s society. Reena asked questions on topics such as exploitation, government and social morality, religious ideals, societal structuring, justice and other subjects in attempts to comprehend the values of Rivertown and its inhabitants. If things were functioning like this, what was the reason?

Unfortunately, Reena was never satisfied with her answers, as they were always vague or entirely unhelpful. She was also commonly discriminated against for her uninhibited, ‘shameless’ inquiry on Rivertown’s taboos. Despite the circumstances, Reena stubbornly stuck her neck out and insistently fought back against her suppressors. She endured with repercussive attitude, refusing to comply with rules and ideologies she didn’t understand the point of.

One day, probably after a very unfair fight in the street, Reena ended up encountering Moriko while injured and seeking shelter to find her bearings. Moriko offered to assist her with her wounds, offering temporary shelter at her residence. Upon meeting the Beckett family, Reena naturally asked them plenty of questions, just as she always had when she met someone new.

This time, though, Reena was finally given answers to her taboo questions that weren't vague or unhelpful. Since they were the first to truly have a discussion with her, Reena found herself easily understanding their ideology and values since they had the patience to explain it to her. She wholly supported them and their ambitions, admittedly relishing in the rebellious nature of the affairs. (More detail on these ambitions are provided in Smallfeather’s backstory.)

As a result of this, Reena began to spend more time with Moriko. Moriko was very happy to have a friend her age who supported her and her family. Reena was happy to finally have someone to rely on other than herself. The friend group grew over time, recruiting Layla, Bloodmoss, Quince and eventually Smallfeather.

From here, the rest of Reena’s living lore can be read about in Smallfeather’s backstory.

Presently, Reena watches over Smallfeather whenever possible, and feels very conflicted about how poorly he’s being treated and the fact that she can’t do much about it. She protects him from things like possession, hypnosis and nightmares, and attempts to appear in the waking world as much as possible to visit when she has enough strength.