The War between the States tore the country apart on every level imaginable. Lines were drawn from the Federal Government on down to individual families. Not a soul was left untouched by the effects of a conflict that pitted state against state, town against town... brother against brother.

The North, initially ineffective at garnering new troops after suffering their first heavy losses, refocused their goal. No longer did they consider the war to be simply a contest over the rights of states to self-govern. The Northern states were now on a mission to free the slaves.

This new focus galvanized the population and caused divisive splits between even the closest of families. Brothers from the same family went off to fight on opposite sides, each believing their cause to be the just one. And the war raged on and on... the death toll rising, but neither side gaining a clear advantage.

Slavery had been an institution in the United States since before the country was founded. The belief in the "rightful subjugation of prey species" was all but spelled out in the Holy Book of the Animist religion. Indeed, as is often pointed out by proponents of slavery, before the rise of Animism prey species were hunted for sport or pleasure. They were relocated and penned into large colonies designated to raise them as food. No longer were these barbaric practices carried out, slave owners were only too happy to point out. Now, prey animals (or Vassals as they are called in the South) were allowed the right to live if not the right to be free. Popular belief among free southerners was that predator species (or Lords) were divinely ordained to subjugate their inferiors.

The Abolitionist movement in the North was founded on the principles that the belief in "divine subjugation" was a crime against all moral principle. They believed that ALL species, prey and predator, Lords and Vassals, had the right to self-determination. That they are invested at birth with the same rights as any other citizen to life and happiness... the right to be free.

The Secessionists, originally merely fighting for their right to independent governance, galvanized their own troops just as religiously in favor of defending the right to keep the slave population as it was. They believed fervently that the North had adopted the Abolitionist movement not out of a moral objection to slavery, but as an attack on the economic foundations of the largely agrarian South.

Even before the war, the Abolitionists were well organized and single-minded. Until the adoption of their cause by the Unionist government, slaves that had been born into captivity were considered the legal property of their owners. It was illegal to make any attempt to free them, and even if they could reach free ground in the North, if their status as Vassals was discovered they could be recaptured and returned to their "rightful" owners. Anyone assisting them to reach freedom against the wishes of their owners could be charged in federal court. Realistically, abolitionists found aiding the freeing of Vassals in the South never made it as far as court.

In spite of these restrictions, an extensive Underground Railroad was established, a series of safe houses set up to hide and move slaves and help them to reach free territory and establish new identities for them. Even with the war raging, and the stated intention of the Union to free the slaves, this is still considered highly illegal. The Railroad, however, continues full (if somewhat impeded) operations.

The Wolfskay family of Virginia were first generation immigrants from distant parts of Europe. They established a thriving business as slave auctioneers and became successful and well-known throughout the South for both the quality of their "merchandise" and the honesty of their dealings with customers. The name of the Wolfskay Exchange spread widely throughout the southern states, the family head, Victor, was even offered a seat in the Southern Congress when secession became a reality.

Even this family, though, was not left untouched by the advent of war. For three years before the outbreak of open conflict, Meghan Wolfskaya, youngest daughter of the family and beginning when she was only 13, was secretly involved with organizers of the Underground Railroad. Keeping her involvement and abolitionist opinions a secret, she aided in the freeing of dozens of slaves from the auction block. Her value to the Abolitionist movement was considered so high that several plans to aid her escape were laid out, in the event this became necessary.

With the outbreak of war, the Railroad operations were disrupted, if only temporarily. Moving slaves through armed borders had caused considerably more hardship for those attempting to free them. Frustrated at this fact, and angered at the elistment of her four brothers in the Secessionist army, Meghan confronted her father with her belief in the immorality of their trade.

A violent fight broke out between father and daughter, so severe that Meghan, fearing for her life, fled from her home. The damage to the family was severe. Meghan had always been viewed as the favorite by her mother. Her flight caused ill feelings between the parents that last to this day. It is widely rumored that the decline in business operations of the Wolfskay Exchange has to do with the increasing tensions between the couple.

Meghan, for her part, was secreted out of the South by the same operators of the Underground Railroad that she had once worked with. Her suddenly public abolitionist opinions and famous family name made her a possible target for assination. With her life in danger, the Railroad moved her far from her home state to the neutral territories of the Western frontiers and established a safe house for her in Redemption.

The "Vassal laws" are still in effect in the Western Territories (and particularly in the religiously influenced city of Redemption). As such, it is still considered illegal to attempt to free slaves or bring slaves to freedom there. Nevertheless, Meghan continues working for the abolitionist movement. Redemption has become a destination point for the Underground Railroad, Wolfskaya helping slaves seeking freedom to establish themselves in the city with new identities and new lives.

While her involvement with the Underground Railroad is secret, her abolitionist opinions are the subject of public knowledge (and much gossip). The danger still exists to her as there are still Secessionist sympathizers in the West, but the young Wolf-fox hybrid refuses to remain silent any longer. Her painful conviction is that her long silence may have denied many slaves the possibility of liberty.

During her flight west, Wolfskaya also discovered a new talent... gambling. Her skill with a deck of cards is considered the stuff of legend in Redemption, and she is a regular customer of Mr. Breeze. She has become considered to be so lucky, in fact, that Breeze himself has investigate several charges of cheating that have been layed against her. To counter these claims, she has taken to gambling in a vest only, preventing the accusation of hiding cards in her sleeves.

In a particularly famous poker game, Meghan convinced a Southern Gentleman travelling with three of his servants to place their papers on the table. The wildest version of this story has the young Wolfskaya placing her own viriginty on the line to counter the bet. Much to the chagrin and anger of the Gentleman, Meghan won with a Royal Flush.

The three newly freed slaves remain with her to this day. Though she insists that they can live their own lives, they choose to remain and serve her out of gratitude. Indeed, many of the smaller animals in the city make every effort to accompany Wolfskaya to the parties and social functions that she enjoys, hoping that some of her legendary luck will rub off on them.

Original character and fursona of this character is copyright to and owned by  Wolfinthesky

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Third in my old... Old West series. Can see here I was starting to pick up on some things and get a little better with my lines. Allow me to point out that the reason I hardly ever draw female characters is because I suck at it. :P Well... that and I am gay :P