Cove Leighton [D12] Completed

♫ Hard to be soft, tough to be tender ♫

Name: Cove Leighton
Age: Sixteen
Gender: Male
District/Area: 12
Appearance:

From being a resident in the Seam, Cove doesn't have an ounce of fat that his body hasn't already consumed to stay alive. He’s lanky with a build that can seemingly be pushed over by the wind if he doesn't have his feet grounded. His slenderness, though, allows him to be swift on his feet and easily capable of dodging a blow like a cloud moving in accordance with a gale wind. However, his wiry appearance makes him look like he hasn't performed manual labor a day in his life.

His face is slim with gaunt, hollow cheeks from the starvation that has been eating away at him for years. A rounded jaw line curves the lower half of his expression while short brown curls drape over his forehead as if sprouting from a bushel on his crown. Leighton's complexion is pale with tan freckles lightly dusting his nose and the sides of his face. The fragility of his countenance gives Cove an air of innocence in contrast to the masculine, chiseled physique of his average male counterpart.

Personality:

Cove is a wise and rational individual who carefully weighs every decision he makes. Being a Hob merchant’s son, he must be quick-witted and fast-paced to keep up with the latest deals and bargains and how to undercut them, otherwise he will not get his next meal. One of his favorite pastimes is writing in a journal, and the most prominent topic is herbal medicine. After having to treat his brother’s various injuries from the coal mines, Cove took an interest in the profession of being a healer; he not only concocts ointments, but he has sufficiently studied anatomy and even spied on a doctor in the district to learn more about treating wounds. He is also the budgeter of the family, chosen to make the funds last as long as possible. He decides how much tesserae his family will need for the month and the optimal product which needs to be sold. So far, his calculations have kept his family alive and prospering, or at least as comfortable as one can be in the poorest district in Panem.

With his deft hands, Cove can patch up anyone long enough to deliver them to a more experienced doctor. Saving dying patients from the coal mines and nurturing ill-fated peers back to health from public whippings caused the medic’s compassion and empathy to extend out to his countrymen. If he had enough supplies to perform a procedure without restocking (which was a rare case), he would refuse payment from the injured. He is always tender with his touch and tries to extract as much pain from the wounded as possible using natural anesthetics like mandrake and tea tree bark. He keeps a garden to restock on supplies in the most cost-effective way.

Cove is in no way a leader, and often follows the pack rather than stray from the commonly trodden path. He is not a risk-taker and will never venture into the unknown without good reason or sufficient protection. He often follows the orders from bigger and stronger opponents to get a glimpse into their minds, but he will also work around them when he needs to. If he has a disagreement with the group, he is intelligent enough to outsmart them and make his will done without detection. Though he may not be the traditional icon of a survivalist, he can pull his weight individually or with the support of allies.

History:

Holly and Cedar Leighson gave birth to two children two years apart in age. The first, River, was predominantly ingrained with the traits of his father. He was charismatic, hard-working, and persistent just as Cedar. Meanwhile, Cove took after his mother with his intelligence and tactical thinking. However, Holly was fed up with the constant starvation of her children and the fruitlessness of tailoring for a profession. When Cove was fifteen, she made a plan of escape to the obliterated District 13 instead of waiting for the improbability of a full stomach otherwise. One day, Cove came home from school and heard the news of an “accident” with the Peacekeepers which resulted in his mother being confined to a pine box. Lifeless.

The family was afforded a mourning period, but it wasn't long before they all had to go back to work with one less hand to keep them fed. River took to the coal mines since it was his eighteenth birthday, Cove distributed tesserae and occasionally filled in for his father at the Hob, and Cedar skinned and made pelts from wild game brought to him by hunters and used the excess meat to feed his family. Now that Holly was gone, he had to become the tailor of his pelts, sewing together jackets and protective leggings from animal hides. Cove sold herbs out of his garden, a task he’d never had to stoop to before, to keep his father and brothers fed enough to perform their duties.

In an alternative life, Cove would be a doctor in the Capitol. He was already an adept physician after spending most of his life watching operations by other healers of District 12, and he’s shown true in practice by treating his brother, the mining crew, and other sickly innocents in the Seam. He also made a niche out of his homemade herbal remedies by selling them to those in need or treating his patients and prescribing them for aftercare. He has become a beacon of light in the community and with his popularity came perks, like people who could spare the coin buying from Cedar in the hob, or getting invited to join in on an operation by other experts. If he were to ever become a tribute, Cove would undoubtedly be a valuable ally to have for his dexterity and agility while being able to mend the injured.

Codeword: Odair
Other:

Theme: Metric - Help I'm Alive

Alignment: Chaotic Good (What is Chaotic Good?)


Birthplace: The Seam in District 12


Affiliation(s): The Hob, Medics of District 12


Status: Alive


Current Home: The Seam in District 12


Relationships: Cedar - Father; Holly - Mother; River - Brother


Marital Status: Single


Sexual Orientation: Homosexual (undisclosed)


Traits: 
Positive

 Steady Hands: From having to perform simplistic surgeries, Cove has developed the gift of making his hands motionless.

 Herbalist: Cove knows the poisonous plants from the edible ones so well that it's almost second nature. He can also concoct healing mixtures with medicinal purposes.



Neutral

 Money Manager: Cove is responsible for the entire family's funds. Any choices that he makes reflect on him.


Negative

 Scared: After the death of his mother, Cove is terrified of defying any authority figure in his life even if it's for the greater good.

 Weak: Cove is as scrawny as they come. He won't put up much of a fight if physically confronted.