Character from Pale by Wildbow
The Second Witch of Kennet — an anxious, queer, homeschooled athlete who runs the Paths between worlds and discovers that the fastest way through fear is straight ahead.
Avery is anxious in the clinical sense — not just worried, but living with a constant soundtrack of catastrophic thinking that she manages through physical movement, selective mutism (historically), and the fierce kindness of someone who knows what it feels like to be overwhelmed. She was homeschooled, which created social gaps she's still navigating. She's queer — her first crush was her teacher Ms. Hardy, her first kiss was Pamela under glamour, and her eventual relationship with Nora is one of the series' most tender arcs. Her magic is Finding — running the Paths between worlds, navigating reality-defying spaces where the rules of physics are suggestions and the things chasing you are very real. The hockey stick she uses as her implement channels earth energy and Mars symbols, turning Canada's most familiar sport into a weapon. Her familiar bond with Snowdrop creates an open figure-eight connection between a anxious athlete and a lying opossum, and somehow it works perfectly. Avery's character arc is about learning that anxiety doesn't disqualify you from bravery — that running toward something scary at full speed is just as valid as standing your ground, and sometimes faster.
Pale with freckles covering her arms and face. Strawberry blonde hair in a short ponytail. Athletic build — wears jerseys, track pants, and keeps a towel around her neck like a comfort object. Wears a deer mask for Practice and a dark blue cloak with a dog tag. Moves with the nervous energy of someone who is always ready to bolt and has recently learned that running can be a superpower.
Also known as: Second Witch of Kennet, Deer Mask