Banja

Banja
General Info	Species: Dire Wolf (Canis Dirus) Gender: Female
Family	Maudie (daughter) Unnamed male wolf (former mate)
Description	Fur: Red Eyes: Green Deformity: One eye
Clan/Pack	Clan: Unknown Pack: Unknown
Appearences	Shadow Wolf, Watch Wolf, Frost Wolf
Current and Previous Status	Current: Deaceased, in the Cave of Souls Past: Malcadh, Gnaw Wolf, Watch Wolf, traveler; traveling to the Distant Blue
Fate	Deceased
Abilities	None/Unknown
Deformities	One eye

"I was awful to those two wolves when they arrived at the Ring, especially Edme because, well.... she was like me! Missing one eye. I took all my bitterness out on her. I am so ashamed... so ashamed I would never dare ask anything from her."

— -Banja to Gwynneth after she finds Banja with her pup Maudie in Spirit Wolf

Banja is a red female Dire wolf (Canis dirus), and a member of the Sacred Watch. She despised Edme because she had one eye too, and took all her bitterness on her. However, all her bitterness disolved when she became a mother. It is unknown what clan she is from, but it was probably the MacDuncan clan.

Description

Banja is a dire she-wolf, with a reddish pelt, and was missing an eye, declaring her malcadh at birth. However, when the earthquake strikes, the Great Mending occurs, and her second eye is returned. She also thinks that because of how terrible she was to Edme, she doesn't deserve her second eye or a pup. Her eyes are green, and she has a black or brown nose.

Family

Maudie- Birth Daughter Shadow Wolf At the gaddergnaw, Mhairie and Dearlea confuse Briar with another red Watch wolf with a bad eye. It is unknown if the other wolf is Banja, but the sisters tell Faolan that the red wolves were littermates who were both malcadhs. Watch Wolf Banja first appears when Faolan and Edme arrive at the Ring and are welcomed by the Fengo. When Finbar tells Edme she will not be turned away because her clan is to be judged, Banja suggests that Edme continue as a gnaw wolf because she was a malcadh made. Finbar scolds Banja, complaining about her attitude. When Edme practices scanning jumps, she does very well until Banja deliberately distracts her, causing her to fall on her rump. Winks doesn't notice at first, but then warns Banja not to laugh so loud. Banja apologizes for telling a joke too loudly, but Winks says not only is it a limerick, but the wind is blowing her words toward Edme. Edme mentions that Banja taught her once in Winks's absence, but due to her failure to jump on a keybone properly, Banja caused her to get dalach'd and banned from jumping for three nights. Edme tells Faolan that Banja called both of them "moldwarpy curs". When the Fengo plans for Faolan and Edme to save Toby from the Pit, Banja expresses worry that Edme will decide to rejoin the MacHeaths, her former clan. Edme accuses Banja of calling her a traitor. When Banja asks if Edme will abandon Faolan in the Pit, Faolan attacks her, and the Fengo has to pull Faolan off of Banja, and forces them to do paw right. Faolan lifts his splayed paw, yet Banja begins to tremble and says she can't. The Fengo tells her to touch or be dalach'd. The red wolf swallows, touches it, then turns and stumbles away.

Frost Wolf

When Faolan and Edme return from scouting, they head to their den near the volcano of Stormfast. Banja comes in, telling them to go on watch, as many of the cairns were left "untopped" with most wolves scouting.

Colleen was passing and caught the edge of Banja's rant. She tells Banja that Faolan and Edme had been on scout for four days and they need to rest. Colleen tells her that the Fengo would like to see them in the gadderheal. Banja asks why they would be at the raghnaid, considering that young Watch wolves attending raghnaids is an offense to the Order.

Spirit Wolf

Banja is now a sweet mother of her golden pup, that she was not supposed to have, Maudie. Banja no longer holds grudges or is mean to Edme, and if Edme ever whisks her off to the Dim World, she wouldn't care or protest. "I just really wanted to be a mum."

Wolves of beyond — Heep killed Banja by rupturing one of her vital arteries.

She travels with the other survivors to the west.

Star Wolf

Banja and Maud continue to travel with the wolves.

When Abban is abducted by Heep, Banja and Caila set out alone to rescue him. When Abban yips, Banja tries to stop Caila from going to him because it made no sense for him to yip for milk, having been weaned. Caila, however, runs out and the wolves attack Heep's rout. Caila rips off Heep's tail and Heep, in his fury, kills the first wolf he lays eyes on; Banja, who ran over to help Caila. Edme runs to Banja, who's vital artery was cut. Edme tries to keep Banja from speaking, telling her they would care for Maudie. Banja manages to say "I... trust... you." before she dies.

At the end of the book, Banja's lochin is seen climbing up the star ladder, being led by Bells the moth.

Personality

Banja was once a nasty she-wolf. Rude, arrogant, mean and snotty, she is "As prickly as burr," as Finbar had said. Banja is thought to hate Edme, merely because she was not born a malcadh, considering that her first line in the series was

questioning Edme.

However, in Spirit Wolf, when catastrophe strikes, Banja gives birth. She begins to change, as she wasn't able to know what it felt like to love someone. She apologizes to Edme for all the mean things she did, and says she doesn't deserve her new second eye and pup for her sins. She explains why she bullied Edme: she had one eye too, and took all her bitterness on her.

Death

Banja is killed by Heep after Caila rips off his tail. Heep, angered, lashes out at the wolf next to him and slashes Banja's neck. Edme rushed to her and told her that she would keep her promise to protect Maudie. Banja's last words were "I trust you."

Quotes

Banja: "Pardon me, honorable Fengo."

Finbar: "Yes Banja. You have something to say?"

Banja: "I only want to suggest that we not be hasty in our decisions. By her own confession, Edme is a malcadh made. So perhaps it is not appropriate that . . . that . . ."

Finbar: "That what?"

Banja: "That she serve in the same capacity as the rest of us. Perhaps it would be advisable that she continue in her gnaw wolf status for a while, at least."

-- Banja and Finbar; Watch Wolf; page 76

"I do not think it is at all adviseable that we permit Edme to go on this mission. She is, after all, a MacHeath. Suppose she decides to join them."

-- Banja; Watch Wolf; page 183

Colleen: "Banja, don't be ridiculous. For Lupus' sakes, these two have been on scout for four days. They need to rest, but even before they rest, the Fengo would like to see them in the gadderheal."

Banja: "What? They are being called to the gadderheal? But the raghnaid is about to meet. I was on my way there."

Colleen: "As I am myself."

Banja: "But young wolves never attend raghnaid meetings. It's an offense."

Colleen: "An offense to what?"

Banja': "An offense to ... to ... to the order."

-- Banja and Colleen; Frost Wolf; page 19

"Therefore the order needs to be maintained."

-- Banja; Frost Wolf; page 19

Edme: "Don't speak Banja. I remember my promise, our promise. Gwynneth and I vowed to take care of Maudie. We will. We will. I'll... I'll raise her as if she were my own- I promise you... I... I'll never let her forget you. Never ever!"

Banja: "I... trust... you."

--Banja and Edme, Star Wolf, page 205 (Hardcover)

Trivia

It was mistakenly mentioned that she had a brown pelt in Frost Wolf.
It is still unknown who her mate was.
Banja hated Edme because she was so like herself.
Her name could derive from the Irish "bain de", (pronounced "bain ge") meaning to take away. This could work, as when Faolan and Edme came to the Ring, Banja "took away" their happiness