Rufus and his siblings were born to a molly named Maja and a tom named Jasper; both were pets living in a settlement further south. Jasper in particular had countless stories to tell, naming two of the kits including Rufus while Maja let the humans name the other two. It was tradition for his family; Jasper himself had had the same.

Even if his boatfolk called him something else, Rufus chose to go by his father's given name, introducing himself as that to any cat who so asked.

He moved houses, losing direct contact with his family as he was brought further north, up the road to the town of Whitewater. There he stayed, telling his tales until he saw her on a night in the woods. A beautiful, large cat, with a short tail, tufted ears, and fur like leaves on snow. He had to talk to her.

Their meetings continued, each one learning more about each other. Their languages, their beliefs, the things their mothers had taught them... and eventually the two fell for each other. Banana for his charm and gentle nature, Rufus for her curiosity and drive to learn.

Gyllene, their son, was borne of this relationship. His name was a joint effort; Rufus wished to keep his forebears' traditions alive by naming him after the color red, while Banana wanted something that sounded closer to the tongue of the lynxes. So they compromised and called him Gyllene; gold, to match the sun and his pelt.