Background[]
After Chmeee had separated from Louis Wu during their second journey to the Ringworld, he travelled to the Map of Kzin to seek allies and mates. While he failed to gain allies to stand beside him in battle, during his brief stay he did manage to sire three children. He left them in the care of Kathakt, a local Kzin who promised to take care of them until they were old enough to follow their father.
Twelve falans (about three Earth years) later, Chmeee came for his children, but only brought one of them with him to the Map of Earth, where he had settled and carved out a territory of his own. There, he taught the young Kzin whatever he felt he needed to know to eventually succeed him as ruler. Perhaps unsurprisingly, he grew restless until he, barely twelve years old, challenged his father. Chmeee of course defeated him, but spared him and exiled him, commanding him to seek out Louis Wu 'to learn wisdom'. This he did, and was given the name Acolyte.
Having located Louis Wu he requested to be his student; Wu, recently having regained his youth, accepted. Soon after, both became indentured to the Protector known as Bram, and remained under his influence for almost half an Earth year. He eventually attempted to slay the Protector during the complex struggle for control of the Ringworld, but was defeated again; however, he survived and allied himself with Tunesmith, the ultimate Protector of the Ringworld.
Appearance and qualities[]
Being only about twelve Earth years old, Acolyte is not nearly fully-grown; he is as yet smaller than his illustrious father. Although fierce and assertive, like any healthy Kzin male, he is also uncommonly intelligent, patient and a quick learner. This may be partly attributed to his upbringing by Chmeee, and partly to the fact his mother was a Ringworld Kzin and consequently, unlike Kzinretti from known space, sapient.