Cassie*

Age – 12-17**

Family –
Walter (father)
Michelle (mother)

Main morphs –
battle – wolf
bird – osprey

Appearance – shorter, dark skin, brown eyes, short black hair

Personality –
Before becoming an Animorph Cassie was a quiet teenager who spent most of her time working in her barn, also known as the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. She was best friends with Rachel and would sometimes get dragged along to go shopping, but didn’t have a particular interest in such things. She was described as always wearing overalls and liking animals more than humans.

As an Animorph, Cassie is known as the one to have the most problems with what they do. She is always questioning the morality of what the group does and struggling to keep them from falling too deep into the violence of war. Cassie is very companionate and often struggles with internal conflict when forced by circumstances to kill her enemy. She is also very perceptive and can read people, knowing how they will feel or react to a given situation. She can use this information against people or to help them through difficulties they themselves might not be able to see. This can also make Cassie ruthless, and she is known for coming up with some of the harsh plans carried out by the Animorphs. (ie David)

Cassie also cares a great deal about nature and animals. She is always looking to protect more than simply the human race, but also the fragile ecosystem in which homo sapiens live. This, and her morality, often give the others cause to tease her, but she is good natured and tolerant. She almost never gets offended, even when insults are thrown in anger. In an emotional fight, she is the one most likely to keep a level head and calm everyone else down. She is also the one to spot when other members of the group are having some kind of trouble and will quietly try to help them.

Relations –
Jake – Cassie and Jake have ‘liked’ each other since before the start of the series, but don’t talk about their feelings. It’s the group’s ‘worst kept secret.’ Throughout the series their romance develops until it becomes an unspoken fact. They even kiss a few times and just before the end of the war Jake proposed to her, although she turned him down. Cassie does her best to support Jake when she senses he’s over-stressed and Jake seeks her opinion on moral issues. He also tends to be overprotective of her on the few times she puts herself in harms way. Later in the series, most notably after the loss of the Escafil Device to Tom, stress developed between the two. Jake thought that her morals got in the way of her ability to fight in the war and made her a liability. After the war they drifted apart and Cassie started dating someone else.

Rachel – Cassie and Rachel are best friends and have been since before the series. They are different as night and day and though they care for each other, they tend to be divided on most issues. Despite this, they are also the first to support each other if picked on by the group. Rachel depends on Cassie as her ‘moral compass’ and Cassie sees Rachel as strong and draws courage from that.

Tobias – Tobias lives in the woods behind Cassie’s house, but they aren’t the closest of friends. Like many other relationships within the Animrophs, they are friends because of the war, but not necessarily because of personal choice. They usually agree on issues and have very little friction, but nothing to really connect them. They simply co-exist.

Marco – Cassie and Marco have a strained relationship in the group. While socially compatible, their different stances on morals in war often lead to heated arguments. When they’re not fighting over the morality of a mission, the two seem to get along. Marco teases Cassie, and she takes it with a good-natured, tolerant attitude. Cassie often sees when Marco is struggling with an internal problem and quietly tries to help him through it. They are still not the closest of friends, preferring to turn to Rachel or Jake, respectively.

Ax – For most of the series, Cassie and Ax simply get along. Cassie is sympathetic to Ax’s plight, and Ax is grateful for her understanding but generally turns to Tobias for friendship and support. Mostly, the two simply co-exist in the group, as both are the type that avoid stirring up trouble. However, near the end of the series, Ax begins to resent Cassie’s morality and the hindrance it presents. This resentment is made plain after she gives the Escafil Device to Tom, but he later recants and tries to reaffirm that he doesn’t hate her.

Quotes:
"Cassie, the killer with a conscience. Kill 'em then cry over 'em. That's our Cassie."
-- the Drode

*no last name given

**only Jake gives his age, saying that he was 13 when the war started and 16 when it ended, meaning he was in 7th or 8th grade when it stared and 10th or 11th grade at the end. Assuming that all the Animorphs were in the same grade, and depending on what grade they were in, ages could range from 12-14 at the beginning, and 15-17 at the end.