Name: Katja Ravenborne
Position: Owner/Manager
Age: 24
Katja was born Katja Nikolic in New York to a Russian Mother and a Serbian father both recent immigrants to the United States. They had arrived in New York just days before Katjas mother Illiana was due to give birth. Like her mentor Farah Ravenborne Katja had a tough start at life. Her mother had died during childbirth leaving her to be raised by her father.
That is where the similarities end. Katja's father was very poor. Because he was an illegal immigrant his job opportunities were limited and he worked long hours for little pay in order to keep a roof over his daughters head. This meant that much of Katja's childhood was spent with various immigrant women from the apartment building they lived in or by herself when she was old enough to be left alone. Aleksander Nikolic loved his daughter and spent as much time as he could with her but it was not as much as either of them liked.
When Katja was 8 years old tragedy struck. Her father was killed in a terrible accident at the construction site where he was working. Katja had no other family in the US and had no means of contact for her fathers family in Serbia or her Mothers family in Russia. She was put into the foster care system. Over the next 3 and a half years Katja was in 7 different foster homes. Each one worse than the last. Some were abusive, others neglectful. At 12 years old she was placed with the Harker family who had 6 other foster children. Elsie Harker, her foster mother, was often high and when she was high she was abusive. Katja was terrified of her and of the people who frequented the house so she spent much of her time hiding in the basement. Some of the other children there told Katja that Elsie forced them to go out and sell drugs for her. If they refused they were beaten. Katja was terrified that she would soon be asked to do the same. In a desperate attempt to get away she stole $300 from Elsie's purse and ran away. She bought a bus ticket to as far away as she could get which turned out to be California. It was not easy to get the ticket agent to sell her the ticket because of her young age but he was a kind old man and she managed to convince him that she was 15 and was going to California to visit her mother.
She arrived in a small town on the central coast of California in the early morning hours. The bus station was deserted and she hid in the bathroom worried someone would question why she was there alone in the middle of the night. When daylight came she left the bus station and wandered around the town. She had 43 dollars left after purchasing her bus ticket. It did not last long and she soon found herself without food to eat. She was was hanging out in the towns only park when she met some kids who were a bit older than her. They were runaways like her and she joined up with them. They showed her places where she could sleep undetected and taught her how to shoplift for food. For the next few months she lived like this. Stealing food and sleeping outdoors. On her 13th birthday Katja decided to treat herself to cupcake from the local bakery. Her plan was to just pick one and run out without paying. That day her life changed forever. As she ran for the door an elderly woman entered the bakery. Katja did not see her and she collided with the woman, smearing her stolen cupcake all over the woman's white shirt. The bakery clerk grabbed Katja's arm, intent on stopping the thief. When the elderly woman saw the terrified look in Katja's eyes she stepped in. "Please take your hands off my grandaughter" She said sternly to the clerk. She reached out her hand to Katja and Katja took it timidly. The woman paid the clerk for the smashed cupcake and purchased a dozen more. She kept hold of Katja's hand throughout the transaction. Katja did not know what to do so she held the woman's hand for fear if she let go the clerk may call the police.
Outside the bakery the woman introduced herself to Katja. "My name is Farah Ravenborne" She said. "And you are?"
Katja told Farah that her name was Katja but she did not give her last name. "Where are your parents Katja? I will take you home" Farah offered. "They are dead" Katja said quietly. "Where do you live?" Farah asked, with a sad look in her eyes.
Katja had not been shown any kindness by an adult since her father had died and she was unsure if she should be honest with Farah but something about this woman set her at an ease she had not felt in some time so she told Farah that she slept in the park and shoplifted when she needed to eat. She saw such a look of sadness come over the woman's face when she told her this that she felt guilty for telling her.
Farah squeezed the girl's hand gently and said "Would you like to come home wth me? I have a big house with plenty of room. You can sleep in a nice warm bed for a change." Katja accepted and Farah led her to a waiting car that was driven by a young man just a few years older than Katja. "Lucien, this is Katja, lets go home" She said matter of factly. Lucien smiled at Katja and said hello then started the car and drove her to what was to be her new home.
The home was Raven's Hollow. Over the next few weeks Farah took care of Katja. During that time she also had her lawyers look into the girls background, where she had come from and what she could do to help her. It took some time but after a few months Farah was able to take custody of Katja as a foster child. Katja was very grateful and she and Farah bonded and became extremely close. On Katja's 15th birthday Farah told Katja that she would like to adopt her. Katja agreed and Farah began the process. Because of her status in the community and her wealth she was allowed to adopt the girl despite her advanced age. Katja chose to take Farah's name and she became Katja Ravenborne.
From the time Katja came to stay at Raven's Hollow Farah began teaching her about horses, particularly Arabian horses and bloodlines. She taught Katja to ride. Standing at the round pen giving her instructions while Lucien, the young man she had hired to take care of the horses and the upkeep of the grounds, helped with the more physical aspects of the training. Katja became an accomplished rider and talented horsewoman. She fell in love with the Arabians of Raven's Hollow and Farah was so pleased to have found someone to carry on her legacy.
Katja was heartbroken when Farah passed but was determined to continue the legacy of Raven's Hollow. Lucien stayed on to help. They had become very close over the years and their friendship had blossomed into romance with Farah's blessing.
Position: Owner/Manager
Age: 24
Katja was born Katja Nikolic in New York to a Russian Mother and a Serbian father both recent immigrants to the United States. They had arrived in New York just days before Katjas mother Illiana was due to give birth. Like her mentor Farah Ravenborne Katja had a tough start at life. Her mother had died during childbirth leaving her to be raised by her father.
That is where the similarities end. Katja's father was very poor. Because he was an illegal immigrant his job opportunities were limited and he worked long hours for little pay in order to keep a roof over his daughters head. This meant that much of Katja's childhood was spent with various immigrant women from the apartment building they lived in or by herself when she was old enough to be left alone. Aleksander Nikolic loved his daughter and spent as much time as he could with her but it was not as much as either of them liked.
When Katja was 8 years old tragedy struck. Her father was killed in a terrible accident at the construction site where he was working. Katja had no other family in the US and had no means of contact for her fathers family in Serbia or her Mothers family in Russia. She was put into the foster care system. Over the next 3 and a half years Katja was in 7 different foster homes. Each one worse than the last. Some were abusive, others neglectful. At 12 years old she was placed with the Harker family who had 6 other foster children. Elsie Harker, her foster mother, was often high and when she was high she was abusive. Katja was terrified of her and of the people who frequented the house so she spent much of her time hiding in the basement. Some of the other children there told Katja that Elsie forced them to go out and sell drugs for her. If they refused they were beaten. Katja was terrified that she would soon be asked to do the same. In a desperate attempt to get away she stole $300 from Elsie's purse and ran away. She bought a bus ticket to as far away as she could get which turned out to be California. It was not easy to get the ticket agent to sell her the ticket because of her young age but he was a kind old man and she managed to convince him that she was 15 and was going to California to visit her mother.
She arrived in a small town on the central coast of California in the early morning hours. The bus station was deserted and she hid in the bathroom worried someone would question why she was there alone in the middle of the night. When daylight came she left the bus station and wandered around the town. She had 43 dollars left after purchasing her bus ticket. It did not last long and she soon found herself without food to eat. She was was hanging out in the towns only park when she met some kids who were a bit older than her. They were runaways like her and she joined up with them. They showed her places where she could sleep undetected and taught her how to shoplift for food. For the next few months she lived like this. Stealing food and sleeping outdoors. On her 13th birthday Katja decided to treat herself to cupcake from the local bakery. Her plan was to just pick one and run out without paying. That day her life changed forever. As she ran for the door an elderly woman entered the bakery. Katja did not see her and she collided with the woman, smearing her stolen cupcake all over the woman's white shirt. The bakery clerk grabbed Katja's arm, intent on stopping the thief. When the elderly woman saw the terrified look in Katja's eyes she stepped in. "Please take your hands off my grandaughter" She said sternly to the clerk. She reached out her hand to Katja and Katja took it timidly. The woman paid the clerk for the smashed cupcake and purchased a dozen more. She kept hold of Katja's hand throughout the transaction. Katja did not know what to do so she held the woman's hand for fear if she let go the clerk may call the police.
Outside the bakery the woman introduced herself to Katja. "My name is Farah Ravenborne" She said. "And you are?"
Katja told Farah that her name was Katja but she did not give her last name. "Where are your parents Katja? I will take you home" Farah offered. "They are dead" Katja said quietly. "Where do you live?" Farah asked, with a sad look in her eyes.
Katja had not been shown any kindness by an adult since her father had died and she was unsure if she should be honest with Farah but something about this woman set her at an ease she had not felt in some time so she told Farah that she slept in the park and shoplifted when she needed to eat. She saw such a look of sadness come over the woman's face when she told her this that she felt guilty for telling her.
Farah squeezed the girl's hand gently and said "Would you like to come home wth me? I have a big house with plenty of room. You can sleep in a nice warm bed for a change." Katja accepted and Farah led her to a waiting car that was driven by a young man just a few years older than Katja. "Lucien, this is Katja, lets go home" She said matter of factly. Lucien smiled at Katja and said hello then started the car and drove her to what was to be her new home.
The home was Raven's Hollow. Over the next few weeks Farah took care of Katja. During that time she also had her lawyers look into the girls background, where she had come from and what she could do to help her. It took some time but after a few months Farah was able to take custody of Katja as a foster child. Katja was very grateful and she and Farah bonded and became extremely close. On Katja's 15th birthday Farah told Katja that she would like to adopt her. Katja agreed and Farah began the process. Because of her status in the community and her wealth she was allowed to adopt the girl despite her advanced age. Katja chose to take Farah's name and she became Katja Ravenborne.
From the time Katja came to stay at Raven's Hollow Farah began teaching her about horses, particularly Arabian horses and bloodlines. She taught Katja to ride. Standing at the round pen giving her instructions while Lucien, the young man she had hired to take care of the horses and the upkeep of the grounds, helped with the more physical aspects of the training. Katja became an accomplished rider and talented horsewoman. She fell in love with the Arabians of Raven's Hollow and Farah was so pleased to have found someone to carry on her legacy.
Katja was heartbroken when Farah passed but was determined to continue the legacy of Raven's Hollow. Lucien stayed on to help. They had become very close over the years and their friendship had blossomed into romance with Farah's blessing.