Nocturne Summit Paunngak

For @Elentari! ^^

The trek to the summit was challenging, even for the most surefooted hunter. Snow had covered the stones, trapping ice beneath it. One misstep would mean a swift fall.

Kannoyak turned his stare over the edge where he stood. A tumble from that height would mean his death. He pulled away from the drop and continued his march until he had found the ground to even out. Rich with winter powder, the summit was a spectacular sight. There was little to disturb the peaceful blanket of snow, until the white hunter prowled across it. His trail was winding to a large shadow and smooth stone, protected from the natural elements.

The white hunter breathed deeply, stretching himself out onto his belly so that he might lick at his frozen paws and free some of the clumping snow from his fur.

<3

The great chain of mountains called to her. The locals would know them well, surely. Like Sialuk knew her birthplace, unto which she laid claim. The rough, stony terrain and it's winding, steep paths felt familiar under her paws. Tundra, forests and even coastlines she was familiar with. The challenges and the ruggedness of a summit such as this, more so.

She persisted, taking on the climb with the tenacity that ran in her Archer blood. Her kind were not deterred easily, accepting many a challenge. She wanted to feel it. Experience it. To have the bitter wind blow through her raven fur. To be speckled with snow flurries. To see how her body would respond to the strain of this new, physical feat.

And the view. The view down below, would be worth it. She yearned to see the land from a new perspective, while uncovering the mysteries of what this new elevation may reveal to her.

Her sides rose and fell with breaths that were slightly more labored than usual. Her fur wind tossed, unkempt and wild from the winds fingers from her journey lower down the trail. Stillness and silence engulfed the air as she reached a flatter stretch of ground, layered in mostly undisturbed snow. Her paw tracks fell shy of another's as she paused to appreciate the beauty around her.

Clump by clump, Kannoyak pulled the balls of snow from his fur. They melted on his tongue. Each drawing lick discovered a new one, tangled in the thick white of his coat. The motions were practiced and careful. It looked as though the white hunter had done this ten thousand times.

In the little river village, he would spend the day on the white hunting grounds and would return to pull snow from his coat until well into the night. It had bothered him in his first year. After that, he had grown to accept it as part of the hunter’s ways. The snow clung to them because they were made for it. And for the first time since arriving in the new wilderness, Kannoyak felt a sense of homesickness.

Plum eyes lifted to regard the beauty of the snow, to remember the little river village. He saw a dark shadow appear in startling contrast to the white. For a moment, the man believed that it was the storyteller man – Alaric. Perhaps the green-eyed wolf had decided to seek company for a time.

The woman’s eyes were not green, though. They were sharply observing her surroundings.

Out of her peripheral vision, she spotted flash of white. Tucked in against the shadowed shelter of rock. Turning, she squinted slightly. Their form was too pale and too large to be Sialuk. Their scent was masculine. Dark ears flicked back, while steely eyes noted his of plum hue.

"My apologies, sir." Formal and polite. "I did not realize anyone else might have been up all this way." She lowered her head for an investigatory sniff, but did not move other than a slight raise of a paw. "Am I intruding?" She did not seek to invade his space, even it it would get her away from the elements. As an Archer, she could weather the cold a while longer. Prepared to be on her way if he was not the sort receptive to company.

No, no, there is no intrusion.

The white hunter offered a wag of his tail. She had been polite in her words, considerate of his privacy. Kannoyak drew his tongue across his whiskers. The cold of the snow he had plucked from his fur was still sharp in his mouth. He could feel the sensation creeping along his spine and he shuddered with it. The winter still had a way of biting him, even when he had hunted many times in her snows.

Would you care to rest for a moment?

Kannoyak’s eyes drew to the spot on the stone beside him, untouched by the elements and the snow because of the natural shelf above. It was a fine place to stop, if she intended to continue up the path of the mountain. He would not be opposed to keeping company with a woman who used such kind language.

She was not turned away. Inside, she smiled, her tail giving a faint wag. Another friendly, welcoming face. Setting her paw down, she turned to face where he sheltered. Dipping her head, dark ears momentarily pressing back. As an Archer, she had after all, been taught proper edict. And it seemed to be paying off, here.

And then, an invitation. Soft brows rose as she peered towards his place of rest, the open space at his side. "Of course, thank you." As she crept close, her body lowered slightly so she could fit more easily under the ledge. On her dark fur, he may be so lucky as to catch the faded scents of those she had encountered in the past. Sialuk and Alaric included. 

She shared an appraising glance at him. Open but not roving. "Your pale fur reminds me of the natives of my homeland, if you don't mind my saying." She laid down next to him but did not encroach. The dry stone beneath her body felt good, even if it radiated no heat. "I am Elentari Archer." A slight dip of her muzzle, along with a tiny smile.

Elentari is a fine name, he complimented in a rumbling voice. Its meaning was foreign to him, but he was more than capable of appreciating that it complimented her features. The surname she had given was unfamiliar, as well.

So, it was curious when she had remarked on his coat. He wondered if she had journeyed down from the great white hunting grounds, as well. This curiosity drew his ears to a point.

This one is called Kannoyak Sura. Hunter of the little river village in the great white hunting grounds, he gave her his name in return and then shared information on where he had originated. The man’s eyes were curiously trained to her. He had many questions on his tongue about her homeland. He wondered if they had any commonality. There are many men and women with white fur, in my home.

Would she elaborate on her birthplace?

The Archer's were spread far and wide. It may be possible that members from both of their clans had crossed paths. "It means Queen of the stars." She offered, continuing. "I was named in honor of my maternal great grandmother, who carried the Archer name proudly." She did not divulge that Archer was not her given surname. If he cared for stories and history, that could come at another time. Besides, it was a fact she preferred to keep private, anyways.

"Your name...Kannoyak...it is foreign, but I like it. What does it mean?" His white fur was common in his homeland. Interesting. It was the same in her birthplace, Torbine. "As it is in mine. My ancestors were predominantly white, or pale furred." 

"Would you like to hear of it?" Her blue eyes sparkled in the low light.

Ah, there was another woman with a name that could be associated with the heavens. The white hunter thought it curious that so many had gathered near the Moonwoman’s home. The lady Kukutux had described her daughter as a star, as well. Now, Kannoyak sat with the queen of stars. Looking upon her darker features, he believed that it was more fitting. She looked as though she could have been dropped into the inkjet sky and she would glitter like the others.

Elentari asked what his name meant. The man cleared his throat, pulling himself from his thoughts.

Kannoyak means cotton grass, he said with a small nod of his nose.

Please, this one will listen to what you have to share.

The white hunter felt that he would learn a lot from her stories. He was a good listener, too. The queen of stars could talk for hours without shaking him from his place. Kannoyak was made to be a listener.

She nodded with a slight smile, pleased that her curiosity of his name was fulfilled. He seemed quite happy to listen to what she would share of her family name, and origins as well. Even just looking at him, Elentari got a sense of great patience from the white man.

Side by side in the shared space, away from the snow, she stretched. Lounging comfortably, shifting to face him more head on. "My ancestors hail from the land of Torbine, which they have ruled for many countless generations. The landscape is rugged...harsh. It is recognizable in that it is bordered by a chain of mountains on one side, and coast on the other. It is the place of my birth, but my memories of it are few." 

"My father and mother, along with my siblings, decided to expand their reach. From there we moved to a distant land called Northfall. It was much like my birthplace; mountains and a rough coastline." She smiled. "I spent much of my childhood there. Then after a time, with the blessing of my parents, I struck out on my own. To honor them. To spread the Archer name even further."