He pushed north along the mountain range as he explored the nearby territories. In his travels, he'd gotten only as far as Sawtooth Spire before he'd stopped and taken a break to put due diligence towards staking his claim on the area. He'd done the rounds a few times. A few with company. Others on his own. In that time alone, he'd had quite a bit of time to think about a lot of things. Life. Love. The pursuit of happiness. A shit ton of other frivolous things he shouldn't have to concern himself with, but his mind was rampant, so what the hell.
He mused as he explored a neighboring mountain. Iqniq turned his gaze towards the nearby valley, lowering his view across the hills below as he spied the storm damage in the distance. It was lesser here. As if the tornado that passed through was slowly lost its momentum and fizzled out. The valley below was mostly unbothered. A few feel trees planted gaps in the forest, but it was nothing to completely drive out the local wildlife. It was well enough.
Turning his thoughts elsewhere, he happened upon a clearing the woods. He led himself into the sunlight and basked for a moment as his mind spun. Hmm... Perhaps it was time for things to change a bit as he embraced what it meant to be Tartok. He still had plenty of words to learn. Relocating the pack hadn't change the fact that he needed to continue his studies.
This area was isolated enough. He lifted his voice, summoning their great white bear and his teacher.
Surprisingly, the large female found herself missing the pond at the Spine. After so much time in its depths, she had grown accustomed to the practice of swimming and all that and now that it was not accessible... Needless to say, the small stream she drank from did not compare. There weren't even any fish to catch, she was noticing. Leering down at the stream, the Beta considered following it down to the place where it inevitably pooled. This, of course, was before her head lifted to listen to the voice that summoned her.
Taking a last drink before she moved off, Nanuk headed toward her frequent companion, sure that they were to continue their lessons and likely do a lap or two of their new home while they were at it. It did not take her long to trek her way across the mountain to him and when she saw him, her tail waved in greeting, bumping shoulders and nipping at his face at the same time. Her treatment was as rough as always but it was a good thing, as she drew no blood and even briefly swiped her tongue under his chin.
Their contact broke as she put a bit of distance between them, gold eyes alight with renewed energy. Exploring the Spire had been good for her mood. "Ready to keep at it?" She queried, sure he'd fill her in with what he was looking to do today.
He didn't have to wait for long. Then again, he wasn't quite sure how long it was that he stood into the distance, scanning the horizon for storm damage, before she showed up. The earth trembled beneath her feet. His ears swiveled, his tail wagging lightly as he turned his paw to greet her. Shoulders bumped. She nipped at his face and he at hers before she ran her tongue beneath his chin. Greetings over she quickly moved onto business. He grinned.
"Yes," he agreed, speaking in the language of Tartok. See? He'd been learning and was remembering. "I think... culture this time." More stories. More traditions. He'd need more of the language, certainly, but with the birth of his pups right around the corner he wished to share more of the values with them. Those could be shared with any tongue.
Iqniq switched back to the language he was more familiar with. It was still easier for him to think in the words he'd grown up with and for complex things like these, he'd have a better time understanding. "I know of the naming ceremonies and such. Are there any other traditions I should know about?"
He answered in the tongue of the north and Nanuk grinned, her eyes glinting proudly. He was a quick learner, quicker than she and most others she knew. He asked for culture though and her mind turned, raking over old memories and thoughts as he switched over to the common tongue and wondered at her about traditions. Yes, there were definitely ones she needed to tell him about, along with practicing Inuktitut in between.
"There are many traditions, some particular to each branch, and other to Tartok as a whole." This because the tree that they made up was composed of many different cultures, some having minor differences from the others. "One of the most widely known is that of aokkatti." Surely, he was at least vaguely familiar with this one, as Tonravik herself was half of one.
"When two Tartok feel themselves... two halves of a whole, they forge a bond by sharing blood. It is a bond unbroken by distance or time, and they do everything they can to protect and support one another. To break this bond for any reason other than death is utter betrayal." Truly, aokkatti was a bond nigh unbreakable as they became family in everything but blood and sometimes became even closer than lovers or mates.
Many traditions... Right when he felt as though he were starting to get a grasp on things he was left to realize there was still so much left to learn. He nodded, listening as she began to mention one of the many traditions and he was pleased to know she spoke of one he'd at least heard about. "The battle buddy thing?" he asked. It was the way Tonravik had spoken of it before, but as Nanuk continued, he was starting to realize there might be more to it than that.
"It's more than having each other's back in battle?" he asked. What she described seemed far deeper than that, bordering on a mateship of some kind. Or intense friendship? He wasn't quite sure about how far it went or what it meant for other wolves, but if to break that title meant death, the meaning behind it was definitely something to be taken seriously.
Battle buddy. That was one way of putting it but... "Yes. It's more of a deep friendship, or sibling-like bond." Nanuk was at her most eloquent during their lessons, revealing that she wasn't all barbs and foul words. "Who would you want at your back in a war?" The question was rhetorical. She was already moving on, giving the answer to the bright furred leader. "A mate would generally not be a good candidate because you would worry about their welfare, and they yours. A sibling, or a close friend, has that connection with you, knows you and how you fight, so that they know how to protect your weaknesses and they, yours. You trust them with everything, with your life."
Aokkatti were common place in some areas and rarer in others. So far, Tonravik and Echelon was the only pair. Whether that would change with time remained to be seen. Perhaps she would have forged such a bond in Siku's branch but she had left before anything could have developed. Her own fault, to say the least, for now the only family she had was that of the pack here.
She explained it further, going into a deeper explanation of the topic and proceeding to define it in ways that were easier to comprehend. It sounded like a tough decision, but an important one none the less. It was essentially like picking a best friend for life. Literally, for life. The concept of forever was something that created a level of undying loyalty that was kind of hard to shake and a little bit unsettling. Who really knew what that would mean a few years down the line? Who knew what that meant next month?
What she mentioned about not picking a mate or a loved one made sense. There were too many high stakes there... so it made more sense for an aokkatti to be someone a little more... expendable? Was that the right word? It sounded like there was still a little fuzziness with the exact definition. Someone you trusted and respected enough not to worry about them. Some where you had their back and they had yours.
"Is it an eventual requirement?" he asked? He knew Tonravik and Echelon were compatible in that respect. They complimented each other's fighting styles and somehow also complimented each other at life. He was uncertain as to whether or not it was mandatory down the line or if it was just something wolves slipped into almost unintentionally.
Had he voiced any of his thoughts or questions, she'd have answered him, but as it was, he voiced only one. Was it a requirement? "No. Many of Tartok have gone into battle without an aokkatti, myself included, for different reasons. Some simply prefer not to have one." She had simply never jived with anyone like that, though it wasn't something she minded. It took a particular kind of wolf to get along with her, without taking offense to her crass methods. The only wolf who had accomplished that was sitting right in front of her.
It wasn't a requirement, but it was something that could be done if two wolves felt strongly enough that they had each other's back. He tossed the words around in his mind for a bit, thinking on them before it suddenly dawned upon him that he had a wolf in front of him who had not taken an aokkatti for whatever reason. "Why haven't you found one?" he asked, taking the conversation in a more personal direction.
Her realized that he was, perhaps, straddling something of a dangerous line here. Making the vow to become aokkatti with another was a serious decision. It wasn't something to be taken lightly, and yet, it did sound like a valuable relationship to have within Tartok. Nanuk appeared to be very immersed in the culture. She spoke as if she'd lived it for a lifetime, and while he'd never pried into her past, and didn't intend to, she had revealed that she'd gone into battle alone and he was curious as to why.
Thinking this, his muzzle twisted slightly into a half-grin as a snarky comment flitted through the back of his head and was silence. While his relationship with Nanuk was born of tossing friendly insults back and forth with one another, his question was a serious one, and he did not yet feel it appropriate to spoil the mood. He forced his expression back to something placid as he awaited a reply.
A frown molded her expression as he asked his question, her tail flicking once or twice behind her. She'd never stopped to think about the fact that she didn't have anyone that close. Her family was dead, and there were none that could really deal with her attitude in it's entirety. Save for Iqniq, of course. "Just never happened," She answered finally, giving a bit of a shrug. It wasn't a bond for everyone, and she was something of an acquired taste, plus the fact that she tended to be something of a solitary creature much like her namesake.
"Think it's something you'll end up doing?" The question was volleyed at him in her attempt to direct the conversation away from herself. She'd never been one to be suspect to vanity or narcissism, which was not to say he was, but it would be interesting to see what his thoughts on the matter were.
She replied. Okay. Now his sense of humor could really shine. "What? Can't find anyone to put up with you for a lifetime? It should be easier now since you're halfway to dead." He'd not said anything, but he knew she was older. Graveside humor was something he didn't really share with anywolf, but he had a feeling Nanuk could handle it. "Or maybe no one wants to risk you'll come back to haunt them." He teased, though in truth, he understood what she meant when she kept things simple in saying it just hadn't happened.
Except now the tables were flipped back in his direction. Iqniq shrugged. "I don't know. It's a tall order. Gotta be the right wolf, you know? Someone who's okay with your ass being expendable, but can put up with you for a lifetime. Trust isn't so easily earned with just any wolf, but I suppose is it's meant to happen, it will happen." He looked to her, staring long and hard for a moment. "On a scale of serious to seriously-serious, how serious is this battle buddy thing to Tartok?"
A sneer was aimed at him, teeth flashing as her ears lay back against her skull. Normally an expression of aggression, Nanuk made no move to attack him. "No. I've already decided if I haunt anyone, it'll be you. You're the most fun to terrorize." Which was not necessarily true but she trusted Iqniq to handle her attitude the best out of anyone. She knew she was not the friendliest and had a mouth worse than a sailor's, but she had yet to curb any of that.
"Put up with you, for a lifetime?" She snorted, a grin splitting her lips again. "Kill me now." His question was fair though, and she paused to think about it, finally answering with "Fairly fuckin' serious. It's not required but it's gotta be upheld. Even if you leave Tartok, or your branch or whatever, your aokkatti bond doesn't disappear. They usually travel together, actually, unless one of 'em goes off on a mission or something." Gold eyes peered at her companion, scrutinizing and puzzling. What was he thinking? Why was he asking? Why wonder when you can just know?
"Why?"
Her expression shifted. She feinted inward, leaving just enough time for Iqniq to react and dodge her attack. He knew it was playful by the words that followed, leaving him to a light laugh as he shifted his footing then pressed his shoulder up against her own in a friendly shove. "Bet your ass I would be. I'm the only one who laughs at your bad jokes." And her crassness. And her gruffness. And a shit ton of other things that made Nanuk, Nanuk. Some days? He still felt Kroc suited her a hell of a lot better.
"Careful what you wish for..." he teased, flashing fang as he went for one of her ears. He tugged on it for a second before the conversation got a little more serious, or rather, fairly fucking serious. The whole aokkatti thing was a tall order for any wolf and a huge commitment. If he were to ever find a wolf to share something like that with, they'd have to be something pretty damn special.
Nanuk's question raised. There was a curious look to her that held a touch of mischief and wonder to it. The expression wasn't something he was used to seeing on her face. It was thoughtful; pensive. Those were both things he seldom saw on her, but now that she asked, he decided he might as well come clean. Iqniq bounded away before plopping down on the ground. He lifted a hind paw to scratch at his ear as he replied. "Nothing. Just trying to decide if I wanna be stuck with you forever."
A derisive snort left her. "And? Yours are fucking horrific. Probably all puns and shit." A proper wolf, she was not but he knew that already and seemingly had no problem with it. She preferred wolves like him, who were chill with her attitude and her "way with words". Yeah, okay.
He tugged on her ear and she stepped into him to shove him back with a muscled shoulder, her defensiveness coming through not only in her words but in her actions too. His reason stopped her though, gaze boring into him as she tried to determine whether or not he was joking.
The fact of the matter was that she had no one close, and had not for... Well ever. She had not been burned, per say, but she was a suspicious creature nonetheless. If he was joking, great. She'd just kick his ass. If not... If not, then what? "Probably not. I'm kind of a bitch." yup. She assumed he was joking.
Iqniq laughed. "You wouldn't know a pun if it punched you in the face." Unless there was a curse word thrown into the mix somewhere, he seriously doubted whether or not she actually found things funny. Okay lie. Her sense of humor was simply an acquired taste, but they'd handled each other well from the get go. Their verbal spar had turned into something physical and after that, another joke. Their banter was the foundation of their strange friendship.
He released her ear to speak. She gave him a good shoulder shove and he pressed back into it, leaning his body into hers as he contemplated the wolf beside him. She stopped. He stopped. He turned to face that stare of hers as he tried to find a reason the whole aokkatti thing wouldn't work for them. They got each other. They'd made it this far. Truth be told, he trusted her too. He already counted on her to have his back. The only thing that would make any sort of difference to what they already had was a blood pact to seal the lifelong commitment.
She jested. He snorted. "Well yeah. You don't let anyone forget that." Except now he actually was kind of, sort of, really serious. "Tell me, Babs. You got my back?"
When faced with the decision to bind herself hat closely with someone, Nanuk found that she was unsure. She was generally solitary, functioning best alone. Others pissed her off, didn't know when to stop, or were generally a nuisance. He was a nuisance, yes but... He was also different from any wolf she'd met before.
Without warning, Nanuk moved to bowl him over and pin him, a purely physical movement. And yet it was affectionate, in her own way, her tail waving as she snipped her teeth at his shoulder, bleeding her friend for the very thing they'd been talking about. In an equally swift movement, she let him up, offering her own shoulder to the brightly furred male.
He definitely wasn't expecting her to lunch at him. That much was evident by way he went down, hard, without any chance to retaliate before she bled him. "The fuck!?" Not only could the bitch bark, but she had a bite to go with it. "That was my favorite shoulder." Okay. He didn't have a favorite side, but who the fuck cared. Damn her.
She turned, presenting the same side of her own shoulder like some sort of gift on a silver platter. No more questions she'd decided. He shook his head at her, mostly out of amusement for the mere fact that she liked to make things so fucking difficult and strangely clear at the same time. They were doing this. They were really doing this.
Tit for tat, he charged her. Like hell was she getting at his shoulder without getting the same treatment in return. He barreled over her, teeth aiming for a similar spot on her own person as he tore through fur to bring crimson flowers to the surface. There. Now they were both bleeding.
He stepped back, turning his bloody shoulder towards her. "We doing this, or what?"
A roll of her eyes was his only answer, her only words vulgar and unfit for this. Like Tonravik, she could speak with few words though she often simply chose not to, enjoying her own vulgarity. He was ridiculous but she was equally so, which only made them fit together even better, blatantly displayed as he pushed her over much as she had him. The slightest flinch marred her expression as teeth tore open her flesh but the burn of pain dulled after a moment as he relented and let her up.
Rolling to her feet, Kroc snapped at her companion, intentionally just missing his ear with her teeth. "Yeah, yeah. Shut up and get on with it." But she met him in the middle, pressing her shoulder against his to allow their blood to mingle. Nothing magical happened (admittedly part of her had expected something to happen; a lightning strike or something), but she lifted her gaze to meet his, wolven eyebrows raising.
"Well, that was anti-fucking-climatic."
He shook his head. This was really happening, wasn't it? Oh well. He couldn't think of a better wolf for the role and as she stepped forward, he met her in the middle and they pressed wounds together. Welp. That was it. "No shit." Nothing fancy. Nothing overly life changing. Well, visibly.
"Now don't run off and get yourself killed without me," he teased her, batting a paw at her muzzle as he stepped away. He lifted his head, somewhat proud as his tail waved behind him. A grin slipped upon his lips as he cocked that same bloody shoulder and shrugged. "I was serious about that grave thing. If you go, you sure as hell better haunt me."
<3
Well. That was that.
"If I go down, you're com in' with me anyways," She answered in a rumble, intent on holding up her side of this. Hey would face whatever came at them together, head on. If that brought about his death, she'd die avenging him if she had to, and she was fairly certain he felt a similar way.
"Just don't go making any retarded ass decisions, alright Shit for Brains?" Joking aside, now that they were finished with all that, they could get on to the important things, like food. Proposing a hunt, Nanuk led him off to learn more of their small portion of the world and bring a snack to curb her appetite.
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