Duskfire Glacier kimutjuk

@Takiyok

Taggak had not been far from Sos since they had arrived in their new home. In this, the boy was grateful. He had found a familiar to keep him company while his siblings managed their own discoveries. It had taken him a short while of time to grow used to the frigid temperatures of the glacial pack land. Most nights, he could feel the bite of the wind against the thin bracing of his coat. In time, his pelt would thicken to protect him against the frigid gusts and nighttime temperatures. Until then, the child did his best to keep himself busy and moving, as it was the only way that he could see to allow heat through his youthful frame. The more that he moved, the stronger he became. It had become something of a challenge to him.

Looking to the sky to see the dark wings of his familiar, Sos smiled softly and watched the dark raven float overhead in search of a morsel. It was likely that the bird would need to venture out beyond the glacier for a short time so that he could scavenge for proper food. The wolves of the pack did well to clean their kills and leave little to waste, which did not grant Taggak very much. When Sos aged, he would find a good balance between what was needed to be devoured and what he could share with his companion so that the raven might stay closer to him. Until then, he missed the dark creature when he left and welcomed his earliest return.

Taggak cawed into the sky and Sos lifted his head to yap in response. The young bear reared himself back on his hind legs and imagined that he too could flutter his wings to vanish into the great stretch of pale blue and white overhead.

As Taki walked past the caverns the held the dens, her attention was brought to her nephew as his yap reached her ears. It was then that she noticed him standing on his back legs to look at a raven in the sky. Now that she thought about it, she had seen that same raven a few other times, and it always seemed to be somewhere near Sos when it was around. It made her think of that strange male they had met in the mountains and his snake friend. A bird seemed like a more appropriate friend, though; at least they could offer offer help by scouting out prey or danger. 

Taki moved towards him and gave his cheek a kiss in greeting, always freely affectionate with her family. She sat down in front of him and looked between him and the bird a few times. What are you doing? she asked with playful curiosity, studying him with her orange gaze.

There was a voice that pulled him from his dreams of flight. The young bear turned himself so that he was facing the pale approaching woman. With crinkled eyes and a smile, Sos lowered his front half back to the earth and found himself grounded by the touch of it beneath his paw pads. Taggak cawed once overhead before he seemed to flutter further away. The question that hung on the air was not one that surprised the boy, nor was it one that he minded being asked. Of course, he never would have seen his own actions as having been silly or foolish, but he was still quite young and did not possess the verbal skills to provide her with a suitable answer.

“Taggak was flying up there. I wanted to feel what it was like to fly too,” he spoke softly, his young voice carrying a weight of another world within it. As though he were drawn to where the bird had been, Sos turned his attention back toward the stretch of milk and vivid blue that floated overhead. It looked like a sea of endlessness. The adventurer in him wanted to explore it, but the shaman in him knew that he was bound to the earth and the things that grew from it. That was all well to the bear; he had Taggak for the world above.

Taki thought about his answer as she followed his gaze to the sky. It would be nice to be able to fly, she answered, still looking up. It would make some of her scouting a lot easier and more efficient, that's for sure. She moved her gaze to Sos, studying him again before asking, Does Taggak visit you a lot? She was very curious about the bird. How did it find her nephew? What drew it to him? What drew Sos to the bird? It was all very intriguing to her pragmatic mind. She had never thought to befriend a prey species; they were food. Period. But, the bird seem of interest to her nephew, and she would never do anything to upset him as long he wasn't in danger, so he could have his raven friend if he wanted.

The idea of flight was both mesmerising and terrifying for the child. He thought that the premise was something marvelous. To be confined to the earth would have been a shame to many, but Sos was not the type to squander what he had been so graciously given. The earth was his domain, and the sky belonged to Taggak and others of his kind. While it was pleasant to imagine being able to roam the blue wilds the same way that he did the earth, Sos knew his place well and he had no inclination of changing that. Still, he nodded his head in response to his family’s remark. It was important to show his support for them because they were his entire foundation and he enjoyed the presence of Takiyok very much.

“Taggak does, yes. He is going to stay with me,” the boy answered her query in an even tone. There wasn’t much that would pull him away from the bond he had created with the dark bird. Peculiar as it was, Sos had only found good things in his companionship; there could only be better things in store. “He is welcome, isn’t he?” the boy then inquired with a concerned expression. He turned his attention to the features of Takiyok and peered at her with an intense mask. The dark charcoal markings over his eyes cast a peculiar light on the eyes that were changing beneath.

She gave a quick nod in response to his question. Of course, as long as he doesn't cause any trouble, she answered. She didn't think a little bird could do much harm, but she felt the need to mention it anyway. Her mind always searched for potential danger in every situation, especially when her family was involved. 

She studied her nephew for a second before asking, Would you like to learn about anything today? It was never too soon to start teaching the kids useful skills they would need in adulthood. Maybe scouting, or fighting, or hunting? Taki added. Of course it didn't have to be those things; those were just what had come to mind. If he wanted to learn about something else, she would gladly oblige. The Malguk enjoyed anytime spent with her nieces and nephews.

Trouble? Worriedly, Sos turned his attention back to his avian friend and felt a peculiar peaking of anxiety in the back of his mind. He had never really seen Taggak cause anyone harm, but he wondered how long the bird would lost having been pulled from his home in the shaded forest and thrust into a world of frigid snow and glaciers. The young bear was certain that the dark-winged creature would survive well enough. With the ability to fly, Taggak could travel outside of their claimed hold and seek whatever nutrients he might need from the world beyond. In this, Sos wished that he could venture with his familiar. He longed to be able to stretch his limbs and search across every stretch of land surrounding their little slice of paradise. With age came the innate desire to explore, and he had already started feeling that itch in his feet.

Takiyok suggested that they take the time to learn something new. Sos pulled his gaze away from searching for his bird and looked at her with an eager expression. All of the options that she had listed were things that he would need to learn, but he found himself drawn to the premise of other subjects as well. If he were to pick out of the options she’d provided him, he would have asked for a fighting lesson. The young bear wanted to ensure that he could protect his family at all costs. “Fighting,” he concluded with a swift nod of his skull. “Then, can you teach me about the weather?” Sos inquired in something of a softer voice. He wanted to understand as well as he felt the shifting in the atmosphere.

Taki nodded at her nephew, glad to fulfill his requests. Alright, I'll teach you some of the basics of fighting, and then we can talk about the weather, she replied. She got to her feet and urged him to do the same. When fighting, you always need to be aware of what your opponent is doing. A lot of the time, especially with inexperienced fighters, you can tell where they are aiming based on their body language. It was one of the most basic rules of smart fighting, and she thought it was a good place to start. You also need to be mindful of what you're doing before you make an attack for that same reason. You don't want to give away your moves to your opponent. Always set yourself up to have the element of surprise, the malguk explained further. 

She turned and took a few steps away from Sos before turning back around to face him again. I want you to try and make on attack on me, she asked him. It's easier to put a stop to any tells you might have if you are aware of what they are. She stopped talking then and watched her nephew to see how he would make his first move, ready to help him in any way she could. She was reminded of when she was a pup and Sia started teaching her how to fight. She was glad to be able to return the favor to another member of the family 

Takiyok had agreed to his suggestions, filling his chest with a wild exhilaration. His paws seemed to dance a little as he moved to prepare himself for the first. The bear was certain that he was filled with power that was offered to him from the earth itself. The young thing felt as though he could have flown with the energy that flooded his system. Even his blood pumped with the beating of his heart. It filled through every limb he had, lighting him up. Sos positioned himself at her front, and turned to make sure his cupped ears would collect anything that she was offering for advice. It seemed as though there was more than he imagined to fighting. All that was said made sense, though, whether or not it was the first thing someone would think about was another thing. The boy wanted to prove himself to her and to the rest of his family. The bear was prepared to show the strength that was felt.

Sos was instructed to make an attack on his aunt. The boy frowned at that, ears falling to lay flat on his head. He could not help but to make one step back, fearful of actually aiming to land a blow against a member of his own blood. Sos longed to be a form of protection for those he cared about, not a burden. Still, she had asked it of him and she was aiming to make him better. The boy lowered his rear some, granting him a bit of leverage that would lead to a good start on any attack he attempted. When he searched her body for the right place to try, he felt as though he was up against a vicious beast in comparison. Sos did not want to be afraid, though. He lunged from his position, darting forward on swift limbs. When he was two feet away from her, he sought to clamp his fangs on her left hind leg.

She saw the uncertainty in his body language as her request settled over her nephew. She did not feel bad asking it of him, though; it was the best way to learn, so he would need to get over his hesitance. 

She watched as he finally readied himself to attack her, searching for any indication of what his move would be. Sos sprang forward and the malguk lowered her head, militant gaze trained on the boy's movements. She saw when he decided on a point of attack and was able to move and intercept him just as he neared her left hind leg, attempting to stop him by planting her teeth firmly but gently on his scruff; enough pressure to stop him, but not enough to cause any pain.