Redhawk Caldera siqsusatkut

The man explored the territory. He was mindful of scent lines and worked to mentally map the areas as he went, being mindful of where the sleeping places were arranged; Kigipigak did not want to get too close to anyone's space, especially if there were children living within the caldera. That is not to say he was avoiding his own grandchildren, only that he wished to be courteous and respectful. The chances of Kivaluk ever wanting him to be involved were slim and he wasn't going to push his luck.

Instead of socializing with people he had yet to meet, he focused on work. Kivaluk had said they needed hunters and so, while Kigipigak was among those of Brecheliant, he would fulfill whatever tasks required. He sought out scents within the Everspring Woods, and over the course of a few hours had amassed a collection of creatures: a couple of squirrels, one hare, and he was on the trail of something decidedly larger after that, which drew his full attention.

Eljay was glad that Kigipigak had come. He did not know the man much at all yet, but they were in need of strong hunters. The caretaker himself had never been a very strong hunter himself, though he had been fairly well at finding large prey and playing his part in hunting them down. Nowadays, though, he was decidedly too slow, and he was developing a limp in the last few months, too, to add to his slow gait (and perhaps it had been there for longer, but he had masked it all this time in his slowing gait). Eljay tried to compensate in other ways, such as doting excessively over the children and helping those who needed it mentally and physically through his caretaking. He still felt that he did not contribute enough, though, something that nagged at his mind frequently.

As he made his way through the Caldera, Eljay crossed paths with Brecheliant's newest hunter. He looked as though he was on the trail of something. Showed all the signs of it, anyway. Eljay let out a low chuff as he approached, as to not startle the man. On the trail of something? he asked, while his nostrils tested the air. Eljay would not likely be able to take anything down alongside Kigipigak, unless it was on the small side and wounded, but maybe they could track it down together and alert the rest of the pack once they had a good idea of the situation.

The path might have been made by a black bear. They were not as dangerous as some of the beasts he had seen in his travels, but it would be better to know for sure if one had crossed in to Brecheliant. There were children (his grandchildren! He had not yet wrapped his head around this entirely) to protect and a good impression to make upon those who called the village home.

As he hunted there came the sound of movement nearby, and Kigipigak turned to see an elderly wolf drawing closer. The chuff was met with a nod and the hint of a smile, the kind of display that was commonplace among men. The stranger asked after his hunting and Kigipigak answered, A black bear, I think. A young male. It is better odds than a mother, but it might still pose a danger.

It had crossed the heart of their home and Kigipigak was monitoring whether it would curve its path towards the dens, or simply mosey on its way. He had yet to catch sight of it. Best to keep your eyes peeled.

Eljay frowned with sudden alarm when Kigipigak said he thought it to be a bear. He himself tended to avoid those, and was afraid that the coming of a bear might spell trouble — especially with small children around.

Do you think we have any chance to take it out or chase it away? asked Eljay. He might not think to such measures normally, but as it was currently, he could not help but think of the pups, and the implications. He added, to clarify: Not with the two of us, I mean, but with the able-bodied of the pack. And who were those, anyway? There were many able-bodied, but not so many that were fighters. The thought of pushing his daughters to fight terrified Eljay and he quickly changed his mind on that. So that left Kigipigak and Kivaluk; and the thought of sending the young father to fight did not exactly appeal to Eljay, either. He frowned, and said: Perhaps for now, we should scout out the location. To see if it is enough of a threat to warrant action. Eljay thought back to the scorn they had given the Akashingo wolves when they had spoken of protection, and he realised only now, when understanding how little power they had to even chase a bear out of their territory, how vulnerable they truly were if anyone were to have ill will.