Rising Sun Valley ﹌ Kilvan

@Skukä where i was thinking in relation to the map! below SCC

the river sang as they approached, its voice a low and steady hum against the hush of the veldt. the grasslands had stretched long behind them, an endless ocean of gold and green, but now, the world shifted—lush, rich with the scent of water and stone.
tey’gan’s ears flicked forward as he caught the glimmer of sunlight on moving currents, the sound of it filling his chest with something familiar. it was not the sea—no, it did not roar, did not swell in great waves that crashed against stone—but it was water. it was life. and for now, it would do.
he exhaled through his nose, rolling his shoulders as they neared the banks. his skin itched with the dust of travel, his limbs heavy with the weight of the sun. with a quick glance toward skuka, a grin tugged at his lips. this will do, he said, his voice rich with satisfaction.
without hesitation, he strode forward, paws pressing into the cool, damp earth. the river swirled and foamed where it broke over rocks, clear enough to see the darting shapes of fish beneath its surface. tey’gan dipped his head, drinking deep before lifting his muzzle, water dripping from his lips.
turning back to skuka, he flicked an ear, his expression playful. you do not fear the water, do you? he teased, stepping further in, feeling the current tug at his legs. it was a different world beneath the surface, one he longed for, even here.

omg same brain

their travel was less efficient between the two of them, not that she minded, as having company made things better overall. skuka was less talkative during the journey, but if asked she would name a flower, or speak of home with quiet reverence in the way she spoke about all things.
the nearer the water came to their path, the closer they happened to get towards the mountains. reluctant to climb, skuka hoped they would avoid anything too dire.
the lake's edge tapered to shallows in many places, which made the chance to swim or fish a more viable concept. the man went first, sliding in to the water as if part fish.
when he asked after her own capabilities, she didn't verbally answer, but she gave a small coy look as she stepped in to the rushing current.

tey'gan grinned, watching as skuka slid into the water with quiet confidence. she did not answer with words, but her body spoke for her—her movements measured, her footing sure even against the push of the current. it was a challenge unspoken, a game between them now.
ah, he chuckled, wading in deeper, the cool water licking at his skin, rising to his chest. you are no stranger to this, then?
his tail flicked against the water's surface, sending a small splash her way, playful, teasing. her coy look did not go unnoticed. she had something to prove, perhaps. he liked that.
but can you hunt in it? his voice was light, but there was a glimmer of excitement in his eyes. she had spoken of the land, of the trees and the hunt—her way of life. now, tey'gan wanted to show her his.
the water was his home, his hunting ground, as familiar to him as the sky was to a bird. without waiting for an answer, he inhaled deeply and let himself sink, disappearing beneath the surface in one smooth motion.
for a moment, all was still—then, movement. a flicker of scales, the shimmer of silver darting between the rocks below. there.
tey'gan struck fast, jaws snapping, muscles honed from a lifetime of hunting in the sea. when he broke the surface again, he emerged victorious, a fish clenched in his teeth.
he turned to her, shaking water from his nape with a triumphant gesture. he tossed it to the riverbed with a smirk.

swimming was different from hunting, drastically so. when he moved the water and tried to destabilize her position it did not take much! her runner's build was useful for many things, and would make her a swift swimmer too; although compared to the ocean-man, she was far too weak.
the splash hit her clear between the eyes and for a moment skuka's blonde face darkened a shade, her eyes squeezing shut.
when opened again, tey'gan had become a dark blob in the water; as he rose again he had a large fish wriggling between his teeth. red stained the water.
you caught me; i can swim but fishing is not something ive learned. we are a land tribe. things would need to change if she was to survive, she knew. a laughter bubbled from her as she watched the fish spasm.
skuka drifted closer, using her toes to stop when necessary. her coat was slick against her figure beneath the surface. you are like a fish yourself.

tey’gan’s laughter rippled through the water, deep and warm. he shook his head, droplets flying as he lifted the fish higher in his grasp before dropping it onto the shore with a wet thud.
and you— he grinned, watching her movements with amusement, move like a txay'kalu.
the imagery was clear—a baby seal, wriggling and uncertain in the water, but with potential. she had the grace of the land, not the sea, but he could see how she learned, how she adjusted.
it is good you have me, then. his tail flicked beneath the water, propelling him closer until the space between them was near nonexistent. i will teach you to fish, to hunt in the water as i do.
he could not imagine a life without the sea, without the hunt beneath the waves. it was a gift to be able to share it, and she—she was willing to learn.
first, he moves deeper into the rapids, but searches for something— ah! a budding lily pad flower. he nips the bud clean from the root and chews it. then, he wrings the oils as it drips from his tongue, lathering it onto his neck, shoulders. bath.

her ears flicked back across her head when he called her txay'kalu; but he was not wrong! maybe that was why it stung. the water was more difficult to move through than air. she felt heavier beneath the surface, even with the buoyancy; or it was the weightless quality of bobbing there which displaced her sense of self, just enough to make it difficult.
but it would not be a day of lessons. tey'gan moved to bathe and skuka went to sulk in the shallows, trying to get used to the feeling of the water's pulse around her. she closed her eyes and took some deep breaths, or licked the river water from her lips, and tried to relax, and to focus.
letting him bathe in private.
while facing away from him, she called: should we follow the river after? still she did not want to climb the mountains; it seemed an obstacle worth avoiding.

tey’gan emerged from the water, rivulets slipping from his sleek form as he moved toward her with an easy grace, the current rolling off him as if he belonged to it. in his teeth, he carried a single petal from a water lily, plucked delicately from where it had floated atop the surface.
with a chuckle, he reached out, tucking it carefully among the furs of her ear. yes, the river guides to the ocean, he murmured, voice as steady as the current itself.
he did not push her, did not chide her struggle. instead, he admired her resolve. it was a patience few possessed, the willingness to listen to something greater than oneself, to let it shape and guide rather than fight against it.
his gaze flickered toward the horizon, where the river carved a path through the land. you want to try the flower nectar? he gestured to the remnants, lifting his eyes back to her. in voymaru we have...tskow’aya and trr’awn si’kel. but i use pay’ura’win for now.

oh! as he tucked the petal in to her wet fur she alerted to his presence, not realizing how close he was, and not used to such a small, intimate moment - especially from someone who may as well be a stranger. he was there and then focused elsewhere, so it wasn't like a lingering problem, but skuka was temporarily surprised.
the idea of eating the flowers was a little bit... odd. not unheard of, but not a common practice that she had seen. she did not recognize some of the flowers he spoke about, either.
we had only used it in paintings, she explained.
for the boys going on their first solo hunts, or men for their weddings, and those kinds of things. for the face, or the body. you drink the nectar? how can there be enough? it would take weeks of gathering for the tsahik to make enough paste for one person, let alone many.
different things must grow by the sea, she reasoned.
skuka feigned interest in a cluster of water lilies floating not far from them, near the patch that tey'gan had visited for his bathing, and saw the wide green leaves, some with suspended blossoms.

tey’gan chuckled softly, the deep rumble of his amusement like waves against the shore. we use coastal berries for paint, among other things, he explained, these are for scent.
he stepped past her, paws shifting smoothly through the water. it likens the promise of a mate—good hygiene, caring. his golden eyes flickered toward her, watching her reaction.
his people were warriors, yes, but they were also creatures of beauty. the sea shaped them, adorned them, and in turn, they adorned themselves. a man who smelled of salt and nothing more? undesirable. a man who took care to carry the fragrance of the earth, of the ocean’s gifts? a worthy provider.
the nectar is small, yes, he admitted, a grin teasing at his lips, but we are patient.

she inspects some of the floating green pads, their flowers; there isn't much to be gathered, and would have taken a very long time for an entire village to harvest enough for anything. she didn't think much of it, but did not share her thoughts aloud. when the conversation included mates, suddenly, skuka nodded and in a clinical manner, made a small noise of understanding. it was not so different from what her own people used it for.
the water was beginning to make her too cold, so she moved with a little paddling to the clay-faced edge, which she then climbed. it was worse outside of the water! something she had not considered. as she rises, water dribbles from narrow points of her coat which have become slick; she shakes a little bit, spraying water across grass.
next, skuka looks for a patch of sunlight—and upon sighting one nearby, she seeks it out to help with dryiing off, and getting warm.
what do we do if we find your siblings? or if we find others not of the people? she thinks then of the man who she had first encountered, how confused he had been by her, although ultimately accepting when she had a chance to explain. she wondered how often they might encounter such people—or those who would not understand.
looking to tey'gan where he lingers in the water, skuka sprawls, and tries to relax.

tey’gan remained in the water, letting the river carry him, his body light in its embrace. he watched as skuka pulled herself onto the bank, the way her fur clung to her frame, the way she shook out the cold. she was learning the river’s ways, but it was not yet home to her.
her question made him pause, ears twitching. 
he exhaled slowly, gaze drifting to where the river stretched ahead, winding like a silver path toward the unknown. he had spent so long searching, hoping that the next bend, the next crossing, would bring him closer to them.
we welcome them. the words were steady, but there was something quiet in his tone, something not so certain beneath his confidence. if they are of my blood, then they are my family, no matter how much time has passed. if they are not, then we teach them, help them understand.
he moved, following her to the bank. water dripped from his pelt, darkening the clay beneath his paws. he did not shake himself dry yet, not when she sprawled in the sunlight, trying to soak in its warmth. instead, he stood near her, letting the last remnants of river water trail down his limbs.
some will listen, he mused, voice thoughtful. some will not. his golden eyes flicked down to meet hers, the hint of a smile playing at his lips. but i have found that the right words, the right patience, can make all the difference.

was it their place to teach strangers of their ways? if eywa did not already speak to them—but perhaps that was unfair of skuka. in the short-term it did not matter to consider these things. it was just as possible his siblings were not here; it would take months to traverse these wilds, and who really knew what awaited them?
tey'gan stood near her, his shadow stretching out to great lengths.

his gold met her green. if we listen, i trust eywa to show us the way. there had to be a reason they both found themselves here, and together.

she will.
certainty shaped the words, a quiet, unshakable faith that settled in his chest. there was no need for doubt. no need to question. eywa would guide them.
his shadow stretched long beside hers, a silent reminder that they were not alone—not in this, not in the journey ahead. his golden eyes met her green, steady and sure.
was it their place to teach? to share the wisdom of the people with those who had never heard the wind sing, never felt the river’s pulse, never known what it was to live as part of the whole? perhaps. perhaps not. but in the end, it did not matter.
what mattered was the path before them. the months it would take to search, the unknown that stretched out beyond the river’s bend.
what mattered was that they were not alone.
we will find them, he murmured, voice low with quiet resolve. we are meant to.

fade and smth new:)?

Yes please!

it was good that they were together. unknown to one-another to a great degree, but at least of the People; and that gave skuka strength. she would learn from this man as he would learn from her, and together they would make their way in this wild place.
soundlessly she smiles to him, and lays her head upon her crossed arms, to rest—at least until the sun has warmed and dried her, and then they will be off again to seek their futures together.