Barrow Fields and that is how they grow

tagging @Sakhmet, @Kigipigak, @Akumma & @Cerne mostly for visibility ( but feel free to hop in if you want ). all welcome!

the first leg of their journey to moonglow brings with it unparalleled excitement within kivaluk; who was looking forward to visiting moonglow — despite that the allies of his parents ( friends, even ) were strangers to him. it was the promise of adventure and the tempt of experiencing something new that sparks this joy within kivaluk.

they settle on a field to set up 'camp' and rest before continuing to the next stop of the trip; and kivaluk takes to exploring with brazen fearlessness — mindful not to stray too far from whichever adult was tasked with keeping an eye on him at the moment.

he studies a mound — the first one he comes across since their stop — though it was simply one of many. but it is unappealing and boring and he moves onto the next mound, wondering if it might hide some sort of hidden secret.

It is a good place for a stop, she thinks. To reach the coast was not as easy as it had been last time, but now there are children. Boys running amok or to be tended to. They have never made such a journey as this, it is their first true adventure.

And she cannot help but smile as she sees the bold figure of Kivaluk exploring one of the many mounds here.

What have you found? She inquired, padding closer to him, silver eyes peering at him with pride.

kivaluk peers over his shoulder in soft surprise at sakhmet's voice, having been so intently focused upon the second mound he was investigating that he hadn't heard the approaching of her footfalls. a soft wag of his tail is given, comforted by his mother's voice and presence instantly, before turning back to look at the mound. like the first, it's ...impressive in size ( everything was a bit impressive in size to him at his present stage of growing, still small and young ) but there's nothing extraodinary about it, either.

`nuffin. kivaluk says with a heavy, disappointed sigh. they're just dirt, mama. or so, first appearances told him, anyway.

'Nuffin.

Her heart ached with the love of him.

And how do you know, Kivaluk? She asked with a gesture towards the untouched mound. An eyebrow raised steady. Have you done everything you can?

She wished to encourage him to explore further. There would be things to see on this trip that would not be able to be found elsewhere.

kivaluk draws in a breath, brow furrowing as he looks up from the mound to his mother. words fumble around in his brain, mostly revolving around i don't know but they never make it past the opening and closing of his mouth; gaping like a fish out of water. well, starts kivaluk, struggling to come up with a valid reason as to how he knows it. he can't and it shows.

uhm. no. he admits. should i dig it? he asks, seeking permission. it's not his mound, after all and it feels almost sinful to dig at them.

It seems she had called out her son!

It had not been her intention to put him in a stumped position, but she did enjoy seeing his growth. His mind needed work as much as his body did! Especially if she wished to raise him into a good hunter, a good scouter.

Smell around, She encouraged. Nobody claims the mound, so it is yours to figure out. Do you want to dig? She hoped that he might relish the freedom to pick his own path.

kivaluk's ears swivel back in contemplation as his gaze goes from his mother to the mound; soaking in her words. words of affirmation: that it was nobody's and thus it was his to discover. there was no one to stop him, no one to come rushing at him teeth bared for digging up their mound.

with his mother's encouragement settling within his chest he turns back to the mound in full and begins to dig; sending clumps of dirt flying behind him and smattering his muzzle, clinging to the wispier flyaways of his belly.

She side stepped with a wide smile on her face. Watching with delight as her son sent great waves of sand behind him.

Her eyes squinted softly as tried to peer around his digging form, avoiding grains of sand in her eyes. Dig, dig! She cheered him on as her tail whipped behind him. Eventually she would step closer, a dazzled look in her eyes.

Have you found anything?

he huffs and puffs with each forceful dig of his front paws, heaving up big mounds of sand and dirt, determined ...and encouraged by her chanting. he only stops when he reaches something. he noses at it, smearing dirt across his muzzle as he digs some more: smaller, more precise sweeps of his paws.

issa bone! he declares, tugging it free. a piece of some large beast's ribcage: a deer, perhaps. or some other large ungulate that he is not familiar with. regardless, something larger — despite that it fractured and broke off from the rest — than him at any rate.

lookit! he mumbles 'round it, dropping it between them with a generous amount of slobber coating where it'd been previously held by him.

would you like me to get something new for these two? <3

"Issa bone!"

And she found such a wide smile on her face!

Kivaluk seemed to have an affinity for finding these things, or perhaps just knowing when to find them. He had been named for the bone he selected, after all.

My hunter! She praised as her tail offered full energy behind her. You should show your father. I am sure he can tell you plenty about the bone — and he will see how well you listen to lessons. She moved forward to dote on him with small kisses to his crown.

that'd be fantastic! i'll go ahead and wrap this up for us!! <3

a warmth spreads in kivaluk's chest at his mother's smile; chest puffing out with unbridled pride as she praises his hunting skills. otay! his chirrups at her suggestion that he go show his father. as she finishes her sentance he scoops upp the bone betwixt his jaws and pads off happily to find kigipigak and show him his find.