Silvertip Mountain the earth spins and the moon goes round

Somewhere in the great beyond, the sun sunk below the jagged horizon, but the fortress of Silvertip barred her from catching the final rays of the day's fading light. A barren waste surrounded her, failing to boast of the new growth that sprouted throughout the rest of the flatlands. Not even stripped boughs blocked the girl from the eyes of light that sparked in the sky above. Nanook hadn't felt so exposed since crossing Desna on the plains. A sea of scents overwhelmed her, foreign, tight, and altogether fearsome.

She had not forgotten the names her sister had given her. Though the rogue had little to boast in physical strength or social sensitivity, her mind remained sharp. It was the one thing that kept her going, and the only means by which she had managed to survive this famine on her own. Yet she remained a weathered and angular thing, and felt the weight of starvation with every new day she was given. She may have survived thus far, but how much longer until her eyelids sagged and her muscles caved and she entered the darkness forever? Her mother had given up, but Nanook couldn't bring herself to do the same. The realization instead drove her steps to the edge of this pack's claim, with nothing to offer but the determination to live.

Though uncertainty touched her, Nanook tipped her head skyward and opened her mouth to call. A moment passed before a sound actually pulsed from her chest. She named them both, just as Desna had directed - Mason and @Steady - and with their names cascading in her quiet tone between the crags, Nanook fell to silence. Her muzzle remained pointed to the sky, gaze turned to watch the constellations appear as she waited in silence.

The tawny beta heard the call of another wolf, bringing her closer to the borders to see another. Her murky eyes looked over the other woman, showing signs of interest but intimidation.

​the mountain of a woman cleared her throat, her body stature raising along with her hackles. "What brings you here, traveler?" She asked softly, looking towards the stranger calmly.

The sky awakened with the night. As she watched the stars appear in the twilight sky, Nanook felt her breath grow steady. Something in the stars calmed her, the certainty that though they disappear for the day, she could count on them to reappear come evening time. When the world seemed so unsteady, they were her constant in a vast, uncertain world.

A voice broke her trance, and Nanook's felt her fur bristle from the shock. She snapped her gaze away from the sky to focus on the woman who approached. It had been long since she'd stood in the presence of an Alpha - for that was who she took this new wolf to be - and for a heartbeat she froze, uncertain of how to answer or what to do next. In pure instinct she sunk to the ground and turned her gaze away, as she recalled being taught when she was just a pup. "I seek - " her voice came hoarse, even to her ears, and Nanook felt a twinge of frustration through her chest. In haste, she cleared her throat, and prayed the leader would not count it against her. "I seek a home. With your pack." This was too easy. Surely this wolf would demand more of her, but Nanook had never done this before, and she held her tongue from rambling.

The yearling was in search of a home, making the beta's head tilt. They had room to say teh least, but what would this girl offer? Krypton's eyes scanned over her calmly, relaxing a bit as Nanook pushed herself into a submissive position. Nodding her head, the tawny wolf decided to give the fire-eyed girl the rundown. "What can you offer us if you were to join, traveler?" She asked, quite curious about the girl's answer.

The question came as Nanook had expected. Her ears splayed to the side, but the polar child did not shrink away. She knew of no other packs in the area, nor had Desna suggested any others that would take in a rogue like herself. Her hope rested on Silvertip; as far as she knew, her life depended on finding a place here.

So she took her time to decide her words, and for a long moment offered nothing but contemplative silence. She glanced to the stars once more, and their eyes grounded her. They were the same as they had always been, whether in Bearclaw Valley or on the cusp of a foreign land. She felt the tendrils of anxiety ebb to a whisper, and the Apaata looked to the leader once more, a new fire in her eyes. When she opened her mouth, her voice remained hoarse, but her words spilled with firm conviction. "I taught myself to hunt. I've been alone for half my life. I know how to survive." She wanted to live, and she would bring that with her wherever she went. "I want to learn."

Hunting and surviving were reasonable answers to Krypton, though she wanted to make sure this wolf was the real deal. Perhaps she could teach her new things if she were to join? A hunter would be a good asset to the pack, but any wolf could kill and survive. Nanook secured her answer though, practically reading the tawny woman's thoughts. She wanted to learn and was willing to. Her head was still at its' tilted angle, murky eyes once again looking over the girl. "Hunting and surviving skills are a good asset, along with your willingness to learn," Krypton commented, nodding to her own words.

She decided to move on past that topic and speak about the way Silvertip ran. "We have a set of rules here in the mountain that you must abide by and agree to. Any slip up with them can get you thrown out or demoted to our lowest ranking" she warned. She didn't really go for scaring her, but a nice warning ahead never hurt a wolf. Deciding to explain the rules, the beta wolf lifted her gaze a bit. "Silvertip works as a family. We treat each other as our own brothers and sisters and look after one another. We hunt for one another and protect each other fiercly. If you are to join-" Krypton said, almost as if she was trying to grab Nanook's attention. "Then you are to respect the higher-ranked wolves. You will be expected to provide for our family as we will provide for you. Can you agree to these terms, girl?" Krypton asked quite curious about her answer.

Though bowed in submission, Nanook steeled herself against the woman's scrutinizing watch and tried not to let her nerves give way. Had she said enough to secure a place here? Did a test await her, an assessment to confirm she spoke the truth? She could hunt, but even she knew her tactics were uncouth and unimpressive to anyone who wished to be impressed.

But the woman demanded no display of prowess. Rather, her words turned to Silvertip, and Nanook felt her heart skip. Hope? Excitement? Or a fearful understanding of the reality of what she was getting herself into? The woman spoke of living as brothers and sisters. Nanook only knew how to run from hers. Ever since mama and papa had split she'd been running, but if she gave herself to Silvertip...

She stared past the woman with a pinched gaze and let her sight touch the growing darkness of the night. Nowhere near as dark as her sister, and somewhere in her stirred the understanding that Desna was why she was here, why she was trying. Nanook didn't know what prompted this, because she had done right in leaving her family, in carrying her punishment away with her. To have a family was dangerous. To let herself feel brought agony, and spiked fear to her very toes. But Nanook couldn't run anymore, and though she trembled at what she was doing, she offered her answer in a careful nod and a quiet yet certain, "Yes."

She agreed to follow the terms. Krypton's gaze softened, her flat mouth soon curling up into a smile. It was good to hear that she would abide the rules and learn, making things a lot easier for the beta. "Then welcome to the family. What is your name?" She asked, looking at the bright-eyed girl. Krypton soon angled her body to allow Nanook entrance to the land. She would guide her on from there.

And that was that. A strange buzz filled the girl and made the earth feel like air beneath her paws. On the woman's words she was one with Silvertip, yet she would only believe this night was real when the day awoke at the morning sun.

She was ready to give her name when a worry struck her and she paused, mouth agape. "I -" Heat flooded her ears and her throat tightened, before she managed to push out, "I don't have one." Because she wasn't done running. Because Desna knew this pack, and had directed her to them, and Nanook didn't know what she would do if her sister found out she was here.

Her responce shocked Krypton, how could this girl not have a name? If she had no name, then what was she to call her, or at least refer to her by to the other pack mates? Giving off a loud hmm sound, Krypton  rummaged her head for ideas about the siutation at hand. "Well," she began, trying to find a good solution. "You could make yourself a name if you'd like," she offered hoping to come off as a hospitable woman. Her head was still perplexed at why the girl had no name.

To give herself a name. The solution offered little comfort, for the only name she wanted was the one she already bore. The one her parents had chosen for her, when she had been a pup and they had been a family and times had been gentle and soft. There was betrayal in the thought of abandoning her name. It was all she had left of her mother and father, and all she had left of herself. And yet...

A deep thoughtfulness fell over the girl, and her gaze drifted skyward. Perhaps she could still be Nanook - not blatantly so, but hidden with the new name she chose. Her eyes flicked from star to star, until finally she moved her lips in a semblance of a whisper, silent at first to feel out the word on her tongue. It felt strange and foreign to her, like someone she was not, but there remained a thing of comfort buried in it that Nanook couldn't explain. And so she added voice to the movement of her mouth, so the woman could hear her decision and Nanook could hear it herself. "Polaris." For her parents had once told her she had been named after a bear as white as untouched snow, and she would stay Nanook in this.

Polaris. An elegant name that fitted the girl in front of Krypton. "Polaris" Krypton reported, nodding her head and looking towards the fire-eyes girl. "Welcome Polaris, to Silvertip Mountain." Krypton said, her smile warm and gentle. Stepping a bit to the side, the beta welcomed Polaris with open arms. "I'd be happy to show you around, though I'm afraid it is a little late," she concluded, looking up towards the starry night.

"in the morning, I'd be happy to introduce you to everyone too. For now I think it is best that you sleep. I'm Krypton by the way, Beta of Silvertip."

Last post from me! I look forward to threading with you again <3

Polaris. The name felt just as strange coming from a stranger, but Polaris she would become, if only to the world. The woman's face spoke of an affection Nanook had not felt directed at her for a long time and the Apaata bowed her head, both out of respect for her superior and to hide the pain that crossed her face. "Thank you." Her voice remained soft, her words succinct. When she lifted her gaze from the earth, the other had stepped aside, and for a moment Nanook wondered if the Maplewood would have done the same if she had tried to return to them.

She shook the thought with a step toward the mountain and the kind woman, until the scents of Silvertip envelloped her, speaking of many and the same. Though her stomach twisted at what the morning would bring, she forced a nod to Krypton's offer. Sooner or later she would meet them all, but for the moment Nanook was grateful the beta did not force the formalities upon her. Her bones weighed heavy with the need for rest. "Thank you. I'd like that." She moved no farther, but watched Krypton with the expectancy she would lead the way to wherever Silvertip slumbered.

Alright, I'll go ahead and archive. Thanks for the thread and once again welcome to STM <3

Her thanks were spoken in a soft manner to the beta, making Krypton get a good impression of Polaris. She looked like a good kid, one willing to help, learn, and respect. With that in mind, Krypton led Polaris to the hollow where some pack mates slept. Quietly she snuck in with the girl and settled down. Although she preferred her large den, she wanted to at least come off as welcoming. Watching over Polaris in silence, the beta soon settled her head down and shut her eyes.