Neverwinter Forest Itsasuane

Clouds scattered overhead while the sun settled itself behind the mountain ridge, casting long shadows from the looming trees. An ominous owl sounded from high in the dark boughs. The music of cicadas played quietly. The bird would hunt soon. As the sun gave way to darkness and the sparkle of starlight, the animal would take flight and scoop creatures from the ground below.

Just as the owl would hunt, so did the wolf.

Kannoyak prowled the stretching shadows and breathed heavy in the scent of pine and juniper. The pale man felt confident to return to familiar land. He had turned his plum gaze to Moonglow before disappearing in the woodland darkness. He would hunt and he would bring his prize to their borders as a gift.

She meant to hunt the forest that sat between the glacier and the spine.

Perhaps she should have asked after White @Elk for success in numbers. Maybe she meant to prove something to herself in this act.

She was not the only hunter in these woods, though. Someone else stirred in the starlight. Their paths had not yet crossed but she imagined they might if this one meant to go hunting too.

A hum in the back of her throat carried her on swift feet.

No one said she was a stealthy hunter.

Prey scent was plentiful in the forest. As Kannoyak prowled the fresh aroma of pine filled his head and soothed him into a hunter’s pace. He moved into the trees, deeper and faster as he searched for something that would be adequate to offer to the wolves of the moon. Another owl sounded, hooting into the darkening trees.

If not for the musical note, Kannoyak might have missed the other hunter. Her hum sounded and drew his ears up, forward, curious to know what it was that would make this sound. It was otherworldly to the white hunter.

The man released a low howl to announce his presence to this unknown being.

A howl.

Once her singing had brought her a sister. Now it brought her a night hunter.

She returned his sound to him, but in it she asked for him to come forth. Carefully she aligned herself along a tree for tentative support. She doubted anyone this near the moon villages would be so unwise as to mean harm — but she had been wrong before, she might be again.

Warm amber eyes waited to see what form would cut through the shadows and starlight.

An answer came in the form of a woman’s voice. Kannoyak drew his ears to a tall point and scanned the trees for signs of the other hunter. The man’s path diverted, following her call to where he might find the face of the woman who had offered it. While the forest burst with nightlife sounds, he did not have trouble.

It was the white hunter that cut through the shadows. He slowed and lifted his snout to the breeze, knowing her scent was strong here. Kannoyak chuffed in his deep voice. The deep plum of his eyes peered into the wood until he came upon her face.

The man waited, a few paces short of where the woman watched.

He looked as if he could be blood.

She would know him if he was, she thought, but they could share blood in another way.

A warm note strung by her vocal chords — Hunt with me. Not a question but an invitation. If he did not take it, then her hunt would not be so grand but she was determined to hunt nonetheless.

She hoped with the might of him it might be a more worthwhile endeavor.

Her determination showed as she turned away, prepared to stalk back into the tickets of the forest to find what might be fitting for them both.

The man’s heart soared with joy. This woman wished to hunt with him.

Kannoyak nodded, accepting her as hunting sister until they had brought down an animal that would satisfy them both. It would be a good hunt, he believed. The girl appeared strong and she carried a gleam in her gaze that spoke of confidence. The white hunter knew these to be good traits for those who chased prey.

Wasting no time, the cotton grass man lowered his snout to the earth until his whiskers brushed against the ground. He breathed the scent of the wood, searching for the freshest indicator of prey. Beaver scent was most prominent and he believed they might find good fortunes there.

Then they would hunt!

She felt such a blossoming joy at this that she was content to fell whatever creature they came upon. Beaver it would be, but she might have even settled for mice if her company was so kind!

On land it would be them who had the advantage as long as they avoided the pesky creatures large teeth.

There were parts of the creature she wished for, but they must bring it down first.

A soft chuff towards him as she offered him to lead on this attack. In their own duo, he would be first hunter and her a faithful second.

This woman was gracious. She stepped so that Kannoyak might lead their hunting party.

The pale man bowed his head, grateful to her kindness. He found his spirit soared with the prospect of chasing prey. The thrill of the hunt had never died in him. The cotton grass man could not tire of the thing that gave him purpose.

Beaver chatter drew the white hunter’s ears to a perk. His plum stare watched the undergrowth, peering for a sign of the plump creature’s motion. Another chatter and the man stepped into a lean crouch, slowing his hurried steps. There… he fixed his sights on four of them. They were round and clumsy with their bodies but they would make for fine meals.

She became his pale shadow and followed after his quick steps.

She trusted his hunting guidance for both his age and — well, she was not certain! Perhaps it was some brand of assumption and old tradition to think an older man might be a better hunter than she. Maybe she just assumed everyone hunted better than her!

The bodies of four beavers had made her focus on the task at hand.

There was a palpable eagerness to her in that moment. In her wildest dreams they took down all of them! Yet she knew they might be lucky to take even half.

She waited for his direction, but her tall body had lowered close to the earth.

The woman’s eagerness could be felt upon the air. Kannoyak watched as she prowled into a position that would allow her to see him, would grant them room to work together. When she appeared to have found the shade of some brush, the white hunter nodded to her and fixed his gaze upon their targets.

Four busy beavers working near the trees. It was likely that they were preparing for a family. The fattest of them chattered while working at the base of a tree. Their monstrous teeth made short work of the thick bark and tender wood underneath. Kannoyak observed for a moment longer before he shifted his position and stalked forward.

One of the beavers stopped, alert and fearful. The cotton grass man waited, breath held in his chest. When the beaver returned to work, Kannoyak took the opportunity to begin the hunt. A chuff sounded, signaling his partner to move in and strike with him.

She noted that sometimes, in their chewing, they stopped. Listened to the tree for creaks or groans before they carried onward.

The sound of them peeling away the trees layers was satisfying — but not as satisfying as the hunt would be.

One of them stopped and yet this time she worried it was not for the tree, but for them. The moment felt like it drew out forever! Until suddenly it did not. The next sound was a chuff from her hunting partner. All she needed was this little signal from him to begin.

Already she imagined her teeth on the spine of the tree-chewing creature as she moved on long limbs.

And just as his voice left his throat, the woman moved in. Kannoyak did not hesitate. His strong legs pushed him forward, pivoting to cut off one of the beavers as it attempted to flee toward the water. It’s eyes were wild with fear just moments before the cotton grass man found purchase in the back of its neck. A swift crunch ceased the animal’s noises.

One down, Kannoyak shifted his paws until he found new footing. His hunter’s gaze was fixed on another beaver. The hunter woman would be faced with trying to snag two of her own. A quick dart of his eyes to where she was, where he expected she would be.

The second beaver turned, snapping its powerful teeth at Kannoyak. The hunter growled, slowing his pursuit.

But this one was sharp and cunning! Callyope had not hunt beaver before and she found herself hardly as coordinated as this man.

Her limbs danced quickly around gnashing teeth and a tail that wanted to slap!

When her teeth connected in a violent end for the creature, her other possible target had already slipped away. Yet she would feel a pride in even having come away with one.

The snapping teeth were only a temporary threat to the cotton grass man. He made a motion to dart around the side of the angry tree-gnawer and found the beady eyes of the beaver followed him, as did the snapping head. When the prey animal had nearly closed its jaws on his cheek, Kannoyak jumped back and pushed forward until his fangs sunk into the warm meat of the beaver’s neck.

Breathing heavy, he shook the animal until it stopped moving. When he rested the pump creature at his paws, he looked up to see that his hunting partner had been successful with her target.

Good hunter, he praised her. His head bowed respectfully.