Moonspear Unâk

Kannoyak had done well to learn the mountain paths. The snow had become familiar to his paws. He looked forward to trekking the steep rock, eyes trained on the paths below him.

When he was not learning Moonspear, the white hunter was chasing the prey of the Teekons. The sun had risen several hours ago, but he had only just returned to the village with two rabbits clasped in his teeth. One of them was a vibrant ginger color. It’s black-tipped tail had been a daring mark to chase through the snow and into the trees of the nearby forest.

The other rabbit was white. Its sharp blue eyes reminded the man of the ice that formed over the lakes. He had brought this one for @Chakliux.

each day chakliux grew stronger. he wished to leave soon, to join in the building of the lodge. the seal hunter hoped that kannoyak and nasamik would bond in his absence. it would bode well for their intentions to live as one.
white rabbit. blue eyes. the man bathed his jaws with pink tongue and grinned at the other northerner. "soon i will join you again, kannoyak."
for now he was not hungry, only brimming with life.

Chakliux was already eager to return to the hunting paths. Kannoyak was pleased by this. His dark lips were turned up in a smile. The white rabbit was placed at the paws of his pale brother.

I cannot wait for that day. Until then, I have been building the lodge. It will be finished soon.

There were a few pieces he would need to work on. He had been a poor companion to Nasamik while he had worked on their sleeping quarters. It was not ulaq but a home of Chakliux’ customs. Kannoyak had never had a lodge or ulaq for himself. This would be a great honor for the white hunter. He thought of pathmaking for the raindrop woman, only to return to his brother and the softness of his brother’s wife.

chakliux grunted warmly at this. "i have not had my head beneath a lodge for a long while. my spirit will be happy to return." his eyes lit; he touched the rabbit and then added, "i have not been idle, brother."
he pulled bundles of things into the light: herbs, a skin-pouch, pieces of soft skin, pretty things of bones and feathers. "i made tools of luck and traded with alaric." he patted his small pile of goods. "for now i cannot hunt. but i can trade!"
chakliux laughed then began to cut into the rabbit carefully. "i will save its skin for her also. she will make it into a wrap, like the moonwoman wears."

Kannoyak had worked hard to make the lodge a great thing. It would be a peaceful place for them to seek warmth and comfort. After long hunts and many paths forged in the unknown terrain, the man thought it fitting to seek his rest with his hunting brother and Chakliux’ wife. This was a good place. He felt that his spirit had been carried in the right direction.

Ah, you have been hard at work.

The white hunter inspected each item that was shown. His stare was intense, curious. Chakliux had many skills. It was good to know that he was in Moonspear. It was good to know that his wounds were healing, and his head would have a proper place to rest.

Raindrop woman will be pleased to have such men in her village.

Kannoyak swelled proudly and offered a smile to his brother.

skip please!

the voice of seal hunter was common.

now it echoed between two bodies in the shallow of the den. the little brother laid in the haze of whatever his last dose had been. something for the pain that seized him often.

he thought, maybe, he was adrift in a dream. thinking of the things seal hunter spoke of.

he groaned softly as yellow eyes peered at two white figures.

She came to check on the two under her care. But it was the words of Kannoyak that she heard before those who healed here.

"... pleased to have such men in her village."

Sialuk grinned, approaching with her eyes glancing between the two of them and remembering their first hunt together. How strange that they should end up here, under her care!

These men think highly of themselves, she said, tail lashing in jest, Perhaps this is the way of all men. Or perhaps only men who had heads bigger than their bodies.

chakliux watched the knowing gaze of kannoyak move over each thing. he would have said more then, perhaps a boast, or perhaps he would have mentioned the boy.
but then sialuk arrived with a tease upon her lips; chakliux did not hide his admiration of her, glancing only once to kannoyak to see if his hunting-brother too drank up the dew of her beauty.
"it is the way of this man. who else can say, i made the stars proud?" the seal hunter teased back.
to know she wanted him was uplifting indeed.

The raindrop woman’s voice was not something that softened Kannoyak’s pride. He swelled greater at her words.

Chakliux understood! It was their way. It would have been a different matter, if the white hunter was not capable of contributing to the Moonspear village. He contributed, though. Kannoyak had hunted and carried the bodies of his prey to the mountain to feed the wolves in the village. He would do it again and again. The white hunter had already planned on starting his pathmaking duties – to Brecheliant.

If Chakliux sought to know if Kannoyak thought Sialuk was beautiful, he would see a flicker of interest in the hunter’s plum gaze.

Kannoyak had found himself smitten by two women. The raindrop woman of the mountain was strong in his mind, but there was another… a dark-furred woman in a village on the caldera. He thought of her, too.

To the wolves who had gathered in the place of healing, he did not speak. Kannoyak simply stood with a smile, pleased to hear the raindrop woman tease at them.

just saw the skip note!

Quennell made a small noise, and after a brief look in his direction, Sialuk determined he was merely sleeping (or feigning as much). Starwoman would leave him undisturbed.

She kept her voice quiet as she laughed at Chakliux's comment. Making the stars proud, indeed!

You both have blended well into this village, she praised. They were good men to have.

chakliux laughed, noting how kannoyak did not say anything. "i look forward to proving my place, sialuk," the seal hunter said with a touch more seriousness.
"in the meantime, i will pray for the wet rain to heal me," chakliux added in suggestion, laughing again between them.