Moonspear i want to be part cookie, part cheeseburger

"don't go too far," was the last thing he heard before he stumbled his way free of the ulaq and out into the surrounding area. he answered back with a shout and then set off for a nearby boulder that would act as his newfound fort. 

he needed his own little man cave, some place where him and dad could hang out, and maybe later on his brothers too. probably not rollie though, he was too loud. always yelling about something, loud, loud, loud little brother he was. 

he reached the boulder and proceeded to circle around it a few times before his decision was made. yes, this would be a sufficient stronghold, it just needed some decoration to it. and so acrux set out to begin gathering twigs and stones and a mix of other assortments. he drug them back to his make-shift fort and tossed them into a pile where he could grab from later. first he needed to climb his boulder and get a proper look over his little realm.

and so that's exactly what he began to do.

tags for reference!

Acrux and @Maggak grew exponentially each day. Sialuk marveled at this, and she watched as they began to test the world outside. Already she had begun to direct them more away from milk and more toward meat. @Rolayne and @Panuk grew as well, their eyes beginning to see the world as it was. @Rodyn was a dutiful father, always around when his sons needed him. Sialuk did the best she could, making time for @Elentari and @Argent when she was not feeding one child or rounding up another.

The mother watched from just outside the den as Acrux began to gather materials for whatever his imagination had stirred up. He had found a boulder and begun to add various bits and bobs to a pile near it. A small stick, a larger stick, several stones, and Sialuk thought she may have spotted one of the hooves @Alaric had brought over the course of the weeks. She sat, amused as Acrux now attempted to scramble onto the boulder—something she had full confidence he would achieve in no time.

acrux had managed to scoot his little boot halfway up the boulder when a single slip sent him tumbling down like humpty dumpty. fortunately, he did not break into a bunch of little pieces like the fairy-tale character had. rather, he was left only with a small cut on one of his forelegs that was barely visible beneath his fur. still, it hurt! 

he glanced back towards his pale mother to search for some encouragement before he dusted himself off and set his sights back on the boulder. like a bull ready to charge, the pudgey babe kicked up some dirt and then charged himself right back up to where he had fallen before. this time though he secured his footing, and managed to scoot himself just a little higher than he'd gone before.

Sialuk restrained herself from rushing to Acrux's side when he slipped and fell down off of the boulder. She knew it was imperative that he learn to handle mistakes and failures with as much grace as his successful attempts. Had she not also had her fair share of bumps, bruises, and scrapes in her youth? It seemed as though every other week she was injuring herself as a child, though she had grown out of it in her adolescence. Perhaps her body had gotten used to itself in that time, allowing her the freedom from injury for a very long time.

She nodded encouragement as he looked back to her, watching as he had another go at the boulder. Once there, she wondered what he would do. Would he seek to claim that spot? Enjoy his new view? Decide it was not for him and come rushing back down? The anticipation of watching him make his own choices was something the starwoman very much enjoyed in that moment, and her sunrise eyes watched him closely from the mouth of the den.

one step, two step, three step, four, he reached the top and let out a roar. 

pride swelled in his chest at his own accomplishment, eyes bright with satisfaction he'd never felt before. he'd done it, and all by himself too! he glanced back over to where sialuk was sat and let a wide, joyful smile stretch across his maw. "i dids it," he shouted out with delight, hopeful his mother would share the same happiness as he. 

he turned back then, sight set on the outstretching land beneath him now. the shift in perspective was extraordinary for his young eyes to take in. he was taller than dad now even, and imagined this is what the world would look like when he was big and strong. 

a glance towards a set of other boulders still too far off for him to explore caught his attention. the fire of imagination lit at the sight of them, and he let his mind wander with ideas. trolls!! yes, trolls lived there among those rocks, and he would one day set out to conquer them too.

Sialuk continued to observe from a distance, pleased when he reached the top of his own private Moonspear. Ittuki! she beamed when he shouted that he had done it. Acrux seemed to shift his attention to the world below him then, his eyes locking on what must have been his next destination. A pang of longing weaseled its way into her heart, knowing that one day, he would wish to travel far away from his mothers, even if it was only for a time.

imagination ran wild. trolls, goblins, fairies and more. he could see them as clear as day, as if they were there just off in the distance. a world full of color was more vibrant now than it would ever be, before any heartache, before any loss. he knew only of love and happiness, and as such it reflected in the brightness of his world. 

he turned back to anaa now, smile beaming wide across his maw. he spun around to scooch himself back down the boulder, pace slow until eventually gravity took hold and sent him down the fastest slide he'd ever known. he landed with an "oof," but picked himself up and tottered over to where his pale mother rest. 

once near he brushed himself against her and sat himself close enough to lean against her. all that climbing was tough work.

The boy returned, finding his way to her side, and Sialuk could not help but throw a single foreleg around him in a motherly embrace. You are strong, Acrux. One day, you will climb even the tallest mountains. Perhaps become a mountain walker of village Moonspear, she said, grinning.

What did you see from the spear's peak? she asked, shifting into the language of her mother's people. It would be easy to speak to her children in only the common tongue, but the starwoman wished to keep the culture of anaa alive and well.

he leaned into anaa's embrace, eyelids briefly fluttering closed as he listened to her speak of his possibilities. mountain walker — at this he smiled. it felt as natural as his name did, and he imagined himself one day conquering the true peak's of the world. 

but it would be many moons until he saw dreams turn to reality, and so he settled his focus to what he could accomplished now. 

he glanced upward at the sound of native tongue, eyes thoughtful as he carefully pondered over his response. "i seen da rocks. i seen da fairies. i seen da trolls too!" he announced with the soft patter of his tail against the earth. had she seen them as well? surely she had, they'd been all around him when he was atop his fort.

She did not know if he would remain on the spear when he grew legs strong enough to travel. Even she had parted ways from anaa when she had reached her second year, seeking out knowledge beyond the land she had been born into. It was this time that had brought to her many new ideas and ways of life, learned from the people beyond Teekon. This day for Acrux would be long from now, and the starwoman returned herself to the present.

He spoke of rocks, fairies, and trolls. The latter reminded her of the stories her own mother told long ago, and she knew that one day Acrux would hear some from Kukutux as well. There had never been a story that Sialuk had not been enthralled with, and she had a feeling her own children would feel the same. When you see grandmother Kukutux, ask her for a story about lightning mother and rain father, she said.

he found comfort in the warmth of anaa, in her downy fur and the soft rise and fall of her chest. in the gentle hum of her voice and of her nurturing presence. it all together lulled the boy to a state of hypnagogia, for he was drained after all his fort planning and boulder climbing.

still, he remained conscious enough to hear his mother's words, and of her suggestion to ask grandmother for a story. "o'tay," he responded as he slipped back into common tongue. a yawn escaped him, but he fought it off with the thought of what the suggested story might be about. lightning mother and rain father, who were they?

we can archive here if you'd like!

Sialuk swore she could see sleep begin to come over him. It was not so surprising, really. He had been plenty busy with his climbing, and his brain was clearly dreaming up all sorts of things on top of that. Acrux was still a child, easily tired by short bursts of activity and excitement. Sialuk treasured these moments, knowing it would not be long before he wished to venture out on his own, further and further away from the only home he had ever known. She only prayed that he would come back often to share what he learned of the world with her. It was what she had always done, and perhaps she could instill that in her children, too.

I will tell you another story, she said, about a girl who was born missing a toe. She wiggled her right front foot at him, presenting her three-toed foot and hoping it might intrigue him. She patted the ground then, offering him a space to settle in and listen.

<3

he was not left long to wonder before the words of his mother drew him in again. another story, this one of a girl missing a toe. he looked downward when she wiggled her paw before him, mouth forming an o when he realized this story was about her. 

he stretched his limbs before settling down where she'd instructed. there he remained, attentively listening until the story concluded and sleep crawled it's way back into existence.