Ocean's Breath Plateau Akhlut

Where Arrluk's journey ended, in many ways, was how his journey began. It is this place where he had seen the ocean for the first time and on that day, where he had seen the great hunter he was named for, the killer whale. It is the place where he had first experienced both new life given and life taken. It is the place which pushed his path from boy, to man. It is the place, long before his making, where spirits and the gods brought @Kukutux and Aiolos together once more, after years had passed between. It was a place of past, of memories, of love and of sorrows. It was this place, fated for the young wolf. 

The young wolf's path this time had led him down the slopes of the mountain which held alpine lake. He hadnt even realized how close he was to the familiar until he had stood upon the heights of the mountain lake and looked out at the land around him below. Each step he had taken on this journey had led him from one place of vast waters to the next. Arrluk knew now, no matter where he went, no matter where family or friends might lead him, his heart and soul belonged to the water- the lakes, the river, the stream, the creeks and ponds, the ocean. 

The late evening was falling away from him as he slipped into the territory of Moontide. Having an open border, he didn't call for another, not this time. Not now. Samani's spirit had guided him here and his focus now was to find out what was to come next. He arced around the slopes of the plateau and made way directly to the coast, as though something, someone, was calling him there. 

And someone was. 

On the desolate beach, the world fell away from him. The darkness consumed and tunnel vision came into full tilt now. There was only water and sand. There was only Arrluk and Akhlut. It was a story his mother had told. A story which Arrluk held closely to heart and mind. The story of the wolf turned sea beast- half wolf, half orca. And now, beached on the shoreline, Arrluk stood face to face with the killer whale. It was massive. It was magnificent. 

It's teeth were many. It's body black and white. Darkness and light. And as Arrluk strode around to its side, he was able to see every marking on its flesh, mimicking the markings of his own pelt. And it's eye- in glowed in the new moon's light and deep within its gaze, Arrluk found recognition. Understanding. Connection. Akhlut. The name barely whispered from his lips and the beast with one deep breath sprayed mist from his... his.... !? 

No words needed spoke between them, as though they could have either way. It was their souls which cried to one another this night and a sacrifice given. A piece of Arrluk's heart taken by Akhlut, which would live in the water and bound the wolf to its flow. In turn, a piece of Akhlut's spirit, to live within Arrluk and give him the strength of its currant. 

That night, the wolf slept with his "spirit-animal." By morning, one great killer was dead and the other reborn.