Moonsong Glacier sunsister

wow i know we both have one going but smfh <33 set the same time as this!

the calls silvered and tied together which floated from the village moontide broke something inside chakliux.
he held his breath, face falling once more when he heard moonwoman answer.
"come," he said to @Raiyuk, more tersely than he meant; he favored the boy with an apologetic look. they had been making their way to moonsong, and now as this day rose, chakliux regretted how close he had been to this particular song.
"i am taking you to see a new friend i have made, @Dutch. and today we will see seals, raiyuk. they come here to rest."
not to hunt, only to familarize. his son must truly understand what was expected of a seal hunter boy who wished to be a man.
chakliux stalked along the plateau, trying not to think of ariadne and kilgitsuk seeking the approval of the moon woman. it was weighty. it meant many things.

It was a joyous time for Raiyuk, who was now venturing away from his home village with his father. He had thought perhaps Chakliux had changed his mind, that he might stay with them and not go hunt the man; or maybe that he had decided to bring his son along for this hunt. They were partway along when he learned it was to visit Moonsong — and on cue with that knowledge came the sweeping voice of the village head, but from the wrong direction.
He looked to the sky, then to his father whose attitude had somehow soured; and he hurried along again, not wanting to further displease him. Once they were closer to the village, Chakliux spoke of seals! This put all other thoughts from the boy's mind; he was eager to meet this man, Dutch, and to finally set his eyes upon these creatures he had been training to hunt.

The nights grew longer. Dutch spent them learning the warrior girl's words and attempting to teach Fallen Sun his own. They hunted when they were bored more than hungry; life was good and sweet and easy — but Dutch could not rest.

He stalked the borders again today, and when a familiar scent reached him, he hastened in that direction. His spirits lifted as he drew near, even as he wondered if this would be the end of this strange abeyance. Would they go now to spill blood?

"You have brought a friend," he called out in greeting. Of course, he had a good idea of who that friend was. He feigned ignorance purely for Raiyuk's benefit: "I greet you. Are you also a hunter of Moontide?"

His solar gaze flicked up, just briefly, to the berrybright of Chakliux. Other than a brief crinkle at the corner of his eyes, he maintained his oblivious act.

the seal hunter was privately relieved to see dutch, and met the man's affirming jest with a smile of his own.
the other man respected raiyuk, asking after him as hunter. this would bring much joy to the heart of his son, he felt, and he turned his berrybright eyes on the boy. he wanted to boast, but would withhold this for some moments later.

When the man appeared, Raiyuk had eyes upon his father first, judging his reaction. He did not see fear or upset, and was pleased to see something like pride instead. He knew this was the friend they sought and then the man spoke - praising them both, sharing a greeting.

The boy stepped forward with a grin. I am Raiyuk! I am son of Chakliux; he says there are seals here, and we are to see them. He looked again to his father but it was fleeting, as he now only had eyes for the dark-faced man; wishing to impress him.

Chakliux allowed Raiyuk to speak for himself, and grew in esteem in the panther's eyes. His love and pride for his son was palpable; Dutch hoped that Raiyuk understood how well and deeply he was cared for.

He had an answer ready: "Asambhav!" The son of Chakliux is not yet a yearling," the panther claimed, measuring Raiyuk with a paw. "You will grow taller than him, I think."

Another bright look was flashed up to Chakliux, this one at the other man's expense.

But they were here to see the seals; Dutch would not keep them from this. He wheeled around, beckoning them along. "The seals are this way," he said, pointing his nose toward the ice pools. "I have been watching them — perhaps they are selkie, and this is why they swim in freshwater."

the sting of ariadne's exclusive choice in kilgitsuk was fading, slowly. at least for now, covered over for the moment by pride and a bright grin. 
"i have told dutch you are to earn your scars this winter. he will be the one who goes with me while you keep the lodge."
their scent was in the air, though he could not hear them, and his elation was clear. dutch signalled that they should move on and the seal hunter came, his steps jaunty and pleased. "I see that ariadne and kilgitsuk have gone to moonglow. raiyuk and i will wait here until they return, and then if you are ready, dutch, we will go."
a wry look was mischievous on his face. "i will stay here if you wish to go to moonspear before we leave on our hunt. but tell us what selkie is?"

When the man Dutch made mention of his size, Raiyuk's cheeks puffed. He looked to his father as if to imply great insult had been made! But his father barely reacted; so the boy thought maybe he had overreacted. And then the word Selkie! His father didn't know it?
A skin-walker! Raiyuk blurted—because he knew this, and somehow his own father did not! A novelty. A hunter who puts-on the seal skin and becomes a hunter in the water. My friend told me of them.
As he mentioned Seal of Moonspear, he became sheepish and red-faced; and whether it was because he thought fondly of the girl or realized his rudeness for the bursting of his voice, it was unclear.

Dutch nodded in confirmation. He could not help but add that, "They left me in charge," even though that had not been the exact language of the order. Still, he took this duty as seriously as he took his agreement with Chakliux: "I will see it when we return," he replied. His blood was stirred now for violence, and not for love.

But violence could wait this long: enough for him to give Raiyuk his due attention. For he would soon be without his father, and Dutch hopes that this day would buoy his spirit with confidence for the long nights to come.

The interruption did not bother him, and he turned a warm look on the spirited youth.

"Almost," he agreed, although a current of unease ran through him. "A skin-walker is a dark witch. He wears a skin — any skin — to sow evil by evil means. A selkie is born a selkie. She is a huntress of the land and the water. They are creatures of great beauty and spirit."

His head tilted to the side.

"What friend is this? he asked, interested mainly in the chagrin he'd perceived.

his gaze for raiyuk was sudden and open and surprised, followed by a quick pleasure; "wa-ho!" he exulted, chuckling; had he a spear he would have dug its end into the ground and leant upon it to observe raiyuk.
"i think you are right, dutch. he will be smaller than me, and have a larger head!" the seal hunter laughed at this; he nudged his son's shoulder in pride he grew serious when the other man spoke again; he nodded once at dutch in acknowledgment. "it is best they left you in charge."
the white spine man clarified. chakliux listened closely. "this skin-walker, it sounds like taaliqqaq. shadow people. they have never been wolves. they can take any face. the sunshine wolves call them tupilaq. but selkie is like our taliillajuit, beautiful women who swim far in the sea and take the form of seals, otter, and whale."
what friend, indeed! if chakliux was correct, raiyuk spoke of a moonspear girl. seal was daughter of meerkat and njord. he had always liked her name and knew that arrangements between packs might one day bring raiyuk and seal together. it was pleasing that his seal hunter boy had befriended a seal girl, it boded well for both their futures he felt. a good omen.

That awkward teen moment of getting a boner in the middle of class.

The boy was unable to tell if they were making fun of his words, or commending him for being able to answer. Certainly his father's voice was filled with pride! And the man Dutch, he seemed to appraise the answer and approve of it; and then there was a lesson too, from Chakliux. It seemed there were many words for these creatures. Raiyuk considered which one Seal might be—a selkie, a skin-walker, a tupilak—but found himself drawn more to taliillajuit. Yes, that was the most accurate.
Dutch asked after his friend, and Raiyuk thought for a moment the man could see in to his thoughts! He had never seen his father grow bashful around his wives and so he did not grow bashful here, thinking of Seal. Seal, from the village Moonspear. We went to the desert together for a— he thought of this other word now, quickly, coronation. Was that also impressive? That he knew this word, or that he had been so far from home already? He felt good to boast about this, and to think about Seal as she danced with him.
The thought was innocuous enough, yet led his body to having an obtrusive reaction which he had not expected! It became very hard to walk, suddenly, and the boy now felt very off-put by the conversation as a tension came to his belly and groin.

Raiyuk seemed displeased, somehow, by the estimation of his future size. Wasn't it every boy's dream to surpass his parents in size? Perhaps it was a cultural difference — the panther filed this away for the future.

His attention was quickly stolen away by talk of these sea-faring women. Though he had been born in the mountains, something of his father's costal blood. There was something about a woman come straight from the sea that he found quite appealing. 

"My grandfather married a woman like this," he told the two men. "They called her spirit walker — and she bore him three children that carry her saltblood.

But perhaps they ought to talk of something other than the bearing of children. Dutch did a good job of pretending to be oblivious when he asked after this, "Coronation? For one of the moonwoman?" Had it been Ariadne's? Surely not in the desert!

that dutch had his own bloodties to magical women intrigued chakliux, who made a note in his mind to ask about such things when he and the spine-man were alone.
raiyuk spoke and then raiyuk became belabored by the response of his body. dutch did not speak of this, and chakliux would not stare at his son. "you will learn to control it. every man learns this lesson," he added for the benefit of the moonsong man. no embarrassment needed to be felt by raiyuk, but the boy must understand this experience would not be only one isolated event!
on they moved. "i have not seen the desert myself. it brings me pride that you have been there, my son. you stood not only for moontide, but as a seal hunter."
the foul, salted scent of their manure was in the air now, sharp and rancid and appealing only to those who knew that the reeking animals carried enough blubber to feed a village twice over.
his step increased with interest.

While the dark-faced man did not comment on the oddity that was Raiyuk's body, his father did; it wasn't with casternation or correction in mind, only awareness and support, so Raiyuk felt less awkward as the feeling subsided. The tension in his belly eased up as the adults walked on, and Raiyuk had to pace himself to catch up to them.

Chakliux spoke of the desert; even Dutch did not know of the coronation!
It was a wedding. There were desert people, and they invited the moon villages, and other people from many places. Raiyuk explained this with some fervor, pleased to have been a part of it now that he knew it was unknown to others, as if it were special. There was dancing and singing, and some of the adults spoke of trade. There were warriors there too, and they were curious of us.

The strong scent of ocean hit his nose then, which was so out-of-place that Raiyuk was immediately silenced, and curious. He looked to his father, who was intently moving towards it; and so Raiyuk followed quietly.

The panther exclaimed over this event, enchanted by the idea of a wedding, of all things. It was a thing that happened in stories exclusively, but to hear it told from this boy, he'd seen it with his own eyes. He wanted to heard details, of course, and he even started to ask before he realized he'd lost the war for the boy's attention.

"Ah! A seal hunter before all else," he lamented, but there was a smile in his voice, and one flashing like lightning across his features when he looked to Chakliux. "Perhaps you both can teach me, one day."

But they were almost to the seals, now. They came over the next small rise and could finally look down upon them. Dutch came to the edge of the rock and laid flat, paws hooked over the ledge so that he could hang his head over in comfort.

"I have always loved how they sing," he said, although the sounds they made together could best be described as a racket or a cacophony. "They sing from the belly — and they are not ashamed to do it even above water. But below — I like how it echoes. How you can feel it deep in your own chest. Above the waves it is only breath, but below, it becomes pneuma. Spirit."

Mature Content Warning

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The participants have indicated the following reason(s) for this warning: perilous mention/hunting realism

a seal hunter indeed! chakliux flashed a white grin at dutch to hear this praise. "if you stay with us enough, perhaps you will earn your own marks," he chuffed, nudging raiyuk as they came close to the seals.
dutch spoke of their singing, of their resonance. of spirit and sound. this time he did look at the man a bit more closely, for in these words did chakliux taste an answering salt. he glanced to raiyuk now, then settled between them to gaze at the great bodies of the seals below.
"do you see how fat they are, raiyuk? this is utsuk. blubber. it is in layers. a seal must be bled from many places before it will die."
a solemnity came to him. "when it is time for your hunt, we will go into the water together. you will see how much faster kasigiak is beneath the waves. but you too, raiyuk, are swift. i will help you to wound the seal. you must stay down as long as you are able for this fighting. see his teeth? he will bite back. be fast. lunge as he does, jerk away as he does. when his blood is red in the water you must be ready to hold him down beneath it until he drowns."
this was the most dangerous part of the seal hunt entire. in any moment a boy might die. in the final struggle, if he did not gulp his lungs full of air before he went under, he would surely die. "when his blood is red in the water, you go up first, raiyuk. take your largest breath. then you will be ready. do not forget to take the breath. i cannot be with you after you go under the last time."

Dutch was interested in the voices of the seals, and said their songs were loud even when they were under the water. That it echoed. Raiyuk wondered about this; would a wolf's howl echo if they sang in the underdark? A wolf could call to their friends and family, or sing to the moon and stars, and did that constitute spirit?

His father drew his attention back when he spoke his name. Motioning to the fat bodies where they sprawled, speaking of utsuk. It surprised him to think these heavy beasts could be fast in any place. They looked to be more fat than anything, and their fins were so small; but he listened.

When his blood is red in the water. He recited back to Chakliux, to prove he was listening.

He wanted to try now. To go after these fat beasts while they were lounging, before they could think to go in to the water. I am a good swimmer. I can hold my breath for a long time, and he looked to Chakliux with admiration because his father was the reason for his skills.

Can I try? I want to try.

Dutch gave a sweep of his tail at the suggestion. "We shall see if I am worthy," he agreed, glad if it was something he could participate in despite not being born a seal hunter himself. Therefore he listened more carefully even than usual when Chakliux began to describe how a seal could be bested underwater, where they undoubtedly commanded more strength and grace than the average wolf could ever hope. To become such a warrior as Chakliux described was impressive even without the slaying of a seal — but the panther still felt an uneasy chill at the idea of Raiyuk performing this task.

He thought that the seals in this lake would be safer than the seals in the ocean, but held his tongue for the moment. If Chakliux looked to him, he would find the panther's expression free of any clear opinions. The lake and the seals within it were free to be hunted by the wolves of Moontide. Dutch would neither encourage nor stop them from partaking.

"This is fresh water," he said instead. "You may find these seals different from the ones you find in the waves." They were different, certainly, than the fur seals that he'd once swam with.

"you are." he did not speak in common words, but the way he held the gaze of the moonsong man might say more than his words could do. raiyuk wished to try, and chakliux nodded.
"dutch is right. these are different. but let us try, raiyuk!" and he began to pick his way down to the shaled surface and the tossed stones, to the reek of seals.
"scare them into the water," he told his son of their blubbered bodies, moving leftward as he meant to help raiyuk herd them into the sea, all his focus upon this training task.

There were different kinds of seals? Raiyuk had never considered that, like fish, there might be some found in different places. He wondered briefly what would draw these creatures here. But, he wasn't thinking long upon it — not when he was given the go-ahead to go after them.

He was grinning when Chakliux told him to chase them, and as he launched in to a run the expression became a grimace of teeth for the seals to see, and to be frightened by. He snapped those teeth and barked as he ran, making a show of how dangerous he was!

The seals didn't react much to him, not until they got a look at Chakliux who was on his flank and recognized two wolves were more dangerous; and so they began their escape to the water. Raiyuk was so focused he did not realize they ran from his father.

The panther hung back, giving the seal hunters space. He did not feel prepared to participate without knowing more about seal hunter culture, and he did not want to insert himself into what seemed like a very father-son activity. So he watched from a respectful distance, interest turning to amusement as the lesson unfolded.

He realized — he'd never really watched a father bond like this with his son. His only examples were vague memories of his own father during visits. Dutch loved Aditya with all his heart, but their relationship had not been quite like this. Had not been much like this at all, he didn't think. And while he didn't feel any pang of loss for what could have been — their love was special, just as was the love between Chakliux and Raiyuk — he found himself wishing he knew more about fatherhood. Had seen more of it in action.

He hoped he would, one day. He hoped he might one day have a boy like Raiyuk — one that would look at him like that. One that he could look to with the same incandescent pride as what graced the seal hunter's features.

It was on this day that the panther fell just a little bit in love.

"go ahead! bite him," chakliux encouraged, cutting off the escape of a frightened seal-cow. "taste his blood, his fear. see how his skin gives beneath your teeth, but you must cut deep to wound."
all these were things raiyuk must know. he was encouraged by how the boy showed no trepidation; he tossed a proud glance in dutch's direction, as if to say look how he moves!
"be careful! they will turn hard on you once they are in the water and become fast."
long strides took him to the freshwater; he dropped down below the surface without hesitation, meaning for raiyuk to do the same.

All else was gone from his mind.

There was his father giving direction and praise. There was the family of seals trying to flee the running wolves. He found his teeth and set them upon the seal-cow without hesitation, and was surprised at the feeling as they glanced off the skin, which itself was somehow tough but smooth.

He tried again, and again; the closest he could get to dancing.

Finally he tasted blood! Eager for more — blood, praise, all of it — Raiyuk continued with his harassment until the seal-cow sought the water.

the seal-cow came, raiyuk behind her! "into the water, now, watch," chakliux exhorted, the freshwater bubbling around his shoulders, and then he dove.
it was far warmer here than it would be in the ocean; the water did not burn his eyes. he gestured toward the seal, how agile she became, how she arced now toward them with bared teeth — he lunged beneath the surface to snap, to buffet her aside.

The cow slid in to the water with Raiyuk behind, and he watched as Chakliux dipped beneath the surface. He knew he should dive in too, but found himself awe-struck as he watched the shape of his father.

The seal saw its opportunity once it was in this preferred element, and it's darker shape moved rapidly in an arc away from both wolves. Raiyuk realized his mistake immediately and went in to the water with a splash, but by the time he was submerged and the frothing of the water cleared enough for a visual he had lost sight of the seal entirely.

Surfacing again, he sputtered and paddled in place.