Mount Apikuni kayunnilik ⫇

click for exact location & distance to natigvik <3 fall hunting has begun!

(for visibility: @Stratos, @Inutsuk, @Skeetch, & @Mojag) for timeline's sake, this will be future dated to sept 20th.

the plan is to stay a month, make contact with other packs in the area, and have a mass hunt!

credit

this journey felt as though it were one of old.

sandulf had traveled ahead of moonglow. @Rodyn traded far away from their village.

moonglow had become its own people.

she comforted sivullik as they walked. "my spirit says he lives," she whispered in the words she had taught to many of their clan. "and we will spend the long snows in our own home."

the foothills of mount apikuni were bordered by a vibrant forest, and further, a wild-flowing stream. a cold breeze was carried over the wolves of moonglow as they stopped. kukutux put down her bundles of dried green and her wrap of meat.

"now," and her jadestone eyes were bright, "this will be our main camp. but in between this place and the village of our kin, we will have many other camps to cut meat and stack many hides." her eyes glowed toward @Samani. "my daughter. you will choose the second place." it was a great honour, and one that brought with it the responsibility of teaching others the ways of stripping a skin and chewing it to leather.

but it was the first public acknowledgment of her daughter as potential heir. she would not urge samani to take her smaller sisters. it was the sea-girl's chance to walk as woman in a new wilderness.

moonwoman looked to @Aiolos now. "i ask that sun man and sivullik go to form a guard-line for us here." a smile to shikoba, a blink to see if her son would come forward; if so, she would send him with the warriors.

"@Callyope, ariadne. we will look for a place where the village can sleep."

now each wolf had their roles, and moonwoman was warm with love as she looked at them all. "in a day's time we will walk to natigvik. and we will take in turns the teeth that must watch over this new camp."

she hoped that her kin would understand why they had not settled at the qeya first. but natigvik would be rich with moonglow hunters all the same.

kukutux chuffed. "hunting of the red leaf has begun. each time you take blood, offer a prayer to sedna for the life of that animal. this way, she will send hunting to our village when we have come back."

shikoba's heart remained heavy, even with this trip that was meant to be filled with the joys of hunting and seeing new faces in this area. the words of moon woman echo within her mind and heart, hoping that her feeling is correct. while shikoba comes from a spiritual tribe, she was not always keen to listen to the wise men and women in the group who shared with her words of advice. often this led to trouble, so shikoba will heavily heed the words of kukutux.

"shikoba hopes kukutux is right." a quiet whisper between the two women before the sivullik goes with sunman to secure a border of the campsite.

Asara had traveled what felt like a long way. Her brother @Vale and sister @Violante II were with her. Their dad had sent them to hunt in his place. He had been too busy training. All of a sudden. He'd decided he wanted to be ready to fight people. Whatever, she was just excited to be hunting for so long.

@Bilah had tagged along for what he said was curiosity but she knew it was because he had to keep an eye on them. She supposed it wasn't a bad idea. She glanced over at the scar on Vale's forehead and cringed inwardly. She thought it made him look kinda handsome. She smirked and bumped him playfully. Do you think we're gonna get any new battle scars? She asked teasingly, but truthfully she never wanted to see her brother bleed that much again.

She was beginning to scent other wolves, but she had never met the wolves of Moonglow herself before. She wondered if Vale recognized any of the scents yet and began to lag behind, allowing him to lead.

anyone can keep posting/moving! <3

when the wolves of sacrarium joined moonglow, kukutux welcomed them.

she passed sticks of dried meat; she showed them where they might sleep among the wolves of the village.

the guardians returned; she took sentry, keeping close to the youngest children.

moonwoman whispered stories through the night until they all slept.

The sea girl had not expected the words that her mother offered.

You will choose the second place.

Samani nodded her head softly, blinking as she glanced toward her father. She would not deny her mother this great honor. She would make sure that she selected a safe place for them to camp. It was important to her that this chance was given. It was important to her that she should prove herself to be capable.

The young girl shifted on her paws. She wished to scout, to discover the lands that stretched between their mountain camp and the wilderness beyond. It would be good to know some of the territory if she were to be expected to make a wise decision.

I will scout and will return swiftly, Samani offered to her mother with a small smile. Her long legs would make short work of the mountain slope. She wanted only to find a place to overlook the land. Without a moment of pause, the sea girl bounded away.

There travels were a long one. A path to the east they had done before, yet not as far this time. This time they would find middle ground along the great Sunspire mountain chain. Not far behind were the princes and princesses of Sacrarium along with their Watcher. 

When they stopped, it was along the forests at the foothills of Mount Apikuni. Kukutux spoke to her daughter, eldest among those who still remained in Moonglow. Sialuk would take the Moonspear if the Gods allowed and Kausiut still ran with the seal hunters. 

Aiolos quietly smiles to his rose gold daughter, knowing she will do well. 

Now, he touches his black nose to First Hunter's shoulder and as he steps forward, he looks to his son too, urging him to come along with them. They had a border to set and enforce while they spent time here. His youngest daughters would seek a good place for rest. Aiolos began his given task with his companions.

He and his siblings would be gone for a month, perhaps longer, hunting with Moonglow and meeting other packs. It was an exciting thing, but also nerve-wracking. He would be without his parents, for a month. Bilah was with them, sure, but it wasn't the same, and Vale was slightly on edge, but he smiled all the same at his sisters as they followed the group. Vale would bring up the rear, to guard them all.

Bilah chuckled at Asara's sudden shy nature. He supposed meeting a group of adults would be intimidating for any young wolf, especially away from home. He pushed to the front of the Sacrarium wolves so he could introduce their group. There was a chance that some of them may recognize Vale, but the rest of them would be complete strangers and introductions were certainly in order. There were a few wolves milling about, they had yet to acknowledge their arrival. Bilah introduced them. Hello, we are of Sacrarium. He would smile warmly to whomever came to greet them and introduce himself and the children by name if they needed him too.

The journey had been longer than anything Stratos had ever thought possible. He knew, of course, that much land sprawled beyond Moonglow’s outer ridges, but he was sure they’d walked far beyond any place he’d ever seen.

He did his best to keep pace with the adults. Sometimes, he even charged ahead. One eye always turned to look for his sisters, to make sure they were keeping up. Though they, too, had begun to grow into themselves, he still felt the need to protect them.

Now, though, as they tested and waited for anaa’s instruction, his eyes were only on Aiolos, who seemed to glow in the radiance of the sun. No wonder they call him sun man. He thought, not for the first time. And though his name was not called to join tataa and Shikoba in forming the guard line, he found both his parents eyes upon him, an unspoken whisper that he was meant to rise with the warriors.

Stratos struggled to contain himself. He grinned, and leapt forward to join his patrol, feeling the mantle of his place in Moonglow shift from child to something of a man. A glance over his shoulder, and he saw Sacrarium arrive, but his own introduction to them would have to wait unless Aiolos stopped to greet them.