Aqissiaq

"Hey! I'm going down the mountain to look for bear tracks! Wanna come?"

This golden-pelted wolf came seemingly out of nowhere and started bouncing around you in circles. Now he's wagging his tail and play bowing, paying no mind the the fact that he doesn't even know your name. You notice that there's a notch missing out of his left ear, and that he has some visible scarring on his snout... This must be Aqissiaq, the lead wolf's youngest son.

Aqissiaq and his littermate, Tiriaq, were born during a terrible snowstorm. Their mother, Tanana, made a nearly fatal error in attempting to go out to secure emergency rations from a local trader. On the way, she encountered an aggressive moose. The fight was brutal, and she was lucky to escape with her life. It became apparent that the impact of the moose's antlers had caused her to go into labor, and so Tanana was forced to return home for help. Falcon, the herbalist, was unable to stall the labor, and so Aqissiaq and Tiriaq made a premature entrance into the world.

They were tiny at birth, and incredibly weak. Falcon warned Tanana and Ambrose that the pups were unlikely to survive due to their prematurity and the winter cold. Even so, the pups were greeted and enveloped with every ounce of love that their parents had to give.

Under the watchful eyes of their parents and the rest of the pack, the boys did survive, and in fact began to thrive. Aqissiaq took after his mother in nearly every way, from his pelt color, to his excitable and positive attitude. Even in the face of his littermate's abuses -- for Tiriaq proved to be a violent and unempathetic pup -- Aqissiaq continued to embody hope and joy for the pack. His one sadness in life is that none of his siblings, alive or dead, seem to want much to do with him. That doesn't keep him from trying to get on their good sides, however. And besides, his parents were always attentive and kind, and there were many other pups approximately the same age as him, so it wasn't as if he grew up in isolation.

Thanks to Aqissiaq's elder sister Tikaani, the Shenandoah Pack became allies with another pack far in the north, in a place called Wapiti Run. After a while, the leader from Wapiti Run began to visit Shenandoah regularly. He brought a few other wolves with him, including the scout Conoco and a sweet, level-headed female named Sissewa. Every time the diplomatic group visited, Aqissiaq found himself eager to talk with Sissewa and spend time with her. He fell for her hard and fast, and luckily, the feeling was mutual. One beautiful day, she arrived in Shenandoah with a little puppy in tow -- their puppy, Watseka. The little one was given the choice of which territory she wished to stay in, and she chose the mountains.

Aqissiaq's heart soared at the news that he was a father, and he immediately embraced the role. He wasn't exactly great at it, though. Aqissiaq is many things, but mature is not one of them; more than anything, he acted as a best friend to Watseka. Luckily, the little pup was naturally responsible, just like her mother. And to top things off, Aqissiaq's father Ambrose dotes on the little pup, and provided guidance that Aqissiaq wasn't quite prepared to give at first.

To this day, Aqissiaq is head-over-paws for Sissewa, and has taken to travelling back and forth between Shenandoah and Wapiti Run frequently so that he can see her. Sometimes he brings Watseka along, if conditions are favorable and she wants to make the trip. 

Please Note: For roleplay and lore purposes, the wolf referred to as Aqissiaq's father is Tanana's mate Ambrose. The actual in-game stud responsible for this pup's genetic makeup is Kaede.
Portrait by Canarysong#22908