Lore

Born into a small pack of eight, an organized nomadic group, Shikoba and his sister were the only pups in his litter. Though he wasn’t expected to travel at such a young age of course, the pack chose to stay in a designated area, giving those few with pups time to raise them until the offspring were old enough to endure the nomadic lifestyle.

His mother was a kind wolf, her affection gentle though a bit on the soft side, never one to scold. While she was loving, she often spent time by herself, leaving Shikoba and his sister, Alona, to entertain themselves. His family was relatively normal, father active with hunting or scout parties, visiting them and their mother when he could, otherwise absent in his own tasks. Alona was quite feeble but loud and boisterous, often fueling Shikoba’s own excitement, setting up a duo of trouble makers. The two often rushed out of the den area only to be shooed back inside by a neighboring mother every time. That is, until Alona got crafty, leaving her passive brother to dig his own little areas in the den while waiting for her to return from her adventures around the makeshift camp they pack set up.

Oh the stories Alona would tell, she had quite the imagination and Shikoba wouldn’t doubt she’s the reason he’s such a ponderer. From how rabbits grew long ears to where the stars came from, it was always some fun guessing game, even if their mother scoffed at them. “Don’t dwell on answers you’ll never receive,” she used to say, “the sky is silent for a reason.”

Spirituality, something Shikoba grew up with, it’s what kept the nomadic pack going even through harsh weather. He never quite understood it, but he always would talk to Alona about how, some day, he’ll ask every question they’ve ever thought of to the stars until one answered. Then maybe, just maybe, he’ll understand why rabbits have long ears. Though, childhood can’t last forever, and neither can an easy life.

One particularly dark night with not a star in sight, tragedy struck the small pack. Though he could not recall the details as to what caused it, Shikoba knew at that time that the loss of their main navigator was detrimental. He anticipated the fate of the pack, as heart wrenching as it was, the most he could do was watch it happen before his eyes. Their beloved pack became more like aimless wanderers rather than virtuous nomads. Never settling for long, defragmented beliefs and trusts, prey became scarce and soon packmates even scarcer. Shikoba became more and more unsure of himself over time just like everyone else.

The pack, the family, always had a direction to go in... but without unity, members became hopelessly lost, just like his own spirit.

When he came to terms with that conclusion, Shikoba decided to part, set off to find a place where he can settle the fog in his mind, stand on steady paws again like he once had in his youth. While leaving Alona behind wasn’t easy, Shikoba knew this was his responsibility. They spent their last evening asking stars the questions they had, only to be unanswered, left to sit there with melancholy smiles. Shikoba parted by night, in his own direction, refusing to look back at his dear younger sister. It would be hard, he thought, not having to be a big brother anymore.

4 whole moons of aimless wandering and solidarity, Shikoba feared he would be lost forever with only the moonlight to guide him. And guide him it did, along wild green grass and to the crisp sounds of wildlife. The next thing he knew, his paws hit rough stone and he found himself staring at his final destination; home.

Oh, if only it was that easy, hardly having time to complete important rituals and practices as new blood, he was lucky in finishing The Trial only days before things flipped upside down. The storm swept through and took his confidence with it, the new pack stability he attempted to set into place was snatched from his paws. While escaping wasn’t easy, returning to charred land was even harder. Fur dusted in ash and eyes sensitive to the lingering smoke, seeing the distraught of many did not ease his mind.

While his pack leader may reject fire, Shikoba silently accepts it, he’d gotten a new beginning here in this pack and surely others can have the chance to. “Fire may have taken lives,” he speaks to himself, as if he’s talking with his sister, staring off at blackened trees, “but surely it’s going to bring many more with it.” And he hopes he can help others accept this disaster just as he’s learning to, as there’s nothing they can do now but move on.