A Guide to Taming Beasts

Learning the Legends

The Inuktitut people of Nunavut, the uppermost territory of the yet to be tamed Canada, were the toughest of any living human beings. They survived through the world's harshest winters, blizzards and any sort of wintery disaster you could possibly think up. Their tribe, Nunataq, meaning Mountain Peak, was nestled in the shadow of Mount Asgard, alongside a crystal clear lake. The mountain itself was placed onto a very tidy island by the name of Baffin.

Here, the tribe of Nunataq made their homes and rejoiced in their solitude, living peacefully. Although they were living nicely on the island, they couldn't live without regular trade with the other tribes. Suluk, the current leader, would lead annual marches across the frozen ice and onto the mainlands to do their business. The caravans were a dangerous happening but very much necessary.

The tribe would often suffer, not only from your usual frostbite and fall through the ice but from the constant threat of their greatest enemy, the Nudyuartok. The species was made up of humongous wolf and saber cat hybrids that would ravish the tribe whenever caught off guard.

On Nunataq's journeys across the tundra, Suluk would tell tales of the mighty beasts. She often spoke of where they once came from. The Nudyuartok, or more commonly known as the Tokota, were born from two different species.

The mother had been that of a saber-toothed cat, prowling around the coniferous forests where she lived. The ferocious tiger had lived among that exact forest for many moons but she lived alone, never having found a mate. On a night as cold as the tundra in a blizzard, the Saber wandered out of her forest in search of food. Instead, she had stumbled into a hunting party of Dire Wolves.

One male stood out to her, his pelt as white as snow. He snapped and growled at the other wolves, making them turn and flee from their alpha. The Saber watched him with great concern for her own life. She didn't know what the wolf would do to her or why he turned the rest of his pack away. Slowly, the alpha male approached and sniffed at the cat with curiosity in his eyes.

Suluk speaks of the legend and says it is told that the wolf and cat bred that night, but the Dire wolf ran off on the day of her kitting. He left the Saber to birth their malcadh children alone. She had given birth to three magnificent Toko pups, each with their very own story to tell.

Aippaq, the only female to be born had a coat of white with a thick mane that seemed to wisp around her neck and snout, like that of the northern lights. Her eyes glowed an iridescent yellow, never revealing any emotion or sign of life at all. The first boy, Kiviuk, was as black as the sky, his mane twinkled with the light of stars. Sedna, the last and smallest male had the coat as grey-blue as the ocean itself, flecked with all sorts of dark grey spots. Some seemed to move throughout his pelt, jumping and splashing in his sea of fur.

As the years passed, the Toko pups grew to twice the size of their mother, even towering over Polar Bears and Elk alike. The Saber mother had wandered off with one Tokota at a time, carrying them to certain locations so that the species could spread. She carried Kiviuk, her moon son, to a thick and dark set of pine sap trees, in hopes that his presence would light the sky and fill the forest with light.

Sedna was placed on a sheet of ice, the Saber mother breaking it free and sending her pup away, into the ocean. She hoped that her specked son would bring great hunting to any animals in need. His pelt depicted a sea filled with seals, and she dreamed it would help others in a time of harsh limits. As for Aippaq, the she-wolf was left in a field of snow, perched upon a sun-warmed rock. The saber hoped her daughter of sun and knowledge would bring a great spring t the lands. A Spring that would let any creature bask in its warmth and play in its bountiful light, for she knew how dark and cold the endless winters were.

With her task of spreading the world's gifts complete, the mother ventured home, old and sick, to die in peace. Her spirit awoke fifty years later and was swept into the sky. Once settled into the stars, she was greeted by her children. As suspected, each had lived and passed in the place she had left them and now, each bore a single gift, the sight to see the world as a whole.

Below the spirits, the earth sparkled and a set of clouds cleared, revealing the land below. The family lay still and watched as an ocean became clear to them, within the waves, splashes could be seen, a dozen seals leaped and played within its chilly body. Next, a patch of fog rolled away, exposing a forest, its trees ablaze with the full moons bright light. Lastly, they averted their gazes to a field covered in snow. A warm wind howled past and melted the white drifts, under the melted snow, sprigs of grass and tall tussocks of heather sprang from the ground. Soon, the meadow was filled with swaying grasses and flowers, small critters ran abundantly within the lush greens and a stream bubbled through its center, snaking away into the distance.

Seeing all the gifts she had shared with the world below her, the Sabercat bowed her head to her children in respect. If it hadn't been for them, this icy wasteland would have remained so and would never have been such a welcoming home to the creatures of the future. Down her nose ran a handful of teardrops, about six if anyone was counting. These tears sparkled and glistened, hanging on for just a moment before spilling off her whiskers and down, down to the earth.

They all watched as each tear fell into place. The first set of two landed off the island of Baffin, and onto the island of Bylot set at about thirty miles across from Baffin. The second set of tears tumbled and landed on Ellesmere Island, the farthest set away from Baffin but closer to Bylot. The mighty spirits continued to watch the last set of tears plunged down onto Baffin island, right at the center of all activity.

Where each set of tears landed a village was then brought to life. For each tear, one Inuit native was born and from there they spread their bloodlines and settled into the new homes. Upon Baffin island, nestled into the center of the land was the village of Nunataq. With Mount Asgard to the North, Sialuk Meadow to the West and the Isle of Ek Chua wrapping around the East and South, our story truly begins here, at the center of it all.