the old man of the mountain

[chunkypeanutbutter]

form by chunkypeanutbutter ; original post

name ; taurin gender ; male age ; unknown

previous story (not required reading but recommended. a sequel, of sorts)

...our story begins with a young woman named hoa. recently, she decided to make the long
trek back from the city to her childhood home and villa, where she discovered her father was
inching closer and closer to an inevitable death. the crushing information of this brings her to
her knees in anguish, and the heartbreaking reality of passing time hangs over her shoulders.
the more and more time she spends in the village, the more she realizes how much she misses
her home and her family. hoa decides to hunt down her father's brother, her uncle, to have a
re-connection with the man who inspired her to become a successful young woman in the first
place. her mother lets her know that he has now become a silent mountain hermit...the only
way to reach him is to take the long, arduous trek up the big peak that hangs over the village.

[chunkypeanutbutter]

Hoa tentatively put her paw out, feeling the roughness of the rock. The sharp stones
dug deep into her paw, leaving scratches as she pulled away. "...Ah." She turned to the guide
standing behind her. "Do you happen to sell any form of climbing shoes at your store? My paws
are not quite accustomed to the outdoors anymore." The guide looked at her somberly. "Y-yes,
we do, but ... we do not accept your city currencies here. I can only offer it to you for a few
local goods, milk, bread, cheese ... but I know it's been a long time since you've traded here.

"You know..." he pulled out a pair of shoes and handed it to her. "We trust you ... and, I think
you deserve a gift. Especially considering the dark circumstances." Hoa smiled and accepted
the generous present. "Thank you so much. I will remember this." She dressed into the shoes
and started clumsily climbing over the jagged rock. "Are you sure you'll be okay?" The guide
said, looking up at her worriedly. "Yes, I'm fine, don't worry about me," Hoa said with a smile.
"When I'm determined to do something ... I always follow through."



The cold mountain air whistled through Hoa's fur, chilling her down to the bone. As she made
her way up over the rock, a faint sound slowly grew louder and louder. Curious, she pulled up
through the snow and followed it over to the source. Growing closer and closer, she could now
identify it as some type of loud wind instrument. Someone was playing music up here...in this
weather? Hoa gently hopped through the snow, carefully not to alert anyone to her presence,
and huddled up behind the hermit's cabin. The loud bowing tune strangely soothed her mind,
as she slowly padded closer to the old hermit. A soft cough alerted him to her presence. "Oh.
Hoa. Is it you?" He waved his paws in front of her face and, realizing she was not a vision, his
eyes widened and he grinned happily. "Oh! Hoa! It's really you! What brings you back here?"

The old kalon beckoned for her to follow, and he hobbled his way back into the little shack.
As she shut the door behind herself, the old wood cracked and creaked under the slightest
weight. Hundreds of small trinkets lined the walls, decorating the small cabin from floor to
ceiling with colorful rugs and vases.