Name:

Taggarik

Nickname:

Taggs

Meaning:

Complete or pitch darkness, Inuit

Gender:

Bull

Age:

Calf, a month or two younger than Tupilek

Personality:

Taggarik is usually a laid-back, sociable calf, and loves to play. He usually responded to insults with wit, usually in a good-natured way as if to say, "You don't threaten me, and I am not intimidated. Say as you will, but I have heard it all before and have long since learned to ignore it." He is, however, a jumpy, kiddish type, usually comparable to a rabbit. He often times cannot handle chaotic situations and becomes quite distraught, and in such, is prone to snap or yell. He suffers from bouts of severe anxiety, perhaps caused by the fact that he is so jumpy. Taggarik is easily stressed, and when put in situations where he is put under alot of chaos or stress - such as a mass migration - he quickly becomes startable and very well-spent.

Likes:

Sunlight, warmth

Dislikes:

brutes, those who put brawn before brain

Crush(es):

Sedna, open

Crush(es) on him:

Sedna, Open

History:

Taggarik was born in Tupilek’s herd a month after him. He was actually a bright young fawn who learned quickly, but his parents were very protective of him for many reasons.

The main one was because Taggarik was blind.

For several months he lived on the outskirts of the herd, unsocial and alone. Eventually, though, his parents allowed him to meet other calfs and socialize. He soon met Tupilek and Sedna, and became their close friend. His skiddish nature could easily be accounted to his blindness: He could only hear, feel, and smell. He was not inclined ever to bolt or start unnessessarily, though, and was found to have a fairly strong nature for the most part. He was a bold one, always in trouble, especially with Tupilek and Sedna. The three were always in trouble, and when they were muttering amongst themselves, the adults automatically started keeping an eye on them - always they were coming up with some new plot to get in trouble. At one point a braggard of a calf came to him and taunted him of his blindness. Taggarik’s response was to trip him, laying him on the ground, and replying that at least he could keep his feet under him.

Eventually, his family left with Tupilek and some others to start a new herd. Along the way he came to spend much of his time right alongside Sedna and Tupilek, and eventually came to admire Sedna for more than just a great friend, loyal, sweet, and sassy - not to mention fun to get in trouble with - but also as beautiful, even though he couldn't see her. He only knew he didn't need to; he liked her anyway. When they encountered a young mountain lion, Taggarik was rendered helpless, panicked and terrified, as he was pushed to the inside. He had never been so  thankful for his friends.

When they settled, and Tupilek was forced out, Taggarik became restless. During a snowstorm, his parents were killed. It was at this point his anxiety should nearly kill him. In a bout of sudden, horribly powerful anxiety, Taggarik ran off in the night. He hadn’t a clue where, why, or how he would go, but he did. He stumbled among the slopes helplessly for quite a few days, blind, alone, and hungery. It was likely, he knew, that he should be taken by a rockslide or predator. Still, he did not stop.

Eventually, he met a mountain goat named Nimbus who decided to help him over some exceptionally rough cliffs. Nimbus and Taggarik soon became good friends, and stayed together for a long time. Nimbus was a strong animal, and taught Taggarik many things. Twice the two fought off a couple of wolves, and had once to run from a bear. Taggarik kept up with his newfound ally perfectly well. Soon he became able to suppress his anxious, jumpy nature, and in turn, lost his anxiety attacks. The two made an amazing team.

Eventually, Taggarik and Nimbus had a bigger problem: A rock-slide.

Taggarik was forced too hard to run the terrain he didn’t know, and was barely able to keep on his feet, stumbling several times. Nimbus forced himself to fall back next to the growing calf. Eventually, some of the rocks they were on fell, and they were plummeted into a river and into a fierce current against rough rocks. The two were lucky to not catch hypothermia. After a great while, they washed up in a lake, and Nimbus pulled Taggarik to shore. There they lay for awhile, laughing, simply pleased with their luck not to be dead.

When they gained their strength, Taggarik and Nimbus looked around to see they were in a forest. Unbeknownst to them, Tupilek was just a mile off west, now accepted into Taifa’s herd. The two explored awhile, and bumped into some other animals: The great prince and Bambi. Nimbus approached the Prince, and the two wandered off to discuss what had happened and under what circumstances Nimbus and Taggarik should be allowed to stay. Taggarik wandered off with Bambi. “So, what WAS that?” Bambi asked him.

“Who, Nimbus? Oh, he’s a mountain goat… just as I’m a Caribou,” Taggarik replied eagerly. He certainly wanted to make a good impression on this new deer.  Eventually he met Faline, and the three played together for awhile. Soon, Ronno showed up. The three fawns had paused to talk about Taggarik’s incredible journey, and Nimbus. Ronno made some off-handed comments on how weird Taggarik was, hanging around a goat. This angered Taggarik, who respoded that Nimbus may as well be his father. “He looks different though,” Ronno responded.

“No matter to me,” snapped Taggarik, “I can’t tell at all!”

After awhile, Taggarik and Nimbus were accepted into the herd of deer, and Taggarik began to see that Faline reminded him much of Sedna - though not half as admirable -  and Bambi much of her brother. He settled well, completely ignorant to the presence of the friends he’d lost so long ago.

Tupilek and Sedna, neither ever more than a mile away.