Ebon Claw Mountains

The Black mountains loomed over Noshi as his journey brought him closer and closer. Just days ago he had set out from his tribe to begin his right of passage. The task was simple enough, survive for one week alone in the wilderness. He was given enough food and supplies to do so. Simple would not be good enough, not for Noshi. As a half orc in a human tribe, he always felt the need to prove himself. This right of passage would be no different. He would climb to the top of the Ebon Claw Mountains and carve his name into the stone so that no one could question his value to the tribe.   Finally Noshi reached the base of the mountain. He made sure his bow, quiver and sack were tightly strapped to his back before he began his assent. The cliffs of the mountain were steep and smooth, like black glass. Any edges that he could grab on to were like jagged daggers. This would not deter Noshi. He had faced worse punishment at the hands of cruel children and tribes men who mocked him and beat him for his only crime of sharing his father's blood. The pain gave him strength and after hours of climbing he had reached the top.   The night air would have frozen Noshi to the bone, if it were not for the pool of magma that had settled in a crater near by from the volcano's more recent out burst. Noshi took a moment to admire his surroundings. The night sky was clear allowing the amber light of Lunesti to illuminate the red planes below. Noshi looked out across the planes. He always enjoyed the way the red grass looked in the light of the moon. From the top of the mountain it looked like waves of fire dancing off into the horizon. He could see the place where his tribe had set up camp for the night. At this time of year they chose to camp closer to the mountain, following the migrations of the beasts they relied on for food.   As Noshi looked out across the planes he noticed movement in the tall grass. At first he thought it to be nothing more than an animal hiding from predators, but as he continued to look he saw more than one source of movement. Then poking out from the top of the tall grass he saw what he recognized as the tip of a spear. This was a raiding party. They must be a war tribe that discovered the location of Noshi's tribe. They meant to strike while his people slept. He had to warn them!   With out a moment to loose Noshi grabbed an arrow from his quiver. He carefully stepped closer to the pool of magma, reaching out until the tip caught fire. Noshi then ran to the edge of the cliff while waving the flaming arrow in the air he gave out a mighty war cry. His cry was loud enough to disturb a hawk that was roosting near by. The bird took wing and as if to amplify the young warriors cry it gave out a mighty screech that echoed across the planes. To Noshi's relief he saw torches begin to light from his tribe's camp, but it was not enough. They still did not know the location of the enemy.   Noshi knew what he must do. He drew his bow and knocked the flaming arrow. He pulled back his bow string and took aim at his enemy. He did not need to hit his target. There was no way he could from this far up. He just needed to get close enough. Letting the arrow loose it was if the wind carried it forward. The arrow soared straight and true and landed just at the base of the tall grass. In an instant the fire spread and the enemy was engulfed in a ball of fire. Any who survived the blaze were swiftly dealt with by the warriors of Noshi's tribe.   Noshi spent the rest of the week atop the Ebon Claw Mountains. Every night he would keep watch over his people as they slept to ensure no danger would befall them. On the last day he carved his name into a stone and left it by the pool of magma. he then made his way back down the mountain. When he arrived back home he was met with a warrior's welcome. His tribes members cheered and escorted him to the center of the camp where a bonfire raged and a grand feast had been prepared. They had heard his war cry and the cry of the hawk. if not for him they would have been caught unaware by the enemy. The tribe Spirit Walker came forth and gave Noshi a leather headband with a single feather stitched to it. "You have proven your worth to this tribe." The spirit walker said. "From this day forward you will no longer be called by your child name. I name you Black Mountain Hawk."