Plains Hunter, The

The (Great) Plains Hunter, also known as Chepryth, the Wound of Morning or Morning's Wound, or Tilmahcotles, is a unique legendary creature of primarily Kivan myth. He features in the popular myth of The Great Sky Drake and the Plains Hunter, and is a popular basis for Kivan art, culture, and moral teachings.

Summary

As with the Great Sky Drake, there are variations in his appearance, personality, importance, and realms of influence between interpretations, but all generally agree that he is a shapeshifter-predator -- commonly in large cat form -- tasked with ecological balance. He is often associated with law/justice and education just as much as hunting, and in some interpretations is responsible for the physical shape of the land.
A popular understanding of him is that he is either the last of the plains hunters that once roamed Icalar and other tuya like it (or a larger landmass that crumbled away or split), or that he was tasked with protecting Icalar. With the latter, in some versions he either remains alive or, as with The Great Sky Drake and the Plains Hunter, perishes in his duty and is the reason the Great Sky Drake takes over his duties. In all versions he is a larger-than-life spiritual force who can change forms depending on whim or need, and has a strong association with rebirth, hidden messages, and opportunism -- for example, in tales such as Ocho and the Seven Snakes he transforms himself into a sub-predator that is then eaten by a larger one, emphasizing the world's need for balance and appreciation of their place in the cycle of life.
As with some understandings of the Great Sky Drake, other popular ones depict him as a paternal role and more involved with human affairs, offering practical teachings and companionship, while other interpretations see him as wilder and more aloof, capable of wrath when higher species forget their place.

Historical Basis

Although no large mammal fossils have yet been found, some believe that the dragon-like specimens that have been found could been part of his transformation (this in turn suggests a proto-myth wherein the Plains Hunter and the Great Sky Drake are in fact the same being). Additionally, with koza being the largest cat on the continent, additional questions are raised.
Visitors to the Precipice (the edge of Icalar) have often reported hearing unearthly howling noises on the wind similar to the growls of koza.

Cultural Reception

The Plains Hunter is important to Kivan culture in that it influences their nomadic lifestyle and their belief in harmony with the land. It also supports their close ties to koza, as they believe they contain pieces of his soul or are his literal progeny. The hawk seizing and being strangled by a viper on the Kivan flag is a direct nod to one fable wherein he uses himself as a teaching point, serving as a memento mori for themselves and others. Their custom of a 'carrion burial' -- in which the dead are left on outdoor biers for animals and the elements to consume -- is in accordance with belief in this cycle.
The Horizon Watchers in western Kiva are considered to be his main perch, from which he can watch over Icalar and keep a look out for its enemies from afar.