Aruk

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Childhood and Reunion

Aruk grew up on Kodiak Island as Su Wei’s childhood friend and closest companion. He had previously dragged the hunting-averse Su Wei out of bed to take the amateur hunter exam. When they reunite at the Fish and Game Department, Aruk is initially hurt by the lack of contact but quickly accepts Su Wei’s apology. He also regrets not having been there after Su Wei’s parents died 100 101.

Su Wei’s decision to take the professional hunter exam surprises him: the friend he remembers wanted to live in the city, drink cola, and play games. Aruk repeatedly notices the contrast between that person and Su Wei’s new composure and wilderness skills 101 111.

Professional Hunter Examination

Aruk passes the written examination but loses his enthusiasm upon learning that Black Anderson will conduct the practical assessment. Black had harshly criticized him the previous year, telling him he was not qualified to hold a gun. During the shooting test, Aruk barely places both shots inside the vital zone and earns a passing score of sixty; Black identifies his unsteady mindset as the problem 102 103 110.

After receiving his license, Aruk proposes a hunting partnership: Su Wei would locate the game, while Aruk would carry equipment and clear the way. He even changes his proposed equal split to sixty percent for Su Wei and forty percent for himself. Su Wei declines because of his debts and need to control his earnings, and Aruk accepts the decision without pressing him 115.

Eagle Beak Cliff Bear Hunt

At a gathering in Su Wei’s cabin, Aruk proposes hunting a large Kodiak brown bear near Eagle Beak Cliff. He offers to track it with his father and leave the main shot to Su Wei, but his confidence rests partly on the mistaken assumption that the Raptor pickup would provide a dependable refuge. Black criticizes the rough plan and joins the expedition himself 177 178 179.

During the hunt, Aruk works with Old Kash to block escape routes. After Su Wei kills the male bear, Aruk warns the group of a second bear’s approach, but he and his father cannot safely shoot without risking their friend. Watching Su Wei survive the charge leaves Aruk badly shaken; afterward, he embraces him and admits how terrified he had been 190 194 197 198 199.

Aruk then pushes to display the enormous catch through Kodiak Town and loudly defends Su Wei when tavern hunters doubt the account of the second kill. When Su Wei offers to buy out the group’s shares of the male bear’s hide and skull, Aruk refuses, insisting that his friend earned the trophies by risking his life 200 201 207 210.

Boat Ownership and Fishing Partnership

Aruk later buys a secondhand, twenty-four-foot aluminum-alloy fishing boat, the Wavebreaker, and equips it with a new Yamaha outboard motor. He invites Su Wei on a trip combining crab-pot fishing with deep-water angling near Shipwreck Bay 241 257 258.

The trip produces an enormous catch of halibut, black cod, and snow crabs, but also exposes the limits of Aruk’s equipment and strength. A powerful fish nearly pulls him overboard, and Su Wei directs him to secure the boat and use a pumping technique to retrieve line. With the Wavebreaker dangerously overloaded, Aruk follows Su Wei’s instructions to return slowly through the waves to St. Paul Harbor 260 261 262 263 265.

Later Assistance

Aruk agrees to supervise Polar Strong Shield’s cabin-site survey while Su Wei attends taxidermy lessons. He also volunteers to carry equipment and provide close-range backup for Laurent’s lucrative bear-hunting commission, though Old Kash rebukes him for being insufficiently prepared. Aruk subsequently tells Black about the bounty, prompting Black to question Su Wei’s confidence in accepting it 241 268 282.

Appearance

• Bear-like build: A large, burly man repeatedly compared to a brown bear in human form, with broad shoulders and unusually large hands 114 173 198 270.
• Hair and brows: Messy short hair and thick black eyebrows 151.
• Weathered face: His face is described as purple-red from years of exposure to sea wind 257.
• Outdoor clothing: Wears a thick brown hunting outfit during the assessment preparations and an old, heavily padded coat when visiting Su Wei 108 173.

Personality

Aruk is loud, physically affectionate, and quick to show what he feels. He greets Su Wei with booming shouts, powerful hugs, and backslaps that regularly leave his friend coughing. His anger fades quickly once Su Wei explains why he had lost contact 100 101 173.

His enthusiasm often becomes exaggeration or overconfidence. Old Kash initially discounts his praise of Su Wei’s tracking because Aruk habitually embellishes things, while Black exposes serious gaps in his first bear-hunting plan. Despite his bravado, Aruk becomes conspicuously quiet around Black and is deeply frightened by the reality of a close-range bear attack 108 178 192 198.

Aruk values money and public recognition, but not at his friend’s expense. He eagerly promotes the bear hunt through town and delights in counting the proceeds, yet angrily rejects Su Wei’s offer to compensate him for the trophy. When awarded fewer hunter points than Su Wei, he accepts the difference because his friend faced greater danger 200 211 270.

He also respects personal boundaries beneath his curiosity. After learning about Su Wei’s role in capturing Garrett Hawk, Aruk recognizes that the achievement cannot be explained by luck alone but stops asking when Su Wei avoids the details 151.

Abilities & Skills

Fishing and Seamanship

Aruk is an experienced fisherman despite being newly licensed as a professional hunter 192 257.

• Handles the helm through rough water, approaching swells at an angle to reduce jolting 258.
• Knows local deep-water fishing grounds and the seasonal movement of black cod near Shipwreck Bay 258.
• Prepares baited crab pots and operates the boat’s hydraulic pot hauler 257 263.
• Has difficulty fighting exceptionally large fish with his aging tackle; Su Wei teaches him to use his legs, waist, and back rather than relying on arm strength 260 261.

Hunting Support

Aruk’s main strengths as a teammate are strength, reliability, willingness to follow instructions, and local connections 115.

• Offers to track game, carry equipment, clear routes, and provide covering fire 115 178 268.
• Works with Old Kash to occupy blocking positions during the bear expedition 190 194.
• Passes the professional shooting assessment, though only with sixty points 110.
• Has weak butchering skills and is reassigned to retrieve the truck while the others finish processing the hunt 199.
• Describes his old shotgun as inaccurate but usable for close-range backup 268.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Wavebreaker — Secondhand, twenty-four-foot aluminum-alloy sea-fishing boat fitted with a new Yamaha four-stroke outboard. Aruk says the motor cost six months of savings 241 255 257.
• Thirty crab pots — Freshly patched and baited with frozen herring and chopped squid for the fishing trip with Su Wei 255 257.
• Fishing tackle — An old fiberglass rod and aging manual reel, both heavily strained by the deep-water catch 260 263.
• Hunting firearms — Carries an old rifle during the Eagle Beak Cliff expedition and later mentions an old shotgun for backup fire 194 268.
• Vehicles — Uses an old pickup and owns a snowmobile 179 274.

Relationships

• Su Wei — Childhood friend and closest companion. Aruk supports his hunting career, defends his achievements publicly, and offers practical help with both expeditions and estate work 100 115 207 241.
• Old Kash — Father and a veteran local hunter. Hunts alongside Aruk, corrects his overconfidence, and urges him to practice before taking on more dangerous work 173 179 268.
• Martha Kash — Mother. Her affection for Su Wei prompts Aruk to joke that his friend is the family’s “real son” 270.
• Younger brother and sister — Join family visits to Su Wei’s cabin; Aruk later entertains them by playing cards 173 272.
• Cartier — Older male cousin and fisherman. Aruk arranges for him to drive the group home after their celebration 173 215.
• Black Anderson — Examiner and senior hunting companion. Aruk calls him the “Old Devil” and fears his criticism; Black is also an old acquaintance of his father 102 103 150 179.

Notable Quotes

“You find the game. Your eyes are practically radar. I'll carry the stuff and clear the way.” 115

“I can't do something that rotten! Dad, say something!”
— Refusing payment for Su Wei’s bear trophy 210

“In this family, Su Wei is the real son. A seal must have brought me in from the sea.” 270