Ocean's Breath Plateau sweet as brandy wine

it had been loud and busy and overwhelming in a new way, and at first sulukinak thought she could tough it out, or perhaps go unnoticed with the commotion among the adults when they tended the children. it was too much, in the end.

now sulukinak took solace in the singular presence of her dutch man, the comfort of familiar but companionable silence; and some level of weight lifted from her.

he spoke, and she smiled thinly at the path.

yes. the glacier was very pretty, also. and now they had shed ice for ocean, which was a familiar entity as well but in a different way, and even though moontide was a place built upon sand and salt sulukinak would not go near it.

she would not beachcomb like the others. she would not even look towards the waves if she could help it.

is this home now? she asks tentatively, withholding her emotions and her judgement while she listens for his answer; guarded, strangely.