Ocean's Breath Plateau [m] snow goose

a chuckle came from cen when red leaf spoke, out of turn and without his instruction. it would be perhaps a sound of self-deprecation to the village-man, as if to say 'look! i have no power!' but to his pretty young wife, that sound had always been a precursor to a punishment, and it was to be no exception among others, for she had embarrassed him and cen did not abide shame.

the scarred warrior surprised him then, speaking in ice-language. cen squinted his eyes as if to follow more closely along, but it was not a dialect he knew. the man tried another, and he grew frustrated. "speak ... ah ... say these words with me. i want learn."

cen stood taller as he spoke, for his pride had already been much-chewed by now, first by not knowing words, and then by his sharadoii wife who had grown bolder in the absent of his gentling hand.