had akmaaksi ever known the name of rhaegal? perhaps then she might have seen first what ipiktok and she shared, rather than all the things they did not.

the hunter spoke to her as if she was in his party. enjoying this, akmaaksi wondered if he would take sivullik, now that his mother's second husband was traveling.

grandfather's land was terrain still unfamiliar to akmaaksi, but she tracked across the rocky soil, exploring the sparse trees here and there. in a belt they grew more densely, thinning to the far edge of the great stone. three pools of water fed into one another among the rich greenery. here was all of moonglow seen, from firemother far in the distance across the nameless river to the path many had walked, and now from this height appeared as a white ribbon winding up toward the ulax.

deadfall had fallen into itself, creating a vague structure there among the living trees at the front of this woodland. it was open to the air with a large, wide clearing where the views might be taken in great repose. 

the scent of brother lake was clear and rich in the air here. akmaaksi glanced to the older man.