Silvertip Mountain the earth spins and the moon goes round

Though bowed in submission, Nanook steeled herself against the woman's scrutinizing watch and tried not to let her nerves give way. Had she said enough to secure a place here? Did a test await her, an assessment to confirm she spoke the truth? She could hunt, but even she knew her tactics were uncouth and unimpressive to anyone who wished to be impressed.

But the woman demanded no display of prowess. Rather, her words turned to Silvertip, and Nanook felt her heart skip. Hope? Excitement? Or a fearful understanding of the reality of what she was getting herself into? The woman spoke of living as brothers and sisters. Nanook only knew how to run from hers. Ever since mama and papa had split she'd been running, but if she gave herself to Silvertip...

She stared past the woman with a pinched gaze and let her sight touch the growing darkness of the night. Nowhere near as dark as her sister, and somewhere in her stirred the understanding that Desna was why she was here, why she was trying. Nanook didn't know what prompted this, because she had done right in leaving her family, in carrying her punishment away with her. To have a family was dangerous. To let herself feel brought agony, and spiked fear to her very toes. But Nanook couldn't run anymore, and though she trembled at what she was doing, she offered her answer in a careful nod and a quiet yet certain, "Yes."