Sequoia Coast i've seen finer gods than you, child, and i've swallowed them whole—

Again he proceeds north, scrounging for a painless meal or a place to lounge. He is drawn to the looming trees for succor, nesting often in their wood rather than out in the open. Forests will never supplant his veneration for ranges, however.

Forlornly, he gazes upon the grand Nova Peak in the distance. Must his adoration always resonate longing and gloom? He has undergone much since leaving home. There is no plausible way that they consider him kin after his oblique departure. Not after leaving like that. It might be a good idea to close that chapter of his life, much as it pains him...He'll do that when the time comes. Little does he know how soon that overture will be.

Sea song cajoles him from land, leading to an array of tide pools. Little of the sea he knows, but the sight before him is familiar. Familiar in an intrinsic way. Natjuk scrutinizes each individual pool, goaded by the prospect of food. He does not notice the commander minding her own, rapt with the bright life within these small spaces.