The Heartwood You'll love me at once

Yes, hopefully—he would come back this way in the future to meet with Simmik at the very least, so perhaps Kigipigak would journey a little further to get a glimpse of the frostwife.

Kigipigak was more interested in what Chanel had to say next. When she went on to speak of leaving, of accepting the offer to go with him, Kigipigak felt like singing; he started to tip his chin up but held in the impulse and laughed instead.

Good! I am glad. We must head north to the mountains and climb them, so it may take a day or two before we reach home. If they moved as swiftly as Kigipigak did on his own, it wouldn't be long at all. She was smaller than him and lived a more sedentary lifestyle as a sitter; or so he gathered. It might take longer. I will let you set the pace. When we return we will celebrate! Come, come, let us go...

And so he set off, a lightness to his steps.