Bitterroot Valley kiira-k ikug-luk

her chants wavered.

kukutux looked at the man. he spoke her words, those of kigipigak and issoratuyok. she did not yet know that the duskfire man's siblings had come to the glacier, else she might have thought this one among their number.

"this man knows the words of the snow. then this man will know that the caribou must be thanked for their gifts." her tone was soft. "and this man must know that interrupting the words of a prayer invites bad luck."

she watched him. "i will help you when i have finished."

up her voice again, for the final three lines of the song.