Duskfire Glacier pisugnachuk

The village of Unnuakvik was a place of cold-hearted people. They cared for one another through acts of service rather than physical displays of affection, unless you counted sparring as affectionate behavior, and never once did Kigipigak see this absense as a problem. It wasn't until now, as Lane thanked him and pressed her cheek in to his shoulder, that he was confronted with a plethora of emotions.

Her surprise upon recieving the gift was to be expected. Perhaps she too thought it was a bride-price, and Kigipigak only began to connect the dots when he felt that brief embrace between them; then he was filled with his own surprise and a seeping warmth that felt far too alien.

It didn't hurt. It wasn't meant as a correction, from what he could discern. It was a warm and welcome feeling that Kigipigak could not compare to anything else.

We do make a pretty good team, Lane commented as she released the embrace, speaking candidly to him. Kigipigak saw this as a sign of something deeper; they were a good team, they had hunted together multiple times now and been successful. She was kind, and strong, and somehow a comforting mix of Kukutux and Sedna rolled in to one.

Ah, yes, and you are welcome within Moonglow. Our camp, our village. He murmured back, a little bit perplexed by the humming in his own skin from where she had touched him. The caribou skin had been presented and now folded up, so there was no reason for him to linger.

The words of moon-woman returned to him then: what do you want to say with this gift? is it only one for a companion? or do you mean another thing, kigipigak?

I wondererd... He started to ask something, and his voice faded. It was uncommon for wolves outside of Tartok to be made aokatti; practically unheard of, according to his village. He cleared his throat. Would you hunt with me again? Perhaps once our sivullik has brought together our villages.

It was not what he'd wanted to say, but Kigipigak was uncertain about how to broach such a subject that even the wolves of Moonglow did not fully understand. Or maybe it was Kigipigak who was ignorant: he did not yet realize that there was something deeper at play here.