Duskfire Glacier Katinngak

He saw Wayfarer arrive, whom he rarely saw these days. Still, he acknowledged her with a simple dip of his chin. The last to arrive, Heda, elicited a much different reaction. His skin prickled and buzzed. He found himself shifting his weight from one haunch to the other, like a restless child in the classroom with ants in the pants. He wanted to go to her. But, too weighted down by the seriousness of the meeting, he watched as she sat by his half brother, Veteran. Who remarked at the granite boy's haul.

Unlike so many times before in the presence of Issorartuyok, Ensio showed no trace of his former anger. His jealously, his hurt. The cool in his sharp gaze would say that the two wolves had reached an understanding. Even an acceptance. But if Veteran wanted to hear it for himself, Ensio would oblique. Later. He cracked a slight, wry grin. "Was just being productive...with large game being all but non-existent now..."

When Issorartuyok spoke, the words didn't immediately settle in his ears. The meaning of them. The truth in what he was saying. What he meant for Duskfire Glacier. His pleasant expression slowly faded, becoming un-readable. Before their talk, one could very easily predict that he would explode into a rage at the mere mention of such a thing. Instead, silence hung thick in the air around him, while he hung his head to stare at the ground. Struggling. Comprehending. Deep in thought. And then, finally. "Veteran..." He lifted his head. "You guys...this is hard. But...this is about more than just where our doorstep is. We are more important than the land we now stand on."