Rising Sun Valley takinik ⥉

kukutux considered as they walked. it was good to travel alongside a woman who was close to her own stature. they held ways of their own but she appreciated their commonality. "because they are my first-words, and so come first to my mind." her mouth curved pleasantly. "i knew only some of your speaking when i came here. i told myself that i must learn. so i did this thing. but i speak first-words with my children. so they are not far from my mind, even if they are not always known."

wylla was careful enough that kukutux did not consider her companion might have felt offense. "often when i share words with another, they teach me things. they give me new words or tell me how they saw a place i have not seen. it is trade, to give something back. sometimes i offer words." she considered keyni and her cloudberry sister, and how each of them had somehow known this trade between them.

it was the way of the snow wolves, perhaps.

"your husband, he teaches you his words?" she asked, interested to know. "my sun man, he does this. we speak different ways, and he does not always say his own." 

it was good also to speak with another wife, kukutux was discovering.