Nimbus Summit what is happiness but a word?

The subject had shifted toward marriage. The northerner regarded Antha with a steady stare, listening to her words carefully. Issorartuyok had already messed up his first chance with Meerkat. It would not look good for him to botch another attempt at courtship. Nervousness bubbled within him.

My intentions remain the same, Antha. My goals are to keep our village prosperous and safe, to make a family here on this mountain, to fill the ranks with that family, and to help the growth of the others who have made this place their home.

Issorartuyok watched her carefully, hoping to catch a sign that she did not like his words or did not agree with the path that he intended to follow. The previous conversation he had shared with Meerkat edged into his mind. She had wanted soft things, sweet words of nothing, things that he was not certain he could ever offer. Would Antha wish for the same?