Qeya River envy

kivaluk's silence grew and grew and lestan shivered in the cold of it. he knew the boy was thinking of many things; he sensed it, but he could not know that his off-hand comment had shaken the young wolf.
it had not even occurred to the amaguk that the boy was too young to know what was coming, and to the already-chilly taiga.
kivaluk's words were sharper than he expected. lestan blinked several times. "why, i —" but he had nothing to say, and so shut his mouth lest he gape like a fool.
"i suppose getting to know them makes it easier for me to count each one of them. if we're to rely on this herd for food, naming them means i — we — will know if someone kills one or if they die through other causes."