Ouroboros Spine nukatpiak

Yes, that was how he felt as well, but did not voice it. As well as to be expected. What was expected of them now? The village was gone. Sakhmet was gone. They made new homes among the kin that Kivaluk did not know well, and for that Kigipigak ached as readily as he did for his wife. In time the boy would learn his place among his family here; he would grow here, as he had been by the river.

The boy was guarded. Kigipigak didn't know how to continue the conversation after that, so he let it falter and then the topic felt stale, and the air dead between them. If he had been a better father perhaps he would have reached out to touch his son, or to hug him, to comfort him; but that had never been his way, except for Sakhmet. It felt too strange to start now with the physicality. Kigipigak was a warrior and wished for other men - his son included - to see him as such, which meant putting aside the softer things.

I expect your training to continue here, he offered as a continuation, as his mind was upon the women's circle and Tulukiri who might have been among them. Provided all went well the girl would remain with them, and so Kivaluk would have the benefit of her skills as that had been the initial plan. Either with Tulukiri or another. Did you meet the sivullik during our shared hunts? Shikoba. It would be wise to seek her out for training also.

It felt like a business arrangement rather than a father-son moment, which to Kigipigak felt right. He chose to put aside the memory of his own father as he communed here with his son - knowing fully how that relationship had ended (bloody).