Swiftcurrent Creek tuvaq

Home now, to the creek camp, Kilgitsuk had found nothing amiss in the world beyond. He had been trawling the waterway for fish as something to pass the time, and found himself at a loss for what to fill his time with.

The man still ached for those he left behind. He did his best not to share openly of his grief as that would not serve anyone; but in private, as he watched the water flow or the snow gather in near-silent flurries, he thought of Natigvik.

A fish surfaced briefly, as if to taunt him. Kilgitsuk did not see it.