Moonsong Glacier redthread

Ariadne was recovering in her ulaq and Kaluktuk had slipped out before the sunrise, intent on getting at least one patrol done before bringing her breakfast; it had become a habit by now. By the late afternoon he would have brought her something else and shared it with her, as well as any news within the village. He was only just beginning this midday prowl when he saw a stranger approaching the village limits.

Ordinarily he would have intercepted and been cautious, but this person was young — maybe Ariadne's own age, maybe younger — and Kaluktuk knew she wished more women lived among them, for her circle. With this in mind Kaluktuk drew closer and as he did so, he discovered the girl carried a meal with her; that, and the scent of his son. The combined scents of Moonglow.

Hello there, he called as he drew upon them; his demeanor having shifted again from something more welcoming to something guarded, but hopeful. There could be any number of reasons that an emissary of Moonglow would come to their doorstep — so, Kaluktuk would wait and see what she wanted.

This is the village Moonsong—but I assume you know that, being our neighbor. What can I do for you? There was the unmistakable, utterly distracting notion that this girl was in some way affiliated with his son, and that was incredibly distracting.