Moonsong Glacier cowboy like me

The distance between parent and child was one that all children grew to notice, and then to outgrow in some way or another. Kaluktuk had outgrown his mother's influence and been fortunate enough to be far, far from her influence when it happened. In this case, with Kukutux, the woman was so strongly tied to her own traditions that it came as a detriment to those that came after her. Kaluktuk had never seen value in the spirits that she spoke of, as it seemed to him to be a way to avoid responsibility or to give away one's power to arbitrary forces. He was a hypocrite, of course; Kaluktuk had avoided his own share of responsibilities and run from his own problems in his way.

Ariadne was learning. She saw now that her choices would have consequences whenever her mother was involved; if her ideals and desires did not align perfectly with the moonwoman's, things would be strained. It was unavoidable. Kaluktuk saw the way it pained Ariadne and wasn't worried—she was a strong woman with a will of her own. She had come to this place to build a village and she had. Next she would marry who she chose, and keep the traditions that were important to her.

Kaluktuk was hopeful that he could bring parts of his world back to life, through her. He thought now of their future; and when she spoke the name Sedna he smiled, but only because she invoked the name of his mother and not a wayward spirit. You are glorious, Ariadne. You are growing in to a fine issumatar. This was a word he had not used for her before, perhaps had not spoken of in detail—and it slipped from him now, imagining their future.