Duck Lake cousin elk

staying vague! <3

they left the creek, following the din of ducks toward a glistening expanse of blue. chakliux, aquainted enough with the streamways in the wilderness, he had not kept company beside a lake since moonglow, and this one was larger!
"i miss my wives!" he declared, laughing aloud. "the lodge is warm and their voices wind together. i could be upon the ice all day, for hours, and returning home would remove all ice from me."
it was a wonder @Dutch did not have women of his own, chakliux thought in admiration. simbelmyne might choose the spine-hunter, a pleasant thought for the seal hunter who had begun to claim him as companion.
among his people there was a specific sense of hospitality: a trader who came to one of their villages would be playfully fought over. each lodge wished the honor of hosting so powerful an individual. the one who won the trader's eye might also gain the attention of the women within the lodge.
bearing a trader's child conceived in luck and happiness brought a sense of protection to the village at large.
chakliux did not expect this from his wives. it was always a seal hunter's choice and this included equality among their women for such practices. but the image of dutch among them was pleasing to his mind, though he thought again of the glacier.
he sat down among the long grass and let his tongue loll. "if the storms come, we must turn back. i promised to raiyuk that i would do this."