Duck Lake cousin elk

Dutch smiled to himself, unsure if he thought Chakliux's sentiment very naive or very wise. Either way, he understood it was meant to bring him comfort — and so he let it. He might not have his children, but he had friends. Other family. Moonsong.

"They were happy children," he said, as he had often thought to himself in the dead of the night. "And they grew into strong men and women. This is how they honor me." He didn't need them to know or love him, no matter how much he sometimes wished things could be different.

His paws were going numb in the cold waters. He tasted sharp ice on the breeze.

"As Raiyuk honors you," he said, turning and ramming his head into the seal hunter's shoulder. "But he has not passed his need for you. So let us run before the snow — so you will make it back to him on time."