Hoshor Plains obasan

was it insistence that he heard in her voice? why did she want him back upon the ice mountain so quickly? against all the unspoken things did his heart cinch with a hope that sickened him. "i will ask raiyuk what he wishes to do. and we will be gone for seven days. it is a sacred number, like the nine of your sunshine people."
ariadne spoke now of a tea for his wives, and chakliux flushed beneath his pale fur. this power was only for women to know, but he was touched beneath his surprise that she had offered him such knowledge. "i will ask for this from the moon woman then. thank you." why was she telling him this? "may oil father bless you with many strong children, cloudwoman."
a weaker moment; his eyes shone and his mouth worked as if he might say something further, but then only cleared his throat. "i must find raiyuk," hoarsely, a smile, and then he was turning into a proud lope, head upheld and the stricken expression on his scarred face carefully smoothed behind a white expanse that was only the long stare of the hunter.