Moonsong Glacier through the fog of an early morn

she wondered now if these bears filled his head, but also sulukinak was skeptical of this. she had not had a proper dream since she'd fled echo bay; so far, they'd been drifting snow and the roar of the sea, and nothing to grasp on to, and nothing to lead to supposition in any direction.

dutch spoke of these bears and of his pains, and sulukinak wondered also if he was awake now and complaining because -- well, just because. sometimes her brothers would complain in the early days, if the hike in the snow was too much for their bodies. dutch was an old man. his hunt had been arduous, and he had come back hurt.

she moved to sniff at his wound and lightly cleaned it with her tongue, being none too careful about it. after, she looked to him with a tilt to her face as if to ask, better?