Moonsong Glacier through the fog of an early morn

for the first time among their conversations, sulukinak visibly fumbled. she felt her cheeks redden, and knew the question brought a backward slant to her ears and could not help the tuck of her tail. such a visceral reaction should not have been necessary — but this was yet again, a moment of disconnect between them.

it felt so strange to have to explain these basic things to an adult! were they not all grown the same? she thought he had a brother, suddenly; remembering valiant from the hunts, but knowing they were not age-mates, and that only reinforced her thinking. brothers, yes, but survivors of their own separate tunillalik from one-another.

if dutch and sulukinak were to be a conclave, then — do you want that? i thought... maybe a lodge, for you.

it was a word she'd heard spoken but did not fully understand it; only, sulukinak was very perceptive, and had picked up more than just this word since dutch had returned to her upon the plains.