Ocean's Breath Plateau ivory heart

"ah, he has gone back to moonsong," chakliux told the boy with a regretful tone which brightened in the next moment. "seals make the ice mountain their home. they are not the same which raiyuk will hunt for his ceremony, but you should see them. dutch enjoys their singing. he can tell you about them."
a flashing grin lit his mouth; "he is panther. he is a greathunter. and his words are steady. truly, you should listen to all that he says. dutch has great wisdom and he offers it freely to the ear."
he looked beyond them both, back to the lodge where his wives still rested in greenbloom. quick teeth peeled a stalk of ugyuun. "i know i invited you among us as lodge-brother to my son," the seal hunter said, filling one side of his mouth with the watery plant, "but i have come to think of you as a son to us. i have not asked you in some time if you want to be part of the seal hunters." he gazed steadily at the boy. "whether or not you accept, your sleeping-place is assured. you will need to work until next winter, but — if you want to go into the desert and hunt those creatures, you should have the protection of oil father."