Sequoia Coast seal mother

If he were to fail in his hunt, if he were to drown beneath the ice alongside the seal in the deep ocean, if he were made in to an example for siblings he would not otherwise meet, Raiyuk's spirit would hold firm to these days of travel with his father and his lodge-brother.
Already the ice of his heart, which had become solid leading up to their departure from Moontide, had melted and become something new. He was not afraid of what was to come; he relished every opportunity to fish along the seaside, or chase the birds and steal their eggs, and in the evenings when Chakliux shared his many stories it was Raiyuk who was last to fall asleep; his mind buzzing with the tales, importing himself in to these spectacles as if he had lived them.
He dreamed of the sea ice.
He saw the seals with their heads bobbing.
He knew the cold of the frozen ocean and in this dreamscape, was as nimble as any shark.
In the waking hours Chakliux spoke of a place where women gathered, those who did not like men, and he was reminded of the way the Moon Villages did the same for their circles; but somehow it was different in this coastal place, even with the ripe scent to rival the salt.
Finally, they made camp for the night and Raiyuk's father warned of the coming trial.
He ate well, and he knew he should sleep; he needed the energy in the morning, and he needed to be in top form. Yet it was alongside Matteo that the boy sprawled. He saw that his father feigned sleep poorly, and in silence the trio rested together, each anticipating the morning.