Sequoia Coast oil teeth

In his sleep he wrestled a creature of the sea, built like a bison, with curving horns and a big shark mouth; it was somehow all of these things at once, and a giant, and when Raiyuk woke he was standing atop the creature's back as if it were a glacier.

He rose to his feet while the edges of the dream held fast to him. The smell of blood from his father's offerings cut through the last of the ethereal feeling, and when Raiyuk faced the sea he was awake and sharp with his focus.

The hole in the ice awaited him. The sea was just beyond, and as he readied to dive in Raiyuk steadied his mind and took one large breath; then, he was beneath the surface without so much as a splash.

It was so cold on first contact that he felt the familiar urge to scream. Chakliux had trained him well, and after a moment a familiar numbing eased the urge from him, and Raiyuk was able to open his eyes and to swim - eager for a seal to show itself.

Today he would become a man.