Ouroboros Spine atvaktaktuk

She did not comment, only took to the meal. Her silence felt like an echo. Kigipigak had not taken a piece of what was offered yet, and when he did he took something small and easy to replace.

He chewed thoughtfully, although he held an answer at the ready even before the question was put upon him.

My job is to keep my family safe, as it always has been. He spoke this plainly, and then silence swept between them again.

Kigipigak had kept foreigners away from his children and his wife, had brokered peace between his village and Reyna's people, and he had accepted that the forest was no home to them when Asivaq said to leave; he would employ the same focus now, in the heart of this equally foreign place.

Kukutux would not take another child from him.