Ocean's Breath Plateau imiqtitchi

when she stops and places the gift upon the ground, something as small as this comes rushing from the shelter. the child stops short and appears confused—equally so, sulukinak stares at it with as much interest as she might pay a squirrel. he's got something in his mouth.

as she steps towards him, a voice rises from the dark place where he'd come from. sulukinak startles and looks up, seeing the woman; smelling the mark of the man cen but not seeing him here, anywhere.

she forgets the boy.

i look for cen. she steps to the side, grabs the hoof she had carried all this way, and then places it down again where she can see it. is this his lodge? we hunted, but i have not seen him since.