Ocean's Breath Plateau imiqtitchi

the woman did not answer in a way that sulukinak expected. she had found very few with the same direct manner as herself, and this was no exception. rather than a simple yes or a no, sulukinak was told many things—introduced to the woman and child; then told that cen was not present, which was something the girl had suspected already.

she was welcome to stay, though. sulukinak gave a look over her shoulder and then stepped closer, settling to her haunches. it did not occur to the girl to thank red leaf for the welcome, and she wasn't all that interested in the little boy either; after a few glances sulukinak notices that the child drags a hind foot when they walk.

remembering the caribou ankle, sulukinak suddenly looks to it and says, oh, i brought this, and she stands again, moving to it and with a toss, aims for the child's periphery in case they might want to investigate it; maybe she should have given it to red leaf directly, but that wasn't a thought that flit through her mind.

i am cen's cousin, sulukinak. it felt powerful to say out loud.