Deepwood Weald just a drop of water in an endless sea

he looked at her the way dutch did, sometimes.

he spoke softly, his voice steeped in kindness which sulukinak had not earned.

what did it matter if she stayed? dutch had his wife. he would soon have his children, if they had not been born already. the harvest was not welcome here and sulukinak did not feel safe knowing that the hungry goddess of the sea ice went opposed.

aditya wondered where they would go and sulukinak drew a breath, and shrugged.

i go where he goes. i want to learn; he has shown me caribou. he says i am a good hunter. these were another variation of kindness. because the opinion of this man cen was so important to her — as blood, which sulukinak missed in a desperate way — she could not refuse the chance to be with another of her kind.

even if she wasn't sure; even if she did not really know him.

he told me seven weeks. that was... she thought quickly, and then her ears twitched up and forward, and her eyes caught a shine. soon. so soon? days, to go. her heart was suddenly in her stomach!

how had she lost count so easily? the day of their leaving would be anytime, now!