Neverwinter Forest kiiksiugun ⊎

He went as far north as the glacier, but not so far as to climb it. When the forest thinned to an emptiness but still there was no scent of either mother or daughter, Kigipigak turned back as he had told Callyope he would; and he traced his way through the Neverwinter again, shouting for some time these names, and only stopped when he caught sight of a white figure among the trees. White, red; his heart leapt to his throat, or maybe had taken up residence there as he hunted. He could taste copper as he picked up the pace.

It was not one body as he'd hoped — it was three. Kukutux, the Sunman, and a boy. They looked like a happy family moving throughout the trees, no doubt hunting for Ariadne as well; and Kigipigak drew close. His breath was heavy and irregular as he tried to gather himself, looking between the two he knew.

I have looked everywhere. I — she is not here. Neither of them. He did not say this to wound them. If they were here to hunt among the trees, he could save them time and energy by conveying what he'd failed to find. To Kukutux went Kigipigak's hard, cold eyes — resisting the hurt he felt as the doubt was creeping in.

I am going east, next. Perhaps they joined one-another and... I don't know. I just need to keep looking. Already he was moving, looking to the trees around them, trying to keep himself calm as he used his full compliment of ranger skills to track down his family.

This should not be happening, he thought; and perhaps that sentiment caught in his eyes, and perhaps the two of them could see it.