Ocean's Breath Plateau sky flier

red leaf wept, and chakliux wanted to steady her with a soft touch, but held back. yet his eyes showed the turmoil, his recognitions of her loss which kept red leaf in this ouroboros of shame.
but when she spoke of ghelan, he stiffened in surprise, heart twisting when the boy responded in loud denial. how could she say these things before her son?
but chakliux felt he understood too, glimpsing the great shadow of horrible pain which must claw at her very spirit each day — and he had done it it.
"you are not broken, akiak," the seal hunter murmured softly. "but your mother's heart has been. you are a good son to her," he assured, a nod of his head to punctuate. a smile briefly touched his face. "once i knew a seal hunter who had his toes on both hind feet stuck together, webbed. on land he had to walk with care, but in the water, he was faster than us all! it is the way oil father decided he should be born."
"red leaf. you are right. this is not a place of your people, not a caribou camp. but you are not alone. and cen is not all you have. he is the man of your heart, but you are not abandoned by anyone else." through this all, chakliux had remained gently insistent;  at last he softly, slowly reached to brush her paw with his own. "you have a wonderful son. and you have been a strong mother. rest now, red leaf. let yourself rest among these lodges, for you do not need to do it all alone."