Ocean's Breath Plateau salt fleck

a man. he would need to become a man one day. he enjoyed the virtues of being a boy, of having no responsibilities and playing as much as he liked. but each day he aged closer to the time when he would need to hunt his own seal, and each day became a reminder to that looming expectation. 

he paddled around his father's head, the encouragement being reciprocated in small whoops from the boy as he kept his circles steady. splashed water stun his eyes a bright red, but sirmiq continued to practice with the occasional glance to his father for instruction.