Qeya River kuugaamiut

His voice had a strange affectation.

No husband. Her mirrored answer came with a subtle bristling to the short hairs down her spine. No want, no need. As if this needed explaining or defending.

She did not judge him for being a singular parent, and yet expected some gendered speculation about her own situation; it was unfair, but such a thing had been instilled to her by a fearful mother.

Had this once been a hungry man - the predators of the sea ice, who traded often with Nukilik? She wondered where the child had come from. Her eyes lingering on him a moment before breaking away again, feigning disinterest.

Why do you stay? Perhaps it was only the need of a pack, given the child; if there was no child to watch over would the gray man have gone?