Ocean's Breath Plateau just got to see me through another day

Chagak could not readily recall when Aditya had come into his life. The interest of three added children had eclipsed the fact that a grandfather had come with them, and by the time the excitement had worn off, Aditya had become grandfather to him, too.

He was plenty old enough now to understand what a grandfather was, and to know that Aditya was not the father of Marina or Chakliux or even Tullik. But, by the time this had been made clear to him, he already held the man dear. He could not imagine his life without any of his trusted adults, and yet, he was now being faced with that very thing.

Tullik had gone. Marina disappeared. His own father —

Aditya was what he had left. Was the most familiar to him, after all that had befallen their families over his short little life. He came to him now wreathed in melancholy, and though the sorrow remained, Chagak felt some of that terrible weight melt off of his shoulders.

"What are you thinking of?" Chagak asked, hoping that he, too, could learn this trick of lying still and calm under the night sky.