Ocean's Breath Plateau sivisutaaġniq — the long dark

As Rodyn approached the lodge of Raiyuk's father, the young man regarded him with as much stoicism as he could muster—which was not a lot. Emotion wore raw across his features. He had cried and cursed along the sea's edge a day previous, now Raiyuk thought himself to be as empty as the lodge, but he looked almost ill with feeling.

He gave the chieftain a small nod of his head, trying to be respectful, and found himself in that one motion reaching to Rodyn's shoulder and placing his forehead there, perhaps inappropriately, and as if to seek an embrace.

After a moment like this he stood properly again.

With my father—gone, he would not say dead I am the man of our lodge now. I... I seek to take over whatever expectations come along with that. I had previously been helping to scout for a new village and I want to tell you, I will continue with that. His throat felt as if it were closing when really Raiyuk was gripped by his sadness, but only a moment. And once the village is built—and Moontide is at home there—I will be returning here to maintain what is left.

That was what he pledged to do, and what he wanted to do. His father's lodge would not go to ruin; Raiyuk would do what was necessary so that his brothers could keep the home they knew, and uphold their father's memory.