Qeya River fables

Other Shore listened with a quiet curiosity, observing Star Eater’s eyes. Reading the woman’s gaze was difficult, of course, but, at the very least, she knew that the carefully repressed nostalgia in her irises wasn’t a figment of imagination. Both of their homes had been beautiful, it seemed. Once, never again.

Perhaps that was why the Saatsine moved with the caribou. Not just to track their primary source of prey, but also to remember the beauty of each and every home they found shelter in… so that they could leave before that beauty, that purity, was lost. So that they could look upon the times fondly and move on swiftly without reminiscing bad memories.

Qeya River seemed to be one of those homes.

Did they have to move with the caribou? Was it necessary? Could they not find a better food source so that they wouldn’t have to endure that long and painful march? Other Shore glanced at Star Eater, wondering if she was thinking the same thing, but she found that the woman showed no sign of questioning the tradition. It was not just a custom, but a foundation of the Saatsine. The never ending movement had become the basis upon which the pack lived - no, thrived - upon.

Other Shore took in Star Eater’s words. Could Other Shore herself have survived the march back when she was so young? She doubted so. But her early life and the lives of Star Eater’s young differed. Other Shore did not have a staple food source; her family did not pursue a single herd across endless forests and rivers. But with the Saatsine, they relied on the caribou, and had spent generations fostering a pack of caribou hunters - they had every reason to chase the caribou to the horizon, and they would do it without hesitation if they must. It was a painful blessing in a way.

Other Shore had never, up until this point, lived with a nomadic pack, let alone take part in one of their marches. But she supposed that her own journey across the vast, untamed lands could amount to something similar. She had no opposition to the nomadic nature of the Saatsine - she was merely curious as to their foundational values, though she embraced them with all the passion she had for traveling and expanding her view of the world. Was she strong? Considerably worthy of serving a pack? She did not think so. But she had carried herself here on her legs, and she knew that, if anything, the march would not be what would kill her.

She gazed at Star Eater’s again, just momentarily. Did you move homes when you were younger, too? She had the idea hat Star Eater had joined the Saatsine later, much like herself, but just to confirm, she asked, Were you also born with the Saatsine? She paused, then asked, What made you leave your other home? Perhaps these questions were quite… sensitive, but Star Eater’s had asked her similar questions… surely Star Eater could tolerate them? Hopefully.