Raven's Watch viii Sanctified by their affliction.

They took turns in the lead—and to be frank Kigipigak enjoyed following behind her for obvious reasons—each attempting different routes or sniping commentary at the other. It was a struggle and Valmua had been correct in saying it was hard, however the wagging of tongues softened some edges.

Kigipigak found it easy to insert @Valmúa in to his life because of his older sisters; they were no longer blood to him and that left a void to be filled. It was nice to hold company with someone brimming with the courage of their convictions, willing to be their unapologetic self. Valmua did not worry him as Nauja and Nuiruk had. In this short time together he decided he could trust her to a greater extent.

Any misconceptions that Kigipigak favored of women, or of those he thought were not quite Tartok enough, diminished immensely when spending time with this sun-touched woman. She was brazen when she wanted to be and he enjoyed that almost as much as the sight of her struggling to climb the bald face of the mountain.

Kigipigak wondered all the while if she was merely entertaining him for her brother's sake (and the Watch's sake), or if there was something more to be found beneath her prickly exterior.