Barrow Fields ukiu-pak

As the deer evaded them Kigipigak wanted to curse aloud and turn upon the red-tailed boy, but he could not. He cantered after the leaping doe until it had far outpaced the pair of wolves, then rebounded so that he could seek out Njord; his breathing laborious and body beginning to feel the after-effects of strenuous activity. He leveled a sharp look at the boy which became a frown, a groan, a shake of the head.

When Kigipigak did eventually have his breathing under control and he had squelched the taste of copper at the back of his throat, the burn there from the intensity of the hunt, he was lacking enough fire to snap at anyone.

Besides, did Kigipigak need to spell it out for the other boy? They had both failed their people this day. Perhaps another time, Kigipigak murmurs, we can hunt by the ocean and see what comes of it.