Qeya River anilaaktuk

He came trudging along from the north, not at his usual hungry gait, flanked by the peak of Nova Mountain; there was blood in his vision that Kigipigak refused now to clean off, as he was impatient to be home and he did not like having to delay progress. Alongside him ran @Tulukiri — and others, for a while — until the third or fourth night had fallen, and they were left to sleep in the open fields with a watchful eye.

Tulimaq may come calling for us again. He may want my head for what I have done. Kigipigak told the girl as she scraped the earth and made herself a bed, and while his words sounded ominous there was no worry to be found there. Kigipigak had done what he thought was right. Those that banded with him were now targets, but Tulimaq had been weakened. It would be some time before any fallout occurred.

If he has learned to be honorable in that time, he will come only for me. Otherwise, you will be in danger. Are you certain you wish to follow my path? We are not far from my village.

Tell me about the village, the girl queried, perhaps by way of taking his mind off of harsher things. She did not otherwise answer the question; but Tulukiri had come this far. Kigipigak was likely worrying over nothing.

He spoke at length in to the night: he shared what shape the river took, and its bounty; he spoke of @Sakhmet fondly, and of his boys @Kivaluk and @Akkuma, and tried not to dwell on what he had missed as they had grown. By the time Kigipigak had finished his explanation the girl had fallen deeply asleep; so, he took first watch.

---

By the mid-afternoon the pair had gone as far as the glacier and it was there that Kigipigak found the familiar trails crossing in to Natigvik's territory. He found scents he did not know. His mind was weary and his body sore, so he let his heart lead him instead: following the scent of his wife, so that he boldly moved across the borders he perceived as his own property, and led Tulukiri behind him.