Fox's Glade boniface

!!!!!!!!!!

the seal hunter had taught dutch a joke. it involved looking at the hunter who might be walking farther ahead of the rest in his party, caught by eagerness. come back, igimak! another might call, referring to the hunting prong methods by which they surrounded their prey on the ice. he wants to strike into the warmth first! another might howl, until igimak was shouting back, and laughing, and returning to the protection of their group.
foreshafts were the first lost in the long dark.
so now, as they traveled in the direction of the glade, chakliux found a singular reek cutting through the itiguk of the many foxes. another time he might have made a loud jest about their stink; now he only slipped into a hunting crouch.
the berrybright eyes searched through the cold shadows of the interlaced boughs; chakliux moved silently and with purpose among them, until the grate of the monster's growling thrummed powerfully around he and dutch.
only now did he catch the other's eye, hatred darkening, filling the pupil, and bloodlust tensing his jaw.