Ocean's Breath Plateau ivory heart

Their meal with Dutch had been a rousing one filled with recounts of great stories and adventures, all of which kept Matteo's undivided attention until it was time for bed. He had been mildly surprised to see Chakliux there that night - wanting to ask him why he didn't stay with the other adults and if it had something to do with how Tullik and Marina smelled. Nevertheless, he had made ample space for the man before drifting off into a dreamless sleep.

His wound healed slowly but well. Matteo made sure to bathe his hip in the ocean's salt water every day and clean it morning and night with gentle laps of his tongue. 

They awoke bright and early to hunt and forage the ocean shores. The fish were easy game, though their swiftness took some getting used to. The mollusks and roots were more forgiving in the fact they they did not move. It was the egg-gathering that had the steepest learning curve for the river boy, but with careful guidance from Chakliux and Raiyuk he was able to scrounge a decent amount and only got pecked twice in the process. The trip was a welcome break from the stuffiness of the lodge and he found himself enjoying these menial tasks more than the fast-paced bison hunt.

He came to Chakliux as they returned to the lodge, a bright smile on his face. "Is Dutch still here? Someday I want to see a desert and hunt with coyotes - just like he did!" Matteo had never met a coyote, nor knew what one looked like. However, it was curious to meet a non-seal hunter, like himself, become so close to a seal hunter, like Raiyuk. "What do you think of him?