Moonsong Glacier oldmother

chakliux chased a deer along the cold base of the mountain. its hide was patchy, its body emaciated. but terror kept it afoot and spry.
the seal hunter did not pant.
the deer sounded a pitiful bleat and leaped desperately into the higher slippery crags. chakliux followed, but here he was forced to slow, though his pursuit continued.

Ajei had taken to walking among the outskirts of the pack lands. Tracing paths she knew and never going far. She couldn't leave the pack lands fully alone, but she also knew she would need to have a little more of an adventurous spirit. Instead of being scared all the time. But it was so hard for the fire girl with eyes of grass. She was not like her mother or her father or those she cared for. She wasn't brave or resolute. She was kind she supposed and she cared much for those around her. 

It was that care that had pushed her away from the pack lands and towards a pitiful sound. It had sounded so pitiful and sad. So she had followed it and she had come upon a big hunter, and a sick deer. She curled her tail to her hocks and stayed out of the way. She would not get in his way. A tremble in her paw. She fought to keep it calm. She would help should he need it. Though she was unsure how to hunt. She could hunt the rabbits and the weasels. But this type of game was out of her realm of expertise.

when chakliux looked back, a girl was watching. the wind carried him the scent of her village. "moonwolf, come and help!" he exhorted, slowing.
he assumed she knew the sunshine words, and went on: "we must be careful. the paths are slick with ice. if we lose it, we will wait down here."
he was jubilant! he was thrilled despite seriousness. his brightberry eyes waited for the girl to speak.

Ajei only knew some of the words he spoke. So she wasn't sure how to reply. She smiled and slowly picked her way along the mountain. She had found out the hard way that sometimes the higher up you were, the slippier they were. They held ice deep and high.

What is it you hunt? She asked, choosing her words carefully some that he would know and some of his own. As best she could, her accent proving that she spoke her mother's tongue more than the tongue of his and Moonwoman's own.

ah; she spoke differently. chakliux returned to the common words. "i am hunting a deer. it is sick. it will not live through the snow. best to catch it before hunger ends its life."
however, only two of them could not take such an animal, and the way was very treacherous even for him, let alone a girl. so he slowed, and sighed. "we will follow it carefully to see where it has gone."

A timid smile. I am sorry i do not know all your words. 

She felt guilty. He had seemed so excited to speak to her in a tongue she didn't know. She knew hoq proud ahe was of her mothers language perhaps he was the same.

You do not wish to hunt it? I am certain there are flat plwces we could herd it too? I amy not be strong of limb, but I am fast. And i know mountains.

"that is all right, moongirl," chakliux chuffed. "i wish to follow it. this land, i have not hunted before. it will not be as kind to us, that is why i say we must be careful."
he invited her close, setting their path to move slowly upward.
"what is your name? i am chakliux, of moontide."

She smiled at him and moved a little closer. Ear titled forward.

You are in heartbrother Rodyn's pack. I am Ajei of moonglow. Daughter of Shikoba and Inutsuk.

She had gotten into the habit of sharing her mother's name for so many thought she moonwomans and she would not have it confused for her mother was best mother for her.

"ah! you know your lineage, moongirl." it was clear this pleased chakliux, and indeed he was impressed by ajei, and thought of a future where she might one day be introduced to raiyuk, another seeker of kinship names.
he stopped to examine the marks of hooves in the ice.

It was important to know of whom you belonged. It filled holes sometimes in your heart of hearts. And Ajei dearly loved her family.

She followed hia lead and sniffed gwntly at the hoove marks and looked for leading ones away.

"shikoba is not a name of the ice. inutsuk is. tell me, moon-girl, tell me of your mother and father. if you want."
he was curious now to know of who else resided on the spine. as chakliux waited for her answer, he found the trail and moved on.

A flash of a smile. Daughters pride in her eyes. Her mothers tongue sliding from her maw. Just her name. mama shikoba

Then she returns to common language. My mother is not of ice, but fire. Desert and sun made up her.  She is star hunter, and best mother for me.

Ajei made a soft noise. My father doesn't speak with me. He has not been present for much of my life.

firemother. it fit the pride in ajei's voice, fanning hot when he had asked. but to hear of her father — it stood to reason she would only speak well of this star hunter.
"so, will you be star hunter after her?" chakliux asked. the trail had faded and with it their quarry.

Ajei didn't love her father any less than her mother. She just didn't have as many happy memories with him. And perhaps that was how it was. Though Sun Man seemed very involved in his children's lives and she wondered what she had done to warrant her father's lack of interest in his daughter.

Her ears went to her head and she gave a soft depreciating laugh. Oh, no I don't. I'm not.

She cleared her throat. I do not have fire in my heart like my mother only fire on my fur. I prefer being at home. I love to fish though. So if I can be Star Fisher, absolutely.

she joked! a humorous girl. well suited for moonglow, he felt. her father had missed a good deal if she had become so thoughtful.
"you enjoy home. this is good. you can see the world if you want, but always will your head have a place to lie." wanderlust often gripped young men. chakliux wondered if the sunshine girls too went abroad of their packs to see what lay beyond. "star fisher. have you fished in the salt water?"

Ajei didn't think she was all that funny, but she did try to make light of things. So that it made everyone comfortable.

She liked the thought of always having a home. To travel all the time, felt as if it would be lonely.

She nodded her head. Oh Yes! A wolf named Heph took me. We learned to hunt crabs and sea stars and fish. I have hunted crab with a wolf named Reverie too.

"ah! i know heph! she is my leader, and a great heart." chakliux was pleased to be speaking of these things. "perhaps if you come again to the sea, you will meet my son raiyuk. he is a hunter of the salt already, as you sound to be."

A soft nod. Yes i like Heph a lot.

She was also alightly envious of Heph. To know her own mind to be strong in herself. This would be a nice way to be. She adored her.

Would Raiyuk want to hunt with me?

"i think so. he is a kind boy," chakliux told ajei, stepping back again. "we will not hunt today. i will walk you to the spine if you like," he inquired, watching her for a moment before he tested the air.

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She nodded. 

oh okay. Thats fine. I can make it back. I won't take you from your task.

She dipped her head to him and turnwd back the way she had come. Qhite paws taking careful stepa down mountainside.

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quietly the seal hunter watched until ajei had safely descended the glacier, and then he went on himself, back to ariadne to tell her what he had seen this day.