Duskfire Glacier And to my word now I'll be true

@Alessia

 

           

The sun had just overcome the second half of it’s daily journey as the contrasting pair made their way back toward the Glacier. Siarut led the way, it took a few hours to return to his home. But slowly the land morphed into familiar territory, and the scent of his family grew stronger the closer they traveled. Soon enough the mountain had been traversed and they were nestled in the grand crevice created by the large ice pack.

“This is home.” He called pausing at a particular vantage that would give the obsidian  woman an overview of the land she would be occupying. “My home is your home. My land is your land. My people are your people.” Siarut’s lips tipped upward ever so slightly, as he welcomed the girl to his home. His native tongue fell from his lips, making it seem more official than it was.

She follows him in silence, watching the landscape change around them. Her thick coat is suited to the chill in the air, but she thinks with some amusement that she'll be rather out of place among Siarut's pale-furred family members. His words interrupt these thoughts; maybe the meaning behind his invitation is not so ambiguous after all. She glances to the pale man first, listening as he speaks in his own tongue, but a moment later her gaze turns to the land before them.
It's beautiful, She says quietly, letting a few moments pass in silence. What did you say? The yearling inquires delicately after some silence; if this is home, she'll need to learn the language. Or at least try. Suddenly she's painfully aware of the gravity of this decision, perhaps made a little too impulsively. But she won't back out now— she's intrigued, and right now she has nothing else but the ghosts of her past.

           

 

Whispered words reach his ears, all he can do is nod along as he watched the trees sway. It was an oddly still day, as a filmy haze lingered over the land, giving the scenery an orangey glow. The drifting smoke had lingered for days, and he considered speaking with Tahani and Shivali about the possibility of keeping the wandering pups within the cavern. The air was heavy and sticky, clinging to his nose. But, it did nothing to dissuade the beauty of he home Takiyok had found for them.
 
With a smile, the ice bear nodded. Agreeing with his companion. Turning to look at her his smile continued, “My is your home. My land is your land. My people are your people.” Siarut reiterated the saying for her, it was something he had heard from the bone lady back north. And at this moment it fit.
 
He remembered then, the interest she had shared in learning their tongue. More interest than any of the established recruits had yet to show. Perhaps she still wished to learn. ”Will you teach me your fathers tongue?” An exchange of knowledge was always better than simply offering, he wished to learn her tongue as much as he wished for her to learn his.

The translation solidifies what she'd still been reluctant to assume— this is home. She turns her gaze to him and offers her own smile, tentative but genuine; it grows slightly at his request. She remembers the interest he'd shown when they'd first met. It's not often she meets one with the patience to pick up another language, though she meets many with the desire— but it's obvious Siarut has already done it at least once.
Of course, She answers easily, looking back out over the territory. I'd like to learn your language as well. A fair trade, I think. She pauses a beat, then continues: My mother was a foreigner, and disliked our culture and language; I learned late in life, unlike most of the children. My father would speak to us in his native tongue when he could steal the chance, but only I asked for further lessons. So he taught me this way.
She lets it sink in for a moment, then repeats herself in common, glancing back to Siarut's face to watch his reaction.