Whitewater Gorge tulaktuk ‡

Kigipigak did not know of this village, but he did not know of many outside of Unnuakvik, or any place that was not ruled by a matriarch of his bloodline. It was a limited view that fit for someone of his age; had he been home with his mother upon the ice then maybe he would find a wife there, or partake in the blood games between the older men.

He was here instead. There was no returning to the way things were before; it did not feel real until Kigipigak was standing with this other woman, the antithesis of his mother, who somehow embodied everything that was left behind at the same time.

Moonspear, he repeated to himself. 

Ikpigak tuvakataitchuk. Ilannak anuniakti kukiluktuk tulugak-miu, ah, The words flow from his lips and as Kigipigak comes to specifics he falters in his speech, turning to direct her attention over the mountains the way he had come. 

Tulugak-miu itcha managaarak. Perhaps she could be of help to him. It did not occur to Kipigiak that she may be interested personally to any extent, he only saw a woman and he knew it was a woman's job in his own tribe, this matchmaking. By her own admission Kukutux had lived here longer too—perhaps she knew how to help.