Duskfire Glacier Ilik

Veteran dug into his memory. "Tuuluuwaq called her Nara," he noted. Another few seconds, and he had it. "Tan-a-rock!" he landed on the name at last, when his mental image of a rock laying out the sun finally clicked. He had taught Mom this trick for remembering names, and she was now doing much better with it. 

Veteran placed several licks on Issorartuyok's chin when he leaned in with the nudge. It was, perhaps, a bit of a childish gesture, but Veteran wasn't feeling very grown-up at the moment. "The village needs you too, Issorartuyok," Veteran insisted. 

A question hit him suddenly. "Is there a Northern word for mentor? A special name I can call you?" he asked. The hole in his heart left by Dad and Tzila ached to be filled, and having something special to call Issorartuyok seemed very important in this moment.