Qeya River ilakagitka

Crossing the invisible line in to Natigvik brought a deep sense of relief to Kigipigak. He looked upon @Sakhmet who moved alongside him, and to the distant figures of their sons, and to Amalia as she split behind them - perhaps to refresh the borders, as he knew she had been doing from time to time during their visit; an arduous task but an appreciated one.

They would all get around to it eventually, but for now Kigipigak breathed in the crisp air alongside the river's edge. The water level looked lower than it had been months ago, but the man was not worried. He had never maintained a river before in any way, and having been gone from it for a month, did not know if what he saw was good, bad, natural or unnatural. It just was.

Nosing in to his wife's shoulder, he made a small noise close to a groan, then stopped and checked with a flick of his eyes if the boys were near; he did not want to disturb them with the sound he'd just made, and smiled when he saw they'd gone off on their own adventures.

There was a thread of hurt in her heart on the way home.

She had not forgotten nor forgiven the man they had left behind. Some deep grasp of Melonii blood in her thought of ugly things for him and his disrespect. The woman she was now only wished to banish him fully from thought. Like some kind of stoic warrior might. Should.

It did not matter that they had lost one. Perhaps for the best that it had come now and not when he had been here longer.

What if he had been their first hunter and done this?

Her brows pinched softly, before the thought drifted away at the touch and sounds of her husband. Her steadfast winter hawk. It did not matter who left as long as he (and her boys) stayed with her.

She reached with teeth to chitter at the edge of his good ear.

I think I missed here more than I thought I would. She declared, slowing to slump gently against his larger form. Moonglow should come visit us, next time.

They were of the same mind. Kigipigak breathed deeply of the crisp, cool air; it was summer, but it was dry here and not nearly as searing as the rest of the valley.

He burrowed against Sakhmet a moment and breathed her in, too. He felt her speaking, and lifted his head enough from the embrace to hear her.

A smile came to him again.

Kukutux said the same. What was it she had proposed? Winter hunting. She would like to bring her hunters here after the first snows, and we can hunt and we can feast together.

It had been the same with Duskfire.

It is a long ways away. The boys will be bigger, though. Strong enough to handle a little snow.

Kivaluk shows potential already in those skills.

She hummed softly, thinking fondly of the bolder of the two sons. The one more inclined to lead a group excursion. She wondered what Akkuma would make of strangers here to visit.

For a moment she dreamed of future children, a thought that drew some sheepish sense into her. Daring to turn those feelings into affection as her teeth aimed to nip gently at Kigipigak. She imagined they had some time to themselves now that they had returned.