Crossing the river was difficult but not impossible, as he moved south in pursuit of a hot meal. There were signs of caribou here and that made him more wary than hopeful—as Raiyuk had found any large herd would be susceptible to the attention of the Saatsine, and their scent pervaded much of the north. He had been smart enough and quick enough to avoid confrontation with them so far. It wasn't even that he disliked them as a people—only that he remembered them from his previous life, either from his father Chakliux's lessons or from half-remembered experiences, and did not want to put himself in to harm's way.

When at last he saw the rising edge of a forest through the cold mists, Raiyuk felt some relief. He moved through the fringes easily enough, collecting little things for his pouch as he went, in case of any trades he might make. He was thinking of the next best thing—sleep, making camp—when he saw a flash between the trees. Onward he marched, growing careful as the bright fire came in to view, and then he carefully settled beside it, feeling... Not quite warmth, but something like it. He shivered, and wondered if he should really be lingering here.

[chakliux ranged for building material as well as prey. there was much within the nestle to be gathered, but he missed the sea, the rivers, the scent of wandering. as he went, the seal hunter sang to himself, whooping here and there; he kicked stones and frisked as if this was the seaside and not a place heavy with dark dreams. shouting; earth cracking open. ah! or, as the sunshine people might have said, aya! through the trees he went, measuring the steps and knowing he would not exit back into the coldlands. he rested once but built no shelter, and fished from several streams as he went. chakliux did not think of the future. he had become a man who lived in each moment. but he recognized the shadow ahead of him, the tall profile, the scars, and his heart was stunned. raiyuk! bellowed the man, his own marked shoulders bursting though a copse to stand before his son, who had grown and matured and become -- look at you! ah! his shout of laughter roused the birds.]

chakliux ranged for building material as well as prey. there was much within the nestle to be gathered, but he missed the sea, the rivers, the scent of wandering. as he went, the seal hunter sang to himself, whooping here and there; he kicked stones and frisked as if this was the seaside and not a place heavy with dark dreams. shouting; earth cracking open. ah! or, as the sunshine people might have said, aya!
through the trees he went, measuring the steps and knowing he would not exit back into the coldlands. he rested once but built no shelter, and fished from several streams as he went. chakliux did not think of the future. he had become a man who lived in each moment.
but he recognized the shadow ahead of him, the tall profile, the scars, and his heart was stunned. raiyuk! bellowed the man, his own marked shoulders bursting though a copse to stand before his son, who had grown and matured and become -- look at you! ah!
his shout of laughter roused the birds.

He had been lingering there for a little while, remembering—or, trying to remember.

This world felt very much like purgatory. He had never been taught of such a place, but the perpetual cold and the hidden sky, and the lack of the sun, all pointed to some eternal winter place; he imagined that his spirit had been drawn here when he had died, because... ? No, he did not know that part.

What had come before this? He remembered his father's lodge; he remembered being a boy, and having a lodge-brother; he could sometimes taste the ice-water of a deep sea dive, or think a shadow in the river might be a seal, although he had not seen such a creature here yet. A sigh pulled from the depths of Raiyuk—and he thought he could sense his father, then. His scent lingered strong in the periphery of his mind; then, more solid, came his voice—Raiyuk!

He was on his feet immediately! The figure approaching him looked much the same as any memory; healthier, he might thave thought. More real, less idealized: but it was Chakliux, to be sure! Father? Father! A rush as they met one-another again. The last they had seen of one-another, they had just crossed in to this world; Raiyuk remembered that, too.

I am glad to have found you again! His voice boomed, and he laughed, and he held his father close in the way a boy might wrestle their father, forgetting he was an adult now too. This world seemed so large, but it is not. How have you fared? Where is your lodge—?

[i have not had a lodge for a long time, chakliux explained, rough with the younger seal hunter for some minutes. then he delved into the story of how the small village had broken up and dissipated, how he had took up traveling with the walrus boy Kukik, how he had found a seal-hunter woman only to lose her again. that he was unsettled was a small shame for chakliux, who should have been grandfather by now. the hope for that now stood before him, a hale young trader scarred and proud as his father had been so many years ago in those warm days of wooing sunshine women. i travel now with a chieftain called nate-ronan. he will build a place called walosi. it is a good place to make another lodge, and there are others, men and women. but did raiyuk wish to live within a lodge again? he saw clearly that his son had been traveling and would not seek to hurry him as he might a boy. tell me! where is the coldest place you have gone? he asked, thinking in longing memory of the sea ice, which he realized now he might never view again.]

i have not had a lodge for a long time, chakliux explained, rough with the younger seal hunter for some minutes. then he delved into the story of how the small village had broken up and dissipated, how he had took up traveling with the walrus boy Kukik, how he had found a seal-hunter woman only to lose her again. that he was unsettled was a small shame for chakliux, who should have been grandfather by now.
the hope for that now stood before him, a hale young trader scarred and proud as his father had been so many years ago in those warm days of wooing sunshine women. i travel now with a chieftain called nate-ronan. he will build a place called walosi. it is a good place to make another lodge, and there are others, men and women.
but did raiyuk wish to live within a lodge again? he saw clearly that his son had been traveling and would not seek to hurry him as he might a boy.
tell me! where is the coldest place you have gone? he asked, thinking in longing memory of the sea ice, which he realized now he might never view again.

His father shared the tale of his life, and all that was missed was given to Raiyuk in the form of a long story. It sounded as though Chakliux had been surviving well, and with new friends. It made Raiyuk wonder what he could say of himself—of the lonely days he'd spent trying to be a trader in a land that did not appear to utilize them. He thought of telling him about the life left behind, but that was also fragmented, and what memories he held now were like dreams.

The north of this place is very cold, but not terrible. I think much of this land is like winter! I wondered for a while if it would be like that, always. Have you seen changes? He wondered about this, because Raiyuk had not seen much of the sun and he had witnessed week-long snowstorms. There were dreams too—those shared with others, focused on the runestones—which he now thought of, but did not mention.

He shared, Aya! Father—I do not know if this land is good for a trader. I think it is not. I have seen so few people of late, and no villages in need of me. What should I do? It is strange here, without the sea and the seals. But he laughed then, too, because it was such a silly thing to be sad about! He did not want to cause harm to his father's spirit.

Your new home—Walosi, what is it like?

[i think that you should stay and build a lodge and marry, chakliux declared without preamble. the sea is never far, and when we settle, i will ask nate if a hunt might be held upon the salt. we will dry the meat and bring it back, imagined the seal hunter, and the scars upon his face were creased with pleasure at the idea. stop your gathering for now and keep what you have to give among walosi. trade for what a man needs inside his lodge. much of this land is cold, yes. some of it is very hot. i have not yet gone to those places. and it seems, he went on, filled with words and joy now that his son had returned, that is as not as cold here as it was where i lived, or where you got your scars. he thought of that coastline often, perhaps as an effect of ageing. chakliux had little to show for his wealth of experience, but items did not matter. the hale, handsome son who lived and carried their ways was enough. grinning, the seal hunter looked toward where nate gathered the others. we are still settling. it is a beautiful place, but it is not as open as the places we have lived before. we must now become accustomed to the forest.]

i think that you should stay and build a lodge and marry, chakliux declared without preamble. the sea is never far, and when we settle, i will ask nate if a hunt might be held upon the salt. we will dry the meat and bring it back, imagined the seal hunter, and the scars upon his face were creased with pleasure at the idea. stop your gathering for now and keep what you have to give among walosi. trade for what a man needs inside his lodge.
much of this land is cold, yes. some of it is very hot. i have not yet gone to those places. and it seems, he went on, filled with words and joy now that his son had returned, that is as not as cold here as it was where i lived, or where you got your scars.
he thought of that coastline often, perhaps as an effect of ageing. chakliux had little to show for his wealth of experience, but items did not matter. the hale, handsome son who lived and carried their ways was enough.
grinning, the seal hunter looked toward where nate gathered the others. we are still settling. it is a beautiful place, but it is not as open as the places we have lived before. we must now become accustomed to the forest.

Of course his father would want these things! He could not begrudge the man for wishing a continuation of his lineage. Raiyuk listened. If this man called Nate-Ronan would be so welcoming, Raiyuk would certainly consider putting aside his travels.

Chakliux had become a man of the woods! This made Raiyuk raise his brows with humor, and smile wide. He thought of his Uncle, the one who had long ago been hunt-brother to his father—ah, but their name had slipped from his head—and Raiyuk posited, Does Walosi follow the caribou, or do they keep boars? I wonder about stags, too.

These were things a trader liked to know. It would be hard to turn off this way of thinking.

How many follow your Nate-Ronan? Perhaps I could meet him, and he could tell me of his women. This he said in good faith, and did chuckle and buffet his father good-naturedly, although some unknown feeling dried his tongue and thickened his throat.

Anxiety, over the changes. That must have been it.

[none! they follow no creatures. not stags nor caribou nor boars. walosi is new and fresh. these things may change, and it will be good to hear from traders. there is a woman among us, a sharadoii caribou wolf. she has many goods of her own, and collects often. he of course did not speak of his involvement with elk charm, and did not mention her as a name of interest for raiyuk, outside of the fact he wished for them to share trading knowledge. chakliux backed some steps and then started off for the man nate in earnest. i have not counted. but many. more than five. we have been separated as two groups for some time. now at last the halves are united and we are settling. berrybright gaze swung for raiyuk. yes. come and meet him. even if you do not build a lodge here, now you will have a place to rest from traveling. his son held the impulses to go off again, chakliux knew. better to enjoy even a summer now before autumn's gift called.]

none! they follow no creatures. not stags nor caribou nor boars. walosi is new and fresh. these things may change, and it will be good to hear from traders. there is a woman among us, a sharadoii caribou wolf. she has many goods of her own, and collects often. he of course did not speak of his involvement with elk charm, and did not mention her as a name of interest for raiyuk, outside of the fact he wished for them to share trading knowledge.
chakliux backed some steps and then started off for the man nate in earnest. i have not counted. but many. more than five. we have been separated as two groups for some time. now at last the halves are united and we are settling.
berrybright gaze swung for raiyuk. yes. come and meet him. even if you do not build a lodge here, now you will have a place to rest from traveling.
his son held the impulses to go off again, chakliux knew. better to enjoy even a summer now before autumn's gift called.