[and to oil father, kukik, chakliux said solemnly, pausing in his flense to nod at the boy who had become his lodge-son. he was pleased that the younger wolf wished to keep his ways; it reminded the seal hunter that those runners of the sea were not so alone and not so distant. now a travel-honed paw pressed blood, and chakliux nodded. he dug a trough of sand to catch the blood and let it pool in rich darkness there beside the sea. this is also for eating. in hard times, you freeze the blood and chip off a piece each day. blood is traveling food. and it is life. as chakliux dragged his claws to form another trench, his mind considered. you are young. but you are not too young to think of the times ahead. you know we are traders, and that we will walk long. but suppose for a time, imitating kukik to bleed the whale elsewhere, suppose we settle? we should be around others, if only for a while. unsaid was that this intended to be mostly for the boy's benefit.]

and to oil father, kukik, chakliux said solemnly, pausing in his flense to nod at the boy who had become his lodge-son. he was pleased that the younger wolf wished to keep his ways; it reminded the seal hunter that those runners of the sea were not so alone and not so distant. now a travel-honed paw pressed blood, and chakliux nodded.
he dug a trough of sand to catch the blood and let it pool in rich darkness there beside the sea. this is also for eating. in hard times, you freeze the blood and chip off a piece each day. blood is traveling food. and it is life.
as chakliux dragged his claws to form another trench, his mind considered. you are young. but you are not too young to think of the times ahead. you know we are traders, and that we will walk long. but suppose for a time, imitating kukik to bleed the whale elsewhere, suppose we settle? we should be around others, if only for a while.
unsaid was that this intended to be mostly for the boy's benefit.