[this man greets you. was that a greeting of their people? always wishing to learn, yanan told herself to remember such things. she continued to watch their expressions, how they spoke to one another. ipiktok. it was not like her own name or that of the stone woman; it held a series of sharper, more curious sounds that she enjoyed. her mother. this time yanan's eyes flicked with a mild worry at callyope, for she could not recall the woman having spoken so much of her family. what had happened to them? the hunter's question had been for them both, but it was the pale wolf who answered. her own gaze blinked rather owlishly. what is village? the eagle hunter people lived in secluded family groups of parents and children. sometimes a trader or two would be the only other wolves with which said clan would interact. marriages came after a young man dispersed -- or was dispersed forcibly by his father. girls might choose to stay and remind childless for a time, to tend their new siblings, or they too would travel away to begin their own lines. thus, the concept of a village was beyond incomprehensible to yanan; she had not even heard the word.]

this man greets you. was that a greeting of their people? always wishing to learn, yanan told herself to remember such things. she continued to watch their expressions, how they spoke to one another. ipiktok. it was not like her own name or that of the stone woman; it held a series of sharper, more curious sounds that she enjoyed.
her mother. this time yanan's eyes flicked with a mild worry at callyope, for she could not recall the woman having spoken so much of her family. what had happened to them?
the hunter's question had been for them both, but it was the pale wolf who answered. her own gaze blinked rather owlishly. what is village?
the eagle hunter people lived in secluded family groups of parents and children. sometimes a trader or two would be the only other wolves with which said clan would interact. marriages came after a young man dispersed -- or was dispersed forcibly by his father. girls might choose to stay and remind childless for a time, to tend their new siblings, or they too would travel away to begin their own lines.
thus, the concept of a village was beyond incomprehensible to yanan; she had not even heard the word.

At Callyope’s words Ipiktok’s ears would have tipped backwards in subtle melancholy.

A land which the Nuiruk name was not known? Moonwoman and Sunman’s presence among the Teekons was far-reaching. Borderline timeless. Yet, every child of Moonglow knew the tales of their matriarch's origins and struggles she had overcome – if abbreviated. Born on Siniq Island of the Sunshine people. The long dark and the far ice. Moonspear and its falling star. Callyope implied she, too, would be just as resilient and walk a path to adapt to this strange place.

A stout nod from Ipiktok would have followed, as if to affirm and recognize his aunt’s steely resolve.

His question was volleyed to Yanan. It elicited a turn-of-an-ear from Ipiktok, as if to ask just how far have you two walked together?

But she did not know what a village was.

Ipiktok raised a brow – unintentionally judgmental. Were wolves in this strange land all like Yanan? How had she met Callyope?

The word was so innate he found himself struggling to define it!

“A village is where families live together in commune. It can be a place of great safety and strength.

“Callyope parents, my grandparents, were the leaders of our village. And Callyope had once – ”

He began to speak of Forneskja but, aya, perhaps he said too much.