["it is a whale," chakliux explained. "a great fish which lives in the sea. there are more like this. some smaller. some larger. i do not think they can breathe the air for long, but whales surface for air while they swim. when they cannot move, they die." as he spoke he sheared more of the blubber from the wounds, letting it fall to the wet sand. he was pleased by how fearlessly kukik took to things he did not know; the seal hunter himself had taken for granted the knowing of these things. "their ribs are very long and very heavy. if many carry them over a series of days, they can form supports for a lodge that will never fall down." it was an immense amount of work and demanded many wolves to help. sometimes dropping such a bone from a high place to break it was preferable. "a whale can give meat to a village for a week and continue to give marrow, bone, teeth, and shelter for a long while after this. good luck to find a whale," and he brushed kukik's shoulder with his own. "perhaps your walrus spirits called us to this beach, hm?" the seal hunter suggested, stripping back the dessicated hide with a low growl of pleasing. "i think we will stay for some days and see how much of the meat can be dried."]

"it is a whale," chakliux explained. "a great fish which lives in the sea. there are more like this. some smaller. some larger. i do not think they can breathe the air for long, but whales surface for air while they swim. when they cannot move, they die." as he spoke he sheared more of the blubber from the wounds, letting it fall to the wet sand. he was pleased by how fearlessly kukik took to things he did not know; the seal hunter himself had taken for granted the knowing of these things.
"their ribs are very long and very heavy. if many carry them over a series of days, they can form supports for a lodge that will never fall down." it was an immense amount of work and demanded many wolves to help. sometimes dropping such a bone from a high place to break it was preferable. "a whale can give meat to a village for a week and continue to give marrow, bone, teeth, and shelter for a long while after this. good luck to find a whale," and he brushed kukik's shoulder with his own.
"perhaps your walrus spirits called us to this beach, hm?" the seal hunter suggested, stripping back the dessicated hide with a low growl of pleasing. "i think we will stay for some days and see how much of the meat can be dried."