8/24/2025, 1:43 AM
fa’liya padded after him, her steps quick to match a long stride. she kept her head tilted, ears turning toward the deep rumble of his voice. she cannot catch the full meaning, but she tries to listen. to learn, based on context and tone, familiar words or cognates. when he glanced back to see if she followed, she met his gaze with sharp, intent blue eyes. a mirror of his own.
she wanted to understand. his words were broken pieces to her, fragments she gathered like scattered bones and tried to fit together into meaning. today. cows. calves. she caught those. others—strength, follow, kill.
she squinted into the white expanse ahead, ears twitching as if the very air might give her answers. he could fill in the blanks with enough direction. the caribou were distant shadows against the frost, but she could see them: mothers, heavy-bodied, calves close at their heels. a smaller group. her nose lifted, tasting their scent in the wind. count, she thought. that word, she knew.
she wanted to understand. his words were broken pieces to her, fragments she gathered like scattered bones and tried to fit together into meaning. today. cows. calves. she caught those. others—strength, follow, kill.
she squinted into the white expanse ahead, ears twitching as if the very air might give her answers. he could fill in the blanks with enough direction. the caribou were distant shadows against the frost, but she could see them: mothers, heavy-bodied, calves close at their heels. a smaller group. her nose lifted, tasting their scent in the wind. count, she thought. that word, she knew.
mēre ampā cows, jēnqa calves.a pause,
eleven. eight.
![[Image: 92942039_gLH7UWGZz8j0rMA.png]](https://f2.toyhou.se/file/f2-toyhou-se/images/92942039_gLH7UWGZz8j0rMA.png)