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.