[they moved on into a land thrown round with thick pinewood and sprawls of oak. the land was not so open here, and perhaps chakliux enjoyed this. but a seal hunter must live beside the sea, and so he guided steps in such a direction. they rested opposite a valley, and chakliux told kukik of those legends which live among the seal hunters, and who are not so different from the ones told by those who hunted walrus. he still did not know from where kukik had come.]

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traveling with Kukik! looking for sharadoii! Raiyuk for visibility <3

they moved on into a land thrown round with thick pinewood and sprawls of oak. the land was not so open here, and perhaps chakliux enjoyed this. but a seal hunter must live beside the sea, and so he guided steps in such a direction.
they rested opposite a valley, and chakliux told kukik of those legends which live among the seal hunters, and who are not so different from the ones told by those who hunted walrus.
he still did not know from where kukik had come.

Into the seal hunter's hearth was the walrus boy taken. Fed within the man's lodge, cleaned, and warmed, Kukik had grown considerably while in the seal hunter's care. They had not found his aappak, his father, and it was with a heavy heart that they boy lost hope each passing day. Days turned to weeks, and weeks to months. Kukik had grown more adept at the seal hunter's tongue, and the shared pidgin between the two coastal peoples. Some days he continued to speak as a Walrus Hunter to Chakliux, if only not to lose the words of his kin.

Chakliux met the boy's needs, and in turn began to teach the boy the skills he would need in life. There were many similarities between the walrus and seal hunters, but one of domestic note that Kukik still struggled with was the separate sleeping areas of a seal hunter den. Old habits died hard, and some days the boy could still have be found as having moved spaces in the night to find a place at another's side.

Chakliux spoke of his legends, and told they boy of Oil Father. Kukik in turn told the hunt of Old Bull and Ivory Sister. It was truly a blessing from the spirits that Kukik had been found, lest he be claimed by the cold. It was something the boy had grown grateful for. For the spirits to have brought him Chakliux.

For the spirits to have brought him a new father.

Kukik did not speak of such thoughts to Chakluix, but he wondered if it could be seen in his eyes. If how he lingered on the words he chose to address Chakliux had caused question. Would the man spur him from his home? Kukik did not believe the seal hunter would, but if the man who sired him left him, could the man who found him no to the same?

Chakliux had taken them closer to the sea. Brine sat heavily within the air, and the gulls cried overhead. Kukik found himself at Chakliux's side, and gave the man a nudge on his shoulder. The gulls circled, their calls growing louder, and some could be seen diving.

The birds have found something.

[some days they spoke seal. others, walrus. on still more, chakliux taught kukik to converse in the pidgin between, and had also begun to teach him that one shared between seal and caribou. bits of lanzadoii and sharadoii mingled with the flowing consonants of seal. and into multiple sentences, he appended words and phrases of walrus. they were making their own trader's tongue, the seal hunter said, explaining that the caribou hunters often lived in valley fed by glacier run-off or monstrous lakes which made miles of green land through which caribou roamed. but — wistful though he was to leave behind the sea, chakliux told himself that kukik needed the company of more. he was a boy, and boys must journey to learn that which was beyond themselves. gull-cry sparked in the ears of both saltwolves. the seal hunter nodded to the walrus boy and rose. kukik would lead them if he wished to see, and if not they would continue upon this expedition of men. "i want to begin trade. it is time," chakliux uttered, for he had grown restless on the grey beach and wished to bring back things unknown. "so. we will hunt for things which we may bring." trade was the lifeblood of many societies. a man who arrived with good nature and better offerings was a man invited back. as chakliux considered kukik the son of his lodge, it was time that he learned how to comport himself among those who were not seal.]

some days they spoke seal. others, walrus. on still more, chakliux taught kukik to converse in the pidgin between, and had also begun to teach him that one shared between seal and caribou. bits of lanzadoii and sharadoii mingled with the flowing consonants of seal.
and into multiple sentences, he appended words and phrases of walrus. they were making their own trader's tongue, the seal hunter said, explaining that the caribou hunters often lived in valley fed by glacier run-off or monstrous lakes which made miles of green land through which caribou roamed.
but — wistful though he was to leave behind the sea, chakliux told himself that kukik needed the company of more. he was a boy, and boys must journey to learn that which was beyond themselves.
gull-cry sparked in the ears of both saltwolves. the seal hunter nodded to the walrus boy and rose. kukik would lead them if he wished to see, and if not they would continue upon this expedition of men.
"i want to begin trade. it is time," chakliux uttered, for he had grown restless on the grey beach and wished to bring back things unknown. "so. we will hunt for things which we may bring."
trade was the lifeblood of many societies. a man who arrived with good nature and better offerings was a man invited back. as chakliux considered kukik the son of his lodge, it was time that he learned how to comport himself among those who were not seal.

Chakliux had been clear in the ambitions set before them. They were to begin trade, and the manner in which they spoke was being used to create something new. It was an exciting thought, that they may create something that could grown beyond themselves. But Kukik was reluctant to leave the grey beach behind.

Even in his own village, the boy was isolated. Kukik dared not to expend his mental energy trying to divulge the reason why he in particular was alienated. A suspicion lurked in the back of his mind as to why, a storm cloud of truth that lingered on the horizon. He did not go chasing that storm. He did not know if he would come out unscathed.

So the boy followed the seabirds, an eager smile cast of his shoulder to Chakliux. As he made to lead them in the birds' shadows, the boy inquired of their current goal. What animals would we hunt in trade? Sea creatures do not keep long without the snow and ice. A lesson learned in the many teachings Chakliux provided to him. Beachcombing, fishing, and swimming were all skills that sprouted under the seal hunter's care. They had traveled far from the cold, grey beach, to lands green with spring grass. Shores free of the sea ice they were familiar with.

Feathers decorated the rocky beach beneath their feet and the gulls shrieked from high above on the rocky outcrops of the cliffs at the passing wolves. The throng of circling seabirds grew, and in their midst Kukik caught the flash of an eagle's brown feathers. The air grew ripe with the scent of carrion. It must be big! The walrus boy quickened his pace, rounding a large outcrop of the cliff where he stopped suddenly with a surprised yelp.

On the beach was the deceased body of a gray whale. The massive sea beast was beached in part on the sand, while the remainder of its body trailed into the shallows. Birds assailed the carcass, scavenging at the openings left on the body when the animal had been moored by the tides.

["oysters for their pearls. clamshells, and the pogy fish which carry much oil." he was warming now to the inventory, thinking as he listened to the gulls and moved beside kukik. "if we can take a seal, its pelt will be of great interest to those who do not live beside the sea. and the blubber may be traded in pieces, but you are right! we must trade quickly." scarred face danced with his smile, and then he added, "cormorant feathers and eggs. and perhaps some shells to please the eye —" his turn to stop short, to gape, to laugh. the seal hunter let out a loud whoop of pleasure and darted down the sand to the massive body, circling the whale corpse with evident reverence and a healthy trepidation. it was not often that he had seen a whale, and not one so easily witnessed. his stomach demanded the meat, and at last he stalked forward, knocking aside a seabird or two as ivoried teeth reached for the creature's hide. "or perhaps we will take only ivory." it was a dazzling and wild thought, and not so practical as the other mentioned items. splashed in blood, he exulted, "you have good eyes, walrus hunter," chakliux hooted, taking a massive bite of melting blubber with a thick sigh of delight.]

"oysters for their pearls. clamshells, and the pogy fish which carry much oil." he was warming now to the inventory, thinking as he listened to the gulls and moved beside kukik. "if we can take a seal, its pelt will be of great interest to those who do not live beside the sea. and the blubber may be traded in pieces, but you are right! we must trade quickly."
scarred face danced with his smile, and then he added, "cormorant feathers and eggs. and perhaps some shells to please the eye —" his turn to stop short, to gape, to laugh.
the seal hunter let out a loud whoop of pleasure and darted down the sand to the massive body, circling the whale corpse with evident reverence and a healthy trepidation.
it was not often that he had seen a whale, and not one so easily witnessed.
his stomach demanded the meat, and at last he stalked forward, knocking aside a seabird or two as ivoried teeth reached for the creature's hide. "or perhaps we will take only ivory." it was a dazzling and wild thought, and not so practical as the other mentioned items. splashed in blood, he exulted, "you have good eyes, walrus hunter," chakliux hooted, taking a massive bite of melting blubber with a thick sigh of delight.

It was Chakliux who took the lead in investigating the sea creature. Kukik stared awestruck, having never seen a whale before. Walrus were among the largest sea creatures he knew, it did not cross the boy's mind that there would be larger. With some trepidation, Kukik trailed after the seal hunter, his shoulder in line with the man's hip.

The list of seaside offerings the hunters could present to others fell away. Wildfire eyes surveyed the mottled gray and white skin of the whale, his jaw slack. The sound of a rather disgruntled bird and the spill of blood pulled Kukik's gaze back to Chakliux. Crimson coated the man's face, whale skin pulled taut to reveal blubber beneath. Boldy, Kukik crept beside Chakliux, his own muzzle darting beneath the seal hunter's to taste the deceased creature's most valuable resource. Teasing a small piece away with his incisors, Kukik slowly let the blubber coat his tongue. A delighted smile pulling at his lips as he savored the newest delicacy the seal hunter had showed him.

What animal is this? Kukik inquired after swallowing the morsel. The boy's gaze snapped to the discontented shrieks of the birds they had bullied away. No pity could be found in the boy for the seabirds; there was plenty of the animal to go around. With a brief interlude to snap his teeth at the boldest of the birds, Kukik wormed his way back to the opening Chakliux had expanded upon. The portions of blubber the boy took grew with his greed for the rare delicacy.

["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."

The boy fed voraciously on the whale, only pausing to consider Chakliux's words. It was odd for a fish lack scales, but surely a whale was a fish. What else could it be?

He swipes his tongue across his muzzle. The boy placed his paw against the whale's skin. Slowly he pressed his weight against the thick hide. It was no vain attempt at moving the animal, but to feel the creature's weight for himself. Massive, rare, and a grand find from what could be salvaged from a whale's body.

Kukik was surprised to find a note of sorrow manifesting in his chest. The mere mention of Old Bull and Ivory Sister pulling at his heartstrings. The boy knew of them, but would they ever know him? Would Kukik ever truly be a real walrus hunter? It was his right by birth and blood to be, but who could witness his rite of passage into manhood? His trial of silence?

Was he even worthy?

Old Bull and Ivory Sister are known to live in all walruses. I do not know if they command other sea creatures, but walrus hunters live to embody them within ourselves. Kukik removed his paw from the whale, his voice soft. Be strong as Old Bull. Have dedication like Ivory Sister. These are some of the things we say.

The boy fell quiet for a few heartbeats before braving a smile to Chakliux. A mask donned to hide the dilemma within. Whomever granted us this gift, be it spirit or the whale itself, I am grateful for it.

[when kukik grew silent, chakliux knew that he sought his own thoughts. he himself continued to shear pieces of blubber and skin besides, stripping back to the bloodied bones which he tested with hard shoves of his strong paw. whales were not held so sacred as seals among his people, but they were fiercely honored in their own right. his villages took seal and sea lion, and shared between all seal hunters the bounty of any larger sea-beast washed to shore. when the walrus boy began to speak, the red-streaked ears of chakliux lifted, cupping to answer. old bull. ivory sister. these spirits too had grown with importance on their journey, and the seal hunter nodded in reverent silence. this gentle voice and quiet smile caught his eye; was there more kukik did not say? "let us give a portion of its blood back to the ocean," chakliux mumured softly. "we will honor ivory sister and old bull in this way." perhaps there was kinship between whales and walrus which he had not yet known till this moment.]

when kukik grew silent, chakliux knew that he sought his own thoughts. he himself continued to shear pieces of blubber and skin besides, stripping back to the bloodied bones which he tested with hard shoves of his strong paw.
whales were not held so sacred as seals among his people, but they were fiercely honored in their own right. his villages took seal and sea lion, and shared between all seal hunters the bounty of any larger sea-beast washed to shore.
when the walrus boy began to speak, the red-streaked ears of chakliux lifted, cupping to answer.
old bull.
ivory sister.
these spirits too had grown with importance on their journey, and the seal hunter nodded in reverent silence.
this gentle voice and quiet smile caught his eye; was there more kukik did not say?
"let us give a portion of its blood back to the ocean," chakliux mumured softly. "we will honor ivory sister and old bull in this way." perhaps there was kinship between whales and walrus which he had not yet known till this moment.

The seal hunter listened to the boy's thoughts, as he always did, with thoughtful silence. It was a respect the boy had scarcely known. It had existed for others, but never to him. He wondered what Chakliux saw in him to grant him this. Regardless, Kukik could only offer the same to the seal hunter. It was the least he could do for all that the man had done for him.

And to oil father. Kukik's voice was strong, adamant. Whatever spirits followed them on their path, even if only for a passing moment, deserved their gratitude just the same. The boy knew Oil Father watched the seal hunter, and to him the seal man offered many gifts to the sea.

The boy returned his gaze to the whale carcass. The wound the wolves expanded upon wept crimson upon the rocky shore. It stained both them and the stone scarlet. With a testing paw, Kukik pressed against the exposed flesh, aiming to draw more of what remained of the whale's life into the open. A glance passed to Chakliux. Was this correct?