[their whale was jealously guarded of seafowl and others alike. strips of meat had been laid out to dry, and chakliux had investigated many ways to bring down one of the massive ribs. it was not an undertaking for only himself; the seal hunter had begun to feel his age, and knew injury would mean far longer in recovering. as he brought down more whale-meat, he chewed blubber and hummed tonelessly to himself. greasy-mouthed and speculative, he turned at the sharp tinge of seal in the air. and not a live seal, but a creature killed, flensed, and butchered, its saltblood growing pungent. struck with memories, chakliux stepped forward. a man and a woman approached, and as he watched, the figures grew larger. a man bearing items, a lovely woman following just behind. there was a strange familiarity here, made more pointed by the scent of seal which wreathed around them; "welcome to my beach." a joke! said the brightberry eyes, the quick, easeful grin.]

their whale was jealously guarded of seafowl and others alike. strips of meat had been laid out to dry, and chakliux had investigated many ways to bring down one of the massive ribs. it was not an undertaking for only himself; the seal hunter had begun to feel his age, and knew injury would mean far longer in recovering. as he brought down more whale-meat, he chewed blubber and hummed tonelessly to himself.
greasy-mouthed and speculative, he turned at the sharp tinge of seal in the air. and not a live seal, but a creature killed, flensed, and butchered, its saltblood growing pungent. struck with memories, chakliux stepped forward.
a man and a woman approached, and as he watched, the figures grew larger. a man bearing items, a lovely woman following just behind.
there was a strange familiarity here, made more pointed by the scent of seal which wreathed around them; "welcome to my beach."
a joke! said the brightberry eyes, the quick, easeful grin.