[lu-jing. not at all a name chakliux recognized, though had he been slightly older he might have been privy to the far-traders who once visited his village and carried similar names as these. but in the seal hunter's memory this recollection had no root. and so he only listened. she had accompanied him across the beige grains and now he began to crack the shells one by one, setting them open in a row at her forepaws. food, yes, he answered, though did not know to say more than that. chakliux flashed her a friendly, charming smile and swung his tail once, pointing away from the sea and back through the willowbranches. there. dark claws raked three lines into the sand, one for each day of travel back to the valley, which was etched by a V marking. sharadoii, chakliux murmured, then tapped his own chest again. seal hunter. he would take her there, a point of his chin communicated, for now her scent did proclaim itself truly: she was alone, and he thought she would prefer to be in the company of women. cloud lash was an amenable host, and he must return to kukik besides. another shell cracked open, and this time he took a portion of the meat and savored its briny flavor. glancing away from lujing, chakliux flicked his eyes over the sea once more, then to the sky, watchful for one of the fierce storms that often arrived with no warning.]

lu-jing. not at all a name chakliux recognized, though had he been slightly older he might have been privy to the far-traders who once visited his village and carried similar names as these. but in the seal hunter's memory this recollection had no root. and so he only listened. she had accompanied him across the beige grains and now he began to crack the shells one by one, setting them open in a row at her forepaws.
food, yes, he answered, though did not know to say more than that. chakliux flashed her a friendly, charming smile and swung his tail once, pointing away from the sea and back through the willowbranches. there. dark claws raked three lines into the sand, one for each day of travel back to the valley, which was etched by a V marking. sharadoii, chakliux murmured, then tapped his own chest again. seal hunter.
he would take her there, a point of his chin communicated, for now her scent did proclaim itself truly: she was alone, and he thought she would prefer to be in the company of women. cloud lash was an amenable host, and he must return to kukik besides.
another shell cracked open, and this time he took a portion of the meat and savored its briny flavor. glancing away from lujing, chakliux flicked his eyes over the sea once more, then to the sky, watchful for one of the fierce storms that often arrived with no warning.